At 01:17 PM 1/12/2004, you wrote:

> >
> > Agree. However, a further clarification along the lines you mention
>of what
> > happened in the storm would be useful as it provides support to
>your view.
> > As it is written it is just a view.
> >
> > Andrew
>
>If someone reads the entire report, they will read that the awning
>pole did rip the material.

Andy

I give up .... the magic word "IF".  All that is needed is a simple
sentence. Is that so hard? Apparently so.

Andrew



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

BEHOLD!!!

Short Hand:
http://snipurl.com/b0be


Long Term Report of
Equinox Katahdin Backpack
By Michael Lissner
30 November 2004

Contents of Review:
1. Tester Biological Information
2. Backpacking Background
3. Product Information
4. Product Description
5. Conditions of Long Term Testing
6. Results of Long Term Testing
7. Final Conclusions

1. Tester Biological Information
Name: Michael Jay Lissner
Trail Name: The Chemist
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Torso Length: 51 cm (20 in)
Height: 201 cm (6' 7")
Weight: 88 kg (195 lb)
Email Address: yourmothership at hotmail dot com (feel free to ask me
questions)
City of Current Residence: Berkeley, California
[back to top]

2. Backpacking Background
I have been backpacking for the greater part of my life. I started
with heavy weight packing with the Boy Scouts, but my current style is
a highly minimalist one relying on more skill and discomfort and less
on creature comforts and toys. Although my backpacking style is an
evolving thing, at this point I usually clock in 27.4 k (17 mile) days
with a base weight (without food or water) of about 5.4 kg (12 lbs),
including my tarp, frameless pack and down quilt. My usual stomping
grounds are any of the terrain within three hours from wherever I find
myself living.
[back to top]

3. Product Information
Manufacturer: Equinox Ltd.
Manufacturer's URL: http://www.equinoxltd.com
Product's Name: The Katahdin
Color Tested: Blue/Black
Year of Manufacture: Presumably, 2004
Suggested Retail Price: 120.00 USD
Advertised Weight: 624 g (22 oz)*
Measured Weight: 720 g (25.4 oz)*
Advertised Volume: 55 L (3350 cu in)
Measured Volume: 57 L (3461 cu in)*
*See the Initial and Field Reports for more information about the
acquisition of these numbers.
[back to top]

4. Product Description
This is an ultralight frameless pack made of Coolmax fabric, 1.1 oz
silnylon, some mesh and nylon webbing. It has what I consider to be a
complete smattering of straps, and has five pockets including the main
chamber. For a much more detailed description, you have arrived at the
wrong place. You should seek out either my Initial Report or that of
one of the other testers.
[back to top]

5. Conditions of Long Term Testing
Since the field report I have used this pack for a total of three
weekend trips, and a number of training hikes. Two of the weekend
trips were in the Sierra Mountains, near Yosemite in the Desolation
and Emigrant Wilderness areas. The third was closer to home, at Point
Reyes National Park. The weather encountered in each of these trips
was rather typical autumn in California weather with warm days and
cool nights. The one near the ocean was damper and warmer, while the
ones in the Sierras were dryer and colder. The elevations for these
trips range from about five meters (15 feet) at Point Reyes to about
2,750 m (9,000 ft) in the Sierras.

During these trips, my equipment was very much the same as the
equipment listed for the fourth trip in my field report. The heaviest
items in my pack aside from food or water were my 666 g (23.5 oz)
tarp, my 587 g (20.7 oz) quilt, and my 416 g (14.7 oz) fleece anorak.
Loading the pack during these trips was very much the same as what I
had settled on at the end of the field report phase. To wit, I began
my inserting my 3/4 length Thermarest Ridgerest vertically into the
empty pack, and allowing it to unroll. Once it was unrolled, I would
place my uncompressed quilt in a garbage bag in the center of it, and
then everything else on top of that, using the outside pockets to hold
general miscellanea.

During the training hikes, my loading technique was to put as much
weight into the pack as I felt would be comfortable. Though I never
officially weighed the result, I would guess that it was around 11 kg
(24 lb). To reach that weight I would usually use my Thermarest
Ridgerest to fill out the pack, and then would stuff the comforter off
of my bed into the pack, followed by some weights and some water. I
usually tried to put the weights in a logical place so that they would
balance well, but I can't think of a time that they didn't move around
and bug me. Once that was all together, I would drive to one of the
steeper locations in town, and would begin going up and down it again
and again for an hour or so. Usually this meant a number of reps up
and down the bleachers at the local stadium.
[back to top]

6. Results of Long Term Testing
The last four months of testing have been important ones for me and
this pack, as they have allowed me to do some experimenting with it,
and to gain what I hope is some insight. Certain things mentioned in
the field report still bug me about this pack, most notably its squat
shape, though the odd strap lengths are a bother that I plan to soon
remedy where possible. I mentioned the squat shape in some depth in my
field report, and I have to admit that it is one of the things that
bothers me most about this pack. I'm not sure exactly why it is such a
bother, but it makes loading the pack something more of a challenge,
and it's just too wide and volumous for the stuff I carry. If I could
make two suggestions to Equinox, this would be the second of them.

The first suggestion I would make to Equinox would be to improve the
rain performance of the pack. On a car camping trip that I went on, I
took this pack along to hold some gear, and it was then that I
realized how poorly it coped. After the first couple of days at this
campsite, the rain began coming down in a most violent fashion. I was
using a tarp, which coped very well with the rain, but after a few
days of this rain, the dirt around my tarp closed its doors for
business, and would admit no more water (i.e. puddles began to form).
Eventually, these puddles made their way under and over my ground
cloth, and it was then that the Equinox met its nemesis.

The first problem it had was that the foam in its very comfortable hip
belt is open celled. It absorbs water like a sponge, and in cold
weather is pretty gross and soggy. In addition to being gross, by
absorbing water, it gains weight. Significant amounts of weight to
such a point that the belt sags when held at the middle. The second
problem is that the shoulder straps absorb water in the same way, but
to a lesser degree because they are much thinner. The third problem
this pack has with rain is that its back panel is made of mesh, and
does nothing to stop rain. I liked the idea of the mesh, in that my
back can get pretty sweaty on a hot day, but on every backpacking trip
that I took with this pack, I had a closed cell pad directly against
the mesh, effectively stopping my perspiration from going into the
contents of my pack. This is probably a good thing anyway. At one
point during this testing period, I took a trip to Big Sur State Park.
During that trip, rain was expected, and I decided not to take along
this pack. As such, I haven't actually experienced hiking with it in
the rain (as opposed to car camping with it) because it so obviously
would just be trouble.

The picture at right serves to demonstrate another problem I have had
with this pack. I mentioned in my Field Report that I was having a
problem with the top strap popping off of the load and doing nothing
for extended periods of time. This was continually a problem on pretty
much all of my trips, and probably has a lot to do with how I loaded
the pack, but to combat the problem, I developed a technique of
crossing the straps so that there is no top strap that can pop off.
This solved the problem, but the resulting pack is pulled downward,
with the side flaps being pulled on in strange directions. In other
words, it looks bad, and can't be good for the stitching on the bag.
From what I could tell, this didn't really have much effect on the fit
of the bag. For that matter, I am not altogether convinced that the
three straps are accomplishing much of anything even when they are
working well.

