Trailspace Blog November 2009

If you’ve been wondering what's the big environmental deal about bamboo, hemp, and organic cotton or what exactly is that stuff made from corn (PLA) or soda bottles (recycled PET), REI now has descriptions of the eco-sensitive materials they use in select gear and apparel, along with the pros and cons of each. Learn the difference between "organic cotton" clothes and clothes "made with organic cotton" and what materials use genetically modified crops at REI’s Eco-Sensitive Materials.

Though a little tougher to find on their site, Patagonia also explains the different fabrics and technologies they use in their apparel, like Capilene, merino wool, and organic cotton, with information like which have recycled content (and how much) and which are recyclable (so you can help close the loop).

Of course, buying "greener" gear and apparel is only green if you actually need the item and it’s a more environmentally-friendly choice than similar products out there. As tempting as it may sound, none of us can over-shop our way to a healthier planet.

We know that sometimes a pair of trail hikers isn’t a 3 star shoe or a 4 star shoe. It’s really more like a 3.5 star shoe. And maybe you think that tent that leaked on you all weekend, fell over at the first gust of wind, and came without all of its poles doesn’t even deserve one paltry star, gosh darn it.

Well, rejoice, for now your gear reviews can range from 0 stars (useless) to 5 stars (don’t leave home without it), and we’ve added half stars in between too. So go ahead. Write a review and tell us exactly what you think of your backcountry gear with half, whole, or no stars at all.

The ever-elusive MSR Reactor (you know the award-winning stove that we, and a lot of other people, talked about and then it got delayed and delayed again) is finally shipping. But unless you already have a pre-order with a retailer don’t hold your breath about getting your hands on one immediately. MSR says it’s shipping the stoves as fast as they can make them, but expects it to take several months to fulfill all of the current backorders worldwide. If you’re lucky you might get one for the new year. Read the press release>>

Need a card to send your favorite hiker, climber, paddler, or mountain biker? Rock On Cards makes cards and posters with photos of outdoor athletes climbing, running, and hiking alongside motivational quotes (such as, “It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.” - Seneca). Their web site is a bit rough and only seems to work in Internet Explorer on Windows, but the cards are nicely done. I picked up a bunch of cards at Rock On’s booth at Outdoor Retailer, but I’m now having a hard time parting with them ($2.50 a card, $16 for a collection of 8).

We all know that “green gear” is a huge trend, but consumer demand can lead to “greenwashing,” where companies slap a tree on their packaging, mention something “eco,” and call it good. However at Outdoor Retailer earlier this month, I was pleased to find a number of gear companies that are sincerely working toward making their products “less bad.”

Recycled sleeping bags were a big thing:

Big Agnes Skinny Fish 20°

Big Agnes’s Skinny Fish 20° and Ripple Creek 35° rectangular sleeping bags topped the recycled content bags at 99 percent (the zippers aren't recycled). They're made with Climashield HL Green 100% recycled content insulation, 100% recycled rip-stop nylon shell and liner fabric, and drawstring cords and stuff sacks derived from recycled content. (Skinny Fish: 4 lbs, $179.95; Ripple Creek: 3 lbs 8 oz, $159.95).

Also as part of its Re-Routt Collection, Big Agnes’s new Diversion Air Core pads will feature 100 percent recycled shell fabric, Climashield HL Green insulation, and a recycled aluminum valve (20" x 72" x 2.5", 27 oz, $89.95). And Big Agnes is changing its Crystal 30°, Nugget 45°, and Lost Dog 50° bags and its Air Core sleeping pads over to PrimaLoft Eco synthetic insulation, a 50/50 blend of traditional PrimaLoft fibers and recycled fibers.

Marmot EcoPro 15°

Marmot is introducing a line of EcoPro sleeping bags that use EcoPro UpCycled insulation: 80% recycled insulation and 100% UpCycle PET Polyester shell fabric (both made from recycled soda bottles). The EcoPro sleeping bags are available in men’s 15- and 40-degree models, and men’s and women’s 30-degree models (EcoPro 15°: 3 lbs / 1360 grams, $165).

