Category Archives: Backpacking Gear

Resurrection: My Chouinard Pyramid Rises From the Dead

Backpacking Gear,

Back in April I wrote,

This shelter is an old friend. It finally died. More specifically, it really isn’t cost effective to resuscitate it.

You can read the obituary here. A few days after that post, just before I was going to lay it to rest forever, I was contacted by Patagonia Worn Wear. They had seen the post and given my Chouinard Pyramid’s  age and place in history, they offered to repair/replace the zipper for free. They also said, that if I didn’t want to take them up on the offer (since they could not renew the polyurethane coating), they would like to obtain it for their private museum. Here’s an excerpt from the email… Continue reading Resurrection: My Chouinard Pyramid Rises From the Dead →

Understanding Layers Using Patagonia Clothing as a Guide

Backpacking Gear, , , , , , , ,

A lot of people struggle with the concept of layering clothes for backpacking. Hopefully, I can simplify it, with some real world examples. Backpacking is a good example (vs. snowshoeing or mountain climbing). The backpacker spends most of the day walking with an occasional rest break. He also spends time in camp doing chores and often a little bit of time just sitting in camp. So we can “define ” these activities as sitting, light work, and heavy work. Impact-Site-Verification: 329d9066-0a94-4b4e-8ff9-65d7ee7893a5

For backpackers the following layers are almost universally accepted as the best way to dress for the backcountry:

  1. Baselayer
  2. Active insulation
  3. Shell (wind and or rain)
  4. Insulated outer garment

Most of the time these are not all used at the same time. Weather, temperature, wind, level of activity, and the individual’s metabolism determined what layers should be worn under what conditions. Continue reading Understanding Layers Using Patagonia Clothing as a Guide →

Patagonia Baggies Shorts: 35 Year Review

Backpacking Gear

Stuff That Works

Have you noticed the trend?

Lately I’ve been reviewing a lot of old gear, which I still use. The reason is, these items work. Much of the new stuff are just iterations of the old, camouflaged by marketing people, created to imply new and improved.

I have been using Patagonia Baggies for most of my outdoor activities for 35 years. Not the same pair, because they do wear out eventually. They do last longer than any other shorts I have used though. Continue reading Patagonia Baggies Shorts: 35 Year Review →

Black Diamond Mega Light Pyramid Shelter: Not A Review

Backpacking Gear, , , ,

Time to write about something other than our house remodel. Since we are forced to stay at home, I can’t go backpacking or camping for a while; thus I can’t share any trip reports. Writing trip reports are a pain in the ass anyway, something I have mostly quit doing the past few years.

This isn’t a review. In my opinion, a review requires several years of use, or a few hundred days/nights of use. For that reason, I find most gear reviews of limited value. Often I find gear reviews useless.

This is a Shelter Comparison

Continue reading Black Diamond Mega Light Pyramid Shelter: Not A Review →

Obituary: Chouinard Pyramid Shelter (1985-2020)

Backpacking Gear, , , , ,

This shelter is an old friend. It finally died. More specifically, it really isn’t cost effective to resuscitate it.

Death isn’t unknown to most of us. Just about everyone have friends and/or relatives who have passed away. We cannot replace those loved ones. The same goes for pets. Our wonder dog, Corky, passed away last year and he cannot be replaced. Oh, we could get another dog, but Corky was Corky, an animal with a personality and distinctive characteristics.

A shelter can be replaced. What is replaced? A completely different shelter with dissimilar construction would be a replacement. A similar shelter with the same materials, shape, and structure might be considered a direct replacement.

I am going to get a direct replacement.  Continue reading Obituary: Chouinard Pyramid Shelter (1985-2020) →

MSR DragonFly Stove: 12 Year Review

Backpacking Gear, , ,

Why did I buy this stove in the first place? Was it because this stove…

  • can use white gas, automotive unleaded gas, diesel, kerosene or even aircraft jet fuel?
  • can simmer better than just about any backpacking stove on the market?
  • can handle big heavy, wide pots up to 10 inches in diameter?
  • is so sturdy?

Is this the stove for you? Continue reading MSR DragonFly Stove: 12 Year Review →

MSR WindPro II Stove: 10 Year Review

Backpacking Gear, , , , , ,
Mountain Safety Research (MSR) WindPro II remote canister stove

Canister stoves are the most popular type of backpacking stoves these days. These stoves, often called “gas” stoves, have two advantages over “liquid” stoves (i.e. Svea 123, MSR WhisperLite, etc.): They are lightweight and incredibly easy to operate.

However, most suffer several deficiencies:

  • Work poorly in windy conditions
  • Some have inadequate pot supports
  • Some have precarious base support
  • Most work poorly or don’t work at all when the ambient temperatures drop below 30° F

The MSR WindPro II solves all these problems. Mitigating the above issues, one might think this is the perfect backpacking stove. Well, maybe. This post will take a journey past to see the evolution of canister stoves, and how they work to help you choose a canister stove if you are in the market to purchase one. Continue reading MSR WindPro II Stove: 10 Year Review →

MSR WhisperLite Stove: 35 Year Review

Backpacking Gear,
1985 model MSR WhisperLite stove in the desert.

A few day ago I wrote about the Svea 123 backpacking stove and wrote,

The Svea 123 is probably the most reliable backpacking stove ever made. It is by far my favorite stove. It doesn’t do any one thing particularly well, but it ALWAYS works. Mine has worked flawlessly for 48 years.

The Svea 123 is an industrial work of art. It is aesthetically pleasing. Made of brass, over a period of time it develops a nice patina. However, as I stated, it doesn’t do any one thing particularly well.

The past year I have been using the WhisperLite more and more; to the point I recently bought a new version of the WhisperLite. In this post I’ll review the features and benefits of the WhisperLite and compare the original version to the newest offering. Continue reading MSR WhisperLite Stove: 35 Year Review →

Svea 123 Backpacking Stove: 48 Year Review

Backpacking Gear,

I have often written that a piece of gear ought to be tested for at least 10 years before doing an in-depth product review. Unfortunately a lot of gear these days is discontinued in just a few years, so there might not be a compelling reason to discuss gear that is no longer made. The Svea has been produced since 1955 and is still sold today.

The Svea 123 is probably the most reliable backpacking stove ever made. It is by far my favorite stove. It doesn’t do any one thing particularly well, but it ALWAYS works. Mine has worked flawlessly for 48 years. Continue reading Svea 123 Backpacking Stove: 48 Year Review →