Because of the way that I loaded the pack, pulling down on the straps
really did not seem to compress much of anything. The compression of
the pack came from the inside, where everything was pushing out on the
Thermarest Ridgerest, not the outside, and pulling harder on the
straps couldn't do much compressing, because they had to coil the
Ridgerest to make anything smaller. I will fully admit that this is
speculation because I did not actually hike with all of the straps
undone, but after having the top one pop off for uncounted miles, I
can say that it didn't make a noticeable difference in the fit of the
pack. Whatever the case, with the coiled pad inside, I have not been
able to do much compressing with any of the three straps.

To contrast those rather sour notes, I can now report that I have
undertaken a trip with this pack sans hipbelt, and it was great. For
me this was a huge step in my backpacking life, so before this trip, I
did everything I could to limit the amount of weight in the pack. At
this point, all I could do was limit the food I wanted to the lightest
things I could get away with, and limit myself to two liters (quarts)
of water. I would wager that the gross weight of the pack was around 9
kg (20 lb) once water and food was weighed in. At this weight, I found
that the pack was comfortable, though I always knew when I was running
low on water in my Platypus because my shoulders felt more
comfortable. One of the great things about this pack is the width of
the shoulder straps. Each of them is 8 cm (3 in) wide, making for a
nice weight distribution across my shoulders. I am happy to say that I
do not regret leaving the hipbelt at home, and I believe in the future
I will probably do so again.

Another thing that I continue to love about this pack is the way the
hipbelt functions. I mentioned in my field report that the hip
stabilizer straps work very effectively, and on the trips that I took
with the pack and the belt, I have again and again been impressed with
their ability to transfer weight to my hips.
[back to top]

7. Final Conclusions
I have to admit that overall I have not been particularly impressed
with this pack - in addition to other nits that I mentioned in my
earlier reports, the compression straps don't seem to do much, it is
wider and squatter than I would like, and it is highly vulnerable to
the ravages of water. The harness system on this pack is more
comfortable than pretty much any other system I have used, but I can't
say it is better because it absorbs so much water, and because the
lengths on the straps are all wacky. For me, the future does include
using this pack for some trips, but I don't believe I will trust it on
any that involve water or smaller quantities of gear.

My thanks go out to Equinox Ltd, and BGT for the chance to review this
item.

Michael Lissner
Manufacturer's Rep
BenchPro Inc
510.547.4299

---
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We would like to remind you of this upcoming event.

POLICY: Repost or Revised

Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Time: 6:15PM CST (GMT+08:00)

Dear Group

In respect of Owner Reviews, the two terms REPOST and REVISED
are often used in the subject line.  They have two different
meanings and communicate valuable information to the Edit Team,
therefore we ask that you use them as directed.

(a) If you are reposting your Owner Review in response to an
EDIT, please include REPOST in your subject line as directed by
your Editor.

(b) If your Owner Review has not yet been taken up by an Editor
and you wish to make changes and resubmit it, please do so
including REVISED in your subject line.

I hope this clarifies things.

Regards
Andrew Priest
Senior Edit Moderator

Princeton Tec EOS Headlamp Test Application


Please review and accept my application to test the
Princeton Tec EOS Headlamp.
I have read the Survival guide 1202 and in particular
chapter 5 and agree to follow all guidelines within.

Biographical Information:
Name: Chuck Carnes
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Height: 6’0” (1.83 m)
Weight: 175 lbs. (79 kg)

Email address: ctcarnes1@...

City, State, Country: Taylors, S.C. United States

Date: November 31, 2004

Backpacking Background:
I love the outdoors – I’ve spent time camping in the
outdoors since I was born, and have been actively
hiking and backpacking for the past ten years. I
consider myself a lightweight hiker, usually carrying
20 – 30 pounds (11-13 kg) for hikes up to a week in
length. I hike at an easy pace, averaging 2 mph (3
kph). I am a one man tent camper for now until
something I like better comes along. I like to carry a
single trekking pole when I hike to help relieve
stress to my legs and knees. I like to get out on the
trail as often as I can.

Field Information:
I plan to test the Princeton Tec EOS Headlamp on
several different planed and spur of the moment
backpacking trips throughout this test. I will be
backpacking in the Smokey Mountains and Pisgah
National Forest thought the Winter of ’04 and Spring
of ‘05. The elevation is about 6643 ft (2025 m) in the
Smoky Mountains and at Pisgah, the elevation will be
around 6200 ft (1890 m). The temperatures during the
time of testing will be 40F to 50F (4C to 10C) during
the day and 10F to 30F (-12 to -1C) at night,
sometimes below zero. I will note weather conditions
at the time of testing.

	 I currently use a headlamp during the night in camp
such as cutting wood, reading and eating. I also use a
head lamp during trail hiking and those middle of the
night bathroom excursions.

Test Plan:
	 If I am accepted and given the privilege, I intend to
test the Princeton Tec EOS Headlamp for its durability
during everyday camp use. Most, if not all, of the
following scenarios will be taken place at night or in
the dark.

As a long term test I will see if the headlamp is
durable enough to withstand the constant bumping and
dropping that sometimes takes place during camp set up
and take down. I will test the lamp for stability and
accuracy of the beam while cutting firewood, cooking,
reading, hiking and other various tasks. Site
distances will be tested and noted at various settings
and declination if applicable. The web site picture
shows and states one bulb; will this one bulb be
bright enough? The web site says that as long as the
batteries have sufficient voltage, the light will
remain at a constant brightness. Is the decrease in
brightness quick and noticeable or is it very slow to
give me time to change the batteries before I am
sitting in the dark? How easy is it to change the bulb
and batteries? Do I need a tool to access the bulb and
battery compartment? Does it have an extra bulb? If
not, can I find one at most stores that carry bulbs or
are they hard to find? I will keep an estimated time
log on the life of the batteries and bulbs. With the
simple design and construction of the headlamp, how
compact can it get to be placed in a backpack or
pocket?

Comfort, to me, is very important when it comes to
headlamps. I usually wear a baseball cap while hiking
or at camp. Can I wear the baseball cap and the light
on the headband together? If a hat can be worn, does
the brim of the hat affect the declination of the
light beam? I would also like to see if I am able to
use one hand to operate the headlamp, such as turning
it on and off and adjusting, while on the headband.
Since the headband has no over-the-head strap, will
the headlamp have a tendency to slide down during
walks? How comfortable is the headlamp on the forehead
for an extended length of time? Does the headlamp feel
front heavy or is it comfortable and light enough to
not notice?

Waterproof tests will be performed in the field if
cases of rain occur. If accidents of dropping the
headlamp in a river or lake has not occurred by the
end of the review, I will submerge the headlamp in
water to test the effects if this happening in the
field. Does the light still work? Does water get into
the bulb compartment? Will it short out or become dim?
If and when the headlamp is to be cleaned, how easy is
it to disassemble to perform this task? Is there a
waterproof seal that is not to be broken?

Other various tests will be recorded in my reviews as
they occur. Weight and specifications of the headlamp
upon arrival will be reviewed, commented and recorded.

  I would really appreciate the opportunity to test and
review the Princeton Tech Scout Headlamp. Again, if
given the opportunity to test this headlamp, I will
give it a complete and honest review. Thank you for
your time.

