Articles (2020)

Tall Tales from Colca Canyon, Peru: Global Test Photo Essay

Trekking in one of the world’s deepest canyons.

Editor’s Note: click here to see all the articles (and a brief synopsis of each) in this excellent series.

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Kristin and I traveled through nine Latin American countries before entering Peru.  In those seven months, we met many tourists who had already been to Peru, and more than a few raved about hiking in Colca Canyon.

Honestly, I had never heard of this purported amazing trek in the deepest canyon in the world. I soon learned that Colca Canyon, at 4,160 meters (13,648 feet) from top to bottom, is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. However, there is no consensus on the “deepest” title, as there are a variety of methods to measure a canyon. There are a few canyons in the Himalayas and one other in Peru that some consider deeper. Regardless, Colca Canyon shot to the top of our list of must-see natural wonders.

When we finally arrived in the large city of Arequipa, the best launching point for excursions to the canyon, we made sure to arm ourselves with our traveling protectionist philosophy: low expectations. We were most disappointed when our expectations were built up by other tourists, travel companies, websites, and even government media. Either the travel destination/activity did not live up to the hype, or did not align with our personal preferences.

So, after four days of hiking in Colca Canyon, what is our honest opinion? How much does it matter if it is, or isn’t, the deepest canyon in the world? And most importantly, irrespective of the hype, how was the hiking?

We’ll let the photos do the talking and you can decide for yourself.

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These highly terraced fields are below the town of Chivay, the last major settlement before the steep canyon walls make the area nearly inhospitable.

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The switchbacks of the main trail are visible on the left side. There is an oasis along the bend in the river, where several sleeping cabins and grassy camp sites are available.

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This is one of the more enjoyable camping spots that we’ve happened upon – flat, grassy, private, and with enormous flowers in full bloom.

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This lush oasis was replete with small waterfalls and large banana trees, flourishing in a small pocket of an otherwise inhospitable desert.

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Away from the oasis, we hiked among hardy desert vegetation.

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This cactus had some serious self-defense issues.

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The walls of Colca Canyon certainly are tall and steep. However, we often felt like we were hiking in a typical “V” shaped valley, as opposed to the more box-like shape of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is also much more colorful.

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There are a few small communities within the steepest section of the canyon and the Catholic church remains at the center of village life.

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Despite the harsh climate, forbidding landscape, and numerous pre-Incan ruins, village life still seemed vibrant.

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Irrigation from distant glacier melt enables farming in small pockets of the canyon, where the land is relatively flat and receives sufficient sunlight. Farming and tourism are the main economic activities.

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The trails were well defined and in relatively good condition. They have been used by locals and pack animals for more than half a millennium.

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At the tourist spot of “Cruz del Condors,” several Andean condors reliably ride the updraft along the canyon’s steep walls in the morning, sometimes perching as close as 15 meters.

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Watching wildlife wasn’t as satisfying with such a large crowd.

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Local women sold hand-woven clothing to the busloads of tourists, many who rode up to 10 hours in one day just to get a glimpse of the condors and the valley.

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This woman devised a simple method for carrying goods on her back, using only a small sheet and two knots. Backpacking in these areas has introduced us to different methods and ideas, some of which have been cultivated over hundreds of years. This was a good learning experience for me. In the U.S., I often find myself getting caught up in the excitement of the latest gear, and forget that our modern technologies are still completely foreign to many living in less developed countries.

Hiking the Santa Cruz Loop in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca: Global Test Photo Essay

Escaping the “boxes” of modern society in the heart of the breathtaking Peruvian Andes.

Editor’s Note: click here to see all the articles (and a brief synopsis of each) in this excellent series.

Introduction

One of the drawbacks of our contemporary lifestyle is how much time we spend in boxes. Our homes and offices have floors, ceilings, and walls set at ninety degree angles. To connect us to these stationary boxes, we often use wheeled boxes to travel over flat and gray roads. The paths we take are the most efficient routes, not the most aesthetically pleasing nor the most representative of the land. It is almost as if modern society is attempting to cover up and disconnect us from the earth that gives us sustenance, and, as all backpackers know, a deep satisfaction.

Backpacking is a way to free us from the boxes of our civilized lives. It is a way to connect us to the earth, to explore the terrain around us, to view the world from a different perspective. We climb mountains to answer the question “what does the world look like from up there?” We scale rocks that demand the use of all four limbs and leave us calloused, scraped, chafed, and bruised. We glide over snow for the pure joy of speed, while experiencing a world colored mostly in white. We enter forests and meadows to inhale the pleasant smells of trees and flowers, and to feel leaves brushing against our arms and grass tickling our ankles. We paddle to the middle of lakes to observe life on shore from a different angle and to feel the bobbing sensation that only rolling waves can create.

Danny and I have been traveling internationally for over 18 months, and many people we meet along the way ask what draws us to this lifestyle. The shortest answer, and one that consequently requires the longest explanation, is that we are trying to escape the habit of living in boxes. Additionally, we are trying to learn from other cultures how it is possible to live securely without the stifling feeling of spending so much time in a box.

Danny and I still spend more time indoors than is ideal, including time in buses, trains, cars, and supermarkets. However, when we do escape, it is well worth the compromise. The following photographs from our May trek in the Cordillera Blanca are best viewed indoors, but I hope they inspire you to get outside the box.

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Laguna Llaganuca sits at the entrance to Huscaran National Park, several hours north of the city Huaraz, Peru.

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The village of Colcabamba – the “trailhead” for our hike.

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There were few independent backpackers and no designated campsites, so it was easy for us to find a comfortable spot for the night.

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Nevado Piramide as seen from the east side. We hiked over the pass, Punta Union, directly south of this peak.

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The weather was variable and the summits were often obscured by clouds. It was sometimes warm enough to wear a tank-top while hiking uphill. We always wore high SPF sunscreen regardless of the cloud coverage.

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As we reached the high point of our trek, Punta Union at 4,750 meters (15,500 feet), we turned around to admire the valley in which we had just hiked.

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The ~5,700 meter (18,700 foot) tall summit of Taulliraju.

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We saw several of these servicios higienicos which were poorly designed and too putrid to use. Instead, the guided trips carried a portable canvas outhouse. We used the standard cat hole.

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Kristin wore the right camouflage for this time of year.

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The north side of Nevado Alpamayo as seen at sunrise from our campsite.

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Outside of the jungle, we rarely encountered forests in Peru. We found this small band of trees tucked away in a valley above 4,000 meters (13,123 feet).

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This lone flower Senecio comosus grew next to a glacier lake at 4,200 meters (13,780 feet).

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Kristin wished she had a packraft to get closer to the glacier.

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We saw many vibrant flowers during our trek, including these Taulli blooms.

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Walking back to the main valley, the 6,025 meter (19,767 foot) peak of Artesonraju punctuated the skyline (top right).

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Danny wished he had a packraft to mosey down the crisscrossing waterways instead of soaking our feet in the flooded meadow.

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A bonus feature of a lightweight pack: it was easier to jump across creeks.

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The high-altitude solar radiation was intense. We built a shelter for our lunch break using our five-ounce sil-nylon tarp. The smell of fresh cow pies ruined our peaceful meal. When the smell followed us along the trail, we realized Kristin’s shoe was the culprit, as she had unknowingly stepped in a fresh, gooey cow pie.

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I’m likin’ this lichen.

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Nothing like the sight of vibrant patchwork fields to welcome us back to civilization.

Interview with Mike Clelland!

A lively chat to introduce a new feature coming up on Backpacking Light: Mike’s Ultralight Tip of the Week!

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Mike’s self-portrait.

Addie: Mike, you’ve got a new book out! Can you tell readers who may not be familiar a little bit about yourself?

Mike: Why yes, Addie, that is an excellent question, and I’m glad you asked.

I’ve been juggling the role of outdoor educator and illustrator for the last 17 years, and the two careers end up contributing to each other. Most of my teaching experience is with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) and most of my illustration work has been doing instructional cartoons for books and magazines with a focus on camping, skiing, and climbing.

My introduction to lightweight backpacking came in 2005, when I received a phone call from Don Ladigin. He wanted me to do the illustrations for his book LIGHTEN UP! My first reaction was to say “No, thanks,” because I had just finished a series of instructional outdoor books, and they all ended up requiring hundreds of cartoons. I was sort of burned out. But, after talking with Don and reading his manuscript, I realized that this would be a really fun project, and I eagerly took on the job.

It’s actually pretty hard for me to draw things that I’m unfamiliar with, so during the process of drawing the cartoons for Don, I bought a few key pieces of gear and started doing little overnights in my backyard (Grand Teton National Park). I was immediately blown away by the simplicity and freedom of the lightweight techniques. From that very first one-night solo experience, I became a sort of crazed zealot about shaving ounces, which continues to this day.

Up until Don’s phone call, my outdoor pursuits revolved around mountaineering, telemark skiing, and rock climbing. All of those activities require a lot of gear, and I didn’t realize how the big backpack can subtract from the core experience of being outside in the wilderness. The lightweight mindset changed everything, and now that I’m inching up on 50, I’m reveling in the advancements in techniques and gear in way that just can’t happen with a backpack full of traditional equipment.

The last few years have been a reflection of my newfound passion. I took on a leadership role at NOLS and helped create their Lightweight Backpacking program. I’ve done a bunch at BPL, writing and illustrating articles, as well as teaching some of the Wilderness Trekking Courses out of Bozeman. And last summer I even wrote a book on the subject!

The upcoming book is meant to be a more comprehensive follow-up to Don Ladigin’s excellent LIGHTEN UP!

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Co-teachers Sam Haraldson and Mike Clelland! Yes, Sam is smiling.

A: Tell us more about the book – how did you come up with the idea?

M: Curiously, the book came about as a direct result of the dire economic events in 2008. In the aftermath, I went through the whole year of 2009 without any illustration work. That’s never happened before, and it was rough. It took me a while to realize that nobody was offering me any work, so I might as well invent my own.

Over the years, I’ve worked on a handful of instructional books as illustrator (each with LOTS of cartoons), and I wasn’t intimidated by stepping into a big job. So I figured I would just write a book rather than wait for the phone to ring.

I’ve worked as illustrator on a series of successful books with Allen O’Bannon. My favorite is titled ALLEN & MIKE’S REALLY COOL TELEMARK TIPS. This was one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever been involved with, and readers really seemed to respond to the simple format. The subject matter was presented as a simple series of tips, each one describing (in words and cartoons) some of the subtle skills required to master the elegant telemark turn.

I figured that the skills and techniques required for advanced ultralight backpacking could be listed in a very similar format, just a series of simple tips, each one numbered for ease of use. This makes it easy for the reader to jump from tip to tip, especially if they are looking for specific info.

One thing that I really strive for in the series of instructional books I’ve worked on is to make sure the book is un-intimidating. I really feel that it’s important for any potential reader to hold the book in their hands for the very first time and NOT be daunted by the material. When they initially browse through the pages, I want ‘em to think, “Hey, this looks fun!”

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I wrote and drew pretty much the whole thing in just two months, July and August of 2010. I became a sort of hermit with a deadline, and I chained myself to my desk to get it all done on time. That might sound dire, but it was an exciting flurry of creative output. It ended up being a really fun job.

I was very cautious not to overlap too much with the content of the other books out there that cover some of the same skills and techniques. I was inspired by Don Ladigin, Ryan Jordan, and Ray Jardine, but I didn’t want to repeat what they had already shared.

I’m a quirky guy, sure enough, and that ends up in my writing and in my illustrations. Most of the little tips in the book are a reflection of my own idiosyncratic point of view. I worked hard to keep my own voice in the text – the last thing I wanted was something dry and monotone!

A: I think one of the thing readers really appreciate about you is your tone! Since you’ve gotten this book under your belt and off your desk, do you have any exciting adventures planned for the summer, or will you simply be perfecting your one-night-at-a-time trips?

M: I really enjoy the quick little one-night-at-a-time trips, especially with the Tetons just a few minutes out my door. That is such an easy way to get out into the mountains and play with some cool gear. Plus, I get to sleep outside under the stars.

The short over-nighters are a great way to fine-tune my systems. But the real test is to put everything I’ve learned on these short little trips into something a bit more bold. This summer, I wanna do a ten-day trip with an ultralight set-up. I’ve been looking at maps, and I’ll probably try to link up a bunch of trails through the Tetons and Yellowstone, and maybe the Gallatins too. While I was working on the book, I was trying to make sure each of the tips was something that the reader could really use, nothing hypothetical, I was dedicated to real information.

Early on in the book, I describe a “Model Trip,” and I use it as the example outing, a sort of template for all the tips in the book. I feel it’s important that I actually DO this Model Trip myself. It will be set-up as a solo outing, ten days long, ambitious, and in three-season temps.

But, most importantly, it’s an ultralight experience, meaning the base weight is below ten pounds. Ten days is a nice length because you can easily carry ten days’ of food. And it’s also nice because the math is easy: if you do a one-night trip, all the numbers are the same except for the consumables, and you can just move the decimal point over a little bit to the left.

The cover of the book features a cartoon of a guy (who looks suspiciously like me) and there is a call-out box with an arrow pointing to his very cute little backpack. The box reads: “food and gear for 10 DAYS under 25 pounds!” And that’s my goal for the summer.

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Me and my baby, hot off the presses.

Now, I just saw a presentation given by Andrew Skurka where he tells the story of his Alaska-Yukon Expedition: 4,680 miles and 176 days of solo-trekking, skiing, and packrafting through some of the most remote terrain on the planet.

That puts a humble little ten-day trip into a sort of stilted perspective.

All that said, I feel like I have a lot of experience camping and teaching with a lightweight backpack, mostly in a team with NOLS and BPL’s Wilderness Trekking School. On those trips we’ve been out for as long as two weeks at a time.

A: Before I let you go, is there anything else you think our readers need to know about you, your new book, lightweight backpacking, or coffee?

M: About the book, there was a genesis to the project that kind of had a life of its own; it took me in a direction I didn’t expect. My initial idea as I began writing was that it would be a string of technical tips, you know, cool little things to do and make. Now rest assured, that there is plenty of that stuff in there, but as things took shape, a more philosophical tone began to emerge, and it eventually sort of took over.

I realized that the most important aspect of ultralight backpacking comes from a mind-set and not from cool gear. The book is a lot more introspective than I would have ever guessed from the outset. For me at least, there is a joy to liberating yourself not only from ounces, but from old ways of thought. I worked hard to encourage the reader to take on the challenge of looking at his or her own mind-set.

My experiences with a very light backpack has made me much more introspective, and this has greatly improved the way I walk in the woods. And this same newfound ease-of-travel has enriched the way I relate to nature.

And about coffee. One of the skills I’ve perfected is stopping in a beautiful spot, sitting down and brewing up a small cup of afternoon coffee. I keep my cook gear ready to go in a dedicated stuff sack, and I can pull out out and light the stove within seconds of pulling the pack off. This is easy and rewarding – and greatly appreciated by my hiking partners.

