Contributions by J23 (14)

These tablets came in very handy. I typically prefer not to use chemicals, but I recently was camping in a remote area and both mechanical filters in our party failed. Without these tablets we would have really been in a bind. These are great to keep around in a first aid/survival kit, and should be taken as a compliment on any outdoor excursion.

I am primarily a fan of mechanical filters, however they do sometimes fail and that is where this guy comes in. this is a very lightweight device that fits easily into a first aid kit, pack or even kitchen drawer.

This stove is lightweight, compact and does a pretty good job on fuel consumption. Starts easy and is very low maintenance. I would recommend this for any kind of excursion that you want to limit weight on.

I am primarily a fan of mechanical filters, however they do sometimes fail and that is where this guy comes in. this is a very lightweight device that fits easily into a first aid kit, pack or even kitchen drawer.

this pack is really pretty nice, I have yet to use it to haul skis but it looks well constructed for the purpose. It has quite a few compartments and is comfortable with a full load. The only thing I had a problem with was the compartment for my hydration bladder, it is a bit small for a 3L bladder. Otherwise this is a great pack, and maybe I should just get a 2L bladder.

Just used this headlamp for the first time. The outer lights don't really seem to cast to much light but the center beam is plenty bright for night excursions. The center spot also works well for lighting up images for photo ops in the dark. It seemed like even though this is an LED headlamp the batteries seemed to go pretty quickly when using the center bulb. Once the batteries are low the on/off gets really picky, maybe I just had poor batteries to start, but as soon as I changed them it functioned normally. This headlamp definitely worked for hiking out of a slot canyon in the dark.

If you are going where there will be sun and you are taking any kind of rechargeable digital equipment I would recommend this. This unit seems to be fairly rugged, I wasn't going to drop it on purpose, so I don't know exactly how rugged it is. It charges USB devices with ease, all you have to do is bring your devices' USB cable, plug the cable into the Solarport FIRST, and then plug it into your device, that's it, nice and easy. It is a bit of a boost mentally to know you are not going to lose GPS ability because of dead batteries when you are somewhere where a Topo and a Compass are enough, but a Topo, Compass, and GPS are great. Looking forward to using this piece of equipment more in the future.

This is a an all around good boot. I have used it for many backpacking trips and it has held up mile after mile. After about 3 years of serious these boots have finally begun to break down. The outer side of one boot is beginning to de-laminate. Given the choice for a new boot I will probably go with something a bit more water proof, the Gore-Tex is nice but I am going to go with a boot that has a solid upper as opposed to mesh. I really like the ankle support in these boots and the contra grip system really does the trick. These boots were well worth the money and i would recommend them to anyone who wants a serious backpacking/hiking boot.

We ran over one of these things with a 15000 lb Water Truck once in AK and it lived. These are a must have for any serious hiking or backpacking, or just for day to day use. The only downside I have noticed is that over time the measuring marks have worn down. After 3 years of serious use this thing is still getting used.

I had never used an air mattress until I purchased a Thermarest and I must say it makes a huge difference. I am not an expert on air mattresses by any means but it sure is nice to have a soft sleeping surface. This mattress even though it is quite thin does a great job of smoothing out the bumbs and sharp features that you inevitably find at any campsite. This mattress also serves as an layer of insulation from the ground keeping you toasty on the colder nights. I am really impressed and would recommend this to anyone. It is very easy to inflate and deflate and so far seems very durable. This is definitely worth the extra weight on your pack.

These pants do a great job of keeping water out. Not only are they good for rain storms, they are also great for keeping water from morning condensation in brush from running into boots. The fabric on these is quit durable and in many miles of use through tundra and bushwhacking I have yet to tear them. I am sure I could destroy these if I tried but what's the point in that. I would highly recommend these pants as they are super light and well worth having. My only complaint would be that they could be a bit roomier as they are a little bit restrictive if using an extended stride.

I have used this water filter on numerous occasions in many environments. I have used it in the glacial rivers of AK, which have a lot of very fine sediment. I have also used it in many mountain lakes and slow to fast moving rivers. It needs to be cleaned more frequently when used in silty rivers, but does a great job. When used in lakes or clear streams it needs very little field maintenance. this filter is lightweight and very easy to use it is threaded to screw directly onto a Nalgene water bottle size thread. The only draw back is the 1 ounce per pump fill rate, but who is in that big of a hurry when you are remote enough to need a filtration system. This little filter has made it possible for me to get to some very remote places without having the extra weight of water to worry about. I would recommend this for any one, over pills or UV devices. Bottom line easy to use, easy to clean, small, and I've never in three years of use gotten sick because of contaminated water.

I have used this water filter on numerous occasions in many environments. I have used it in the glacial rivers of AK, which have a lot of very fine sediment. I have also used it in many mountain lakes and slow to fast moving rivers. It needs to be cleaned more frequently when used in silty rivers, but does a great job. When used in lakes or clear streams it needs very little field maintenance. this filter is lightweight and very easy to use it is threaded to screw directly onto a Nalgene water bottle size thread. The only draw back is the 1 ounce per pump fill rate, but who is in that big of a hurry when you are remote enough to need a filtration system. This little filter has made it possible for me to get to some very remote places without having the extra weight of water to worry about. I would recommend this for any one, over pills or UV devices. Bottom line easy to use, easy to clean, small, and I've never in three years of use gotten sick because of contaminated water.

Was not sure when I bought these, everything said they would be great. After old schooling for 20 years I finally decided to go with some technology. All I have to say is Holy S**t. These skis are stable in crud flexible and dynamic in all conditions, they float great on top of the powder, super light. These skis take the work out of skiing and if you are ready to work they are amazing. Super stable good all around ski with no chatter, it seems the harder I push these skis the better they perform. Love em, if you can justify the expense they are well worth it, highly recommend these to the medium to advanced skier who is looking for a little bit more. These skis gave me the balls to point em down hill and commit to my line.

This sticker looks great on my car. I would recommend everybody buy one.

These are very comfortable to wear, don't smell bad and are a great start to layers. I was able to use these under a pair of Patagonia ski pants and stayed warm in below freezing temperatures about 20 degrees F.