Test that I have recently been chosen for:
Wookey Phoenix Backpack (has not arrived)
OR Celestial Gaiters (has not arrived)
OR Motion Fleece Balaclava

Currently Monitor for:
Equinox Rainsuit
Henry Shires Tarptent Cloudburst

Currently a Mentor for:
Ryan Graves

Completed Tests:
Princeton Tec Scout Headlamp
Xikar 138 Excel Knife
OR Hydrolite Stuff Sack
Paxtons Sandle Saver
Big Agnes Hog Park Sleeping Bag
Big Agnes REM Hinman Sleeping Pad
Big Agnes Seedhouse 3 Tent
Macabi Skirt for Men
Frogg Toggs Pro Sport Suit

Owner Reviews Uploaded:
Gregory Lassen Backpack
Mountain Hardware Nickel Cigar Sleeping Bag
Coleman Camp Stool
Moonstone Rain Jacket

2 Previously Written Reviews:
Macabi Skirt for Men:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Clothing/Skirts%20and%20Kilts/Macabi%20S\
kirt%20-%20Men/Chuck%20Carnes/Long%20Term%20Report/

Frogg Toggs Pro Sport Suit:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Rain%20Gear/Jackets%20and%20Pants/Frogg%\
20Toggs%20Pro%20Sport%20Suit/Chuck%20Carnes/Long%20Term%20Report/

Other Reviews and Reports By Chuck Carnes:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/tester_reviews/ctcarnes1



=====
Chuck Carnes



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The all-new My Yahoo! - What will yours do?
http://my.yahoo.com

In a message dated 12/1/2004 3:52:12 AM Eastern Standard Time,
apriest@... writes:
>
>If someone reads the entire report, they will read that the awning
>pole did rip the material.

Andy

I give up .... the magic word "IF".  All that is needed is a simple
sentence. Is that so hard? Apparently so.

Andrew
######

I normally do not jump in on this sort of thing, but as a fellow Lighthouse
tester, I feel I should add my two cents here:

Andy, I read the passage being discussed above. My concern is that I came
away from the statement, as currently worded, with the feeling that the
'pop-tear' scenario has a high probability of occuring. As a user of the tent, I
know
this is not the case. Once set up, it takes considerable effort to get the
poles out of their seating rings. It takes far more effort to get them shifted
to
the point where the end of the pole is outside the heavy re-inforced corner
patch. In fact, the tension is so great it is nearly impossible to do this
without intentionally risking damage to the tent or pole. Your passage makes no
mention of the reinforcing patch at all, which leads to what would be an
inaccurate conclusion on the part of the reader.

Granted, you did experience a pretty dramatic problem, but it required pretty
dramatic circumstances. Your description of the event leads me to believe
that any tent would have suffered considerable damage in that scenario. My
comments would actually go beyond Andrews, having used the tent heavily myself.
Your
description of this concern should be linked directly to the description of
the event that caused your damage, which would put it in more accurate
perspective. As a stand alone statement it is misleading, which I'm certain is
not
your intent.

I read the full report and understood, as a user of the tent, precisely what
happened. As a user of the tent, I know how unlikely this occurance is under
'normal circumstances'. Someone researching the tent, and therefore unfamiliar
with it, does not have the advantage of my Lighthouse experience and could
easily draw the wrong conclusion.

Just my two cents, for what it is worth. Carry on.

Jim S.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Keen Newport H2 Sandals
Long Term Report – November 29, 2004
Jason Boyle

HI Jason,
Good report!  One typo and a suggestion below.
Carol, Monitor

The tread has not worn down significantly and there is no sign of
wear on the straps themselves.  The spots that looked like they
pulling out did not grow any larger over the last four months.
***Jason, it would be helpful to give more detail on what spots
looked like they were pulling out (or provide a link or reference
back to your report where you talk about these spots) for readers
who read your LTR first. ***


I am disappointed that I cannot use them for extended section
hiking, but I guess everything cannot be perfect.  I will continue
to wear them until the fall apart, just not on extended trips.
*** until THEY fall apart ***

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, JimSabis@a... wrote:
>
>
> Andy, I read the passage being discussed above. My concern is that
> I came away from the statement, as currently worded, with the
> feeling that the 'pop-tear' scenario has a high probability of
> occuring.


Jim,


I'll just remove the sentence altogether.

I *really* like this one.  Yahooisms blah blah blah... HTML in test
folder at
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/test/TESTS/Air%20Core%20-%
20Fuzzy/
  - or -
http://tinyurl.com/4pezp

Fuzzy (Chuck Kime)
*****************************************
Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Sleeping Pad
Long Term – December 1, 2004

Contents
· Reviewer Information
· Product Information
· Features and Benefits
· Description
· Field Testing
· Things I Like
· Things I Don't Like
· Backpacking Background

Reviewer Information

Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (172 cm)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: December 1, 2004

Additional Information applicable to this test

Shoulders: 56" (142 cm)
Girth at chest: 57" (145 cm)
Chest: 46" (117 cm)
Waist: 40" (102 cm)
Hips: 46" (117 cm)

Product Information

Manufacturer: Big Agnes
Model: Insulated Air Core
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: http://www.bigagnes.com
Listed weight: 21 oz (595 g)
Measured weight, pad only: 18.7 oz (530 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Measured weight, pad, sack & repair kit: 19.8 oz (561 g)
Temperature rating: 15 °F (-9 °C)
Color: Black
Size/style: 72" Mummy, 20" wide
Other size/styles available: 78" Mummy, 72" Rectangular, 78"
Rectangular – all 20" wide
MSRP: $65 US

Features (from web site)
· 3 season Air Core pad filled with Prima Loft insulation
· Full length 2.5" thick pad that is lightweight and packs small
· Unique construction technique prevents the insulation from
shifting inside the air chambers.
· The I-beam construction technique is functionally superior to
the typical welded-through construction of other air mats. Die cut
holes in each I-beam allow air to flow freely between chambers as you
move around for constant support and comfort.
· I-beam construction makes inflation quick and easy
· Packs down to a compact 3.75"x10" or 4.25"x10" [9.5x25.4 or
10.8x25.4 cm] size
· Durable 40-denier nylon fabric protects against abrasions and
punctures
· DWR coating sheds water and stains
· PU coating makes pad waterproof
· Stuff sack and repair kit included
· All Insulated Air Core Pads come with a stuff sack, repair
kit, and a 100% guarantee


Description
The Insulated Air Core is a PrimaLoft insulated (gee, really?)
inflating mattress.  It is available in 72" (183 cm) and 78" (198 cm)
models, in both rectangular and mummy styles.  I chose the 72" Mummy
model.

The pad comes with a black rip-stop nylon stuff sack that has a
pocket for the included repair kit.

The pad itself is made of black rip-stop nylon, with PrimaLoft
insulation bonded to the underside of the top panel.  The pad could
be described as coffin shaped, in that the corners have been lopped
off – relative to a rectangular pad – tapering from roughly the
shoulders up and from the knees down.  The valve is a plastic twist-
type located at corner of the pad closest to the user's right ear.

For a more detailed description, please see my Initial Report.

Field Testing
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly.  Almost all of these outings
included a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures from
lows around 30 ºF (-1 ºC) to highs around 95 ºF (35 ºC).  Elevations
ranged from sea level to approximately 2,000' (610 m).  My
experiences during the past few months were similar to those in my
Field Report.

