Articles (2020)

The Wait for Lightweight (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)

Will the mass market ever embrace the lightweight philosophy, or has it already?

Introduction

Last weekend my wife and I were on our way back from spending a night at beautiful Lake Blanche in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. As we bounced down the trail, we passed a large scout group on their way up to the same lake. I noticed one of the kids was wearing a GoLite pack, and feeling a sense of kinship, I pointed to my hat and pack and gave an enthusiastic, "GoLite! Right on!" It was obvious that I was much more excited about this moment than he was. As we passed the leader bringing up the rear, I couldn’t help but notice his orange external frame pack with an enormous sleeping bag lashed to the back. Something about this scene jarred my memory. It was then that I recalled my earliest memory of backpacking.

The Wait for Lightweight (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008) - 1
The author on an early-in-life backpacking trip.

I must have been nine or ten-years-old when my Dad decided to take my brother and me on the most thrilling adventure our little minds could imagine. We loaded our orange external frame packs with all the gear we could carry and set off for the mountains. Army surplus cookware, a heavy tent, and cloth sleeping bags made for quite the load on our backs. With nightfall approaching and our destination still distant, we set up our tent right on the trail. The night was spent huddled together as thunder cracked all around us. I don’t think we ever made it to the summit, but we didn’t need to. That trip was the high point of my young life.

Let’s fast forward to the present. Look how far things have come! Fabrics, insulation, metals and plastics have all seen major advances in technology. We are seeing more and more mainstream companies offer products that fall in the lightweight category. Has the mass market finally moved from "traditional" to "lightweight" status, and could this trend continue into the ultralight realm? Will I ever walk into my local gear shop and browse the shelves for sub-10 oz backpacks? Will I ever get to pull a quilt off the wall and lay under a tarp before I buy it? How much lighter can a piece of gear go and still remain feasible for the mass market? To answer these questions, I spoke with representatives from Golite, Osprey, and Prolite Gear.

The Manufacturer Viewpoint

What are a manufacturer’s primary considerations when designing a piece of gear? For Golite, the first priority is function. Demetri "Coup" Coupounas, founder and President of Golite, says, "I think generally people assume that our number one criterion is weight. But the first syllable in Golite is ‘go’ for a reason. The stuff has to do something." Gareth Martins, Director of Marketing for Osprey, echoes this same philosophy. "Our primary consideration is suspension and fit. Without this, you’re not going to have a good experience."

The second priority for Golite is durability. "If the product isn’t reasonably durable, it won’t perform its function over a long enough period. It needs to give the customer enough confidence over the course of any given trip." Gareth brings up the same concern. "There is a durability issue," he says. "That’s why we have generally avoided using superlight sil fabrics, because the weight difference is really negligible compared to the durability."

Making the jump from major manufacturer to cottage manufacturer does not necessarily mean a sacrifice in durability. Several cottage companies offer gear that most lightweight and ultralight backpackers would consider fairly robust. At the same time, these companies are able to offer ultralight shelters and packs using silnylon and Cuben fiber. Unfortunately, major manufacturers must be consistent across their entire line. "We want to help millions of people all over the globe lighten up as much as possible and enjoy the outdoors," says Coup. "We can’t do that in a way where we say, ‘We can warranty this ninety percent of our line, but not this ten percent of our line.’ That doesn’t work."

The Retail Store Viewpoint

"I think one of the things that’s happening is a real graying of these well-defined categories of traditional backpacker and lightweight backpacker," says Craig Delger, founder of Prolite Gear. "We work with a lot of baby boomers that are buying a Golite pack. They’re buying a Big Agnes SL2 and a sleeping bag from Montbell. I wouldn’t consider these people hardcore backpackers, but yet they’re buying things that fall squarely in the category of lightweight backpacking equipment."

Craig recognizes that there will always be the "early adopters", those people on the cutting edge of product innovation. He feels that they will always be considered a market niche. When asked whether or not mainstream stores will ever provide this cutting edge gear, he says, "These stores are constantly moving in the direction of lighter weight and more innovative stuff, but that’s been going on for thirty years. I don’t think we’re going to see any major changes in the dynamics of this whole market. I think there’s always going to be that group that wants the stuff that isn’t considered mainstream."

The Wait for Lightweight (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008) - 2
The author a mere twenty years later, embracing the lighter side of life.

What Does the Future Hold?

"I think the day will come when it is very difficult to find traditional overbuilt gear," says Coup. "The main paradigm for a long time in American consumer culture has been more, more, more, bigger, bigger, bigger. America is realizing that smaller is better, that lighter is better, that sleeker is better."

Craig noted that there seems to be a trend taking place. "It’s similar to what’s happening with the eco-friendly movement – they call it green-washing. We’ve seen a lot of different online sites pop up and try to ‘light-wash’ themselves, and we’ve seen a lot of existing players try and introduce a lightweight or an ultralight category. But it’s really just window treatment." Coup mentions this same thing. "There is an awful lot of posturing and phoniness in this industry when it comes to lightweight gear," he says. "But I don’t view that as bad, I view it as a baby step in the right direction. When I see a traditional company making a bunch of overbuilt gear and calling it lightweight, I rejoice, because it’s only a matter of time before they either transform the products they are making or go out of business."

When asked whether or not he feels that the lightweight market is expanding, Coup says, "You see a lot more lightweight functional gear than you used to see in this market. We’re growing; the cottage industry is growing. Some companies are, with some real integrity, expanding their lightweight offerings."

One question to consider is who is driving this market, the manufacturers or the consumers? "I think it’s a little bit of both," says Craig. "Markets move due to what consumers are wanting, but they also move based on what manufacturers are able to provide." Are manufacturers reluctant to move into the lightweight realm, or are consumers sending the wrong message? "I used to think very negatively about the companies that were making traditional overbuilt gear for forcing this upon the public," says Coup. "A decade into this, I’ve realized that it’s a symbiotic problem. Often when customers go to evaluate products, a company may well have produced a very thoughtful, lighter, clean version of a product, but our consumer culture says that heavier and more expensive is better, and the customer evaluation reflects this."

Although durability is high on the list of priorities for manufacturers, technological advances are constantly allowing companies to produce lighter products without compromising durability. "Look at silnylon," says Craig. "That used to be a real niche product. Now we see silnylon being used in quite a few different products. Same with dyneema. These things that are cutting edge one year are part of mainstream products three or four years down the road."

Conclusion

Let’s go back to the original question: Will the mass market ever embrace the lightweight philosophy? I think it is on its way. The industry has made leaps and bounds in providing lightweight gear for the average consumer. Advances in technology are creating stronger and more durable materials for the same weight. Although not all companies are offering truly lightweight gear, most seem to be recognizing that there is potential for tapping into the lightweight market. While these trends seem to be steps in the right direction, five minutes in any "big-box" outdoor store will show that there is plenty of room for improvement.

Continuing to educate consumers about the benefits of lightweight backpacking will help this segment of the market expand, which will in turn entice major manufacturers to produce even lighter gear. Maybe one day when my son is old enough to go on his first scout trip, I can tell him about the gear I first used. Hopefully he’ll look at me in amazement and appreciate how far things have come.

Friedrichshafen & Salt Lake City

Chris Townsend’s report on the OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, and how it compares to Salt Lake City’s Outdoor Retailer Show.

Friedrichshafen & Salt Lake City - 1

Zeppelins and Tipis

Every July the international outdoor trade gathers in the little town of Friedrichshafen (pop. 58,000) in southern Germany on the shores of beautiful Lake Constance. Across the lake lies the edge of the Swiss Alps, shadowy rocky peaks rising steeply through the summer haze. The Messe exhibition halls are on the edge of the town close to the Zeppelin museum, Friedrichshafen being the place where these airships were first built. It’s not unusual to look up to see a Zeppelin floating above the museum.

Friedrichshafen is set in lovely rolling countryside with many woods, a far cry from downtown Salt Lake City and the Outdoor Retailer show. For the last two years, I’ve camped at Friedrichshafen in a tipi village provided by Merrell Footwear. The tipis are pitched in a meadow in quiet woods just ten minutes walk from the exhibition halls. It’s ironic that at the big U.S. outdoor trade show, I stay in a city in a hotel, but that at the big European one, I camp in a Native American tipi.

Jam Sessions

A great feature of the tipi village is the relaxed communal nature of the place. After the high pressure of the show (and it IS high pressure, covering as many companies as possible out of the 800+ there during non-stop nine-hour days), it’s wonderful to unwind and chat casually to other campers round a campfire. Sometimes guitars are produced and impromptu music sessions occur. There’s a bar and a music player too, and even a small dance floor.

I spent one enjoyable evening talking to colleagues from other magazines, and our conversation went from sober analysis of the show to raucous and outrageous comments on what the outdoor industry should be doing, accompanied by thunderous heavy metal music, favorites of some of the other writers (I requested Neil Young, but I don’t think anybody heard). Another good evening was spent chatting to the people from Alpkit.com, who are always knowledgeable and interesting.

Getting There

I traveled to the Friedrichshafen OutDoor show on behalf of the UK hiking and backpacking magazine TGO, based, like myself, in Scotland. Friedrichshafen isn’t the easiest place to reach from my home in the Highlands. In fact, the whole journey took nineteen hours, of which the major part was spent traveling south on the sleeper train to the only airport in Britain with flights to Friedrichshafen: Stansted in Southern England.

