In my Ralphs they are near the picnic supplies, like paper plates,
plastic forks, etc.  At least I think that was where I last saw them.
  I think they may be a seasonal item in stores like Target, my Target
is taking out the summer items and making room for winter/fall stuff
already.

Jennifer

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "Lynne" <lynnedurham@g...> wrote:
> Emma and Jennifer,
>
> Where do you find them in Wal-Mart...what part of the store? I've
> searched my local Wal-Mart with no luck, but maybe I'm just looking
> in the wrong place.

On 8/28/05, Jennifer <jennifer.pope@...> wrote:
>
> In my Ralphs they are near the picnic supplies, like paper plates,

    Yes it would be at Ralph's just to complicate the thread. :]
  (a grocery store chain in California USA for our overseas friends)
  Ralph from ID


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

At 12:54 PM 28/08/2005, you wrote:

>I also added information about the general price range of the Neat
>Sheet.  I'm not sure if this is appropriate or not, but I wanted to
>mention that it's a really affordable item.  I can take it out if it's
>not ok.

HI Jennifer

Not really. We have a strict policy on MSRP or nothing in Reviews and
Reports. Also your paragraph on availability etc is probably not
really relevant to your Owner Review. Those are sorts of issues that
are best sorted here in the forums (or other general forums) or in
direct communication with yourself or by interested parties
contacting the manufacturer.

Thanks
Andrew



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

I will take that section out before I upload (price and availability).
Jennifer

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, Andrew Priest <apriest@b...>
wrote:
> HI Jennifer
>
> Not really. We have a strict policy on MSRP or nothing in Reviews and
> Reports. Also your paragraph on availability etc is probably not
> really relevant to your Owner Review.

Owner Review - Katadyn Hiker Water Filter

Personal biographical information:
	 Name:  Josh Cormier
	 Age: 25
	 Gender: Male
	 Height: 5’11” (1.80 m)
	 Weight: 175lb (79 kg)
	 Email address:  swifteagle1@...
	 City: Los Gatos, California
	 Date: 8-28-05
Backpacking background – I joined the Boy Scouts when I was 11 and have been
camping and backpacking ever since. I have done 50 milers over one weeks
time and 40 milers in 3 days time. The toughest trek I’ve ever been on was
17miles from an elevation of 4,500 to an elevation of 8,500 in one day. The
next day we attempted a peak 5 miles away with an altitude of 13,720 ft. I
now go backpacking at least once a year in the Sierra Nevada Mountains as
well as monthly car camping trips with the Scouts.

Manufactures Description:
Backpackers' favorite high-output microfilter
	 Very compact and lightweight - only 11 oz!
	 AntiClog pleated cartridge requires no maintenance
	 Outdoor market's number-one-selling microfilter
	 Chosen "Best in the bunch by a long shot" in major test for ease-of-use

Specs:
	 Microfiltration Method: AntiClog technology: 129 square inches of pleated
0.3 micron glassfiber media.
	 Activated carbon core: reduces unpleasant tastes and odor from water.
	 Output: Up to 1 quart (1 liter) per minute or 48 strokes per quart
Cartridge Capacity: Up to 200 gallons, depending on water quality
	 Weight: 11 oz. (312 g)
	 Height: 6.5" (16.51 cm)
	 Hose Length: 36" (0.91 m)
	 Includes: Prefilter, Universal Bottle Adapter and Carry Bag

Manufactures web site: http://www.katadyn.com/site/us/home/
Year of Manufacture: 1995
Listed weight: 11oz (312 g)
Weight as delivered: 12oz (340 g)

MSRP: $59.95

Field-testing:
Right after buying the filter I opened the box and realized the filter no
longer came with the hook that connects to the hose allowing you to hook the
hose over the top of your water bottle. Running back to the store I was able
to get an old hook from them that had been returned with another model. The
adapter that comes with the filter is the right size to fit over the opening
of a Nalgene. This is great if you only use Nalgenes, but I was filling
water bladders, water bags and different water bottles.  The other adapters
that come with the filter are an “acorn” that weights your hose down under
water, a prefilter that goes inside the acorn and a foam float to keep the
acorn from sinking all the way to the bottom. All these accessories attach
to silicone hoses that are very flexible and white-clear color. The filter
also comes with a little lubricating grease for the pump handle o-rings, and
a nice light bag to keep everything in.

The first time I tried to use my filter I found everything very
self-explanatory. The hose connections on the filter are slip fit with the
hose going over the nodes, which are labeled in and out. When I started
pumping all this black stuff started coming out of the output hose.
Fortunately I had read that this is normal and is simply the charcoal filter
discharging loose powder (this only happens with the installation of a new
filter). I pumped until the water was clear then filled my bottle; the
filter pumped so smoothly and filled my bottle quickly.

Last year I took this filter on a 3-day backpacking trip into Sequoia
national forest. It was a hot day with a lot of dry spells between water, so
we ended up filtering water out of small streams and seeps. When doing this
on one occasion the filter stopped working, it sucked the water in and then
pushed it back out the input hose. Opening the filter was as easy as
removing the clip around the pump handle and unscrewing the filter. Flushing
it with water, I washed out some sediment put it back together and it
worked! Congratulations to the company for a reliable filter that is easy to
troubleshoot.