Things I was looking for:
· Fit.  Does it fit me?  I may not be tall, but I'm pretty
wide.  Does it restrict my sleeping positions?
· Comfort.  Can I sleep on the ground and not be significantly
bothered by my sore back?
· Insulation.  The pad uses PrimaLoft insulation.  Does it
shift, creating thin or thick spots?  Does it keep me warmer than a
non-insulated mat?
· Warmth.  How cold can it get and still keep me warm, or, at
least, comfortable?
· Packability.  How packable is the pad?  It's pretty small, so
this shouldn't be a problem.
· Stuff sack.  Is it easy to compress?  Waterproof?
· Inflation.  Is it easy to do?  Does it retain air all night?

My findings:
· Fit.  No complaints.
· Comfort.  I have learned that a fully inflated pad is harder
than necessary, and simply lie down and let air out until it gets
juuust right.
· Insulation.  Very nice.  No shifting, thanks to the bonding.
· Warmth.  Comfortable in low 40's to mid 50's F (5 – 13 C).
· Packability.  It rolls easily into a nice compact package.
· Stuff sack.  Once the pad has been rolled, there's not a lot
more compression to be had, but the sack is nice.
· Inflation.  Blows up well.  No noticeable leakage.

Things I like

1. Light.
2. Compact.
3. Thicker than any other pad I own.

Things I don't like

1. None.  Really.

Backpacking Background
My family started car/trailer camping when I was about 5.  I spent 17
years in the Army Reserve fine-tuning my packing methodology – when I
got out, I was down to a fairly respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg)
load.  When my son started Cub Scouts, I carried my 60 lb (27 kg)
ALICE pack for a weekend.  With Boy Scouts we now camp monthly in
locations ranging from flat and lightly wooded to the Pocono
Mountains, in all seasons.
Advancing age, arthritic knees and a car accident have led me to
seriously rethink my gear choices, experiment with tarps and
hammocks, make some of my own gear, and take a closer look at
my `toys' with an eye for multi-use and light weight.

Thank you for your time.

Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy

In a message dated 12/1/2004 10:09:46 AM Eastern Standard Time,
amytys@... writes:
--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, JimSabis@a... wrote:
>
>
> Andy, I read the passage being discussed above. My concern is that
> I came away from the statement, as currently worded, with the
> feeling that the 'pop-tear' scenario has a high probability of
> occuring.


Jim,


I'll just remove the sentence altogether.
######

Andy, that was not my intent, but it may actually be better that way. You
cover the incident, and it results, pretty thoroughly later in the report.

Thanks for understanding.

Jim S.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Another one for the books.  Yahooisms blah blah blah... HTML in test
folder at
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/test/TESTS/BD%20FlickLock%
20Carbon%20-%20Fuzzy/
  - or -
http://tinyurl.com/58mzy

Fuzzy (Chuck Kime)
******************************************
Black Diamond Carbon Fiber FlickLock Poles
Field Report – December 1, 2004

Contents
· Reviewer Information
· Product Information
· Features and Benefits
· Description
· Field Testing
· Things I Like
· Things I Don't Like
· Backpacking Background

Reviewer Information

Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (172 cm)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: December 1, 2004

Product Information

Manufacturer: Black Diamond
Model: Carbon Fiber FlickLock Poles
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: http://www.bdel.com
Listed weight: 490 g (1 lb 1 oz) per pair with baskets (size 120 cm)
Measured weight (size 115): 1 lb 5.5 oz (610 g) per pair with NO
baskets, scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Color: Red/black
MSRP: $89 USD

Features (from web site)
The Carbon Fiber FlickLock—with its thin profile, balanced swing and
agile feel—is the perfect complement for blissful days of bottomless,
effortless, fresh powder. The FlickLock adjustment won't slip or ice
up regardless of conditions. Redesigned dual-density grips,
anatomical wrist straps and new colors up the ante. Now Whippet-
compatible with the new Carbon Fiber Adapter.
· Balanced swing weight
· Redesigned dual-density grip and anatomical wrist strap
· Whippet Compatible w/ Carbon Fiber Adapter
· Slip-proof FlickLock adjustments


Description
The Carbon Fiber FlickLock Poles are a 2-section trekking pole, with
an aluminum upper section and a longer carbon fiber lower section
with replaceable tip.  Each lower section has a male-threaded stud at
the top (hidden) end that is – conveniently – the correct size to
screw into the tripod mount on my camera, so I may now be able to
steady the occasional shot while I am out with the poles.

The FlickLock name comes from BD's adjustment/locking mechanism,
which is a lever actuated, adjustable-tension system that does not
require twisting of the pole sections.  The lever is flicked open,
the pole is adjusted to the desired length, and the lever is flicked
closed.  If there is any slippage, or if the lever is too hard to
move, the tension may be adjusted by turning a small screw.

The poles I received were listed as size 115-140 cm (45¼-55 in).
Collapsed, they measure 42½ in (108 cm).  Usable length range is
marked 115-140 cm (45¼-55 in), in 5 cm increments, and the poles
actually measure the same when adjusted according to the marks.

The dual density grips are molded in two colors, and have index-
finger grooves on the front side.  Just under the top lip at the
front is a small indentation designed to assist with ski/snowshoe
bindings and other cables.  The straps are made of nylon webbing,
wider wherever they would come in contact with the user's hands.

The baskets normally included with the poles are a ¾-basket made of a
semi-rigid black plastic.  A pair of BD Powder Baskets was also
included.  These are made of a rubbery grey plastic.

For a more detailed description, and photos, please see my Initial
Report.

Field testing
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly.  Almost all of these outings
include a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures expected
to be from lows around 30 ºF (-1 ºC) to highs around 95 ºF (35 ºC).
Elevations will range from sea level to approximately 2,000' (610
m).  Our new Scoutmaster is trying to get more hiking into our
program.  My girlfriend and I, who between us have 3 First Class Boy
Scouts (ages 13, 14 and 15), are also looking into additional camping
without the Scouts, and the possibilities of beginning to do some AT
section hikes in Pennsylvania as we recover from a recent car
accident.

My son has begun working on the Hiking Merit Badge, which requires
the completion of five 10-mile (16 km) hikes and one 20-mile (32 km)
hike, and needs a buddy to accompany him on these hikes (i.e. me).
These hikes, only one of which has been done so far, will likely be
done at relatively low elevations in southeastern Pennsylvania, with
a possibility of doing a short section of the Appalachian Trail (in
Pennsylvania) for the 20-miler.

Things I am/will be looking for:
· Adjustability.  How easily can I adjust them, and how
quickly?  Do they stay where they are set?  Does the FlickLock
mechanism make it easier to adjust the height when using the poles to
pitch a tarp?
· Comfort.  Does the construction effectively dampen vibration
(and hopefully sound)?
· Grips.  Do they fit my hands comfortably?  Is sweating an
issue?
· Straps.  Are they readily adjustable?  Comfortable?  Are
there any edges or buckles that cause pressure points?
· Durability.  Do they wear well?  Do they bend when used
appropriately?
· Packability.  Do they fit in places I would normally pack
poles for travel or flat-ground hiking?
· Multi-use.  Are they long enough to pitch a tarp for shelter?

