beemstroll

First, this jacket is warm. I wear it when its 15F or above. The collar is long meaning that if its cold and you flip it up, you stay pretty warm and cozy on a walk. Otherwise when flipped down, the collar is fine. The material has a hard finish on the outside - not your typical fleece so I doubt you'll get any pilling over time. The soft fleece is on the inside and the combination is more like a thick wool felt winter coat. The cut is trim. I have a size L. I normally wear a 42 jacket, 16x34 shirt, medium build. It fits fine but I'm not going to have a thick layer underneath. It also runs a little longer than a typical jacket so your lower back also stays warm. Overall, great coat!

I take groups of 9 canoeing in the BWCAW in northern MN each summer. I bought this filter as an addition to the Sweetwater filters I've used in the past. The ability to attach directly to a Nalgene is very useful when filling water bottles while in a canoe or wading into a lake. The filter rate is good for about 2 liters of water however even with clean water from mid-lake, it requires cleaning every 2-3 liters. A pre-filter such as the Sweetwater Silt Stopper may help this significantly. Overall, a great filter. Easy to use and clean. For groups though, be sure and take a couple along as filtering for 9 can take a lot of effort especially on a hot day.

I've used these filters (I have 2) for 7 years taking groups of 9 to the BWCAW. The key to success is to use a pre-filter such as the silt-stopper, and clean the element frequently. If this isn't done, pumping becomes hard quickly and the piston can break rendering the pump useless. MSR does replace them under warranty without question however. With a silt-stopper pre-filter, I clean these every 9-12 liters of water. Without a silt stopper, every 2-3 liters. Its a good idea to attach the cleaning brush to the bag or filter. They tend to get lost otherwise, although MSR will send you replacements free as well. Mine get hard use by teens however with some upfront training so they know when to stop filtering and clean them, these have provided a lot of water for the group very reliably. I've since added a Mini-Works EX because of the ability to screw directly to a Nalgene. Nice feature and no spills!

These sandals have served extremely well on a week trip to the Boundary Waters as well as for casual use around the lake. I originally tried Soloman Tech Amphibians however my feet are too wide. These have a wide footbed and roomy toe box yet the lacing system readily takes out any excess space and ensures a good fit. The rubber front offers complete protection that other water sandals just can't compare to. I definitely recommend these!