Archive for March, 2010
DoubleNest Hammock from Eagle’s Nest Outfitters
The hammock is a wonderful invention. Whether it’s the netted style from the Yucatan or embroidered cotton in Brazil, nothing beats an afternoon snooze while swaying in the breeze. Eagle’s Nest Outfitters (ENO) has built its whole business around the hammock, but in their case it’s a higher tech version that is packable but durable.
I’ve been trying out the DoubleNest Hammock from ENO lately. I haven’t had the fortitude to go camping yet in this iffy spring weather, but I’ve been trying it out in another real-world location: my back yard. Strung between a tree and a deck, it’s been a great location for a nap. Except when my daughter decides it’s her fun new toy.
The ENO hammock stuffs into a sack that can fit in one hand and it has compression straps on the outside to make it squish up even smaller. If you put some effort into it you can get the pack down to grapefruit size. It’s not super light at one pound six ounces, but a fair bit of that is the thick steel carabiners that will support 400 pounds and keep you from landing on your butt.
This is a very roomy hammock, nearly 10 feet long and more than 6.6 feet wide when completely unfurled. It’ll easily fit two adults—well, ones that can fit comfortably into an airplane seat anyway. The breathable nylon is strong and “triple interlocking stitching” means that this hammock should hold up for many years of abuse.
There’s one optional accessory that I can’t imagine being without now that I’ve used it: a set of versatile ENO SlapStraps. These are super-strong nylon straps that have loops positioned all along the length of them. They make it a simple snap to secure the hammock to two support points, easily adjusting the length on each end. Simple but ingenious.
The other accessory that can be paired up with this is a small comfy pillow that is fleece on one side and Coolmax on the other. You use the side that fits the climate. There’s a ProPillow and PakPillow that each stuff down into a smaller sack. While I found the one I tried quite comfortable, an inflatable pillow would take up far less room. Unless a good pillow is a high priority for you, this mainly makes sense if you’ve got room to spare, are just on a day hike, or are pulling a car up by the campsite.
The Eagle’s Nest DoubleNest Hammock comes in 13 color combinations and sells for around $65. The SlapStraps are another $23. See the details, colors, and lots of cool photos of the product in use (like the two I posted here) at the ENO website. While you’re there you can check out their single hammock, chair lounger, and other products.
Eagles Nest Outfitters DoubleNest Hammock at Backcountry.com
Sign up for the newsletter over at Perceptive Travel before Friday and you will get the chance to win an ENO hammock of your own in April!
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Kids and Family, Travel Light on March 31st, 2010
Road Test: Cydle T43H GPS Navigator
The GPS field is very crowded these days. But there’s one manufacturer, Cydle, you might not have heard about—yet. That could change as the upstart company plans to introduce some interesting auto electronics products later this year.
I first ran across Cydle at the 2010 International CES in Las Vegas. While I’m waiting for the release of some of their other products, I wanted to check out their T43H GPS.
The T43H navigator offers turn-by-turn directions with a bright, clear and wide (4.3″) screen. The maps seemed accurate in my driving and the receiver was solid, with quick satellite locks and no dropped signals. It comes with pre-loaded maps for the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
One unique feature is a built-in FM and HD radio. It may seem a bit self-defeating to listen to HD radio on the small built-in speaker on the GPS unit. But there is an audio output in case you want to listen with better-quality speakers in your car.
The T43H also maps and displays traffic information that’s fed over HD Radio signals. I didn’t receive any alerts while driving around Dallas. But at the time, there were no major wrecks or traffic jams. According to Cydle, HD Radio traffic updates normally require a paid subscription, but the T43H receives them without charge.
The GPS unit also includes a media player for pictures, video and audio. And there’s a slot for an SDHC card to add up to 16 gb of memory.
One really nice feature is a display of the speed limit on major roads. And the T43H will give an audio warning if you’re driving more than five miles per hour over the limit.
In a side-by-side comparison with my Garmin GPS, I found the audio cues from the Garmin to be louder and more distinct. The Cydle sounded a bit muffled, but still understandable most of the time.
I also thought the screen layout of the Garmin was less cluttered, and found some of the information on the Cydle screen (such as time, arrival time and distance to turns) was too small for my liking.
Cydle’s suction-cup mount works very well. I still prefer Garmin’s combination mount and power cord, which is sleeker and not as bulky.
The list price for the T43H is $279.99, with a 24% discount currently offered at Amazon.
Overall, the T43H performs well. And it also offers a glimpse at what’s coming in the future.
Cydle is also working to add features such as Bluetooth, Mobile TV, Wi-Fi and more. The company plans to launch other GPS units with 5″ and 7″ touch screens and Blackbox, a camera to record your driving data.
Also in the works is the Cydle M7, a mobile Internet device that will run on Google’s Android operating system and offer features such as Mobile TV, a camera and camcorder.
Cydle is not yet a household name. But if the company is able to deliver on its vision for mobile devices, that could change very quickly.
