By Rick Shandley

For its weight and function, the Marmot Home Alone Bivy is definitely worth considering as a solo backpacking shelter. The Home Alone Bivy weighs less than two pounds and packs small enough to fit inside the pack rather than lashed to the outside, or bulging under the pack lid.

It sets up and takes down in minutes.  We really enjoyed this characteristic of the Home Alone Bivy, especially when you need to get moving before dawn and get back on the trail before it gets hot or congested with other backpackers. Setting up in late afternoon or after dark is easy since you are only dealing with one hoop of pre-bent DAC aluminum pole to give the door-end of the shelter some structure. Another benefit we value is how easily this shelter lends itself to being used simply as a barrier between your sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and the ground. Yes, we had no reservations about using this completely waterproof MemBrain Strata (100-percent ripstop nylon) as a ground cloth, when the weather permitted, and the mosquitoes stayed a couple thousand feet down the mountain.

No, we really wouldn’t consider this a free-standing shelter. You stake down the foot end, stretch it out, clip up the DAC pole and

Marmot Home Alone Bivy at First Lake in High Sierra.

stake out the front end. We would love to see those nice DAC tent stakes onboard this package, but the current stakes work. And that foot area could benefit from support, such as a DAC hoop and guy-line, to give the bottom of the sack some structure and keep the waterproof fabric off the foot of the sleeping bag, along with some foot-area cross ventilation.

Marmot DAC hoop pole and clip on Home Alone Bivy.

Likewise, the front of the bivy would benefit from being able to guy it out a little to give it support, structure, and rigidity for wind, driving rain, and possibly a light snow load. But that means making more tent-like, and that’s not the purpose of a bivy sack. So we’ll take this Marmot Home Alone Bivy just like it is and appreciate the functionalities it offers. It’s a super-light weight and compact three-season shelter that is easy to pack up or slip into on short notice.

Because it is waterproof, and the only ventilation is the No-Seeum netting at the front, you do have to contend with moisture condensation at the foot of the sleeping bag in the morning. Durng our test, moisture soaked the bottom of the down sleeping bag. Though it dried quickly, it is a trade off for each day you spend on the trail. Waterproof often means non-breathable, so we suggest that you plan on keeping the front door of the bivy open as much as possible while you are in the shelter.

A gust of wind inflates the Home Alone Bivy to an ideal profile, making it a perfect solo shelter.

Once inside the Home Alone Bivy, it offered enough room for a 6’2” person weighing more than 200 pounds to feel comfortable. The weather was clear and cool at the elevations we tested the bivy in, and sleep came almost instantly. So who could complain about that? However, it was a little awkward getting into the Home Alone because of the compact size and its proximity to the ground.  Again it is a worthy trade off for the fast-and-light strategy of quick set-up and takedown in order max out your trail time. Getting out of your boots and scooting your legs into the bag without dragging dirt inside was a challenge. But certainly not a deal breaker for this bivy.

Entry to Marmot Home Alone Bivy.

We found the construction, the noiseless zipper, and most of the hardware to be of the high quality Marmot gear is known for. It might be nice if the Marmot logo on the sides of the bivy would illuminate in the beam of a flashlight at night. Finding your shelter in the dark is a safety issue and some reflectivity would be a cool feature. We can offer no real complaints about this product because it is so functional for quick get-to-sleep, hit-the-trail adventures.

Forget about head room and ample space to whip out your laptop to outline your next novel while you wait out a thunderstorm.  You get in this thing and go to sleep. You wake up, pack up, and go. That’s why we’ll use this Marmot Home Alone Bivy again and again.

Features:

• Marmot MemBrain® Strata Waterproof/Breathable Fabric
• Mesh door for ventilation
• Highly Compressible
• Single DAC pole structure – For Increased Stability and Increased Internal Space
• No-See-Um-netting
• Inside pockets – for easy reach
• Jingle-free nylon zipper pulls

Specifications:

• Number of people: Single person
• Maximum Weight: one pound, 12 ounces
• Minimum Weight: one pound, 10 ounces
• Dimensions: 26×38x96 inches
• Packed size: 5×19 inches
• Tent pole: one DAC NSL 8.5mm
• Floor Area: 19 square feet
• Floor material: 40d 100-percent nylon 3000mm thick
• Canopy material: 2.2oz/yd of Marmot MemBrain Strata 100% Nylon Ripstop
• MSRP: $250

Granite Gear Nimbus Access FZ pack offers one of the most comfortable and capable backpacks available today. Comfort, we can report after several uphill battles with elevation and rocky trails, is a standout feature you won’t see in the literature. This is a light-duty one-to-three day backpack that molds itself to your torso.

