The North Face Prophet 52

The Prophet 52 is a 54-58 liter technical pack with the climber and backpacker in mind.  It is part of the Summit Series which is not just another marketing label, but it means that it was athlete tested to make sure it can hold up to the high expectations of the most extreme outdoors people.  The fabric used in the North Face Prophet 52 is the Cordura Bombastic fabric.  If you aren’t aware of Cordura yet, it is one of the textile fabric’s that manufactures use when fabric durability is a must.  Cordura also makes fabrics for the U.S. Armed forces if that gives you some insight.  For added durability of the pack, the bottom of the Prophet 52 has two layers of fabric since this is one of the area’s that gets most abuse.  For me personally, the bottom of a pack takes the most abuse.

North Face Prophet 52

The Prophet 52 is very lightweight weighing in at 3 lbs 6oz. for a medium and 3lbs 8oz. for a large.  This is good when you’re on an ascent and trying to keep the weight down.  On the downside of lightweight, you don’t always get a cushy ride you get with a traditional pack.  The shoulder straps on the Prophet 52 don’t have a whole lot of padding, which over a 2-day 28 mile backpacking trip had me wanting a little more padding. The same goes for the hip belt.  Another area in which the Prophet 52 is able to cut weight is through the 2 removable aluminum stays in the back panel.  These stays are pretty easy to remove and put back into the pack if this is something you are interested in.

For pockets and storage, the Prophet 52 has everything you should need.  For the main compartment, I found there to be plenty of room for a 650 fill 15 degree sleeping back, a lightweight 2 person tent, an ultralight down jacket, a pair of pants, shorts, socks, backpacking stove and cooking equipment, and food.  I also was able to use the internal reservoir pocket for my 3 liter bladder.  On the outside of the pack, there are two larger side pockets near the waste, one on each side.  There is an elastic band that gives you some tension to keep water bottles and other gear in, but I would like to see a little more tension in the elastic for a more secure fit.  There is the standard outside pocket that goes down the center of the pack with a bungee attached to the outside of it.  This is perfect for items you want easy access to.  I usually store dog leashes, light jackets, and a little food in this area.  The top loading cover has 3 compartments to organize your goods in and is easily removable through two clips.

For other forms of outside storage, there are two compression straps on each side of the pack that are red and easily recognizable.  This can be good for storing a sleeping pad, tent, skis, etc.  There are also bungees near the top of the pack and gear loops at the bottom of the pack which I used for trekking pole storage, but they also could work great to storing climbing gear.  To help with visibility, there are reflective pieces on almost every side of the pack.  This could be good if you are in an emergency and need to be seen during the night. The Prophet 52 has a narrow fit, meaning it looks more tall and thin on your back verses short and wide.  I am ok with both styles, but if you prefer a more narrow fitting pack, this could be a good option.

When buying a headlamp, many people think all they need/want is a light that turns on and off with maybe a few light settings.  As technology is changing our lives with facebook, iPods, smartphones, etc; it’s also changing how we play outdoors.  I’ve been testing out the Black Diamond Spot Headlamp and while it might look basic from the outside, it is anything but.

The Black Diamond Spot Headlamp is full of innovative features that some people might have never thought of, but will definitely use.  For starters, the BD Spot comes with a dimmer switch that allows the user to pick the exact lighting preference they want.  This comes in useful if you are doing a little reading and don’t need the full 75 lumens allowing you to save some battery life.  For regular lighting, there are two options to choose from.  You can choose from one large white LED located in the center of the Spot headlamp or you can choose from using the two white LED’s on the outer part of the headlamp.  The outer lights don’t shine as far, but they save on battery life.  There is another option to use red LED’s which help prevent you from getting night blindness.

