Can you run your backpacking stove inside your tent, or do you risk death by Carbon Monoxide poisoning?
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A tall trim-fitting Gore-Tex PacLite gaiter that covers the tops of low-cut trail runners and full-height boots equally well, but balks over bulky boots.
While we generally prefer a lightweight short gaiter for ultralight hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing, when the snow gets deep a taller lightweight gaiter is in order. The Outdoor Research Cascadia Gaiter, made of Gore-Tex PacLite fabric, fills that need very well.
The Cascadia Gaiter weighs 6.9 ounces/pair (size L), which is 3.5 ounces lighter than OR’s popular Crocodile Gaiter.
The Cascadia Gaiter, in size Large is almost knee high and has a trim fit. It has a front full-height Velcro and snap closure to facilitate easy on and off. The bottom has an elastic band and underfoot Hypalon strap to secure it, and the top snugs with a webbing strap and buckle. Alternatively, once adjusted, the gaiter can easily be pulled on without messing with the Velcro and top closures.
We wore the Cascadia Gaiter while igloo building, snow hiking, snowshoeing, and snow camping. Will even wore them while ice fishing. They fit equally well over both low cut trail runners and full-height boots, and reliably sealed snow out. We also found that they stand up very well by themselves, rather than sliding down and bunching up
They add warmth in frigid weather, but don’t get too hot on warmer winter days. As expected, they are also very wind and waterproof.
We wore the Outdoor Research Cascadia Gaiter in a variety of conditions and activities where extra snow, wind, and cold protection was needed.
The only issue we encountered with the Cascadia Gaiter is the underfoot strap was barely long enough to go around a bulky boot such as the Kahtoola FlightBoot (shown) or a pak-type boot like the Baffin Outback. The strap made it, but it was a stretch.
Overall, we are impressed with the fit, quality, and versatility of the Outdoor Research Cascadia Gaiter.
A lightweight stainless steel trowel for digging cat holes in hard, rocky ground.
For years I objected to carrying a shovel for pit stops, relying on a tent stake and soft soil to dig out my deposit spot. Now that I frequently backpack with two daughters, and the three of us are on different schedules (ahem), I sometimes find the regularity of digging cat holes, with less than adequate tools, too much for my patience. MontBell’s Handy Scoop is a lightweight option constructed of sheet steel for better digging performance and durability. We gave it a thorough test in the dry, rocky, hard soils of the Arizona deserts and rocky canyons.
MontBell’s Handy Scoop weighs 1.4 ounces and measures 6-1/4 inches in length. Its thin profile doesn’t consume pack space. It is by no means a featherweight, but only titanium could yield the same performance at a lighter weight, and that might be a tad too pricy for the general market. Sure, it’s nice to pull out titanium cookware to impress your friends, but an expensive titanium potty trowel would not hold the same allure. (Tip: shave some weight by removing the strap and rubber coating off the handle).
The Handy Scoop exceeded my expectations for digging performance; and that’s saying something considering I’m a Soil Scientist by profession. The 1mm thick stainless steel used is very tough, able to chisel away at hard ground and pry out stones with negligible wear. The tip’s shape, being narrow and formed into a dull point, allows the little scoop to penetrate and maneuver around gravelly material. All in all, it does its job well, far exceeding the performance of cheap plastic trowels, which often weigh 2 ounces or more.
Tips for igloo living and interior climate graphs to show you why you want to camp in an igloo.
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Heavy-duty warmth and comfort, and good moisture management, for snow travel in frigid conditions.
In the footwear options we researched for the article: Lightweight Footwear Systems for Snow Travel we wanted to include the lightest pak-type boot we could find to see how it compares in warmth, moisture management, and utility compared to other options. We found the Baffin Outback.
The Baffin Outback incorporates advanced technologies to reduce weight while maintaining comfort, warmth, and durability. This boot is far different from a conventional pac-type boot with a reprocessed wool liner. The aggressive tread on a size 12 boot (right) is 5.25 inches wide – that’s almost a small snowshoe!
A pak-boot typically has a waterproof rubber lower section stitched to a highly water-resistant leather upper, and has a reprocessed wool removable liner for insulation. This construction is usually quite heavy, weighing 3 pounds or more per boot. The Outback weighs 34 ounces per boot, which is light by pak-boot standards, but still very heavy by our lightweight footwear standards. Thus, the questions that need to be addressed in this review are: 1) are the warmth, moisture management, and utility of the Outback boot worth the extra weight, and 2) under what conditions would we consider using such a boot?
First, a description of the Baffin Outback. The 8-inch tall Outback is comfort rated to -40 °C/-40 °F, and is a member of Baffin’s Conviction series (he Mountain is a taller boot of the same design), which incorporates advanced technologies to reduce weight while maintaining comfort, warmth, and durability. This boot is far different from a conventional pac-type boot with a reprocessed wool liner.
The boot’s shell has an expanded polyurethane outsole that has very small air bubbles entrapped in it for extra insulation. The upper is full-grain waterproof seam-sealed leather. The inside of the shell is lined with a thin layer of hollow fiber synthetic insulation with a fleece face. The removable liner has an open-cell foam core covered by a double layer metallic membrane, with a mesh facing on the outside and fleece lining on the inside.
The Outback’s shell (left) is lined with a thin layer of synthetic insulation with a fleece face. The removable liner (right) has an open-cell foam core covered with a metallic membrane, and is fleece lined on the inside. The boot’s liner and tongue overlap to and enclose the leg (left).
I used the Outback while ice fishing, igloo building, snowshoeing, elk hunting, winter car camping, and snow camping and found it to be remarkably warm and versatile. Their traction is superb. Unlike many other pac-boots, the Outback is suitable for hiking, but it’s obviously heavy by our standards, so I only recommend it for hiking or snowshoeing in frigid conditions. I hiked in them in below zero temperatures in perfect comfort. The Outback excelled in the less strenuous activities listed above where heavy-duty insulation was needed to compensate for a lack of heat-generating activity.
I wore the Baffin Outback on a variety of snowshoes (Atlas Backcountry 24 shown), and had no problem fitting my size 12 in the bindings. It functioned perfectly on snowshoes and for snow camping.
I was curious to find out how well the liner wicks away moisture and how much moisture it holds, so I did a simple test by stuffing the liner with wet cotton towels and allowing it to stand for 4 hours. When I inspected it, I was surprised to find that the liner had wicked the moisture entirely through to the outside, where it was readily evaporating from the surface, and the liner itself held only 1.0 ounce of water.
While snow camping I had no problems with the boots accumulating a lot of moisture, even though I snowshoed in them all day. The liners and my socks felt slightly damp when I pulled them out in the evening. In camp, I wore dry wool socks enclosed in a vapor barrier sock inside the boots to ensure that my insulating socks stayed warm. The liners readily dried out inside my sleeping bag overnight.
