It’s also way lighter than some of the Rice Krispies-sounding inflatable pads I’ve owned. Inflating it is quick with the included Airstream Pump/stuff sack that allows you to inflate the pad by squeezing the bag full of air into the pad instead of blowing it up with your mouth. The innards also have anti-microbial treatment to prevent mold growth.

Finally, there’s an integrated PillowLock system to keep a Sea to Summit Aeros pillow in its place. I got to try this pad out indoors and became stoked to take it along on a Montana winter fishing and camping trip. The Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Extreme sleeping mat is by far the best winter/early spring sleeping pad system I’ve tried.

MSRP: $199-$229. Seatosummitusa.com

Find more outdoor gear recommendations and product reviews in the OTO archives.

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An internal pocket for your phone or valuables, a quality compression bag, and a mesh storage bag are valuable additions. The bag also zips to several other Sea to Summit bags to create the potential for a two-person snuggle fest.

MSRP: $369. Seatosummitusa.com

Find more sleeping bag and other outdoor gear and product reviews in the OTO archives.

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Built tough to sustain abuse from bushwhacking, canyoneering tight slots, or tool hauling (for you trail builders), it will take what you throw at it. This pack also comes with the standard Osprey feature of an adjustable torso length so you can dial in the right fit and an AirScape back panel to help keep your back dry.

Other features include a built-in rain cover, fixed top lid with external zippered pocket, under lid zippered mesh pocket, ice tool attachments, an external reservoir sleeve, zippered sleeping bag compartment, removable sleeping pad straps, zippered hipbelt pockets, side zipper access to the main compartment, a full-length vertical zippered side pocket, and more.

Check out a Kestrel or one of several other models of Osprey packs at the General Store on Division Street in Spokane.

MSRP: $180.99. Osprey.com

Find more gear stories and product reviews and recommendations in the OTO archives.

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The Pioneer 22 model (found on the brand’s central website) has a main compartment with a cord closure and lid to keep gear in place. And there’s a water bladder pouch, straps for trekking poles, stretchy external mesh pockets for water bottles and snacks, and an integrated rain cover. On the brand’s U.S. online retailer site, a comparable model is the kids’ Explorer 20, which includes a front pocket.

The pack is fully height adjustable, well ventilated, and has adjustable sternum and waist belt straps to fit little bodies snuggly.

SRP: $39.95-69.95. Us.jackwolfskin.com

Find more gear ideas, reviews, and recommendations in the Gear Room department.

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The FreeFloat 360 suspension system adapts to your hips and shoulders and pivots with your body as you hike on down the trail (watch the video on their website). And the suspended, ventilated back panel keeps your back from turning into a waterfall of sweat.

There are so many other cool features that I love about this pack, including the odor-controlling fabric treatment, molded loop zipper pullers, customizable hip belt and torso length, multiple access points to the main pack compartment including a full side zipper, internal hydration sleeve, and lots of storage space in zippered and mesh compartments throughout the pack, including hip belt storage for snacks and a water bottle holster that you can reach while hiking.

Gregory has also made 14 of their hiking, backpacking, and everyday adventure packs in plus sizes for men and women in the 2x to 6x range.

MSRP: $279.99. Gregorypacks.com

Visit the Gear Review archives for more recreation and lifestyle product reviews.

The post Gear Review: Gregory Women’s Kalmia 60 Pack appeared first on Out There Venture.

So when I watched the promo video for the GoBQ and saw what looked to be a quality-built and easily packable and compact charcoal grill, I was sold. Take the grill wherever you go in a backpack, vehicle, or RV without a mess. Quickly open it up and unroll the grill, prep your charcoal (I use Smarter Starter Fluid made from vegetable oil that you can buy at the General Store in Spokane), and light it up.

I’ve cooked a dozen or more meals on our GoBQ this summer, and the heavy-duty heat and flame resistant fabric and the rest of the grill’s components have held up amazingly well and are worth every penny.

MSRP: $149.95 Gobqgrills.com

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Filtering brackish water on a recent Hells Canyon bikepacking trip, the filter clogged frequently and my impatience led me to blow out the stock squeeze bag Sawyer provides. A buddy using the same filter on that trip had no problem with the same water source by using a stronger yet still light weight Smart Water bottle that endured the heavy-handed squeezing flawlessly. 

