Category: Backpack Reviews

  • SCOTT PATROL E1 40 BACKPACK (Avalanche Airbag Pack)

    I was an early adopter of avalanche airbag packs. I’ve been using them for over a decade, and have owned and used models by Snowpulse/Mammut ABS, and Dakine. My packs have all used compressed gas (either oxygen or nitrogen) to inflate the airbags. My first airbag pack was an ABS model, which uses nitrogen charged […]

  • My Quest for the Perfect Elk Hunting Pack. The McHale Critical Mass INEX

    Review of the McHale Critical Mass Backpack McHale Website I’ve pretty much abandoned large backpacks for backpacking and climbing.  With modern, ultralight gear, I very seldom carry more than 30 pounds, and usually my pack weight is much less, generally less than 20 pounds fully loaded. However, backpack hunting is one endeavor when I still […]

  • The North Face Ice Project Pack

    Some folk built like this, some folk built like that But the way I’m built, Don’t you call me fat Because I’m built for comfort, I ain’t built for speed But I got everything, oh, that a good girl need Howlin Wolf:  Built for Comfort The North Ice Project is definitely a pack that is […]

  • Summer, 2014 Outdoor Retailer Highlights

    The 2014 Summer Outdoor Retailer Show is in full swing here in Salt Lake City. It’s a huge event, taking up not only the full space in the Salt Palace, but three large temporary pavilions and a tent city as well. I’ve spent the last day and a half wandering around the show, looking at […]

  • Patagonia Ascensionist 25L Pack

      15.8 ounces (with add-on shock cord compression straps.) The Patagonia Ascensionist pack line is Patagonia’s new foray into making backpacks.  The 25 liter pack is the smallest of the line-up, suited for day trips and traditional alpine climbs from huts. The Ascensionist 25L pack is stripped down to the bare essentials.  The suspension is […]

  • Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ice Pack

    The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ice Pack is a lightweight alpine pack that I have been using lately for big days and light overnights in the mountains. The ice pack is about 40 liters (2,400 cubic inches) in capacity, and can hold everything I need for a day of ice climbing or winter alpine climbing day […]