Once at the airport, familiar faces appeared, and the flight was packed with British writers, retailers, and outdoor company people heading for the show. In a sense the work starts then, picking up the vibes, rumors, stories, "must see" suggestions, and more.

Friedrichshafen & Salt Lake City - 2

Friedrichshafen & Salt Lake City - 3

Once inside the exhibition, the differences between the OutDoor and Outdoor Retailer shows diminish. Aircraft hangar-style exhibition halls – all hot bright lights and metal – are much the same anywhere, and the glossy displays on the booths don’t vary much either. Many outdoor companies, including all the big names, are at both shows. The biggest companies have European staff who run the show at OutDoor and American staff who handle Outdoor Retailer.

However for many companies the same people work both shows, and the people I talked to on the GoLite, Integral Designs, Outdoor Research, Pacific Outdoor Equipment and High Gear booths will be there at Outdoor Retailer. OutDoor does provide the opportunity to talk to technical people and designers from European companies who don’t go to Outdoor Retailer, and I had interesting conversations with people from several companies, Primus in particular (though Primus will be in Salt Lake, there’s a good chance that the Swedish techies I spoke to will not be joining them).

Being the earlier show, OutDoor has the advantage that new product launches occur there first. Only those companies with no European presence save their product introductions for Outdoor Retailer. This year, the gap between the shows is two and a half weeks, enough time for a reasonable turnaround for companies. Next year it’s just two days, which was a big talking point this year with most people agreeing it was ridiculous, and that the organizers of the two shows should talk to each other to prevent this happening again. I’d hate not to have a break between shows.

¿Habla inglés?

There is one noticeable difference between OutDoor and Outdoor Retailer and that is language. English is standard at Outdoor Retailer. No language is standard at OutDoor. Walking through a hall you can hear bewildering snatches of a mass of languages – German, French, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean (not that I can recognize all these) and more – while booths have brochures and signs in a selection of languages. Luckily for typical Brits like me, whose language skills don’t run to more than bad schoolboy French and a few words of Norwegian, English is largely understood.

This sense of internationalism, with a big Asian presence, adds an air of excitement to OutDoor that Outdoor Retailer perhaps lacks. But then for me, coming from wet and windy Scotland, hot and dusty Salt Lake City seems quite exotic by itself.

State of the Market

In my experience the atmosphere of the shows has more to do with the state of the outdoor market at the time rather than whether they are in Europe or America. Some shows have a buzz and positive feel; others are flat with a feeling of marking time. This year, OutDoor felt surprisingly buoyant given the economic climate, though it may be that this hasn’t been felt as severely in most of Europe as it has in the States and, certainly, Britain. Some people I spoke to felt that more people would now go hiking and camping as these were less expensive than other holiday activities, and so the outdoor trade would, perversely, benefit from an economic downturn. I’ll be interested to hear what the mood is at Outdoor Retailer.

Gear Coverage

Now to the gear itself. I won’t jump the gun and preview the stuff that’ll appear at Outdoor Retailer. However there are some companies who won’t be crossing the Atlantic, mostly because they’ve never tried selling in North America, often because they are small.

One of the main ones of interest to lightweight backpackers is Lightwave, a British company who make top quality lightweight tents and packs. At OutDoor, Lightwave launched a new pack, the Wildtrek, available in a 55 liter size for women and a 60 liter size for men at weights of 1.45 and 1.5 kg (everything at OutDoor is metric, as it is in most of the world outside the USA and Britain – which is itself confused and does a bit of both).

Lightweight rather than ultralight, the Wildtrek packs look excellent for moderate to heavy loads. The pack design is a fairly clean alpine climbing one, though there are big mesh side pockets and a lid with a roomy pocket. The seams are welded and taped, so it’s almost waterproof (the seams connecting the back system to the packbag aren’t sealed, so a little leakage is possible, though I’ve not had any with a smaller Lightwave pack I’ve been testing).

The Wildtrek has a frame, a moulded back panel, and a wide hipbelt. Lightwave says it should support twelve- to fifteen-kilogram loads. I reckon it’ll handle more, as I’ve been carrying that weight in the smaller Fastpack 50, which has a slimmer hipbelt. Overall, I think this is an exciting pack.

Another company who won’t be at Outdoor Retailer is Yeti from Germany, who I’ve never seen outside the OutDoor show, and whose products don’t appear in stores outside Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. Yeti makes nice looking clothing and wonderful looking down sleeping bags, some at very low weights such as the 440 gram V.I.B. 150 and the 630 gram V.I.B 250.

Also makers of excellent down bags (I’ve used them on many long distance walks), but not going to Outdoor Retailer, is another British company, Mountain Equipment. M.E., as it’s known, also makes tents and clothing, and it was the latter in which they showed new products at OutDoor. Of most interest was a rain jacket weighing 295 grams in size large called the Particle. It’s made from M.E.’s own 2.5 layer Drilite Ultra fabric and has a full mountain hood that looks good for the worst storms and two big mid-torso pockets.

Finally I’ll just mention that, for the first time, lightweight tent maker Terra Nova will be at Outdoor Retailer.

I myself won’t be at Outdoor Retailer this year, so like everyone else I’ll be eagerly watching for the BPL reports to see what new gear has emerged that didn’t appear at OutDoor or that I missed if it did. Then comes the even more interesting task of testing and evaluating it.

Introduction to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008

Mike Martin gives us the skinny on what to expect from BackpackingLight.com’s coverage in the coming days.

Introduction to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 - 1
The Three “Backpackaneers.” From left: Mike Martin, Don Wilson, and Will Rietveld walking through downtown Salt Lake City on their way to a previous Outdoor Retailer show. We will NOT be bringing coats for the summer show.

Once again, I find myself in a frenzy of preparation for the upcoming Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. I’m in the midst of a daily stream of emails and phone calls with vendors and fellow Backpacking Light staff as we schedule appointments, sift through hundreds of press releases proclaiming the (supposed) greatest new outdoor gadgets, and organize our show coverage. This show will be my fifth for Backpacking Light, which I suppose makes me a veteran. Still, rather than becoming jaded, I look forward in anticipation as each show gives me an unprecedented opportunity to see the latest new gear, but more importantly, also gives me a chance to renew relationships with vendors and staff.

“I love you, man.”

It may not be evident to our readers, but our staff is far flung and relies on electronic communication for much of our contact and planning. Strange though it may seem, over the years I’ve developed close friendships with people like our Senior Technology Editor, Roger Caffin, whom I’ve never actually met in person, and our co-founder Alan Dixon, whom I’ve only ever met during these shows. Our biannual convergence on Salt Lake City for Outdoor Retailer is one of the few times I can enjoy the company of fellow staff members – even if it’s at a time of sleep deprivation and caffeine-fueled late night editing.

The Crew

This show, I’m very pleased to welcome longtime BackpackingLight.com member and University of Utah student Ryan Gardner to our crew. With a notepad, camera, and shiny new media badge in hand, Ryan will be joining Will Rietveld, Janet Reichl, and myself as the on-site editorial team. The four of us will be doing the groundwork at the Salt Palace, while being supported off-site by much of the remaining Backpacking Light staff – Chris Townsend, Steve Nelson, and Alan Dixon are all writing articles remotely; Ken Knight, Don Wilson, Cat Jasins, and Rick Dreher have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our article production runs smoothly; Jared Schlender, our resident “home page artist” has created another wonderful banner for the event; while Addie Morstad and Gisela Krack are the lone guardians holding down the fort every day back at Backpacking Light headquarters in Bozeman.

I owe this off-site group a very special thank you as they have signed up to experience the thrill of the long hours, technical snafus, and time pressure of Outdoor Retailer without the drudgery of actually having to see cool new gear, visit with staff members, or meet industry players. To this group (and anyone I’ve inadvertently missed), thank you all – the show would be impossible to produce without your support.

In addition to our editorial team above, Ryan and Stephanie Jordan, Sam Haraldson, and Nicole Chilton will be joining us in Salt Lake City. Our magazine is, after all, an outdoor-related business. Ryan will be focusing on new product development and business partnerships; Stephanie will be sourcing materials for our in-house brands; Sam will be buying merchandise for our gear shop; and Nicole will be working on ad sales and wholesale distribution of Backpacking Light books and magazines.

Gear Coverage

Much of our planned content this time is in the form of Product Roundups – shelters, stoves, raingear, etc. We thought this format would provide better information to our readers by showcasing similarly grouped products together to make it easier to compare new offerings. Of course, there are also several promising products that deserve attention by themselves or don’t fit into a particular category, so be ready for some surprises.

This year we are covering new sleeping pads that dramatically improve warmth per weight and comfort per weight ratios with new pad technology. We’re also expecting to see the world’s lightest canister stove (purported to be fifty-three grams) as well as a reduced-weight version of one of the “integrated stove systems” introduced last year. Highlights of our Shelter Roundup will include a sub-two-pound double-walled tent and an eighteen-ounce Tyvek tarp tent. On the apparel side, we’re planning rainwear and footwear comparisons, as well as writing about new garments from Western Mountaineering, Integral Designs, Rab, and others.

Friedrichshafen

Finally, the European OutDoor trade show was held in Friedrichshafen, Germany in July. This show precedes Outdoor Retailer and, as such, is the venue for many new international product introductions. Chris Townsend attended OutDoor this year and has shared his impressions of that European experience in contrast with the distinctly North American Outdoor Retailer. He’ll also give readers a glimpse of some of the gear that we’ve been missing here in the States.

