Articles (2020)

The Inka all-conditions pen, introduced at the Winter OR show, is watertight, light weight, writes upside down and in wet conditions, and has a split ring so that it can be attached to a pack or key ring. The short version of the pen is easily pulled out of the case for quick use. For more leisurely or extended writing, the pen can be cleverly transformed into a full sized writing instrument.

The Inka has been improved: an o-ring and lip have been added to secure the pen to the split ring, a PDA stylus has been added, and the body is now carbon fiber. The titanium version, weighing just 0.45 ounces, will be available this holiday season. What do you get the dedicated lightweight backpacker who has everything…?

Inka designer and founder, Greg Adelman, holds his creation.

Specifications and Features

• Weight: 0.45 oz (13 g)
• Solid titanium body
• Remainder is carbon fiber composite
• Delrin PDA stylus
• Closed length: 3.15 in
• Open length: 5.0 in
• Diameter: 0.375 in
• Temperature range: -30 °F to 300 °F
• Angle of operation: 0 to 360°
• Weather conditions: any
• The stainless steel version weighs 0.6 oz (17 g)

Ibex introduces rib panels in their women’s Escape top for added venting and a slimming look. The men’s version gets some updated colors next Spring.

Kate Porter models the Ibex Escape top.

Specifications and Features

• 18.5 micron New Zealand merino wool
• Sizes: S to XL
• Semi fit
• Rib panels (women’s)
• Machine washable
• 4.1 oz/yd²
• MSRP: $95

Ibex Escape top.

Overview

Osprey has a new line of packs coming out in Spring of 2006; the Stratos series. There are 5 packs in the series (12, 18, 24, 32, 34) named according to their volume. These packs share a similar harness and suspension to Osprey’s Atmos series; that is, they have a super-cool (literally) trampoline backpanel and great pockets on either side of the hipbelt. Osprey’s AirCore frame is lighter than the AirSpeed from in the Atmos series and the fit seemed a little better as well.

The packs within this series differ from each other in the type of activity they are best suited for. While all are equipped with ice axe loops, some are suited to carrying skis and others better for snow shoes/snow boards. One model, the Stratos 34, is well equipped to carry all the above. All of the packs in this series are designed for fast moving activities from trail running to alpine skiing to climbing.

They all include side water bottle pockets and hydration compatibility. Most of the series are panel loaders with heavy zippers; the exception is the Stratos 32, a top lidded, top loader with panel access along the left side.

Features and Specifications

Osprey Stratos 24

• Volume size M: 1500 ci (24 l)
• Weight size M: 2 lbs 6 oz (1080 g)
• StraightJacket compression with compatibility for snow boards/snowshoes, dual ice axes, and hydration.

Osprey Stratos 12, the smallest in this series, has the same AirCore frame and mesh backpanel as its larger counterparts, but with more of a trail runner specific design.

Big Agnes updates their popular Seedhouse SL and Sarvis SL Tents, making them a few ounces lighter. The Seedhouse tents lighten up with a new 20 denier rainfly fabric. All tents save weight with DAC’s NSL pole system with a smaller hub. DAC’s NSL pole system features the most environmentally sensitive anodizing process available for tent poles. (The normal anodizing is not great.)

• Seedhouse SL1: 2 lb 8 oz to 2 lb 6 oz
• Seedhouse SL2: 3 lb 3 oz to 2 lb 14 oz
• Sarvis SL1+: 2 lb 12 oz to 2 lb 10 oz
• Sarvis SL2+: 3 lb 14 oz to 3 lb 12 oz

Hilleberg has had a waterproof/breathable Bivanorak (combination bivy and anorak) in their line for years. Intriguing multi-use concept, but heavy by ultralight standards. (See our review here.) Starting in 2006, Hilleberg will also offer the Bivanorak in a water resistant and breathable material that brings the weight of the garment/shelter squarely into the ultralight range – 11.3 ounces.

The Bivanorak looks like an anorak on the top – sleeves with drawcord adjustments, hood, zip front with windguard – and extends to below the feet with a drawcord closure so that it can be used as a survival shelter or a sleeping bag cover. The bottom can be drawn up, as in the top photo, and worn as a cagoule. The fabric is wind and water resistant, but not waterproof.

Bo Hilleberg wearing the Bivanorak fully extended.

Marmot shrinks their popular Helium 15 degree bag. The women’s Helium fits those up to 5’6", and has extra down in the foot box. People that are the "right" height, can save 3 ounces over the standard Helium.

Marmot Women’s Helium 15 degree sleeping bag.