Editor’s note: We’re as excited about Mike’s new venture as he is, and Backpacking Light has partnered with him to offer a weekly rotation of tips and illustrations from his book. Mike Clelland!’s Tip of the Week begins soon, when his book, Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips: 153 Amazing & Inexpensive Tips for Extremely Lightweight Camping , hits the Gear Shop. Stay tuned!

Eleven Years Old on the PCT

Recently unemployed, with a daughter itching to complete a thru-hike, what’s a dad to do? Get sponsors and yank her from school, of course!

BackpackingLight sponsored a father/daughter team on their PCT thru-hike in the summer of 2011. To get the full skinny on what a dynamic duo they are, read their first installment of adventure, Eleven Years Old on the PCT (this article), then their second, We’re Going to Disneyland!, then their third, Sunshine in the Sierra Mountains.

Introduction

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Balls and Sunshine, age 10, at the Canadian border.

A Note on My Trail Name

When I joined the Army, my plan was to fly under the radar in basic training and not be noticed by the drill sergeants. How hard can it be to blend in with 300 other men that are all 17 to 21 years old, shaved bald, and wearing the same camo clothes? Easy, right?

Wrong!

You see, my family is from Norway, so I was blessed with a last name that’s impossible to pronounce in English. With some imagination and sadistic spite, one could pronounce it cojones, which means “balls” in Spanish. On my first day in training, my drill sergeant took one look at my name and shouted (the only way they ever spoke) “Cojones! COOO-JOOO-NES! Boy! Do you know what that means? It means ‘balls!’ Boy, you better have some balls if you want to make it through this!” From that point on, everyone only knew me as Balls.

The drill sergeants had me brew coffee in their office at all times, and whenever they wanted a cup, they would yell “Balls!” down the hall. All the other trainees would join in, echoing down the long concrete hallway. I had five seconds to be in the office in the parade rest position with a hot cup of coffee in my hand. It didn’t matter if I was taking a shower or on the toilet: five seconds, that’s all! I mentioned this story to some hikers, and they naturally insisted on “Balls” being my trail name.

Growing up in small town Midwestern America, I was no stranger to hiking, what with many years of my older brother dragging me along on his pointless wandering. He loved to simply take a compass bearing and walk into the woods or swamp on a game trail (which always disappeared). After hours of falling in the mud, being accosted by wood ticks, and lacerated by briers just for the sake of knowing what the terrain was like, he would look at his compass and walk right back to the road where we started.

I joined the Army straight out of high school, just before Desert Storm. Humping 100 pounds of land mines in an external frame pack and walking through stream beds up the side of South Korean mountains in the dark didn’t help my affection for hiking.

While in South Korea, I sustained a major back injury (I was knocked off a tank, fell ten feet into rocks, and landed on my tail bone). Over the years, this injury worsened, leaving me unable to walk for days at a time. When I could walk, it was with a limp and a hunched back, but the only thing that relieved the chronic nerve pain in my back and legs was walking. I walked around our neighborhood before and after work to ease the pain and stiffness. In 2001, I finally agreed to undergo back surgery after realizing that I couldn’t even hold my infant daughter, Reed, for any length of time. Sometime during this process, I decided that if I needed to walk all the time, I would at least get out of town and see some wilderness.

Beginning to Backpack

After surgery, I still have chronic pain and limited ability, and I can’t sit more than 15 minutes at a time without muscle spasms. However, following my recovery, I was determined to start backpacking for the first time in my life. Of course, my back problems mandated I pack as lightly as possible. After one 30-mile trip on the Pacific Crest Trail, I was hooked on backpacking and the PCT forever, beginning my obsession with ultralight methods. I started with mainstream periodicals, equipment, and methods. It didn’t take me long to grow out of these entry level tools, and I began to search the internet (once my greatest adversary, but now an ally!) for new ideas. I stumbled onto many UL manufacturers and Backpacking Light.

Each year my pack has become lighter and smaller. Last summer, I ditched my titanium alcohol stove for cold food: salami, hard cheese, and cold instant oatmeal. I even learned about pre-made bean and cheese burritos from gas stations. You just set the burrito at the top of your pack on a nice sunny afternoon, and by dinner, voila! You have a hot meal. Achieving a 7-pound base weight last summer was the culmination of eight years of trial and error, research, and mooching tips off every hiker I ran into.

Sharing the Gift

As a married man, one of my loftiest dreams was to have a son to share my love for the outdoors with, though my wife and I had two beautiful daughters. I grew up as a Boy Scout and later was a Boy Scout and Royal Rangers Leader for many years. Since I don’t do anything half-heartedly, I soon found myself investing more than 2,000 hours a year in these boy’s programs. It took me away from my family far too much. One day it hit me: I wasn’t going to have a son, I was raising other peoples’ kids, and I was neglecting my own daughters. I abruptly quit my leadership roles and began taking my family on adventures. The additional time allowed me to go on more challenging adventures and improve my own skills as well. I didn’t need a son to share this amazing gift – my daughters loved it as much as I did!

My relationship with the girls flourished once I started spending more time outdoors with them. Reed responded especially well to hiking and embraced everything I taught her. She began hiking ten-mile days at age six. At age seven, she climbed Broken Top with me, glissading the entire way down. At age eight, she climbed the South Sister, passing many adults with ease. By nine years old she easily hiked 15 miles a day. (Her younger sister, Annika, loves the outdoors, but isn’t as fond of hiking. Perhaps she will be my touring kayak partner some day!) Reed always begs me to take the long way home (usually by asking to start out in the opposite direction of home), and it didn’t take long to figure out that Reed would be my thru-hiking partner some day. I just didn’t think that “some day” would arrive so soon!

A Trail Name

Reed, who is now ten years old, joined me for 150 miles on the PCT last year. Her first section in northern California was full of trail angels doting over her, hot springs, and good old California sunshine. Her number one ambition on this hike was to get a trail name. Blue Butterfly said that the sun in Reed’s hair and her cheery disposition reminded her of the sunshine. “Sunshine” it was! Her second ambition was to beat her mother’s single day 17-mile distance record. On her first day, Sunshine hiked 19 miles and later, 21 miles. In September, we hiked 30 miles into Monument 78, at the Canadian border and back to pick up some thru hikers who could not enter Canada. We hiked 18 miles to base camp, slack packed to the border and back the next day (24 miles), then 18 miles back out to the car. It snowed and rained on us all three days! We were so wet and cold, I thought, “Surely this will turn her off to thru-hiking forever.” However, on the way home, all she talked about was when our next thru-hike would be. I agreed to seriously consider quitting work and completing a thru-hike with her in 2013.

As my back problems grew more aggravated through years of physical labor, it became apparent to me that I could not be an electrician for the rest of my working life. My well paying career was slipping away from me, with an employer unwilling to understand or accommodate my service-related disability. I tried for years to work my way into a less physically demanding job within the company, but was stymied at every turn. In December 2010, my 17 years of service and ambition ended in being laid off. Of course I was angry and felt betrayed, but I couldn’t show signs of failure to my family. I walked in the door, gave the girls big hugs and kisses, and said “I have good news. Sunshine, there is a 100% chance that we will be thru-hiking the PCT this year!”

Turns out, being laid off was the best thing that has ever happened to me! I quickly engaged in conversations with Reed’s current school, teachers, and the middle school she will be attending next year. Everyone agreed that she is an excellent student and would actually learn more on the trail. Her fifth grade teacher will be mailing math pages to work on along the way, and made me promise to bring books for her to read. Reed will never have to say she had a ‘distant father,’ considering we won’t be more than 100 feet apart for the next five and a half months.

Figuring Out the Details

Bringing my 10-year-old daughter on this trip makes the balance between ultralight and safety more delicate than ever. I had to rethink my UL philosophy altogether. My wonderfully understanding (and beautiful) wife said, “Eric, you pushed your limits last year and put yourself into some dangerous situations. That can’t happen with Reed along.”

Needless to say, I won’t be night hiking – seriously, never remove your pack (containing everything you require to survive the night) in the dark, then walk off trail to hang your bear bag. I’m bringing back the stove – no skimping on food – and I’m carrying a two-person tent. However, that doesn’t mean I need to join the traditional backpacking crowd with their 50-pound packs. It only means that I need to do more research and purchase our gear wisely. We also have several generous sponsors who have helped us achieve our safety and weight goals, and I plan to provide reviews on all our equipment as the journey progresses.

We plan to begin this amazing adventure April 29, 2011, at the Mexican border during the annual PCT kick-off event, and finish in early September. The record holder for the youngest PCT thru-hiker is a 10-year-old girl. Though Sunshine will be 11 when we complete our hike, we plan to finish almost two months earlier than the record holder, who also took some alternate routes and side roads instead of the established PCT. Sunshine and I are determined to stick to this year’s official established PCT.

As trail angel Donna Saufley told me last year, “When life hands you a thru-hike, you have to take it.” Instead of staying at home, getting fat and depressed because life took a crazy turn, we, as a family, want to embrace it and accept it for the blessing that it is. I have an opportunity to impact Sunshine’s life forever. I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world! She is driven, like myself, and hopes to be the youngest Triple Crowner (PCT, AT, CDT) by the age of 13. Keep following this amazing adventure, as I believe it is only the beginning of an even greater journey!

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Sunshine, age 4. Left: Entering the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. Right: Her first freeze dried ice cream. She still doesn’t like it.

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Sunshine, age 4. Left: On the way into Pamelia Lake, her first trip carrying all her own gear. Right: We got skunked fishing, so we gave up and swam instead. Notice the ultralight Elmo floatie!

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Sunshine, age 6, on her first overnight snowshoe trip.

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Sunshine, age 7. Left: Climbing Broken Top in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Right: At the top of Broken Top with Dad.

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Sunshine, age 8. Summit of South Sister, with Broken Top in the background.

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Sunshine, age 9. First 15-mile day. Notice the sign in the background? It’s the same one from her 4-year-old trip photo (mounted to a different tree – possibly due to storm damage to the original tree).

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Sunshine, age 9. Literally ON Shale Lake, with Mount Jefferson in the background.

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Sunshine, age 10. Left: Drakesbad, California on her first 19-mile day. Pictured with Ed, Golden Child (with whom she’s still in touch), and Jake Rabbit. Right: Hat Creek Rim, on the longest waterless stretch on the PCT. She hiked 21 miles that day on the Rim, and some thru-hikers actually skipped this section because of the heat.

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Sunshine, age 10. At the Canadian border, in a brief reprieve from the rain.

Father Daughter PCT - 13
Sunshine, age 10. Hiking back to the PCT after a visit to a trail angel.

Gear List

Sunshine’s Interview

EG: Why do you want to thru-hike?

Sunshine: I really like walking and backpacking a lot. Our family has always walked together. It seems like a great opportunity to walk a lot and spend lots of time with you. All your trail stories sound like so much fun.

EG: Does it seem scary or dangerous?

Sunshine: Some parts I think will be scary, like cold weather, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and mountain lions that could hurt me. But I’m pretty sure that nothing will happen because I’ve got you along. I know you won’t let anything happen to me.

Annika: (Sunshine’s sister, listening in while eating applesauce) I have a question.

EG: Yes, Annika?

Annika: Can I have more applesauce?

EG: Yes, Annika. (to Sunshine) When did you first want to thru-hike the PCT?

Sunshine: I’ve known ever since you started hiking it, because your really cool stories and pictures. Every time we hike together, I have so much fun. I chose the PCT first because our family has always hiked it or gone to PCT events and when we aren’t, you’re planning the next trip. Each time we dropped you off for a trip, it seemed more and more exciting.

Annika: (while eating her applesauce) Sunshine, are you interested in bringing us back souvenirs?

Sunshine: Yes, I’ll bring lots of shiny rocks home.

EG: Will you miss home and day-to-day life? If so, why, and what will you miss the most?

Sunshine: Yes, I’m not going to see my friends and family for a long time, but we can email everyone when we get to a town. I will miss Mom, Annika, the cat, my violin, my Webkinz, and my comfortable bed, that I love so much.

EG: What are you looking forward to the most?

Sunshine: Spending time with you and walking all the time. The greatest feeling will be reaching my goal of walking from Mexico to Canada. I also really want to see the wildlife preserve by the trail in California. I just don’t want to camp by it. That would be scary!

Annika: (all done eating) Sunshine, are you interested in hiking in the really hot desert?

Sunshine: Yes, it sounds adventurous.

EG: Go to bed Annika. I love you. Good night.

Annika: Ok, love you too. Dad, can I have more –

EG: No, good night. (to Sunshine) Do you think it will be a challenge?

Sunshine: Yes, but I like challenges. Things that are easy are too boring.

EG: It’s almost time for our trip. What are you doing to prepare besides training with me after school?

Sunshine: I walk 10 to 12 laps around the track at school during lunch recess every day with my friend Riely. We’ve done over 75 miles together at school. I can’t wait for our trip!

EG: Thank you, Reed. I love you.

Sunshine: Love you too, Dad. Good night.

Clothes

  • Printed Buff (1.4 oz)
  • Backpacking Light Merino Wool Hoody (9.1 oz)
  • Silk Long Johns (Top and Bottom) (6.7 oz)
  • Disposable Rain Poncho (1.8 oz)
  • MontBell Down Hooded Jacket (9.5 oz)
  • Backpacking Light Thorofare Trekking Shirt (5.0 oz)

Cookware

  • REI Titanium Pot Set (5.1 oz)
  • Vargo Triad Alcohol Stove (1.1 oz)
  • 3L CamelBak Bladder (7.8 oz)
  • Backpacking Light Bear Bag Hanging System (4.8 oz)
  • Fuel Bottles 2x (1.5 oz)

Pack/Sleeping

  • Backpacking Light Absaroka Pack (34.5 oz)
  • MontBell Spiral Down Hugger #3, 30 F (20.0 oz)
  • Backpacking Light DIAD 3/16 inch Sleeping Pad (1.9 oz)

Tent

  • Zpacs Hexamid Twin Tent (11.4 oz)

Miscellaneous

  • Backpacking Light Stix Trekking Poles (8.0 oz)
  • Leatherman Squirt (2.0 oz)
  • First Aid/Emergency Bag: bandages, gauze, foot tape, head lamp, compass, Neosporin, personal hygiene, dropper bottle with bleach for water purification, lighter, spork, ibuprofen, pen, note pad (16.0 oz)

Sunshine’s List

  • Backpacking Light Absaroka Pack (33.5 oz)
  • Backpacking Light Cocoon Insulated Hoody (9.7 oz)
  • Backpacking Light DIAD 3/16 Foam Pad (1.9 oz)
  • MontBell Spiral Down Hugger #1 Sleeping Bag 15 F (32.0 oz)

A note from Addie: I’ve been working closely with Eric and Reed/Balls and Sunshine, as Backpacking Light is one of their major sponsors this summer. Check back for periodic updates here, as well as on their trail journal and Sunshine’s trail journal. One of the highlights of my spring was getting their thank you note for the BPL-supplied gear:

Father Daughter PCT - 14
The best thank you note ever? I THINK SO.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review

Does the strong appeal, on paper, of the Integral Designs eVent Pullover materialize in real-world use?