My findings so far:
· Adjustability.  Once I got the hang of the FlickLocks, I was
able to adjust – or at least release and close – them without
looking.  So far they stay where they are set.  The FlickLock
mechanism does make it easier to adjust the height when using the
poles to pitch a tarp, or – in my case so far – the Six Moon Designs
Lunar Solo tent.
· Comfort.  The poles don't seem to make much noise, but I can
feel a noticeable `twang' as the poles strike the ground.  I find it
somewhat disconcerting, as my first poles did not do this, but I may
get used to it.
· Grips.  Just plain nice.  No abnormal sweating of my hands.
· Straps.  Also very nice.  Adjustable and comfortable.
· Durability.  I haven't noticed any wear, but under normal
heavy usage (remember, I am not a small person) they do flex a bit.
· Packability.  As opposed to my other 3-section poles, the 2-
section design results in a longer packed size.  They (just) fit in
my travel footlocker, and extend nearly to the top of my head when
attached to the back of my Deuter Futura 32.
· Multi-use.  See note above about the Lunar Solo.

Things I like

1. Light weight.
2. Color (hey, I like red).

Things I don't like

1. A bit harder to pack than my 3-section poles (not as compact).
2. Only marked every 5 cm.
3. A bit of `vibration'/flexing during use.  I may just need to
adjust my expectations.

Additional Resources
When I first started looking into using two poles, I found Pete's
Pole Pages (try Googling it).  These pages, along with pole tests
already posted to BGT, gave me information on pole use that I found
invaluable when starting to use poles for the first time.

Backpacking Background
I started car/trailer camping with the family when I was about 5.  I
enlisted in the Army Reserve during my first year of college and
spent 17 years fine-tuning my packing methodology - by the time I
separated from the service, I was down to what I thought was a
respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load.  When my son started Cub
Scouts, I brought my 60 lb (27 kg) ALICE pack for a weekend.  We got
to Boy Scouts in the Spring of 2002 and now camp monthly in locations
ranging from the Chesapeake Bay area (flat and lightly wooded) to the
Pocono Mts (flat spots hard to find and very wooded), in all seasons.
Lightweight (and ultralightweight) web sites, along with a day hike
up Pikes Peak in July 2003, have led me to seriously rethink my gear
choices.  I plan to start doing more hiking/backpacking on our
monthly scout trips, taking along as many scouts as are willing, to
a) get in shape (yeah, yeah, I know… round IS a shape), and b)
determine what I really need to take along.  I am relatively
confident that I will be able to reduce my 3-season pack to 20 lb (9
kg), before food, fuel and water, by the time this season is over.

Thank you for your time.

Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy

I think I caught all of the yahoo formatting distortions.
kelli
________________________


Gregory Mountain Products Halo All Terrain Pack – Long Term Report
November 29, 2004

Personal biographical information
Name: Kelli Wise
Age: 43
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 0" (152 cm)
Torso length: 16.5" (42 cm), as measured with a flexible tape measure
per Gregory's fit instructions, available on the manufacturer's web
site.
Weight: 135 lb (61 kg)
Email: ciyd@...

Location: Western Washington, USA
Date: November 29, 2004

Backpacking background: I've been car camping and dayhiking for 20
years and sport climbing for 10 years, and have begun backpacking
over the last year. My backpacking style is lightweight but not
ultralight. I am striving for a suitable compromise between safety
and comfort. The majority of my hiking experience is in Western
Washington.

Field information: Most of my dayhiking for the Field Report has been
in western Washington, forested lowlands and mountain hiking below
5000' (1524 m).

Product Information
Manufacturer: Gregory Mountain Products
Manufacturer's web site: www.gregorypacks.com
Model: Halo All Terrain daypack
Size: Extra Small/Small, which accommodates torso lengths of 14.0" to
17.5" (36 cm to 44 cm). The small pack has a volume capacity of 1600
cu in (26 L) and weighs 3 lbs 3 oz (1.4 kg). The pack is also
available in a medium/large size which has a volume capacity of 1800
cu in (29.5 L). All measurements are for the XS/SM pack I received.
Listed weight: 3 lbs 3 oz (1.4 kg)
Measured weight: 2 lbs 15.6 oz (1.35 kg)
Color: Harvest Yellow

Features:
The Gregory Halo All Terrain pack is described as a "technical small
capacity pack with lots of features, including our exclusive Exo
Frame system, and a full zip-down front opening providing complete
access to all your gear."
The listed features include:
• Auto-Cant: Adjusts harness angle to eliminate pinching and
chafing
• All Terrain Harness: Plush, curved harness for a custom fit
• Thermoformed Exo-Frame: Provides superior torsion flexibility
for demanding body movements
• Chimney Vented Back: Circulates air to keep you cool
• Level 1 Waistbelt: Comfort and support with a zippered pocket
• Full Front Access: Easy and quick to reach all your gear
• Fleece Sunglasses Pocket: With water resistant zipper
• Hydration Sleeve and Port: Fits most reservoirs and bite
valves
• Stretch Nylon Side Pockets: Mesh bottom allows drainage and
expansion
• Removable and Adjustable Ice Axe Loops: Fist straight and
curved shaft tools
• Reversible Compression Buckles: Fully reversible buckles to
securely carry extra gear

Long Term Report:
I spent my summer dayhiking and backpacking throughout western
Washington.  My dayhikes fell into two categories:  short training
hikes of 6 miles (9.7 km) or less over moderately hilly terrain with
20 to 25 pounds (9.1 to 11.3 kg) of climbing gear and water or longer
dayhikes of 8 to 11 miles (12.9 to 17.7 km) with 2000 to 3000 feet
(610 to 914 m) of elevation gain carrying 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of food,
water, camera gear, and the 10 essentials.  The Gregory Halo was my
pack for all of my dayhikes and, together, we covered a lot of miles
and enjoyed some wonderful scenery.

Even with loads up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg), I have found the pack to
be very comfortable for the two hour training hikes.  The suspension
allows me to redistribute the load from my hips to my shoulders or
vice versa to reduce overall fatigue.  Neither the hip belt or
shoulder straps are heavily padded but I never found them to be
uncomfortable, let alone painful.  The frame of the pack keeps the
load stabilized and held the load close to my back so there was
minimal sway and I never felt in danger of having the load pull me
off my feet if I bent over.

The long dayhikes lasted up to 8 hours and were done in the hottest,
driest part of our summers.  Hot is a relative term and, in the areas
I was hiking, meant daytime high temperatures of about 85 F (29 C)
with low humidity.  There had not been any rain for several weeks and
all of the local creeks were dry, so all of my water for the day
would have to be carried.  I found that a full 70 oz (2 L) hydration
bladder of water and a 1 quart (1 L) bottle of sports drink were
adequate for my needs.  As I said, the temperatures were hot, for me,
with little or no breeze, so I was perspiring freely.

A few words about perspiring and this pack.  Most packs promise
ventilation along the back but I have never found any that did not
cause me to sweat somewhat more than I would if I were not wearing a
pack.  The Halo is no different.  With the solid plastic pressed
against my back, I expected the pack to be very sweaty.  What I found
in practice is that the solid plastic has vents molded into it that
maintain their shape and do allow for some air to move between the
pack and my back.  Not a lot, but some.  This is a bit better than
the packs I have used that have a padded back and about the same as a
pack with a frame sheet.  What really surprised me is that the solid
plastic would dry off completely during breaks and I really enjoyed
not putting on a damp, clammy pack.

I also found that, even after 8 hours of wearing this pack on steep
terrain, the pack was only getting tiresome to wear after about 7
hours.  For the majority of the hikes, the Halo was hardly
noticeable.  Picking my way down steep, rock strewn trails, the Halo
held the load close to my back and I never felt that my center of
gravity was compromised.  My fatigue was minimized because the Halo
held the load firmly against my body and did not allow it to sway
while I walked.

