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Backpacking Light

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You are here: Home / Archives for Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Dive into the "how things work" side of lightweight backpacking gear and techniques. Our S&T articles include summaries of testing reports, research projects, and more. Discover the validity of manufacturer claims, the scientific basis of design, or how and why equipment performs differently in response to various environmental conditions.

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By the Numbers: Thermal Performance Measurements of Synthetic Insulations

Apr 2, 2021 by Stephen Seeber

Stephen Seeber presents measurements of several market-leading insulations along with four performance metrics to help judge their performance.

climashield apex, polartec, synthetic, synthetic insulation

Lipstick on a Pig? Wind & Cold Temperature Testing of the Jetboil Stash (StoveBench)

Mar 26, 2021 by Ryan Jordan

Backpacking Light publisher Ryan Jordan subjects the Jetboil Stash to the StoveBench testing protocol to answer the pressing question: is this innovation, or lipstick on a pig?

cooking systems, heat exchanger, jetboil, stove systems, stovebench, stoves

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Standards Watch: Standards Are Important (But Not Enough)

Mar 19, 2021 by Rex Sanders

Rex Sanders illustrates how difficult it can be to make accurate product comparisons based on manufacturer-provided data.

active insulation, arc'teryx, beanie, fleece, hoody, jacket, montbell, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, R-value, rei, REI co-op, standards, Standards Watch, temperature ratings, wind shirts

By the Numbers: If You Carry a Space Blanket, Buyer Beware

Mar 5, 2021 by Stephen Seeber

Stephen Seeber tests the infrared reflective properties of space blankets.

by the numbers, Field and Stream, safety, Sleep System, SOL, space blanket, survival blanket, testing

On Heatsinks and Thermal Balance

Feb 16, 2021 by Roger Caffin

Roger Caffin troubleshoots the heat shunt on V4 of his inverted canister stove design.

canister stove, heat sink, inverted canister stove, roger caffin, stovebench, stoves, technology, testing, titanium, v4

Unlimited Podcast 002 | Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings

Oct 13, 2020 by Backpacking Light

In this Unlimited video podcast, Rex Sanders and Ryan Jordan discuss sleeping bag temperature ratings, the ISO 23537 temperature rating standard, and how consumers can interpret the standard to make better buying decisions.

ISO, sleeping bags, technology

Standards Watch: Sleeping Bag Temperature Ratings

Sep 22, 2020 by Rex Sanders

In this installment of Standards Watch, Rex Sanders tackles sleeping bag ratings: the standard, the pros, and the cons.

column, EN, ISO, Sleep System, sleeping bags, sleeping clothes, sleeping pad, Standards Watch, temperature ratings

Measuring Waterproofness in Outdoor Performance Fabrics with a DIY Hydrostatic Pressure Test Device at Home

Mar 10, 2020 by Roger Caffin

In this article, I present a DIY testing device (and test results for 30 fabrics) that allows me to measure the hydrostatic head of “waterproof’ fabrics at home.

dimension-polyant, extremtextil, goretex, westmark

Is a heat exchanger pot worth the weight?

Mar 2, 2020 by Roger Caffin

This article attempts to determine how a heat exchanger welded to the bottom of a pot actually affects fuel consumption.

canister stoves, mountain safety research, msr, stove systems

Estimating the Age (Lifespan) of Your Backcountry Water Filter

Aug 16, 2019 by Jon Fong

The goal of this test is to determine the effective age of your backpacking water filter based on comparing its current flowrate to its flowrate when new.

befree, gravity, katadyn, Sawyer, water filter, water filtration, water treatment

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