And as we mentioned earlier in our OR coverage, Sierra Designs' men’s Verde 20 (3 lbs 2 oz, $179) and women’s Déjà Vu 20 (2 lbs 13 oz, $179) are SD's greenest bags (“90 percent sustainable,” says Sierra Designs). The bags feature EcoSensor shells (from recycled polyester textiles and PET bottles), Climashield Green insulation (100% recycled), and Cocona linings (a mix of recycled polyester and Cocona yarn).

Sierra Designs Deja Vu 20°

Also part of Sierra Designs' Green Effect Program the men’s Nahche 0 (4 lbs 1 oz, $269) and women’s Winema 0 (3 lbs 12 oz, $269), have Cocona linings, EcoSensor shells, and PrimaLoft Eco recycled fill. The men’s Lazer 30 (2 lbs 2 oz, $199) and women’s Flare 30 (1 lbs 15 oz, $199) also use PrimaLoft Eco fill. 

None of my camping or backpacking trips would ever be called “glamorous.” I’ve never had a butler to toast my s’mores, a maid to offer nightly turn-down service in my designer tent, nor a concierge to arrange my hike so I specifically wouldn’t have to suffer through any boring parts.

Of course, that isn’t camping, it’s luxurious “glamping,” for people who want to experience nature without…well, without actually experiencing nature.

As much as I want to encourage more people to get outside, please let this glamping trend (which took off thanks to supermodel Kate Moss's appearance at muddy British festivals)  end soon.

And don’t Kate and her trendy followers know there are more appropriate clothes and footwear for camping than a couture mini dress paired with Wellies? Maybe I should send her and her fellow fashionistas some suggestions. Perhaps some Patagonia or Nau?

LA Times: “Say, has the butler cleaned the trout yet?”
Newsweek: “Fluffing It”

via OR Blog

If a company makes two versions, with the same exact name, of say, a 20° sleeping bag, and one version is called a women’s model, then shouldn’t the other one be called a men’s model? Not a “regular,” which implies some sort of irregularity with women and their gear?

I see this fairly frequently with packs, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads from some major outdoor gear companies. I’m glad there are women-specific models of gear available. And I realize some taller women fit better in “regular” gear while some smaller men and teens fit better in “women’s” gear. But having a “regular” model alongside a women’s model just seems a bit insulting.

Hats off to Sierra Designs and other companies that call their bags men’s or women’s models, and pack companies like Osprey, which has men’s and women’s backpacks, and Deuter, which instead call its models regular, short, or long torso.

As long as I’m on this kick, I also hate it when publishers give women’s gear its own "special" section, completely separate from the “regular” outdoor gear and clothing. Obviously men and women want to find the gear designed to fit them best, and taking gender and body type into account is important. But let’s treat all outdoor enthusiasts equally. Not separately or irregularly. 

Last week at Outdoor Retailer I stopped by the Lonely Planet booth and started flipping through a copy of Signspotting, a book by Doug Lansky with pictures of unintentionally funny, quirky, and just plain odd signs. Some made me laugh out loud, like “Bottomless Pit, 65 Feet Deep.” Most you have to see to appreciate. This, which I took in Hawaii, would be my personal sign spotting. Hey, did anyone tell the geckos?

While I briefly mentioned the Primus EtaPower MF (multi-fuel) backpacking stove on Day 3 of OR, here's some more information about it and the new integrated canister EtaExpress for all the stove gearheads.

Primus EtaPower MF

Unlike many stoves that call themselves “multi” or “all-fuel,” but really only burn liquid fuels, the EtaPower MF is an actual multi-fuel backpacking stove that will burn any available fuel—butane, propane, diesel, paraffin, or aviation fuel. According to Primus, the EtaPower MF “blends the most fuel-efficient stove design in the world with the convenience of omnivorous multi-fuel technology.” Primus claims its ETA burner design is twice as efficient as average stoves, allowing for faster boiling times, less fuel consumption, a lower total weight, and a more environmentally friendly stove.

The EtaPower MF has a piezo ignitor and comes with a burner stand, windscreen, 2.1 liter EtaPower pot with heat exchanger, and .35 L fuel bottle that nests inside; additional accessories include a frying pan, handle, and bag that doubles as pot insulation. If you don’t need the multi-fuel option, Primus already has the EtaPower EF (easy fuel) out for $80 less. Can’t wait till 2008? You can watch Primus’s online video about EtaPower stoves.