Thanks for joining us again. I don’t want to give away all the secrets we have planned for the show, but this brief introduction will hopefully whet your appetite for more from Outdoor Retailer. Please check back throughout the next week, as we’ll be publishing new content daily as the show unfolds.

Podcast: Roman Dial on his Book, Packrafting!

Ron Craighead interviews Roman Dial on the release of his new book, Packrafting!

PODCAST SPONSOR

This Podcast is sponsored by Potable Aqua, the leading name in lightweight water treatment technologies. With Potable Aqua, any water is drinkable water. Visit us at PotableAqua.com.

Ron Craighead interviews adventurer, wilderness instructor and packrafting enthusiast Roman Dial about the sport of packrafting and Roman’s new book on Beartooth Mountain Press titled ‘Packrafting! – An Introduction and How-To Guide’. Roman shares some fascinating first-hand accounts of his packrafting adventures in the Alaska wilderness and abroad, as well as useful tips and advice for the novice and experienced packrafter.

Learn More

To learn more about packrafting, visit backpackinglight.com/packrafting.

Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka SPOTLITE REVIEW

Lightweight, extremely versatile hooded down jacket that can be worn as an outer layer or midlayer.

Overview

The Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka is a hooded version of their Alpine Light Down Jacket, and a lighter version of their Alpine Down Jacket. It has a sewn-through construction using 800 fill power down and Montbell’s 30 denier Ballistic Airlight shell fabric.

Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka SPOTLITE Review - 1
The Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka is insulated with 800 fill power down and weighs just 14.2 ounces (men’s medium).

At 14.2 ounces for size medium, the Alpine Light is one of the lightest down parkas available. The Western Mountaineering Flight Jacket, at 10.5 ounces, holds the honor of lightest down jacket, but it does not have a hood, its shell fabric is very fragile, and it costs $75 more. Thus, the Alpine Light is definitely a strong contender for a lightweight, durable, reasonably priced down parka or jacket.

Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka SPOTLITE Review - 2
The backside of the Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka, showing its insulated hood and puffy down chambers.

I am impressed with Montbell’s Ballistic Airlight nylon fabric. It’s calendared on one side to give it more strength (at a cost of some breathability), and it has a superb DWR treatment. On several occasions I traveled in rain or snow wearing the jacket and found it to be very wind- and water-resistant, eventually wetting through mainly at the seams. The fabric is also quite durable, surviving several unintentional brushes with tree branches while skiing and snowshoeing.

Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka SPOTLITE Review - 3
The Alpine Light Down Parka’s hood (left) is well insulated and has two drawcord adjustors in front and a Velcro adjustment on the back. Two inside drop pockets (right) add very little weight to the garment and are extremely useful for holding, drying, and warming gear. Left photo by Bill Webbe.

While many hikers would consider this lightweight down parka only for three-season use, I found it to be much more versatile than that. I am a devout believer in a layering system, so, rather than carry a heavy parka on a winter camping trip, I prefer to take two lightweight insulating jackets in order to wear them separately or together. On a February 2008 eleven-day winter camping trip in Yellowstone National Park, I stayed toasty warm at -16 °F wearing a heavy wool baselayer, lightweight synthetic insulated jacket (Integral Designs Rundle Jacket), and the Montbell Alpine Light Down Jacket over that. As needed, I wore a shell jacket over one or more of the underlayers.

Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka SPOTLITE Review - 4
The layering system I used on a February igloo camping trip in Yellowstone National Park, where temperatures dropped to as low as -16 °F. The Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka was my outer layer, except for when I wore a shell jacket over it.

For “normal” summer backpacking, especially in the mountains where nighttime temperatures can get down to freezing, the Alpine Light Down Parka is an excellent choice. A down-insulated garment gives the most warmth for its weight, and the Alpine Light Parka or Jacket provides warmth for chilly mornings, as well as extending the warmth of a 30 °F sleeping bag in below freezing temperatures. The parka version is also a very good companion to a sleeping quilt or hoodless sleeping bag.

Overall, I found the Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka to be very warm, durable, wind/water resistant, and versatile. It’s not the absolute lightest down jacket to be found, but it has the right amount of warmth to be useful the year around as an outer layer or midlayer, and it’s a good value.

Specifications and Features

  • Manufacturer: Montbell (http://www.montbell.com/)
  • Year/Model: 2008 Alpine Light Down Parka
  • Materials:: Outer shell is 30 d Ballistic Airlight, lining is 30 d nylon taffeta
  • Insulation: 800 fill power down
  • Features: Microfleece lined collar, full front zipper, elastic cuffs and hem, two inside drop pockets, two zippered fleece lined hand pockets, attached insulated hood with three adjustors, stuff sack
  • Weight: measured weight men’s XL 16.5 oz (468 g), manufacturer specification 14.2 oz (403 g) men’s M
  • MSRP: $165 US

Podcast: Light in the Wild with Monte Dolack

Ron Craighead interviews Montana artist Monte Dolack on growing up in the Big Sky State and on the Backpacking Light-commissioned fine art print, “Light in the Wild.”

PODCAST SPONSOR

This Podcast is sponsored by Potable Aqua, the leading name in lightweight water treatment technologies. With Potable Aqua, any water is drinkable water. Visit us at PotableAqua.com.

Next week (July 30, 2008) Backpacking Light will release “Light in the Wild,” an exclusive fine art poster print developed by Monte Dolack. To learn more about the artist and how this painting came to fruition, be sure to listen to this podcast.

Ron Craighead interviews Montana artist Monte Dolack, who takes us on an artists’ journey from his early days in Great Falls to Hollywood and back to Montana – revealing a life dedicated to the preservation of wilderness and wildlife through art.

Rab Bergen Pant SPOTLITE Review

Great fitting, lightweight, exceptionally versatile eVENT pant.

Overview

The Rab Bergen Pant is made of three-layer eVENT, with a minimal feature set to minimize weight to 10.8 ounces (men’s large). Rab calls them “overtrousers,” but I found them to be a lot more versatile than that, as I explain in this review.

Rab Bergen Pant SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 1
The Rab Bergen eVENT Pant doesn’t have any pockets or fly, but it does have three-quarter-length side zips, articulated knees, and a simple elastic waistband – perfect for lightweight cool weather outerwear.

Although my torso requires frequent adjustment of insulating layers for comfort, my legs don’t easily get cold during active cold weather pursuits – like backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking. Although the Rab Bergen Pant is intended as a rain pant, I decided to try them for winter outerwear. To my pleasure, they worked perfectly! After testing them on a number of local snow travel day trips and a few overnight igloo camping trips, I was confident in their performance. I next took them on an eleven-day winter camping trip in Yellowstone National Park, where I wore them daily with only lightweight wool long johns under them. I was totally satisfied with their performance and versatility on an extended winter camping trip where they were subjected to demanding and variable conditions.

Rab Bergen Pant SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 2
The Bergen Pant has a fairly trim fit, but there is still enough room to wear them over insulating layers. Photo by Bill Webbe.

For me, the Rab Bergen Pant in size large is an excellent fit. Their elastic waist in relaxed mode fit my thirty-four-inch waist perfectly and expands to fit a larger girth. I especially liked their thirty-three-inch inseam for my long legs, and opening their side zips allowed them to be easily donned without taking my boots off.

Rab Bergen Pant SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 3
The Bergen’s articulated knees (sewn to provide extra room in the knee area) allow more freedom of movement. Wearing tall gaiters holds the pants in the right position. Photo by Bill Webbe.

Worn with a shell jacket and tall gaiters, I found the Bergen to be an excellent pant for snow sports and other cold/cool weather pursuits. On warmer winter days (above about 15 °F), I found the Bergen to be comfortable by itself, without any underlayers. In cold weather, for example, backcountry skiing on a 0 °F day, I wore thin wool long johns (Ibex Woolies) under them. For winter igloo camping, I added a synthetic insulated pant (Montbell Thermawrap) under them.

Rab Bergen Pant SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 4
For comfort on warmer days, the Bergen’s side zips can be opened for extra ventilation. Double sliders allow more adjustment.

So far I have focused on snow sports; how does the Bergen Pant perform for hiking? I found them very comfortable for cold/cool weather hiking, wearing them in the same way as a hiking pant. However, as you would expect, they simply get too hot as a hiking pant in warmer temperatures. When worn as a typical rain pant over shorts or hiking pants, their eVENT fabric and side zips give them an extra measure of comfort.

Rab Bergen Pant SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 5
The Bergen Pant worn over a hiking pant provides excellent rain protection and an extra measure of comfort, due to the breathability of its eVENT fabric.

Weight-wise, the Rab Bergen Pant shares the distinction of lightest eVENT pant with the Integral Designs eVENT Rain Pant (10.5 ounces, men’s medium). The main difference between the two is the Bergen Pant has three-quarter-length side zips and the ID Rain Pant has ankle zips, plus a zippered opening at the hips. The inseam of the Bergen is thirty-three inches (men’s large), while the ID Rain Pant is listed at thirty-one inches. The Bergen is also a good value compared to the ID eVENT Rain Pant, $180 compared to $250.

Note that there are lighter rain pants to be found; for example, the GoLite Reed Pant weighs only six ounces. Their polyurethane laminate waterproof/breathable fabric is not nearly as breathable as eVENT, but fabric breathability is not as important a factor in legwear as it is in torsowear.

