Reviews by User: Desert Backpacker (88)

This stove is bomb-proof. It's more efficient than canister stoves in a wider range of circumstances. Ever had half-empty canisters with no more accelerant after a winter trip? Never waste fuel again with this stove! It boils fast and furious, and can go from a rolling boil to a simmer instantly. That's right, you can cook angel-hair pasta, rice, potatoes... virtually anything you can pack with this stove. I have been using it for about a year now and have had no problems.

This bag is a great choice for those who want/need a bag that supplies warmth at a better price than the mountaineering bag prices. This bag is true to rating, I spent a few nights in well below freezing temps and I was toasty. All in all a great choice.

I bought 2 of these beauties for mixed and ice climbing and have been very impressed. Usually I avoid company's initial product lines, but these ropes handle well, have good durability and the butterfly coil really doesn't bind, making the rope easy to use right away.

These clinchers are great for the roadies and for the bike commuters looking for less rolling resistance and more speed. The colors just serve to make the ride a bit more stylish.

This item saves the weight of a pump, and also the wait of having to pump up your tire. It's nice and versatile, compatible with both 12 and 16 gram threaded or non-threaded co2 cartridges.

Great construction, durable, frame and deck, better traction, and the highest ascent bar out there all combine to make these the best snowshoes on the market. Plus, they're made in the USA!

These things are great! I have used the same one for over 3 years, winter and summer. It also doubles as a pillow at night.

Lets be honest: when it comes to protecting a fall, an aluminum wedge is the same, no real matter who stamps their name on it. The real challenge is in knowing how to place these so that they work right. So, practice your placements before you go out and start leading. My bottom line: if you can place them well, stoppers are the best removable protection around!

This pack is great for any day adventure you can dish out. The backpanel and suspension are comfortable, they carry loads well, and the space not being used in the back panel can be used to carry your hydration bladder. With accessories for all sorts of outdoor adventure, the Atmos is a great pack for those looking to get outside.

This bag is great and is designed to be carried over one shoulder like a messenger bag. It's dual tie-in points make it easy to identify the top and bottom of the bag so that you can flake the rope faster, and spend more time climbing. It's easy to pack-up too, and big enough to stuff draws, shoes, a harness, and over extras in the bag too. Nice piece for those climbers who want to get there and go!

I like the auto locking feature for beginner climbers/belayers, it's a great safety feature. I just worry, and my personal experience confirms that, using a Grigri or other auto-locking device makes people lazy and careless: taking break hands off the rope, not watching the climber, or worse. I suggest weaning the beginner off the use of these devices very quickly.

This item works very well when you use it to escape from a big wall or trad climb, or even at the top of a rappell. Make no mistake about it, this is not a belay device, such as the ATC, ATC-XP, or the Guide ATC; or any other belay device. This item is used to rappel from, not belay with. I have used these on several occasions, for their intended purpose and they work great! Nice, light, and easy to use.

Beal has the softest catch on the market for the weight, and with the double-dty treatment these ropes are going to last a good while. So, take a look at them, just great ropes!

This carabiner has a nice wide opening, a clean nose, and the screwgate will keep you on your toes, so you don't get lazy while belaying; and they're probably more safe anyway.

The loops in the PAS are sewn to full strength, so it can handle a fall, and because they're so big, they're easier to adjust and readjust while at a belay changing the gear. Just a great option.

If you ice climb and are tired of trying to clip your screws to your regular gear loops and you need a place to safely/securely hang your tools while lowering, then these guys are for you. They absolutely save time, which can be very precious while you're feeling the pump, high off the deck and need to place a screw quickly. Definitely a great idea!

8's are great for rappeling, and this one is good for that. If you climb and you're looking to rapp off routes with this guy, you might find that it twists your rope and gets super hot fast, and stays that way. I don't like that on my dynamic rope, though I think that would be less of an issue on a static rappel line. As far as belaying goes, I tried that once, but the device kept walking up the rope, making it hard and cumbersome to deal with. So, if you climb, get something else, specific to climbing.

I like this device better than the XP because it seems to hold my little (10.2mm) rope better than the XP, and so far it feels a bit easier on my rope. Add to that the increased functionality for guiding, etc. and you have one awesome belay device!

While these screws don't place as fast as Petzl's they are still great screws and place pretty quickly. I like the thumb screw which seems to be a little more user-friendly right out of the box than Petzl's, though in the long-run I don't think they are as fast. BD has been making screws for a long time and these ones continue the same tradition of quality and performance.

This pant is great for ice, mixed, or cold alpine climbing. The leg is tapered to keep the cuff out of the way, and the softshell material is really impressive at shedding both water, ice, snow, and at keeping the chills at bay. Just a great pant.

I like this harness and have been using it for several seasons on everything from steep quartzite, to desert sandstone. The gear loops aren't the best or biggest for the splitter stone in the Creek, but they work great for racking a small- to medium sized rack; I have crammed 20+ cams on there for some Creek action with no problem. The best feature is the adjustable leg loops. Lots of fit options and easy adjustments.

I like the fit, the stretch for movement and the design. These pants are sure to please, whether at the crag or at the bar after pulling hard all day!

This shirt spends very little time in my dresser- I really like the style, cut, fit, and Prana's graphics never make you regret buying their stuff. So, if you like to be able to move, and you want a shirt that says, "he makes this look good," then this is an option.

