Trip Report: French Cabin Road Showshoe

Cle Elum Lake from a knob along French Cabin Road Went for a quick daytime jaunt up French Cabin Road to test out my new French-made snowshoes, the Symbioz Hyperflex Adjust by TSL Outdoor. They've got a really nice combination of features: Easy on/off and adjustment thanks to Boa adjustment for the toes and a ratcheting strap around the rear of the boot. I still have nightmares about adjusting and securing the tails of the Voile straps on my old MSR snowshoes. Never again!Flexible platform. That's right, these snowshoes bend to conform to the terrain, allegedly to increase traction. They [...]

By |2020-01-28T06:19:01+00:00January 28th, 2020|

Backyard Temperature Testing: Enigma 10F vs 18F edition

After previously testing out my Enigma 10F down to 24.5F I was excited to see last Thursday's forecasted low of 18F. Actually there were two lows, 18F at 11PM and another stretch of 18F from 6AM to 8AM. Unfortunately I just missed them both, I was too late getting set up and then when I woke up at 5:30AM and had to use the bathroom I decided that I might as well come inside since I didn't think I could fall back asleep. The good news is that our new tested low is 21.5F: This is a screenshot for the [...]

By |2020-01-18T20:23:33+00:00January 18th, 2020|

Buying a Winter Quilt

I've been working on putting together a winter backpacking ensemble and one of the first steps was to get myself a warmer quilt. I ended up buying an Enlightened Equipment Enigma 10F Long/Wide ($355, 774g) but thought I'd share my research and thought process along the way. Baseline For three-season 2019 I've been using a Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 800 20F. What I like about it is that it's big: I can just drape it over myself like a blanket and I don't have to fuss with straps or any other gadgets to attach it to my pad. Specifically, it's [...]

By |2020-01-18T07:10:17+00:00January 18th, 2020|

Drying Times Compared: Prana Stretch Zion vs. Kuhl Kontra Air

After our recent foray into shirt drying times I thought I'd take a crack at pants as well. Here are the contenders: Prana Stretch Zion ($85, 400g, 97% nylon 3% spandex), the reigning champion of outdoor pantsKuhl Kontra Air ($85, 329g, 72% cotton 26% nylon 2% spandex), a lighter cotton-based alternative that I've been evaluating as a replacement for the ZionsUrban Star ($15, 744g, 98% cotton 2% spandex), a pair of daily-wear jeans I picked up at CostcoSmartwool 150 leggings ($85, 170g, 87% wool 13% nylon), a super-old pair of thermals I found in the back of my gear closet [...]

By |2020-01-12T00:08:13+00:00January 12th, 2020|

January 2020 Loot!

Forecast for this month: I'm back in the pillow game after figuring out that my beloved Therm-A-Rest compressible pillow is just too bulky for winter. Either that or I need to get a slightly-less-warm quilt (the Enigma 10F is good down to 24.5F on its own so far, possibly overkill?) or less bulky shelter (thinking of leaving the X-Mid inner at home and just using a polycryo ground sheet). Kestrel Drop D1 Environmental Data Logger After determining that the Acurite window thermometer was wildly inaccurate I've found a professional-grade replacement for exactly the same weight. The Kestrel Drop D1 comes [...]

By |2020-02-09T20:19:51+00:00January 11th, 2020|

Review: Crystal Light With Caffeine Drink Mix Packets

Crystal Light With Caffeine packets are my favorite way to get caffeine while I'm out and about. The fruit-flavored powder in each packet contains 60mg of caffeine, about two-thirds the amount in a cup of coffee. The single-serving packets are easy to pack and mix well in cold water. Stats Make: Crystal LightModel: With CaffeineModel Year: 2019Measured Weight: 4g per packetDate Purchased: Summer 2019Price Paid: $28.65 for a 4-box variety pack or $0.72 per packetUsage: 2019 - present Mixing Although the directions state that a single packet should be mixed with two cups of water (a little less than half [...]

By |2020-01-10T20:12:34+00:00January 7th, 2020|

Review: Hansway High-Temperature Carbon Felt

Pot holder (top) and stove base (bottom) Carbon felt is a soft fireproof material commonly used to make welder's blankets. It's easy to cut down at home using a utility knife and can be fashioned into a pot holder, stove base, or even a wick for an alcohol stove. Stats Make: HanswayModel: High Temp Carbon Fiber Welding BlanketModel Year: N/A?Dimensions: 12" x 12"Estimated Weight: 63gDate Purchased: 2019-04-10Price Paid: $9.99Usage: 2019 - present Pot Holder and Stove Base My cook system consists of an Evernew mug pot and Kojin alcohol stove with a Caldera Cone pot stand. Although the mug's lid [...]

By |2020-01-07T02:38:32+00:00January 6th, 2020|

Review: Victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD Pocket Knife

Widely considered to be the gold standard for ultralight backpacking multitools, this 21 gram pocket knife houses 6 tools in a body that's only 2 1/4 inches long. However, real-world usefulness of the tools varies widely and the most useful can be replaced by dedicated alternatives which are more functional and just as light. Stats Make: VictorinoxModel: Swiss Army Classic SDModel Year: 2018Measured Weight: 21 gramsDate Purchased: 2018-05-19Price Paid: $16.00Usage: 2018 - present Tools 1 5/16" non-locking smooth-edge drop-point knife. The knife is short to the point of uselessness and only good for cutting food, tape is best cut using [...]

By |2020-01-07T02:36:01+00:00January 6th, 2020|

Backyard Temperature Testing

One of the great things about having a yard during winter time is that it makes it safe and easy to check out the temperature ratings of your gear. Last night's low was in the upper twenties at the cabin so I set up the X-Mid with my new quilt and spent several 10-15 minute intervals in the tent using various combinations of gear to gauge the temperature range as well as practice winter camping skills such as setting the tent up in the dark in the snow and cooking on cold snow. Here's what I learned: The Enlightened Equipment [...]

By |2020-01-05T22:58:01+00:00January 5th, 2020|

Trip Report: Salmon la Sac

Now that my Sno Park permit has arrived I'm free to hit the nearby winter recreation areas, particularly Salmon la Sac which is just down the road from my cabin. Today I went on a short ski of the Sasse Mountain Trail (aka Forest Service Development Road 4315) to get a bit more comfortable on skis and evaluate some gear choices. Mostly I'm just happy that I'm getting outside in the winter instead of being stuck indoors waiting around for the spring thaw as I've done in the past. After this my plan is to spend the night in the [...]

By |2020-01-04T03:35:05+00:00January 4th, 2020|
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