fullofadventure

Thanks for the info Zoran. Did you find out when the products will hit the stores and what type of prices we can expect? Hey Fern glad you at least are happy about my post and the info on the company.

Hey Dru thanks for posting my bio (old by they way) on here, not sure what you hoped to prove in doing so. All the bio states that I discovered joy of hiking by doing the grouse grind but that does not mean that is all I do or have done. Hey we all have to start somewhere right. You sound like some elitist by saying does the grouse grind really count. Hiking is hiking, just because I do not climb rock or ice or summit mountains like Rainier does make me any less of a hiker/backpacker. Come on everyone all bow to the hiking god that is Dru. WOW judging by your 23909 posts (on this website alone) you must be either a skilled mountain climber….or a really lonely person. Are all you posts this negative and pointless? You say I have a technical fetishism for my 2 years experience, and perhaps I do but what is wrong with wanting to be an educated consumer when it comes to shelling out money for gear. Also look this was not and ad man, I just wanted to let people know about a new company that makes products here instead of outsourcing the labor. That whole subject/topic is important to me and I hope it is to others too. If I had never made this post, most/if not all of you would have not known about this new company. I am not trying to pick a fight with you Dru but I am not just gonna sit here and take it either.

While I do not have experience with this bag I would recommend you do some research on the BA bag and pad combo. I hear it works very well except for side sleepers. I decided to pass on it myself because I am a side/stomach sleeper. To see what reviewers had to say check here http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Sleeping%20Bags/ .

Ya I know I am a dumb a$$ LOL, I never really read the post before I posted it.

Ya I guess there are a few “we's” in there, sorry, I just did a cut and paste from the comments they made to me. I will edit it so it is not so confusing.

Uh no I am just letting people now about a company who choose not to outsource its labor. I did apply for a job there though but they are not hiring until they see how the brand takes off. Why is it that just because I make a few posts about new gear and such you people seem to get mad? I am just trying to help out so people can know what is out there and can make educated gear choices. When I first started out I wasted too much money and bought like 4000 worth of Arc’teryx clothes in one day only to sell most of it later because it did not serve me well for what I do.

WESTCOMB, http://www.westcomb.com/ a Vancouver company looks to be making some pretty cool gear has just opened their website to give a sneak preview of their products. I have not seen any of the products in person yet but just from looking over the site it looks to be high end quality gear, almost Arc’teryx like. Hmmm I wonder how their prices will compare. I have been in communication with them through e-mail a few times and asked some questions and found out some info. All products are made in Vancouver (very important to me). Certain accessories such as Hats and T-shirts may or may not be made locally. They say Westcomb is a multi-outdoor sports brand. Many of the fabrications and technologies can be cross applied to different outdoor activities. They say they try to keep most of our products versatile, with the exception of a few designs aimed at our 'hard core' users. They are licensed fabric user of Malden Mill's Polartec series, Schoeller fabrics and technologies (nano-sphere http://www.nano-sphere.ch/ being one of them, this stuff is cool I have a few samples given to me by Schoeller), and Pontetorto S.p.A. They said eVENT will be something they hope to have in their line for fall 2006. I look forward to seeing what they do with eVENT. So there you have it a new local company that we can support (if the style and quality is good). I myself like the canyon half zip (10oz) and canyon pant (9oz) made from Schoeller Dryskin; it is in the windshell category.

I just got an e-mail back from Patagonia about their H2No wp/b barrier. A lot of people have been saying lately that the H2No is actually Entrant so I asked them and they told me it is not. It is their own proprietary tech. Here is what they said. H2No is not Entrant or any other "off the shelf" technology that Patagonia buys and then renames. If we were buying it off the shelf, Gore, Entrant, eVent, etc. we would use our vendors commercial names, there is simply more equity in Gore than H2No. So, H2No is our own proprietary technology. I hope this helps fix the confusion around the H2No barrier Patagonia uses.