To answer the questions I raised at the beginning, I found the Outback to be an appropriate footwear choice in really frigid temperatures. They kept my feet warm while snow hiking or snowshoeing during the day while staying mostly dry inside, and were easy to dry out overnight. They performed equally well for snow camping in frigid weather with no additional gear needed other than a dry insulating sock and vapor barrier sock.
The lightest hooded synthetic fill jacket on the market.
The Montane Prism Jacket is the lightest hooded synthetic fill jacket on the market – just 12.9 ounces in a size large. If you are looking for lightweight synthetic insulation that you can wear while hiking, keep reading. There are few jackets targeted so nicely to that function. But if you are looking for a puffy insulation piece that will keep you toasty in the coldest of temperatures, look elsewhere. The key feature of the Prism is its very light, low loft, synthetic fill insulation – much lighter than insulation used in any of its major competing jackets. Montane has combined this insulation with a Pertex Microlight shell, a full zipper and enhanced breathability panels; all features designed to make this a jacket you can wear (in the right conditions) while hiking or climbing – without getting overheated. The Prism also includes an insulated hood, an unusual combination with a jacket focused on lightweight insulation – but a feature that adds significantly to the jacket’s versatility. Of course, the light insulation means the Prism has less loft and a lower loft to weight ratio than many other synthetic fill jackets. I took the Prism out on a series of cold weather trips to find out how it performed under diverse cool weather conditions. I wore it while hiking, sleeping and just hanging around camp; on some trips I rarely took it off. The photo at right was taken on a New Year’s Eve trip in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona.
|
Year/Model |
2006 Montane Prism Jacket |
|
Style |
Hooded synthetic fill jacket (with full length zipper) |
|
Insulation |
0.78 oz/yd2 (25 g/m2) Prism insulation |
|
Measured Loft |
0.25 in (0.64 cm) single layer loft |
|
Weight |
12.9 oz (366 g) as measured, size large, manufacturer’s specification 12 oz (340 g), size medium |
|
Shell Fabric |
Pertex Microlight outer shell (1.4 oz/yd2, 45 g/m2), PEAQ Air breathability panels and inner shell |
|
Features |
Insulated hood with drawstring closure, beard guard, full length zipper, two zippered handwarmer pockets, hem draw cord, drop tail, breathability panels under armpits, reflective panels on shoulders |
|
MSRP |
$145 US (approximately), 75 Pounds, € 110 |
I spent a lot of time testing the Prism under stressful aerobic conditions. While it is easy to get overheated in any jacket if temperatures are too warm, the Prism is a good choice when hiking with temperatures up to about 50 degrees. Even when I am really pushing hard up a hill, I can stay cool and comfortable – although depending on conditions I may have to open the front zipper. On a windy and wet day, with 40 to 50 degree temperatures, I wore this jacket with just a silkweight Capilene t-shirt as a base layer, and was warm all day. During an aggressive 700 foot climb I opened up the jacket, but did not get overheated. When the wind really picked up, I pulled up the hood. The Prism really shines under these conditions – a single layer, less than 13 ounces, filled my insulation needs for the day. The Prism overlaps the functionality and performance of a softshell, at a similar overall weight, with less bulk in your pack, and includes the hood which is lacking in most softshells. I also used the Prism in colder conditions – slushy snow and rain just above freezing. The Prism does well in these conditions; I was warm, dry and comfortable all day – but I carried a waterproof shell and donned a vest when I rested. I also used the Prism as part of my sleep system on a couple of trips. The hood is very comfortable while sleeping and significantly adds to the overall versatility of this jacket. I had initially questioned the need for a hood on this jacket – why not eliminate it and knock off another ounce or two? But without the hood, the Prism would not be nearly so warm as part of your sleep system. The Prism jacket also serves well as emergency insulation for day trips or alpine climbs. Here the low bulk, light weight and hood make it an attractive choice.
The Montane Prism has two zippered handwarmer pockets that are placed high enough for use while wearing a waist belt. The Enhanced Breathability Panels can be seen under the armpits.
The Prism insulation was designed by Montane to be light and indeed it is very light when compared with other leading lightweight synthetic fill jackets. At 0.78 oz/yd2 (25 g/m2) the Prism insulation is half the weight of the insulation used in the very light MontBell Thermawrap series. Prism insulation fibers are treated to improve stability so that the insulation does not need to be quilted to a carrier fabric – saving weight and helping to maintain loft. The insulation is sewn to the garment lining to keep it near the body where it is most effective. Both the inside and outside of the hand warmer pockets are insulated. This reduces heat loss when the pockets are open, and adds very little weight or volume.
The Prism has a complete list of features, starting with its hood and drawcord. The hood can be cinched down easily, with pull cords on either side. The hood can be rolled up and secured with a Velcro tab when not in use, keeping it out of your way. Below the chin there is a comfortable beard guard. The Pertex Microlight shell is soft and nice to the touch – and also surprisingly durable. On one recent trip I spent a lot of time hiking in long grass and thorns. At first I was very careful with the shell material, holding each branch carefully so it didn’t drag across the shell fabric. But later I gave that up and plowed through bushes with little regard for the shell material. The shell showed not a single run, snag or cut. I was surprised and impressed. The shell is DWR treated and felt completely windproof on several windy days. Under the armpits are two panels, which Montane refers to as enhanced breathability panels. These panels use PEAQ Air as the outer shell, a lightweight nylon rip-stop that is more breathable than Pertex Microlight. At the rear shoulder of these panels is a small Scotchlite reflective panel. The interior lining is also PEAQ Air. The hand warmer pockets are placed high to make them usable while wearing a waist belt, and each has a full zipper. I could easily use the pockets for storage or to warm my hands while wearing a waist belt. I thought the relatively high pockets might be uncomfortable, but I find them comfortable even when I am not wearing a pack. Like most Montane garments the Prism has a significant drop tail; a nice feature if you are resting in bad weather. I find the Prism to be a little shorter in the torso than many other garments. If I ordered one again, I’d get an extra large for my 6’4” frame. The Prism stuffs easily into the right zipper pocket (only the right pocket has a double sided zipper pull). The cuffs have a simple elastic closure – but I would prefer a lighter and smaller elastic. There is a drawcord at the hem with a pull closure on either side. The drawcords operate easily, but I found little use for them in the conditions I encountered. The overall construction quality is good, but my sample has a couple of stitching flaws around one wrist causing some fabric to bunch up on the cuff.
The Prism has an aggressive drop tail that helps to cover the rear. Note that this garment was slightly undersized for the author and a proper fit will provide better coverage than shown here.
As you would expect, the Prism suffers when used as a pure insulation piece. It is not the best choice for efficient insulation while resting with temperatures below freezing. And with its full set of features and light insulation it is clearly not designed for that role. But for cold weather activity, it fits nicely into a niche not occupied by many (if any) synthetic fill garments; the MontBell Thermawrap Action jacket is perhaps closest to the Montane Prism in overall design and target use. The Thermawrap Action jacket is about an ounce lighter, but does not have a hood.