Initial Impressions

I came across the Integral Designs eVent Pullover while on my seemingly endless search for hard shell bliss. Honestly, my first thought was something along the lines of “Huh! These guys actually make some cool stuff!” In my experience, Integral Designs is not a company that has much brand recognition with the majority of US consumers, and I think many of those who have heard of the company think of it as “that other brand.” My experience with the eVent Pullover, however, clearly places Integral Designs in the top echelon of gear purveyors.

The appeal on paper is was what drew me in. The specs of the eVent Pullover: a 10-ounce, three-ply eVent shell. The design is clean, the aesthetic is uncluttered and purposeful. The 17-inch chest zipper allows for excellent ventilation, and the shell sports merely one more small zipper for a Napoleon pocket on the left chest. The hood is an integral part of the collar design, and the drop tail, while not allowing for full head to toe protection, provides good rain protection from head to sit pad. I liked that the shell doesn’t have pit zips, because I generally feel that if a jacket needs to be unzipped that much, it probably shouldn’t be worn, and I’d rather not have the extra weight, bulk, or frills.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review - 1
This gives you a general idea of the fit, clean design, and integration of the hood and collar.

If you’ve spent some time researching lightweight eVent shells, you might notice that the Integral Designs eVent Pullover looks remarkably similar to the Rab Demand Pull-On, for good reason. Rab now owns Integral Designs, and particularly plans on incorporating light and fast gear into the Integral Designs brand.

Build Quality and Material

One of the first things I noticed about the shell when I got it in hand was the relatively substantial feel of the fabric. Other shells I’ve handled in this weight range have felt pretty wispy, but not so with the Integral Designs eVent Pullover. The material feels like you could actually wear it on a lengthy trip and not worry about having to baby your jacket. I guess you could say that the material inspires a degree of confidence. At only 10 ounces, though, the face fabric can’t be much more substantial than that found on the lightest waterproof-breathable shells. What makes the difference, I believe, is the use of three-ply construction instead of the two-ply or two+-ply construction many of the lightest jackets now use. Instead of just having the face fabric and waterproof layer, the Pullover also has a layer of tricot mesh laminated to the waterproof layer.

The finish quality also grabbed my attention quickly. Stitching is consistent and tight, seams are well-fitted and use narrow tape, and openings are neatly finished with clean simplicity. Overall design has been well thought through. I like the integration of the hood drawcords into the hood and collar designs. The elastic cuffs are as simple as they get, completely functional with a minimum of fuss or weight. The chest pocket is a clean installation, with a good hood over the top of the zipper. For whatever reason, I like the addition of a snap at the top of the main zipper, as well as the wrap-over chin fleece.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review - 2
A closer look at the deep chest zipper and front pocket. Also note the snaps at the collar points.

Fit… Once You Go Up a Size, It’s Great

Fit of the eVent Pullover is trim. In fact, I wear a large instead of the medium I wear in nearly all other brands. That said, the shell fits well. Sized as I have, the jacket is not baggy, but has enough room for me to wear a midlayer and a down vest underneath. Wearing just a baselayer and midlayer, I could wear the size medium eVent Pullover, but the fit was a little too constrictive for my tastes. Although I had to go up one size, I think the resultant fit is just about perfect. The drop seat is a good length for me and works as intended. I’ve found the simple elastic cuffs to work admirably well while being unobtrusive. The adjustable hood fits well and adapts to a variety of layering requirements.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review - 3
The drop seat provides welcome coverage and, unlike other jackets I’ve had, didn’t leave me wishing the rear was a few inches longer.

Considerations on the Hood

The hood, however, was my main source of frustration with the pullover. Integration of the hood into the collar cleans up the lines of the garment, but I found that the collar consistently, and literally, got in my face when partially unzipped. The collar almost removed my glasses on a number of occasions! Slight head rotation, and/or slight head tilt, easily brought the edge of the collar to my eye, particularly if the hood was up and the shell partly unzipped. I tried a variety of methods to get the collar to lay down, including dropping the hood and unzipping fully, but at the end of the day the collar was designed to stand up, and it generally does. For the most part it’s not a huge deal, but it is a bugger when the hood’s up and you want to vent. I wonder if it would be possible to attach a small Velcro tab at the leading edge of each collar point and one tab at the rear to minimize collar extension.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review - 4
The collar/hood points easily find their way under my glasses. Also note the oddly truncated wire brim.

My favorite winter cap of all time uses a wire brim, which I find to be eminently functional, but I’m not a big fan of the wire brim on the Integral Designs eVent Pullover. It seems to be oddly integrated into the hood, sort of a floating attachment that could provide more support if it was better secured, or perhaps wrapped a bit further around to the back. Don’t get me wrong, it gets the job done just fine, but it’s just… a little bit off.

Despite occasional relapses, I’m pretty much one of those guys who always has some kind of facial hair. One thing I’ve found throughout the years is that facial hair, particularly during a “stubble face” phase, can really wear down clothing. The tricot liner of the eVent Pullover seems to be a bit softer than that of other three-ply garments I’ve owned before, and thought it has fuzzed up more quickly, it still seems to have full integrity. If I could re-work the jacket, I might try to conjure a way to wrap just the face fabric back down over the inside of the collar. I think doing so would greatly increase wear resistance, with minimal effect on breathability.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review - 5
Sometimes the collar behaves quite nicely.

I have mixed feelings about the single chest pocket. It is positioned in such a way that it is functional and accessible even when wearing a pack. And, there are times when it’s nice to have a pocket on an outer garment, though I find that in the backcountry I normally just want a place to stash a butane lighter and perhaps a small folding knife. Pockets seem more “necessary” for front-country life, for example stowing a wallet and cell phone. What I’ve found is that I use a pant pocket for the lighter and knife, and I don’t carry a wallet or phone (normally) in the backcountry. For town life, the chest pocket is quite convenient. Otherwise, it strikes me as unnecessary. It isn’t a big quibble, but eliminating the pocket would streamline the garment some more, cut a little weight, and enhance breathability (the pocket is made completely of eVent).

Field Performance

Speaking of breathability, the Integral Designs eVent Pullover did not disappoint. I started testing going relatively easy on the shell by wearing my lightest baselayer at a moderately low activity level. Subjectively speaking, breathability struck me as roughly comparable to a windbreaker worn in similar situations. I progressively built up layers and activity level to see just how well the eVent shell dealt with sweaty conditions.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review - 6
A detail shot showing the elastic sleeve cuff. Simple, but functional and well-executed. It fit snugly enough to keep the sleeves from sliding down my hands, but loosely enough to be quite comfortable.

I wore the eVent Pullover with only a 150 g/m2 merino wool zip tee in temperatures ranging from the teens to high 60s, with no pack and with one up to twenty pounds. The most I wore was that same baselayer with a 320 g/m2 merino hoody, a loden vest, and a stocking cap, in temperatures ranging from 0 F to 32 F (-18 C to 0 C), while snowshoeing. My typical testing was with a 200 g/m2 merino layer in temps ranging from about 10 F to 50 F (-12 C to 10 C), during fast-paced hikes.

I’ve found that I am able to wear the Pullover across a broader range of temperatures and activity than other, non-eVent hard shells I’ve worn in the past. Even when purposefully over-dressed to make myself sweat heavily, the shell handled things pretty well. In those heavily-dressed situations I was obviously too hot, and the humidity level inside the shell was obviously high, but I didn’t find myself or the inner surface of the shell wet, as I’ve learned to expect from other rain wear. In more moderate clothing and conditions, I was able to continue wearing the shell when I normally would have had to remove it. I never found myself wishing I had pit zips, perhaps also due in part to the super-deep main zipper. I’m not going to say the Pullover is as airy (or arid) as wearing a windbreaker, but for a full-on waterproof/breathable shell, its performance is quite remarkable.

Integral Designs eVent Pullover Review - 7
Here you can see the relatively clean lines of the shell, the slightly funky hood, the relative depth of the chest zipper, and a bit o’ fit.

Overall Impression

So, the question of the moment: “Does the strong appeal, on paper, of the Integral Designs eVent Pullover materialize in real-world use?” Yes, the Pullover meets my hopes and expectations. It’s light, durable, very breathable, and highly functional. A few design tweaks would help the Pullover sort of melt away into the background of a user’s outdoor experience, but it still seems to be the first shell I grab as I head out the door.

Disclosure: The manufacturer provided this product to the author and/or Backpacking Light at no charge, and it is owned by the author/BPL. The author/Backpacking Light has no obligation to review this product to the manufacturer under the terms of this agreement.

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail

At first glance, doing a round-trip (a yo-yo) on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) seems like a waste. Why not hike a different trail instead of hiking the same one two times? However, unlike the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, the CDT is never the same trail twice.

Although the CDT Alliance (CDTA) has designated an official route, thru-hikers often deviate from it. The benefit of yo-yoing the CDT is that about 70% of the southbound journey can be new! No longer does one have to debate whether to take the low route along the lake or the high route on the ridge. A yo-yoer can do both!

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 1
First sign. The first 25 miles of official CDT trail in New Mexico are so well marked that you want to show your gratitude! Too bad that the signs stop after that…

After yo-yoing the CDT, I discovered that some of the beliefs that I had about the trail were false. Let’s debunk seven common myths about the CDT.

Myth #1: The CDT is 70% complete.

This myth implies that you’re bushwhacking with a map and compass 30% of the time. Reality: about 3% of the CDT involves trailblazing or cross-country travel. The 70% statistic comes from the fact that while 100% of the trail is designated, 30% of the time it’s not where the CDTA would ultimately like the trail to be. For example, one section of the CDT might be a road-walk until the CDTA can create a footpath. Perhaps a more accurate description is that 30% of the CDT is on either a dirt or paved road.

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 2
Hitchhiking to get to the start of the trail in Antelope Wells, New Mexico.

Myth #2: Thru-hiking is not a race.

All thru-hikers race against winter. Even the most leisurely thru-hiker looks like a maniac to the average weekend backpacker. Section-hikers have self-imposed time boundaries that force them to pace themselves, even if that pace is five miles per day. Someday, a courageous backpacker will thru-hike the CDT during winter; until then, we’re all racing – just at different paces.

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 3
I win! Celebrating the end of the CDT Yo-Yo.

Myth #3: You can’t go through Colorado’s San Juans before June because there’s too much snow.

I went through in early May. The secret is to start hiking before sunrise (when the snow is hard, but not icy), stay on the ridge as much as possible, and don’t let the snow intimidate you. Just because the CDT isn’t always on the divide doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be. Thanks to the wind and sun exposure, the divide doesn’t have the deep snow that you’ll find elsewhere. The extra effort needed to get on the divide pays off because you won’t be postholing all day. As a result, a pugnacious hiker can do 25-30 miles, even in May and June. I brought crampons, but never used them. The snow was almost never icy; it was usually crunchy or soft, in May. I didn’t bring any, but given the soft snow, ultralight snowshoes would have helped. However, the key ingredients to getting through the San Juans in the spring are lots of patience and courage.

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 4
This isn’t intimidating: I can still see the trail signage. (Through the Tetons in mid-June. This pic was taken by the first backpacker I saw on the trip. I had already walked 2,000 miles – the length of the Appalachian Trail – until I found my first backpacker! Before that I’d seen two skiers, two snowmobilers, and one guy walking a dog near a trailhead.)

Myth #4: The Idaho-Montana border is full of PUDs.

A Pointless Up and Down (PUD) is a trail that takes you up and down a view-less mountain. Because the Idaho-Montana border has few trees, you’ll actually enjoy big views all day. Sure, you must head up and down along the ridge, often on steep trail, but you’re rewarded throughout the hike with impressive vistas on either side of the Divide. There’s nothing pointless about that!

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 5
The Highline Trail: Glacier National Park’s Garden Wall.

Myth #5: Resupply lines are unusually long.

Compared to the PCT, the resupply points are about the same or arguably more convenient. The CDT surprised me by how often it goes right through a town, especially if you take the cutoffs. A 5-mile hitch is just as easy as a 20-mile hitch if there’s really nowhere to stop during those 20-miles. The longest resupply sections are around the Idaho-Montana border and the Black Range, but they’re no different than the John Muir Trail.

Myth #6: The CDTA route isn’t as good as the unofficial route that most thru-hikers take.

There are five major alternate routes that most CDT thru-hikers take, and they’re all shorter than the official trail. I took the official route on the way to Canada, and the five conventional shortcuts on the way to back to Mexico. These cutoffs are so popular that they almost feel like the official trail. However, only one of the five alternates is worth taking: hiking the Middle Fork of the Gila River in New Mexico is a bit better than the Black Range, which is the official trail. The other four alternates aren’t as good as the official trail. I recommend:

  • Using the Crazy Cook Monument terminus, not Columbus.
  • Taking the San Juans, not the Creede Cutoff.
  • Enjoying the 25-mile Rocky Mountain National Park loop, even if you make little forward progress (why skip a National Park?).
  • Going around Butte, not through Anaconda (when is a paved road-walk better than a dirt road?).

Thru-hikers have good reason to take such shortcuts: they’re usually racing to beat winter and/or want to just “bag” the Triple Crown as quickly as possible. Sticking with the official trail adds one or two weeks to the thru-hike, but more thru-hikers should consider it.

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 6
In mid-August, I walked the Divide in the Wind River Range instead of taking the CDT. The harder route was worth it to see these glaciers.

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 7
Going through the Tetons on the way north is a great alternative to the traditional CDT route.

Myth #7: You can’t go through the Tetons and have a contiguous thru-hike.

I describe a contiguous route on my website that has hardly any paved road-walking. The downside: you miss the Parting of the Waters. The upside: you walk from one National Park to another (Grand Tetons – Yellowstone)!

It’s fun to yo-yo the CDT because of the variety the trail offers. More than any other trail, the CDT invites you to hike your own hike.

7 Myths about the Continental Divide Trail - 8
Who says there are no hot baths on the CDT?

 

Francis Tapon is the first person to yo-yo the CDT. He is the author of Hike Your Own Hike: 7 Life Lessons from Backpacking. He donates half of his royalty to the CDTA, PCTA, and ATC. Watch his 77-minute CDT Yo-Yo Video here.

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail

Anyone who hikes the long trails is asked “Why go?” There are many answers: the physical challenge, being immersed in the wilderness for months at a time, the joy of seeing new sights every day, the camaraderie of people we meet along the way. Ultimately, the reason I go is for the journey itself.

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 3
Suitably contemplative-looking pose. I am really thinking “Where the heck am I?” or “I hope my three liters of water does not fall out!”

Introduction

On July 1, 2006, I was at the northern terminus of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) located in Glacier National Park. A long brown path lead before me… taking me wherever I chose. In this case, I chose the Mexican border at Antelope Wells. Four months and many footsteps later, I arrived.

My journey on the Continental Divide Trail was perhaps the most difficult of all the long trails I’ve hiked, and perhaps the most frustrating as well. It is a trail that is not completed, involves frequent route finding, and is still rough around the edges.

