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.

Taiga does have a website now so no need to make the long journey up here to see them. Here ya go. http://www.taigadirect.com/products.html

There are the two new Granite Gear backpacks coming out. One is designed specifically for women and it’s about time they directed some attention to a large part of the market but what is with the color. The second is similar to the Nimbus Latitude but with the Vapor Trail suspension to save some weight. http://backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/GG339 http://backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/GG341

First of all I am looking to get gloves for the rain and have narrowed it down to two. The new OR Rain Claw Mitts http://www.orgear.com/home/style/home/handtools/gloves/ascent/70410, which claim to be waterproof and the MH Tempest SL http://www.mountainhardwear.com/www/action/catalog/DisplayStyle?id=1445 which I believe are not fully waterproof. Has anyone used these products or could recommend a good glove (in the 3oz range) for the approaching rainy season? Second is has anyone used the GoLite Reed pant http://www.golitestore.com/store/NS_proddetail.asp?number=AM1718? How do they fit (loose or athletic cut)? I would only be layering over merino wool bottoms so I do not want them to be too baggy. I really like the 5oz weight and minimalist design. Last are there any tips for tarp camping or could you recommend a websites that has some good info on pitching or tying knots. I think I might try to confront my fears of bugs, and such and give it a try because I really would like to save as much weight a possible. Most people that use tarps use adjustable trekking poles but I am thinking of going with the fixed length lightweight (4oz for the pair) Gossamer Gear poles. How will this affect the storm worthiness of my shelter? Would it be better to go with a more standard adjustable pole? Thanks in advance.

I think it would hold up quite well but if it were me I would buy an Integral Designs eVENT tent over a BD Epic tent. It would be a small penalty in weight but it would be an absolute waterproof bombproof tent that I would never have to question.

The BD products are nice but I thought I would give you another option and you would save some oz's. It is from a cottage company called Oware and it is the Alphamid Tarp. http://www.owareusa.com/index.html

Um no I am not a rep just happy about my new jacket. It works well with no brim, I was out in the crazy rain today for 1.5 hours and it worked well. If ya need a brim just wear a hat like I did in the pic. I always where a hat anyways so it did not bother me that it did not have one.

Well today in the mail I got my money from the guy who bought my Arc’tryx Theta AR jacket. Well what could I buy with my new found money, hmmm I wonder. I could not hold out any longer and had to go and check out the eVENT ID jacket at Mountain Magic in Surrey. Oh by the way MM is my favorite store by far. When I arrived at the store John (owner) new what I had come for. We talked a bit first about the jacket and various other things. They had various sizes and had both colors dark green and goldish yellow. I was originally going to get a yellow one but as soon as I saw the green it was settled. It looks so good and should blend in well to the environment. I had brought a few pieces (MH Monkey Man Vest and Rab Photon Smock) with me to try on with the jacket for layering. I wore my Icebreaker lightweight LS shirt as a base layer. These jackets are cut in the active style so they run narrow/trim. I am 5 11 180 (need to drop 10lbs LOL) and usually wear an M but that size would not even come close to fitting me. I did not even bother to try it on. I tried a large on first, WOW this sucker is light people (9.5oz) and it feels like it will be very durable (3ply). Some jackets are light but feel like they will not last long or rip/tear easy but this one looks good for even possibly bushwhacking. The large has just enough arm length and the elastic/velcro cuffs are nice and function well. When reaching up the cuffs only pulled down just a hair. The hem length is a short harness friendly style cut. When reaching up with the hem loose it raised about 2 inches but when tight only move and slightly. The hood is definitely different than all others I have tried on and works ok even though it has no draw cords, no volume adjusters, and no rollaway tabs. It only has a simple nonadjustable, elastic hem. When used with a hat or toque the hood works very well, it is nice not having to mess around and adjust cords. The waterproof zipper worked so well, on par or even better than Arc’teryx, which says a lot. It layered perfect over the base layer and felt great. I then added underneath the MH vest and it fit perfectly allowing great mobility. This combo or a down/synthetic vest would be a great set up in cold weather hiking as it would keep your core warm but allow great freedom of movement. I then switched out the vest for my lightweight synthetic insulated smock and it was just a bit tight, but still doable with out compressing the insulation. I do not think I would ever use this combo anyways because it would be too warm but I wanted to see how it fit. For serious cold weather a high loft hooded down/synthetic jacket would layer great overtop the ID jacket when need at stops and such. I tried on the XL (10oz) to see how it fit and it did give me a better hem length and did layer better over the Rab smock but the hood had too much room and it was a bit big girth wise. I wondered around the store for a bit trying each on with a backpack and finally ended up selecting a large. John helped me out in choosing; he felt it would be better going with a large. Only time will tell if it was the right size. The price was $220 Canadian plus tax. Was it too much money for a jacket you ask? I do not think so as it is replacing the $700 jacket I just sold. Will the eVENT fabric work well at venting moister or does it need pit zips, again only time will tell. I wanted to give the jacket a quick test so I went jogging with it on at Campbell Valley Park today. It was 12-13C out and 90% humidity and the jacket vented very well. I jogged for 30 minutes straight on mostly flat ground (2 small hills only) and my base layer was perfectly dry and the inside of the jacket showed no signs of moister build up at all. I was absolutely amazed at how well the eVENT fabric did. More testing to come soon too to make the doubters happy. I will post some pictures plus more later and keep everyone updated as to how well the jacket is working out for me. http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8109 Also I just found out yesterday that the company that makes the VENT membrane BHA Technologies is owned by BHA Holdings, which was just taken over by General Electric (GE). Will this be good or bad I do not know. They say it can/will be used in military and industrial applications. I hope the military does not buy up all the fabric for use and we backpacker loose out. http://www.bhatech.com http://www.bha.com/home.asp http://www.gepower.com/prod_serv/serv/env_serv/en/index.htm http://gepower.com/about/press/en/2004_press/090104.htm PDF FILE http://gepower.com/about/press/en/articles/GEA13843_BHA_Acquisition.pdf