Brent Arnold

The quad combines all the best features into one light. It is not the brightest, longest lasting, most expensive light out there, but as a general use headlamp, it is the best. I have had mine for a few years now, and use it all the time. I hike often and like to use it at night to read or to find my way to a tree. This headlamp is lighter than many other, and still gives good burn time. The battery won't last 150 hr on full strength. After about 10-15 hours of use the light will dim to about the "low" setting, but the light is still adequate for most jobs. I have not tested the waterproofness of the headlamp yet, and don't plan too, but will take their word. The tiltable housing and front control make it easy to operate. Best light for this price... hands down (no pun intended)

The classic debate... canister or liquid fuel stove. There isn't much that I can really add that others have not said, and I'm not going to go into all the arguments, but the bottom line is if you are not cooking for over 8 people, canister is the way to go. It is lighter, quicker, and easier to use. Unless you will be in sub-freezing temps. The boil time is spot on at sea level (3.5-4) minutes. At 3 oz, you don't even feel it in your pack. This stove is great for quick coffee and oatmeal in the morning, as well as what ever you want in the evening. I got to spend some time with some of the guys at MSR, and you know the stove is good when they prefer it themselves.

This hanging dryer works as described. It does keep the bladder open, and holds it open well, but I only have one issue with it. Even after dumping out what ever water was left in the bladder, once it hangs, there is still a pool of water that collects in the lip. That takes forever to evaporate. I have used a paper towel or something to soak it up, and that seems to help. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because of that little problem. I have been using this hanger for a year or so now, and it hasn't damaged the bladder at all and seems to prolong the bladder's life by reducing the number of times you have to really clean it.

I use this towel a lot and it works great. It is super lightweight and takes up like 0 space in a pack. I am 6'4' 185 and large gets me dry. After you dry off hang it on your pack and it is dry within 1/2 an hour. It can get caught on thick beard hairs though so be careful when drying your face.

I used this tent this summer as a backpacking guide in the Sangre de Christos mountain range in New Mexico. This tent is excellent in that you can set it up anywhere, it is very roomy, and it is basically bomb proof. I slept through relentless rain, sleet, and snow, but never had a leak. The rain fly is a little non-intuitive to attach. I had several problems with this tent though. The main sections of the rain fly over the door sag and touch the top of the mesh making condensation a problem. During heavy rain this could cause a leak, but I never had a problem. Also, the rain fly does not tie up well to the tent and if it is wet in the morning then water runs down and usually ends up on your back. The tent is also a lot heavier than advertised. I do like the fact that you can just set it up with the fly and footprint for an ultra-light shelter. Great tent if you won't be using it during super harsh rain. Awesome in heavy wind, but still has a few kinks to work out.

$15 for stove maintenance??? I spoke with a MSR representative and they said it is a good idea to use this every year even if you don't use it that much just to make sure everything stays in prime operating conditions. You could imagine not using it for a while and getting on the trail assuming the stove is working fine, and get out there and it isn't working. MSR stoves are super user friendly and really easy to take apart and clean. Using this kit will help preserve your purchase of a quality stove.

They are made to the perfect dimensions that reflect heat back towards the pot or w/e you have on it, but at the same time giving the stove just enough oxygen to run at the most efficient level. You could make these yourself, but it is just as easy to buy them and believe it or not MSR put a fair amount of detail and thought into the design. It took them a few years to perfect it, but take advantage of that and help your stove cook quicker and last longer.

I used this stove all summer as a backpacking guide. It is definitely made for expedition backpacking. The one awesome thing about the international is that it really can burn all those fuels. If you think about trekking over unfamiliar terrain, you might not always have white gas available to burn. This stove gives you the confidence and flexibility to go where you want and not worry about not eating. This is a great stove for a great price. A few problems with it is that when you have to let the fuel vaporizer warm up it puts off a ton of black smoke, and makes the stove get suit all over it. Other than that it is awesome. I personally use the Optimus Nova+ which has a little better simmer control and a few other bells and whistles, but for the economically minded, you can't beat the quality MSR puts into every product they make.

When it comes to shaving weight off your pack this little guy helps. If you are only going to be cooking for a few people then this stove is great. The only problem is that is does NOT simmer well. It is either boiling or not. It takes up virtually no room in a pack. The boil time at altitude might be different, but not much. All in all, great stove.

I have the waterproof version of this shoe with the gore-tex lining. I used them this past summer in as a backpacking guide. They work great and seem to live up to their name of ventilator. The only problem I had with mine was that on really long days (30+) miles my feet felt like they were about to fall off. That is to be expected if hiking that far in a shoe, but all that is to say if you aren't going to be hiking over 25 miles/day then these shoes will be great for you. They also look good in town. I had a leak in the first pair I got, but since Gore-Tex is awesome, they sent me a new pair and no problems since.