The CDT was also perhaps the most rewarding of the trails I’ve hiked:

  • I saw a grizzly bear in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
  • I heard the howl of wolves in the wild.
  • I cherish a memory of being on top of Temple Pass in the Winds one glorious morning.
  • I stood on a ridge in Montana and Idaho and saw NOTHING around but for the mountains.
  • I looked over the snow-covered Colorado Rockies and again fell in love with my chosen home.
  • I caught the most intense sunrise of my life in New Mexico, as I started my last full day on the trail.

The rawness, intensity, wildness, and the rough edges are indeed what made my time on the trail so rewarding.

Why the Continental Divide Trail?

It would be misleading to deny that part of the allure of doing the CDT was finishing the Triple Crown of backpacking. It certainly was an achievement worth striving for. Being able to complete the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails was more than just having a tchotchke on my wall, however. The real reward was being able to experience living in the mountains for months at time not once, not twice, but three times. I feel fortunate to have had the time, money, health, and desire to have extended outdoor journeys.

And how to spend time in the outdoors? By hiking through my adopted home in the West.

Far different from the dense hardwoods, green cover, and crowded spaces of my native Rhode Island, there is something about the wide open spaces and austere beauty found in the western landscape that appeals to me. I now consider Colorado and surrounding areas my home.

And what better way to see my adopted home then to walk it one step at a time?

The Gear Used

After many years and miles of backpacking, I have become a minimalist in terms of the gear I use. I prefer this term to ‘ultralight’ or ‘lightweight,’ as it is more reflective of my philosophy. I take only the gear I need for a given trip for my own personal comfort, safety, and fun levels. The emphasis is not on the most expensive (or even the lightest) gear, but the gear that does the job for me and does it well for a particular trip. Some of my gear and clothing is from MontBell, some of it is from the Army surplus store.

On the CDT, my base pack weight hovered around 9 pounds. The ubiquitous blue foam pad from XYZ Mart, a lightweight aluminum pot from the thrift store and a polyester dress shirt comprise my kit. On social backpacking trips (more camping, less hiking) the base pack weight is heavier (a box of wine adds weight!).

Overall, my gear reflects how I enjoy the outdoors: I use the gear to spend time in the outdoors. I don’t spend time in the outdoors to use gear. Keep it simple. Make it work. Let me enjoy myself. And my gear for the CDT allowed me to spend four wonderful months walking the backbone.

Below is a glimpse at my evolving gear list to give you an idea of how I went from traditional backpacker to a more minimalist (some would say ‘dirt bagger!’) approach for the CDT.

  Vermont’s Long Trail 1997 Appalachian Trail 1998 Vermont’s Long Trail 1999 Pacific Crest Trail 2002 Colorado Trail 2004 Continental Divide Trail 2006  
BACKPACK EMS 5500 (1996 Model) EMS 5500 (1996 Model) Camp Trails Scirroco (3500 CI) LWGEAR – One Pound Pack (all mesh) LWGEAR – One Pound Pack (all mesh) Six Moon Designs Essence (2006 Version)
SHELTER Walrus Swift Walrus Swift Walrus Swift Campmor 8×10 Silnylon Tarp Oware 5×7 SilNylon Tarp Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape
SLEEPING BAG Feathered Friends Hummingbird Feathered Friends Hummingbird Feathered Friends Hummingbird Feathered Friends Hummingbird Feathered Friends Hummingbird Feathered Friends Hummingbird
SLEEPING PAD Z-Rest Z-Rest Z-Rest Z-Rest Z-Rest (cut down) Generic blue foam pad (cut down)
COOKING MSR Alpine Cookset MSR Alpine Cookset K-Mart Alum Pot K-Mart Alum Pot (a little beat up) K-Mart Alum Pot (really beat up) K-Mart Alum Pot (a friend says it should be thrown away!)
  MSR Whisperlite MSR Whisperlite Alcohol Stove Alcohol Stove Alcohol Stove Alcohol Stove
HYDRATION 2x Nalgene Bottles 2x Nalgene Bottles 2x Gatorade bottles 2x Gatorade Bottles 2x Gatorade Bottles 2x Gatorade Bottles
  1-gallon Plastic jug   Nalgene Cantene Nalgene Cantene Nalgene Cantene Nalgene Cantene
  PUR Microfilter Polar Pure Polar Pure Polar Pure MP-1 Tabs Iodine Tabs
JACKET Generic Fleece Pullover Generic Fleece Pullover Generic Fleece Pullover Marmot Driclime Windshirt Marmot Driclime Windshirt MontBell Light Shell Jacket
RAINWEAR Windpants Windpants Windpants Windpants MontBell UL Rainpants MontBell UL Rainpants
  PVC Rainjacket PVC Rainjacket Generic Nylon Rainjacket Generic Nylon Rainjacket GoLite Wisp GoLite Wisp
FOOTWEAR LL Bean Cresta Hikers LL Bean Cresta Hikers Asolo 535s various running/trail shoes Nike Air Pegasus various running/trail shoes
BASE PACK WEIGHT (estimated) 30 lbs 28 lbs
(weighed at Boiling Springs ATC office)		 17 lbs 13 lbs 10 lbs
(I had a digital scale for this kit)		 9 lbs
(I had a digital scale for this kit)

NOTES

  • I did not include most of my clothing, as that has changed very little from 1997. I still hike in shorts, wear generic polypro, and wear a synthetic hat. I may wear a long sleeve shirt, wear sunglasses, and/or use a boonie hat for sun protection. I also use running socks with lighter footwear. Other than that, my clothing hasn’t changed much.
  • I used the same sleeping bag from 1997 until 2006. It really is worth paying more money for a good bag, and I did put some new down in it after the PCT. After the CDT, it was time for a new bag.
  • Also not included are the weights of sundry items that were reduced because of equipment used. (A plastic bottle vs. a metal bottle for fuel, for example.)
  • My full gear list reflects my May 2009 gear.

Looking over my list, you can see a big drop from my AT gear to my Long Trail 1999 gear. After humping a 50-pound pack over the mountains for over 2,000 miles, I vowed to NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!

My shorter hikes (the Long Trail and the Colorado Trail) were used to refine my techniques a bit. My current gear list is more or less reflective of my 2002 PCT gear list, but with refinements: frameless pack, down bag, trail shoes instead of boots, alcohol stove, and aluminum pot. I can picture doing all my future long walks with my PCT 2002 gear. I would not want to do any of my long walks with my AT 1998 gear!

After the Long Trail in 1999, there was a gradual decline in my base pack weight. I am at the point where I can only get lower if I spend more money for shaving ounces rather than pounds and/or going more minimalist and choosing my seasons with care. It gets to the point that I have to ask myself how much money and effort is worth spending to lose more weight in my pack? I’m lazy and not very motivated, mind you! :)

Photo Essay

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 1
Start of the trail in Glacier National Park. Obviously, the trail must be well marked all the way to Mexico!

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 2
Home-sweet-home for four months. A Gatewood Cape was quick to set up, simple to use, and worked well for my ‘hike all day and camp less’ style of backpacking.

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 4
Heart Lake in Yellowstone reminded me of Maine.

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 5
Temple Pass in the Winds. This is why we backpack.

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 6
I loved the expansiveness of the Great Divide Basin. The Oregon Buttes were a landmark for many pioneers on the Oregon Trail.

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 7
Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado. I’m back home!

Walking the Backbone: A Journey on the Continental Divide Trail - 8
Sometimes my favorite memories are the more subtle ones, like aspen leaves on the trail.

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The snow-covered mountains foretold an early winter, but the views were stunning.

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Peeking out from my snow-covered shelter. Winter did come early! (Sept 21!)

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Snow in the San Juans.

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Interesting trail markers on the CDT in New Mexico!

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Still autumn in the lower elevations of New Mexico.

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One of the reasons northern New Mexico was one of the highlights of the CDT for me.

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Windmills are important to any CDT hiker in New Mexico!

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Not on the “official” CDT, but the history buff in me could not pass up the Gila Wilderness and the cliff dwellings.

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My last full day on the trail started with this sunrise over the Hatchitas.

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At the Mexican border after four months, 2,500+ miles, six pairs of shoes and many Snickers bars!

Final Thoughts

Any person who hikes the long trails is asked “Why go?” There are many answers: the physical challenge, being immersed in the wilderness for months at a time, the joy of seeing new sights every day, the camaraderie of people we meet along the way.

Ultimately, the reason I go is for the journey itself.

I hiked the CDT during the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition. When I finished the CDT, the words of Meriwether Lewis during his own travels in Montana came to mind: “As we passed on, it seemed as those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end.”

I think that is why many of us walk the long trails: to continue the scenes of visionary enchantment. We don’t want them to end.

And we hope to see them again in the future.

Canovaccio: Natural, Sustainable Pack Fabrics

New developments in durable and water-resistant backpack fabrics.

When I posted a photo of a new pack manufactured with a highly unconventional fabric to my instagr.am feed yesterday, the resulting social media storm caught me by surprise. Here’s the story of the fabric that has the Twitterverse up in arms.

Conventional backpack fabrics include oxford nylon, ballistics nylon, and Cordura. More modern materials are impregnated or coated with silicone, or offer ripstop patterns with high molecular weight polyethylene rip threads for tear resistance. And, if you follow the ultralight industry, you certainly know about the variants of Cuben Fiber, which promise very high performance-to-weight ratios.

Unfortunately, all of these materials suffer from the limitations of being synthetic in nature. Disadvantages of synthetic fabrics include:

  • hydrolysis of solvent-based coatings in response to sustained exposure to wet conditions, resulting in peeling and failure of the coating;
  • manufacturing processes that depend on petroleum-based chemical processing;
  • the feeling of abrasiveness and irritation when worn next to skin (i.e., as in the contact areas of shoulder straps, hip belts, and back panels).

Consequently, there has been a significant push by the outdoor industry in recent years towards “natural” and “sustainable” fabrics, including bamboo, merino wool, and even fabrics made from the fibers of coconut shells and corn stalks.

Most of these natural fabrics cannot be processed in a way, however, that is most suitable for backpack materials, due to low strength-to-weight ratios, high elasticity, and high levels of water absorption.

Consequently, we have been partnering with our overseas backpack manufacturing facility to develop natural, sustainable fabrics that can be used in backpacks.

After researching a variety of manufacturing processes and fabric constructions, we are getting closer to a final fabric. This fabric will be featured in the 2012 Absaroka Backpack.

Some of its advantages include:

  1. The ability to absorb very small amounts of precipitation and perspiration into the fabric’s interstitial structure, to enhance wicking and prevent moisture from “dripping” off of pack fabric into your clothing system.
  2. The ability to regenerate the pack’s waterproofness via natural oil impregnation using many commonly available waterproofing solutions sold in shoe and organic food stores.
  3. Its ability to be manufactured from renewable resources (e.g., organic cotton) using modern automated looms that won’t require equipment upgrades.

The new fabric will be branded as “Canovaccio” and be manufactured by a well-known company that specializes in soft shell materials in the high alps of Italy.

We are confident that this fabric will have achieved widespread distribution and be available to small cottage manufacturers by the end of the year – hopefully spurring the development of garage innovation and new business for our friends in the cottage industry.

Ryan Jordan is the Founder and CEO of Backpacking Light and can be found on Twitter @bigskyry if you want to stay up to date about lightweight backpacking industry trends.

Minimalist Footwear for Summer Backpacking

Unlike more traditional running shoes, there is no set pattern established and accepted as to what characteristics make a good minimalist shoe. We scan the currently available products and test some out to see how applicable these designs are for ultralight backpacking.

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Home Away From Home In Argentina’s Lake District: Global Test Photo Essay

Months of travel can wear on people, even as they enjoy the “other” of another country. We found the perfect combination of comforts from home and the diversity of a foreign culture in Bariloche, Argentina.

Editor’s Note: click here to see all the articles (and a brief synopsis of each) in this excellent series.

Introduction

Before you view these photos of Danny and I in the beautiful outdoors near Bariloche, Argentina and get that dreamy look on your face, let me share with you a secret that took me several months to learn on my own. Traveling for long periods of time, especially in the wilderness of foreign lands, may be romanticized in literature such as Lonely Planet and National Geographic. One truth seems to be missing from these tales of exotic peoples, tasty foods, and gorgeous landscapes: no matter how much your surroundings change, the person you are inside generally remains the same.

So, if you’re like me, and you already have strong opinions and preferences about, well, pretty much everything, traveling can be frustrating. I have to constantly remind myself to keep an open mind. It was nice taking a break from that effort in Bariloche, Argentina. It was the first place I found that reminded me of all of my favorite things from home: a large variety of local fruits and vegetables, super friendly people and a strong outdoor community, sunny weather, and endless opportunities to play in the wilderness. We stayed twice as long as we had originally planned, and even started dreaming of returning in winter.

Danny and I spent more than two weeks sampling various wilderness opportunities while using a hostel in Bariloche as our base. We did four camping trips and pitched our tent in a variety of places such as on top of Mt. Tronador, next to an aquamarine glacier lake, in a crowded lawn with lots of vacationing Argentinian families, and stealthily in a bamboo forest. We found the perfect combination of comforts from home and the diversity of a foreign culture.

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Nahuel Huapi National Park beckoned us from the tenth floor balcony of our hostel in Bariloche.

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Our camp near Refugio Frey in Nahuel Huapi National Park. There are many refugios (refuge or shelter) throughout the park, which typically sell hot meals and offer basic sleeping accommodations.

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Much of the higher altitude trekking was on loose dirt and scree, like this part of the trail on the backside of Cerro Catedral.

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Early summer hiking in the Argentine side of Patagonia was ideal. The weather was perfect every day, the flowers were blooming, the peaks looked dramatic, frosted with snow, and the trails were clear and dry.

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Every day was filled with challenging hiking, marvelous views, and superb camp sites, like along this lake in Nahuel Huapi National Park.

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This particular section of the trail was exciting, but wasn’t as dangerous as it appears.

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Relying on public transportation occasionally left us stranded. We had to stealth camp in a bamboo forest near Lago Moreno in Llao Llao Park.

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Kristin explored the rocks along Brazo Tristeza, with Cerro Capilla in the background.

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Bariloche is home to a strong mountaineering community with a long history and, naturally, some lost lives. This hand-carved memorial was in the “Mountaineers Cemetery,” which is remotely located in a thicket of trees at the edge of the Llao Llao Park.

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The most money we paid to camp in Argentina was at this private campground near Lago Gutierrez. The only spot available was next to this cement wall. However, we did receive wi-fi in our tent.

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This trail among sharp volcanic rock led us to the high camp on the stratovolcano Mt. Tronador, which translates to “thunderer.”

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Mt. Tronador, at 3,491 meters (11,453 feet) tall, is 1,000 meters higher than any of the surrounding mountains.

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Refugio Otto Meiling was named after the German-born mountaineer who built a number of huts in the area, including this one on Mt. Tronador. Otto was instrumental in bringing skiing and mountaineering to Argentina and was co-founder of the Club Andino de Bariloche.

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We camped on this ridge, surrounded by two of Tronador’s eight glaciers.

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This was the most spectacular sunset that we witnessed in ten months of backpacking in Latin America.