This comfort level can largely be attributed to the three dimensionally molded pack frame made from composite materials engineered to flex in the zones along the spine. The flexibility of the composite frame allows the Nimbus Access FZ pack to move with your upper torso in a more perfect relationship. Yet the three-dimensional composite pack frame always returns, no adjustment needed, to its original shape. Granite Gear describes this composite core frame design as Framesheet Technology. What it means to us is a level of comfort that gives you confidence on the trail and under the weight of your equipment.

The other prime component of comfort is the harness system Granite Gear has designed into their products in general. This harness

Click this image to check out the Nimbus harness system. It fits and flex's with your torso. You're going to like the way you look!

system offers the wearer excellent padding in all the right areas from the shoulder harness to the hip belt.  It is not only the cushioning element of the harness system, but the design vision that determined how and where the harness system contacts the torso.  Pack load is evenly distributed across the back, so no one area feels the pack weight.

At an empty 4lbs, 9oz, the Nimbus Access FZ offers 3800 cubic inches or 62-liters of gear storage. Access to your gear is excellent. With a zip away front panel, and an inner compression-strap system, you can get to any part of your kit without unloading the pack. Three composite clip-fastener straps on the interior of the front zip away panel create a compression system that keeps gear from moving around on the trail and manages bulky items in concert with the compression straps on the exterior of the pack.

All fasteners and straps seem to be of ideal gauge and composite (nylon and plastic) materials to handle the Nimbus Access FZ pack rating of about 50 pounds. Even though it is a never ending quest to get your pack as light as possible, just the fact that you will need to carry a sufficient amount of water, even for an overnight trip, your pack is gonna’ weigh enough to rely on the straps and fasteners to keep the pack load secure. We found the compression strap and strap fasteners to be well positioned on the pack and very reliable.

Nimbus Access FZ is hydration compatible. That means the pack interior has a pocket and drinking hose exits built into the pack. Drinking hose exits are located on the upper left and right sides of the top of the pack. This feature accommodated a two-liter Camelbak hydration bladder on all trips, with no issues whatsoever.

Removable and roomy, the top storage compartment of the Nimbus Access FZ is convenient to un-snap from the pack and bring your valuables inside the tent. With an empty pack at the camp site, it’s more useful to take the top compartment off so when you go to re-pack, the primary body of the the Nimbus is easier to load up without the top compartment bobbing to one side or the other.

Nimbus Access with interior compression/access enclosure.

After several day trip hikes, we already had a sense Nimbus Access would be comfortable on the back. The tell-all experience is always actually getting on the trail – with your wilderness permit — and slugging your way into the high-country with an overnight destination and full-reliance on the gear in your pack. So with the pack loaded with approximately 45 pounds of gear and water, we ventured into the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada for two nights. Getting back to the “comfort” comment at the start of this review, this trip became the defining occasion. With a rise-over-run in elevation that would cripple a sea-level donkey laden with only a child, the hike rose from the 7,500-foot elevation to right below timberline at about 10,000 feet elevation in a few miles. Terrain was typical Sierra Nevada with tons of rocky, dusty, sun –soaked exposure; enough to create a withering sensation even with no backpack on at all.

But here’s the thing; regardless of the trail conditions and the elevation, the Granite Gear Nimbus Access FZ backpack was never a

Full access to your gear is easy.

distraction in either comfort or load-carrying capability. Even at those times along the trail where a needed rest break — just leaning on my one trekking pole in the shade – did it occur to me to take the pack off! The fit and comfort of the Nimbus Access FZ was, in my experience, amongst the best. Unless there was a situation calling for dismounting the Nimbus to get something out of the pack, there was no compelling reason to take it off along the trail. Lack of comfort is usually the reason a backpack comes off while under way on a trail, and the Nimbus did not give us a reason. That’s perhaps the one thing most appreciated and valued about reviewing this backpack. Obviously when you take it off your back at the end of the day you are going to feel like a boneless chicken for about 45 minutes, but that’s a great feeling.

Removable and roomy, the top storage compartment of the Nimbus Access FZ is convenient to un-snap from the pack and bring your valuables inside the tent. With an empty pack at the camp site, it’s more useful to take the top compartment off so when you go to re-pack, the primary body of the the Nimbus is easier to load up without the top compartment bobbing to one side or the other.