Overall, I am very pleased with the fit, performance, and versatility of the Rab Bergen Pant when used as outerwear for cold/cool weather active pursuits. The Bergen is also an excellent choice when the extra breathability of eVENT is desired for rainwear.

Specifications and Features

  • Manufacturer: Rab (http:rab.uk.com/)
  • Year/Model: 2008 Bergen Pant
  • Materials:: 3-layer eVENT
  • Features: Elastic waistband with drawcord, three-quarter-length waterproof side zippers with two pulls, articulated knees, drawcord cuff
  • Weight: measured weight men’s L 10.8 oz ( g), manufacturer specification 10 oz (290 g)
  • MSRP: $180 US

Montbell Thunderhead Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review

One of the lightest Gore-Tex Pro Shell jackets available, with weight and performance (with supplemental ventilation) comparable to a lightweight eVENT jacket.

Overview

Montbell Thunderhead Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 1
The Montbell Thunderhead Jacket is made of Gore-Tex Pro Shell and PacLite fabrics, weighs 12 ounces, and costs "only" $298. Photo by Bill Webbe

Following the announcement of Gore-Tex Pro Shell fabric in spring 2007, numerous manufacturers are getting their Pro Shell products to market this winter and spring. Among the lightest of the crop is Montbell’s new Thunderhead Jacket, scheduled for spring 2008 availability. Montbell’s version of Pro Shell is a thinner 30 denier 3-layer construction, with shoulder panels of 20 denier Gore-Tex PackLite to save some weight and cost. At $298 US, the Thunderhead is comparatively inexpensive, though that’s still a chunk of change.

A full discussion of the merits of Gore-Tex Pro Shell versus eVENT fabrics is beyond the scope of this review (although it’s awfully tempting!). Backpacking Light has addressed this issue elsewhere, and the short answer: if you want fabric breathability, go with eVENT. Comparative measurements of fabric breathability by the US Army and numerous apparel manufacturers have confirmed that beyond a doubt.

The bottom line question to be addressed here, in Backpacking Light’s first test of the Pro Shell fabrice: does Montbell’s thin Pro Shell fabric construction in the Thunderhead jacket, in combination with pit zips and a full front zipper, allow its performance to be comparable to a typical eVENT jacket?

Montbell has a reputation for creating very lightweight outdoor gear and has consistently introduced new products that get our attention. The Thunderhead jacket is remarkably well thought out, with an essential feature set (listed at the bottom of this review) to satisfy most hikers, but no extra bells and whistles.

Montbell Thunderhead Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 2
With 12-inch pit zips and a full front zipper, the Montbell Thunderhead Jacket has good ventilation.

Over a four-month period, I tested the Thunderhead jacket on a total of twenty-three trips, including an eleven-day winter camping trip in Yellowstone National Park. I got thoroughly familiar with it in all kinds of conditions and occasionally tested it side by side with an eVENT jacket.

In weight class, the Thunderhead is comparable with the lightest eVENT jackets. For example, the Integral Designs Thru Hiker Jacket weighs 11.9 ounces in size medium, but the Thunderhead includes two side pockets and pit zips for the same weight. I found the Thunderhead’s side pockets to be very useful for stashing lots of smaller gear items to keep them handy, and they are set high, so they are not covered up by a hipbelt. I would personally like to see a pair of drop pockets added to the inside of the jacket, like those on Montbell’s Alpine Light Down Jacket.

Although the Thunderhead is made of thinner fabrics, I found it to be adequately durable for general use without babying it. On many occasions I clipped branch stubs while backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking and there was no damage to the jacket.

In performance, the Thunderhead is a genuine competitor to other lightweight hardshell jackets. For one thing, its 30 and 20 denier fabrics are more supple (less stiff) than many other jackets, including eVENT, which makes it more comfortable to wear. Plus, it remains suppler in sub-zero temperatures compared to other hardshell jackets I have worn.

Montbell Thunderhead Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 3
The Thunderhead’s hood has one drawcord adjustor and one Velcro adjustor on the back, which do a good job of securing the hood in a wind and snowstorm, and protecting without obstructing vision to the side. Photo by Bill Webbe

I found that I routinely wore the Thunderhead over one or two baselayers as my standard torsowear for hiking and snow sports in cool and cold weather, and over a synthetic insulating layer in really cold weather. In warm weather hiking, I used it only for windy or rainy conditions. By opening the pit zips and front zipper, I was able to maintain my comfort level very well.

Montbell Thunderhead Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 4
The Thunderhead jacket is comfortable to wear over a single baselayer when actively snowshoeing or hiking. I usually kept the front zipper and pit zips open for ventilation.

In my comparisons with an eVENT jacket (Rab Drillium), I wore the jackets (over a single wool baselayer) successively while hiking uphill carrying a loaded backpack in cool weather (25-30 °F). Frankly, I didn’t notice much difference – after about a half hour of hiking, it got steamy inside of both jackets. I opened the front zipper as much as I could on both jackets to try to maintain comfort, and opening the pit zips on the Thunderhead helped to make its performance comparable with the eVENT jacket, which lacked pit zips. The bottom line is that it’s hard to wear any shell jacket, including an eVENT jacket, while vigorously hiking uphill while carrying a backpack, unless it’s cool, overcast, or windy.

Supplemental ventilation is more important while wearing a Gore-Tex jacket than it is with an eVENT jacket, and I utilized the pit zips and front zipper a lot while wearing the Thunderhead jacket. In my opinion, the supplemental ventilation made the Thunderhead roughly equivalent to an eVENT jacket. So, would I choose the Thunderhead over an eVENT jacket? Not necessarily. I would opt for the Integral Designs Thru Hiker jacket (or eVENT Rain Jacket if the short torso is acceptable), because of its lower price (it’s $38 cheaper), and simple, well-fitting hood.

Montbell Thunderhead Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 5
After four months of heavy use (and no washings), the Thunderhead Jacket lost a lot of its water-repellency. In this photo, taken after an hour of hiking in the rain, the face fabric has wetted out, but water has not soaked through to the interior of the jacket.

A key point I want to make in this review is that the Montbell Thunderhead jacket is a very well-designed, lightweight, and functional jacket that will perform (with supplemental ventilation) comparably with an eVENT jacket. If you prefer Gore-Tex, the Montbell Thunderhead is an excellent choice and a good value.

Specifications and Features

  • Manufacturer: Montbell (http://montbell.com/)
  • Year/Model: 2008 Thunderhead Jacket
  • Fabrics:: Body is 30 d 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell, shoulders and upper arms are 20 d Gore-Tex PacLite
  • Features: Attached hood with drawcord and Velcro adjustors in back, waterproof zippers, twelve-inch pit zips, two zippered front pockets, full height front zipper, hem drawcord with one adjustor, Velcro cuff adjustors
  • Weight: Men’s Medium measured weight 12 oz (340 g), manufacturer specification 12.1 oz (343 g)
  • MSRP: $298 US

To Pack or Not to Pack? What constitutes an ‘essential’ item in a lightweight hiker’s overnight pack?

Essentials commentary from BackpackingLight reader, Mark Henley.

Essentials Henley - 1

As I sat, wearing torn sackcloth and wailing in grief, mourning the demise of my poor old Eureka 5+ pound tent, this question posed by Backpacking Light rang through my mind. I was cleaning out my gear closet, partly in anticipation for a week-long trip to Glacier National Park in July, and partly because I just couldn’t remember which box my extra poncho tarp was stored in.

An interesting question to be sure; many would tell you that whatever piece of gear you would happen to pull out of their pack is “essential” to their trip and that they’ve spent hours poring over spreadsheets and reading reviews in order to find the perfect balance between weight, form, fit, and function for the particular widget in question.

Others would quote to you the philosophy of the “Ten Essentials” and speak volumes concerning the added safety that they experience because they carry a spare lighter instead of extra matches.

At the moment that I was looking for the poncho tarp, I would have found a plethora of words to describe exactly why the very trip was hanging in the balance, dependent upon me finding that poncho tarp.

I’m guilty, as so many others are, of spending hour after hour obsessing over which stove setup made the most sense for three-season hiking. Reading article after article, arguing and questioning in the forums, talking to old hiking buddies about why they chose their setup. Why do we do it?

Why do we pore over maps trying to decide the best route that will give us the most exciting experience for our time, reading trip reports, nosing through the forums?

Simple; Talking about gear is fun. Planning your trip is fun. We WANT these things to be essential to our trip.

So what is really “essential?” What is it that we can not live without?

Does it really matter if you have a synthetic or a down bag? Isn’t this really an issue of comfort?

Does it really matter if you log an extra five miles on Tuesday and get to see that one more alpine lake? Isn’t this really a matter of pride?

Does it really matter if you have the latest whiz bang, five-ounces-less-than-last-year’s pack with the extra strap here and the buckle there? Isn’t that really a matter of preference?

According to Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, essential (link to the dictionary entry?) implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character.

From that perspective, there are really only three essentials:

1.) The place. If the place does not exist, then backpacking does not exist. Take time to pick up that soda can that someone disrespectfully tossed out by the side of the trail. One can is an eyesore, but the five more that get tossed down beside the first one bespeak a problem.

2.) Your health. If you can’t walk the trail, how can you enjoy the trip? Take care of yourself.

3.) Your mind. The best equipped hiker with the most expensive gear, the best planning, and the most knowledge is just as likely not to return from a trip as a first-time hiker if they leave out one critical step: they stop thinking.

So, what is the only true essential that you carry with you?

Your head.