SIA Nordic Ski On-Snow Demo 2011: New Waxless Ski Technologies

While the new waxless technologies are mostly in Nordic race skis and high end touring skis, we see promise for their future use in backcountry skis as well.

SIA Show Background and Overview

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The 5,000-acre Devil’s Thumb Ranch was the host and testing grounds for the SIA On-Snow Nordic Demo. Not quite discernible in the photo are some backcountry Nordic ski tracks down the large sunlit snow slope in the distant right (Marker Hill).

This is the second year that the biggest US Ski Show, the SnowSports Industries of America (SIA) Snow Show, has hosted a Nordic On-Snow Demo. The Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CSAA), a non-profit “to promote the growth and improve the quality of cross country ski operations,” partnered with SIA to organize the Nordic Demo.

One of the main messages from the show was huge growth in interest and sales for backcountry ski equipment. According to SIA, backcountry ski and equipment sales are up 90% to 150% so far this season. A representative for Madshus reports strong backcountry ski sales for their popular “Cross Country Downhill” line of backcountry (BC) Nordic skis like the Eon and Epoch. The Silent Spider, a light backcountry ski, is Fischer’s third best selling ski. To meet interest and demand, Fischer has re-designed their entire line of S-Bound backcountry Nordic skis for 2011/2012.

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Two excellent backcountry Nordic skis at the show. Bottom: the new Fischer S-Bound 78 (78-61-69, 2130 g 179 cm). Fischer has redesigned their line of BC Nordic skis for 2012. The main changes are to improve grip, turning, and gliding in soft snow. Top: the “new” Madshus Eon (2160 g 185 cm). This ski is the reincarnation of the Karhu XCD GT – same mold and construction, just different graphics on the deck.

New Waxless Technologies

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At the Demo Atomic, Salomon, and Fisher all introduced “new” waxless grip technologies for 2011/2012. Some of the grip technologies have been in development since the 2002 Olympics, but many are only making their commercial debut for the coming season.

The theme for these waxless technologies is to move away from fish-scale patterns to a smoother grip material that performs more like a waxed ski. That is, good grip but retaining the fast, silent glide of a well waxed ski. For the future, the companies think that there is a possibility of these technologies working their way into BC skis. In fact, Fischer’s waxless technology, Zero, and Salomon’s G2 Micro have already made it to select touring skis for 2011/2012.

Atomic Skintec Waxless

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Atomic Skintec is a high-speed reinvention of kicker skins, and is fast enough to be used on the Nordic race skis shown here. (We see an obvious application to backcountry Nordic skis for this technology.)

Skintech is Atomic’s highlighted technology for 2011/2012 and has top billing on the front page of their catalog. Unlike many “smooth” waxless grip technologies it is designed to work in all temperature ranges.

Skins are new? Yeah, using skins for grip on Nordic skis has been around forever, but skins glide terribly and are slow. Atomic has taken a new approach to make skins faster – fast enough that Skintec will only be on Atomic’s top end race skis for 2012. In simple terms, Skintec is a shorter version of a kicker skin that is integrated seamlessly into the bottom of the ski. The skin is just a smidge higher than the gliding surface. The skin pattern is short, about 30% shorter than the standard wax pocket or fish-scale grip pattern, which helps with gliding. A new “on-off” flex pattern, rather than a traditional progressive flex, works to keep the skins high and off the snow when gliding, and snapping down hard on the snow when kicking. (We were able to walk up some pretty steep inclines.)

We see obvious application for Skintec in BC skiing. With a couple of grip modules, including a skinless, glide-surface-only module, you could easily fine-tune your grip and glide to backcountry conditions much faster than conventional skins (the plates simply magnetize to the bottom of the ski). And Skintec should be faster and more efficient than conventional skins.

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A very thin skin pattern is bonded to a plastic plate that drops into a cavity on the base of the ski. When inserted, the plate is flush with the gliding surface of the ski and the skin is just slightly higher than the gliding surface. The plate and skin unit is referred to a “grip module.” Removing and installing the grip module is easy, as it is only held in place by matching magnets in the ski cavity (silver dots) and on the bottom of the grip module.

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Currently there are two Skintec Grip Modules. The full skin favors grip over glide; the partial skin favors glide over grip. For backcountry skiing we see an application for a skinless/glide-surface-only module for downhill joy!

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Roman Toferer, Nordic race director for Atomic (with his back to the camera) shows SkinTec to Oskar Svärd. A three time Vasaloppet winner, Oskar is one of the best distance skiers in the world.

Salomon G2 Micro Waxless

Also debuting at the show and new for the 2011/2012 season was Salomon new waxless grip technology “G2 Micro.”

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Unlike all the other technologies presented, Salomon G2 Micro is not a base insert, but a thin layer of grip material permanently bonded to the base of the ski in the grip pocket.

Salomon G2 Micro is not a base insert, but a thin layer of epoxy based material that is applied to the grip pocket of the ski. In addition, G2 Micro skis use a lower camber to work best with the G2 Micro. To make G2 Micro, graphite and silica compounds are mixed with an epoxy resin. The graphite and silica give the G2 Micro material enough texture to grip the snow, but compared to a conventional fish scale, the G2 Micro grip pattern is smooth. G2 Micro has a limited temperature range (-15 C to 5 C) compared to the broader temperature range of a fish scale grip pattern, but within its temperature range, Curtiss Graves of Salomon claims the G2 Micro should outperform fish scales and many waxed skis.

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Testing waxless skis in fresh powder.

Salomon Zero Grip Waxless

Salomon “Zero Grip” is a waxless race technology for those tricky, wet conditions right around freezing 0 C (32 F). It is a rubber insert in the ski’s grip zone that is sanded to create a grip texture. It “performs better than kick wax in fresh snow [in] around freezing temperatures.” The Zero Grip base can be fine tuned to conditions by using sandpaper to either smooth or roughen the surface of the grip compound.

Fischer Zero Waxless

Fisher Zero has been used in race skis for a number of years (since the 2002 Olympics). It is a finely textured rubber compound. Zero looks smooth, and it glides silently like a smooth based waxed ski. You have to touch the Zero surface or look closely to discern the tiny surface filaments that grip the snow. Like the Salomon Zero Grip, the Fischer Zero base can be fine tuned to conditions by using sandpaper to either smooth or roughen the surface of the grip compound.

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The new Zero grip section on the Fischer Superlight Zero ski (lower ski) compared to the more conventional fish-scale Crown grip section on the Superlight Crown Ski (upper ski).

Fischer Zero was originally conceived as a waxless race technology for those tricky conditions right around freezing, 0 C (32 F). In a 2009 race in just such conditions, the top six finishers were all using Fischer Zero skis.

According to Peter Ashley, VP for Nordic Products at Fischer, 20-40 F is a good working temperature range for Zero. At lower temperatures Zero tends to “grip too well.” I tested Superlight Zero skis from -20 to 1 C (-14 to 34 F). In warmer temperatures (20 F and above), Zero skis behave more like waxable skis – they glide well and delightfully make no noise. It, or an improved version with a broader temperature range, might be potential technology for the warmer temperatures of spring backcountry trips.

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A detail of the Zero waxless grip material on a touring ski. The grip section is longer than a race ski and has two Zero grip materials. The center grip section (yellow/green) is softer and has more grip than the Zero used for a racking ski. The end grip sections (orange) have less grip as they transition to the gliding surface of the ski. In the touring ski, the orange/transition grip material extends slightly beyond the grip pocket.

When I tested Zero skis at -20 C they worked well enough in smooth set tracks and climbed like crazy, but they tended to grab a bit when skied out of tracks into fresh (hard and sharp) powder to descend a hill. I really needed to concentrate on “heels down and tips up.” And the skis stuttered a bit in the track at any place spindrift had blown in.

Fischer must have confidence in Zero and its broader applications since they have added it to select touring skis for 2011/2012. Their extremely popular performance touring ski, the Superlight, will come in a Zero version for 2011/2012. As befits a touring ski (versus a racing ski), the Superlight Zero favors grip a bit more over glide. We would imagine a similar grip configuration for a BC Nordic spring ski, if and when Fischer decides add it to their S-Bound series of BC skis.

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Early morning setup on the first day of the Nordic Demo.

Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus Backpack Review

A higher volume (59 L) durable fabric frameless backpack with superb design, construction, and options.

Introduction

Formerly called the Zip, the current Exodus backpack is a larger volume (59 L) frameless backpack suitable for week-long trips using ultralight gear. It has volume reduction clips and loops at the bottom of the pack to reduce volume, making it usable for smaller loads and shorter duration trips. And numerous options are available to customize the pack to your heart’s content. So, how versatile is the Exodus?

Specifications

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The Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus frameless backpack packed with ultralight gear for an overnight backpacking trip.

Year/Model 2010 Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus www.mountainlaureldesigns.com
Style Frameless backpack with attached hipbelt, top loading, roll down top with top compression strap
Volume 3600 cubic inches (59 L) including pockets and extension collar
Weight Size Large tested. Measured weight 15 oz (425 g); manufacturer specification 15 oz (425 g) size M
Sizes Available Unisex S, M, L
Fabrics Dyneema X, 4 oz sq/yd2 (135.6 g/m2) 210d nylon with a white 210 Dyneema ripstop grid reinforcement at 0 and 90 degrees; 4 oz/yd2 (135.6 g/m2). Tough Mesh pockets
Features Durable fabrics, removable sternum strap with whistle buckle, removable frontpanel bungie system, 1 large mesh front pocket with elastic binding, 2 mesh side pockets with drawcord closure, 2 side compression straps, 12 in (30 cm) extension collar, drawcord closure and top compression strap, SuperWick Mesh lined shoulder straps and hipbelt, 2 ice axe loops, haul loop, volume reduction clips and loops, 2 hydration hose ports
Volume to Weight Ratio 240 in3/oz (based on 3600 in3 and measured weight of 15 oz (size Large)
Maximum Comfortable Load Carrying Capacity 20 lb (9.1 kg) estimated comfortable load for an average person carrying the pack all day
Carry Load to Pack Weight Ratio 21.3 (based on 20 lb and a measured weight of 0.94 lb)
MSRP US$185
Options Hydration sleeve, internal stow pocket, hipbelt pockets, rain cover, shoulder strap water bottle pouch, shoulder strap gear pouch, UL packlid

Description

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The Exodus frameless backpack is one of four frameless backpacks of similar design offered by MLD, differing mainly in volume. From smallest to largest, the packs in the series are: Burn (2200 in3/36 L), Prophet (2900 in3/47.5 L), Exodus (3600 in3/59 L), and Ark (4200 in3/69 L). All are constructed of durable Dyneema X fabric and have essentially the same feature set and options. Note: these manufacturer photos do not show the comparative size differences among the packs.

The Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus is a typical design for a top-loading frameless backpack, it has a drawcord and rolltop closure with top strap and mesh pockets on the front and sides. What is different about the Exodus (and the other three packs in the series) is: 1) they are constructed of high quality and durable fabrics and mesh, 2) the pack design gets the details just right, 3) they are exceptionally well made with plenty of reinforcements at stress points, and 4) a variety of options is offered so you can configure a pack just the way you want it.

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Views of the MLD Exodus Pack: The frontpanel (top left) has a large mesh pocket with elastic top binding (I didn’t install the front bungie system, shown in the previous photo, because I didn’t need it). The backpanel (top right) does not have any ventilated padding, just fabric against your back. Each side (bottom left) has a mesh pocket with drawcord closure and one compression strap. The top (bottom right) has a rolldown closure with top compression strap. This is a classic design, so there is nothing unusual.

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Closeup of the pack’s exterior mesh pockets: The front pocket (left) is bellowed and holds a lot of gear. The side pockets (right) are smaller and barely large enough to hold lightweight rainwear (jacket and pants) in one pocket. A water bottle in either side pocket is reachable with the pack on.

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The pack’s suspension system consists of 3-inch (7.6-cm) wide padded shoulder straps and padded hipbelt wings that are 4 inches wide tapering to 1.75 inches wide (10.2 cm to 4.5 cm). Both are 0.5-inch (1.3-cm) thick and faced on the inside with 3D mesh.

Performance

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Ah wilderness! Exploring scenic remote alpine country while carrying a light pack.

To be frank, I struggled with the high volume of the Exodus pack. In fact, I violated one of the key considerations when choosing a frameless backpack: choose a pack with a volume capacity that matches the usual volume of your gear kit. The reason for this is that a fully expanded frameless backpack is firmer, so it transfers weight and carries better than a partially filled pack. If I had followed that rule, I would have chosen the Prophet instead of the Exodus, but I reviewed the Prophet a few years ago (when it was a silnylon pack with a different design). Most of the time while I tested the Exodus, the pack had 50% more volume than I needed. So much of my testing focused on different approaches to fill up the extra volume.

As part of the Frameless Backpack State of the Market Report I am currently working on, I measured the actual volume of the Exodus and found it to be a whopping 550 cubic inches (9 L) larger than specified. Rather than 3500 cubic inches (57 L), the Exodus is 4050 cubic inches (66 L)! That explains the problems I was having with my gear disappearing inside the Exodus, and revives old memories of my first frameless backpack, the Gossamer Gear G4. The problem with these large volume frameless backpacks is that it’s hard to fill them with gear to create a fully extended pack with a “virtual frame” to transfer weight to the hips. If I did fill up all that volume with backpacking gear and food, the pack weight would far exceed its comfortable carrying capacity. Bottom line, MLD needs to take some volume out of the Exodus and design it to accept removable contoured stays to assist with pack stiffening and weight transfer.

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Fortunately, the Exodus pack has two volume reduction clips and loops at the bottom front of the pack (left), just below the front pocket, analogous to GoLite’s ComPACKtor system. The volume reduction system, in combination with the side compression straps, effectively reduce pack volume for smaller loads. The right photo shows the Exodus used as a day pack with the pack’s compression system completely tightened and a closed cell foam pad (Gossamer Gear NightLight) inside.

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On backpacking trips, a folded closed cell foam pad against the backpanel helps tremendously to take up extra volume and to create a “virtual frame” to make the pack carry better and add weight carrying capacity.

The Exodus is capable of carrying a heavier load if a stiff folded closed cell foam pad is placed against the backpanel or coiled inside the pack. However, without the extra stiffening, the Exodus is like most frameless packs – the normal comfortable load carrying capacity is around 20 pounds (9.1 kg), or a little more if you have a strong back.

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Options supplied with the pack for my testing included a packlid with zippered pocket (left), shoulder strap water bottle pocket (center), and hipbelt pockets (right). A lightweight shoulder strap gear pouch, hydration sleeve, and internal stow pocket are also available. All are well designed and removable.

I found the MLD pack accessories to be very useful. The top cover attaches easily, adds an extra pocket on top, makes the pack look more attractive, and helps to shed showers. I especially like the well-designed shoulder strap mounted water bottle pocket for backpacking in the mountains where water is plentiful. Likewise, the shoulder strap gear pouch is nice if you use a GPS a lot or carry a MP3 player. I tested the hydration sleeve, and it works very well, but I find it more convenient to carry a partially filled hydration system in a side pocket because it’s easier to refill (and for that reason I wish one of the side pockets were taller). Finally the mesh internal stow pocket is nice for secure storage, and it uses the same clips as the hydration sleeve. The beauty of these pack accessories is they are all removable, so you can choose the options you want for each trip.