This 3D suspension system, harness, and accessibility to you gear can be found in other Granite Gear backpacks of larger and less cubic inch capacity. Quality workmanship and functional design stood out with this Nimbus Access FZ, but it was the comfort that jumped out at us, on the first hike it went on. It’d be great to have a rain cover on-board the pack.  But nonetheless, we enjoyed full confidence in this cool blue backpack.

By Rick Shandley

Specifications

• Torso Sizes: Short | Regular
• Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz | 2.07kg
• Volume: 3800 Cubes | 64 Liters
• Suspension: Topoflex Internal Frame
• Load Capacity: 50lbs | 23kg
• MSRP: $279.95

Materials

• 70D Ripstop
• 210D Nylon Cordura Body
• Stretch Woven Pockets and front panel

By Dan Sanchez

The ten essentials has been the rule for must-have items since the 1930’s by Boy Scouts and mountaineers. The items are often altered or changed over time, depending on the conditions of your trip and its location. But the bare minimums do make a difference, especially in emergency situations. 

While the ten essentials should be used as a guideline, it doesn’t mean you have to stick to only ten items. You can add items that you may think you need given the situation you’ll be in.

THE TEN ESSENTIALS

1. Pocket knife: A good knife will be one of the most useful tools you can carry. It’s good for cutting rope, using as a screwdriver and many other uses. Folding knives tend to work best as they can be kept in your pack or clipped to your pant pocket. A knife with a two or three inch blade should suffice. Keep it sharp, clean and always cut away from your body. We like the Benchmade Rift 950, but there are many other knives you can consider. Some also have added tools such as a can opener, toothpick, file, and other stuff. Keep in mind that the more features it has, the heavier and bulkier it gets.

Adventure Medical Kit's AFA 2.0 is perfect for a group of up to four people and features antiseptic, wipes, bandages and more.

2. First Aid Kit: You should actually have two. A larger one to keep in your vehicle and a smaller one in your pack. Many lightweight kits come with tools and instructions to treat injuries ranging from headaches and sunburns, to a broken leg or lacerations. Most “essential” style kits have everything you need. Larger versions often just have more of the same items. A smaller kit works well if you replenish the items  you’ve used.

3. Extra Clothing: Following the basic techniques to layering allows you to adjust to the temperature and situation. An extra insulating layer and lightweight jacket don’t take too much room in your pack, but will come in handy if you’re stuck somewhere and need to stay warm. Even in summer conditions, there are areas where temperatures may drop to near freezing as the sun goes down.

4. Rain Gear: Always bring a rain jacket if you know there is slim  chance of showers in the horizon. In dry areas or in the summer months, a garbage bag can also serve as a make-shift, lightweight rain poncho in case a freak storm rolls in. A garbage bag can also serve as temporary shelter.

5. Flashlight: If you ever get lost or stranded, a flashlight can help you find your way when the sun goes down. It can also be used to signal for help. Make sure the batteries are always fresh. Some flashlights with a push-button switch can be turned on accidentally. We had a situation where one turned on in our backpack and it actually burned a hole in it and could have started a fire. So it’s a good idea to remove the batteries when it’s stored.

6. Extra Food: On a backpacking trip you always plan your meals. Make sure to bring at least one extra one just in case. Trail-mix and energy bars make for easy lightweight extra food that won’t spoil if you have to spend an extra night out. They’re also great for day hikes where you may only be planning on bringing a lunch.

An aluminum water bottle can come in handy to gather water and to also be used with a water purifying device.

7. Water Bottle: Most people will have water in their camp and may take along a 1-liter plastic water bottle on a day hike. Backpackers typically have a 2-liter water bladder, but it’s always a good idea to have a small bottle to gather water in case of an emergency.

8. Matches or Lighter: Carry a handful of wooden strike-anywhere matches. Keep them in a plastic container so that they don’t get wet. A lighter also works great, but make sure it has plenty of butane. Regularly switch out old matches for new ones as they are harder to light with age.

9. Sunscreen: While there are many types, a small bottle that protects against UVA and UVB rays will work best. Natural sun screens may require more applications if you perspire so read the labels carefully and don’t forget a hat and sunglasses.

10. Map and Compass: We hardly see people on the trail with a map and compass anymore. Most know the trails inside out, but it only takes one missed sign post or carin and you’re lost. Take the time to learn how to read a map and use a compass. It’s easy and could save you from getting lost.  We’ve also seen people with hand held GPS units that they don’t know how to use. Make sure you test it out at home and familiarize yourself on how to use it, and that the batteries are fresh.

