Gear Review: Osprey Xenith 88/Xena 85 Backpacks

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Osprey Xenith 88-2
Osprey Xenith 88

Backpack
Osprey Xenith 88/Xena 85
$349, 5 lbs. 7 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s Xenith M-XL, women’s Xena XS-M; all adjustable, with custom hipbelts and harnesses in four sizes
ospreypacks.com

When loading the men’s Xenith 88 (the Xena 85 is the women’s model) with nearly 60 pounds of family gear and food for a six-day, 45-mile family hike in Sequoia National Park, I cringed, expecting my hipbones and hip flexors to protest loudly when I put it on. But the moment I shouldered the pack, I was surprised by how comfortable it felt. And it remained comfortable throughout several hours of hiking every day.

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Gear Review: Aku SL Sintesi Mid GTX Boots

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Aku SL Sintesi Mid GTX
Aku SL Sintesi Mid GTX

Boots
Aku SL Sintesi Mid GTX
$250, 2 lbs. 14 oz. (men’s Euro 42.5/US 9)
Sizes: men’s 7-13
aku.it/us

When I need a sturdier boot for carrying a heavy backpack, I prefer one that incorporates some climbing-oriented features that improve traction, fit, and durability. I wore the SL Sintesi Mid GTX on a five-day, roughly 44-mile family backpacking trip in Washington’s Glacier Peak Wilderness, starting out with more than 50 pounds in my pack (including family food and gear), and found it does all of that, providing excellent support while feeling like a lighter, more nimble boot.

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Gear Review: Big Agnes Slater UL 2+ Tent

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Big Agnes Slater UL2+
Big Agnes Slater UL2+

Tent
Big Agnes Slater UL 2+
$390, 2 lbs. 11 oz. (tent, rainfly, poles)
bigagnes.com

My first impression of the Slater UL2+ was formed before I even pulled it out of the stuff sack: I couldn’t believe a two-person tent could possibly fit in such a small package. Given that I often backpack with my family—with my wife and I shouldering most of the gear because our kids are young—low weight and bulk take top priority with us. But any concerns about that low weight affecting the Slater’s sturdiness in weather were erased after backpacking and camping trips in Utah’s Coyote Gulch (two nights) and Capitol Reef National Park (two nights), Washington’s Glacier Peak Wilderness (four nights), and Idaho’s White Clouds Mountains (two nights) and City of Rocks National Reserve (two nights). This tent stood up to strong gusts repeatedly, including sustained, steady winds over 40 mph in the White Clouds and Capitol Reef, without even bending slightly.

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Exped Mira 2

Ask Me: Which Tent is Better, Sierra Designs Flash 2 or Exped Mira II?

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Hey Michael,

I saw that you subsequently reviewed the Sierra Designs Flash 2. Which of these tents are you packing now? For the Flash 2, with the side vestibules not touching the ground in areas, don’t you have trouble with sand and/or rain blowing in?

I have both tents sitting in my living room while I try to decide which to take on the Wonderland trail in a month.

Thanks!

Cheryl
(submitted as a comment at thebigoutside.com/gear-review-exped-mira-ii-tent)

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Gear Review: REI Passage 40 Kids Backpack

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REI Passage 40
REI Passage 40

Kids Backpack
REI Passage 40
$100, 40L/2,441 c.i., 3 lbs. 4 oz.
One size, adjustable to fit torsos 12 to 15 inches
rei.com

What should you look for in a backpack for a young kid? For starters, a good fit, with a wide range of adjustability to accommodate growth. But also quality construction that ensures the pack will be comfortable for your son or daughter and durable—because it will assuredly be treated roughly. Lastly, a set of features designed with a kid’s preferences in mind. REI’s Passage 40 measures up well by those standards.

My 12-year-old son hauled this pack on a couple of trips this summer (with another coming up): a three-day, roughly 26-mile hike into the Big Boulder Lakes basin of Idaho’s White Clouds Mountains—with a significant amount of off-trail hiking—and a five-day, 36-mile loop in Washington’s Glacier Peak Wilderness. As a kid who has accumulated a respectable quiver of packs in his short hiking career, he reported that the Passage 40 felt good even on days up to 10 miles long.

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