I've owned the same Black Diamond Bullet Pack since 2003, and I couldn't be happier with it. I love it! I had originally bought the pack for a climbing trip to Devil's Tower, WY. Since then, it's seen that summit twice and has been to the local crags countless times. The bullet is great because it allows full, unrestricted movement but at the same time, it sits securely on your back. This is my go-to daypack, not just for climbing, but for anything active: hiking, ice climbing, snowboarding, skateboarding, urban exploration, cycling, and paintball. I've used this pack for everything and have abused the heck out of it, but it's still in remarkably great shape. The fabric is incredibly abrasion and puncture resistant. The straps are thin but comfortable even with moderate weight (about 10-15lbs). The only negative aspect of this pack is its lack of ventilation on the back panel, but despite this gripe, I can't find any other fault. This is truly an incredibly tenacious little pack. Tough as nails and ready to tumble, this pack is a 'bulletproof' buy.

Out of all the three light-weight bags I own, Marmot Sawtooth (15F), MTH Lamina 45, and MTH Phantom 32, the Phantom is by far my favorite. I have tested this bag in extended days of downpour rain as well as dryer days in sub-freezing weather. Its extremely light weight and very compact (slightly taller and slightly fatter than a Nalgene). Regarding its quality, this bag is top notch. I've owned this bag for over a year, and have stuffed and unstuffed it many times. In that time period, I have only seen maybe two feathers leak through the down proof material. In contrast, my the fabric of my Sawtooth constantly leaks feathers. The fabric has a nice face and a tight weave, and as a result, it is slightly water-resistant. Furthermore, the zipper glides effortlessly without snagging.

As far as comfort is concerned, the bag breaths well, the hood is very comfortable, and unlike other superlight bags in this class, the Phantom has a 3/4 lenght zipper. In contrast to some other bags I have such as the Sawtooth, the Phantom stays dry. The outside is never soaked with condensation, and any that builds up, I have been able to wipe off without it being soaked up. Also, the inside stays dryer, even if I overheat and doesn't feel damp in the morning. The coldest I've tested it has been 28F. I was wearing Patagonia Cap 3 top/bottom, smart wool socks, hat, etc, on Thermarests, no tent and breezy. I wasn't cold the entire night (though I wasn't really warm either). Considering that I was below rating and without a tent in the wind, the bag surpassed my expectations. In weather warmer than about 50F, the bag does get steamy, so consider the Phantom 45 for warm summer trips.

I'm 5'4", and for me the bag is extremely roomy. If you are larger, and like room, you shouldn't have any problems. As of now, I am so impressed with this bag, that I am planning on buying the Phantom 45 as well. If you are looking for a great, light-weight, high-quality bag that doesn't lack comfort, get the Phantom 32, you won't regret it.

I just got back from a winter camping trip in central New York, and I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed with this sleeping bag. Now generally, I am not a huge fan of The North Face, but this bag exceeded my expectations. When I tested this bag, the night lows were between 10F and 20F, so the temperatures were easily above the bag's rating. My sleeping setup was as follows, Patagonia Cap 3 top/bottoms, lightweight running Smart Wool socks, a Mountain Hardwear beanie, and underneath, two Thermarest pads. I was never cold at night; in fact, I was decisively hot - sweating even. On the warmer nights, I had to sleep with the bag unzipped halfway. This is to be expected though, as the bag is rated to -20F. Also, according to the North Face reps. I talked with, North Face actually rates their bags on a comfort rating (as in the bag is comfortably warm at -20F) as opposed to a survival rating, so I am sure that the bag would be warm at -20F.

Regarding the actual comfort of the bag, the bag is definitely roomy (though I am small at 5'5, 140lbs). However, this bag is plenty big and wide enough for someone much taller and larger. You could easily have room to wear an additional jacket or layers within this bag even if you are of larger stature. The footbox is also nice; it is vaulted so you can sleep with your toes up without compressing the down or getting a coldspot. I also like the draft tubes, the shoulder draft tube collar, and the hood configuration, which are all easy to use, snug, and comfortable.

As far as the Hyvent waterproof shell is concerned, it works quite well. During my trip, the inside of our tent was very wet from condensation. There was falling frost on the walls, and the moisture from my breath would bead up on the outside of my bag and actually freeze into ice balls. The outside of the Solar Flare was decisively wet, even frozen, yet the inside stayed perfectly dry. At home, I also tested it out by depressing the bag in the center and filling the depression with water. The water did not leak through at the seems, the inside stayed dry, and I was able to wipe off all the water leaving the exterior dry as well.

Overall, this is one hell of a bag, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

While I have not personally used the Steripen, cleaning the contaminated bottle or bladder threads is a simple matter. As with the MIOX and other in bottle purification methods, detoxifying the threads is accomplished by "flushing" the contaminated threads with purified water. Simply take your bottle of purified water and loosen the threads on it (loose enough that water can come out but tight enough that the lid stays on), and invert the bottle such that the purified water flushes any contaminated water from the bottle threads.

This is a great all around stove. It boils water very fast and also has a nice simmer even in the wind. I starts easy except in the cold. A quick fix to this problem is to put it in your sleeping bag with you at night and then it starts no problem. It is compact and comes in a plastic protective case. The downfalls are that on rocky terrain its hard to find a somewhat level spot to set it. Otherwise it's a great stove.
Quick Tip- Take the sparker out of a used barbecue lighter and use it to light your stove. It's cheap, light, and doesn't wear out.