OTHER ESSENTIAL GEAR TO CONSIDER:

Water Purifier: Being able to find water in an emergency situation is great, but you won’t be able to drink it without purifying it first. Some lightweight alternatives to carry, can be as simple as some iodine tablets or a small portable filter. We like the SteriPEN Journey as a lightweight solution to purify water with UV light, but there are others available that are also effective. See our guide to choosing a water treatment system.

Cell Phone:While you may not get good reception in a deep canyon or ravine, you can climb to the top of a hill or rock outcropping to make an emergency call. Keep in mind most cell phones have a built-in GPS system. If you have a Blackberry or iPhone, you can always Tweet for help or post it on your Facebook page.

Mosquito Repellant: This is a must during spring and summer months. There are many deet and deet free repellants available so choose what you like and what works best for you. We like the All Terrain repellants as it uses natural ingredients and has a unqiue time release application.

Forget the tent. This 15 ounce Brooks-Range UltraLite Alpini bivy sack is perfect for backpackers looking to shed weight from their load.

UltraLite backpacking has never been more popular. As more enthusiasts seek to shed weight from their packs, it’s good to know that you can carry a complete shelter that weighs only 15 ounces and doesn’t take up much space. Not everyone is into bivy sacks, but if you like going tent-less, then the Brooks-Range UltraLite Alpini bivy provides many advantages.

The UltraLite Alpini is made from Brooks-Range’s UltraLite fabric, a 20-denier rip stop nylon that is air permeable, strong, and features a custom water-resistant coating that is impregnated into the nylon. The coating won’t wear off, even after washing, and keeps the fabric waterproof under heavy rainstorms; up to a pressure of one pound per square inch. While the fabric also has a fire-retardant treatment, it is highly flammable so it should be kept away from your fire or cooking stove.

The Brooks-Range UltraLite Alpini bivy easly fits most mummy bags and the UltraLite nylon is strong, breathable and water resistant.

We really liked that the Alpini Bivy easily collapses into its own little stuff sack, that ends up being no larger than a soda can. The design features a large cover with an elastic draw cord to cinch it up tight if you need it. We used the bivy with a Eureka Riner 40 sleeping bag, as temperatures weren’t expected to reach below 20 degrees F., on a small section of the Pacific Crest Trail. But even with the threat of some light rain, it was comforting to know that the floor of the bivy is completely waterproof.   

The UltraLite Alpini bivy did not accumulate much condensation on the inside of the cover, but it did fall flat on our faces a few times. While we consider that more personal inconvenience than the actual function of the bivy, it did keep us rather warm. Consider that the UltraLite Alpini bivy is a sub-zero sack and we probably would have been better off not using the sleeping bag at all.  

One of the other nice features of the bivy is the heavy-duty zipper on the side. It makes getting in and out of the bivy much easier with a mummy sleeping bag and you don’t have to worry about water leaking through, as the zipper remains covered by the top. 

Although the UltraLite Alpini bivy is lightweight, it handled the movement and scraping on our bed of pine needles without any visible scratches.

Even if you’re not into ultralight backpacking, this bivy can be a great part of your essential emergency gear to have on hand. It’s light enough to take with you on day hikes, won’t take up much room and can provide an emergency shelter if you need it. At a retail price of $179 it’s good insurance and can make your backpacking excursions that much more enjoyable.

By Dan Sanchez

The heavy duty zipper on the side of the Brooks-Range bivy makes it easy to enter and exit.

Each CFT3 drysack shown here is available in the sizes outlined below. Suggested retail prices range from $38.00 to $48.00 U.S.

Mountain Hardwear is well known for innovation and reliability in outdoor gear, and their Hydra alpine/climbing gloves were no exception. As we often do when evaluating a piece of outdoor equipment, we took the Mt. Hardwear Hydra gloves on several trips with a variety of cold, wet, and winter weather conditions. And as we customarily do, we chose a product that our initial research suggested would be a worthy piece of kit to recommend to others.

However, our first choice was to test a pair of Mt. Hardwear Medusa insulated gloves, designed for high altitude mountaineering, when the winter of 2010 was at its coldest. But only the Hydra gloves where available to us, so we ran with it. What else could we do? The word “No” is such an indelicate word.

We figured Hydra was using most of the same technology the Medusa gloves offered, but with a lesser threshold of winter severity and comfort range. As it turned out, that scenario worked out well and compelled us to tailor our test sessions to just plain freezing cold weather.