Here is some info and pics from the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 05. Lots of cool new stuff coming out this year, so go take a sneek peak. http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/...84&forum=41

New from Patagonia. 6.5 oz rain jacket and 6oz rain pant for $$$$$ http://www.patagonia.com/za/PDC?OPTION=P...p;promo_cat_id= (pullover) http://www.patagonia.com/za/PDC?OPTION=PRODUCT&merchant_rn=7385&sku=24134&ws=false (if ya need vents) http://www.patagonia.com/za/PDC?OPTION=PRODUCT&merchant_rn=7385&sku=83795&ws=false (pants) Product and site update from Wild Things Gear. Wild Things Gear updated their site and have a new eVENT jacket, bib, and bivy. The also have changes some of their insulation pieces and have some powershield softshell products now too. New lightweight windshells and other stuff too. Check them out. http://www.wildthingsgear.com/index.html

I am using the the yoursole product right now treknclime and they are not working for me. Thanks for the insight everyone, I think I will have custom orthotics made. Here is where I might get them done at and some info on what they do. http://www.kintecfootlabs.com/fabrication.html http://www.kintecfootlabs.com/assessments.html http://www.kintecfootlabs.com/orthotics.html

Are custom made orthopedic insoles worth the money ($400CAD) to have made? Are they going to be guarantied better than say the CustomFit 3 piece Superfeet insloes($130CAD)? http://www.superfeet.com/content/custom-green.html#.html Does anyone with experience in expensive custom insoles know how long they will last compared to the custom Superfeet insoles?

To me it all comes down to weight&features. The Rab jacket only weighs 19.5oz and comes standard with: Hood Velcro adjustable cuffs Elasticized hem with one handed pulls The Volant does not come with the features listed above and with them added I bet the jacket would weight in the 29oz range give or take. I also like the down-filled storm flap on the outside of the zipper protecting it from the elements. The stitch-through construction does not concern me; as the jacket would be plenty warm for me and for what most people would use it for. The Rab jacket is cut longer I believe which is always nice too. Will it be as warm as the Volant I do not know but it is lighter (by 10oz) and I bet packs down smaller too. To me the $80 extra is worth the weight savings and possible smaller pack size. The guys at backpackinglight.com really like the jacket as well and I respect their opinion. But this is just my opinion as I have never ever seen either jacket. What I do know is both are excellent products.

Yes it is too bad that they don't because they really make some great gear. I would love to try on those Neutrino’s, they look so warm for the weight. It would make a great winter jacket in all conditions. I actually like the European gear better than most of the North American stuff. They tend to be more cutting edge in the fabric department. They seem more willing to use fabrics like eVENT, Epic, Pertex Equilibrium, and so on way before most NA companies do. I think they also tend to stick with function and worry less about being flashy/trendy but that is just mho. I actually have one product made by Rab and really like it a lot. It is well made and light for the features, warm too. It is a great 3-season jacket. If you want to read what my initial thoughts on it were, here is a link. http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6217&SearchTerms=Rab,montane Oh ya, and prolitegear rocks too, that is where I got mine from and would order from them again.

Crazybrit said “I guess there is always the option of going with an eVent laminate for the Volant. IIRC eVent is heavier, less water-resistant but more breathable than EPIC.” And Figure eight said, “The Epic shell is MORE breathable than any laminate (Event or Dryloft). The fibers themselves are encapsulated with silicone, eliminating the need to glue an additional membrane to the facing fabric. You now have one layer of material vs. three layers (including glue).” I would have to disagree strongly with both statements above. eVENT is heavier than epic but much more breathable and defiantly far more water resistant than Epic. Actually eVENT is 100% waterproof and Epic is only rated as highly water resistant. Epic will eventually wet out after long rains (6-8 hours or so) and start to let water droplets pass through where as eVENT will not. All the info coming in on eVENT so far shows it to be the most breathable waterproof membrane made to date. Period. Also just because a fabric only has one layer vs. a 3 layer does not mean it will vent out moister/vapor better/faster. I own the Integral Designs eVENT jacket that only weighs 9.5oz in a size large and can tell you that it is very breathable(i can actually run in it)and totally waterproof.