Specifications and Features

• Weight: 1 lb 10 oz (737 g)
• Sizes: regular 5’6"
• 850+ fill goose down
• Temperature rating: 15 degrees
• Shell: Pertex Quantum N-090 ripstop
• Lining: Pertex Quantum N-090 taffeta
• Down filled draft tube
• More insulation in foot box than the unisex Helium
• Smaller and shorter zipper

Overview

As far as I know this is the lightest stretch woven jacket on the market.

I would have killed to have this windshirt in Patagonia. The constant flapping of my loose fitting 3 oz winshirt nearly drove me crazy.

A stretch windshirt can fit closer to the body without restricting movement. In addition, the fabric itself is quieter and less prone to flapping. A light stretch winshirt is ideal for activates like x-country skiing, biking, where you don’t want flapping fabric to slow you down or for climbing where you want a trim garment to stay out of the way.

MontBell’s Stretch Ballistic fabric on the Stretch Wind Jacket should have better breathability than the slightly canlendared ballistic nylon used on their lighter winshirts without compromising abrasion resistance. Offering an excellent blend of breathability and wind/rain protection, this is the jacket for cool weather endurance activities. The DWR and naturally water shedding properties of a woven fabric should provide reasonable water resistance making the Strech Jacket a very light softshell indeed.

Specifications

• Polkatex DWR treatment
• One chest pocket with concealed zipper
• Articulated elbows
• Weight (men’s): 5.6 oz
• Weight (women’s): 4.6 oz

2 lb 3.9 oz
3 season
1 door
18 ft2
3 ft 4 in peak height

The Spitfire is noteworthy because a major tent manufacture used light silnylon. Not surprisingly, it’s also the lightest tent Eureka! makes – just a shade over 2 pounds. The Spitfire UL uses a standard single hoop design.

• Single hoop 8.84 mm DAC Featherlite frame attaches with clips
• Tent body constructed with noseeum mesh for maximum ventilation
• Bathtub floor with taped seams
• Poke-out vent in fly is accessible via zipper in mesh roof cloth
• 2 interior storage pockets
• Silicone-treated nylon fabric meets CPAI-84 F/R (fire retardant) requirements

Eureka! Spitfire

Helly Hansen is not known for their backpacking apparel. I was lured into their OR show booth with a promise of the world’s lightest wind jacket. See the dispatch here. After oohing and ahing over the wind jacket, I stayed for the full tour and spotted several items of interest for the adventurist. I won’t cover shoes here, but suffice it to say that the Helly execs come from a footwear background and their interest in shoes shows.

Helly Hansen is known for their LIFA fabric. LIFA is polypropylene manufactured and treated with proprietary processes. Polypropylene is completely hydrophobic which makes it a wonderful fiber to use in active clothing. Older iterations of polypropylene are famous for a single characteristic: the ability to accumulate odor like no other fiber. The reason: polypropylene fibers, during manufacture, are prone to extremely rough surface textures that provide a tremendous surface area:volume ratio, which means lots of places for bacteria to grow and odor-causing compounds to absorb. Helly Hansen has created a manufacturing process that virtually eliminates this surface roughness, resulting in polypropylene that accumulates stink no worse, than say, most polyester-based fabrics, such as Capilene.

Helly Hansen uses polypropylene in various fabric applications including the new, woven LIFA, and LIFA Versa. Both these fabrics are used in the new Versa Duro shirts. LIFA Versa is a bicomponent knit fabric with LIFA face and polyester exterior that is used in the majority of the Duro shirt. Woven LIFA, which is more durable than knit LIFA, is used in the shoulders, back, and waistband. I’ll be looking forward to getting some real use data onhow this shirt performs. The technology certainly holds promise.

Marmot brings in an interesting item for Spring ’06 – a synthetic insulated bivy with a nearly waterproof and breathable shell. Weight is 2 lb 3 oz, and it’s large enough to slip a 40 degree bag inside. The Pertex Quantum Endurance shell fabric is laminated to Primaloft Sport insulation.

Marmot Pounder Bivy.

Specifications and Features

• Weight: 2 lb 3 oz (968 g)
• Sizes: long 6’6″
• Perimeter left zip (across hood to foot of bivy)
• Shell: Pertex Quantum Endurance
• Insulation: Primaloft Sport

The Pounder Bivy easily fits over a Marmot Atom 40 degree bag (shown on top of the bivy).