For emergency situation or if you want to throw a party in your tent, there is a strobe light feature by pressing the button 3 times. This strobe can be used with both the red and white LED’s.  One feature that I haven’t seen on other headlamps is the locking feature.  By pressing down the on/off button for 6 seconds, you can lock the headlamps, so you won’t accidently turn it on.  To unlock it, you just need to hold down the button for another 6 seconds.  If you’re headed out for a trip and not sure if your batteries are charged enough for your adventure, there is a battery indicator which tells you how much juice you have with different light indicators.  It is also neat to see that you will get one light color when using the large center LED and another color when using the two outer LED’s.  The headband on the BD Spot has a number of fun color and design options for those that want to add a little flair.  5 years ago, you would pay $80-$100 dollars for a headlamp with fewer features, today the retail price for the Black Diamond Spot is $40.  Not too shabby…  For more information on the BD Spot Headlamp, please visit BlackDiamondEquipment.com

LED Type : 1 DoublePower, 4 SinglePower (2 white, 2 red)
Lumens : 75
Max Distances : 70 m (DoublePower LED); 15 m (2 SinglePower LEDs)
Max Burn Time : 200 H (DoublePower LED); 250 H (2 SinglePower LEDs)
Batteries : 3 AAA included
Weight Without Batteries : 54 g (1.9 oz)

The Eureka Casper 15 is a synthetic sleeping bag that might be a few ounces heavier than the $400 down sleeping bag next to it at REI or EMS, but it has many of the other quality features that you want in a sleeping bag for backpacking or car camping.  The Casper 15 has a mummy style shape to it which helps shave a lot of weight compared to a rectangular sleeping bag.  Some people like this shape of bag because it allows them to shave weight while others feel they are a little closed in with not enough room to move around.  My personal preference is to have something somewhere in between because I like to keep weight down, but I flip and flop a lot while I sleep.  Along with the shape of the sleeping bag, I find it important to have a foot box that isn’t too cramped.  For whatever reason, I like the ability to move my feet around when in a sleeping bag.  The Eureka Casper 15 foot box allows for plenty of foot movement.

I tested this sleeping bag out on a recent trip coastal trip in California and the temperature of the Eureka Casper 15 hit the spot. The most the temperatures dipped down to during my trip was 50 degrees.  A 30-40 degree sleeping bag would have done just fine, but I think a 15 or 20 degree bag is an ideal option for many as it lets you camp in warmth in most climates.  And while the low was 50 degrees and I was using a 15 degree bag, I didn’t feel the Casper 15 to be too warm for me.  Once again, this can change from person to person.  When camping in colder temperatures and every bit of warmth is important, a draft tube that runs along the zipper is a nice feature to have.  Since the zipper has many small holes where warm air can escape, a draft tube can block that warm air from escaping.

The weight of the Eureka 15 with its compression sack is 3lbs. and depending on who you talk to, this could be considered light or heavy.  I found this weight to be somewhere in the middle for a synthetic sleeping bag.  For someone backpacking over a weekend, the added weight usually isn’t too bad, but if you are backpacking an extended period of time, a lighter bag would be more preferable.  If there are any negatives or tips for the next upgrade, I would like to see some straps on the bottom of the sleeping bag that attach to a sleeping pad, this way the sleeping bag stays right side up.  A few times while camping, I woke up to find the bottom of the sleeping bag facing the tent ceiling.

After testing the Eureka Casper 15 on a number of camping and backpacking trips, I find this sleeping bag is best suited for those that are looking for a quality sleeping bag, but doesn’t necessarily need or want to spend a lot of money.  At a price point of $99 for a regular and $105 for a long, the Casper 15 is a good value for a quality synthetic sleeping bag.  For more information, please visit EurekaTent.com

I’ve tested out the towelette form of the product line and found it to be pretty convenient.  The towelettes come in a package of two, which is sure to cover almost any body size.  The package is nice because you can easily stash them in a backpack without taking up a lot of room.  It’s also nice because you don’t have to worry about the package leaking which sometimes happen with bug spray bottles.  The smell of BugBand towelettes isn’t the most appealing.  It doesn’t smell like your standard bug spray, but it has its own unique stinky smell.  This is something that you get used to pretty quick and when in the great outdoors, it’s not something that is too bothersome.  Something that is a little different from spray insect repellent is that you can store the towelette in its package after use and reuse it as long as it has some moisture.  If it dries up, you can also add a little water to it to get more life out of the towelette.

BugBand is base out of Cartersville, Georgia, ie. the south, bug heaven!  You figure that people making a bug repellent in the South have to get it right since it’s so important to protect yourself from bugs in that region of the U.S.  The BugBand Towelettes can be used for camping, fishing, hiking, golfing, hunting, and any other activity where those pesky little creatures might be found.  For more information on where you can buy BugBand products, please visitBugBand.net

One of the most versatile temperature rating in a sleeping bag is 15 degrees Fahrenheit in my mind.  15 degree sleeping bags are 3-season bags as winter temperatures often can dip below the 15 degree threshold and at that point, you usually want a 0-degree sleeping bag.  Typically while backpacking and car camping I like to have a sleeping bag that can keep me warm in most temperatures in the spring, summer, and fall months.

