Gear Box: Snow Peak SnowMiner Headlamp

Just when you think you've seen it all in terms of headlamp design, along comes the SnowMiner, by Snow Peak, to shake things up. This cleverly designed light looks like nothing else on the market, but that's just the start of what makes this lamp so great.

Like any good headlamp, the SnowMiner is lightweight (just 2.3 ounces/65g without batteries), comfortable to wear, and provides plenty of light. It features two different pre-set levels of illumination, high (80 lumens) and low (8 lumens), and comes with a flashing strobe mode that can be used to signal for help in emergencies. Perhaps best of all however, is the "Variable" mode, which lets you easily dial-up the exact brightness you need. This is accomplished by pressing, and holding, the power button, which gradually adjusts the light from its brightest to lowest setting.

One of the things that impressed me the most about this lamp was how comfortable it is to wear, even over extended periods of time. The headband adjusts very easily, and can be worn directly on your head or over a hat or helmet as well. Once it is in place, you barely notice the oversized lamp unit, which features a soft, silicone covering around the bulb itself. At first, that soft covering seems like just another unique design choice, but it turns out is has a purpose all of its own too.

While the SnowMiner is a nice headlamp in its own right, it turns out it has a few tricks up its sleeve that truly set it apart from the pack. For starters, when you're done using it on the trail or moving around camp, the lamp quickly, easily, and efficiently turns into a hanging lantern. A plastic hook built into the headband make it easy to hang from the ceiling of your tent, providing plenty of illumination for those late night card games or curling up in your sleeping back with a good book.

As for that soft silicon covering I mentioned, well its true use becomes apparent when you switch to lantern mode. When you're wearing the SnowMiner as a headlamp, the silicone covering collapses around the bulb to allow it to focus its beam in a more concentrated direction. This helps us to be able to see further ahead when we're walking on a dark trail, but doesn't really help much when trying to illuminate a larger area. But when you're ready to use the light as a lantern, you simply give tie silicon a slight pinch and a twist, and two tiny magnets inside the light release it, allowing the covering to expand into a dome. That dome disperses the light nicely, making it act more like a lamp and less like a flashlight. It really is an ingenious design that will be much appreciated when bedding down for the night.

Battery life is fantastic on the SnowMiner as well, lasting 50 hours on high and 140 hours on low. The light uses three AAA batteries, which are cheap and easy to find, and when they start to get low, the headlamp gives you plenty of warning by turning on a small red indicator light.

Snow Peak designed the lamp to be easy to use, even while wearing gloves, and the large power button is  fantastic when you're fumbling around in the dark as well. I also appreciated the easy to access battery compartment, which made it a snap to replace dead power cells. I've used other headlamps where that simple task turned into an exercise in futility.

In case you couldn't tell, I'm very impressed with the SnowMiner. It's a great little head lamp that extends its functionality well beyond what you would expect out of a light like this one. If your'e looking for a last minute stocking stuffer, the backpacker or hiker on your list will definitely appreciate this lamp. (MSRP: $49) (Checkout other Snow Peak gear at TravelCountry.com.)

Gear Box: Primus Eta Solo Stove

The trend in lighter, more efficient, backpacking and camping gear has paid dividends in all kinds of different equipment over the past few years. Everything from tents and backpacks to sleeping bags and hiking boots have shed excess kilos while improving performance and durability. This same formula has also been applied to camp stoves, which were once of the heaviest and bulkiest pieces of gear in our packs. Now, outdoor enthusiasts have a number of great personal cooking options, which seem to get more useful and efficient each year.

Take for example the Eta Solo cooking system from Primus. Designed to support one or two hikers while on the trail, the Eta Solo is impressively compact and lightweight. The stove tips the scales at just 12.9 ounces and even with a fuel canister, it barely weighs more than a pound. When not in use, that same canister stores neatly inside the included .9 L pot, keeping everything well organized for when you need it to cook your next meal.