Osprey packs are simply amazing. I have used an external frame pack since the early 90's and switched about 5 years ago to an internal frame. Even some of the higher end Kelty's and Northface packs don't even come close to the carry comfort of these packs. I have the big brother the Aether 85. Even with 60 pounds on my back I can hardly feel it. One good thing about these packs is that they can be custom molded to your waist, and that helps a lot. Even without the custom molding this is still one of the best packs I have ever owned. Not only does it have plenty of room it also cinches down to nothing. It will carry just as much gear an external frame can but in what seems like 1/2 the space. Yes, they are a bit expensive, but if you are into backpacking or even just starting out this would be a great pack for you. I am a tight wad when it comes to money, but an Osprey pack is something I will shell out for.

Great pack! This pack is awesome in the fact that it is basically waterproof and you don't have to carry a rain cover. I say basically because when things get really bad water can find its way into anything. I do think it is a little over priced for the quality, and you could find packs (Osprey) that are much more form fitting and hug the body better. Overall it is a good pack, and probably the best for areas such as ice climbing when putting a pack cover on is not an option.

I don't give many pieces of gear a 5 unless they are perfect, and this pack is. The one thing I love about these packs is that they are custom fit to your body. I am a large harness, large pack, but small or medium hip belt. Other packs I have looked at won't fit my hips correctly. This pack is rated up to 80 pounds, but you can carry more.
This pack is so great that even with 75 pounds on my back I still can hardly feel it... not many packs can do that. It hugs the body really well and has a ton of cool features to go along with it. It is made of heavy duty material which adds a little weight, but extends the life of your pack.

This is my first Camelbak product, and I love it! I have had some of the other off brands and they ended up leaking and giving me problems. This one is really good. Believe it or not, it insulates fairly well. Only the liquid in the tube gets hot. It has not leaked on me yet, and I only use water in it so I have not had any mold problems. If you take care of your stuff then it will last you a long time. This was perfect for me. It has a little pocket for a phone/keys, and I usually strapped my rain gear on the back for the afternoon showers in New Mexico. This is one of the cheaper hydration systems, but it doesn't skimp on quality.

First of all the only reason I am giving it 4 starts instead of 5 is because the sizing is a bit off. I have large hands and usually wear large gloves. I got the large and with the liner (as many others have mentioned) it is a little tight. Not overly tight, but snug. Without the liners they fit perfectly. I am the type of person who's hands always get cold even in mild temps. These are the first gloves I have ever owned that actually keep my hands warm. They are bulky just like any other glove, but I feel like I have enough dexterity to be able to preform normal tasks (except like texting or something) :) BOTTOM LINE: Great product + great price = GREAT GLOVE
Oh yea and btw it keeps rain and snow out. lol but what else do you expect from gore-tex

I ordered 4 pairs of these socks for hiking. I have tried them out and they are super soft and comfortable, but the only problem I have had is with the size. I wear a size 13 shoe, so i got the XL, which is for 13-14 I think. After a few hours of hiking the toes began to pull a little bit and become elongated. After washing it returned to normal so it really isn't a problem. Other than that the socks are great for any weather, and I have not gotten a blister yet.

If you are going to get the Aeolos 2P tent you need the footprint. I camp a LOT, and I know how easily it can be to tear a hole in the bottom of a tent. I know you probably dropped a lot on the tent, but the footprint is worth it to protect your purchase. It weighs less than 1 pound, so it won't add much weight to your pack, and it packs fairly small. It is a lot better than carrying a tarp, and it snaps right under the tent body giving it a seamless appearance.

I bought this to help protect my Big Agnes Pomer Hoit 0 degree down bag (awesome bag by the way...), and it is awesome. NOTICE: It is NOT meant to be submerged by any means, and it says that in the description. It will hold up if it falls out the canoe or gets heavy rain, but when you put it under water the pressure tries to equalize and forces water into it. If you want something that works, I would go with this b/c I have used it for a 2 years now and have not had a problem with it.

Ok, first of all I got the long version of the sleeping bag. I am 6'3 205, and I fit fine. The only complaint I have about the bag is the zipper is tight when zipping around my shoulders. It feels like it won't go past it, but when it does I noticed that it may be a design feature to keep the draft down. As with ANY sleeping bag you MUST be careful when zipping it up and down especially if it has a draft collar like this one does. I used this bag every night for 3 months as a mountain guide this past summer, and this bag was awesome. It is about 3 lbs, and well worth it. If you are going to be camping in freezing/below freezing weather, or sleep cold this is your bag! I find myself getting very warm in the summer nights, and use a lighter synthetic bag. You definitely need to get the sleeping pad to go along with it b/c it is very comfortable, and insulates well if sleeping on snowy/cold ground. Really no complaints about it, and it help up in daily use for 3 months and is still in good shape so I am sure for the average camper it will last years. All in all GREAT BUY!!!