Getting to the bottom of a meal after a long day in the backcountry can be a great joy. But getting your hands messy as you dive deep into the far recesses of a food coated bag is never any fun. Spoons of a standard length are just not long enough. Goyot Design’s long handled spork and spatula solve this problem. The set weighs 1.4 ounces (40 grams). If you are like us you will find the spork is all you need and you can halve the weight of the set when you leave the spatula behind.

• The spork and spatula each weigh 0.7 onces (20 grams).
• Both utensils are easily 1 inch longer than the average lexan spoon.

The MSR Fling is a single wall tent with room for two. It can be used with the optional top pole to make it a freestanding shelter. Remove the top pole to save approximately 6 oz.

Features and Specifications

• Floor Area: 32 ft²
• Minimum Weight: 3 lb 6 oz
• Interior Peak Height: 40 in
• Release Date: February 2006
• MSRP: $269.95

Hilleberg is known for their four season tents. The Rajd (pronounced "raid") is a departure from that model, but takes its roots from their oldest design – it’s the inner tent from Hilleberg’s first double wall tent design from 1973. It is what lightweight backpackers would call a tent or a floored tarp tent. Hilleberg is very keen on it not being called a "Hilleberg tent" since that conjures up the image of a sturdy four-season shelter for those familiar with Hilleberg, and the Rajd is intended for three-season use.

Rolf and Bo Hilleberg side by side in the Rajd; Bo has plenty of head room.

The Rajd weighs 2 lb 2 oz including Hilleberg supplied stakes and guylines. Weight does not include the two required trekking poles (tent poles are available as an option). Weight does include incredible head room for two people and lots of length. I sat and reclined in the Rajd with the 6’3" Rolf Hilleberg. Both of us had plenty of room length wise and above our heads. The zipped doors on both sides made it easy for two people to enter/exit the Rajd.

There are large triangular vents above both doors.

The Rajd displays Hilleberg’s usual attention to details with some nice touches. The small awnings on both sides can be zipped in two to make entry/exit easier. The guyline comes off from both sides of the awning for even tension. Hilleberg worked with a US company to develop 2 mm guylines that have some nice features. The Spectra core and polyester outer are interwoven to prevent some of the problems associated with Spectra core guylines.

Both sides of the zip apart vestibule can be secured together with a loop and toggle to ensure even guyline tension.

• Weight: 2 lb 2 oz (950 g) including guylines and 10 stakes
• Height: 45 in (115 cm)
• Area: 25.8 ft² (2.4 m²
• Fabric: Kerlon 1200
• Optional 13 mm poles, 45 in (115 cm) long, 9.7 oz (276 g) each, MSRP $35
• Available: Spring ’06
• MSRP: $285 includings pegs and guylines with runners

Pacific Outdoor Equipment makes the insulated blow-up pad shorter and lighter. The Max Thermo 3/4 is insulated with a sheeted combination of Polar Guard and Holofill insulation for three-plus season warmth.

Specifications and Features

• 20x48x2.5 in (51x122x6.3 cm)
• Weight, manufacturer specfied: 15 oz (425 g)

Teva X-1 Trail Running Shoes
Weight: 9.8 oz (280 g)

The Teva X-1 is another very light trail running shoe in the mode of not interfering with the foot’s natural biomechanics. It is suitable for adventure racing, ultra running, and other hardcore outdoor endeavors. One of its strengths is that it absorbs little water and its open mesh upper drains water quickly. It’s a Tech Amphib with a real heel counter. You can run through a river and the shoes drain immediately. The ventilated mesh helps your socks dry quickly.

We believe that the Teva X-1 would work well as an ultralight backpacking shoe, especially in wet environments with lots of wading. It would also make a good paddling or canoeing shoe where you need to do hiking or portages. But realistically they should work equally well in dry environments.

Overview

New at this show is the Quad. This unit is a 3 AAA, multiple LED headlamp similar in concept to the Petzl Tikka line but with more sophisticated electronics – current regulation, higher output LED’s and a low battery indicator. The four super bright Nichia 5 mm LED’s are more energy efficient than the single 1 watt LED of the EOS. They also cast a broader light more suitable for area lighting and camp chores than the pencil beam of the Eos. The Quad also costs less than the Eos.

Specifications

(4)- super bright Nichia 5 mm LED’s, 30% brighter than standard LED’S

Current regulated for constant output

4 output modes- hi, med, low and safety flash

Low battery indicator

3 AAA batteries for extended burntime

Burn time 25 hr to 150 hr

Waterproof to 1 meter

Weight 3.5 oz

MSRP: $32.99

Available Early spring 2006