The Prism is not currently available in the US – but with a little searching on the internet you should be able to find a European retailer who will ship one your way.
The Prism stuffs nicely into the right pocket. The stuffed pocket can be zipped shut for convenient storage. The small volume of the stored jacket is attractive when considering this jacket as emergency insulation to be stored at the bottom of you pack.
Very light insulation and breathability features such as the PEAQ panels make this jacket appropriate for high exertion levels – a function not supported as well in other synthetic fill jackets. At just under 13 ounces, this is the lightest synthetic fill jacket that includes an insulated hood.
Without negatively impacting its performance, the Prism could be made lighter. The drawcords, zippers, zipper pulls and cuffs could all be simplified to make this jacket lighter, albeit somewhat less durable.
This waterproof sleeping bag functions like an insulated bivy sack – is it worth the extra weight and cost?
The Macpac Epic 450 SF has a lightweight highly water-resistant/breathable shell and lining, is fully seam taped, and has a short water-resistant zipper. It’s functionally an insulated bivy sack.
The 450 SF is the warmest of Macpac’s Epic series, containing 16 ounces (450 grams) of 750 fill-power down. Its European rating of +3 °C Comfort/-2 °C Limit of Comfort/-19 °C Extreme, is roughly equivalent to a 30 °F rating by US standards. I measured the weight of the bag at 31.2 ounces. (For clarification, the Macpac Epic series only uses the name “Epic”; it does not use the water-repellent Epic fabric by Nextec.)
Sleeping in the Macpac Epic 450 SF sleeping bag inside an igloo. I’m wearing extra clothing inside the bag in this photo. The temperature is 31 °F inside and 16 °F outside.
The outer shell fabric is Reflex LoftPro, which is a proprietary polyurethane laminate with a ripstop nylon face, weighing 2.2 oz/yd2. It has a hydrostatic head pressure of 10,000 mm/14.2 psi and moisture vapor transpiration rate (MVTR) of 15,000 g/m2/24hours. The previous Pertex Endurance shell used on this bag is about the same weight but its waterproofness and breathability are significantly lower (2 oz/yd2, hydrostatic head pressure 1,500 mm/2.1 psi, MVTR 9,000 g/m2/24h). Both fabrics have a thin PU membrane, which is hydrophilic and absorbs water. It works by absorbing water vapor, moving it through the membrane as a liquid, and evaporating it from the outside surface (which is a slow process). For comparison, air permeable eVENT fabric has a MVTR of 27,000 g/m2/24h.
Macpac uses a proprietary Stitch-Free construction technology to attach the bag’s outer shell to its inner lining via short box wall baffles. This unique seam taping technology preserves the integrity of the Reflex LoftPro shell, eliminating the possibility of leakage through stitched seams. The VapourLite lining has a DWR finish which causes water to bead up on the surface, but it is not waterproof.
The outer shell on the Macpac Epic 450 SF (left) is Reflex Loftpro (a proprietary polyurethane laminate with a ripstop nylon face) seam-taped to a VapourLite lining (a ripstop nylon taffeta with DWR). There is no stitching through the outer shell. The bag comes with a waterproof dry bag style stuff sack (right).
Macpac emphasizes that this bag is targeted to the adventure sports niche, where the intended use is minimalism – grabbing a few hours sleep under the stars and getting back on the trail. But it has potential to be more. For us lightweight and ultralight backpacker types, it means we can leave the bivy sack at home, because the Epic bag is functionally a bivy sack and sleeping bag combined.
Think about it – if you sleep under the stars, use a poncho-tarp or ultralight tarp for shelter, or sleep in a snow shelter – chances are you also take an ultralight bivy to protect your sleeping bag from condensation or spindrift. Alternatively, you can use a “waterproof” sleeping bag and leave the bivy at home. The weight savings are partly offset by the 30-denier Reflex LoftPro shell material, 30-denier VapourLite lining, and seam taping, which are heavier than the 20-denier Pertex Quantum (0.9 oz/yd²) shell and lining used on many ultralight bags. Overall, the water-resistant fabrics and construction add about 3.5 ounces to the weight of the bag.
Since the Epic 450 SF is designed to be a minimalist lightweight highly water-resistant bag, its feature set is Spartan. It has a short (15 inch) contoured water-resistant zipper on the left side (left photo). Inside, there is a double pull drawcord that closes the hood snugly and evenly around the head and face (right photo), and the hood has a small brim.
The bag’s girth is also Spartan, with 58 inches at the shoulders, 48 inches at the hips, and 32 inches at the foot. The tight cut is for adventure racers who want to save space. The slender cut may be sufficient for a trim person or an adventure racer, but it doesn’t leave much extra room for the average person, and it’s definitely too tight for a large person. The size XL is simply 6 inches longer, but not any wider. That said, I (6 feet, 170 pounds) did reasonably well wearing extra clothing inside the Epic bag. The tighter fit was not my preference (I prefer about 62 inches of shoulder girth), but I successfully wore insulated clothing inside the bag both summer and winter and kept warm down to 22 °F. The trick was to turn over with the bag, not inside the bag.
I slept in the bag on eleven fall and winter backpacking trips in a variety of shelters – under the stars, under a poncho-tarp and tarp, inside single wall and double wall tents, and inside two igloos. The conditions included dry and pleasant, two early fall snowstorms in a single wall tent, a windy/rainy night under a poncho tarp, heavy tent condensation, and high humidity inside an igloo.
Is the bag truly waterproof? Well, almost. Water droplets roll off the shell, and there is no exposed stitching for the water to soak through. The lining also sheds water. In that regard it performed just like a bivy. I also found that very little water soaks through where pressure is applied, such as a puddle under the hips or sleeping on top of wet ground. That’s a situation that doesn’t happen very often, or can be avoided. In one early fall snowstorm I had wind-driven snow drifting inside a single wall tarptent, and I stayed dry and warm in the Epic bag.
However, when I slept inside a cold high humidity tent or igloo, the bag did absorb some moisture. I weighed the bag when I got home from two igloo camping trips and found that it had absorbed 2.5 ounces of moisture on the first trip and 2.2 ounces on the second trip. Thus I conclude that the bag is unlikely to leak directly through the shell, but it does tend to accumulate some moisture over time, especially in a high humidity environment. The source is probably body perspiration which is either absorbed by the polyurethane membrane or unable to pass through it under cold damp conditions. The amount of water absorbed is enough to reduce the bag’s loft and warmth. Macpac recommends (and I agree) that it is a good practice to turn the bag inside out and air it out every day on a longer trip.
The functionally waterproof Macpac Epic 450 SF sleeping bag provides an extra measure of dry butt insurance while sleeping under a minimalist spinnaker poncho tarp.
