Entries Tagged as 'Reviews'

Wednesday, September 27th, 2006

Gossamer Gear ThinLight Sleeping Pad

Backpacker Magazine in its August 2006 ultralight gear guide calls the Gossamer Gear Thinlight pad, “fanatically light”, a 1/8-inch thick pad of closed cell foam that tips the scale at a mere 2 ounces.
About the only thing you could find thinner would be a pad made of dragon fly wings.
Ultimate Pack
Think about the ultimate lightweight […]

Monday, September 25th, 2006

Gossamer G5 Hyperlight Pack

There are some people who deserve to succeed. Because they are friendly, nice, honest, ethical. And Glen Van Peski is one of those people.
His love of the outdoors led him to establish GVP Gear, a home grown business, which Glen and his family ran, sewing ultralight packs while he worked as an engineer […]

Thursday, September 21st, 2006

Lightweight Light: Princeton Tec Impulse Review

You can never be too lightweight. As a result, my quest for newer, lighter solutions to lighting my way at night, cooking after dark or reading in my tent never seems to end. My latest find is the Princeton Tec Impulse, at just .49 ounces (14 g) it is about at light as you’re […]

Tuesday, September 19th, 2006

Titanium Esbit Wing Stove: Light As a Feather

Hopefully my headline using "wing" and "feather" won't make you groan too much. I couldn't resist.
Over at BackpackingLight.com, I logged into The G Spot forum discussion on the lightest stoves and came across the recommendation for the Titanium Esbit Wing Stove, a mere .046 ounces.
Like its giant cousin (the 3 ounce Esbit Pocket stove), […]

Monday, September 4th, 2006

Lightweight Light: Petzl Zipka Headlamp Review

The Petzl Zipka headlamp, while at 2.29 ounces (with AAA/R3 batteries) is not the lightest of the lights, it is certainly one of the most compact. The retractable headband is very clever and one reason I like it so much. You can pull out the band a full 12 inches, for any size head, or […]

Friday, September 1st, 2006

Lightweight Light: Black Diamond Ion Micro Headlamp Review

At 1.25 ounces, the two-LED Black Diamond - Ion Micro Headlamp, is everything a lightweight backpacker needs: the LEDs never need replacement (according to the manufacturer), are very bright, and the battery is likely to last for many seasons. A positron switch prevents accidental turn on and the adjustable, tilt housing lets you direct light […]

Tuesday, August 29th, 2006

Lightweight Light: Snow Peak Lantern Review

Whether you’re a backpacking pro just beginning your quest to be lightweight or a beginner, every year presents a whole new set of innovations. If you’re like me, you won’t be able to resist getting the latest and the lightest—no matter how many of a thing you already own. Cost be dammed! (my wife just […]

Tuesday, August 15th, 2006

Esbit Pocket Stove Review - Lightweight and Low Tech

At 3.5 ounces and only $9.95, the Esbit Pocket Stove is a great lightweight stove.
The stove is fueled by non-toxic odorless, smokeless, non-explosive Esbit tablets that burn for 12 minutes, weigh a half ounce and cost about 75 cents each. They come 12 to a package.
The solid fuel and stove has been around […]

Thursday, August 10th, 2006

Lightweight Food Review: A Chef 5 Minute Meal Taste Test

A couple of weeks back, I told readers about a new backcountry kitchen discovery: Chef 5 Minute Meals Chicken Pasta Parmesan (Pack of 6) — a meal that comes complete with eating utensils, napkin, salt and pepper and a built-in oven. That's right, there is a magnesium pad in the box that turns into steam […]

Monday, August 7th, 2006

Western Mountaineering Highlite Sleeping Bag Review

A Dream Sleeping Bag for Lightweight Backpackers
The Western Mountaineering HighLite sleeping bag, a mere 16 ounces that is rated for 35 degrees, is my personal choice for a lightweight bag.The HighLite comes with a tiny waterproof stuff sack, making it suitable for the smallest lightweight backpack, and a larger storage bag so the 850+ goose […]