So at this point, it’s our contention that we actually do have a good idea of how well the Medusa gloves would work simply because the Hydra’s worked so well in the applications we wore them in. That said, we would still like to evaluate the Medusa gloves on their own merits. In any event, you, the reader, can draw some insight into all the Mt. Hardwear alpine and mountaineering gloves that use the OutDry® waterproofing technology, including the Medusa.

Hydra top view. Note length of wrist gauntlets and adjustment cord.

At a combined weight of seven ounces, they are already ultra-light. You won’t have to torment yourself on color options as these finger-guards only come in black, with charcoal grey goatskin leather palms (Size range: XS, SM, MD, LG, XL). Interior gauntlet color is “Help Me” orange. And the high-pile fleece lining is not only warm and fuzzy, but it’s black as well. You can expect to pay about $100.00 for a pair for an investment that will likely last for many years of hard use.

OutDry® is the waterproof, yet breathable membrane just beneath the Hydra’s exterior shell. Hydra’s four-way stretchable glove shell is bonded to the OutDry® membrane to create a barrier to wind, water, and the piercing nature of low temperatures.  And because these construction materials are bonded together, not even the sewn glove seams are vulnerable to weather intrusion.

Goatskin leather palms allow good grip and finger dexterity.

And under the exterior weather proof shell and membrane, the Hydra gloves are lined with high-pile Velboa™ Raschel fleece for warmth. Now, the primary difference between the Hydra and Medusa gloves is what Mt. Hardwear describes as high-tenacity nylon glove shell material and include removable heavier-gauge fleece Windstopper glove liners. Not to be denied the potential for additional hand warmth, we simply used our own liner-gloves when temps dropped and our activity became more sedentary during the evening hours.

We found the long glove gauntlets (gauntlets cover the wrist and forearm) and the ability to secure the Hydra gloves over long-sleeve outerwear to be excellent, like wearing boot gaiters. The extended OutDry® and glove-shell combination along the lower forearms offered additional warmth and protection when working with the hands to manage icy objects or dig in the snow.

Goatskin leather palms of the Hydra (and the entire Mountain Hardwear OutDry® series of alpine and mountaineering gloves) are waterproof and hardy while retaining that ever so important characteristic of being pliable. In the long-run, it may be that the goatskin leather needs to be maintained with waterproofing sealants simply to keep the leather conditioned properly. The Hydra’s shell and membrane will not lose its waterproof capability, but leather of any kind needs periodic maintenance to ensure the leather lasts as long as the glove shells.

For a pair of alpine gloves with as much weather and abrasive protection as the Hydra gloves deliver, we were very happy with the dexterity and grip.

Interior view of glove gauntlet.

And when you are loaded up with your pack and outerwear for the day, gloved hands can make for some clumsy moments. Our Hydra’s worked very well for those times where we had to fasten a jacket zipper, reach for the water bottle, or set up a tent. Each glove is outfitted with a carabiner loop to clip the gloves to your gear or hang them on. You can use the clear gauntlet-adjuster tab your teeth to cinch up the gloves around your wrists.

You can question whether you really need a pair of gloves like the Mt. Hardwear Hydra gloves if your back country activities are less than full-on mountaineering or clinging to granite spires with ropes and pitons. And that’s a valid question. But we found these Hydra gloves to be extremely adept to back country pack trips, hikes, and overnight trips in cold weather.

Even now, snow and ice continue to dominate the high-country as spring blends into summer. We found these gloves are well suited for any mountain adventure where the gear you have with you is the equipment that makes or breaks the joy-factor of that experience.

Wrist-cuff adjustment tab is easy to reach and secure gloves.

When your hands are wet and cold, you’re compelled to stop and warm up. These Hydra gloves virtually eliminate wet and cold hands, and they are good for use in any upper-elevation conditions where snow, ice, rain and cold can sweep in at any time of year.

Check out the full line of Mt. Hardwear OutDry® gloves, and we’re fairly certain you’ll find a pair that will fit your application for many alpine excursions to come. Although our first choice was the Medusa gloves, we wouldn’t have experienced just how versatile and comfortable the Hydra’s turned out to be.

By the way, these Hydra’s will be on-board when trout season opens the last weekend of April in the High Sierras. No doubt, the weather will be chilly up around 8,000 feet where cold and wet is part and parcel simply to catch enough Alpers to make dinner. When the backcountry opens up, these gloves will be on the gear list.

By Rick Shandley

GSI Outdoors has updated the Pinnacle Dualist, 2-person ultra-light backpacking cook set. The Dualist offers a thoroughly thought out cook set that embodies green technology, super light weight, and versatility.