When you are ready to play the part of camp chef, you'll find the Eta Solo to be a solid performer. In my tests, it was consistently able to boil a pot of water in just over two minutes, although admittedly those tests didn't take place under conditions what would be deemed extreme. The stove did resist the wind very well, but I wasn't able to put it through its paces in temperatures below 50ºF/10ºC. I was especially impressive in how efficiently the Eta uses its fuel, which helps to stretch the lifespan of the canister and allows you to carry less gas when you're on the trail.

Other great features include solid burner control, good build quality and a locking mechanism that securely holds the pot in place and keeps the entire system very stable. The stove also comes with optional support for larger pots, which brings a nice level of versatility to the entire system, and a removable wrap for the pot allows you to hold it even when it's very hot. The included hanging kit was a nice touch as well.

The Eta Solo isn't without room for improvement however. The placement of the controls seemed a bit close to the burner at times and I found myself having to watch where I put my fingers. The stove's support legs also didn't fit neatly inside the pot while the fuel canister is inside, which took away from the compact nature of the product as well.

Those few nit-picks aside however, Primus has put together an excellent, efficient stove that is on par with any of its competitors. Aspiring backcountry gourmets looking for a compact cooking system at an affordable price (MSRP is $120) will find that the Eta Solo is a great choice for their culinary needs while on the trail.

Gear Box: High Peak Alpinismo Lite 'n Fast Sleeping Pad

When it comes to sleeping in the backcountry a good tent and a comfortable sleeping bag go a long way to ensuring a good nights sleep. But any backpacker will tell you, to live the true life of luxury, you also need a good sleeping pad. Of course, plenty of gear manufacturers provide durable, comfortable pads for our camping adventures, but few give you the complete package – compact and light weight sleeping pads that you actually look forward to using.

High Peak, a company that specializes in quality outdoor gear, including tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and more, offers a line of light weight gear under their Alpinizmo line. One of those pieces of gear is their Lite 'n Fast sleeping pad, which is designed for the minimalist climber and backpacker who is looking to save ounces without giving up some comforts.

The mattress is shaped to accommodate a mummy bag and self-inflates to about an inch of thickness in just a few minutes. Once it is fully inflated,  the Lite 'n Fast is nicely firm and comfortable to lie on, providing plenty of protection from rough terrain and insulation from the cold ground. That makes for a much more comfortable night in the tent, which also makes for a much happier hiker on the trail the following day.

Weighing in at 1 pound, 5 ounces (.6 kilograms), the Lite 'n Fast isn't the lightest sleeping pad on the market, but it actually tips the scales very favorably for a self inflating pad. Better yet, when it is rolled up and stored in its included stuff sack,  it actually is quite compact, taking up very little room in your pack.

With the Lite 'n Fast, High Pack has designed an excellent sleeping pad that offers quite a lot of value in a small package, although taller backpackers may need to look for something a bit longer. The pad is 72" inches (183 cm) in length, which is plenty long for most people, but anyone over six feet in height will start to hang off the end. I'm actually taller than that, but didn't really notice any discomfort, but it is something to be aware of none the less.

Aside from that, I whole heartedly recommend the Lite 'n Fast for anyone looking for a comfortable, well designed, and affordable sleeping pad that will see you through a lot of adventures, without weighing down your pack or breaking the bank. (MSRP $50)

Gear Box: Kelty Cosmic Down 20º Sleeping Bag

For those of us who live in the warmer, southern region of the U.S., the fall season bring relief from the heat at last. That means we get head back outside and enjoy our favorite wild space for the first time in a few months. It is also the perfect season for camping, as the days are still warm, but the nights are perfect for spending time in a tent. Recently I had the opportunity to test out the Kelty Cosmic Down 20º sleeping bag in just those conditions, and came away quite impressed. It isn't the warmest or lightest bag I've ever used, but for the price, it packs a lot of performance.

