Brandon Patrum

I recently just bought my fiance a Grand Trunk Single Parachute Hammock. She loves it! I haven't gotten to try it out yet, because she will not get out of it. I own a ENO double hammock and I'm very interested in comparing the two hammocks over our next couple of trips. One thing I like about the GT is that the hammock I bought came with the straps to hang the hammock with, my ENO did not. But I like the pack bag on the ENO better, because of the compression straps on it. The GT does not have the compression straps and therefore does not pack down as small. The GT is a great hammock either way you look at it.

I've owned three different pairs of Costas and these are by far my favorite. They were comfortable and kept the sun at bay. The sidearms are not so big that you get a ridiculous tan line from being on the water all day. The lens are by a far the best set of lens that I have ever looked through. I would recommend these to anyone.

You can't argue with 195 reviews and an average rating of 4 stars. That's one of the best ratings on Backcountry. Its obliviously a great jacket!

Ok I so finally got one and it is a great jacket. I've gotten to wear it in some absolute downpours and it kept me dry as a bone. It was a warm day down in GA and the jacket didn't sweat either. The PreCip material is lightweight and extremely breathable. The black is a great color for all around purposes.

I have a friend who has these and we've used them a lot while climbing around Mt. Yonah and the Sixties. These biners are heavy duty and quick, easy to use. The Matte Black biners are very stylish. For safe climbing buy some of these.

I am a proud owner of a Nalgene wide mouth bottle. Its four years old and has collected a large amount of stickers. This bottle is the toughest thing on the planet. I abuse it like a red-headed step child and it keeps coming back to me. I love this bottle. For those of you whose have water bottles that aren't Nalgene bottles, quit wasting your money and get a Nalgene. Life is tough, but a Nalgene is tougher!

I love this pack!!! The lumbar series from Mountainsmith is the way to go. I've used this pack everyday for the last three years and I have never had a problem with it. I've taken it hiking on the AT tons of times. I use it mostly for carrying my daily load. I am a school teacher and Graduate student. I carry my computer and school stuff in it everyday. It has never let me down. Plus I get compliments on it daily and people ask where to get one. This pack carries me through life.

I bought these biners on cleansnipe for 60% off. They were well worth the money. I don't use them to climb however. I use them for making a pulley system on my slackline. These biners are strong and lightweight. The bent gate mouth makes the opening HUGE! You can use these to set a top rope anchor, but being that they are not locking biners... I would double them up and reverse the gates on them. Remember you can't be too safe when climbing. These biners are worth every penny, especially if you can catch them on cleansnipe.com.

I bought these biners on cleansnipe for 60% off. They were well worth the money. I don't use them to climb however. I use them for making a pulley system on my slackline. These biners are strong and lightweight. The bent gate mouth makes the opening HUGE! You can use these to set a top rope anchor, but being that they are not locking biners... I would double them up and reverse the gates on them. Remember you can't be too safe when climbing. These biners are worth every penny, especially if you can catch them on cleansnipe.com.

I bought this for a friend for Christmas. He had just been using regular bandannas to keep the man-made, blown snow off his face. After wearing this he said that he didn't know life could be so good. The Spacecraft Bandana kept his face dry and warm. He recommended that I get one for myself or he might get me one for next season. Its stylish and useful. So raid the slopes looking like an outlaw.

I use white Gold while both gym climbing and climbing in the great outdoors. This chalk feels super light on the fingers and it drys the sweat quickly. I have done routes with this chalk that I was not able to do without the chalk. I've used other chalks, but WHITE GOLD is the best.

The Z/2's have come down in price dramatically since I bought mine, but I have worn my religiously the past two and half years. I wear them everywhere no matter how rough the terrain gets. I've hiked up Blood Mountian (The Highest Summit on the AT in GA) countless times. They are durable and comfy. I even hear that Chaco will resole them when the soles wear off, but with two.five hard years on mine they are still hanging tough. Buy true to size and enjoy the coolest tan lines on the planet.

I use this in my The North Face Cat's Meow. It drops the rating down to a 5 degree bag and keeps the bag clean. The liner is much easier to clean than my bag. I recommend this to anyone who uses their sleeping bag a lot. I even use the liner as a summer bag and just sleep in it during the hot nights.

I've had these shades for almost a year and sometimes I forget what the world looks like without them on. They are comfy and they fit my big head perfectly. The polarized lens really help in many situations, such as fishing on a lake, stream, or ocean. They even help when driving into the sun. I like the 580 lens over the 450 lens. I've had both. Buy these glasses or any costa del mar sun glasses if you want a quality pair that will last a very long time.

I bought this bag for a hiking trip on the AT a couple of years ago. Some friends and I did the approach trial from Amicolola State Park to Springer Mtn. It snowed the entire time. When we got to the shelter, I hide inside of this bag and rarely felt the cold. I also purchased a reactor bag liner and that helped to drop the rating to about a 0-5 degree rating. The temps dipped into single digits that night. The only times i got cold, I rolled off my sleeping pad onto the frozen wood. I have used the bag on ever trip since then. It has served me well as a late fall, winter, and early spring bag. It also packs down small and is very light. I recommend to anyone.

This shoe is made for the beginner. I bought it because it was recommended to me by the staff of Backcountry.com a year ago and have loved the shoe ever since. Most the time it is gripping the rock wall at NGCSU, but every so often I find time to smear it on some exposed granite. It has treated my well on the boulders in North Georgia and at MT. Yonah. I wear a 10.5 and I bought true to my size. This shoe is still holding up very well. I recommend it to anyone. I got it a lot cheaper than $88.95 though.

The black diamond ATC is one of the best belay devices I have ever used. The device is simple and yet very effective. The Black Diamond ATC is easy to use. The ATC is a must have for all climbers.

I bought this harness from backcountry.com and I have put it to good use. It is a comfy harness, but I would spend the extra 4-5 dollars and the the AL. It has adjustable leg loops. This harness has elastic in the leg loops and it gets a little annoying pulling them up over pants. I weighed 250 when I bought my XL, but have since lost weight and can still wear it at 235 Lbs. excellent harness for beginners.

I've used a buddy's Edelweiss 10.3 mm rope for our last two climbing trips. The rope is smooth through a belay device, such as a black diamond ATC, and it never kinks. We have top roped it and sport climbed with it and it worked great for both. My next climbing purchase will be this rope. That way we can rotate the ropes and make them last a little longer. I recommend this rope to all climbers and its has a great price.

I just spent the night in my double nest. I got a double nest, because at 6'0" and 245 lbs. I thought a single might be a little tight. The night got cold, but with my pad under me I never felt it. It is no doubt the best night sleep I have ever gotten out in the woods. Its also great for a relaxing Sunday. I've spent many days in my hammock with a good books and a great view. Recommend to anyone who wants to live the good life.

I bought this for my girlfriend for her birthday. She loves it. It is lightweight and the fit is perfect. I bought her a large and a little big so that she could layer under it. She is a softball coach and an avid hiker, so she will get lots of use out of it. Wearing it so far, she hasn't complained about it being feeling steamy or sweaty and the weather has been warm lately here in the North Georgia Mountains. She likes that she is able to roll the hood up easily and not have it flapping around behind her if its not raining. By far, the best value on the market. After seeing hers, I am thinking about buying one for myself. I need a good lightweight rain jacket for summer storms on the trails. Big time recommend. (it even stuffs down into its own sack, but she hasn't done that yet)