This season, I have taken the Sierra Designs Pyro 15 on a hut trip in February where the temperatures dipped down to 0 degrees outside, but the cabin temperatures on the inside only dipped down to 20 or 30 degrees when the fire went out at night.  The Pyro 15 in this situation kept me plenty warm overnight. I’ve also taken the Pyro 15 on other camping trips in the Rocky Mountains and I was happy with the temperature performance of the sleeping bag. Trying to sleep when your body is trying to generate heat is nearly impossible, so having a good sleeping bag that stays true to its temperature rating is important.

The Sierra Designs Pyro 15 features a 600-fill down insulation which is my down fill minimum preferred in a sleeping bag.  One of the benefits of using a 600-fill sleeping bag is that you often can save over $100 and only add a few ounces and a little added size over similar 800 down fill sleeping bags.  If you camp a few times a year and want a quality affordable sleeping bag, a 600-fill down sleeping bag such as the Pyro 15 is a perfect option.

Zipper Snap Protection

The Sierra Designs Pyro 15 is unique in that it places more insulation where warmth is most needed, the core.  So to help keep your core warm, Sierra Designs has added extra down insulation on the top side from the thigh section to your head.  The shin section of the bag has a little less insulation as this area doesn’t need as much heat as other areas of the body.  One thing that I run into in a lot of lower grade sleeping bags is that my zipper always gets caught on the fabric.  I usually don’t tear the fabric, but over time a rip is almost eminent.  The Pyro 15 has a piece of fabric on each side of the zipper that helps keep the zipper from getting caught on the outer shell.  I have to admit, the zipper has gotten snagged, but far less often than other sleeping bags I have used.  For those of you using a foam or air mat such as a Thermarest, the Pyro 15 has two straps on the bottom of the bag that wraps around the mat so you aren’t sliding off the mat during the middle of the night.  This is something that I really liked in this sleeping bag.

When you’re backpacking or trying to travel as light as possible, a bulky pillow is the last thing you want to bring along with you.  No need to worry, Sierra Designs has come to the rescue and added a pocket underneath the head section in the sleeping bag where you can stash some clothes that take the place of a pillow.  It’s a nice little feature in my mind…  Another nice feature in the Sierra Designs Pyro 15 is the waterproof outer shell.  I personally didn’t get caught in a rain storm nor did I encounter any nighttime condensation.  I did however run the sleeping bag under a garden hose for 3 minutes and it stayed completely dry inside.

The Pyro 15 comes in a size regular that fits up to someone who is 6’0 tall (I am 6’0 tall and a regular fit fine) and a Long which fits up to a someone 6’6. The Pyro 15 is a mummy style sleeping bag with a hip girth at 58/60 inches, this is pretty standard among similar sleeping bags.  I weight 178 with a size 32 hips and I was plenty comfortable in the Pyro 15.  Overall, I find the Sierra Designs Pyro 15 to be a quality made sleeping bag at a great value.  For more information, please visit SierraDesigns.com

MSRP $250 for the regular and $270 for the Long

I have always wanted an ultralight and portable backpacking stove that doesn’t sacrifice on cooking performance and the snow peak Gigapower Auto Stove might be the answer.  The Gigapower is a canister-fuel powered camp stove that packs down to about as small as you could possibly get away with while still offering strong heating ability.  Snow peak is known for their high-quality, lightweight cook wear and the Gigapower Auto Stove keeps up the tradition.

As mentioned before, you’d be hard pressed to make a stove that could pack down smaller than the Gigapower.  Every part of the little stove serves a purpose and superfluous materials have been stripped out.  The stove weighs an impressive 3.75 oz, which is great for anyone trying to keep their load light.  The four pot holder trivets fold up directly over the heating element and allow the stove to fit into an included storage case that is amazingly tiny and can slip into just about any little space you can find in your pack.  I love that I can store it easily in a small pot set and still have plenty of room for some dry food.  The build quality of the unit is top notch and I don’t foresee anything breaking easily during normal use.

