Date: 2009-03-24
To: Gear Review Still Continued
Miles today: 0.0

---Buff Head WrapThis thing is great. I have long hair and it gets in my face, even when in a pony tail, so it prevented that. It also served as a light-weight balaclava (no¢¦not the dessert¢¦that¢s baklava), and neck gaitor. Just check out the website, you¢ll see how versatile it is, but mainly it kept my hair out of my eyes which was the main thing. It did not retain odor at all, and on hot days, I could drench with cold water and it felt great. I also like that there are tons of colors and designs (skulls for instance), but I think they¢re a little pricey.        Pros: Versatile gear, wicking, muti-use for warmth/coolness, doesn¢t retain odor        Cons: A little pricey Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Totally¢¦yes.---Wright Double-Layer Running SocksUnlike most people, I don¢t like wearing the thick hiking socks, so I used these very very thin wicking running socks. They provide no extra cushion at all, but they also don¢t make your feet hot, which was my experience w/the heavier socks. They are white, so watch out, they show filth. One great thing is that because they are lighter, you can carry more socks. I carried 3 pairs, which allowed me to ¢wash¢ a pair with water, hang them on my pack to dry for 2 days, while wearing the other 2 pairs. I think this helped a lot with my lack of blisters. They were ankle height, and the elastic got pretty stretched out so the sock started creeping down, so I¢d get at least calf-height in the future. They weren¢t available everywhere though.         Pros: Light, quick drying, fairly inexpensive for socks, pretty durable for their thicknessCons: Not readily available everywhere, elastic stretches out around top, color is white, does not provide any cushion for feet.Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes & No, I like them, but for long distance hiking, I think a bit more cushion is better---Wigwam Lightweight SocksIn Monson, ME, I needed new socks and the others weren¢t available, so I tried these. I like these a lot, as they are still thinner than hiking socks, but thicker than the Wrights. They too are white, and came up the calf a bit. I only used these for the last 115 miles, but they do not dry out nearly as fast as the Wrights. They are wicking, but the extra thickness makes drying harder. I did really like the slight amount of cushion they provided though.         Pros: Cushion, still fairly inexpensive        Cons: Don¢t dry as quickly as Wrights, color is whiteAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, at least until I wear them out and then I look around again ---Solomon Trail Runners XA Comp 2 XCR GortexI chose these shoes because I¢m so prone to blisters, and they were very comfortable and flexible. Problem was that they just weren¢t ¢beefy¢ enough for hiking with a loaded pack. I used Superfeet insoles in them, but I really believe it was because these shoes were so flexible, that this is partially what led to my developing plantar fasciitis. Now this is no fault of the shoe, it was my fault for using it for something it really wasn¢t meant to be used for. Durability was pretty bad as well. The mesh was tearing before I even made it to my second trail town, so by Erwin, TN, I was shopping for new shoes.         Pros: Comfortable/flexibleCons: Not appropriate for long distance hiking w/full pack unless you are an ultra ultra liter and even then, I¢d be carefulAm I happy enough to stick with this product? No, I doubt I¢ll ever buy Solomon again---Garmont AR2 Trail RunnersThis was my second brand to try. It was definitely beefier than the Solomon, but the quality of the shoe was absolutely horrible. The rubber pieces that were bonded to the shoe were coming off pretty quickly, the mesh was tearing, and holes formed around the ankle. They did have a nice wide toe box, which was very important by the time I got to Erwin, but I think these are either discontinued or a new version is out now. It still wasn¢t quite enough shoe for me.        Pros: More supportive than Solomon, wide toe box        Cons: Cheaply made and colors were ugly as hellAm I happy enough to stick with this product? No.---Keen Voyageurs Trail Shoes, Low Cut with and without Gortex liningAnd finally, I discovered the perfect shoe for myself. These are very beefy shoes, have a leather shell w/mesh for some breathability, have a sturdy sole and great traction until the shoe gets really worn out. They break in within a week of stedy hiking and are just flexible enough to not give blisters. The best thing is how roomy they are with wide toe boxes and wide widths available. They are extremely durable and even though I replaced them every 500 miles, I could have probably gotten a little more mileage out of them. I absolutely love these shoes, and they make a boot version as well, so there¢s something for everyone. High quality and comfortable. I tried some with and without the gortex lining inside. As I suspected, all the gortex did was give me another hour or so before saturation and wet feet occurred, so I don¢t think it¢s worth the gortex.Pros: Durable, sturdy, supportive, well-made, good traction, wide toe box, available in shoe and boot, quick break-in periodCons: As they get worn, the traction gets slick, but that¢s true of any shoe/boot. Due to partial leather exterior, they take a bit more time to dry than other