The Sawyer Micro Squeeze is rated up to 100,000 gallons and can be cleaned easily in the field. MSRP: $28.99. Sawyer.com 

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If you still carry cans of soup into the backcountry, this pack is not for you. I tested this ultra-light, 36-ounce backpack over 21 miles on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River Trail on a 24-hour trip. After I packed all the essentials, the bag was so light I threw in a Bota bladder of wine. My first impression of the pack had me concerned with the micro buckles used on the sternum straps and waist belt. Down the trail a bit I began to employ the walk hills and jog the rest approach. The first thing that struck me was that this pack is comfortable! The harness system hugs your upper body even when stumbling down the hills. Well thought-out pockets positioned over the sternum straps and waist belt negate the need for a top pocket. I encountered a storm and the rain beaded off the waterproof fabrics as you’d expect. All in all, I’d strongly recommend this pack to light-weight enthusiasts. 

MSRP: $270. Sixmoondesigns.com

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“Eli and I are both attracted to the philosophical idea of ‘getting away’ from everyday life and being completely self sufficient with 20-25 lbs of stuff. This type of self sufficiency requires the ultralight backpacker to be very conscious and very present as well,” Anna says. “There is also something very appealing about going for a nice brisk walk in the woods as opposed to a slow, painful trudge.”

The one downside of the sport is the expensive ultralight gear, they say.

This husband and wife duo go on at least one summer ultralight trip together—usually to the Cascades and often to the Leavenworth area. Eli, who Anna says is more die-hard, goes on 2-3 summer trips. His most successful one so far was completing that same Snoqualmie to Stevens stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail in three days with his 58-year-old father. It was the first time Eli took no rain gear and used only a tarp for shelter.

One of their most challenging and comical adventures was hiking the Hatchery Creek Trail outside of Leavenworth in the summer of 2009. “The trail hadn’t been maintained in a long time, so there was a lot off trail, off map bushwhacking. In addition, we had one mishap after another, and by the end of the day we were both totally exhausted,” explains Anna.

The next day when they decided to jump over a relatively narrow section of a creek instead of taking off their shoes and fording it, Eli successfully made it while Anna did not. “My feet hit the edge of the bank, and as I tried to propel myself forward, my butt shot backwards and pulled me over into the stream,” she says.

In addition to backpacking, Eli and Anna rock climb and train for and compete in triathlons. In the winter, Eli snowboards and Anna likes to snowshoe. And they go day hiking and car camping with their four-year-old daughter.

Here is the gear they use to travel the trails in ultralight style:

BACKPACK: REI UL 30

SHOES: Eli – Salomon XT Trail-Runner; Anna – Merrel.

SOCKS: WrightSock CoolMesh, quarter size. “They don’t last more than a season, but they are doubled layered and really work well for cutting down on blisters,” she says.

TREKKING POLES: They each carry one—REI brand.

SHELTER: MSR Ventana tent – discontinued, but they say it’s the “best tent ever.”

SLEEPING BAGS/PADS: Eli – REI Sub-kilo bag and short Therm-a-Rest ProLite; Anna – LaFuma down bag and regular, self-inflate Therm-a-Rest.

CLOTHING: REI convertible pants and Under Armour compression fit shirts. “Moisture wicking is key,” says Anna. “We do not pack more than one shirt and one pair of pants. Quick drying clothes are a must because if we are out on a long trip—four or more days—you can rinse out your hiking clothes at night, and they will be dry by morning, mostly.” For nighttime, they wear REI MTS Long Underwear. “If we pack our lighter sleeping bags, the long underwear helps to cut down on any chill early/late season,” she says.

JACKETS: Eli – Marmot Pollyfill; Anna – Moonstone. She says, “It weighs close to a couple of pounds, but I don’t mind carrying the ‘extra’ weight if it assures me warmth (aka comfort) at the end of the day.” Instead of carrying rain gear, they find shelter if needed.

WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM: Sawyer Gravity Feed filter.

FOOD: Breakfast and lunch: Fuel Fudge—Anna’s modified version of a recipe from Lipsmackin’ Backpackin’: Lightweight Trail-tested Recipes for Backcountry Trips by Christine and Tim Conners. These two meals are “all about calorie intake and little bulk,” she says. She drinks Medaglia D’oro instant espresso, premixed with powder creamer. Snacks: Peanut M&Ms and Shotblocks. Dinner: dehydrated meals, usually Mountain House brand.

OTHER ESSENTIAL GEAR: Headlamps, Petzl for Anna, Black Diamond Ion for Eli; pocket knife; first aid kit; Kelty Triptease lightline for hanging food in trees; and Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap, which Anna says is “organic and completely necessary for anything, from cleaning camp utensils to washing a body.”

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