EtaPower MF Specs

• Weights:
  EtaPower MF stove, screen, and hose: 13.4 oz (385 g)
  1.7 L pot: 7.7 oz (220 g)
  .35 L fuel bottle: 2.6 oz (75 g)
  Pot gripper handle: 1.6 oz (45 g)
  Ergo pump: 3.7 oz (105 g)
• BTUs: 1500 to 2000 per hour
• Boil time: 2.5 to 3.5 minutes
• Packed Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.3 x 5.5" (210 x 210 x 135 mm)
• Availability: around January 15, 2008
• MSRP: $190

Primus EtaExpress

Built on the same heat exchanger foundation as the EtaPower, the EtaExpress is a compact, 14.7 oz, integrated canister version, designed for the solo traveler. It consists of a lightweight stove (2.9 oz) with piezo ignitor that mounts directly to an LP gas canister, a clip-on wind screen for fuel efficiency, and 1 L pot with fry pan lid. A heat exchanger mounted directly to the pot keeps the flame focused where it's needed, reducing heat loss, maximizing fuel efficiency and lowering boil times. The stove and a 230 g LP gas canister store in the 1 L pot for transport.

EtaExpress Specs

• Weights:
  EtaExpress stove: 2.9 oz (82 g)
  1 L pot w/ fry pan lid: 10.4 oz (295 g)
• BTUs: 8500 per hour
• Boil time: 3.15 minutes
• Packed Dimensions: 4.5 x 5.9" (115 diameter x 140 mm tall)
• Availability: around January 15, 2008
• MSRP: $89

Seventy years ago today, on August 14, 1937, a six-man Civilian Conservation Corps crew completed the final link of the 2,025-mile Appalachian Trail: a 2-mile section in Maine on a ridge connecting Spaulding and Sugarloaf mountains, 186 miles south of Katahdin. Without fanfare the crew moved on to building shelters.

“Rather than a sense of exultation, this situation brings a fuller realization of our responsibilities,” said ATC chair Myron Avery of the event. “To say that the Trail is completed would be a complete misnomer. Those of us, who have physically worked on the Trail, know that the Trail, as such, will never be completed.”

Keen's Broughton Direct (men's)

In a move I didn’t see coming, Keen is introducing two climbing shoes with Keen climbing sticky rubber—the velcro Broughton Direct and the lace-up CarverDirect. The rock shoes will be part of Keen’s 2008 Trailhead Collection, which also includes the Commuter, a hybrid bike/trail shoe.

Keen's Carver Direct (women's)

Keen certainly has a lot of saturation in the outdoor sandal and shoe market. Just take a look at the thousands of feet walking the OR floor this past week. And I’ll personally attest that their footwear is extremely comfortable and well-made. But I’ve got to wonder about Keen entering the technical climbing market. It’s a really tough sell, especially for a company without a climbing rep. We’ll have to wait and see if Keen’s innovative outdoor style will extend to rock shoes. ($90, available January 2008)

DeLorme’s new Earthmate GPS PN-20 is the only handheld GPS that can display aerial imagery, DeLorme topo maps, and USGS 7.5-minute quad maps. The waterproof GPS PN-20 holds up to 10 tracks, 1,000 user-defined waypoints, and 50 routes. The aerial imagery option would have been seriously useful on my last off-trail backpacking trip. Delorme gives you a certificate to download $100 worth (400 sq. km) of aerial imagery with the PN-20, just enough to get you started. Alas for Mac users, the Topo USA 6.0 mapping software only works with Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 2000, and XP. (2.43" x 5.25" x 1.5", 5.12 oz, $399.95, available now)

For the first time National Geographic maps will be available on a handheld GPS with Magellan’s Triton series. Users will be able to layer Magellan’s topographic maps and National Geographic TOPO!’s five layers of maps (28 titles cover all 50 states) on one device. The six GPS units in the series (Triton 2000, 1500, 500, 400, 300, and 200) are water submersible and offer full-color, touch-screen controls, and an easier to use interface. Units in the series include a range of features, depending on the model, including the ability to record and attach audio to waypoint files, a built-in 2MB pixel camera, digital compass, barometer, and built-in LED flashlight (Triton 2000: $499 - Triton 200: $129, expected availability September).