A seemingly simple but awesome feature of the Gigapower Auto Stove is the automatic igniter that lights the unit with a simple button push.  The igniter is a piezo-electric type so it does not require batteries and should last a very long time unless the crystal breaks.  I found the starter to be reliable but it’s always smart to have matches as a backup; they should be in your emergency kit when backpacking anyways.  The flame control consists of a spring loaded wire handle that drops down when the stove is removed from its case.  To ignite, you open the flame control a little bit and push the starter.

Snow peak claims a boil time of 4 min. 48 seconds for 1 liter of water and I wanted to test out the numbers for myself.  Because I also wanted to test out snow peak’s titanium pot I had, I didn’t use a liter but used 25 oz’s instead.  The stove sounds like a rocket engine on full power so I expected speedy results.  I was not disappointed as the 25 oz’s of water hit boiling at 3 min. 28 seconds, which is perfectly fast for my needs.  This test was performed at 5280 feet and remember that elevation will have a big impact on stove performance so take that in to consideration when comparing boiling times.

My next test was to cook up a couple pieces of bacon and I wanted to see how the flame control handled lower temperatures.  I like to cook my bacon at a lower heat and let it crisp up slowly. Here is one area where the Gigapower has trouble matching its larger competitors.  To get a lower flame, I basically had to turn the control to the point right before shutting off the gas. Even there, I wasn’t able to get a great simmer so I wouldn’t recommend this stove if you rely on really low heat in your camp cooking.  On the bright side, I did find the stove to provide an even heat dispersion, given the small heating element.  One other positive note is that I found the use of 4 pot supports to be superior to the 3 you find on a lot of backpacking stoves.  I found they made me less nervous about my cookware sliding off.

I would definitely recommend the Gigapower Auto Stove from snow peak to anyone in the market for an ultralight backpacking stove.  I have already placed it inside my backpacking cookset, where I expect it to stay for some time.  One final thing I would like to note is that, although I didn’t get to try it out, snow peak makes a $10 optional wind screen that is custom fit to the Gigapower and would be great for high wind environments.  For more information on the Snow Peak Gigapower Auto Stove, please visit SnowPeak.com

Here are some of my first impressions: right out of the box these boots were comfortable, there was no real break in period and I was able to hike for 7 hours, mostly uphill, without any hotspots or blisters. The GORE-TEX seamless liner also played a roll in the comfort of my tootsies after many hours on the trail. Despite heavy exertion, my feet remained nice and dry. The no break in period is also due in part to a soft and flexible Nubuk leather upper and Lowa’s Flexfit, which allows for a more forward flexion in the ankle region. The heel region was plenty narrow for my heel, which can be a problem in some hikers that aren’t designed for a woman’s foot. There is also a cut out in the boot to prevent rubbing near your Achilles tendon.

The boot features an easy x-lacing system with 3 metal rivets on each side to pull the laces through and a tongue stud. You are probably wondering what a tongue stud is; well it is a stud, or piece of metal in the middle of the tongue to help the laces redistribute some of the pressure away from the middle of your foot. The tongue stud eliminates or prevents the wearer from cranking down on the laces-creating a hotspot and causing your toes to fall asleep because they are too tight.

The Albula’s feature a 5mm shank in the heel and 3 mm shank in the forefoot to truly protect your foot. Pair the generous shank with the aggressive outsole, and the Albula is ready to tackle a scree field (if in a pinch), as well as the standard trail. These boots feature cut outs for crampons to easily slip onto if needed. The footbed has been relatively comfortable, providing a bit of cushion, however those with a higher arch may need to use inserts. Plenty of motion control or support in the ankle region, however a tad less than you would get with a trekking boot geared towards carrying more weight.

I have had the Albula GTXs for about 3 months now and have used them for winter trekking and snowshoeing with carrying weights of 20-40 lbs, and on dry-maintained trail systems with a few lbs of essential gear. My feet were comfortable with the higher weights and did not have added fatigue or strain at the end of the day. When paired with some gaiters, these boots have been quite versatile in the winter months. My feet rarely sweat, so it is hard to attest to the breathability of the boots: with that said, they do feature small openings within the liner to allow air to flow in and out of the boot. These openings do not allow unwanted moisture in and the boot has been 100% waterproof thus far. They run true to size and are available in 1/2 sizes from 5-10.5 in regular and wide.