Comparisons

Comparative specifications can be found in my Frameless Backpack State of the Market Report 2011 (coming soon), and will not be repeated here. The packs most comparable to the MLD Exodus are the Z-Packs Dyneema X, Six Moon Designs Swift, ULA CDT, and Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus. However, the Exodus is larger.

Assessment

There are lighter frameless backpacks available, made of lighter, less durable fabrics. For example, the Z-Pack Dyneema X 32 pack can be had in Cuben Fiber, with a weight savings of 6.8 ounces (193 g), and at the same cost as the Dyneema X fabric (the weight saving for the same pack made of silnylon is about half of that). So, the weight difference is substantial, but the durability difference is substantial too. Dyneema X is a superb fabric for backpacks, so purchasing a backpack made with this fabric is an investment in longevity. Further, Mountain Laurel Designs’ construction is superb. In their own words: “the seams are double stitched, felled, and we use many bartacks – more than 2X the seam stitching versus other budget packs.” So, if your preference is for a more durable, long-lasting frameless backpack, this is one to consider.

I didn’t compare the MLD Exodus with backpacks that have removable stays because that’s a different breed of pack that I discuss separately in the Frameless Backpack State of the Market Report. For a larger frameless pack like the Exodus and Ark, it would be nice if MLD would offer removable contoured stays as an option; there are times when everyone needs to carry a heavier load, like a week-long trip or after a re-supply, and the stays would help to transfer some weight. Removable stays do not convert a frameless pack into a full-fledged internal frame backpack, but they do assist with pack stiffening and load transfer, so a pack like the Exodus could carry a 25-pound (11.3-kg) load more comfortably.

As with any pack, it’s important to choose the proper torso size for a good fit, and in a frameless pack to select a pack with a volume capacity to match your backpacking kit. MLD makes the same pack design in four different volumes, so it’s easy to find a good match. Realistically, it’s best to choose a pack with a bit larger volume than your gear kit.

Overall, the Exodus is an exceptionally well designed and constructed frameless backpack. The components are meticulously sourced. MLD offers all the options a la carte when you purchase a pack, and they are all removable so you can configure the pack for each trip. It all comes together as one of the very best frameless backpacks on the market.

What’s Good

  • Volume reduction system
  • Three torso lengths (plus custom sizes) to fit most hikers
  • Four pack models with different volume capacities
  • Removable accessories
  • Durable fabrics and mesh
  • Large mesh front pocket for convenient access to items needed on the trail
  • Very sturdily built, with adequate reinforcements
  • Fits well (if you choose the correct size)
  • Comfortably carries moderate loads

What’s Not So Good

  • Durable fabric and mesh add weight
  • Removable stays not offered as an option

Recommendations For Improvement

  • Make one of the mesh side pockets taller

Disclosure: The manufacturer provided this product to the author and/or Backpacking Light at no charge, and it is owned by the author/BPL. The author/Backpacking Light has no obligation to review this product to the manufacturer under the terms of this agreement.

Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleeping Bag Review

It’s a $100 DOWN bag. Too good to be true? You may be surprised…

Introduction

First thing first: It’s a $100.00 DOWN sleeping bag.

A hundred bucks for a down bag?! The skeptic in my head immediately said “Yeah, it’ll weigh five pounds and be good for 60 F (16 C).” But the sleeping bag only weighs two and a half pounds, and it’s been EN tested for 20 F / -7 C. Well, that clinched my curiosity. Is the Kelty Cosmic Down 20 a true bargain, or should backpackers on a budget save for a more expensive bag?

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In this overview of the Cosmic Down 20, you can clearly see the over-stuffed nature of some baffles… and the average to under-filled look of a few other baffles. Does the lumpy appearance belie the bag’s performance?

The Lowdown

I guess you could say I went into this evaluation with high hopes and low expectations. I’m accustomed to sleeping bags more in the price range of $400, and while the idea of saving $300 was awesome, I didn’t really think the Cosmic Down 20 would keep me warm. How could it? It weighs maybe 12 to 16 ounces more than a bag that costs nearly four times as much… and the Cosmic Down 20 is only using 550 fill down! For such a cheap bag, could the shell material really be light enough to offset the extra weight of 550 fill? As I waited for what I was sure would be an overweight package, I psyched myself up for some very cold nights.

The box that arrived at my doorstep was surprisingly small and light. “Huh,” I thought. “That actually feels about right.” Out of the box and onto the scale: my size regular Cosmic Down 20 weighs 2 pounds 9.6 ounces, 1.6 ounces over spec, but hey, that’s still pretty good. I had imagined wrestling a behemoth into a stuff sack, but it easily stuffed into a 10 liter dry sack. “Huh,” I thought again. “This thing might actually be legitimate.” I shook my head. “Nah, it won’t loft for beans.”

I’m not gonna lie: It isn’t a sexy bag. The 50 denier polyester taffeta shell fabric is not inspiring. The loft of the sleeping bag is… not bad. It does not have the distinctly reassuring appearance of, say, Western Mountaineering bags and their slightly overstuffed baffles. Maybe it looks a little lumpy? But the Cosmic Down 20 lofts well enough, even better than many. Down distribution in the baffles is more adequate than some $200 down bags I’ve handled. There are definitely some thinner spots in loft, particularly on the bottom of the bag, but overall I’m pretty pleased.

Brand Model Temperature Rating (F / C) Down Rating Length (ft / m) Shoulder Measurement (in / cm) Fill Weight (oz / g) Total Weight Cost Cost per Ounce
Kelty Cosmic Down 20 20 / -7 550 6.0 / 1.8 62.0 / 157.5 20.0 / 567 2 lb 8 oz / 1.13 kg $109.95 $2.75
Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20 / -7 850 6.0 / 1.8 59.0 / 149.9 16.0 / 453.6 1 lb 13 oz / 0.82 kg $385.00 $13.28

Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleeping Bag Review - 2
Just for grins, a comparison shot of the Cosmic Down 20 alongside a Western Mountaineering Ultralite. Note the hood and shoulder region “tummy tuck” on the CD 20; I wish there were more down in this region.

The hood has a reasonable amount of depth and shape, and has been cut to allow a bit of an insulated ruff around the top of the opening. Although I can fluff the hood to get some more down into the area, the neck region of the hood habitually shifts down out of the neck region and toward the head. The bag should really have some more down in that area, or use an additional baffle. There is a passive top draft collar in the Cosmic Down 20, an insulated tube that hangs from the top of the bag to block air movement. The draft tube is not circumferential, nor can you cinch it down, but the passive top collar does help keep the bag warmer.

The zipper draft tube is surprisingly well filled, and the zipper runs freely. The Cosmic Down 20 uses a three-quarter-length zipper, but it’s a three-quarter-length zipper that I’ve found eminently functional. Most partial zips don’t go down far enough to be useful for venting, but this one hits me just below the knee. They could have extended the zipper another foot for about an ounce, but oh well.

Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleeping Bag Review - 3
The three-quarter-length zipper has proven to be a true three-quarter-length zipper… it seems like many companies’ “three-quarter zips” are closer to half zips to me. You can also get a slightly different perspective on loft here.

There are two large loops sewn onto the footbox for hanging, and a number of small loops along the sides so you could secure a pad underneath the bag. I’ve never found the need to do that, but they’re there if you’re so inclined.

Now that you’ve had the full tour, let’s take a look at some real-world performance. Does the bag do what it’s supposed to do?

Performance

I’m not a huge fan of equipment surprises when I’m in the backcountry, so I first test almost all new equipment in the backyard. Walking from my back door to the tent on a night in the high 30s I shivered a little, and thought to myself that I’d probably be headed back for the house halfway through the night. Instead I woke up warm, cozy, and smiling somewhat late the next morning. Huh! Yet another pleasant surprise from the Cosmic Down 20.

That’s not to say I trusted the rating yet, but the bag kept me warm on progressively cooler nights, including one that dipped into the twenties. The forecast for an upcoming weekend trip was for lows in the teens; I considered bringing a different sleeping bag, but decided to just bring an extra down layer and warmer pants to complement the Cosmic Down 20 if needed. Despite temps bottoming out in the low twenties, I slept warm and cozy for that weekend and the next. A night in the hammock (with a DownMat under me) down to the mid twenties found me, yet again, warm and toasty.

I’ve found that using pads with barely adequate insulation can dramatically decrease the performance of a bag, therefore I used pads with R-values ranging from 5 to 8 (yeah, I know the 8 is high, but I have the pad, it’s comfy, and I love it) for all my field evaluations. Although I normally roll over with the bag (kind of wearing it as I roll over to sleep on my side), I found myself turning inside the Cosmic Down 20 to keep the bottom surface down. I didn’t have much faith in the ability of its underside insulation.

Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleeping Bag Review - 4
Note the passive top collar and draft collar of the Cosmic Down 20. No, they’re not of the same quality as a WM bag, but the build construction is much, much higher than what I’ve seen in other bags near this price range.

A late fall/early winter overnighter was forecasted with single-digit temperatures. Although I was game to experiment and had gained healthy respect for the Cosmic Down 20, I took along a 0 F / -18 C bag as a backup. That night only dropped to about 15 F / -9 C, but I woke up perhaps five hours into the night, feeling particularly cold. I didn’t want to start from scratch warming up the zero degree bag, so I pulled it over me quilt-style and hunkered down for the rest of the night. It wasn’t until that morning when I got up and moved around for awhile that I really warmed up.

I was a bit perplexed. That night wasn’t significantly colder than several others, when I had been warm using the same pad and clothing combo. At first I dismissed it as a fluke, perhaps a hydration problem I wasn’t aware of, maybe a slight cold, or a light dinner… but all factors struck me as being completely normal. Then I realized that what had changed wasn’t so much the low temperature, but the high temperature of the day.

My previous experiences with the bag had all been during warm days, with highs perhaps in the forties and bottoming out in the twenties in the middle of the night. The night I slept cold had been in the mid twenties all day and dropped even lower that night. I had essentially been coasting through the previous lows on the borrowed heat of the day.

Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Sleeping Bag Review - 5
Night falls, but the loft of the bag is relatively inspiring. I gotta say, the shell doesn’t look too bad under flash light.

If I were headed on a trip and expected a narrow range of temperature variation, hovering around 20 F / -7 C, the Cosmic Down 20 isn’t the bag I would take. However, if I were looking for a decent three-season bag and typical temperature swing, this bag could be a good choice. Trips with days in the 40s or 50s F and nights in the 20s or 30s F would be fine with the Cosmic Down 20, and frankly those are conditions most backpackers are more likely to encounter.

Conclusion

The real question, then, “Should everyone buy this bag?”

No.

If you’re counting ounces, you could save three-quarters of a pound by going to an 850-fill bag. If you want and expect greatness from your equipment, this isn’t your bag. The Cosmic Down 20 is for those seeking a serviceable sleeping bag that gets pretty small, is reasonably light, and will do the trick for most three-season conditions. I see the bag working particularly well for those who would benefit from other gear upgrades… perhaps the $300 “savings” of the Cosmic D could be put toward a new backpack or tent that would save a few pounds.

Who should buy the Cosmic Down 20? Anyone on a limited budget who’s in the market for a good all ‘round sleeping bag. If someone’s new to backpacking and trying to put together their whole kit, this sleeping bag is a good bargain. Note that when I say “bargain,” I don’t mean cheap… I mean a good value. College students or Scouts might want to take a look at the Cosmic Down 20. If you want a spare bag, or even if you’ll be spending more time afield, this would be a durable option for the same price as value-priced synthetic bags. If someone wants to get into backpacking, but doesn’t want to make a large equipment investment, this bag could be just the ticket. There is nothing outwardly impressive about this bag in appearance, but it works. It’s a much better sleeping bag than I imagined.

Disclosure: The manufacturer provided this product to the author and/or Backpacking Light at no charge, and it is owned by the author/BPL. The author/Backpacking Light has no obligation to review this product to the manufacturer under the terms of this agreement.

Brutality, Beauty, and the Day I Could Have Died on the Continental Divide Trail

The CDT is off-the-charts gorgeous, a great challenge, and it is my favorite of the big three long-distance trails. However, as with the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails, the CDT is not without its tricky areas.

Hordes of blood-sucking mosquitoes thrive in the Beaverhead and Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness areas in Montana. Heavy snow and bone-chilling temperatures haunt the high elevations in Colorado, and magnificent thunderstorms chase hikers off the spines of mountains. Yes, the Continental Divide Trail has a ruthless reputation as a brutal thru-hiking experience. In 2009, I had some hard moments out there, but honestly, I don’t think the trail is as savage as it has been billed. I think the CDT is off-the-charts gorgeous, a great challenge, and it is my favorite of the big three long-distance trails.

However, as with the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails, the CDT is not without its tricky areas. I hiked through one such area just south of Togwotee Pass at Lava Mountain.

Brutality, Beauty, and the Day I Could Have Died on the Continental Divide Trail - 1
Boulder-hopping for the trees.

I left Dubois, Wyoming without my hiking companions. There was a lot of confusion and miscommunication getting out of town, and to make a long story short, I hitched a ride to the pass by myself. My friends were more than an hour ahead of me, and I had a lot of hiking to do to catch up to them.

Out of Togwotee Pass, I hiked down Forest Service Road 537 for a few miles, then turned east on another old road to a shorter cross-country route that I wanted to take. I overshot the route and continued walking down the road, which began to skirt around Lava Mountain from a distance. Since I “misplaced” the route I wanted to take – not unheard of on the CDT – I thought I’d just go ahead and make a bee-line towards a distant escarpment, which I recognized on my map.

I left the road, and hiked through a small meadow, which gradually transitioned into a boulder field. At first, walking through there had this cool, novelty feel to it. I saw beautiful, unusual patterns of broken rock, and like a kid with reckless abandon, I hopped from one gigantic boulder to the next.

I began to tire of the boulder hopping, since I had seven days’ worth of food in my pack for the long stretch through the Wind River Range. My knees couldn’t take any more of the pounding, and my feet were sliding out from underneath me on the rocks – my shoes couldn’t get traction! I then started stepping on shifting boulders, some the size of refrigerators… seriously. All I could think of was Aron Ralston, the adventurer who in 2003 cut his right arm off with a dull knife after getting pinned by a boulder. Yep, I started to worry.

Brutality, Beauty, and the Day I Could Have Died on the Continental Divide Trail - 2
Scree.

I reached an oasis of trees, which gave me a chance to survey my maps and my situation. I could still shoot for the escarpment, which was across a wide, vast boulder field (I had no desire to cross it!), or I could turn around, and hike back to the road to find a better route. I was already too deep in this field to do that. The other option was to hike through some trees, and up to the scree-covered base of Lava Mountain, which I could contour, and avoid shifty boulders. I chose the latter option.

When I got to the base of the mountain, I discovered that the scree was terribly loose. With each step, my foot sank ankle high into the ground. Soon I gave up on the idea of contouring around the mountain. Again, I studied my map and GPS, and noticed that the top of Lava Mountain looked flat (and perhaps boulder-free), so I decided to take a gamble by climbing several hundred feet to the top.