This pack is perfect for the 3-4 day alpine trip. If you like to pack light and go fast; if you have to climb with your pack, or if your daily itinerary includes, an alpine ascent and a ski descent, this pack will haul the load comfortably, and effectively, allowing you to keep your mind focused on more important things, like the next powder-turn or your next hand-jam.

I was just in Moab, UT climbing on splitter sandstone and I was climbing super hard, pulling some of the hardest cracks I have ever done. On the hardest climb of the week I took several falls on these cams, everything from a rest to a 20+ foot whipper on these cams. Not only did they not pull-out or shift/slide, they held true and sure! You sacrifice a bit of range-per-cam with the single axle, but these cams make up for that in holding power and reliability

As a rule I avoid The North Face, so when I first bought this jacket I had low expectations. I was completely and pleasantly surprised! This jacket is well fitted, comfortable, and works great as a layer or stand-alone piece in the fall and spring. Mild climate dwellers will love this piece for it's functionality. North Face has a great thing going with their lightweight fleece.

One tube is much like another. These Butyl tubes are light, and with the 60mm stem they fill-up nicely.

If you're tired of having to crank on your brakes to stop your bike pick these up! This brake comes complete with all the stuff you'll need to mount it on your bike; in other words, the 203mm rotor is included. The content is wrong on the website. It also comes with a bleed kit, and an extra set of pads. Great set-up for a great price.

This wheel set is a good option for those looking to get a nice light wheel. It's good for climbing, and for cruisin' around town. The hub does seem to be a bit loud, but it's still a good wheel.

The mid-sole never breaks down, the lug-sole lasts forever, and the adjustable webbing allows for a comfy fit. These sandals can do it all- almost. If you try Ice Climbing or Mountaineering you may lose some toes.

This is a great piece, it's warm, breathable and weather resistant. The only downside is that it seems to be a bit short through the torso. By that I mean that it shows off my belly a little bit when I reach up high; I guess that's the price we pay for well articulated garments.

I just really like this shoe, a great arch support, stable on uneven terrain, durable with the triple density EVA mid-sole, and it's lightweight- a great shoe! I've packed a lot of miles in these and they are still my weapon of choice when I want to move fast.

These merino socks are great! This mesh pair breathes better than the cushion, which is great for active lifestyles in the summer. They dry fast and keep your feet comfy year-round.

These cartridges are great! Super convenient and fast, they take the worry out of your commute or your daily ride.

I've had this pump for about 2 months now, and it's handled all the abuse that my roommates could dish-out, and it's still going strong. It's nice and durable and still useful.

These socks do a better job of keeping my feet dry than other socks their weight/size, and the wool avoids the stench so I don't have to worry about wearing them all day on a hike or trip and wondering what they'll smell like.

This synthetic piece works great in cold, wet conditions as a layer, or as a stand alone piece in milder temps. On the whole, just what you would expect from Patagonia.

I like these bottles because they're shatter resistant. They also look so stylish and you don't have to worry about dents and other stuff leaking on you. I found that these are a bit too big around for the bottle pocket on my new packs, so that's a bummer.

This is a good idea- especially because the original cap that comes with the bag seems to wear out. I love MSR.

I have owned more than my share of sleeping bags in my life, and this is my favorite. The loft is great, the pack-down size and weight are good and the temperature rating is pretty good for me, and I tend to get cold at night. I love this bag.

This is a full-featured bag for summer backpacking, or in the high desert early spring through fall. It's also a great bag for the price. I used it on week long trips in the Escalante desert in Utah- it's a trooper.

The shape of this biner, combined with the nice round dimensions make this biner soft on the rope and easy to use. Petzl also adds an additional red line around the gate to make it easy to tell whether you are locked or not.

Dynex is strong, light, and easy to work with. Good stuff!

I like this belay device, it works smoothly and efficiently. The only thing I can really say against it is that it seems as though it needs a bigger rope to make the catch and subsequent hold a bit easier on the hands- my 10.2 doesn't lock-off in this device the way it does with other devices. It may be that the biner isn't able to get up inside the device, maybe not; either way, I just feel like this device doesn't lock as well as others. It is great for feeding rope, and for rappelling though.

This is the work-horse of climbing. The ATC lasts forever, and is bomb-proof as a belay device. Really a great purchase for any climber.

These draws are lightweight and proven in combat against some tough routes. Go with the longer draw if your route wanders to keep rope drag down. Go with the shorter if you want to keep weight down to a minimum.

This approach inspired shoe is great for the day to day wear. It handles the load well and with style. It's not a bad choice for the long approaches to the crag on the weekends either.

I have tried a lot of energy bars out there, and my taste buds definitely like Probars the most. My wallet on the other hand likes the other types which don't cost $3/bar.

The flavor is better, and the natural ingredients make this bar a great choice. The price isn't so great, with other bars on the market for less.

If you need a way to hang at the belay, or a place to rack your gear, or a piece of webbing to swing from trees with, this is a great way to go. The daisy chain is great for aid climbing, just remember that the loops are sewn to body weight; they are not rated for falls.

Great for securing non-stick pads, holding on patches in the hard to control heels and toes, and it comes in a nice convenient package. Duct tape is a backpacker's best friend. Maybe.