After four days of gear frenzy Outdoor Retailer Summer Market has come to its exhausted, bleary-eyed ending, at least until OR Winter Market 2008 in five months. By yesterday afternoon, day four, my head was so overloaded with backcountry gear info, questions, notes-to-self, press kits, and business cards that Conrad Anker and Ed Viesturs could both have given me backpacks filled with all of their favorite gear and I’d just have thought, “hmm…that’s nice.” (Note to Conrad and Ed, if you really want to send me a bunch of gear I promise I can muster a lot more enthusiasm now that I’m home and I’ve had a nap.)

There’s still a lot of gear news and debuts we haven’t even begun to cover, but over the coming months we’ll provide more thorough product details, previews, and reviews on select outdoor gear. In the meantime, some final show highlights and thoughts will follow here in the blog.

Heat-It is a new 138-gram (4.86 ounces) “all weather cooking system” that you use with your current backcountry stove and cookware setup to increase energy efficiency (up to 40% in non-windy conditions, even more in cold and windy conditions).

Made from a fire retardant textile, the Heat-It looks like a soft cook pot, and can be used on the ground or as a hanging system for big wall climbing or inside a tent. It has a drawstring closure on top for extra wind protection or to close the top making it a mountain oven for cooking bread or cakes. It'll also store your stove and cookware in your pack for transport.

The company, Ortik from Portugal, tested and developed the system over six years and introduced it abroad last year. They claim the Heat-It system will let you boil 12 liters of water in 7 knots of wind with 100 grams of fuel (4.86 oz, $65).

It’s the morning of day four, the last of Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. Things are quieting down as booths get packed up and attendees cruise the Salt Palace hoping for freebies and deals on gear that companies don’t want to bother shipping back home. I’m headed back for one last marathon day of walking the show in the hopes of discovering some new gear and gear companies that I’ve missed while rushing from booth to booth the first few days.

Here’s some of what I saw and liked yesterday:

• Mountainsmith has 19 backpacks and daypacks, seven lumbar packs, and four camera bags with recycled content. The granddaddy of them all is the Phoenix a 4,211 cubic inch alpine pack with 85% recycled materials (recycled PET mesh, recycled PET zippers, eco-friendly hardware, 100% recycled PET fabric, webbing, and binding). It uses the equivalent of 72 recycled bottles (5 lbs 8 oz, $289).

• Also in the recycled category, Mion is introducing the Floodgate, a watersport sandal with 15% recycled rubber outsole (R2R, round two rubber), 29% recycled EVA footbed, and 50% PET recyled straps. Expect some completely green sandals from Mion in the next few years.

• I’ve seen a lot of new tents this year. Mountain Hardwear’s Stiletto 1 (2 lbs. 8 oz, $325) and Helion 2 (3 lbs. 4 oz, $395) are ultralight and guaranteed watertight. They’ve also got some tough new climbing and alpine packs in their Objective Series: South Col (75 L, 3 lbs 14 oz, $260), Direttissima (52 L, 4 lbs 4 oz, $190), Dihedral (40 L, 3 lbs 11 oz., $160), and the Splitter crag pack (35 L, 4 lbs 2 oz, $160), as well as the multi-sport SuperNatural (40L and 55L, 3 lbs 7 oz and 4 lbs, $190 and $230). I fell for their mid-weight, softshell Navigation Pants with zip-off ankle gaiters (men’s and women’s, $130).

• At last winter's OR I stumbled upon Roonwear’s booth, and yesterday I got to visit again. As a parent I was drawn in by their good looking, technical, non-scratchy, clothing for kids. The dri-release socks and shirts are truly cottony soft. They also appealed to me as a family company, started by the Johnsons, two outdoor enthusiast parents who were looking for quality clothes for their own baby, Cameron, now a toddler (working the OR floor at left with Thomas). Parents who need newborn to 5T clothing for their outdoor kids should check out Roonwear.

• Primus has a multi-fuel version of the EtaPower EF stove coming out. It’s appropriately called the EtaPower MF.

• ProBars are really yummy. Each bar guarantees 15 fresh, whole food ingredients. I especially liked the Superfood Slam.

And lastly, I got the chance to visit and have dinner with Bill S and Brian in SLC while here, which was fun. It’s so nice to meet some fellow Trailspace community members in person.