It features a crushproof lid made of BPA-Free resin prevents deformation of your pot/lid and includes an integrated strainer. There’s a convenient folding handle that locks into place for cooking and secures entire set for transport, eliminating the need for a stuff sack.

A unique bowl and mug solution gives the kit a low center of gravity and the Sip-It virtually eliminates spills. And the integrated insulating sleeve keeps your drinks hot. Then there’s the ingenious, welded stuff sack holds set while traveling and doubles as a sink or wash basin in camp. MSRP: $59.95

You might also be interested in any one of several brand new GSI Outdoor cooking sets for backpacking, base camps, pack horse outfitters, and good old fashioned car camping. GSI specializes in bringing well designed outdoor gear that offers durability and a touch of class along with pure function in the back country. You might spend some time at: www.gsioutdoors.com for a more complete look at all they offer folks bent on getting some fresh air.

About the GSI Pinnacle Series

Pinnacle series cookware uses Teflon® with Radiance technology which has been tested and approved expressly for campware use. The secret lies in a specially-formulated topcoat engineered to enhance heat dispersion and virtually eliminate hot spots. Moreover, the three layer coating was built to survive the toughest conditions and boasts an unprecedented level of scratch and abrasion resistance. It’s even safe for use with most metal utensils!

Green Technology and Weight Savings

A major leap forward in clean and green plastics, Infinity is an ultra-lightweight, completely recyclable, BPA-Free alternative to Polycarbonate resins. With exceptional clarity, jewel-like brilliance and 25% weight savings over Polycarbonate; its beauty is truly inspired. Furthermore, Infinity will not absorb food odors like other plastics and will not leach plasticizers or other chemicals into either food or beverage. It’s even dishwasher safe and actually becomes more stain-resistant with every wash. Infinity: a final product which is far beyond the sum of its parts.

Merrell Outbound Mid Leather backpacking boots deliver comfort, firmness of sole, and ankle support you’ll need in the back country.  Although the Merrell Outbound Mid Leather backpacking boots are not specifically designed, nor rated for, severe cold weather use, they ran into some stiff weather nonetheless. Because of the waterproof GORE-TEX Gasket construction, GORE-TEX Performance Comfort Lining treated with Aegis (bacteria control) and waterproof full-grain leather boot uppers, these Outbound boots kept the feet dry and warm (with two pair of wool boot socks) in temperatures down to 20-d

If you’ll recall, it wasn’t all that long ago where the best you could do for setting up your boots for winter weather was to waterproof the uppers, seal the sole welts, and wear more than one pair of winter socks — a lighter inner pair and a heavy-wool outer pair. Modern boot insulation materials were not as available as they are today. The point being, these Merrell Outbound boots are waterproof to begin with and they worked great in cold weather with two pair of boot socks on each foot.

The Outbound boots we tested required no significant break-in period, as they were comfortable and ready to work soon as they were laced up. We say this because the first trip they were worn on took us into fairly rugged terrain with dropping temperatures, mud, ice, slush, and a couple feet of snow fall. There were no dry, summer-like, trail or test scenarios for this boot during our core-evaluation time. It was all nasty weather and, perhaps, colder than ideal.

Voids between lugs allowed good self-cleaning in mud and snow. The Vibram outsoles offered solid traction on dry trails, and in wet, slushy conditions.

Comfort kicks in soon as you slip your feet into a pair. Your feet bottoms rest on 4.5mm thick (.2-inch) Ortholite foot bed and Grade 4 Spring Motion insole, a combination designed to work with the padded, yet breathable bellows tongue, and padded Lycra boot-top collar. Merrell mid-sole Air Cushion technology enables the boot suspension to absorb trail-contact shock up to four times the body weight. If you pull out the foot bed, you’ll notice the indented impression at the heel end of each boot. This pronounced cup is a central construction feature that keeps the heel centered and stable in the boot. Adding to this notion of comfort and stability is the silicone molded synthetic instep and heel stability arm, exterior full-length toe and heel bumpers, and deep lug (7mm) Outbound Vibram soles.

All this is cinched to your foot with robust metal hook and eyelet lacing system that secures the laces without abrasion. Laces are long enough for a single wrap around the boot collar before tie-off, which is nice for that extra snug feel. The padded boot tongue not only adds comfort, but it helps when you take long strides and, with every step, your shin is in full contact with the front, tongue padded, part of the boot.