I found the Macpac Epic 450 SF to be about right for summertime backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, where nighttime temperatures can drop down to freezing . By wearing my camp clothes inside the bag, I was able to push it down into the 20’s F, which is enough for spring and fall backpacking. It’s also sufficient for sleeping in a snow shelter or hut where the nighttime temperature doesn’t go much below freezing.
Missing from this review (and for all sleeping bag reviews published here, for that matter) will be an assessment of whether or not the sleeping bag performs adequately at temperatures near its manufacturer-reported temperature rating. Click here for the complete Backpacking Light Position Statement on Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings.
Within the waterproof sleeping bag category, the Macpac Epic 450 SF is quite similar to the Exped Ibis WP bag. The Ibis has a Pertex Endurance shell and nearly identical insulation, but weighs 10.8 ounces more. However, the shoulder girth is 2 inches wider (1 inch more in size long), and it costs $30 less.
Comparing the Macpac Epic 450 SF (750 fill down, Reflex LoftPro shell) with the popular Marmot Hydrogen bag (850+ fill down, Pertex Quantum shell), the Macpac bag comes out approximately 10 ounces heavier and $91 more. The weight difference is due to the heavier shell fabric and lower fill power down in the Macpac bag. The cost difference ($91) is almost enough to buy a lightweight bivy, so that’s close to a wash. Personally, I would rather have the Marmot Hydrogen bag plus a lightweight bivy for my $400 because it provides more versatility. However, if Macpac were to go to 850+ fill power down in their Epic bags, the decision would be more difficult.
Given the narrow shoulder girth, I found the bag’s short water-resistant zipper a bit cumbersome to operate. Also, there is no foot ventilation, so ventilation is likely to be an issue in warmer, more humid climates. The nylon taffeta lining is quite supple and adequately downproof; with only an occasional feather coming through.
A winter weight hybrid baselayer with a wool layer next to skin and a polyester outer layer to wick moisture away.
The Macpac Interwool Mountain Warmth baselayer is a hybrid, consisting of a textured wool layer next to skin, a polyester outer layer to wick moisture away, and a Lycra component for stretch. As the name implies, it is designed for cool and cold weather high output activities. The long sleeved zip-top weighs 10.5 ounces in size Large.
On sunny above-freezing winter days, the Mountain Warmth top as an outer layer was comfortable while hiking, skiing, or snowshoeing. (Photo by Rick Hagar)
Features include a 10-inch front zipper, raglan sleeves, hidden elastic thumb loops, stand up collar, underarm and side stretch panels, and a zippered pocket on the left cuff. The top is exceptionally well made using high quality fabrics, and fits well. The outside surface is smooth, so other clothing easily slides over it.
There is a concealed thumb hole inside the cuff (left) to assist with putting the top on, although it’s hardly needed. The small zippered pocket on the left cuff (right) is a curiosity. I am not sure what it is intended for, and I could not find a good use for it.
While the wool and Lycra content plus a zipper add a bit of weight to this garment, the weight is offset by its superb performance in cool and cold weather when worn as either a baselayer or outer layer. I wore it 43 days while testing it in a variety of activities and conditions. The result is that the Mountain Warmth top is now a part of my cool/cold weather clothing system, and I wear it so much that I have a hard time finding a chance to launder it (and it doesn’t develop any odors to remind me of the need)!
The inside surface of the Macpac Mountain Warmth top is textured to trap more air for insulation. The left side is a stretch underarm panel; note the different fabric orientation to improve articulation.
On sunny winter days with temperatures above freezing, I was able to wear the top as an outer layer while actively hiking in temperatures down to freezing. On my fall outings I discovered its broad comfort range, feeling comfortable from freezing morning temperatures to afternoon temperatures up to about 60 °F. It was also remarkably dry, more so than a pure merino wool baselayer.
In sub-freezing temperatures, I layered over it as needed for warmth, but frequently wore just a wind shirt over it. On winter backpacking trips in the southern Utah canyon country and snow camping in igloos we built, I wore the Mountain Warmth baselayer during the entire trip, adding layers over it as needed.
I also found the Mountain Warmth top to be quite durable. I wore it while hiking through brush on many occasions, and it has picked up very few snags. It’s more durable than many polyester baselayers I have worn.
Overall, for cold weather outdoor activities and camping, the Macpac Mountain Warmth long sleeve zip top is a remarkable baselayer providing plenty of warmth, dryness, and comfort. It’s a superb top for aerobic activities in cold weather, by itself or with a breathable windshirt over it.
A unique soft shell jacket with retractable insulation in the torso area.
What’s unique about the VersaLayer Ability Jacket is that it’s a soft shell jacket with retractable insulation in the torso area. Pulling on two blue cords inside the side pockets retracts the insulation; pulling on two red ones extends the insulation. A system of thin 100-pound test Spectra lines connected to each pull cord allows the insulation panel to slide back and forth.
Whala – you can adjust your temperature on the fly by pulling on two cords to extend or retract the insulation in the VersaLayer Ability Jacket. This jacket has a lot of style and features.
The insulation is a proprietary CoreWarmth® polyester panel only in the torso area. It’s encased in a 30-denier nylon shell to make it slide easily. There is no insulation in the upper back, shoulders, sleeves, and hood.
You are probably wondering about the reliability of the insulation retraction system, so I will address that first. As part of their testing and promotion, VersaLayer developed a machine to continuously pull the cords to extend and contract the insulation. They found that the system will handle 20,000 pulls before any failure occurs, and they rate it to withstand 12,000 continuous pulls before failure. The thin cord used in the retraction system is Western Filament Spectra® braided line with a proprietary coating, which has never broken during their testing. So, it appears safe to assume that the retraction system is reliable.
The manufacturer photo on the right shows the location of the retractable insulation system. Inside each side pocket (right) there is a blue cord to retract the insulation and a red cord to extend it.
The soft shell fabric used in the Ability Jacket is Schoeller FTC fabric engineered by Schoeller AG, which is a stretchwoven fabric claimed to be truly air permeable, breathable, water and wind resistant, and fast drying. This fabric contains 6% Spandex, which gives it good two-way stretch and good articulation, but also adds weight and retains moisture. The fabric is soft and durable and its hydrophilic/hydrophobic 3XDRY technology provides excellent moisture management. For a more detailed discussion of soft shell fabrics and their performance, read Alan Dixon and Ryan Jordan’s article on Soft Shells: The Real Story
The Ability Jacket has a trim cut and is intended to be worn over a baselayer. In size Large the jacket fit loose enough on me (6 feet, 170 pounds, 41 inch chest) that I could layer it over a down sweater (Montbell Alpine Light Down Jacket) without it being too tight (which is a good thing, which I will explain later). The sleeves are extra long, and the jacket has a dropped tail. There is a drawcord in the hem but it is hardly needed because of the trim fit.
