Reviews by User: Bob Brannan (5)

The Exped Ltd Edition 7 Deluxe is a terrific sleeping mat. Exped has a whole line of good--some very lightweight--mats, but this is one of the best for price and comfort. Their foam mats get heavy, and the full-length down mats also get heavy if you want a wider mat. So the question becomes do you want to pay $130 for a mat that is no more comfortable than the Exped Ltd and is of comparable weight, or do you want to pay for the Ltd? I just bought a second one, so I guess I've made up my mind.

The SnowPeak GigaPower stove is a great stove that I would recommend to anyone wanting to travel relatively light. At 3.25 oz. the burner is one of the lightest around, but that's only one of the pluses. I am more interested in fuel economy and flame control. The GigaPower does both well. Using a windscreen and watching the stove carefully, I was able to get 90 minutes from a 110 gram fuel cannister. It is hard to do this without excellent flame control, and the stove will hold a low simmer well. I looked at many stoves before purchasing this one, including the JetBoil system. The SnowPeak model beats it for weight (and price) and matches it for fuel economy.

The issues for me are utility and weight in backpacking. I have been looking for a lightweight pair of breathable convertibles that will keep the dew off and light rain. These pants work. At 10 oz. they replace my two pairs of nylon shorts (8 oz.) and windpants (9 oz.). The Amphi pants are reasonably wind resistant but breathe well enough that I can put them on in 70-80 degree temperatures to keep mosquitoes away. I have grown tired of slapping on repellent. Two concerns: 1. the leg zippers seem somewhat delicate, but only time will tell how well they will last. 2. Sizes are either 28-30 or 32-34. There is no 30-32. I have the 32-34, which are a bit loose on my 31-inch waist but not a real problem.

The Sierra Designs Hurricane rain pants work as advertised. They have kept me dry in several torrential downpours and are about as breathable as can be expected for waterproof clothing. After an hour of hiking, some moisture accummulates, but it is manageable. I'm wearing lightweight Polartec long underwear with the pants in 40 degree rainy weather, so I barely notice the water vapor buildup. I recommend these pants.

This jacket does what Northface says it will: keep a person warm and dry. I have recently used it in the Arkansas River Valley of Colorado at 11,500 feet, where temperatures dropped to the middle 40s with winds of 10-15 mph. I was comfortable with a medium-weight fleece and the jacket, sitting in my Slinglite chair, star gazing till midnight. The jacket packs easily into a quart ziplock and is light enough to stow in a daypack for day hikes. I would add a point about the hood: it tends to creep forward to limit vision, so a lightweight baseball cap under the hood helps to broaden the field of vision.