Scree continued to be problematic on the ascent as it became smaller and more like quicksand. I couldn’t climb more than 50 feet without stopping to catch my breath: my pack felt so heavy on this climb. Above me, I saw rocks and ledges which meant solid footing, or so I thought. Large, television-sized rocks that I wanted to use for hand holds came loose out of the ground, and tumbled down the mountain. I was, in fact, causing an amazing, massive rock slide below me. With the ground being so loose, I wondered if the mountainside above me would crumble at any moment, taking me down with large, toppling boulders and burying me in a rubbly grave. It truly felt like this was one of those moments where I just might die on the trail.

Brutality, Beauty, and the Day I Could Have Died on the Continental Divide Trail - 3
Brief respite.

I climbed further, again breaking off more large chunks of rock and causing more rockslides. At one point, I lost my footing and slid down the loose scree for 10-15-feet. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I summited the top of Lava Mountain. Fortunately, there were stands of trees on top of the long, deep summit, so my gamble paid off… somewhat. On the summit, there were still more boulders and shifting rocks, but they were not as daunting as the larger ones below the mountain.

I reached a grassy stretch and the true summit of the mountain, where I climbed to the top for a break. I sat down, ate a snack, and appreciated the distant, hazy view of the Tetons to the northwest. At this moment, I didn’t care where my companions were – I would catch up with them later. I savored each breath of mountain-fresh air and gave thanks that I was alive another day to enjoy the beauty of the Continental Divide Trail.

Youtube video

Read more about my adventures on the Continental Divide Trail.

PHD Mountain Software Yukon Down Pullover Review

Featuring 900 fill-power down, baffled construction, high loft, and a nearly waterproof shell, the Yukon Pullover is a well-balanced four-season down parka. Is this the ultimate ultralight down garment for cold weather pursuits?

Introduction

PHD Mountain Software Yukon Down Pullover Review - 1
The PHD Yukon Down Pullover features 900 fill-power down and baffled construction.

PHD (Peter Hutchinson Designs) Mountain Software is a small company in Stalybridge, UK that manufactures sleeping bags and garments “from the lightest in the world to the ultimate in extreme expedition protection.” Many of their garments are offered in standard sizes, or custom sizing, added fill, or custom features at additional cost. All products are sewn in their small factory after the order is placed.

This review covers their baffled Yukon Down Pullover (also available as a jacket with a full-height front zipper), which is designed to provide maximum warmth with minimal weight. Is this the ultimate ultralight down garment for cold weather pursuits?

Description

The PHD Yukon Down Pullover features 900 fill-power down, which PHD tests on-site to be sure it meets or exceeds their specifications. One ounce of down of this quality expands to 900 cubic inches (14.7 liters), so a relatively small weight of down produces a very puffy jacket. The jacket has box wall baffled construction and 4-inch (10-cm) down chambers. PHD does not disclose the amount of down fill in the jacket. I measured the jacket’s average double layer loft at 3.75 inches (9.5 cm).

PHD Mountain Software Yukon Down Pullover Review - 2
Front and rear views of the PHD Yukon Down Pullover. The Yukon, designed as a lightweight cold weather garment, has a few features beyond the minimum: a detachable hood, fleece-lined collar, #5 front and pocket zippers, and a drawcord hem.

The outer shell is PHD’s Drishell fabric, which is 1.68 oz/yd2 (57 g/m2) ripstop nylon with DWR, claimed to provide “total wind resistance, high breathability, and effective water resistance”. Its functionality is similar to shell fabrics used in the Western Mountaineering Flash XR Jacket and the Montane Anti-Freeze Jacket. The lining is PHD’s MX Microfiber nylon ripstop which, at 0.88 oz/yd2 (30 g/m2), is one of the lightest downproof fabrics currently available. MX is calendared on both sides (more on the inside) to increase strength, wind resistance, and downproofness.

The Yukon Down Pullover is featured for lightweight four-season use, i.e., it adds some essentials for cold weather comfort and convenience. It has a detachable hood (1.8 oz/51 g) that attaches with five snaps. The front zipper is a 12-inch (30-cm) YKK #5CN coil zipper, rather than the #3 zipper found on the three-season PHD Ultra Down Pullover. The hood and cuffs have a simple elastic binding, but the hem has an elastic drawcord with two adjustors to seal out drafts. There is one large reach-through front pocket, with zippered openings, that provides loads of room inside to hold an assortment of items.

PHD Mountain Software Yukon Down Pullover Review - 3
The front reach-through pocket (left) is full width and high volume. There is a zippered security pocket (right) inside on the right side.

PHD Mountain Software Yukon Down Pullover Review - 4
The hood is attached with five snaps and is removable; it has a simple elastic binding on the front plus two under-chin snaps.

Performance

I tested the PHD Yukon Down Pullover on a number of fall backpacks in the southern Colorado Rockies, plus winter skiing and snowshoeing (even ice fishing) over a five-month period. Temperatures ranged from +30 to -15 F (-1 to -26 C). I typically wore the pullover in camp, in my sleeping bag on cold nights, and while hiking or skiing on frigid days.

I normally wear a men’s size Large and found the sizing of the Yukon Down Pullover to be perfect. It’s roomy enough inside to wear over a baselayer plus a thin insulating layer, and the sleeves are extra long. The fit around the face, at the neck, and at the wrists is snug but not tight; the hem is snugged with a drawcord. The dropped tail covers the butt somewhat (see photos above) but the garment is not extra long in the body. I personally like a pullover style, but I must admit it is not as convenient to put on as a jacket style. The Yukon Jacket version of this garment has a full-height front zipper and weighs 1.1 ounces (30 g) more, and many users will feel that it is worth the extra weight.

For cold weather camping, the PHD Yukon Down Pullover paired with the PHD Minimus Down Trouser (8 oz/227 g) is a warm and lightweight combination, weighing about 1.5 pounds (680 g), providing plenty of comfort in camp, and extending the warmth of an ultralight sleeping bag by 10-15 F (6 to 8 C). I have found that wearing an ultralight rain jacket and pants over my insulating layers noticeably increases their warmth in camp, and have been known to wear my raingear inside my sleeping bag on really cold nights to stay warm.

PHD claims a comfort temperature for the Yukon Pullover of +5 F (-15 C). I found that to be accurate when physically active, but, for inactive conditions, I needed a couple of layers under it and a shell over it to stay warm. For skiing or snowshoeing, the jacket is simply too warm to wear while climbing, but it’s perfect to wear during breaks and downhill runs on frigid days.

In wind and snow, I found the Yukon provided superb protection from the elements. While skiing on frigid days with a biting wind, the Yukon kept me toasty warm. I deliberately wore it as an outer layer on snowy and rainy days to test its water resistance; it stayed completely dry inside, and the shell fabric did not wet out.

Unfortunately, PHD’s Drishell at 1.68 oz/yd2 (57 g/m2) is not very light. It weighs more than twice as much as the new Pertex Quantum GL (about 0.7 oz/y2/27 g/m2), which is considered to be the current state-of-the-art material for lightweight shell fabric (MontBell’s 7 denier Ballistic Airlight fabric is equal in light weight and quality). While Drishell is heavier, it is also clearly more durable and weather-resistant. The fabric itself contributes significantly to the garment’s warmth and dryness, which should not be discounted.

PHD Mountain Software Yukon Down Pullover Review - 5
I tested the jacket’s waterproofness by placing a puddle of water on the shell for an hour (left), then checking for leakage. No water soaked through the fabric or seam, verifying PHD’s claim of high water resistance. From my home and field tests, I conclude that PHD’s Drishell provides superb weather resistance and durability.

Comparisons

The following table compares specifications of jackets similar to the PHD Yukon Down Pullover. All jackets have lightweight shell fabric, premium down insulation, and baffled construction. Manufacturer data for size Medium are shown.

Jacket Shell Fabric Insulation Features Weight oz (g) size Medium Cost
PHD Yukon Down Pullover Drishell ripstop nylon with DWR 1.68 oz/yd2 (57 g/m2) 900 down Half-zip, reach-through front pocket, zippered security pocket, elastic cuffs and hem 15.0 (420) £245 (approx. US$334 without VAT)
PHD Yukon Down Jacket Drishell ripstop nylon with DWR 1.68 oz/yd2 (57 g/m2) 900 down Full-height front zipper, plus above features 15.9 (450) £255 (approx. US$348 without VAT)
Nunatak Skaha Plus Pullover with Front Pocket Pertex Quantum 0.9 oz/yd2 (30 g/m2) 800 down Half-zip, drawcord hood and hem, elastic cuffs 10.5 (298) US$412

For light weight, the hooded Nunatak Skaha Plus is hard to beat at 10.5 ounces (298 g), but the cost is about US$100 more. The Skaha Plus apparently attains its lighter weight by using lighter shell fabric, a lighter front zipper, and no pocket zippers. In defense of their using “only” 800 fill down, Nunatak stresses that down quality varies a lot by source, and they use the highest quality down available.

Other than the manufacturer data presented in the table, I have no additional information (such as fill weight and loft) to compare the garments. I have not personally tested any of the other garments in the table, so I can’t comment any further on how well they compare.

Assessment

Without data on fill weight and loft, it is difficult to compare the warmth of the PHD Yukon Down Pullover (or jacket) with the Nunatak Skaha Plus. There are a limited number of lightweight baffled down jackets on the market, and their weights vary over a fairly wide range. And the lightest jacket isn’t necessarily the warmest. Warmth ultimately depends on the amount and quality of down in the jacket; and light weight comes from high lofting down and minimalist fabrics and features. The Nunatak Skaha Plus seems to be the most minimalistic, but the down fill-power, by the numbers, does not compare well. PHD verifies the fill-power of their down, but they do not disclose the amount of down in the jacket. My double layer loft measurement of 3.75 inches (9.5 cm) is good, and my personal testing of the Yukon Pullover verifies that it is quite warm.

All of the jackets listed in the table are high-end baffled jackets with premium down and cost in the US$350-425 range. An alternative is to look at premium stitched-through jackets, such as the Rab Infinity Jacket and GoLite Bitteroot Jacket. Both have 850 fill down, a Pertex Quantun GL shell and lining, and attached hood. The Rab Infinity weighs 18 ounces (510 g), contains 7.4 ounces (210 g) of down, and sells for US$280 (that’s a great value); the GoLite Bitterroot (fall 2011) will weigh 13.1 ounces (371 g), contains 5.3 ounces (150 g) of down, and will sell for US$375. Another notable stitch-through jacket is the Western Mountaineering Meltdown (850+ down/17 oz/482 g/US$340), which has a microfiber shell. And of course there is the WM Flight Jacket (4.7 ounces/133g of 850+ down/10.5 oz/ 298g/US$250). Although these stitched-through jackets are not directly comparable to the jackets in the table, some of them are a lower cost alternative, and their warmth can be comparable to a baffled jacket if you wear a shell over them (for details read my article Lightweight 3-Season Down Jackets State of the Market Report). The referenced article also provides fill weight, loft, and other data for a large number of ultralight down jackets.

Overall, the PHD Yukon Down Pullover (and jacket) appears to be in the ball park for weight, warmth, and pricing for a baffled garment. It could be made a bit lighter by offering a lighter shell fabric, using a #3 zipper on the front, eliminating the pocket zippers, and lightening the hem drawcord. That would eliminate 2-3 ounces (57-85 g), but would make the jacket more fragile for four-season use. The Yukon is a balancing act of durability, functionality, warmth, fit, and weather resistance. From our perspective, it’s not as lightweight as it could be; but from a mountaineer’s perspective, it is spot on. Perhaps PHD should offer an ultralight version of this pullover, and perhaps they should consider using Pertex Quantum GL fabric. As it is, the Yukon does not stand out from a lightweight perspective.

Specifications and Features

Manufacturer PHD Mountain Software (http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/)
Year/Model 2010 Yukon Down Pullover
Style Half-zip Pullover
Fabrics Outer shell: 1.68 oz/yd2 (57 g/m2) Drishell with DWR finish
Lining: 0.88 oz/yd2 (30 g/m2) MX Microfiber mini-ripstop nylon, calendared both sides
Insulation 900 fill-power down
Loft Measured two-layer loft is 3.75 in (9.5 cm)
Features Box wall baffled construction with 4-inch (10-cm) horizontal chambers
Down filled stand up collar with fleece lining
Detachable hood (5 snaps) with elastic binding
12-inch (30-cm) front #5CN YKK coil zipper with one slider and storm flap under zipper
Reach-through front pocket with zippered openings and zippered security pocket inside
Elastic cuffs
Stretch drawcord hem with two adjustors
2.5-inch (6.4-cm) dropped tail
Stuff sack included
Weight Size Large tested
Measured Weight: 15.8 oz (448 g)
Manufacturer Specified Average Weight: 15.0 oz (420 g)
MSRP £245 (approx. US$393)
Price includes VAT; if the item is to be delivered outside the EU, VAT does not apply and 15% is deducted from the price

Disclosure: The manufacturer provided this product to the author and/or Backpacking Light at no charge, and it is owned by the author/BPL. The author/Backpacking Light has no obligation to review this product to the manufacturer under the terms of this agreement.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo: A Long Distance Hiker’s Comparison

Cutting-edge solar-powered UV water purification or simple gravity filter? I took both on the CDT to compare/contrast their performance, durability, and usage.

Introduction

The SteriPEN Adventurer Opti and the H2O Amigo Pro are both innovative and effective means for treating water in the backcountry, but the two products otherwise share little in common.

SteriPEN’s story has been one of overwhelming success and rapid adoption amongst backpackers. After selling its first unit in 1999, Hydro-Photon Inc, the makers of SteriPEN, now offer no fewer than ten versions of the SteriPEN and market not only to the backpacking community, but also to the military, emergency rescue agencies, and the general traveling public.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 1
SteriPEN in solar case.

The success and attention surrounding SteriPEN lies in a breakthrough, and admittedly glitzy concept in water purification: the use of ultraviolet light from a handheld pen-shaped device to scramble the genetic material of water-borne pathogens, making them incapable of reproducing. This technology is a clean alternative to more traditional water treatment methods involving chemicals or filtration. The Adventurer Opti is the ultralight version of the SteriPEN and can be used with disposable or rechargeable CR123 Li-ion batteries. For those not keen on buying disposable batteries or relying on the power grid, SteriPEN makes a solar charging case exclusively for the Adventurer Opti.

The H2O Amigo occupies the more subdued realm of the gravity filter. Far from being on technology’s cutting edge, the gravity filter’s basic but effective design uses a water-holding bag that contains a filter with a small tube at the bottom for water output. The bag is filled, hung, and water moves passively from the bag, through the filter, and out to another bag or a drinking bottle for consumption. It’s essentially pump filtration without all the work of actually pumping.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 2
Amigo full setup.

