Review: Feathered Friends Spoonbill Sleeping Bag

The enjoyment of our Feathered Friends sleeping bag began on my first phone call to the Seattle based company, the person who helped me spent a good amount of time on the phone as we figured out the build of my new bag. We discussed down fill choices as well as the coating and material of the bag and color options.

The bag I chose was their award winning Spoonbill UL, which is a specialty bag that is built for two. It has the same fill as their 20 degree bag, but because two people are in it the rating of the bag is dependent on how warm a sleeper the residents are, Saveria is a warm sleeper so I knew we would be in good shape for our WTC snow camp.

When I received the bag it was in perfect AdventurUs colors, which was an added bonus. We were so excited we tried  to sleep in it on our bed for a couple of days, but it was a bit too warm for indoor use.

The first time we used it was on a weekend trip to Joshua Tree NP in late February, it was actually a little warm but with the half zips on either side we were able to regulate our temp very easily. We finally got to put the bag to the real test  over  a March 2 night / 3 day trip in the Eastern Sierras. Our first night was just under 9000 ft. near a stream on dirt where it dropped to 19 degrees, the only thing cold was my nose. It easily stuffed away, about the size of my 15 degree bag and Saveria carried it (don't feel too bad I carried the whole tent...and our Jetboil Sumo too). Our second night was just under 10,000 ft on snow above a lake, the temp felt warmer and was a perfect nights sleep.

We got a "regular" length, I am 6'2" and Saveria is 5'1", sorry 5'2" :)  and we both fit in easily with any clothes we wanted to stuff in the bottom.

My experience ordering to using the Feathered Friends Spoonbill could not have been better. A big thank you to them and a big recommendation to anyone looking for a great 2-person bag .

Review: Black Diamond WoolWeight Glove

As far as wool versus synthetic, I usually go to synthetic for base layers and the like, but lately I was searching for a good mid-weight glove for use while hiking in the winter, enter the Black Diamond WoolWeight glove. First, I did size up for these gloves, the other Black Diamond gloves I have are size large (except my over mitts), but after trying on a pair I went for the extra large, it was the right choice, it helped with the dexterity I was after. But truly where these gloves shine is how quick they dry and the comfort they provide during hiking efforts.

I wore these on a snow shoe day hike on Mt. Watermann in the Angeles National Forest with Saveria and our WTC class. At the first rest stop I was adjusting my snow shoes and I was easily able to deal with the straps but my gloves did get covered in snow, they felt damp on the outside but my hands were still warm. We began to hike, and the next time I checked my gloves were dry.

The next I wore these as my main gloves was on a three day snow camp in the Sierras. Again the range of these gloves was perfect, from hiking during the day to cold 20 degree nights.

I love gloves and finding the perfect ones for a specific situation is always a fun challenge.  These a great all arounders that pack small and cover a big range.

Patagonia's new Encapsile Down Belay Parka Sells out in a Week

When I was a kid I hung up pictures of my favorite bands or movie posters maybe a cool car or lacrosse player, but now I am about to hang up a picture of a jacket, my life has changed.Patagonia has raised the bar to stratospheric levels with science, functionality, a little voodoo and art with their new Encapsil down belay parka. The parka was put through its paces by some of Patagonia's toughest ambassadors in some of the world's toughest spots and glowed all the way. I still love my DAS parka and it is what goes in my pack whenever the weather calls, but the DAS has a new cousin that is pretty hard to ignore. With the large price tag, limited edition status and the fact it is already sold out this piece will not be easy to get but my hope is the new Encapsil down technology will make its way throughout their down line.

The Pin-Up Jacket

The Loyal Go To

Top 5 Cool Outdoor Items That Fit in Your Pocket

In previous articles we have discussed "essential" things and "coveted" things, but some of the biggest treasures that we found at Outdoor Retailer came in smaller packages.  This inspired us to create our final OR list, "Top 5 Cool Outdoor Items That Fit in Your Pocket"!

#1 - Sea to Summit has some pretty great stuff but their new "Field Repair Buckle" is fantastic, and like many great ideas I held it asking why it didn't always exist. This buckle allows you to replace broken buckle without replace the entire strap due to a smart pin and lock system that you can fix with a screwdriver. Available March 2013, this should be in everyone's pack.

#2 - Lifestraw is a company whom has worked at bringing drinking water to people all over the world and now they have shared that technology with us. Their patented filter system allows you to drink from any water source through a straw like apparatus. It filters up to 1000 liters,  protects you from 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% waterborne protozoa and only weighs 2oz. Clean water, no pumping necessary. Pretty cool if you ask us.

#3 - Weighing in at under 4oz and only half the size of a soda can when packed up, the SOL Emergency Bivvy by Adventure Medical Kits provides a lot of protection in a tiny package. Opening up to 36x84" this one person emergency shelter is waterproof, windproof and reflects 90% of ones radiated body heat. Pocket this guy for some piece of mind.

#4 - The Flamestick burns for approximately 6 minutes and the fact that it is waterproof makes it a great item for harsh conditions and a must have for an emergency kit. One box, which is about the size of a lighter, provides 100 minutes of burn time. Lightweight at 1.4oz and efficient, they are a must have. They are not self-igniting, so be sure to have a lighter or match handy.

#5 - And finally one of our favorite pieces is from Lifeproof. Lifeproof iPhone cases are submersible to 2 meters and drop proof, really drop proof like officially from 2 meters, unofficially probably higher more. 2 meters = 6.5 feet for those who don't want to use a conversion chart. :)  But best still the case is slim, simple and comes in a variety of colors for both the iPhone 4/4s and 5. They also have some super cool accessories for it like life jackets for the water enthusiasts, arm bands for running and bike mounts. Not really pocket-size is their full line of cases and accessories for the iPad. The company mission "where life takes you" is reflected in the quality of their product. On a side note, after seeing the cases at OR we can't seem to help noticing that lots of people have them while out on our hikes and in everyday life.

Review: Don't Leave Home Without the Verto!

"Don't leave home without the Verto!" has become a joke in our house as it seems everytime we don't bring our Verto Jacket (made by The North Face) we wish we had. It is an ultralight, ultra-compressible shell that just gives you that little extra protection from the elements to get you through the day. And based on it's size, it packs down to a little bigger than a CLIF bar, it is pretty silly that we wouldn't always bring it. I am not sure if they are still making this jacket as it is not on their website, but you can still find it online at sites such as http://mountain-op.com.

We also love the Verto26 pack which doubles as a sleeping bag stuff sack and summit pack, working double duty to save weight.