Gear Reviews

  

Our Gear Reviews are short, and focus on two concepts: Whether the product fulfills advertised claims, and whether we like it for our own purposes. To that end, the Product description and Product specifications information is taken directly from the manufacturer's promotional materials, and then our impressions will hopefully illuminate how well manufacturers meet expectations, as well as how any particular piece of gear might fit into a buyer's plans. Since we don't "unbox" and review, but actually use the gear before giving our impressions, it's possible that we may in some cases be reviewing products that have been superseded by newer versions.

 

 

Cost: $25

Product description: The Sawyer MINI Water Filter is rated to 0.1 micron absolute, weighs only 2 ounces, and filters up to 100,000 gallons!

The MINI can be attached to the included collapsible drinking pouch, inline on a hydration pack, on a standard soda bottle, or simply use the included drinking straw to drink directly from the water source. How is that for versatility? Like all Sawyer filters, a proper backwashing can restore up to 98.5% of the filter’s flow rate. That means no expensive cartridges to replace, ever.

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Cost: $400

Product description: The REI Quarter Dome T3 Plus is a freestanding tent that pioneers innovative architecture to keep weight low, ensure high interior volume and bolster strength and stability. Features include: REI-exclusive Tension Truss enhances structural stability and prevents deformation in the wind, DAC NSL hubbed poleset, Pole clips provide quick and easy tent set-up, Dry Entry vestibule offers convenient access and ample storage capacity, Fully adjustable, high-level vents, Silicone-treated, lightweight ripstop nylon fly, Bathtub floor with seam-sealed corners, No-Wick welded construction, Multiple interior storage options provided by various combinations of mesh side pockets and hang loops, Tapered, easy-to-stuff compression stuff sack, 6 stakes, 4 guylines?and tighteners, pole repair tube, pole and stake bags.

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Cost: Medium - $39, Large - $45 

Product description: Compact and light inflatable pillow for any adventure. Skin-friendly, tricot polyester fabric for comfort. Large FlatValves for inflating and deflating separately and easy operation. 2 eyelets for attaching to the mat. Two breaths inflate Air Pillow fully. Asymmetrical shape: side sleepers (high position) and back/stomach (low position). Fits neatly into the hood of the sleeping bag. Repair kit and carry bag included. 

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Cost: $60

Product description: The MicroRocket stove is not just our smallest and lightest, it also delivers the best balance of weight, size, performance and price of any stove in its class. It fits easily inside an MSR® Insulated Mug, weighs a mere 2.6 oz. (73 g) and features outstanding stability. We also engineered the MicroRocket to maintain top-notch efficiency and power so the hard-earned weight savings aren't lost carrying extra fuel. Strong: Robust pot supports offer excellent stability. Compact: Folding legs pack exceptionally small, fitting into an MSR® Insulated Mug. Wind-Resistant: WindClip™ wind protection and focused burner pushes a persistent, solid flame. Fast: Boils 1 liter of water in just 3.5 minutes. Piezo Ignition: Protected element in fuel gathering tube offers reliable ignition. Includes: Hard-shell carry case and piezo igniter.

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Cost: $100

Product description: The Stratos 24 offers simple panel access in a lightweight, comfortable, custom fit daypack. Features include: AirSpeed™ suspension, Breathable mesh and perforated, molded waffle foam at contact points on contoured shoulder straps and hipbelt, Internal sleeve with hanger holds a hydration reservoir (sold separately), Zippered front pocket, Mesh side pockets and zippered mesh pockets on hipbelt and right shoulder strap, Integrated raincover, top grab handle, trekking pole attachment point and single ice axe attachment loop with a central handle clip.

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