The Ability Jacket has a trim fit and is well designed and full-featured. It is designed to be worn over a baselayer and used for high output alpine activities. For me, the jacket was barely roomy enough to wear a thin insulated jacket under it for extra warmth when needed.
The feature set is extensive: fully lined, stow-away hood with drawcord adjustors in front and back, dropped tail with drawcord hem, full front two-way zip, adjustable Velcro cuffs, two large front Napoleon pockets, two zippered side pockets (that contain the pull cords), one inside drop pocket, and one inside zippered security pocket (six pockets total).
The Ability Jacket has two large Napoleon pockets (left) in the chest area. Inside (right), the jacket is fully lined and has a drop pocket with Velcro tab and a zippered security pocket.
With the hood stowed away (left), the collar stands up to chin height. The uninsulated hood (right) has three drawcord adjustors and a brim.
The manufacturer states that the Ability Jacket is “designed for high-output alpine activity”, and I agree. This is not an insulated jacket per se, rather think of it more as a soft shell jacket that has a torso warming feature. The Ability Jacket works best for active outdoor pursuits in cool and cold weather. While it is a warm jacket as long as I keep moving, the chill sets in when I am inactive.
On the trail, the Ability Jacket delivered very good breathability in true soft shell fashion – this baby breathes!. I found it quite comfortable to wear while actively hiking, snowshoeing, XC skiing, and igloo building in cold weather. The retractable insulation extended its comfort range, as long as I kept moving. On a steady ascent while breaking trail with skis or snowshoes, I found that I easily overheated in the Ability Jacket, especially in the sun due to the jacket’s black color. At a moderate pace in undulating terrain, especially in overcast conditions, it was remarkably comfortable and dry inside.
Its Schoeller stretchwoven soft shell fabric deflected a light wind quite well, but a more serious cold wind cut through it, requiring an insulating layer under it or a wind shirt or hard shell jacket layered over it to stay warm. The shell is also quite water-resistant (its DWR is claimed to withstand 80 washings), so it easily deflected light rain and snow.
While the insulation retraction system appears to work smoothly in VersaLayer’s promotional video, in practice it was never very clear whether the insulation was completely retracted or extended. When retracted, the insulation bunches up in the backside of the jacket, so it is really only the chest area that is affected when the insulation is drawn back. The retracted insulation on my backside did not create a noticeable lump, so it was comfortable under a backpack. Although the front pockets that contain the pull cords are located above a backpack’s hipbelt, I found that the retractable insulation system did not work very smoothly with a backpack on. It was better to take my pack off to make the change.
The insulating limitations of the Ability Jacket were more apparent when I stopped, or traveled downhill. Since it has no insulation in the upper back, shoulders, and sleeves these areas were the first to feel chilly when my metabolic heat output dropped or the wind picked up. At a lower activity level, the Ability Jacket worn over a baselayer is warm down to about freezing for me, but its warmth will vary with different users. Fortunately (for me) the size Large jacket I tested had enough room to layer over a thin insulated jacket, so the combination was warm. However, because of its trim fit, that may not be the case for many users.
Another disadvantage of the insulation retraction system is that the pull cords are concealed in the bottom of the side pockets. This makes it difficult to find and operate the cords if the pockets are full, so the upshot is that the pockets are not very usable for storage. It’s also a good situation for losing things from the pockets when pulling the cords. I would prefer to have the pull cords located outside of the pockets so they are more easily accessible and the pockets are more usable.
The main downside of the Ability Jacket is its weight. While other soft shell jackets weigh in the 15 to 20 ounce range, the VersaLayer Ability in size Large weighs slightly over 2 pounds! This is not a jacket I would take backpacking! Its best use is day tripping in aerobic cold weather pursuits, where its breathability and weather resistance are most useful and weight is a lesser concern. For cold weather, an adequate weather protection layering system would add an insulating jacket to wear under or over the Ability Jacket when aerobic activity stops, and a shell jacket to go over it in serious wind or wet weather. That adds up to a lot of weight. I would be happier with the versatility of a lightweight soft shell jacket, plus a thin synthetic insulated jacket, plus a wind shirt.
The Isotope is the current lightweight champ for backpacking rainwear – and it’s full-featured!
In our previous reports on the very lightweight Sierra Designs Isotope rainwear, there was initial excitement, then disappointment when we discovered that it wasn’t waterproof, then encouragement when we found that most of the flaws had been corrected. In this review we evaluate the finished product.
Simply put, the Sierra Designs Isotope is the lightest woven fabric waterproof/breathable jacket currently available, and the pant is not far behind. Actually the Isotope is lighter than most non-woven fabric rainwear. More amazing yet is that it’s full-featured, not Spartan as you might expect.
The Sierra Designs Isotope jacket is the current lightweight champ, and it’s full-featured. The pant is slightly heavier than the 2007 GoLite Reed Pant, but it has a couple of extra features.
To be specific, the jacket and pants in size Large weigh 5.4 ounces and 5.6 ounces, respectively, for an even 11 ounces for the rainsuit. The pants are made of a slightly heavier Nanolite fabric than the jacket for greater durability. The jacket’s fabric weight is 1.17 oz/yd2, while the pants are 1.77 oz/yd2.
We can confidently say that the Isotope Jacket is the lightest rain jacket available today. The pant at 5.6 ounces is slightly heavier than the GoLite Reed Pant, which we previously measured at 4.4 ounces. However, the GoLite Reed Pant is being upgraded for 2007 with the addition of ankle zips, which will increase its weight to about 5 ounces. So the actual difference is small, and the Isotope Pant provides a couple of extra features (zip fly in men’s model, zippered rear pocket) for the extra weight.
Included in the 5.4 ounce weight for the jacket is an adjustable hood, full front zip with storm flap, two front zippered pockets, two inside drop pockets, full seam taping, and a hem drawcord. For the pants, the 5.6 ounce weight includes full seam taping, a zippered fly (men’s model), elastic waist drawcord, zippered rear pocket, and ankle zips with Velcro closures. Both men’s and women’s sizes are available
The Isotope jacket is loaded with features: Front pockets (top left) are huge and will hold a lot of stuff (the jacket stuffs into the left pocket), inside drop pockets (top right) are also large and very useful, the full-height #3 YKK front zipper (bottom left) has a storm flap with four Velcro patch closures, and the hood (bottom right) has a front drawcord with one adjustor on the right side.
The Isotope pant has 14-inch ankle zips with a Velcro tab closure. Will had no problem getting his size 12 clunkers through the pant legs.
On the utilitarian side, the Isotope jacket has a relaxed fit so it will easily layer over insulated clothing. The sleeves on the jacket are extra long, as are the legs on the pants. The hood fits well (especially with a billed cap), but has a drawcord adjustor on only one side which makes the hood feel like it is pulling to one side.