full-mesh shoes, but it also takes longer to saturate.Am I happy enough to stick with this product? YES!! If they stop making these, I may have to stop hiking---Superfeet Insoles (green)I tried other insoles and kept coming back to these because they provided unparalleled support. They provide a deep heel cup to help stabilize your foot angle as well. They are pricey though and the only shortcoming of these things is that they provide ZERO cushion for your feet. In fact, they are a bit brutal when it comes to that, especially at the ball-area of the foot, so I started inserting very very thin gel soles on top of them, and that helped, but it¢s hard to make this work and still maintain the integrity of your shoe-fit. I¢m still wearing my last pair of Keen¢s w/my last set of Superfeet in them¢¦.to this day. Pros: Incredible support and stabilization, durable and last a long time (I replaced these when I replaced my shoes¢¦every 500 miles or so)Cons: A bit pricey, and absolutely no cushion which caused my feet to ache. Only available at outfitters or running stores (or online), but not at pharmacies.Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes but hopefully they¢ll work on some cushioning---Spenco Insoles for BackpackingWhile trying to find some cushion along with support, I tried these. They certainly provide a slight amount of cushion, which was noticeable, and the support was not quite as good as the Superfeet, but then it went away completely when the plastic ¢frame¢ in the arch area start cracking after only 2 weeks. I was really disappointed, because I thought I¢d found a great compromise. They aren¢t much cheaper than Superfeet either, so unfortunately, they failed my test.        Pros: Provide cushion and descent support        Cons: Couldn¢t stand up to long distance hikingAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Maybe for less strenuous situations, but not for long distance hiking---Soles, Moldable InsolesI only tried these for 1 day of slackpacking at Erwin. For those of you who have a very high arch and have problems getting enough arch support, I recommend these. They are meant to be heated up and molded to your foot though, and they¢ll tell you it¢s possible to do this with just foot heat, but it would take a long time. I can¢t say much more than I think they would be great for high arches, support and a slight amount of cushion, but I couldn¢t test them long term because the arch supports were too high for me and I had no way (at the time) of heating them up in an oven.         Pros: High arch support, some cushion, solid support structure, moldable to your feet        Cons: Need an oven to mold themAm I happy enough to stick with this product? I would consider trying them again now that I have an oven---Crocs Camp ShoesSome say this is a luxury item, but not in my book. There¢s nothing better than getting to camp, taking those hiking shoes/boots off and sliding your foot into a pair of rubbery crocs. They also allow you to handle water crossings and still have dry footwear on the other side, and they are light weight. The only weird thing that happened to mine was that they started re-shaping themselves as I hung them on my pack, so they because distorted, which then resulted in them rubbing my pinky toe around camp. I duct taped them back to hold them in the ¢proper¢ form and that worked, but then it started reshaping again, so I think I should have just let them hang freely instead of having them cinched down under some shock cord. I did hike in them a few times, but if you want to know what it feels like to hike with no support, try it in your crocs. In about 15 minutes, I was changing back into my hiking shoes. I do love them for camp/water shoes and to give my feet a break during the day. Pros: Help you take care of your feet and ¢rest¢ them at the end of the day, cross water in them and keep your socks/boots/shoes dry, come in a multitude of colors/styles, lightweight        Cons: They get mis-shaped if held in a weird form for too longAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, I love my crocs---Outdoor Research Ankle-High GaitorsI did not start off with gaiters, but because of the way I walk, I was constantly kicking crap up and into the back of my shoes, so I got a pair of gaiters and really love them. They help keep your feet cleaner, your socks cleaner, and temporarily keep your feet a bit drier, but not forever. They also protect your ankles and upper leg (depending on length) from bugs/scratches while hiking in shorts. The only annoying thing about these was the shock cord that runs under your shoe is pretty useless as far as durability is concerned. It broke constantly, so I ended up buying some slightly stretchy camping string and then wrapping duct tape around that for more reinforcement, but the rocks eventually chewed that up too. I know some gaiters have a leather strap that lays flat under your shoe, so if I had my way, I¢d have that instead of the shock cord. If I hiked w/out the shock cord, then the gaitor would ride up, so you do need something. Other than that, I will always hike w/gaiters.         