The Albula GTX WS have replaced my old Sundowners (by Vasque) as my go to boot this winter and I look forward to longer treks this summer with them.

Like all Lowa products, they are crafted in Germany and carry a MSRP of $289

Last year, I had coat envy of one of our male testers: he got to try out Patagonia’s Nano Puff Pullover and raved about it. This year, I received the Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody jacket to review. I am glad I was patient enough and waited my turn because the full zip design and added hood makes this jacket even better than its’ predecessor.

Patagonia’s Nano Puff Hoody has been oh so useful since I got my hands on it back in August. The Nano Puff Hoody has been on numerous shoulder season camping trips, fall walks and hikes with the dogs, trips on the slopes, and layered with a shell when the temps are less than 20-30. The Nano Puff Hoody has been a great piece for all of these adventures because it is super light, weighing in at 12.7 ounces, and provides great warmth even when it gets wet thanks to PrimaLoft® One insulation. The outer lining has been treated with Deluge DWR, which out performs traditional DWR finishes and makes this jacket water resistant.

Where the Nano Puff Hoody shines is its’ ability to be layered. The Nano Puff is perfect for layering because it has low volume due to detailed stitching throughout the body which keeps the insulation in place and low profiled. The only place that lacks the detailed quilting is over the arms and shoulders, which is smart because these high wear areas often trigger pulled strings or snags when wearing a pack. I have been placing Nano Puff Hoody under an athletic cut shell for chillier days and love the added warm without adding much bulk or puff. The low volume of the Nano Puff would be perfect for climbers that need something that moves with them, provides warmth, and does not get in the way of things. The hood on this jacket can be worn under a helmet and features a nice tight, but not too tight fit for added warmth. To round out the features, the Nano Puff Hoody has two zippered hip pockets and an adjustable hem thanks to a pull cord on each side.

The fit of the Nano Puff Hoody is my only area of complaint. I am 5’9″ and 138 lbs. The medium was way too big, so I opted for the small because I wanted to take advantage of this jackets layering capabilities. The small fits great through the shoulders and body, yet the backdrop length and arms are a bit short. Like many reviews in the past, I have stated that I am often in between sizes. With that said, the positives of this jacket outweigh the slight imperfection in its’ fit for me and I overcome the length issues with wearing longer baselayers and tucking them in to reduce drafts. Overall, the Nano Puff Hoody jacket is worth the price tag of $199 and is a great jacket for traveling, packing in your day pack for “just in case” weather, or for any other pursuit you can think and dream of.

Features and Details

• Ultralight ripstop-polyester face fabric is treated with a Deluge® DWR (durable water repellent) finish
• Lightweight 60-g PrimaLoft® One polyester insulation provides excellent warmth and compressibility
• Unique quilt pattern holds insulation in place promoting durability and longevity
• Pockets: two zippered handwarmers, one internal zippered chest pocket doubles as a stuff sack with carabiner clip-in loop
• Dual-adjust drawcord hem keeps drafts out and warmth in
• Under-the-helmet hood construction keeps things light and simple
• Shell: 1-oz 15-denier 100% recycled polyester. Insulation: 60-g PrimaLoft® One polyester. Lining: 1.4-oz 22-denier 100% recycled polyester. Shell and lining have a Deluge® DWR (durable water repellent) finish. Recyclable through the Common Threads Recycling Program
• 360 g (12.7 oz)
• Made in Vietnam.

Spork? For some of you, this word may be a tad foreign. However, Light My Fire is attempting to make the word and their product, sporks, a household, or shall I say campground favorite. Light My Fire hired Scandinavian designer Joachim Nordwal to aid in product development.  The end result, an extremely handy combination of a spoon, fork, and knife; each spork has a spoon on one edged and a knife on the opposite side (see photo above). This combo allows you to to decrease the number of utensils you have to keep track of in your pack, decrease dish washing time after supper, and ultimately decrease the amount of weight (even if just ounces) that you carry out on the trail-off to work-or while on a picnic.

