| The Big Outside

Gear Review: Black Diamond ReVolt Headlamp

April 23, 2013 by Michael Lanza

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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Gear Review: La Sportiva Hyper Mid GTX Boots

April 15, 2013 by Michael Lanza

Boots
La Sportiva Hyper Mid GTX
$180, 2 lbs. 1 oz. (men’s 9)
Sizes: men’s 38-47.5
sportiva.com

A boot hits a rare trifecta when it excels for traction in any situation, delivers enough support and comfort for backpacking, and weighs only as much as the lightest hiking shoes. The mid-cut, leather Hyper Mid GTX does all of those things. I wore them on a pair of backpacking trips that would put even a much beefier boot to the test: carrying up to 40 pounds on a four-day, roughly 40-mile September hike in the Olympic Mountains, including 10-plus miles off-trail with very steep scrambling in the Bailey Range and two days of wind, rain, hail, and snow and temperatures in the 30s; and a three-day, 17-mile, mostly off-trail hike in early spring through the rugged canyons of Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park. These boots shined by all measures.

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Gear Review: Gregory Contour 70L/Cairn 68L Backpack

April 12, 2013 by Michael Lanza

Backpack
Gregory Contour 70L/Cairn 68L
$299, 4 lbs. 5 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S, M, L (fit torsos from 16 to 22 inches), women’s XS, S, M (fit torsos from 14 to 20 inches)
gregorypacks.com

Whether on a family backpacking trip with young kids or a hike of more than about four days, you’re carrying a lot of stuff. In either scenario, I like a pack that can handle a big load and allows me to organize so that I can access items quickly. It doesn’t hurt if the pack is almost a pound lighter than many top competitors. That sums up the Contour 70L (and women’s version Cairn 68L, 58L, and 48L) in a nutshell. I carried the Contour 70L with up to 45 pounds in it on three family trips: skiing to a backcountry yurt (hauling the pack one day in and one day out); three days backpacking Utah’s Coyote Gulch; and five days backpacking Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness.

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Gear Review: REI Igneo Sleeping Bag

March 13, 2013 by Michael Lanza

Three-Season Sleeping Bag
REI Igneo (19° F)
$329, $339 long, 1 lbs. 15 oz. (reg)
Sizes: regular and long
rei.com

Sleeping bags have seen a lot of impressive advances recently, including water-resistant down feathers. But many of those advances jack up the price of high-end bags, while inexpensive models tend too often to be heavy, bulky, and not as well constructed. The Igneo and women’s Joule ($360 regular, $380 long, 22° F) stake out the middle ground with a good price for this quality and low weight, and offer protection from moisture with a waterproof-breathable coating on the ripstop nylon shell fabric.

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Gear Review: Scarpa Tech Ascent GTX Boots

March 11, 2013 by Michael Lanza

Boots
Scarpa Tech Ascent GTX
$239, 2 lb. 7 oz. (men’s Euro 42/US 9)
Sizes: men’s Euro 36-46.5, 47, 48, women’s 36-43
scarpa.com

Some boots are not all they’re cut out to be; others deliver even more than you expect. The Tech Ascent GTX falls into that second category. Billed as an approach-backpacking boot that’s supportive enough for carrying a full pack, yet nimble for climbing, these midweight, suede mid-cuts are an outstanding boot for backpacking with up to 45 pounds, as I discovered on a five-day, 40-mile family backpacking trip in Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness.

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