Looking back at my Field report, my long term experience has not
differed much.  The suspension system is still terrific and the load
lifters and other adjustments make it easy to tweak the fit for
comfort.

The hydration bladder sleeve is great for a daypack but I still have
to unpack the pack to take the hydration bladder out for refilling.
I would also have added one of the plastic clips to the shoulder
strap to hold the drinking tube.  As I use it now, I run the drinking
tube through one of the D-rings on the shoulder strap.  This works
but the bite valve of the drinking tube is difficult to feed through
the D-ring and usually results in a small amount (more than a few
drops) of water dribbling out of the tube when the bite valve opens
slightly as it's squeezed through the D-ring.

I still like the panel loading especially for a dayhike pack.  This
lets me pack my lunch in the best place for load carrying and then
access it without completely unpacking the pack.  It's also easy to
see and access other frequently used items like bug juice, sunscreen,
and camera gear.

The pocket on the hip belt is still too small form anything bigger
than a tube of lip balm and one car key.  The side pockets are still
too small to be terribly useful.

I've almost learned to accept the dual zipper pull.  Almost.  I can
see the advantages:  quicker zipping and unzipping of the panel and a
buckle that will assure that the panel doesn't accidentally unzip and
spill the contents of the pack on the ground.  The difficulty of
zipping the panel closed when the pack is stuffed full sort of
outweighs the advantages.  It's a love-hate relationship I'm having
with this feature.  I will probably remove the nylon that connects
the two zippers.

After 6 months, the pack is dirty and scuffed but shows no signs of
wear or seam fatigue.  There is some pilling on the waist belt that
was caused by my the hook portion of my camera case's hook and loop
belt loop, but the pack has proven to be very rugged even when
carrying heavy loads on just about every hike I went on.

Summary:
I really like this pack.  I was suspicious at first about whether the
comfort of the pack would be worth the 2 lbs 15.6 oz (1.35 kg) weight
of the pack, since many backpacks now weigh less, but Gregory has
developed a suspension system that I find comfortable in the extreme
and has not overloaded the pack with unnecessary bells and whistles.
The pockets, with the exception of the hip belt pocket, are sized
right and located for ease of access.  This is a daypack that I will
be using for years.  The list of pros and cons is the same as my
field report.  After the 4 months of extended testing, they still
apply.

Pros:
• Carries moderate loads like a dream
• Is pretty comfortable when carrying its maximum rated load
• Adjustability makes for excellent load transfer
• Sunglasses pocket really does protect sunglasses
• Internal zip pocket large enough for keys and wallet
• Compression straps are in the right place
Cons:
• Access to hydration sleeve requires unloading the pack
• The dual-zipper arrangement for the front panel is
inconvenient
• Panel opening seems a bit small for large items.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Gregory Mountain Products
and Backpack Gear Test for the opportunity to test this pack.

Dan Reed was unable to complete the test of the Imlay Canyon Dry Kegs.  He
did the right thing and sent them to me.

I don't have a legitimate use for them, and we need a tester for them.  We
made a promise to Imlay, and I want to keep that promise.  Whoever takes
these will pretend like it's a regular report series, even thought he Imlay
test is over.  I'll handle the edits and other details so we don't tie other
people up in this process.

SO, all I need is a victim...er...volunteer.

If you would like to help BGT fulfill the promise of filling the third Imlay
test, send me a brief note OFF LIST saying so and why you think you'd be a
good choice.  It doesn't have to be a full application blah blah blah.
Newbies are welcome to participate.  I'll select somebody from all the
responses I get over the weekend.

Thanks!

Shane Steinkamp
shane@...

And, no, this isn't spam.  My wife is a large lady, and she has large
breasts.  (5' 2", 315 pounds...)  Would any of the ladies have a
recommendation on a backpack for her?  Everything we try isn't workable.

Shane

Tester selections were finally finalized and notifications went out to
all the Big Agnes applicants. Many thanks for your patience on this one
everyone. Let me know if you did not get a notification.

Dennis
Test Mod

At 05:40 AM 2/12/2004, you wrote:
>And, no, this isn't spam.  My wife is a large lady, and she has large
>breasts.  (5' 2", 315 pounds...)  Would any of the ladies have a
>recommendation on a backpack for her?  Everything we try isn't workable.

Shane you are a worry sometimes .... that subject line had me for a moment :-)

Andrew


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> Shane you are a worry sometimes .... that subject line had me for a moment
:-)

I just figured I'd get a wider response that way...  ;)

Shane

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, Andrew Priest <apriest@b...>
wrote:
> At 05:40 AM 2/12/2004, you wrote:
> >And, no, this isn't spam.  My wife is a large lady, and she has
large
> >breasts.  (5' 2", 315 pounds...)  Would any of the ladies have a
> >recommendation on a backpack for her?  Everything we try isn't
workable.
>
> Shane you are a worry sometimes .... that subject line had me for a
moment :-)
>

Yeah - I thought it was a test call!

Don't ask me what I thought it was for, though :)

At 06:53 AM 2/12/2004, you wrote:
> > Shane you are a worry sometimes .... that subject line had me for a moment
>:-)
>
>I just figured I'd get a wider response that way...  ;)

Well you got my attention, but sorry can't help in matter.

Andrew


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

HI,
Colleen pointed out the text was not wrapping on my Mariposa IR.  I
was able to delete and reload that one, but the Spinnshelter IR has
the same problem and is too old for me to delete.  Can someone
please delete it for me?

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tarps%20and%
20Bivys/Gossamer%20Gear%20Spinnshelter/Carol%20Crooker/Initial%
20Report/

[Thanks for the help with this problem Dennis!]
Carol

Thanks, got it and found that the review I submitted just prior to
that had the same problem.
Carol

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "Emma Eyeball"
<tarbubble@y...> wrote:
>
> Carol,
>
> there's a problem with your IR on the BGT site.  the text isn't
> wrapping.  problem exists with both Internet Explorer and Mozilla.
>
> -colleen

Andrew Priest wrote:

>At 05:40 AM 2/12/2004, you wrote:
>
>
>>And, no, this isn't spam.  My wife is a large lady, and she has large
>>breasts.  (5' 2", 315 pounds...)  Would any of the ladies have a
>>recommendation on a backpack for her?  Everything we try isn't workable.
>>
>>
>
>Shane you are a worry sometimes .... that subject line had me for a moment :-)
>
>Andrew
>
>
>
>
I almost banned the poster until I noticed who it was.

Rick

I'll ask on the womenhikers list ;-)

Jodi


On Wed, 1 Dec 2004 15:40:04 -0600, Shane <shane@...> wrote:
>
> And, no, this isn't spam.  My wife is a large lady, and she has large
> breasts.  (5' 2", 315 pounds...)  Would any of the ladies have a
> recommendation on a backpack for her?  Everything we try isn't workable.
>
> Shane
>
>
> To read our reviews, please visit http://www.backpackgeartest.org/
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>


--
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of
arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather
to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body
thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ~ WOOHOO what a
ride!"

Shane,
Although I am not a "large breasted woman" (C cup) I am a larger woman - 5'
9" and 230 pounds.  I use a GoLite Trek and like the way it fits.  The pack
only has a foam sheet as support, comes in 3 different torso lengths and is
very malleable to changing load size.  I have used it both day and multi-day
hiking and want for no other pack.  The reviews for it on BGT pretty much
sum up what I have found on my own.