Considering its miniscule weight, the feature set of the Isotope is truly amazing. The zippered front pockets and inside drop pockets will hold a ton of stuff, which is really handy in camp. However they are not very useful on the trail because a backpack hipbelt wraps around all four pockets and limits their access. The full length #3 YKK front zipper is very effective for ventilation (it’s the only ventilation option when carrying a pack), but it’s fragile and won’t withstand rough use. To open the front zipper, it’s necessary to pull the four Velcro tabs open with the left hand while pulling the zipper with the right hand.
Sierra Designs’ Nanolite is a waterproof/breathable polyurethane coated nylon ripstop with DWR finish. The jacket is rated at 800 millimeter waterproofness while the pants are rated at 3000 millimeters. The higher rating for the pants means that they are very unlikely to leak when you sit on a wet surface.
Both jacket and pants have a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR = breathability) rating of 3000 g/m2/24 hours, which is at the higher end for a polyurethane membrane. The Nanolite fabric has the thinnest polyurethane membrane we have seen, which means that solid state diffusion through the membrane to the outer surface is faster.
So, what’s the catch? It could possibly be the jacket’s 800 millimeter waterproofness rating. That’s a little over 1 psi, which means that water under any more pressure than rainfall might go through it. Aestute readers will recall that Sierra Designs had some problems with previous versions of the Nanolite fabric not being waterproof, and a production flaw where the pockets were not seam taped. So, in this review of the “finished” version of the Isotope rainwear, it is important that we decisively determine that it is in fact waterproof.
In four months of field testing in normal rain and snow conditions, we didn’t detect any leakage at all. We further tested it by wearing the rainsuit over white cotton clothing in a warm shower at 30 psi – still no leakage. Finally, we rigged up a test to see if the jacket would leak under a simulated shoulder strap putting pressure on it in constantly wet conditions – no leakage again. So we conclude that the Isotope is in fact stormproof.
Sierra Designs’ Nanolite fabric (left) is a very thin smooth polyurethane membrane bonded to a thin ripstop nylon face fabric with DWR. All seams are taped. In our test simulating a weighted wet shoulder strap (right), no water leaked through the Nanolite fabric after 6 hours. The test consisted of a pair of wet socks tightened over the fabric with a webbing strap. We added water every half hour to keep it wet.
We wore the Isotope rainsuit in wind, rain, and snow in terrains ranging from desert to alpine. Overall, it gets high marks for wind- and waterproofness, and its breathability is as high as can be expected from its urethane membrane technology. (Photo by Rick Hagar.)
In use, we found that the Isotope’s breathability is decent but not exceptional. The breathability is simply constrained by the limitations of its hydrophilic monolithic membrane, which means that it’s not capable of transmitting moisture nearly as fast as it is produced under normal backpacking conditions. We found the jacket to be more comfortable and dryer inside when hiking slowly under overcast and cooler conditions, and wetter inside when hiking uphill while carrying a pack, especially under warmer conditions. Opening the front zipper helped a lot to exhaust excess moisture. Note that this scenario is typical of waterproof/breathable rainwear under backpacking conditions.
Since the Isotope is made of ripstop nylon it’s quite durable, but it’s definitely not bombproof. On the one hand, it’s much more durable than the non-woven polypropylene fabrics used in RainShield, DriDucks, and Frogg Toggs rainwear, but on the other hand you can’t go bashing through granite or multiflora rose with it either. It’s perfect for the average ultralight backpacker who takes reasonable care of his gear.
Overall, the Sierra Designs Isotope jacket and pants are the current champ for lightweight backpacking rainwear. Eleven ounces for a full-featured jacket and pants is amazing, and at that weight we will take the features and not bicker about how the manufacturer can shave a few more grams.
Igloo building is a fun wintertime activity to share with family, friends, or Scouts. Build a warming hut in your favorite skiing or snowshoeing area, construct an igloo for a backcountry base camp, or design your own hut system! The Grand Shelters Icebox Igloo Building Tool does a lot of the work for you, but you’ll still need to master some essential techniques.
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Andrew Skurka talks about his cold weather tenets and ultralight gear kit following a 385 mile, 19 day backpacking trip in northern Minnesota in the dead of winter.
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GoLite makes some significant improvements on an old favorite – without increasing the weight!
GoLite has redesigned their entire pack line for 2007, replacing 28 previous packs with a new line consisting of 9 packs. And all but one (the Ion) are available in men’s and women’s specific sizes. The Jam2 pack is the midsize model in their new Venture Series of frameless backpacks, and is an upgrade of the very popular Jam pack. What are the changes, and is the Jam2 really better than its predecessor?
|
Year/Model |
GoLite 2007 Jam2 |
|
Style |
Frameless, top loading, drawstring and rolldown closure with top compression strap |
|
Volume |
Size L tested 3200 ci (52 L) |
|
Weight |
1 lb 6.1 oz (627 g) measured weight, size L; manufacturer’s specification 1 lb 5 oz (595 g), size M |
|
Sizes Available |
Men’s M,L; Women’s S,M |
|
Torso Fit Range |
Men’s M fits 17.5 to 19.5 inch torsos, men’s L fits 19.5 to 21.5 inch torsos; women’s S fits 15.5 to 17.5 inch torsos, women’s M fits 17.5 to 19.5 inch torsos |
|
Fabrics |
210d Dyneema Gridstop polyurethane-coated nylon |
|
Features |
Large gusseted fabric front pocket with water-resistant zipper, two side stretch nylon/Spandex side pockets, two compression straps on each side that connect to the opposite side, 3-liter interior hydration sleeve, 9-inch extension collar, two bungee tool loops, Compaktor System for volume reduction, two ice axe loops, haul loop, sternum strap |
|
Volume To Weight Ratio |
144.8 ci/oz size M/L (based on 3200 ci and a measured weight of 22.1 oz) |
|
Comfortable Load Carrying Capacity |
20 lb estimated comfortable load for an average person carrying the pack all day |
|
Carry Load to Pack Weight Ratio |
14.5 (based on 20 lb and a measured weight of 1.38 lb) |
|
MSRP |
$100 US |
There’s an old saying – don’t mess with success – and GoLite recognized that with the Jam when they consolidated their backpack line. They renamed it the Jam2 and gave it a number of upgrades that make it even better than the original. And (just for us) they kept the weight the same – it still weighs 21 ounces in size Medium.
Manufacturer photos of the original Jam pack (left) and the new Jam2 (right).
The more significant changes in the new Jam2 pack are as follows:
Views of the Jam2. The front of the pack (top left) is dominated by a huge fabric pocket with water-repellent zipper. Each side (top right) has two long compression straps and a stretch pocket. Shoulder straps have an angled attachment (bottom left). The top (bottom right) is a simple drawcord and roll-down closure with a compression strap.