Kelty is an outdoor gear company that has built a solid reputation for making good gear, at affordable prices, that are perfect for the more casual outdoor crowd. Someone who enjoys camping and hiking, but isn't likely to be heading to the Andes or the Himalaya any time soon. Their gear is designed more for the weekend warrior than the hardcore adventure set, but over the years they have built a very loyal following who swear by their products.

With that in mind, I wasn't sure what to expect out of the Cosmic Down. After all, Kelty was promising a down-filled sleeping bag, rated for 20ºF (-6 Cº) that weighs 3.5 pound (1.6 kilograms) for around a hundred bucks. If the bag could come anywhere close to meeting those specs, I'd be quite happy.

Removing the Cosmic Down from its included stuff sack, I was pleasantly surprised at the overall quality of the bag. The fabrics were all quite nice and the zippers were solid and moved without sticking or snagging on the cloth. Rolling it out on the floor, I immediately crawled inside and was happy do discover there was plenty of room for my tall frame. Kelty had sent me the "large" version of the bag for review, and it was definitely spacious and comfortable, particularly for a mummy bag.

When put to real-world, practical use, the bag didn't disappoint either. The Cosmic Down uses 550-fill Down, which was surprisingly warm and made for comfortable sleeping with temperatures falling into the 20's, although I'm not sure I'd want to trust it much lower than that. For most three-season camping conditions, this is a more than adequate choice.

When first eyeballing the CD I was a bit concerned that it didn't have any kind of venting options on the lower half of the bag. Turns out it didn't really need them, as the well designed half-zip that runs along the side worked well when I needed to let a little air into the bag. Kelty also built in security loops to keep the Cosmic Down connected to your sleeping pad, which is a nice touch for a bag that isn't considered "hardcore."

Campers and backpackers on a budget will absolutely love this bag. It is comfortable, well made, and is a perfect option for late spring, summer, and early fall camping. Kelty has managed to create a product that lives up to its performance promises and does so in an attractive and affordable package. If you're in the market to upgrade your gear, than the Cosmic Down is a fantastic choice, as you'll have cash left over to continue shopping for other equipment as well. (MSRP: $99.95 (small), $109.95 (medium), $119.95 (long))

Checkout other Kelty gear at TravelCountry.com.

Gear Box: Eureka Apex 2XT Tent

Living in Texas, where we've already had more than a dozen days of triple-digit heat y this year, we're always looking for gear that performs well in warmer temperatures. After all, it isn't much fun to be uncomfortable in extremely hot and dry weather. In fact, while most of the U.S. is just getting their camping gear onto the store shelves, ours is being put in storage until fall, when it is actually safe to go back outside again.

Fortunately, there are some gear manufacturers that go to great pains to design gear that works well in warm weather, ensuring we don't have to cancel our camping trip just because the mercury starts to climb. One of those companies is Eureka, who makes a variety of tents for backpacking, family outings, and even mountaineering expeditions. I took one of their newly designed Apex 2XT tents on a recent weekend outing, and found that it was a fantastic option for summer campers.

One of the biggest challenges of testing out a new tent is trying to figure out how to set it up. Sometimes they are simple, straight forward affairs, and sometimes it requires a rocket surgeon to help you figure it out. In the case of the Apex, it was a real breeze to put it together, taking just a few minutes to get it set up and ready for use. That's greatly appreciated at the end of a long day on the trail or when you're trying to out run a sudden storm.

After setting the tent up, I climbed inside to check out my sleeping space and was surprised to find a very spacious interior. The Apex 2XT is rated for two campers, which it can fit comfortably with room to spare for gear as well. In fact, its large enough that two adults and even a small child could probably get away with sharing the space for weekend outings.

As is typical with Eureka tents, the Apex is well constructed and durable. It also includes a fly that covers the entire tent and creates two vestibules that are helpful for keeping gear dry in inclement weather. A gear loft and interior pockets helps you to keep your important items close at hand, and a "bathtub" floor helps to keep the water out.