Pros: Keep feet/socks cleaner, prevent getting trash in your shoes, some water resistance        Cons: Shock cord constantly brokeAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, until someone comes out with a low-cut gaitor with a leather strap ---Patagonia Mid-weight Polypro ThermalsThis was my dry, camp base layer for warmth. It¢s Patagonia, so they are way expensive, but they did a pretty good job of serving as a base thermal layer. Only because I¢m such a cold sleeper, I might now choose to go with a heavy weight or expedition weight, but amazingly, they didn¢t retain odor at all and even though I lost 50 lbs on this hike, they were stretchy and versatile enough to still fit me just fine.         Pros: Did not retain odor, warm for mid-weight, same size still fit after losing 50 lbs        Cons: WAY expensiveAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, but I¢m also open to seeing what else is out there---Fleece PantsI had two different pairs, one mid-weight, one light-weight (but at different times). For me, these were great in that this was my 2nd layer in camp and because they were not directly against my skin, they did not retain an odor and I could wear them in towns if I wanted. They are fleece, so they were bulky and heavier, but that¢s life when it comes to fleece. My lightweight pair were wearing super thin by the time I made it to Katahdin, and I¢d only used them in 2008, so if I had them for both years, I think they would need to be replaced. Also, the lightweight pair somehow because high waters and shrunk some.         Pros: Great additional layer in camp, appropriate to wear in trail towns, comfie        Cons: Bulky/heavier, some types may shrinkAm I happy enough to stick with this product? I¢d always have some fleece pants, but the brand is not important---Montbell UL Down JacketSo if you buy one of these, you¢ll never believe it will keep you as warm as it does. It is SO lightweight, but the 850 down makes a huge difference in warmth. It still amazes me honestly. It is very fragile however, which is the price you pay for the weight savings. They make a synthetic version as well which is very popular, but for me, down is the way to go for warmth and weight savings. You do pay for the quality, but I also think this one is worth it. The year I bought mine (2007) they finally started putting hand pockets in it, but other than that, they kept other features off to save weight.         Pros: Super lightweight, super warm, packs down to nothing, hand pockets        Cons: Fragile, costly, wind will blow through it Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Definitely yes, it was perhaps my main warmth-providing component in camp---UnderArmour Fleece-Lined ShirtI added this in 2008 as well as an additional layer in camp. Keep in mind that I¢m always cold for the most part, so I don¢t consider myself typical. This shirt was pretty pricey though, and it¢s bulky, but I loved having this additional layer with a zip-up high neck. It had a litte pocket on the left sleeve too, which was nice for an iPod.                Pros: Warm and stylish                Cons: Pricey and due to fleece lining, a bit bulky        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, for me it works---Patagonia Micro-Puff VestI was lucky enough to buy the ¢old¢ style which is lighter and does not have a full zip. This is a synthetic vest and whereas I thought I¢d use it for core body insulation, I ended up discovering it worked great as not only a pillow but in very cold temps, I¢d put my head inside of it and wrap it around my neck. It¢s a fantastic little piece of gear and is versatile as well as pretty warm. It folds up into itself, there¢s a pocket in the chest, so it ends up being slightly smaller than a softball when it¢s folded into itself. As usual, it¢s Patagonia, so it¢s pricier than other vests.        Pros: Lightweight for synthetic, warm, versatile, durable, packs down to small size        Cons: Expensive and the design has changed making it heavierAm I happy enough to stick with this product? I¢d never buy another one, but while this one is still functional, I¢d always take it out with me---REI Wool SocksThese were my dry camp socks. I did get wool for extra warmth and unless it was totally freezing outside they did a great job. I got them wet once in camp and they were still warm, so that was nice. After multiple days, they got a little crunchy, but I sort of expected that.        Pros: Warm even if they get a little wet        Cons: None reallyAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes---Wigwam Thermolite CapThis was my little black knit cap I wore in cold weather and in camp. I lost it somewhere and ended up using some generic knit cap and I discovered the Wigwam didn¢t cut the wind as well as the other one. It¢s a thinner cap, so for me, I preferred something a little heavier. It did have plenty of length though, so I could easily fold it over my ears.        Pros: Lightweight and warm in moderate temps        Cons: Not very windproofAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Not really, I need something a little heavier for warmth---Outdoor Research BalaclavaFirst and foremost, a Ba-La-Cla-Va is not the same thing as Ba-Kla-Va. I can¢t tell you how many people called these things a pastry from Greece. I started w/this in 2007 because in cold temps, I¢d wake up when my nose/face got cold because it would lead to full-body cold chills even if the rest of me was zipped up in my bag. I got this particular one because it was full face, but had a little opening for the nostrils, and I particularly wanted something to help my nose warmer. In extreme cold (20¢s and below for me) I¢d wear anything to stay warm, but honestly, this thing was uncomfortable. It was tight enough to press my ears down in an unnatural way, making them ¢sore¢ in the morning, and my nose really never got warm enough, so I ditched the thing after discovering how much better my Micro-Puff Vest was at providing head insulation.         