Slow down for a moment. Stop and think before you act.

Everything else is optional.

You can read more essentials commentary from Backpacking Light Publisher, Ryan Jordan, and from readers Jim Bailey and Allison Miller.

To Pack or Not to Pack? What constitutes an ‘essential’ item in a lightweight hiker’s overnight pack?

Essentials commentary from BackpackingLight reader, Allison Miller.

Essentials Miller - 1

This subject struck me, first and foremost, as a question of philosophy rather than an expose on UL methods and gear. After reading the title of this essay several times to get my head around it, I decided to choose two different perspectives on the subject. The first perspective is taken from a very literal point of view: with an OVERNIGHT pack, what would I consider ESSENTIAL? With this perspective, I am going to equate “essential” with “survival.” I will also assume “overnight” means two days walking, plus or minus sleeping through the night (as an ex-orienteer I am fully aware of the option to not sleep if it’s only one night). I am going to assume that sleep is NOT essential in this case, so will leave bag, mat, and shelter at home. Likewise, it won’t be necessary to cook, so I’ll leave stove and fuel at home.

I may want a very small and light day pack to carry some food and water, though given the assumed scenario, even these are probably not “essential” unless I’m trekking through 120 °F desert conditions, where water might become essential over two days. Clothing would depend on the expected weather and would be mostly worn rather than carried, with the option of keeping moving if things got too cold to stop and rest. I would probably carry some firestarting supplies and a little food, just in case I got lost or injured and couldn’t make it out within two days. Hopefully these last items are not essential, but I’m allowing myself a small safety margin.

The second perspective is where my alter ego steps in and decides it is “essential” to be comfortable, warm, dry, and well-fed. Hmmmm, that’s a whole different game. This time of year (winter in New Zealand), I would probably head for a hut that I know has a wood burner and lots of dry firewood or coal, plus a comfy mattress. I would bring a nice down sleeping bag, a stove, pot, pot lifter, fuel, change of dry clothes, hut shoes, and some whiskey. Firestarting material would also be “essential” in this case, as would a comfy pack to carry it all. Winter nights can be long, so a deck of cards or good book might also make my essential list. In summer, insect control would also become important, as would sun and heat protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, tarptent). Here, I’m obviously not using the word “essential” to equate with survival, rather it’s merely a relative degree of comfort.

The bottom line is that I have a lot of survival and problem solving skills. If I were dumped in the middle of nowhere (assuming I was fit and healthy), I am confident I could survive at least a couple of days with nothing more than my brain. I hope I never have to test this theory, so I always carry a margin of safety in my gear based on anticipated needs AND desires. I am not out to push the limits of survival, nor am I out to break the two-pound base weight barrier. I am out to enjoy myself. Heck, I might even bring a toothbrush, some soap, and a hairbrush to maintain a modicum of presentability. To me, an essential overnight UL pack could contain anything, from absolutely nothing to fifteen carefully chosen pounds of comfort and security.

You can read more essentials commentary from Backpacking Light Publisher, Ryan Jordan, and from readers Jim Bailey and Mark Henley.

To Pack or Not to Pack? What constitutes an ‘essential’ item in a lightweight hiker’s overnight pack?

Essentials commentary from BackpackingLight reader, Jim Bailey.

Essentials Bailey - 1

During a discussion with an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) backcountry caretaker (a worker who supervises tent platforms and composting operation at remote tent sites scattered throughout New Hampshire and Maine), this individual mentioned he had witnessed a packing style which he referred to SUL, or Stupid Ultra Light.

The reason for this slanderous term involved two northbound Appalachian Trail thru-hikers who, once they arrived in Hanover, New Hampshire, had decided that they were going to carry a bare minimum in pack weight in order to hike in a fast and light style through the Whites and Maine, on to their final destination of Mt. Katahdin.

The disconnect came when the pair chose to ditch their sleeping bags and insulated clothing, since they were traveling in the “summer” month of August. By the time the two had arrived after dark at the Imp campsite, they were hypothermic and in dire need of assistance from the caretaker mentioned above. The AMC employee ending up staying up all night brewing tea and letting them borrow any spare clothing and insulated items he had on hand to stay warm. Unfortunately, this left the AMC worker with a bit of a sore spot regarding UL/SUL because of these two hikers’ irresponsible actions.

Understanding his point of view, we both agreed that insulation and clothing systems were something to take very seriously, depending on the region and time of year a person might be trekking.

Each year, I have run into a small number of backpackers going out for an overnight trip, and at the last minute they decide against bringing a sleeping bag. Their logic is that it was warm where they drove up from, and they will be housed in a warm tent…therefore, a blanket should be all that they might need. Unfortunately, this seems to be a common theme with hikers unaccustomed to summer months in the northeastern mountains. The outcome is usually the same: a cold and sleepless night spent shivering, leaving the hiker with a miserable hike out.

The proper clothing, combined with a sleep system to get one through a twenty-four-hour period, factoring in the nighttime low temperatures for the specific area one would be traveling through, are my most essential items.

You can read more essentials commentary from Backpacking Light Publisher, Ryan Jordan, and from readers Allison Miller and Mark Henley.

New Balance MT1110GT Joggers SpotLite Review

Totally synthetic, good soles and a XCR membrane for wet weather use, plus a range of widths, including really wide.

New Balance MT1110GT Joggers Spotlite Review - 1
Courtesy New Balance.

Overview

Normally I wear very low-cut Australian-made Dunlop KT-26 joggers when I am out walking. They are very light (327 g or 11.5 oz each shoe) and have superb friction on rock. However, they do have a few deficiencies. They have a very soft sole which has some problems on muddy trails; the lugs on the soles are very shallow and just don’t grip on snow, and the mesh upper lets water straight through. For winter walking in snow country, as beautifully described by Will Rietveld in his three articles on Lightweight Footwear Systems for Snow Travel, the KT-26s just don’t make it.

What would I like for winter snow travel? A good lugged sole with some rigidity, because in the snow I need some traction around camp. A sole with firm edges also helps with snow shoe bindings. I would like a waterproof/breathable membrane to keep the melting snow out. I don’t want lots of seams on the outside: the stitching is always a weak point fraying where the shoes folds. I don’t want suede or surface leather trimming as it always gets wet and heavy and freezes and cracks after a while. I don’t want a high ankle: high ankles on the shoe just absorb energy and rub on my ankles, and anyhow in winter I wear GoreTex gaiters over my shoes to keep the snow out. And because I have very wide feet (common among Australian walkers), I want a wide fitting, like an EEEE.

Over the year I have tried many many different shoes, joggers and light boots. Few of them have been wonderful, but these New Balance MT1110GT joggers come very close to meeting every one of my needs. Perhaps I am slightly biased by the fact that when I wore them for a short field trip they were immediately comfortable and wide enough! Granted, the size supplied was slightly too big for summer walking, but I didn’t want them for that anyhow. I want them for snow shoeing, and the size supplied has enough room for really thick warm socks, or even two pairs of warm socks as Will recommends.

I remain slightly puzzled by shoe sizes. The same size US 11 in another brand I have used just feels smaller: I could not imagine wearing two pairs of warm socks inside them. I suspect that this may be because they are probably only an EE fitting. But then, I can get away with size US 9 in the KTs mentioned above, and still be comfortable! With shoes, always try before you buy!

I plan on wearing these New Balance MT1110GT shoes around August 2008 on a long (about two weeks) snow shoe trip. Perhaps I will be able to write a full product review of these shoes after that trip. So far I have worn them for about one week in the mountains during autumn.

New Balance MT1110GT Joggers Spotlite Review - 2
Up in the mountains.

Product Details

The web site specifications for these shoes contains the usual array of fancy marketing buzz word names for the various bits. Forgive me if I skip them. The rubber sole has fairly good lugs: you can see the pattern in the picture. While the lugs are not all that deep, I did find this rubber quite grippy – more than I expected. There is some cushioning in the sole to be sure, but not like the notorious ‘air support’ which usually means you lose all contact with the ground – and risk spraining an ankle. The inner sole and footbed are fairly flat, which is wonderful. No, these shoes do not feature that appalling concept of ‘arch support’, so they should be good for long distances with minimal foot fatigue.

The upper is advertised as seamless, and it does look seamless. This probably makes it easier for the XCR membrane inside to keep the water out – it worked for lots of wet grass during autumn field testing anyhow. There is a bit of plastic embossing on the outer fabric (‘Go-Fast’ stripes?) but it seems to be very well stuck down – or molded in more likely. The fabric does not abrade very easily: it hasn’t shown any signs so far.

The New Balance web site makes a bit of a thing about the toe cap, calling it (I think) ‘Rock Stop 2’. Indeed, the toe cap is quite solid. I kicked bits and pieces of stuff (branches, rocks …) in the field and the toe cap showed no wear at all. My toes didn’t suffer either.

The tongue is fully gusseted, which is good for keeping the water out. The laces are … bumpy! You can see just how bumpy in the photos. New Balance call this strange profile ‘Sure Lace’. I think the idea is that the bumps prevent the laces from slowly drifting undone. Yes, this did seem to work in the field. A simple bow sufficed for the whole day. Mind you, I am not sure how well the laces will work when they are frozen solid, but we shall see.

There is padding around the top edge of the ankle and inside the tongue, but not to an extreme. I would describe it as a ‘suitable’ amount. The ‘spikes’ at the back of the ankle present the only problem: when new I could feel them a little. I have seen this before, and perhaps the spikes will soften after some wear.