The Apex is most definitely designed for warmer weather, and the twin side-opening access points help to keep the interior well ventilated on summer nights. If you use the tent in those kinds of conditions, you're likely to be very happy with its performance. This is a late-spring to early-fall kind of shelter, and anything much colder than that will probably leave you wanting something a bit more substantial.

Speaking of substantial, the tent is a bit on the heavy side as well. Light and fast backpackers will want to look elsewhere as well, as the Apex 2XT has a pack weight of 6 pounds, 5 ounces. That's a fairly heavy load for a two-person tent that doesn't offer better protection in colder temps. But on the other hand, it is hard to beat the quality, size, and performance for the price.

One other item of note is that I've read that this tent has issues with keeping moisture out, particularly in heavy rainfall. I can't confirm or deny these issues, as it was warm and dry when I used the tent. I can say that it seems that Eureka has taken great strides to incorporate design elements that should help to keep all but the heaviest of rains out. The bathtub floor, included fly, zipper covers, and other items seem well thought out and incorporated to keep us dry, but perhaps there is something I'm overlooking.

Warm weather campers will find the Apex 2XT has everything they need for their summer outings. With plenty of interior room and good design elements, tt is an excellent and affordable option that should serve you well, provided you don't use it in cooler weather.

MSRP: $129.99 (But it at TravelCountry.com)

Gear Box: Brooks-Range Alpini 30 Sleeping Bag

One of the keys to a good camping trip is, without a doubt, a quality sleeping bag. You can put up with inclement weather, going days without a hot shower, and endure mediocre camp food, but when it comes time to sleep, you need to be comfortable. This is true in every season, ranging from the sub-zero temperatures of winter to the scorching hot of summer.

Recently I had the opportunity to test out the new Alpini 30 Sleeping Bag from Brooks Range and as usual with gear from BR, I found it a more than worthy addition to my gear closet. From the moment you take it out of the included stuff sack, the Alpini impresses with its design and build quality, as the bag features lightweight fabrics that are both soft and rugged, making it comfortable to sleep in, but tough enough to survive the rigors of the trail.

As the name implies, the Alpini 30 is rated down to about 30ºF (0ºC) making it a perfect sleeping bag for spring and fall camping excursions or cooler summer nights at altitude. Thanks to its "mummy" style design, which includes a hood, the Alpini is extremely versatile, allowing you to bundle up as much or as little as you need to stay comfortable. The heavy duty, high quality, zippers aid in this process quite a bit, allowing you to keep the bag open on warmer nights, or zipped up snuggly when the temperatures start to drop. Those same zippers are bi-directional, allowing you to vent your legs and feet, while remaining warmly wrapped around your torso and head. 

As someone who travels regularly, I always tend to favor gear that is light in weight and doesn't take up much room in my pack. The Alpini fits that description as well, as it stuffs down to a very small footprint and weighs less than a pound and a half. In fact, it is so light, you'll barely even remember you have it with you when you're hiking. Brooks Range used 850+ fill goose down to achieve the miracle of a warm and comfortable sleeping bag that also happens to have such a minimalist profile. 

While the Alpini is an excellent, well made sleeping bag, there are two things to keep in mind when deciding if it is right for you. First, the temperature rating system is fairly accurate, and I can't imagine using this bag much below freezing. It is a perfect cool weather bag but you'll want something warmer for your cold weather adventures. (Like the Alpini 15 perhaps!) The other thing to consider is that Alpini runs a bit on the small side, and if you're above 6 feet in height, you may find it a bit too confining. I'm 6'3" and about 200 pounds, and at times I felt the bag didn't quite fit me properly. A larger size would be appreciated, although that doesn't seem to be an option at this point. 

Those two quibbles aside, the Alpini 30 is a fantastic option for three-season camping. You'll be impressed by how comfortable and lightweight it is, not to mention how small it packs down. It is a versatile and well built sleeping bag that will serve you well in all but the most extreme conditions. 