Pros: Lightweight, full-head coverage + nose holes so you don¢t breathe in hot exhaled air        Cons: Fit is uncomfortable and thermal properties weren¢t good enough for me        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? No---Generic Polypro Glove Liners I started off using these as glove liners, and discovered that while hiking, your hands will sweat if in gloves, so I started hiking in just these alone until my body heat warmed up my hands (except in blizzards of course). These are cheapo thin glove liners that I loved wearing in camp at nite. Because they are so cheap, they started unraveling some, but I still use them for camp use.        Pros: Very inexpensive, good for camp when you still want dexterity, wicking        Cons: Not going to last forever, definitely not waterproof        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, I¢ll use them till they disintegrate---Patagonia Glove LinersSo I got these for 2008. They are much more durable (and WAY expensive again), but I started off using these and not the other generic ones, but eventually added the generics back in as well, so I could use one for hiking in rain/bad weather, and one for dry camp time. These are slightly more bulky, but do the job glove liners should. On my pair, the plastic elastic that goes around the wrist started poking through the material and irritating my wrist, but only on one glove. Other than that they¢re great.        Pros: Little heavier than most glove liners        Cons: Expensive, weird material flawAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, but I probably would never spend that much $ on glove liners again---Outdoor Research Lobsterclaw Gloves A.K.A. ¢Toasty Gloves¢In 2007, I chose the generic glove liners for warmth and these Lobster Claw (as in your thumb and two lager holes that make you look like you¢re doing Mork¢s nanoo nanoo hand thing) for a waterproof shell for wet/cold weather hiking. I thought it was a great compromise for the warmth of mittens versus dexterity of gloves. Well, these are not waterproof at all and don¢t make dexterity tasks that much easier either. Then we get to the outrageous price and in my book, they aren¢t worth it. Persistent had the elastic cuff come unsewn on hers. I mailed mine home after Mt. Rogers, and the package was stolen from my front porch, so I guess it was meant to be.        Pros: They are a great conversation piece, lightweight        Cons: They just don¢t do what they¢re supposed to and they are WAY TOO expensive        Am I happy enough to stick with this product?   Nope---Frogg Togg Rain SuitGreat idea in theory, not meant for the beating the AT gives your gear. You really won¢t believe these things will keep you dry, and they do to a point, but they reach a saturation point after multiple days of rain and rain and rain. They are incredibly light but not at all durable to handle long distance hiking. The pants crotch seam totally ripped out on my pants and they weren¢t made that well for women who are shorter. The jacket did ¢ok¢ but the constant rubbing from your pack straps starts thinning the material where it rubs. I learned that when it comes to raingear, don¢t take a shortcut. Get durable water-proof (as in seams taped) gear.         Pros: Lightweight, only $50.00 for set, breatheable        Cons: Too fragile to withstand the AT        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Not for hiking---North Face Rain JacketMy answer to the Frogg Togg debacle was buying a real-live rain jacket. I love this thing and whereas it¢s water-proof, you will sweat in it, making you feel warm and wet instead of cold and wet from rain. It does have pit-zips, plenty of pockets, but I did wish the hood was removable, but it wasn¢t. I don¢t use hoods, I use a separate hat, but other than that I was highly pleased with its rain proofness, durability, and wind protection qualities. Because it¢s North Face, it¢s also a bit less pricey than Marmot, Patagonia, or a few others.        Pros: Great bang for the buck, waterproof, ventilation features, wind proof, functional        Cons: Not breathable        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Absolutely yes.---Sierra Designs Rain PantsI got these pant on sale for like $20.00. I liked them because they were black, seam-taped, had zippers down on the leg cuffs so you could slip them on/off without taking your boots off, and they have one zipper pocket on the outside. They have an elastic waistband w/drawstring. These are great pants, however, because you are stretching your legs into awkward angles, butt scooting on rocks, etc., they started ripping in the crotch (are you all seeing a theme here for us short-legged people?). I still wore them and by the time I finished in 2008, they were pretty trashed, but I still have them and would probably buy them again. They are waterproof, but like the rain jacket, you¢ll sweat in them which makes you feel clammy.         