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on March 30th, 2010
Review: 5.11 Tactical DC Roller Travel Bag
Inside, there are nice features to keep things organized, including a mesh pocket, top hanging pocket, a laundry bag for dirty clothes and an oversized shoe bag. A zipper also allows it to be expanded by 2″ for bigger loads.
The bag rolls smoothly on oversized wheels.
The DC Roller is large enough for several days of traveling and can easily adapt to carrying gear, clothes and whatever else you need. Plus, it’s reasonably priced at $139.99.
This isn’t the first time we’ve recommended 5.11 Tactical Gear. I’ve also enjoyed using their Side Trip Briefcase, which I reviewed earlier, for short trips. And my colleague, Tim, really likes their Light for Life flashlight.
Whether you’re packing for a tactical assault or a weekend vacation, 5.11 Tactical’s DC Roller Travel Bag deserves a look.
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on March 29th, 2010
Outdoor Research Women’s Helium Jacket
When I’m flying to warm-weather climates in the winter months from my Colorado home, I layer like crazy so I don’t have to travel with a winter jacket. My outermost covering is always a hooded, nylon jacket that doubles as rain gear in the tropics. I’ve been using a hand-me-down from my husband that never quite fit him correctly (nor me), but now I’ve got one of my very own: the Women’s Helium Jacket in fiery “salsa” by Outdoor Research.
This jacket is super light, about 6 ounces, and it stuffs down into its own sack (it’s tucked into an inside pocket that’s usable when you’re wearing the jacket); when the jacket is compressed into itself, it’s only about 5 by 3.5 by 2. 5 inches. For this reason alone it’s great for carrying on a plane, and I’ll stick it in a day pack for hiking this summer, when afternoon thundershowers in the Rockies are not unusual. A little loop on the stuff sack means you could also easily attach it to the outside of a backpack.
It also protects against the elements. The Pertex Shield ripstop fabric is waterproof and the zippers are water-resistant. I wore it on a winter hike during a mild snow, and I liked how the jacket repelled the flakes; I stayed perfectly dry. I wouldn’t hesitate to wear it in stormy conditions: the hood and hem can cinch tight and elastic sleeves help keep water and wind out, too.
I do wish this jacket had two zippered pockets near the bottom hem; it’s got one chest pocket (with zipper) to stash tissues, lip balm and the contact-lens re-wetting drops I always like to have readily at hand (whether I’m traveling or being active outdoors), but this jacket would really shine if I had two more pockets to stick a pair of light gloves, a point-and-shoot camera and other miscellaneous stuff that I might like to carry on my person as opposed to a purse or backpack.
Another caveat: the Women’s Helium Jacket is not cheap. It retails for $140. But this is a quality piece of gear for hard-core climbers, mountaineers and other adventure enthusiasts. Me? I’m not about to climb Kilimanjaro this year, but for day hikes near my mountain home and frequent plane trips to different climates, it more than does the job of keeping me comfortable and dry.
Buy the OR Women’s Helium Jacket on Amazon.com.
Outdoor Research Helium Jacket – Women’s at Backcountry.com
Get the Men’s version at Backcountry.
Related post: Men’s OR Fanatic Jacket
Posted by Kara in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on March 26th, 2010
Kelty Redwing 3100 Backpack is a Great Value
If Kelty were a car company it would probably be Hyundai. Not as fancy or expensive as other brands in its class, but a good value for what you’re spending. Take this Redwing Backpack that holds 3100 cubic inches or 51 liters, is loaded with features, and has a list price of $109. That’s half the price of many other packs it’s competing with on the market.
Sure there are a few trade-offs here and there, but not many. I just used this Kelty Redwing for a week, actually having it on my back for six hours a day as I rode my bike on the Katy Trail in Missouri. It was comfortable and had plenty of pockets for keeping my gear organized. At a shade less than 3.5 pounds, it doesn’t add much weight to your load either.
It’s got all the things I look for in a travel pack: padded adjustable waist strap, adjustable sternum strap, side pockets for a water bottle or other items I may need to get to without removing it, and compartments for all the little things that get lost easily. The back is padded too and there’s an aluminum stay running the length of the back to keep it stable and this can be adjusted to the shape of your back.
This pack didn’t feel quite as rugged and well-made as some I’ve used from other manufacturers at a higher price point and the zippers are not top-end ones, but this Kelty pack should last quite a while: the main fabric is 600D polyester 
ripstop and the company offers a lifetime warranty against Chinese factory defects in materials or workmanship. That won’t help you in cases of “exhausted zippers” or “natural hazard damage,” but I think they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. The only feature of consequence I missed on this that you get in some other packs are the little straps connecting the top of the shoulder pads to the pack—that helps a little with heavy loads.
In short, it would be hard to find a better backpack for under a hundred bucks at retail. I’d give pretty good odds that this would make it through a year-long backpacking trip okay and am quite confident it would be fine for years’ worth of weekend hiking and camping trips.
Get the full specs and see the four colors it comes in at Kelty.com. You can buy it there direct, at your local retailer, or online here: get the Kelty Redwing at Campmor or at RockCreek.com.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on March 25th, 2010
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