A couple of things to keep in mind: If her body shape is an apple (large on
top with thin legs) then the waist belt may be ok in a smaller size, if
she's a pear like I am (larger on the bottom) then you will have to pay
close attention to getting either no waist belt or one that is long enough
to go around.  She will no doubt also have issues with being short and wide,
which in torso size will limit her as well.  Make sure that the fit of the
pack is not dependant upon the chest strap as that will be VERY
uncomfortable.  I would not recommend an external frame pack as the frame
will restrict her arm movement around her breasts.  Have her try on a Lot of
packs to get the best fit and the least amount of initial weight.  She
already had enough challenges ;~) without having to put up with a lot in the
"rear" as well as the front.  There will be balance issues too as she will
be front heavy and will have to balance her load to compensate.

The good news is that once you find a pack and she goes for a few hikes, the
waist belt will get cinched in quickly.  Let me know off-list if you have
any other "larger lady" questions as I have been backpacking large for quite
a few years and all my gear was chosen with that in mind.

Terriann

-----Original Message-----
From: Shane [mailto:shane@...]
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 1:40 PM
To: BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BackpackGearTest] My wife has huge breasts.


And, no, this isn't spam.  My wife is a large lady, and she has large
breasts.  (5' 2", 315 pounds...)  Would any of the ladies have a
recommendation on a backpack for her?  Everything we try isn't workable.

Shane



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Shane-

I think that Jodi has a great idea in taking the question to the
WomenHikers list.

Meanwhile, I am happy to talk back and forth about problems
encountered so far, and ways to work around them via personal E-
mails.

Cheers!

Rosaleen



--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, Banjo Doje <bpskids@g...>
wrote:
> I'll ask on the womenhikers list ;-)
>
> Jodi
>
>
> On Wed, 1 Dec 2004 15:40:04 -0600, Shane <shane@t...> wrote:
> >
> > And, no, this isn't spam.  My wife is a large lady, and she has
large
> > breasts.  (5' 2", 315 pounds...)  Would any of the ladies have a
> > recommendation on a backpack for her?  Everything we try isn't
workable.
> >
> > Shane
> >
> >
> > To read our reviews, please visit http://www.backpackgeartest.org/
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of
> arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather
> to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other,
body
> thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ~ WOOHOO what a
> ride!"

Shock Doctor Ultra Custom Footbed Initial Report
Thomas Vickers
Hi,
I have one typo edit and a comment below enclosed between *** ***
marks.
Carol, Monitor

> Website Impressions:
> The first thing I noticed about this site that really made me
happy was the
> choice of site based upon your connection method. Being a dial-up
diehard,
> it is nice to see that some companies remember people like me and
strive to
> support their low bandwidth brethren.  I did notice that some of
the
> graphics took a bit of time to display, even when I choose the
dial-up site,
> but I write that off to the nature of my connection, not a flaw on
Schock

***Shock ***

> Doctor's part.
>
> I also liked that once I entered the footbed portion of the site,
it was
> easy to find the product I was looking for.  Once on the Ultra
Custom
> Footbed page, I found all sorts of information, pictures of the
footbeds,
> and pictures of the footbed and its packaging.  Besides the links
related to
> this specific footbed being easily available, the links to the
Shock Doctor
> online store and retailer search are also easily accessed from the
pages
> relating to the Ultra Custom Footbeds.
>
> Overall, this site was easy to navigate and fun to visit.  The
only issue
> that I have is that the available sizes for the footbeds was only
available
> once I went to the online store to shop.  Once there, I was able
to find all
> the available sizes.  I just wish this had been accessible on the
main
> information page for this product.
*** TV, you use more space commenting on the website than commenting
on the product.  Seems lopsided to me. ***

Trung -

Thanks for your owner review. Before I go into my edits, I'm going to
say that a) you have the overall concept down and b) I found no
misspellings anywhere. I think you're off to a fine start.

That said (take a deep breath), I do have a number of overall
observations, plus a fair number of edits. Don't let the number of
edits discourage you - this is not at all unusual for a first Owner
Review. But do take a good look at them and do a thorough rewrite
before reposting the review to the list.

I also would like to suggest that you take advantage of our mentor
program - there are BGT volunteers available who can work with you to
answer questions and offer suggestions on your reviews and
applications, and I highly recommend this. I also encourage you to go
through the backpackgeartest.org site and read as many recent owner
reviews as you can - I found that very helpful when I first started
out.

Here are my two general observations:

- Be sure to take another good look at the test requirements that are
available on backpackgeartest.org. Your review was missing some key
things, such as metric equivalents for all measurements, that are
explained in the requirements.

- You seem to have used the poles only a couple of times. I may have
misunderstood, or you may have only written about some representative
trips, or you may indeed have only used them a couple of times. If the
latter is true, then you may not have enough field experience yet with
these poles to write an appropriate review, and should pick another
piece of gear to review. If you have used the poles more than indicated
in your report, please expand on your field notes, or at least
summarize the number of times and locations where you used the poles.

OK - here are my specific edits. If you have questions, please feel
free to ask me and/or ask for a mentor to help you polish things up.

When you've updated your Owner Review, please repost it to the list
with the subject line beginning with "REPOST: OWNER REVIEW" and the
name of the product, and I or another editor will do a second edit for
you.

Regards,
Steve N.
BGT Edit Moderator

[EDITS FOLLOW:]

Leki Super Makalu Cor-Tec Positive-Angle Trekking Poles
***EDIT: Add "Owner Review:" before the product name

Personal Biography

Name: Trung Q Le
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Height: 5'11''
Weight: 180lb
***EDIT: add a space before "lb" here and before all other measurements
("mi", "ft', etc.) throughout the review - this improves readability
***EDIT: here and throughout the rest of the review, you've provided
only imperial/US measurements; BGT requires you to also provide metric
equivalents for every measurement you give, so please add those
throughout the review. Check out other reviews on backpackgeartest.org
if you'd like to see how that's generally handled here.

Email address: trungqle1@m...
City, State, Country: Portland, OR, USA
Date: 11/25/04
Backpacking Background: I have been backpacking for 10+ years, starting
in sunny
California, to the dry Arizona desert and currently to the rainy Great
Pacific
Northwest. I enjoy backpacking in the Oregon/Washington area of Mt.
Hood, Mt.
St. Helens, Olympic National Park and Mt. Rainier. Over the years, I
have
backpacked in Alaska, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming,
California,
Utah, Canada, East Africa and South Africa.
***EDIT: Remove the long lists of locations and pare this down to its
essence: information that will help a reader understand your
perspective in as succinct a statement as possible.

I generally do weekend backpacking
trips, with extended trips over long holidays. Recently, in the past
couple of
winters, I have picked up snowshoeing so that I could enjoy backpacking
year
round. I have progressed from a heavy 70lb backpack at the start, to a
streamlined 35lb
backpack, regardless of duration. Also, I have one habit that most
people find
odd.I backpack in sandals.
***EDIT: Add space after period and before "I backpack..." PS - not a
question for your review, but what sandals do you like to wear? I've
always been intrigued by the idea of hiking in them and like hearing
what works for others.

I have logged 1000's of miles and never sprained an
ankle or had foot problems.
***EDIT: "1000s" or - better yet - spell out "thousands"

Product information

Manufacturer: Leki USA, Inc.
Year of manufacture: 2003
URL: http://www.leki.com

Weight: 1lb, 6oz (pair)
***EDIT: no need for period after "lb" (BGT convention), add space
between number and all measurements (oz, in, etc.) throughout review.