MSRP: $319 available from the Brooks-Range.com.

National Parks Week Begins Tomorrow!

As an avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, I'm a big fan of America's National Parks. These amazing wilderness settings are amongst the most beautiful places I've visited on Earth, and that is saying something, as I've been fortunate enough to visit some pretty spectacular places. To celebrate these wonderful places, the Park Service has declared April 16th - 24th as National Parks Week and has scheduled a host of activities to take place during that period. They're also making the parks free to visitors during those days, waiving the entrance fee for all who want to experience the wonders of the parks for themselves.

Over the course of the next nine days, there will be a lot of promotional activities taking place in a number of parks throughout the country. Be sure to check out NPS.gov for more information on those official park events, and drop by the National Parks Promotional Council website to see what some of the affiliated organizations have on tap as well.

As for me, I'm heading out to Joshua Tree for the weekend. The National Parks Conservation Association is holding an event out that way, and I'll be on hand to cover it and take part in the festivities. I've never been to Joshua Tree before, so I'm looking forward to experiencing a new park and kicking of National Parks Week in grand style. I hope you have plans to enjoy a park during the week ahead as well.

Gear Box: Satmap Active 10 Trek GPS

GPS devices are a dime a dozen these days. It use to be fairly easy to go into your favorite gear shop and plunk down your hard earned money, and walk out with a handheld device from Garmin or Magellan. Now though, there are a number of other options to choose from, all with a host of features to help you navigate your way through the backcountry.

One such option is the Active 10 Trek from Satmap, a company with a strong reputation in Europe, but a bit lesser known here in the States. As you would expect, the Active 10 Trek has all the features you could ever want in a handheld GPS device, including a built-in base map with a good level of details, the ability to mark way-points and chart courses, and a digital compass to keep you on course. The device is also ruggedized to protect against all sorts of weather and has a color screen to help the maps easy to read, even in the bright sunlight. A red backlight for navigation at night helps protect your eyes, and large buttons make the Active 10 easy to use, even while wearing gloves. 

The device is well built and screams high quality and refinement at every turn. It has a nice heft in your hands, but isn't too heavy either, and you get the feeling that it can stand up to all kinds of punishment on the trail. There are eight buttons on the unit, plus a tiny joystick. Those can be a bit daunting at first, but once you get the hang of how it works, you'll soon be using all of those buttons easily and without thinking. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. So much so, that I took it out on my first trial run without even reading the manual, and used it to successfully navigate off trail between two points. That should say something about how easy it is to use the Active 10. 

Of course, a number of GPS devices could be described in the same manner that I described this one above. But the Active 10 has something that no other handheld GPS device can boast, which is access to the library of National Geographic Maps right on the unit. The Active 10 has an SD card slot along the left side of the device, which facilitates expansion maps that can add far more detail to the built-in base map. SD cards with the Nat Geo maps are purchased separately, but deliver the kind of expertise that can only come from National Geographic. 

With my test unit I received two of the Nat Geo map cards to try out on the Active 10. Those cards included the Trails Illustrated: America's Greatest National Parks and the Topo! Texas maps. The latter of those would prove very useful on weekend hikes in my home state. The first time I zoomed down to the highest detail level while out hiking, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Seeing all of those topographic lines, trails, and POI's was very impressive, and a HUGE upgrade from my previous GPS device that is over eight years old. Similarly, the National Parks card includes a similar level of detail for 25 of the best parks in the U.S. That list includes: Acadia; Arches; Big Bend; Bryce Canyon; Canyonlands; Channel Islands; Death Valley; Glacier/Waterton; Grand Canyon; Grand Teton; Great Smoky Mountains; Isle Royale; Joshua Tree; Kings Canyon; Mount Rainier; North Cascades; Olympic; Redwood; Rocky Mountain; Sequoia; Shenandoah; Voyageurs; Yellowstone; Yosemite; and Zion.

