Will Rietveld
Latest
Sierra Designs Gnar Down Sweater Review
Coming out in fall 2010, the Gnar is a good balance of sizing and fit, features, and overall light weight, but it could be a little warmer.
Crux Halo Top Review
Q: What’s a Halo Top? A: an ultralight down-insulated minimalist anorak that weighs just 7.9 oz (225 g), and it’s sized well for taller people.
Brooks-Range Alpini Mountain Anorak Review
The Alpini is a lightweight furnace and lands on our recommended list, but how about a version for non-climbers?
Western Mountaineering Expedition Down Bootie Review
Well designed, lightweight, warm down bootie with an integrated tall gaiter and performance equivalent to a multi-layer system.
Ultralight Down Pants: Light, Warm, and Versatile
Ultralight down insulated pants from MontBell, PHD, and Western Mountaineering are reviewed and compared. Down pants provide the most warmth for their weight, and are especially versatile for colder weather camping. Wear them to stay warm in camp and to extend the warmth of an ultralight sleeping bag.
Eddie Bauer First Ascent Downlight Sweater Review
This jacket really rocks - an excellent balance of light weight, basic features, warmth, wind and water resistance, and cost.
Sierra Designs Nitro 30 Sleeping Bag Review
Remarkably lofty and warm for a 30 F (-1 C) rated bag – this is the first sleeping bag I have tested that’s warmer than its claimed temperature rating!
PHD Mountain Software Ultra Down Pullover Review
The ultimate down jacket for ultralight backpacking and lightweight cold weather pursuits.
Mountain Hardwear Nitrous Jacket Review
An ultralight down jacket that performs well in active pursuits, but it’s not the best choice for ultralight backpacking.
Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag Review
The Hydrogen is a well designed, high loft, roomy, warm, mummy-style down 30F-rated sleeping bag, but its shell fabric is heavy and wets out too easily.
MontBell UL Spiral Down Hugger Sleeping Bag Review
A lot to like and a great value for a 30 F rated down mummy bag weighing only 19 ounces.
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 Sleeping Bag Review
A warm, refined sleeping bag, but not the lightest in its class.
Rab Microlight Jacket Review
Trim-fitting ultralight three-season down jacket with a great shell and basic feature set, but its numerous horizontal seams allow down fragments to leak out.
Gossamer Gear Gorilla Backpack Review
Lower volume ultralight backpack with removable stays and other components - so you can set up the pack for individual trips and personal preferences to your heart's content.
The North Face Beeline Sleeping Bag Review
The specifications look great, but the devil is in the details.
The North Face Thunder Jacket Review
Not the lightest down jacket to be found, but it's an excellent balance of warmth and durability, and versatile the year around as an outer layer or midlayer.
Western Mountaineering Hooded Flash Jacket Review
Perfect balance of warmth, light weight, and performance for less extreme conditions.
Lightweight Pertex Shield Rainwear Hitting the Market (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
Pertex Shield rainwear is more breathable than polyurethane laminates and similar in weight and price.
Ultralight Multi-Fuel (Alcohol/Esbit/Wood) Cooking Systems from Evernew and Trail Designs (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
New cooking systems allow a hiker to use wood fuel when conditions are right and use alcohol or Esbit fuels as a backup.
Ultralight Tent, Sleep System, and Tarps from Brooks-Range Mountaineering (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)
Brooks-Range introduces some truly lightweight gear equally suited to winter camping or summer ultralight backpacking.