Length: 55in (max), 33in (min)
***EDIT QUESTION: Are these the weight and lengths given by the
manufacturer? If so, label them as such. What weight and lengths did
you confirm?

MRSP: $139.95
***EDIT: Add "US" for our international readers, e.g. "US $139.95"

Field report

Mt. Hood Wilderness was the first area to test the trekking poles.
***EDIT: "...was the first area where I tested the trekking poles."

The trail was 5mi with 3800ft elevation gain.
***EDIT: once again, add spaces between numbers and "mi" or "ft" (I'll
stop noting these now - but the need for spaces continues throughout
the review, as does the need for metric equivalents)

The conditions involved intermittent
episodes of moderate rain, light gusts of wind with temperatures around
45°F.
The terrain consists of down debris, rock piles and thick brush which
put the
trekking poles through a great deal of punishment.
***EDIT: "consisted of downed debris,..." or "consisted of debris,..."

First agenda item was to lock the shafts into the desired heights.
***EDIT: "My first" or "The first"
The ELS
locking system requires more rotations to lock than most other trekking
poles,
but it ensures a long lasting lock without noticeable slipping.
***EDIT QUESTION: Have you tried most other poles? If so, great -
otherwise this may be a questionable observation, and instead better
given as a number of turns or some other objective measurement.

The comfort straps has a very soft interior, so it won't chafe your
wrist, and a
very rugged exterior to handle any branches, bushes or weather that
could cause
degradation.
***EDIT: "straps have" and "so they won't" or "Each comfort strap has"
and "so it won't" - in other words, reword to make consistent use of
plural/singular.

Meanwhile, the thumb wheel on the handle allows for easy
modifications while in the field.
***EDIT QUESTION: Easy modifications of what? Perhaps explain just a
wee bit more.

The Positive Angle grips allow easy planting and pushing off on the
uphill, but
leads to an awkward wrist/hand position on downhills.
***EDIT SUGGESTION: "downhills" isn't uncommon usage, but it's not in
my dictionary; consider saying "downhill stretches" or something
similar here and below. Also, saying "uphill stretches" or something
similar and parallel in construction would be better earlier in the
sentence.

During the downhill, to position the trekking poles to absorb some of
the downhill strain required the
wrists to be rotated in an uncomfortable position. To alleviate the
problem,
the trekking poles were rotated 180°, with the hand position on top of
the
handles, which effectively pointed the trekking poles downhill.
Unfortunately,
in this position, the comfort straps could not be used and the Positive
Angle
grips become unusable.
***EDIT SUGGESTION: this whole paragraph is in passive voice - consider
rewording to make it active and personal (e.g., "I rotated the trekking
poles..." and so on for each sentence)

The SAS Anti-Shock System was very useful and noticeable on the
downhills.
***EDIT QUESTION: How so? What was useful, and what was noticeable?

However, the documentation that came with the trekking poles did very
little to
explain how to turn on/off the dampening.
***EDIT: "did very little" is vague - describe what it did say, or what
you finally figured out

Also, the shocks produce a little
noise, which for some may be an annoying byproduct.
***EDIT: this is what you may have seen referred to here as
"projecting" - in other words, projecting what others might do, say or
feel (or what a product might do in the future). If it was annoying to
you, say so; otherwise, simply noting the noise is sufficient,
especially if you can describe it objectively, rather than
subjectively.

Next stop was Mt. St. Helens. The trip was about 7mi and 800ft
elevation gain
on snowshoes through alpine meadows. Conditions involved knee high
powder with
occasional ice packs and continual snow, with temperatures dipping down
to the
high 20's.
***EDIT: "knee-high" (and add the aforementioned metric
equivalents...not to single this instance out, but since I was
here....)

It is in these conditions that other characteristics of the trekking
poles were revealed.

The ELS locking system, with its numerous rotations to lock, were
difficult to
negotiate in the freezing temperatures. Initially twisting the trekking
poles
to unlock/lock proved difficult with gloves due to a lack of grip.

The Carbide Flex Tip was very helpful when planting the trekking poles
in ice or
hard snow. It penetrated each surface effectively and provided a stable
footing. With the Carbide Flex Tip and the SAS Anti-Shock System,
effectively
using the trekking poles in ice proved to be easier than expected.

***EDIT SUGGESTION: the above two paragraphs contain some passive voice
- putting your observations in "I" terms might make it clearer and
stronger (e.g., "...was very helpful when I planted the trekking poles
in ice...".

The Interchangeable Basket System uses a threading system, where you
have to
screw on the basket over multiple threads.
***EDIT: You can remove the use of "you" by saying, for example,
"Baskets screw on over multiple threads in the Interchangeable Basket
System"

This reduces the chance of the
basket unknowingly falling off.
***EDIT SUGGESTION: "inadvertently" or "falling off unnoticed" would be
better wording.

Also, adding the Snow Basket (a smaller
performance basket was provided with the poles) offered a great deal
more
flotation than the performance basket.

Over time, the Aluminum 3-piece shaft does not show any obvious wear
and tear
from constant adjusting of the trekking poles. However, at times, when
collapsing the shafts, the SAS Anti-Shock System would provide air
resistance,
making it difficult to collapse completely or in a timely manner.
***EDIT SUGGESTION: This sentence is a bit awkward; consider rewording
it to make your meaning clearer

Also, there were times when the shaft would not lock, no matter how
many times the shafts
was rotated.
***EDIT: "...no matter how many times I rotated the shafts."

One way to resolve the problem was to disassemble the shafts and
reassemble it.
***EDIT: "reassemble them" or "disassemble and reassemble the shafts."

Summary

Pros:

1. Cork Handles allow for better grip with perspiration.

2. Vibration between each shaft is non-existent.
***EDIT QUESTION: Not sure what you mean by "between each shaft: -
could you clarify?

3. Anti-shock feature works well on downhill grades.

Cons:

1. Lack of documentation regarding the Anti-Shock system.

2. Adjusting the trekking poles in cold weather proved difficult.

3. A collapsed pole is 4-6 inches longer than other trekking poles.
***EDIT: That's a rather extensive statement; all poles? Which poles?
Perhaps you might better say that the poles don't collapse down as
small as you'd prefer, and/or provide objective measurements to back up
broader statements.

4. Heavier than most trekking poles.
***EDIT: Ditto on the comparison; better just to say that you find them
on the heavy side.

[END OF EDITS]

Hello!

A few things have come up this week that have taken up
all the report writing time I had planned.  I should
have it finished by the end of the week.  Sorry for
the delay!

Laurie





__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today!
http://my.yahoo.com

I will cut out some of the website stuff.
You have also found my basic problem with this IR.
It is an insole.
Other than "its colorful" and my test plan, there just isn't much to say
about it till I wear it for a while.

Suggestions are welcome.

TV

At 11:08 AM 2/12/2004, you wrote:

>Suggestions are welcome.

Hi TV

When I did the Ultra 2 I spent some time discussing the various features or
claimed features. That might help.

Andrew


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Chuck,

I didn't find any errors so it looks like you're free to upload at will

Thanks,


>
>Shock Doctor
>Long Term Report
>
>
>Biographical Information:
>Name: Chuck Carnes
>
>

--
-r

Pressure
-------
Grace