Specifications

  • Manufacturer: New Balance
  • Year/Model: 2008
  • Manufacture: China
  • Materials: synthetic fabrics and rubbers, no leather, plus XCR membrane
  • Last: SL-1 (whatever that means)
  • Size: 6 – 13, 14, 15 in D, EE and EEEE fittings
  • Weight: Quoted 385 g (13.5 oz) each, measured 406 g (14.3 oz) for US size 11 EEEE(BPL measurement)
  • Color: what you see is what you get
  • MSRP: not quoted

What’s Good

  • A fairly low weight.
  • A wide range of width fittings.
  • A flat inner sole and footbed.
  • Very good friction on the sole.
  • No leather or suede anywhere.

What’s Not So Good

  • Nothing has been found so far.

Integral Designs Rundle Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review

Hoodless, synthetic insulated jacket with an optimum balance of warmth, durability, wind/water resistance, and light weight.

Overview

The Integral Designs Rundle jacket is a hoodless synthetic insulated jacket. Insulation is 4 oz/yd2 Primaloft Sport, which is thicker than many lightweight synthetic insulated jackets. More insulation means more warmth, but also means a little more weight. Its outer shell is 30 denier Pertex Microlight, which at 1.4 oz/yd2 is a bit heavier than popular 20 denier Pertex Quantum at 0.9 oz/yd2, but it’s also more durable, windproof, and water-repellent.

Integral Designs Rundle Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 1
The Integral Designs Rundle Jacket is insulated with 4 ounce Primaloft Sport, and has a Pertex Microlight shell and basic feature set. Photos by Bill Webbe.

At 16.6 ounces (measured weight, size Large), the Rundle Jacket is on the heavy side for ultralight backpacking, but it’s a highly versatile piece for cold weather snow sports and winter camping. Specifically, I wore the Rundle either as an outer layer or midlayer for casual wear, winter hiking, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, and winter camping.

Integral Designs Rundle Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 2
The Rundle Jacket has a total of three zippered pockets – two hand pockets plus this zippered pocket on the inside. I found all three pockets very handy for securely stashing small items and keeping them from freezing. Photo by Bill Webbe.

When worn as an outer layer over one or two baselayers, I found the Rundle to be a remarkably warm jacket for active pursuits in cold weather. Its Pertex Microlight shell is a good balance of durability and wind/water resistance. The downside of Microlight is that it is less breathable, but breathability is inversely related to wind and water resistance and the latter factors are more important for a shell fabric on an insulated jacket.

I chose the ID Rundle Jacket as part of my layering system for an eleven-day winter camping trip in Yellowstone National Park. On that trip, where temperatures ranged from -16 to 40 °F, I mainly wore the Rundle Jacket as a midlayer. I wore one or two wool base layers under it and a lightweight down jacket or shell jacket (Montbell Thunderhead Jacket) over it, as needed to maintain my comfort level. When actively skiing or hiking in temperatures down to 0 °F, I usually wore a wool base layer, the Rundle Jacket, and a shell jacket, with excellent results. Opening the front zippers of the jackets gave me a lot of temperature adjustment.

Integral Designs Rundle Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 3
My cold temperature layering system consisted of two wool base layers, ID Rundle Jacket, and Montbell Alpine Light Hooded Down Jacket.

The Rundle has smooth fabrics on both the outside and inside, making it easy to pull it on over other clothing, or don other clothing over it. Its thumb loops are also a great aid for putting it on.

Integral Designs Rundle Jacket SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 4
Pros and cons. The Rundle’s Lycra bound cuffs and thumb loops (left) are simple and functional. However, the small zipper pulls on the hand pockets (right) are an annoyance; they are hard to grasp with or without gloves. I added some cord loops to them.

Overall, the Integral Designs Rundle Jacket is an excellent choice for cold weather pursuits, and it can be worn as a mid- or outer layer in a wide variety of clothing systems. It’s not necessarily a good choice for ultralight summer backpacking, where a thinner synthetic jacket like the Bozeman Mountain Works Cocoon Pullover (9 ounces, size Large) is sufficient. The Cocoon’s 1.8 oz/yd2 Polarguard® Delta insulation is less than half the weight of the Rundle’s four-ounce Primaloft Sport. More insulation means more warmth, and the Rundle is a good choice when more warmth is needed.

Specifications and Features

  • Manufacturer: Integral Designs (http://integraldesigns.com/)
  • Year/Model: 2008 Rundle Jacket
  • Materials:: Shell is 30 d Pertex Microlight 1.4 oz/yd2, lining is 30 d nylon taffeta
  • Insulation: Primaloft Sport 4 oz/yd2
  • Features: Full front zipper, two zippered front pockets, one zippered inside pocket, Lycra bound cuffs and hem, thumb loops on cuffs, silnylon stuff sack
  • Weight: Measured weight men’s Large 16.6 oz (471 g), manufacturer specification 17 oz (480 g)
  • MSRP: $180 US

Packraft Rating (PR) System

Roman Dial demystifies whitewater for the packrafter wanting to understand the natural progression of learning to packraft in the context of increasingly difficult whitewater.

Editors Note: This article has been excerpted from the book Packrafting! An Introduction and How-To Guide, by Roman Dial (ISBN 978-0-9748188-3-2, Published by Backpacking Light, 2008).

Packraft Rating (PR) System

Standard whitewater ratings are not always a good indicator of packrafting difficulty. Some very technical rapids that are low volume and shallow – dangerous in a kayak – feel easier and safer in a packraft. Meanwhile, big, high volume but technically easy rapids can be tough in a packraft. Hence the following system, which should be considered open ended.

Packraft Rating (PR) System - 1
Good sport in a packraft. Running Ship Creek’s Two by Four rapids (PR 5), near Anchorage, Alaska.

Ratings

PR 1 Flat water, little or no current, no obstacles. No special techniques or gear needed. Lakes and slow rivers.

PR 2 Gentle current, small waves. Ferrying technique necessary to maneuver and avoid sweepers, strainers, and shallows. Floating is relaxed. Rain gear and garbage bags sufficient to keep dry.

PR 3 One to two foot tall wave trains, eddy lines, and holes can swamp and/or flip boat. Ferrying and back-paddling necessary to avoid obstacles, miss holes and rocks. Drysuit or wetsuit is insurance against swims and waves. Dry-bag protects gear. Requires novice boating-with-a-backpack skills. Bicycles or passengers manageable in boat.

PR 4 River powerful, often Class III for canoes, kayaks, and paddle rafts, meaning water reading necessary and scouting recommended. Flip potential high with loaded boats. Swamping avoidable with good technique or spray cover. Throw ropes and swift-water rescue training advised, although self-rescue easy.

PR 5 Generally Class IV or high volume Class III for canoes, kayaks, and paddle rafts. Scouting of rapids necessary. Spray skirts or decks, drysuits, helmets, and unloaded boats strongly recommended as well as safety personnel. Bracing, forward paddling, and confidence while big waves crash overhead needed. Precise maneuvering necessary through intense and powerful water. Swimming is risky. Throw ropes and swift-water rescue training strongly advised.

Learning to Packraft: A Suggested Sequence of Waters

Below is a suggested progression from first-time in a boat to longer trips. The progression was developed successfully through month-long classes in packrafting I have taught at Alaska Pacific University from 1997-2007. It is meant to be a step-by-step guide – using skills described in the following chapters – to quickly get beginners to the stage that took many of us years to reach.

Step 1: Stillwater Basics

Pool or lake boating to learn paddling strokes, both side to side and backwards, and to learn where the tipping point is on the boat. Practice wet exit and entrance – getting out of and into the boat without touching the bottom. Paddle with no pack first, then with a pack tied to boat. It is useful to try paddling with differing pack weights and different paddle lengths.

Points to consider:

  • How strongly to paddle.
  • How to back-paddle.
  • How to turn the boat.
  • How to position the paddle to keep the boat straight.
  • What it takes to tip the boat.
  • How to get in a flipped boat while swimming.
  • Paddle with no pack first, then with a pack tied to the boat.
  • How quickly the boat loses pressure without tempering.
  • How well or poorly clothing keeps you dry and/orwarm.

Step 2: Moving Water Basics

Gentle, slow-moving current with some riffles and bank debris to learn how to paddle moving PR 2 water and to learn the basics of ferrying. First without a pack, shifting weight to find a good balance point, then with pack.

New points to consider:

  • How the boat moves across the current during ferry – be sure to make multiple crossings.
  • How to get in and out of the boat from the bank.
  • Where the best position is for sitting in the boat.
  • How to temper the boat – inflate, cool, inflate.
  • Where deep and fast vs. shallow and slow water is.
  • Where best to position the boat in current.
  • What an eddy is, how it behaves, and how your boat responds to it.
  • Where passage through an upstream opening “V” is located.
  • How easily the boat pivots.

Packraft Rating (PR) System - 1
Jason Geck running PR 4 rapids on “Flower Power,” a ninety mile mountain wilderness traverse from Girdwood to Palmer, Alaska.

Step 3: Technical Moving Water

Unobstructed but moving PR 3 water with rocks, holes, waves to two feet, learning the basics of ferrying and river reading. Do the stretch several times, including with a pack tied to the bow.