The shoulder straps (left) on the Jam2 are mounted at an angle at the top, and are more contoured and better ventilated than the previous Jam. There’s a removable 0.25-inch thick closed-cell foam pad behind the backpanel. The hipbelt (right) is a simple fabric wing and webbing belt.
The Jam2 in size Large fit me (6 feet, 170 pounds) very well. It’s shaped to fit the contour of my back and is remarkably comfortable to carry with loads up to 20 pounds. Although I personally did not find the shoulder straps to be adequately padded to comfortably carry loads over 20 pounds, hikers with stronger shoulders might. With the pack stuffed full to create a virtual frame, I am impressed by how well the Jam2 transfers weight to the hips. The simple fabric hipbelt wing and webbing belt are perfectly comfortable, without the need for extra padding.
GoLite’s new Compaktor System is a novel idea to adjust pack volume. By connecting a pair of clips to loops at the bottom of the pack, the volume can be reduced to 1300 cubic inches. Remarkable!
Four side compression straps (top left) serve to further adjust pack volume and stabilize smaller loads (shown here with the Compaktor System hooked). Further, the side compression straps have quick release buckles and the straps are long enough to connect to the opposite side (top right). This creates a straight-jacket compression system that seriously compacts and stabilizes the pack. The long compression straps will accommodate attaching larger items to the side of the pack (bottom left), like a full-length RidgeRest pad. However, the gender on the buckles does not work out to connect in the middle (bottom right) to attach gear to the front of the pack. Reversing the gender of the buckles on one side would enable the connection.
The side pockets are a durable stretch nylon/Lycra fabric, and are angled for easier access to water bottles with the pack on. However, the compression straps immediately above the side pockets interfere with re-inserting a water bottle (see photo below). A simple solution is to unclip the compression strap.
The Jam2 adds a 3-liter interior hydration sleeve with two hose ports (left). I personally prefer to use the hydration sleeve for my sleeping pad and carry a short 2-liter Platypus hydration system in a side pocket (right), which is more convenient to access than the interior sleeve.
Unlike other ultralight frameless backpacks, the Jam2 is made of durable Dyneema Gridstop fabric and has durable pockets, which make it suitable for bushwhacking. It’s also very water-repellent (except for the side pockets), which I tested in rain and snow showers in the field. The large gusseted front pocket is advantageous over a mesh pocket because it keeps your gear dry, and has a full-width water-resistant zipper to provide easy access.
To find out how water-repellent the Jam2 is, I tested it under the shower. The water-resistant zipper and PU coating on the inside of the fabric stopped most of the water, but the front pocket leaked a little through a gap between the two zipper pulls and the side seams leaked some. The latter can be eliminated by seam sealing. The fabric surface, shoulder straps, and webbing straps wetted, so the pack did gain a little weight.
The Jam2 is a 3200 ci pack weighing less than a pound and a half with a wonderful large gusseted front gear pocket that is highly water-resistant and easy to access. Also GoLite’s new Compaktor System is simple and elegant, and works very effectively in combination with its four side compression straps to reduce pack volume and stabilize smaller loads.
Reverse the gender of the compression strap buckles on one side so they can be released and connected at the center with the straps on the other side. This would add utility by allowing larger gear items to be attached the front of the pack.
New manufacturer of tents with potential for lightweight backpacking, if they make the tents available with lighter fabrics.
New manufacturer of tents with potential for lightweight backpacking, if they make the tents available with lighter fabrics.
You likely have not heard of Catoma Outdoor. They are a small company in Montgomery, AL that started out making specialized tents for US Forest Service fire fighters. Responding to requests from customers, they came out with a line of lightweight tents for the domestic market that include the Worm, Twist, Limbo 1, and Limbo 2.
Catoma’s tents are currently made of 40d PU-coated ripstop nylon, with a mesh inner tent, and DAC FeatherLite poles. They are already light, but they begged the question: “Why not make them out of sil-nylon or sil-polyester so they would be really light?” The answer was – they’re working on it. For now, we wanted to give our readers a heads up on this new company and their innovative lightweight tent designs.
The Worm is a hooped bivy shelter that sets up at the drop of a hat. As shown in the attached short digital movie, all you have to do is take it out of its bag and release it. It has a peripheral thin fiberglass rod that makes it open up by itself. Coiling it back up involves a certain sequence of folds that the user needs to master (as shown in the video). The zippered entry door is a waterproof/breathable PU laminate. Each end has a canopy that can be tied out to expose a mesh panel for ventilation. The inside length is 82 inches, which means that a regular length sleeping bag will brush against the tent at both ends. Overall, it’s quite roomy inside for a bivy shelter. The trail weight is 2 pounds 5 ounces and MSRP is $155.
The Twist is basically a solo tent of the same self-opening design as the Worm, only it has a mesh inner tent and a fly supported by a single ridge pole. The pole and fly can be set up as a fast and light option. Trail weight is 2 pounds 14.5 ounces and the MSRP is $185.
The Catoma Twist double wall solo tent has a self-opening inner tent with mesh walls and a fly supported by a single ridge pole. There are vents at both ends of the fly.
The Limbo 1 as the name implies is a low 1-person double-wall tent. It has a side entry and vestibule. The floor measures 36 inches wide by 96 inches long, so it’s a great solo tent for a tall person. To minimize weight, it’s only 30 inches high. Trail weight is 2 pounds 15 ounces and MSRP is $219.
The Catoma Limbo 1 is a low (30 inches high) double wall solo tent with a side entry vestibule.
The Limbo 2 is a taller (40 inches) 2-person double-wall tent with end entry and vestibule. The floor measures 56 inches wide by 86 inches long, which is fairly roomy. Trail weight is 3 pounds 15 ounces and MSRP is $279.
The Catoma Limbo 2 is a double wall 2-person tent with an extended entry vestibule at the end.
The Catoma tents definitely have potential for lightweight backpacking. The present construction using 40d ripstop nylon is certainly durable, and the tents are solidly built. However, we are mainly thinking of the Catoma Tents in terms of their POTENTIAL if the weight can be brought down through the use of lighter fabrics.
Several lightweight, well-designed, multi-purpose products to aid the lightweight backpacker, while reducing our environmental impacts.
Several lightweight, well-designed, multi-purpose products to aid the lightweight backpacker, while reducing our environmental impacts.
Sea To Summit (STS) has a knack for developing products that are truly useful for lightweight backpacking. On our visit to their booth, their representative Patricia Smith showed us several new products of interest.
Ipood! STS claims that this 2.6-ounce camp trowel is the lightest in the world. We know that many UL and SUL backpackers pooh-pooh carrying the extra weight, but for LW backpackers at least, this is definitely a product worth considering. The Ipood! Is made of 6066-T6 alluminum alloy, collapses to a small size, and the handle is hollow to hold toilet tissue. It retails for $16.95. STS definitely came up with a clever name for this product; their tagline is Ipood! And I’m Proud!
