Contributions by thedudeabides (3)

I can't say enough about how awesome Nalgene bottles are. I have seven of them. I use them pretty much every day. Throw them in my backpack and go. Whether it's at school, on the trail, at work, at home, working out, I pretty much always have at least one Nalgene with me. I took three to Iraq and Afghanistan with me (I was a Marine), because issued canteens suck, and I always have problems with camelbacks leaking/breaking/generally sucking. I've boiled water, used them as weights on the end of rope to get it over a tree limb, to hammer tent stakes, I use one to carry my first aid/emergency kit, used them to make field koolaid (no left over taste!), dropped them off cliffs, used one as an improvised football, and even used one as a field expedient weapon in close quarters combat. Bottom line: a Nalgene can save your life.

I don't carry a laptop, so I can't really comment on that aspect of the bag, though the padding is very thick, and seems like would protect an expensive notebook rather well. I use this bag mostly to carry my lunch, water bottles, and the crap that won't fit into my backpack to and from school and work. The random biology textbook (I'm a grad student, and they're pretty hefty), two Nalgenes, lunch, a jacket, sometimes an extra shirt, and frequently even more junk find their way into the bag. The organization potential is great, and the space is utilized very well, so I never have a problem fitting everything in an orderly manner. And the seatbelt webbing strap+extra awesome shoulder pad make it rather comfortable to carry-even with my huge Mountainsmith Guide stuffed to the brim on my back. I was originally attracted to this particular bag because of the environmentally friendly manufacturing process, but the bags features and durability have made me more than happy.

I wear these shoes pretty much all the time. I wear them on day and overnight hikes, trekking across campus, doing yard work, everywhere. I even wear them at work. I stand/walk on a concrete floor in a warehouse for eight hours at a time-usually after walking several miles to and from school. My feet never complain. Most of the time I don't even realize I'm wearing them. But it's on the trail that they really shine. I'm the family pack mule. I usually end up carrying much of my wife's gear. But even under pretty heavy loads over reasonably rough terrain they have held up remarkably well, and performed perfectly. Excellent traction, comfort, and the waterproofing is outstanding, for a low-ankle shoe. More than recommended!