Gear Reviews

Gear Review: Granite Gear Leopard A.C. 58 and Leopard V.C. 46 Backpacks

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Granite Gear Leopard A.C. 58
Granite Gear Leopard A.C. 58

Backpacks
Granite Gear Leopard A.C. 58
$250, 3 lbs. 12 oz. (men’s regular)
58L/3,540 c.i.
Sizes: men’s and women’s short (fits torsos 14-18 inches) and regular (fits torsos 18-22 inches). Unisex shoulder straps S-L, men’s and women’s hipbelts S-XL.

Granite Gear Leopard V.C. 46 with Klymit AirBeam Frame
$230, 2 lbs. 6 oz. (men’s regular with AirBeam pack frame)
46L/2,800 c.i.
Sizes: men’s regular (fits torsos 18-21 inches) and long (fits torsos 21-24 inches), four sizes of hipbelts for both men and women.
granitegear.com

Granite Gear Leopard V.C. 46
Granite Gear Leopard V.C. 46

How light do you want to go? With the Leopard A.C. 58 and the Leopard V.C. 46, Granite Gear offers nearly identical backpacks that both deliver a lot of performance for their weight and price. The main difference, besides capacity? One is a lightweight load-hauler with a traditional internal frame, the other a pack designed for ounce-counting ultralighters, with an optional upgrade to an inflatable frame. I wanted to compare the conventional plastic framesheet in the A.C. 58 against the air frame in the V.C. 46 with the AirBeam upgrade, which is one-third lighter.

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Gear Review: Easton Carbon 5 Trekking Pole

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Easton Carbon 5 trekking poles
Easton Carbon 5 trekking poles

Trekking Poles
Easton Carbon 5 Trekking Pole
$149, 1 lb. (pair)
One size adjustable 100 to 120 cm
eastonmountainproducts.com

On a three-day, mostly off-trail traverse of the canyons of Capitol Reef National Park’s Waterpocket Fold formation, frequently scrambling up and down very steep talus or slickrock, I needed poles that assemble and collapse easily while remaining flawlessly secure when assembled; and are widely adjustable, to help me ascending and descending in such vertiginous terrain with consistently poor footing. These poles delivered on all counts, as well as collapsing to less than 16 inches in length, short enough to easily stow even on a small daypack or hydration pack.

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Gear Review: Oboz Traverse Low Shoes

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Oboz Traverse Low
Oboz Traverse Low

Hiking Shoes
Oboz Traverse Low
$125, 2 lbs. (men’s 9)
Sizes: men’s 8-12, 13, 14
obozfootwear.com

Don’t be fooled by the fact that this shoe is as light and nimble as many low-cut hikers; the Traverse Low is like a Hummer that weighs no more than a Prius. Dayhiking in Utah’s Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef national parks, I found them as supportive and tough as models several ounces heavier—a significant amount of weight in footwear—and a standout for traction.

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Gear Review: Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core SL Air Mat

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Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core SL
Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core SL

Insulated Air Mattress
Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core SL
$140, 1 lb. 2 oz. (20x66x3.5 ins., rectangular, with stuff sack)
Sizes: four rectangular, two mummy
bigagnes.com

In the competition to make backcountry air mattresses lighter, more compact, and more comfortable, the Insulated Q-Core SL has raised the bar. I slept on the shortest (and least expensive) of the six sizes of this three-season air mattress for seven nights in southern Utah in early spring, including backpacking trips in Coyote Gulch and Capitol Reef National Park, and found it heavenly for comfort.

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Gear Review: Black Diamond ReVolt Headlamp

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Black Diamond ReVolt
Black Diamond ReVolt

Rechargeable Headlamp
Black Diamond ReVolt
$60, 3.5 oz. (including its three rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries)
Max burn time: 12 hours with rechargeable batteries, 70 hours with alkaline (triple-power LED); 190 hours with rechargeable batteries, 300 hours with alkaline (single-power LED)
blackdiamondequipment.com

[Note: See my review of the updated, 2017 version of the Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp, which replaced the version reviewed below.]

One of the few downsides of backcountry travel is the volume of alkaline batteries we burn through and throw away. So the first thing that attracted me to the ReVolt is that it’s rechargeable. Then I discovered that this headlamp not only treats the environment well, but it’s powerful, versatile, and pretty darn light and compact—an all-around winner.

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