With pack weights of 40 to 50 pounds, Merrell Outbound boots provided the kind of ankle and foot support you’ll need for multi-day and long-mileage trips with significant pack weights. These are true backpacking boots! Outbound has the integrated foot-bed, insole, midsole, and outsole technology built into these boots to cushion and absorb those trail shocks your body endures with a heavy pack on. They are designed with enough outsole rigidity to provide stability with a heavy pack on, and with enough ankle and foot support to protect your ankles from being easily twisted on rocks and uneven ground.

Packed up and on the trail, the Merrell Outbound Mid Leather boots lacked nothing.

For those of you researching a true backpacking boot that has all the design characteristics, plus a relatively light physical weight (3.5 pounds for men’s), that you need to literally live in them for days at a time, these are boots you are wise to consider. They retail at a price point of $210.00 a pair. They look good, work perfect with a pack on, and they never were less than completely comfortable. No blisters, no hot spots. There is no reason to think the Merrell Outbound Mid are anything less than high-quality backpacking boots that’ll return your 105 bucks investment per foot on a single multi-day trip into the backcountry. They are available in men’s sizes: 7-12, 13, 14, and 15.

It would be great if these boots were crampon and snow-shoe compatible as they also proved very capable of protecting the feet in mild to moderately cold temperatures outdoors. Outbound Mid Leathers are right on the borderline of being boots you can drive a vehicle in comfort. They are a little more specialized that that. Although during one test trip in winter conditions, these boots were exclusively worn while driving a pickup on icy, ugly, snow covered dirt road mountain terrain, and they were the only boots capable enough to keep the feet warm, dry, and comfortable for several days. Recommended? It would be irresponsible not to.

Jansport’s Big Bear 82 backpack is work horse gifted with a comfortable saddle. We packed the Big Bear for late summer hikes where most of the gear is relatively compact and light, with the exception of the heavier water loads carried for the dry climate forests we visited. The Big Bear handled summer-weight gear loads well. And we had this pack loaded with winter gear with snow on the ground and very cold temperatures that could cause side-locking buckles and strap buckles to become brittle and break if they were not up to the low-temp conditions. We were happy to witness the Big Bear 82 is up to cold weather use, and the strap locks performed well.

S-shaped shoulder straps worked great with the internal frame using vertical tubular stays that supported various load sizes (30 to 50 pounds) with aplomb.  Generous and well constructed torso padding supporting the lower back and the spine offered good comfort, even on longer hikes and heavier load weights. The hip belt padding is also dialed-in just right and we had no problems with the gauge, strength, and adjustability of the large side-release composite buckle.

When tightening the shoulder straps to fit real snug, while underway on the trail, the adjustment buckles would slip. That’s not cool. This would occur with heavier load weights when using both the chest strap and hip belt.  At an empty weight slightly less than four pounds, the Big Bear is pretty light. Yet, in the quest for manufacturers to keep the empty pack weight low and relatively strong, there is a tendency among several manufacturers to use light-gauge hardware (composite materials such as nylon and plastic) for the side-release buckles and strap adjusters. The downside of dealing with super-light fasteners on the trail is the potential for either breaking or slipping.

An interior hydration bladder pocket and drinking tube outlet are thoughtfully built into the Big Bear 82. The water tube outlet is located in the top center of the pack so the mouthpiece can be accessed from the left or right-hand side. The bladder pocket fit a two-liter Camelbak hydration system easily and should accommodate a three-liter bladder also.

Interior hydration pocket holds a two-liter bladder. Note the drinking tube exits through top center of backpack.

An exterior bungee compression cord system worked great for containing the down sweater after the morning chill has worn off. It works just as well for transporting trekking poles, or other gear, that you’ll want access to without digging for it or having to stow it away on the interior.

A rain cover fitted to the outside dimensions of a full pack would seem to be a valued addition as standard equipment for the Big Bear 82. Also gusseted and standard strap slots at the top and bottom of the pack would be an asset, especially when you have to transport your tent and sleeping bag on the exterior of the pack.

For summer trips, a lightweight sleeping bag will compress down well enough to transport it in the main cargo compartment, but not a winter-weight down sleeping bag; it will have to have a place on the exterior of the pack or it will take up too much of the main cargo area of the Big Bear 82.

Some folks just stuff their down sleeping bag and their tent into the main compartment of a backpack, and it works for some people. But multi-day trips require compactness and organization of gear and food, so exterior lash points for the tent and sleeping bag would be valuable options to use if needed for the Big Bear 82.

As chilly days and cold nights of late fall and early winter start to set in, winter gear gets a little heavier and bulkier. This is where the top-loading main storage compartment, with the expandable storage, and double-sealing collars really shined for us.  

Hydration tube exits out of the backpack at top center for easy access.