New points to consider:

  • How to read faster-moving water.
  • What an eddy-line feels like.
  • How back-paddling keeps water out of an open
  • boat when passing through wave trains.
  • How to avoid rocks by not looking at them.
  • Dumping the boat when swamped with water.
  • Back-ferrying with bow downstream.
  • Front-ferrying with bow upstream.
  • How to swim in moving water with your paddle.
  • How to right a loaded boat while swimming.
  • How to make a wet entrance into a loaded boat.
  • How to grab your partner’s boat while swimming.
  • How to catch your swimming partner’s boat.
  • How to tow a swimming partner from your boat.
  • How to paddle a boat without a paddle.
  • How to toss throw ropes from shore to a swimmer.
  • How to catch throw ropes if swimming.

Step 4: Day Hiking & Packrafting

Easy four-hour trail walk carrying all packraft gear, followed by three hours of rafting, up to PR 3. Learn how to pack and carry a day-pack with raft gear and hiking gear. Experiment with clothing, shoes, and how to keep gear dry.

New points to consider:

  • How to pack the rafting gear for hiking.
  • Clothes and shoes that are best for rafting and walking.
  • How to pack gear and keep it dry while rafting.
  • How the raft handles with a load.
  • How best to bail the boat.
  • How to read the water with a load on the front of the boat.
  • How to tell waves from barely submerged rocks.
  • How to tell shallow from deep moving water.

Step 5: Day Trekking & Packrafting

Longer day trip, six- to eight-hour walk, perhaps with bushwhacking, followed by PR 2 paddle. Purpose is to extend range of travel and see how you paddle when already tired.

New points to consider:

  • How you feel rafting after a longer walk.
  • How to stretch out, stay comfortable in boat.
  • How the raft handles with a bigger load.
  • More water reading: pay careful attention to current locations.

Step 6: Weekend Packraft Trekking

Weekend trip, heavier pack than day trip. Idea is to mix PR 3 rafting in two or more watersheds, hiking, and camping. Experiment with multi-tasking gear like raft paddle and PFD.

Note well:

  • Sluggishness of boat handling.
  • Camping with boat.
  • How pack can obscure view of water.
  • How to keep gear dry.

Step 7: Technical Packrafting

Challenging four-hour, off-trail walk followed by three-hour rafting, up to PR 3-4 at low water. Best to follow more experienced boaters through rapids.

Focus on:

  • Improving your boat handling.
  • Improving your water reading skills.
  • Improving your load tying.

Step 8: Expedition Packrafting

Week-long wilderness trip, 50% walking and 50% floating up to PR 3 across two or more watersheds.

Goals and objectives:

  • Adventure.
  • Excitement.
  • Challenge.
  • Accomplishment.

Packraft Rating (PR) System - 2
“Hellbiking” by definition. Paul Adkins hauls a big load off the Copper River and onto the Bremner Dunes, Chugach Mountains.

Summary

Like all boats, packrafts are subject to the physics of moving water. However, due to the combination of several factors – their inflatable nature, their small size, their low center of gravity, their vulnerability to swamping and puncturing, and especially their slow hull speed and high skin drag – packrafts are more sensitive to water volume than bigger rafts and cannot move as quickly as longer, narrower boats like canoes or kayaks.

Consequently, typical white-water ratings are not the most precise gauge of difficulty. Beginning packrafters can also progress more quickly in their development if they learn the basics of boating in calm, unobstructed water first, before jumping into the “fun stuff.”

An Ultralighter Paddles on the Dark Side: Packrafting a Remote Canyon “Heavy” Style

Packrafters need to limit their gear so it fits on the bow of their six-foot-long craft. This means dehydrated food for dinner, sleeping under a tarp and wearing wet clothes dry. What is river running like when big rafts haul the food and gear…Can an ultralight packrafter be enticed to the dark side?

You don’t have access to view this content.

Outdoor Research DryComp Summit Sack SPOTLITE REVIEW

This multi-purpose bag serves as a waterproof day pack, compression stuff sack, dry bag, and pillow.

Overview

Outdoor Research DryComp Summit Sack SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 1
The Outdoor Research DryComp Summit Sack, appropriately atop a 12,500 foot summit, March 2008.

The Outdoor Research DryComp Summit Sack can serve as a lightweight frameless day pack, compression stuff sack, and dry bag. The pack is basically a dry bag with shoulder straps and mesh side pockets. It’s not ultralight, but it is very versatile and has a lot of potential applications for winter camping, base camping, and water sports, to name a few.

At 13.1 ounces (measured weight) and 1885 cubic inches, the DryComp Summit Sack is lightweight, but not ultralight. It’s constructed of durable Antron nylon that has a protective Hydroseal polyurethane coating on the inside with taped seams. The top access seals with a dry bag-type roll down closure and side release buckle. It has two mesh side pockets and two daisy chains, plus two ice axe loops for storing or attaching gear on the outside of the pack.

Outdoor Research DryComp Summit Sack SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 2
The front of the pack (left) is adorned with two daisy chains and two ice axe loops for attaching gear. The shoulder straps on the back panel (center) double as compression straps. Two other straps double as a waist strap or compression straps on the front side. There is one mesh pocket on each side (right) with a drawcord closure.

I used the DryComp Summit Sack as part of my gear kit on an extended eleven-day winter camping trip in Yellowstone National Park in February 2008. On that trip, I used the Summit Sack as a day pack while pulling a pulk or daily ski trips, as well as a dry bag for storing gear in the igloos we built. Back home, I also used it as a day pack on numerous snowshoe and backcountry ski trips. Although I did not have an opportunity to test it for canoe camping, I believe that would also be a good application.

My testing of the DryComp Summit Sack left me with a lot of varied impressions. The pros and cons:

  • It’s indeed versatile. For me, the most important uses are as a day pack in cold and wet weather, and as a dry bag in camp to keep critical gear dry.
  • The Summit Sack’s waist strap did not interfere with another hip belt I wore for pulling a pulk.
  • In my opinion, it’s too heavy to carry in a backpack to use for summit hikes or day hikes from camp (my max weight for this is eight ounces or less).
  • For some people, the pack’s heavier fabrics make it better suited for winter and canoe camping, where extra durability is appropriate. Personally, I would prefer a lighter version of this pack.
  • Its 1885 cubic inch (31 L) volume is appropriate for cold weather outings, like winter day trips and winter camping, but it’s too large for warmer weather day trips.
  • For convenience, I would like to have a large waterproof pocket on the front of the pack. On cool and cold weather outings, I frequently need to add or remove clothing, and it would be very handy to have a large, easy-access pocket on the front of the pack.
  • Some readers have asked for a waterproof ultralight backpack. The DryComp Summit Sack meets that criterion, but it would be better if it had a large waterproof front pocket and a better waist belt.
  • The side release buckle on the top closure is difficult to open with cold hands or gloves. I struggled on many occasions to get the buckle released.
  • I carried the Summit Sack on snowy and rainy days on several occasions, and found that it is indeed waterproof. My gear inside the pack did not get wet.
  • The outside nylon fabric has a DWR treatment to repel water, but it eventually wets out and absorbs water. A hybrid silicone/polyurethane coated fabric would seem to be a better choice, as it would make the outside completely waterproof, accept seam tape on the inside, and lighten the pack.
  • When loaded, the pack slides off my shoulders, especially when I am wearing a smooth hardshell jacket. My wife added a sternum strap to the pack I tested, which solved the problem.
  • The pack’s waist strap is useful to stabilize the pack, but does not transfer any weight to the hips.
  • As with most frameless packs, the maximum comfortable carrying capacity is fifteen to twenty pounds.
  • Because of the pack’s depth, I often found it difficult and frustrating to find a specific item inside the pack, but that is an issue with any deep rucksack.

Outdoor Research DryComp Summit Sack SPOTLITE REVIEW Review - 3
The DryComp Summit Sack in compression stuff sack mode, used to compress a bulky -10 °F down sleeping bag.

Overall, I really like the utility of the DryComp Summit Sack, but it left me wishing for a lighter weight version and a few hiker-friendly modifications, like a large waterproof front pocket, easy-to-open top closure, and a sternum strap.

Specifications and Features

  • Manufacturer: Outdoor Research (http://www.orgear.com/)
  • Year/Model: 2008 DryComp Summit Sack
  • Fabrics: Hydroseal coated Antron nylon
  • Volume: 1885 cu in (31 L)
  • Sizes: One size
  • Dimensions: 24 x 11 x 9 in (61 x 28 x 23 cm)
  • Features: Roll top dry bag closure, padded shoulder straps, two mesh side pockets with elastic drawcord closure, two front daisy chains, two ice axe loops, fully seam taped, four compression straps convert to shoulder straps and waist belt
  • Weight: measured weight 13.1 oz (371 g), manufacturer specification 12.2 oz (346 g)
  • MSRP: $59 US

Gossamer Gear The One Shelter REVIEW

The One optimizes light weight, roominess, features, convenience, and weather/bug protection in a seventeen ounce single wall tent.

Introduction

Gossamer is defined by Webster as “something light…floating in air,” and Gossamer Gear adheres to that standard in all of their products. Their new (Spring 2008) The One one-person shelter, at seventeen ounces (tent only), breaks new ground by providing full weather and bug protection plus amenities like a zippered vestibule, large zippered entry door, and a floating bathtub floor. There are lots of reasons to love this tent, but it still needs some refinements.

Gossamer Gear The One Shelter REVIEW Review - 1
Gossamer Gear’s The One is a full-featured single wall tent that provides full rain and bug protection and weighs just seventeen ounces (tent only).