Satmap didn't scrimp on the accessories that come with the Active 10 either. Inside the box you'll find a lanyard, as well as a very nice case, for carrying your GPS on the trail. There is also a USB cable for connecting the Active 10 to your computer, 3 AAA batteries and a rechargeable battery pack. There is also a car charger and a wall charger with every international adapter you could ever hope for. The batteries last for a good long time, especially the included rechargeable pack. It is difficult to give you an accurate number, as how you use the device greatly impacts battery life, but I had no problem getting 15+ hours of use, and with the USB cable I could connect the device to my Solio solar charger to recharge the batteries on longer treks. 

Performance on the Active 10 is excellent. The first time I turned it on, it took it awhile to connect to the satellites, but it managed to lock on to every one of them, even under a decent tree cover. Subsequent uses of the device showed a marked improvement in locking on to the satellites as well. I'm not sure why there were performance gains, but I suspect that the first time out of the box, there was an initialization process that the Active 10 had to complete. 

After an initial get acquainted session, I found the Active 10 very easy to use, and I was quickly drilling down into some of the more high level navigational functions without even thinking about it. Setting way points was a breeze, and navigating to them was even easier. The electronic compass was useful in a number of circumstances, and the interface was so quick, that I could turn the device off, and store it in the case, only breaking it out as needed. 

I haven't had the opportunity to go geocaching with the Active 10 yet, but I'm told that it is easy to load up geocaching coordinates and go in search of those hidden treasures. I hope to give it a go sometime in the near future. 

If you couldn't tell, I'm highly impressed with the Satmap Active 10 Trek. By itself, it is an excellent, easy to use GPS device with all the features you could ever hope for. Throw in great battery life and an interface that is easy to use, and you have a real winner. Pair the device with the amazing National Geographic Maps, and you have a GPS unlike any other o the market. Those maps unlock a lot of potential for hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers, and just about any other outdoor enthusiast. You won't get the Nat Geo maps on any other handheld GPS device, and that puts the Active 10 in a class all it's own. (MSRP: $369.99)

Gear Box: Columbia Grade Max Sweater with Omni-Heat

Throughout the holiday season you've no doubt seen the various television commercials from outdoor gear company Columbia. The spots tout their new Omni-Heat material which they say is up to 20% warmer than similar fabrics. I recently got the opportunity to put those claims to the test by trying out their Grade Max Sweater which features an Omni-Heat inner lining.

I'm actually hesitant to call this product a "sweater" but that's what Columbia classifies it as. In reality, it actually more like a light jacket then a sweater in both design and fit. Speaking of design, this jacket looks very nice and I can't tell you how many compliments I had while wearing it around town. It is cut to fit a bit snugly, but is comfortable none the less, and it actually has a very classic look about it that makes it feel like it'll never go out of style. In fact, the jacket looks so good that I was actually reluctant to wear it on a trail. It seems better suited for hanging out in camp or for grabbing a bite at your favorite post hike eatery.

That said, the Grade Max Sweater definitely lives up to the hype regarding how warm it is. The interior of the jacket is lined with a shiny, multicolored fabric that received nearly as much attention as the exterior when it was spotted by friends. I joked that it was part of Joseph's Technicolor Dreamcoat when they inquired about the strange looking material. In reality, this is Columbia's Omni-Heat on full display. The fancy looking material is designed to reflect our own body heat back on us helping to keep us warm in the inclement weather.

So how does it perform? Remarkably well actually. The jacket kept me warmer than similarly weighted coats from other manufacturers in the same temperatures. In fact, I'd often throw this jacket on while heading out the door in the morning only to find that it was too warm later in the day when temperatures increased.

That minor complaint aside, I was very impressed by Grade Max. It looks great and is plenty warm for winter nights out on the town. I'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to wear it on the trail. I'm sure it'll perform quite nicely there as well, especially as part of a layering system, but it seems to look too good to take it to the backcountry.

MSRP: $120