Pros: Inexpensive, great features, as lightweight as can be for durability        Cons: Crotch started ripping due to demands of AT        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, I¢ll probably buy more for the price---Outdoor Research SombreroAs a woman with very thick long hair, if my hair got wet in rain, it took days to dry out and that would make me feel chilled. I hated wearing hoods on rain jackets, because you just can¢t move your head very good and your peripheral vision isn¢t as good, so Rockstar recommended this hat. It has gortex in it, a chin strap, and the sides fold up and attach to Velcro for that Australian outback look. I really really love this hat and whereas it was very expensive as well, it was worth every penny. It never soaked through, was quick to dry and my only complaint is cosmetic. The color options are ugly, but oh well. It has an adjustable band that velcroes on the inside, so you can adjust the tightness of it too. The brim is wide enough to guide water away from you, so it¢s not draining on your shoulders.        Pros: A GREAT hat for wind/rain protection that does exactly what it should, keep your head dry         Cons: A little expensive, but worth the money        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Oh yes¢¦I¢d never go out without my Sombrero                        ---Olympus Stylus Camera 725 SWIf you want one durable camera that is also FULLY waterproof, then this is your camera. It has rubber seals built into the body that keep it waterproof, so when it¢s raining and you see that great shot, you don¢t have to worry about ruining the camera. I dropped mine into Sunfish Pond in New Jersey, and it still worked like a charm. I did manage to crack the LCD viewing screen, but this was a freak accident as it landed on concrete right on the corner. I did get a new camera, but I got the same style and I dropped the new one a million times as well and it still works fine, so I feel it¢s fair that they advertise it as shockproof as well. So for taking a beating and waterproofing, I don¢t think it can be beaten. Now some other issues. It uses Olympus¢ XD memory card, which is not the commonly used SD card, but I didn¢t have an issue with anything because I was mailing multiple cards to Persistent to upload pics. The battery life is not that great, so I carried the charger and 4 batteries (hence the 4000+ pictures I have). There are two major problems with this camera. First, the zoom absolutely sucks. Actually, it¢s worthless. It has only a 3x optical zoom, but the reason is that for much more, an optical zoom would require the lens to extend out (telescoping) and then how do you keep it waterproof? So I get why they did this, but it made some wildlife shots more difficult. The other issue is a design flaw in that while keeping the camera in my hipbelt pocket, it would turn itself on if something barely hit the on/off button on the top of the camera, which then resulted in draining the battery. I tried to stop this by putting duct tape over the button, which did seem to help until I wore the tape into the shape of the button. So for the ruggedness of a long distance hike, you can¢t beat the durability and waterproofing of this camera, but just don¢t expect great zooming. I used the macro setting a lot on the really close shots, which works for everything except animals that get scared. The only other issue is that sometimes it wanted to be ¢smarter¢ than me and would slow its shutter speed down in low-light conditions, so I had to learn to fake it out by using weird settings. This one thing could be enough for people not to want it, because I did miss a few close up shots of a bear because I was screwing around with trying to get the thing to take a normal picture.Pros: It takes a beating, small , totally waterproof, 7.1 mexapixel pics, so plenty big for normal usersCons: Turns itself on, batteries don¢t last that long, it tries to make too many decisions on its own regarding light/shutter speed which results in blurred picsAm I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, but I sure wish they¢d address those few issues. ---LL Bean High Gear® Terra Tech Compass This is a great little combo piece of gear. Digital watch, alarm, digital thermometer, digital compass, tiny LED light, and stop watch. It¢s also great because it¢s not a watch, it¢s made to hang from a keychain or something, but I had to use my own string (hair ties actually) to thread through the holes in the casing and then put a small carabiner on it to attach to my belt loop. No big deal though. It has 2 separate alarms, so you can essentially use one as a ¢snooze¢ which is nice after you start getting really worn out. At nite, there¢s a button to push so it backlites the display, but this did stop working on mine in 2008. The digital compass is pretty useless for long distance backpacking, because you have to enter a calibration # (according to your geographical location) for it to be accurate, and that requires that you go online to retrieve it. I wanted a watch, alarm clock, and thermometer and for that, it worked great. The digital thermometer is sensitive though, so it picks up your body heat if worn right against your body.         Pros: Lots of features in one item, designed to be hung on gear, waterproof, 2 alarmsCons: Digital compass not practical for long distance hiking, thermometer can be inaccurate if it picks up your body heat        Am I happy enough to stick with this product? Yes, but I¢m also open to shopping around