These sporks are heat resistant, which we can attest to. We washed our sporks multiple times in the dishwasher and utilized the heat dry setting and they came out looking just like new.  We also have used the sporks to aid with our campground cooking of mashed potatoes and stirring various other hot, or near boiling liquids.  Each time, the spork retained its’ sleek shape. The sporks also are quite durable and have survived their time in the bottom of a pack, as well as some bending back and forth at home.

Light My Fire’s sporks come in 19 colors in the plastic model and is also available in a titanium version. The sporks also come in a variety of sizes. The Little Spork, the smallest, states that it is good for toddlers and those with small hands.  I personally loved the little spork for eating my yogurt and salad while at work because it is compact, reusable, and came in 3 fun colors. The Little Spork does not actually have a knife edge on it, making it safer for little ones; the prongs that act like a fork seem a bit sharp for super young ones, use your own judgment. The Adult Spork is a tad larger, see below for specs, and features the knife edge; we used the Adult Spork as a cooking and eating utensil. The Spork XM is the supped up spork, featuring greater durability, surface area, length, and the sharpest cutting edge.  With that said, the knife will not be cutting any cans, but can easily handle peaches, pears, some veggies, and even a baguette if you are patient. The extra length keeps your hands clean and protected and is great for stirring and turning items on the grill. Overall, a fun new addition to our camp kitchen.

For more information on the spork options and other creative products, please check LightMyFireUSA.com

Being a female and short in height, it can be hard to find a pack that fits and fits comfortably. I already accepted that I fit in kid’s sized hats, but I wasn’t ready to give in and use a kid size backpack. My body was getting used to knots and pain in the shoulder and back area after carrying a heavy pack, but then I was given the Spectro 28 SL to test.

The Spectro series of packs was a new release for Deuter this year. The 28 SL offers great features without the added weight. I noticed just how light it was the first time I picked it up- a mere two pounds and a few ounces to be exact. I think I tested the 20lb weight capacity and surpassed it. But, if you want the pack to last trip after trip, I would stay within the specified limit.

When I put the pack on for the first time, I only had to make a few quick adjustments to tighten down the shoulder straps and hip belt. I now understood how the right size pack should feel!  Amazed at how great the pack felt, I chalked it up to the woman’s specific fitting hip belt and shoulder straps. I finally had a pack that fit me and I was a hunchback no more! I should have kicked myself for not trying a woman specific pack years ago.

My favorite feature of the pack was the front-entry panel. It has a two way zipper and allows the user to get easy access to what is packed in at the bottom of the pack. For me, this was a big plus as I tend to always be in a rush to pack things up. I would rather be out playing than spending time neatly packing my bag according to what I will need access to and when.

The stretchy large pocket in the front also came in handy to stuff itinerary, a jacket and some munchies. If you arms are long enough, you can access what you need from the pocket while still wearing the pack. The pack also has stretch side pockets, which fit various types of water bottles from bike bottle size to wider Nalgene size with the ability to grab and load when the pack is on. A top zipper pocket is also accessible, if your arms reach, even when wearing the pack to grab out a camera, phone or anything else you may need.

Hiking through Jackson in the summer heat, I was surprised just how much the Aircomfort Flexlite back system kept the perspiration on my back away. A nickname given to me when I was a baby was the “eternal sweat ball”, as I tend to sweat more than others. After circling town a few times, I took the pack off at a restaurant to find my back surprisingly dry.

The pack is made of a tough nylon material that held up to weeks of on the go travel. Bushwhacking, bag handlers, shoving it in the overhead bin- nothing was too much for this pack.

A unique addition to the pack is the safety information that you can find on the inside of the top small gear pocket. It gives you the emergency contact number for major countries from the US to Germany and Austria. It also details how to signal aircraft for help and how to signal an alpine emergency using mirrors, whistles, flashlights and shouting.

One feature I wasn’t able to test since I took the pack out in the summer was the ice axe attachment. The attachment can also work for collapsible trekking poles, something I am not a big user of. The pack is also hydration bladder compatible.

I give the Spectro 28 SL two thumbs up for fit, durability and design. This pack retails for $139. It also comes in a 30 pound capacity (36 SL) for woman for $149. Stop by deuterusa.com for more info on this and other Deuter products.

Specs:

Volume: 1700 cubic inches

Torso: 16-21 inches

Weight: 2 lbs, 7 oz.

Weight Capacity: 20 lbs

Dimensions (HxWxD) 25x10x7 inches