What’s Good

  • Ultralight, only 18.5 ounces for tent plus stakes
  • Reinforced construction
  • Utilizes trekking poles to save weight
  • Fast setup
  • Easy side entry
  • Floating bathtub floor
  • Good headroom
  • Ultralight groundsheet included
  • Full bug protection
  • Excellent ventilation

What’s Not So Good

  • Tie-out cords come loose
  • Cut is not as tight as it could be
  • Dust sticks to spinnaker fabric

Specifications

  Year/Manufacturer/Model

 2008 Gossamer Gear The One

  Style

 Three-season, one-person, bug-proof, single-wall shelter with floor

  Fabrics

 0.99 oz/yd2 (34 g/m2) spinnaker cloth; 0.7 oz/yd2 (24 g/m2) no-see-um mesh; reinforcements are 70d 2.2 oz/ yd2 (75 g/m2) urethane-coated ripstop nylon

  Poles and Stakes

 Requires two trekking poles or optional aluminum poles for support, plus six stakes (not included)

  Dimensions

 Floor length 84 in (213 cm), center width 34 in (86 cm), end width 26 in (66 cm), front height 47 in (119 cm), rear height 41 in (104 cm)

  Packed Size

 15 x 5 in (38 x 5 cm)

  Total Weight
(as supplied by manufacturer with all included items)

 Measured weight 18.9 oz (536 g), manufacturer specification 19 oz (539 g); includes tent, spinnaker stuff sack, Polycryo groundsheet

  Trail Weight
(includes minimum number of items needed to securely erect the tent)

 Measured weight 18.5 oz (524 g); includes tent, four 6-inch titanium stakes and two 6-inch Easton stakes

  Protected Area

 Floor area is 17.5 ft2 (1.6 m2), vestibule is 10.4 ft2 (1.0 m2), total 27.9 ft2 (2.6 m2)

  Protected Area/Trail Weight Ratio

 24.1 ft2/lb

   MSRP

 $275 US

  Options

 Aluminum poles (6.2 oz/176 g, $24)

Performance

Ultralight shelters keep getting better and better, and Gossamer Gear’s The One sets a new standard. It’s ultralight at eighteen and a half ounces (tent and stakes) AND it has a full feature set – like a zippered front vestibule, large zippered side entry, and a floating bathtub floor. It’s also very functional, providing convenient entry, adequate headroom, full rain protection for you and your gear, bug protection, and good ventilation to minimize condensation.

Gossamer Gear The One Shelter REVIEW Review - 2
Views of The One. The front of the tent (top left) has a zippered vestibule that protects 10.4 square feet. The rear (top right) is supported by an angled trekking pole and has a large high vent. The side profile (bottom left) and top view (bottom right) show the tent’s shape and proportions. Note that the front of the tent is taller than the rear.

The One is constructed of 1 oz/yd2 high thread count spinnaker cloth, which is silicone impregnated. The floor is also spinnaker fabric. All stress points are reinforced with 2.2 oz/yd2 ripstop nylon. Overall, the design and construction display the wisdom that Gossamer Gear has gained from designing outdoor gear made of spinnaker fabric. A nice touch is the inclusion of a Polycryo groundsheet (1.5 ounces) with the tent.

Set up is fast and easy, once you learn the technique. Gossamer Gear provides an excellent setup video on their website, as well as paper instructions with the tent. The tent requires trekking poles in the 125 to 130 centimeter range; taller fixed length poles can be used, but they will need to be angled outward. I advise practicing the setup at home, because the pitch will vary with the trekking poles used, and the tent can be a bit fussy to get it properly tensioned. While it is set up, be sure to seam seal it with diluted silicone to prevent the sewn seams from leaking.

When pitched, the front of the tent is approximately six inches taller than the rear, and the ridgeline (width of the tent) is twenty-four inches. Headroom inside the tent is approximately forty-seven inches in front and forty-one inches at the rear, depending on the length of trekking poles used. Its eighty-four inch floor length is adequate for a person over six feet tall, but a taller person is more likely to contact the end walls.

Gossamer Gear The One Shelter REVIEW Review - 3
Inside details. The floating floor (left) is spinnaker fabric. It adjusts for pitching height and provides adequate room for one person plus gear. A small mesh pocket (center) is provided to stash fragile or small items. Headroom at the ends of the tent is adequate when the tent is pitched high. A side entry and large zippered door (right) provide easy access.

Gossamer Gear The One Shelter REVIEW Review - 4
Outside details. The back of the tent (left) is secured with a trekking pole (or optional aluminum pole) angled outward. There are two ties to attach the tent body to the pole, plus an elastic cord to extend the rear vents. The side height (top right) can be adjusted from ground level to eight inches above the ground (increasing inside height and ventilation). Corner tie-outs (bottom right) are attached to the tent and the floating floor, and have enough adjustment to accommodate 125-130 centimeter trekking poles. A LineLoc fastener at each corner allows the tent to be tensioned without moving the stakes.

Field Testing

I tested The One on several backpacking trips in northern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado in late winter 2007 and spring 2008. I was very impressed with its user friendliness – it set up fairly quickly, didn’t require much space, was very easy to enter and exit, was light and adequately roomy inside, and there was plenty of room for me and my gear.

While camping in the northern New Mexican badlands, I had the opportunity to test The One’s wind stability. Since it is a side entry tent, it has a larger profile on all four sides, so wind gusts up to twenty miles per hour (measured with a Kestrel 4000 Pocket Weather Tracker) caused quite a bit of deflection. The tent was undamaged, but it flapped a lot and the spinnaker fabric is noisy in the wind. It helps to tighten the tent as much as possible to minimize the flapping. The tent’s perimeter mesh is necessary for ventilation, but it’s also a nemesis when camping in the dusty desert when the wind is blowing. On my windy trip, the tent collected a lot of dust inside, and the tent body acquired a coating of dust as well. Dust seems electro-statically attracted to silicone fabrics, and it is an issue with all silnylon and spinnaker fabric tents, though it easily washes off with plain water.

Gossamer Gear The One Shelter REVIEW Review - 5
One issue I had with The One shelter is tie-out cords coming loose, specifically the cords that tie the vestibule and entry doors (left), the elastic cord that attaches the twin vents to the rear guyline (center), and the corner attachments to the floating floor (shown in a previous photo). All of the cords are simply tied on, and they do not hold a knot very well, so they come loose, especially in the wind. Also, dust and fine sand readily attach to the silicone fabric (right), which is an issue with all silicone fabric shelters.

On my first use of the tent in the rain (a shower), it leaked a little from the ridgeline seam, even though I had seam sealed it. I seam sealed the tent a second time and found it totally waterproof in my next encounter with rain and light snow. Although I did not experience any wind-driven rain in my testing, my opinion is The One is quite storm-worthy, compared with other single wall tents. The sides and back have a skirt that extends the drip line out beyond the tent floor, and the front vestibule is low enough to prevent rain from blowing in, yet high enough to allow good ventilation.

While single wall shelters are notorious for condensation on the inside walls (see my article on Condensation in Single Wall Shelters), I found Gossamer Gear’s The One to have the least amount of condensation of all the single wall tents I have tested. That does not mean it’s condensation free, because the laws of physics still apply, and any single wall tent will develop condensation on the inside walls under the right conditions.

Gossamer Gear The One Shelter REVIEW Review - 6
Environment inside the Gossamer Gear The One shelter on a clear/calm/cold night. The air was dry initially, so added moisture vapor from my breathing did not raise the relative humidity to high levels, and the air temperature did not hit the dew point temperature, resulting in condensation. I had only light frost on the tent wall above my head.

Assessment

Ultralight backpackers looking for the lightest one-person tent may not need to look any further; the Gossamer Gear The One shelter weighs a mere seventeen ounces and provides most everything a hiker would wish for. It weighs a few ounces more than a shaped tarp or floorless shelter and delivers far more in the way of features, comfort, convenience, and protection.

On the negative side, the tent’s geometry is fairly complex, and the cut is not as tight as it could be. For example, the back skirt and front vestibule are usually limp. The tent requires some fussing to get it pitched and tensioned properly (which helps reduce its noisiness in the wind). Another drawback is the tendency of many of the cords to come loose. In contrast to a tent from a major tent maker, the cords and fasteners are simply tied on, not sewn, and the knots come loose. Sewn on toggle and loop tie-backs on the vestibule and entry door would be more reliable than the ones pictured above. Finally, the spinnaker fabric shell is noisy, even in a light breeze, and the tent is on the expensive side because of the spinnaker fabric.

Compared to similar shelters on the market, the only single wall tent with a floor that’s lighter is the sixteen ounce Six Moon Designs Refuge X two-person tent made of cuben fiber. However, the Refuge X doesn’t have any vestibules and costs a hefty $400. The silnylon SMD Lunar Solo weighs twenty-three ounces, has more protected area, and costs $235. And the silnylon AntiGravityGear Tarptent weighs twenty ounces, has a lot more protected area, and costs $229 (but it has some condensation issues). The current Mountain Laurel Designs shelters are lighter, but they do not have a floor.

In spite of a few drawbacks, Gossamer Gear’s The One is an ultralight backpacker’s dream come true, making it possible to have the luxury of a full-featured solo tent while keeping weight to a minimum.

What’s Unique

The One optimizes protected area, features, and convenience in an ultralight single wall tent.

Recommendations for Improvement

  • Redesign the cords and connectors so they do not come loose
  • Tweak the tent’s cut so the geometry is absolutely solid