Hauling winter gear and transporting equipment to a base camp represent quite a weight and bulk increase that requires the backpack to adjust (expand) upwards. So instead of cinching tight all the compression straps at the sides and top of the pack, like you would on a two-day backpack in the spring, all straps are let out to accommodate more bulky equipment while still being able to compress the pack contents so the load won’t shift while hiking. The Big Bear 82 did very good in this area. When you consider a full water bladder inside the pack, your cooking gear, food (and extra food just in case), heavier down sleeping bag, heavier down jacket (vs. down sweater), cold-weather gloves, winter boot socks, and cold-weather pants.  The bulk and weight adds up.

A winter sleeping bag for example, one capable of keeping you warm when temps drop below freezing will be, perhaps, two pounds heavier than a summer-weight down sleeping bag and not nearly as compact, even with compression straps on the stuff sack. Your four-season tent, with footprint, and longer tent stakes will add weight. Your boots will be heavier. Most everything you bring will be heavier gauge in both fabric weight and physical weight. The Big Bear 82 can handle the weight and bulk with a reasonable comfort level, and that’s what stood out.

Exterior mesh pocket works fine for storing wet or damp items.

Big Bear worked very well for us, in general. A large exterior front pocket, with heavy-duty zipper, is deep enough to store items that are relatively flat, and ones you’ll want easy access to. A smaller mesh laced pocket, with zipper, is on the outside of the large front pocket. The deep mesh pockets on either side of the Big Bear 82 worked well for storing water bottles, gloves, and watchman’s cap. What seemed to be missing from this heavy hauler pack are zippered access into the main cargo area from the front; access that would allow one to pluck out the stove at lunch break without unpacking to retrieve it. It would also be good to see an adequately sized sleeping bag compartment with a zippered roof panel to have the option of a separate compartment or the full cargo capacity of an open primary top loaded pack compartment.

Jansport’s Big Bear 82 is a reasonably priced and very capable load hauling backpack. Because we had this pack on late summer, fall, and early winter trips, it was scrutinized over a period of time. Make to mistake, this is a solid pack that was very comfortable on the trail. But since it was used more, it was judged more often, and it passed with flying colors.

 By Rick Shandley

Main pack compartment collar seal.

Specifications:

Colors:

– Grey Humboldt

– Cilantro Green

When you’re backpacking in cold and high-altitude, you need a stove that can light easily and get  hot quickly. The MSR Reactor stove does both quite effectively.  First, it’s easy to light while you’re wearing gloves and the stove’s radiant burner glows hot, indicating it’s ready to be used.

The stove features a heat exchanger that allows it to work in windy conditions and also makes the Reactor Stove very efficient. When used with MSR’s ISOPRO fuel, which contains and 80/20 percent blend of isobutane and propane, the Reactor Stove burns extraordinarily clean.

The MSR Reactor stove weighs over 1lbs. but is compact and easy to opeate, even if you're wearing thick gloves.

But if you’re into super lightweight packing, the Reactor may be one of the heaviest pieces of gear in your pack. It weighs in at 1lbs. 2.2 ounces which is much heavier than other ultra-light stoves that can weigh anywhere from 3 to 11 ounces. Yet, if you’re willing to put up with the extra weight, you’ll find that the Reactor is still very compact and stows inside a 1.7 liter pot, which can handle most of your individual cooking needs. In our experience, we didn’t need much else other than a spoon and fork.

MSR claims that the Reactor stove heats quickly. Our experience with the stove allowed us to boil a liter of water in less than two minutes at low elevations, and at slightly less than three minutes at higher altitudes. When lit, we found that it takes several tries to get the flame adjuster in the right positon to provide a medium level of heat for simmering.

While we liked the Reactor stove’s function, cleanliness and efficiency, we didn’t like that  you couldn’t use any other type of pot or pan on it. One might argue that the Reactor is not a base-camp stove and is designed for experienced backpackers and mountaineers. But the reality is that many of us like to fry up the day’s catch from high-country streams. 

Because of this, we found ourselves limited to only packing soups, stews and whatever we could make with boiled water on our trips. Not a total tragedy by any means, but these backpackers missed their morning pancakes.

The MSR Reactor stove retails around $160 which may seem a little high, but considering that it comes with a pot, lid, pack towel and fuel canister, it’s probably everything you’ll ever need in a backpacking stove.

www.MSRGear.com

By Dan Sanchez

The MSR Reactor stove stores in its 1.7 liter pot. The only disadvantage is that you can't use it with any other type of pan.