The Ipood! is a collapsible backpacking trowel that holds TP in the handle.
Pocket Shower Another clever idea is STS’s 4.2 ounce Pocket Shower, which is actually a dry bag with a nozzle on the bottom. The nozzle twists to turn off and on, and its 10-liter capacity will last 8.5 minutes when fully open, longer at a slower trickle. What we really like about this type of product is that it’s multi-purpose and can be used as a stuff sack, dry bag, pillow, water bag, shower, or bear hang. It’s black so it heats up quickly in the sun, and comes with a 20-foot cord. From past experience, we have found that we can easily get two or more showers from this amount of water if we wet, wash, then rinse. The MSRP is $24.95. Way cool product!
The Pocket Shower is basically a dry bag with a shower nozzle on the bottom. You twist the nozzle to regulate the flow.
Pocket Towel STS’s version of a camp towel is made of really light microfiber that wets easily, so it’s quite large for its weight. It comes in two sizes; size small weighs 1.5 ounces and size large weighs 3.9 ounces. Of course it’s a good companion to the Pocket Shower, but it would also be very handy for wiping condensation from the inside of a single wall tent and for use as a dish towel. The MSRP is $14.95 for the small towel and $22.95 for the large one, which is a bit expensive.
Sea to Summit’s lightweight Pocket Towel is made of microfiber and is very absorbent.
Pocket Soap Here’s a convenient way to take soap on a backpacking trip. STS’s Pocket Soap comes as small leaves of pure biodegradeable soap that are so light they don’t register on a postage scale. Half a sheet is enough for one hand washing, and you can take only the amount you need on a trip. MSRP is $4.95 for a packet of 50 leaves.
The Pocket Soap is biodegradable and you can take only what you need on a trip.
Trash Dry Bag STS’s dry bag designed to hold trash can be useful in a variety of situations. It has an extra lip around the dry bag closure that allows the bag to be lined with a kitchen trash can liner. It’s available in 10 and 20 liter sizes weighing 3.5 and 4.7 ounces. I won’t get into the potential uses for waste, but I do want to note that the same bag is perfectly usable as a normal dry sack.
A Trash Dry Bag may be very useful to contain messy trash on a group backpacking trip or a canoeing trip.
Pilbara Hat We also discovered that STS has several hats that are nicely designed for hiking and backpacking. The newest one is the Pilbara, which has a wide brim, is sun and water resistant, and has loads of ventilating mesh in the crown. We also liked the skirted Mullet Cap ($29.95) for the above reasons, and because the skirt is attached with simple Velcro patches to make it easy to remove and replace. They also have a Gore-Tex PackLite cap ($39.95) and some wide-brimmed Gore-Tex hats. All of their hats are really lightweight and definitely worth considering.
The new Pilbara Hat is very lightweight and has lots of mesh area on the sides for extra ventilation. It’s also very attractive.
We certainly appreciate Sea To Summit’s contributions to the Leave No Trace cause, while providing truly useful products for backpackers.
Guns, fire, merge into new innovations at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2007.
Few ultralight manufacturers address the core needs of folks that go huntin’, so check out the ultralight Doubl’Barr’L that tips the scales under a pound and can singe the tailfeathers of a bumblebee at ninety millimeters.
With a barrel length of 30 cm and simultaneous firing of both chambers, this powerhouse is a weapon that should incite fear and repentance in anything an eight year old would find fun to burn up.
Innovative, petroleum-based molded materials house a butane chamber that brings new meaning to the ultralight hiker’s claim, “I’m packing some ultralight heat.”
“It’s just plum perfect for barbecues, frat parties, and singing the ends of Spectra cord,” says Kentucky thru-hiker Mitch, who goes by the trail name “I’m Mitch, ya’dummie, ‘already told ya that.” Mitch also brought up a wealth of other applications, most of which were illegal and he respectfully requested that he remained off the record about them, in case his momma was readin’ this.
When we tested the weapon, it misfired at first. To see if the choke is all plugged up, Mitch peered way down into the barrel and squinted while we fired it up again. Whoo-wee, Mitch, gotta watch those eyebrows next time, provin’ the theory we done proved time and time and tiiiime again that ultralight gear comes with an education cost.
The Doubl’Barr’L conceals nicely into the front of your pants, and rolls up all cozy in your foam pad too. We like it slung through a webbin’ loop on the shoulder straps of our rucksack. Mitch clipped his right into the suspender buckle on his Dickies. Talk about systems integration.
Hey, so check out the Doubl’Barr’L Facts ‘n Figures:
Photo: Backpacking Light Sales Manager and Montana resident Joel Walthall lines up the Doubl’Barr’l. When we asked him what he had in his sights, he said, “Comp’nies that make gear that’s just too dang heavy.”
Another entry into the expanding remote canister stove market featuring support for canister inversion.
Over the past year we have seen the introduction of a few remote canister stoves from various manufacturers. Most of the offerings simply move the canister away from the burner (e.g., MSR WindPro, Primus Gravity MF) move the canister away from the stove but leave it standing upright. A small set of stoves are designed to work with the fuel canister in an inverted position (e.g., Coleman Fyrestorm which also supports white gas) which improves stove performance especially under colder conditions. While other remote canister stoves could be modified to work with their canisters inverted (see Roger Caffin’s article Do It Yourself Projects to Reduce Canister Stove Weight) the number of available stoves that are designed with this functionality specifically in mind is still vanishingly small. Snow Peak is about to help change that.|
Snow Peak has made the Giga Power LI Stove Metal Crab. This is a remote canister stove that includes an adapter that lets you invert your fuel canister. The stove weighs 14.5 ounces which appears to be about on par with some of the other stainless steel and brass remote canister (multi-fuel supported) we have seen. This stainless steel and brass stove supports pots on three stout looking legs with six pot support arms. But it folds down to 2.6″ by 3″ and the canister holder neatly fits inside the bottom of small fuel canisters. The power output of the Metal Crab is 8,400 BTUs. MSRP is $159.95.

This two-pole, wedge, solo, double wall tent is quite something at 4 pounds.
The world of tents can be a daunting one. Tents come in so many types and sizes that it can be hard to keep up. That world grows a bit more with Snow Peak’s latest entry. The LandBreeze Solo Original should give consumers quite a bit to think about.
The LandBreeze Solo Original tent is a double wall tent with floor space of 6.75′ by 3.25′ and ceiling of 3.3′. The wedge shaped design opens up the interior volume quite a bit making this feel, in a quick sit down test, like a quite roomy 4 pound tent. The inner tent is made of 20 denier nylon mesh and 40 denier ripstop nylon with a PU coating that is water resistant up to 1800mm of pressure. The fly is made of 30 denier PU coated ripstop nylon with a water resistance rating of 1500mm. This is a minimalist tent with one large front door and no vestibule.


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