Flash Reviews No. 2

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Welcome to Flash Reviews, a new column at Backpacking Light.

Flash Reviews will feature short, introductory reviews of selected products that may be new on the market, have not yet received "official" press at backpackinglight.com, or may be just outside the scope of our core product review program to warrant a full review.

This column will allow us to feature more gear than ever before in a unique context - actual user experience from a wide variety of authors. The source of the gear may come from different places - the gear may have been submitted for review by a manufacturer (either solicited or unsolicited) or purchased by the author. In any case, you'll get our honest and sometimes frank opinions about how this gear works for us.

Flash Reviews, in all cases, will represent gear that is new to the author writing the column issue. Our hope is that the author could provide their fresh perspective on gear that is new to them, and review it in the context of their kit, how that new gear might find a place in their kit, and what the new gear might replace for them.

We hope this column provides value and interest to the reader, so please leave your feedback in the forum below as we allow you to help us evolve this column.

If you are interested in writing a Flash Reviews column, please submit your proposal via our Story Submission Form.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

What are "Flash Reviews?"
Issue No. 2
- Deuce of Spades
- Helinox Ground Chair
- Vargo Titanium Pot Lifter vs. MSR LiteLifter

# WORDS: 1220
# PHOTOS: 3

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Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

Author

Posts
Oct 14, 2014 at 10:48 pm #1321794

Ryan Jordan
Admin

@ryan
Locale: Central Rockies

Companion forum thread to:

Flash Reviews No. 2: Deuce of Spades, Helinox Ground Chair, and Vargo vs. MSR Pot Lifters

Oct 15, 2014 at 1:50 am #2141737

Joel Benford
Spectator

@morte66
Locale: Surrey flatlands, England

The community is judging you. It is judging you hard.

Man, that chair looks comfy.

Oct 15, 2014 at 5:56 am #2141750

Ken Thompson
BPL Member

@here
Locale: Right there

All supplied links do not work. Broken compass message.

No photo of the MSR pot lifter seems weird.

Chair looks almost comfy. Not as comfy as a hammock, but…

Oct 15, 2014 at 8:43 am #2141794

David White
BPL Member

@davidw
Locale: Midwest

I'm lucky enough to own and have used 2 out of the 3 products in the review.

The Deuce of Spades really is an excellent product and easily replaced the snow stake I used before. Why? It's lighter, it fits conveniently into the same bag I put my TP in, and it "cuts" the earth better than the stake ever did. Really a nice product.

I know I'll get grief about it; but I LOVE my Ground Chair. I'm old enough that I'm now getting senior citizen discounts regularly and I have a "twitchy" back that causes me a lot of problems. This chair helps a lot.

I previously used an Alite Mantis; but the legs had a tendency to sink into the earth (usually only on one side so that I ended up tipping over). The design of the Ground Chair makes it only sink a little bit before it stops.

On the down side, it sits so low to the ground that it does require a bit of technique to get in and out of it easily. Once the technique is down you'll have no problems.

I'd skip the chair and it's associated weight if I was planning to hike all day long. But if I'm going to spend any time in the campsite, then this chair is going with me.

In closing, I'm really enjoying the new BPL features: Flash Reviews and the new News Digest. Great features that helped convince me to re-up for a membership after several years absence. Thanks guys!

Oct 15, 2014 at 9:49 am #2141810

Jeffs Eleven
BPL Member

@woodenwizard
Locale: NePo

When are we gonna see the review of the Little Deuce Scoop?
It'll dig a hole in the Deuce of Spades.

…Deuce of Spades…. Bah!

Oct 15, 2014 at 11:32 am #2141848

Matt Karlgaard
BPL Member

@kgkicker
Locale: North Central Minnesota

Another, lighter option is a hammock. It can be used as an upright chair or a recliner. I have the 7 oz grand trunk nano 7. With my homemade straps + paracord the setup is <11 oz. I still prefer to sleep on the ground at night, but overall my weight is about the same as it would be if I had a hammock sleep system set up. I'm going to take a 3-4 day trip this fall and will bring it along for the first time on an ultralight trip. We always bring our ENO doublenest (slightly heavier setup) when I go with my wife and/or kids on a canoe or hiking trip and it is very popular!

Oct 15, 2014 at 12:26 pm #2141866

Jenny A
BPL Member

@jennifera
Locale: Front Range

I had a chance to lay hands on the Deuce of Spades at our local hardware store. Impressively light and seems plenty up to the task it's designed for. I'll probably end up buying one. But I will still keep my original Sea to Summit "IPood" (now marketed as the Sea to Summit Pocket Trowel, hmm, bet some lawyers got involved with that one) just because I like the name!

Oct 16, 2014 at 10:11 am #2142103

John Little
Member

@xjohn
Locale: Midwest

Let us in on your latest total UL backpacking list. I seems my pack weight just won't go down and the thought of a chair makes me cringe. So what does your latest UL list look like with base weight?

John

Oct 16, 2014 at 10:20 am #2142107

Chris C
BPL Member

@cvcass
Locale: State of Jefferson

I see a chair AND an MSR Reactor in the picture, must have taken a pack mule to haul all that weight in to the backcountry….

Oct 16, 2014 at 10:52 am #2142115

J David Sullivan
BPL Member

@sipseyfreak
Locale: Deep South

I'm old and don't have a great back. Twice I've thrown my chair on the top of my pack and have never been sorry. It's so good to relax around a fire–I mean really relax … I've fallen asleep in mine … but, then again, I'm old and drift off in the middle of conversations with Jeff. I'm not necessarily saying that he's boring, but he does tend to rattle on and on about the Little Deuce Scoop.

Oct 16, 2014 at 11:09 am #2142125

Daniel D
BPL Member

@dandru
Locale: Down Under

Do I take it or not, depends on who I'm walking with and how far but this weekend it's going. My friends will be slow because they don't know how to travel light, so I'll be doing a bit of waiting/sitting along the way.

Oct 16, 2014 at 9:18 pm #2142330

Keith Selbo
Spectator

@herman666
Locale: Northern Virginia

the Coffey Chair uses trekking poles to keep weight down. I sit on my neo-air and use my pack for a backrest. The only added weight is a couple of ounces of rope in a loop that goes behind my pack and under my feet. I have to keep my shoes on though. Hammock is still the best when I use it. I especially appreciate hammock and tarp combo when it is raining. Sitting on the pack when it's stuffed with gear works pretty well for me on the trail.

Always seem to be able to kick a hole with my heel faster than I can dig one with a trowel.
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Flash Reviews No. 2

By BPL Test

Member Exclusive

By BPL Test

Free Handbook

Get ultralight backpacking skills, gear info, philosophy, news, and more.

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