A quick-drying, lightweight SilNylon bag with durable drawstrings and a single open-ended output hose make the Amigo perhaps the most no-frills, elegantly designed gravity filter to date. Sadly, the Amigo is no longer in production by its manufacturer, Ultralight Adventure Equipment. MSR, Katadyn, Cascade Designs, and Sawyer Products sell their own gravity filters, but none match the lightweight simplicity of the Amigo. Used Amigos can still occasionally be found online, but these tend to be few and far between. More importantly though, the Amigo’s simple design and obtainable raw materials permit at-home construction. This subject has been discussed in great detail on BPL’s own forums.

The aim of this study was to compare the solar-powered SteriPEN Adventurer Opti with the H2O Amigo Pro for use in long distance hiking. Both devices were used alternately along 800 miles of the Montana section of the Continental Divide Trail from July 19 to September 28, 2010 to provide drinking water for a companion and myself. While one device was in use, we shipped the other ahead to a mail drop location. Once at the mail drop, we switched devices, shipping the other ahead to the next mail drop. Practical considerations for long distance hiking for each device were noted. These included observations and recorded data on each device’s weight, cost, performance, maintenance requirements, durability, and ease of lightweight modification. Temperatures ranged from the mid 80s to the mid 20s F. The Amigo was outfitted with a new Katadyn Hiker filter.

Results

Performance

A total of 71.5 liters of water were treated with the Amigo and 107.0 liters with the SteriPEN. We primarily sourced from clear bodies of water with good flow. We occasionally got water out of lakes or from cattle contaminated sources, but never needed to pre-filter. Except for the initial charge, which was done using the supplied power adapter, the SteriPEN was charged in the field using the solar charger. Batteries were not removed from the SteriPEN when placed into the bounce box for shipping.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 3
SteriPEN solar case.

Speed and Water Quality

Both devices produced clean tasting water and neither of us became ill. They provided water in a timely fashion with neither exceeding two minutes per liter, unless the SteriPEN’s battery ran out mid-treatment. At the end of the trip, both devices were tested with clean tap water. The Amigo made one liter in 73 seconds and the SteriPEN in 93 seconds. Priming the Amigo’s filter by sucking water through the output hose was necessary in order to start the flow of water.

Convenience

We appreciated the hands-off nature of the Amigo. Being able to fill the bag and hang the Amigo from a tree branch or rock while we went about other chores or relaxed was a big plus. We did need to be careful to make sure our Platypus was placed carefully under the Amigo’s output hose so that it wouldn’t tip over as it filled. The SteriPEN, requiring constant stirring for about 90 seconds per liter, was obviously more hands-on. This was not too bothersome for small quantities, but when we wanted to make multiple liters, sitting and stirring started to become tedious and, in cold, wet weather, fairly unpleasant.

Since we carried small-mouthed collapsible 2L bottles, we were not able to treat our water directly with SteriPEN, which better accommodates a wide-mouthed receptacle. However, we were able to avoid packing an extra bottle by putting water to be treated in our cook pot, and treating the water there. We did find it somewhat inconvenient to have to dig out our cook pot each time we wanted to treat water.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 4
SteriPEN in pot.

We found that the Amigo was easy to pack and I usually kept it near the top of my Granite Gear Vapor Trail pack. The SteriPEN, while in its charger case, was a little more cumbersome. As we were in Montana and thus often walking in partial or full sun, it made sense to carry the solar charging case outside and on top of my pack. The case was, however, sometimes a challenge to secure. The case’s plastic belt-style clip fit quite loosely onto my pack straps and was therefore not very reliable to use. I eventually settled on lashing the charger down using the two cross straps at the top of the pack, although this was still a loose attachment when my pack was not full.

We did not use the flashlight function on the SteriPEN.

Reliability

SteriPEN’s published manual advises users to remove batteries from the device when not in use. We learned this lesson the hard way. When putting the SteriPEN away for a few weeks, we failed to remove the batteries from the device. With the second set of batteries just partially charged, we found ourselves constantly changing the batteries back and forth when the device returned to use. The set of batteries that were inside the SteriPEN had mostly discharged, and the charge left in the second battery set was only enough to treat 3-4 liters. Coupled with a few cloudy days on the trail, we never were able to fully charge one set of batteries,and thus had to keep switching back and forth between partially charged batteries. We were not able to fully charge the batteries until we stopped in town for a few very sunny days.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 5
SteriPEN on/off.

We did not have any reliability issues with the Amigo, except once when we left water in the device overnight and temps dropped below freezing. The next morning, we had to wait until the ice in the filter and hose thawed until we could treat water. From then on, we made sure to completely drain and dry (if possible) the Amigo each night.

Maintenance

The advantage to both devices is that they require very little maintenance. Because we used the Amigo in mostly clear water, we never needed to scrub the filter. With greater use, I expect we would have needed to scrub at some point. The SteriPEN required zero maintenance.

Durability

Despite both devices having sensitive components, neither broke or malfunctioned. For the SteriPEN, the sensitive component is the bulb, which is encased in glass. If this breaks, the only method of repair is to send the device back to the manufacturer. The SteriPEN took a tumble off my pack on several occasions, but was well-protected inside the solar charging case and no damage was done. The case itself began to show small signs of wear by the end of the trip as some of the inner padding near the latching mechanism began to get caught in the latch. With a few weeks remaining, the belt clip on the back of the case snapped off. This didn’t bother us because we found the clip to not be very useful in the first place.

The sensitive component of the Amigo is the SilNylon bag that holds water for filtering. The SilNylon is thin and thus susceptible to tearing on sharp branches. On a prior trip, I actually made a small hole in the bag this way, but was able to easily repair the bag with SilNet sealer.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 6
Amigo Bag – a closer look.

Weight and Volume: (See Figure 1)

At 3.75 oz on a kitchen scale, the SteriPEN Adventurer Opti with a single set of batteries is significantly lighter than the Amigo, which comes in at 7.75 oz of dry weight. However, the solar charging case, with its necessary second set of batteries, brings the SteriPEN system up to 11.0 oz. This combination is .25 oz heavier than a soaking wet Amigo stored in its SilNylon carrying bag.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 7
Figure 1

  Weight (oz)
SteriPen w/ single pair rechargeable batteries 3.75
Steripen w/ solar case and 2 battery sets 11.00
H2O Amigo, dry 7.75
H2O Amigo, wet 10.00
H2O Amigo, dry w/ bag 8.50
H2O Amigo, wet w/ bag 10.75

The H2O Amigo in its SilNylon bag compresses down to 75 in³ and takes up twice as much pack space as the 37 in³ solar charging case. This was a moot point for us as we carried the SteriPEN in its solar charger outside of my pack.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 8
Amigo wrapped.

Cost (see figure 2)

While the SteriPEN with a solar charger is initially more expensive, the H2O Amigo Pro surpasses it in cost after approximately 2,500 liters of water has been treated. WAt this point the Amigo’s Katadyn filter will need to be replaced for a third time. Taking this into consideration, the SteriPEN becomes an increasingly better value for the amount of water treated. Interestingly, the H2O Amigo eventually even surpasses the cost of using the SteriPEN with disposable batteries.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 9
Figure 2

  0L 1000L 2000L 3000L 4000L 5000L 6000L 7000L 8000L 9000L 10000L
SteriPEN Opti w/ Rech. Batteries $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $170.00 $181.88 $181.88
SteriPEN Opti w/ Disp. Batteries $100.00 $135.72 $173.32 $210.92 $248.52 $286.12 $323.72 $361.32 $418.92 $456.52 $494.12
H2O Amigo $50.00 $90.00 $130.00 $170.00 $250.00 $290.00 $330.00 $410.00 $450.00 $490.00 $570.00

Certain performance assumptions were made in these calculations. With the exception of liters water treated per charge for the SteriPEN, field-testing did not provide sufficient volumes of water to test capacities experimentally:

  • The SteriPEN rechargeable batteries die after 300 charges. Source: SteriPEN customer service. Field-testing on the CDT revealed that these batteries, new and fully charged, made 28 liters of water.
  • A pair of CR123 Li-ion disposable batteries are capable of treating 50 liters of water before needing replacement. Source: SteriPEN User’s manual.
  • The SteriPEN’s bulb requires replacement after 8,000 liters of water treated. Source: SteriPEN customer service and user’s manual.
  • The Katadyn filter is capable of treating 750 liters of water before requiring replacement. Frequent treatment of murky water and failure to periodically clean the filter will obviously shorten this lifespan. Source: Katadyn product manual.

Cost Assumptions (not including tax or shipping):

  • Disposable CR123 Li-ion batteries are purchased online in quantities of 50 at a cost of $46.99 ($1.88/pair). Each battery is 3V with 1300mAh capacity.
  • Replacement rechargeable batteries are purchased online in quantities of 2 at a cost of $11.88. Each battery is 3V with 650mAh capacity.
  • Replacement Katadyn filters can be purchased online at a cost of $40.00.
  • The SteriPEN bulb can be replaced by the manufacturer at a cost of $20.00.
  • A used H2O Amigo can be obtained online for $50.00.

Ease of Lightweight Modification

Although we chose not to modify either device on this trip, both devices lend themselves to some modification to drop weight. The Amigo’s output hose can be cut to a shorter length and the small plastic hose clamp removed. The cords that allow the Amigo to be hung can be cut and re-tied. On the SteriPEN solar charger, the clip can be removed. Otherwise, the SteriPEN itself is difficult to modify. The plastic cap that protects the bulb can be omitted, but this leaves the bulb vulnerable.

SteriPEN vs H2O Amigo, a long distance hiker’s comparison - 10
Amigo output hose.

Overall Impressions

We found that by the end of our trip we preferred using the H2O Amigo. This was based on the fact that by its hands-off nature, the Amigo, especially for treating multiple liters of water, was more convenient to use and we encountered fewer problems with reliability. Admittedly, the battery issue was our own fault, but we also value not having to worry about battery charges and changes on backpacking trips.

The added convenience of the Amigo, comes with a significant difference in monetary price. However, the long term savings associated with the SteriPEN currently adds a significant cost in weight, as the solar charger with its second battery adds an extra 7.25 oz, negating the SteriPEN’s weight advantage over the Amigo. With some design changes to the SteriPEN’s solar charging feature, this would be a closer call. Reducing the size of the charging case might be a possibility. Using a lighter material to make the case would be another. This would expectedly increase the cost of the case, but since the cost savings with the solar rechargeable feature is so significant, this might not be a tough sell. Finally, designing the solar charging case to charge the batteries while still inside the SteriPEN would reduce weight by eliminating the need to carry a second set of batteries. It would also add a considerable amount of convenience to the entire system.

Ten Days in Torres del Paine: Global Test Photo Essay

We discovered why Torres del Paine, Chile is the poster child for Patagonia’s wilderness playground.

Editor’s Note: click here to see all the articles (and a brief synopsis of each) in this excellent series.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 1

Introduction

Sapphire Dyneema Gridstop and a flash of bright yellow. The sight was so familiar to me, yet so unexpected. I elbowed Danny in the ribs. “Look, that guy has my same backpack!” I whispered and surreptitiously pointed three rows ahead.

As we funneled off the modern bus and lined up at immigration, I made sure to navigate towards the owner of this pack, as he was certain to be an interesting guy. We were 20 kilometers outside of Puerto Natales, crossing into Chile from Argentina, on our way to Torres del Paine National Park. Danny and I had been traveling for almost 3 months in Latin America and had yet to see the GoLite brand.

“I love your backpack!” I said to this tall, smiling stranger. He introduced himself as Steve, and we soon learned that he had finished thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail a few months earlier. As we helped our new friend eat the bananas and oranges that customs’ officials wanted to confiscate from his GoLite Pinnacle, we exchanged hiking tales and talked gear. He was on his way to Torres del Paine as well.

After two busy days of preparation, the three of us took the ferry across Lago Pehoé to begin our trek in the park. Steve was doing the classic “W” hike, as he only had four or five free days. Danny and I brought enough supplies for 10 days, and were planning to hike the “Q” route. After our last fresh meal for a while – avocado and tomato sandwiches – we said goodbye to Steve and promised we’d meet again.

Photo Essay

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 2
Refugio Paine Grande. Kristin’s pack, Steve’s pack, Danny’s pack (left). Danny and Steve posing in front of a field of rental tents and Paine Grande (right).

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 3
The first day we hiked up the Valle del Frances, from Refugio Paine Grande to Campamento Británico. Midway up the valley we stopped here, beneath Paine Grande, to have a leisurely lunch break while listening for glacier movement and watching for mini avalanches.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 4
Whereas most backpackers stop at the lower Campamento Italiano, which is usually overcrowded and heavily impacted, we hiked a bit further up to Campamento Británico. This was our view from camp of Aleta de Tiburon (Shark’s Fin), at the end of Valle del Frances (Frenchman’s Valley).

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 5
Rather than descend back down Valle del Frances, we decided to hike further to see if we could traverse across a high pass. Behind Danny, and slightly hidden by clouds, are Cota 2000 and Catedral Peaks.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 6
We found one set of tracks in the snow that stopped before the pass. Near the top we realized that late spring conditions would prohibit us from continuing further. We weren’t prepared to circumnavigate the glacier in the saddle, as the snow obfuscated the edges. Kristin is shown here hiking underneath Fortaleza (Fortress).

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 7
We returned down Valley del Frances and enjoyed the mellow hiking on this well-defined trail along Lago Nordenskjold.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 8
Leaving the open views of the lake behind, we turned into Valle Ascensio. The trail continued to gain elevation up to Campamento Torres.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 9
The next day, we awoke at 4:30am and hiked 45 minutes to this point, where we watched the first rays of the sun splash red hues onto the Torres del Paine.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 10
We spent a day hiking up Valle Ascensio and into Valle del Silencio, coming to a dead-end underneath the imposing Fortaleza and Escudo (Spanish for “fortress” and “shield”).

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 11
Returning down Valle Ascensio, we followed the meandering trail along the Rio Paine. It took us to the backside of the range where we found a milder, greener landscape and fewer backpackers.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 12
After a week without precipitation, a rarity in Patagonia, this is probably the driest the trail ever gets.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 13
As we climbed higher towards John Gardner Pass, the trail disappeared under snow pack. We were able to navigate without any problems, thanks to the relatively clear weather. Our feet were wet after several hours of hiking on the snow in trail runners without gaiters. We were able to easily dry off and warm up at the next camp.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 14
After we hiked up and over the pass, we stopped in unison, awe-struck. Before us was the vast glowing beauty of Glacier Grey, a teeny, tiny tip of the Patagonian Ice Field. It was the most stunning vista we’d ever experienced.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 15
We descended from Glacier Grey to Refugio Torre Grande to complete the hiking loop. After picking up our small cache of food and fuel from the refugio, we continued hiking south. We crossed the Rio Grey, then hiked northwest to this point, where we admired the roar of the Rio Pingo Waterfall.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 16
Our final trek led us to the origins of Rio Pingo, where we enjoyed the solitude and understated power of Pingo Glacier.

The Global Test: Ten Days in Torres del Paine, Chile - 17
We packed up camp early on our last day and walked to Park Headquarters. While waiting for the bus back to Puerto Natales, we stretched out our worn bodies in the soft grass and enjoyed the warm sunshine.