More recently I went on a 3 day backpacking trip into emigrant wilderness.
As always my pump performed beautifully pumping smoothly and filling my
water bag quickly. During the next day it rained hard and the river we were
camped near, rose a foot and became very muddy. Unfortunately we needed to
pump water, and with no other sources near I pumped out of the river. It
always astonishes me how brown water can come out of the pump so clear and
clean. After pumping for a while I could feel back pressure on the pump
handle, this tells me that the pump was starting to get clogged. I think
this problem could be remedied by bringing coffee filter for emergencies
such as this.  You could put the coffee filter over the end of the acorn to
help pre-filter the water going into the pump and extending its life. When I
get home I usually unscrew the filter and wash off the outside of the filter
to help it extend its life.

Probably one of the neatest features of this filter I found while hiking in
Sequoia National forest.
I kept getting tired of unpacking my hydration bladder to fill it, so I
popped off the end and placed the hose over the output node. It worked
great, now I don’t have to unpack my hydration bladder every time I need
water. Of course now they sell this as an option on the Hiker Pro model.

Overall:
I purchased this water filter in 1995 after doing much research on different
types of water filters including ceramic, paper filter, glassfiber, and
charcoal. I bought it because it did almost as much as the higher models of
Katadyn filters and was lightweight. I have taken this filter on every
backpacking trip I go on and even on some day hikes. I have used this filter
to pump water out of stagnant lakes, seep holes, fast flowing streams. I
would highly recommend it to other hikers; in fact several people I have
gone backpacking with have bought one because of seeing and using mine. The
one feature I would like to see is the bottom of the filter coated with a
non-slip surface. This would help to keep it from slipping around when you
hold it against a surface to pump.


Pros:
	 Pumps faster than ceramic filters
	 Has a glass fiber filter and a carbon core to remove the taste
	 Can be connected directly to a hydration hose
	 Cartridge lasts 200 gallons (757 L)

Cons:
	 Could be made of titanium
	 Not field cleanable like higher models
	 Replacement cartridges are expensive $29.00 – $39.00

At 08:28 AM 29/08/2005, you wrote:
>I will take that section out before I upload (price and availability).

Thanks Jennifer.

Andrew


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

Please do not mail any tester agreements until notified that it is okay to
do so.





(In case you didn't notice, they go to a place that is currently being
evacuated..)





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

Wow,
That would have been me.
Thanks for the heads up !


                                         Josh Cormier

Hi Chari,

I just got notification that you had uploaded the review. It looks
good, but the line reading "Subject: Review"  is un-needed. I'm not
sure where this crept in, but I'd appreciate it if you could
re-upload without that. Then we will be done. Many thanks!

Ted.
                            Reply to: erd@...
                         WILSEY RARE BOOKS, MEMBER ABAA
                              http://www.wilsey.net
                   Phone: (845) 657-7057      Fax: (845) 657-2366

Had a really wonderful trip.  Still working on catching up but I think
I will be there by tonight.

JAmie D

PLEASE READ THIS EMAIL IN FULL. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT!

Thanks for your Owner's Review.  It has been added to the Owner
Review Queue and will be picked up by an Edit Moderator soon.  Do not
worry if nothing happens with it for several days.  All our Editors
are volunteers and your report will be subject to an official edit
within fourteen days. If you have not had a response from an Edit
Moderator via the Yahoo Groups list within this timeframe, please let
me know directly at jdeben@....

To assist in this process, if this is your first Owner Review we ask
that you post only ONE Owner Review for edit at a time. Our
experience is that it is more efficient for both the Editors and
yourself, if you post your first review, have it edited, approved and
uploaded before you post your second and subsequent reviews.  This
way we can work with you on addressing any standard BGT policy edits
which you can incorporate into your second and subsequent reviews
before submission.

If you are new to BackpackGearTest.org, welcome to the community!
The Editors will work with you, within their own time constraints, to
get your first two Owner Reviews approved and upload in a timely
manner.  Once these first two Owner Reviews have been approved and
you have submitted your Tester Agreement you will be eligible to
start applying for Tests.

You may receive edits or comments from other members of the group.
These edits and comments, while not official, should be considered
carefully, and if you find them substantial, revise and re-post your
review. Incorporating member edits and re-submitting to the list will
usually result in a better review, as well as making things easier
for the official Editor. Please put REVISED in the subject line of
your re-submitted review, if you take this route or make any changes
to your review BEFORE the review has been taken by an Edit Moderator.

Additionally, it is important for you to monitor the Yahoo Groups
list to keep track of the progress of your Owner Review.  Once an
Editor has taken your OR and made the necessary edits they will post
their comments to the list with EDIT in the subject line.  Once you
have incorporated these edits into your review please use REPOST in
the subject line. When your OR has been approved by the Editor they
will use APPROVED in the subject line.

If you'd like to keep track of the progress of your OR, the entire
Owner Review Queue is posted to the list on Fridays.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask via
the list or contact me directly.

Regards
Jamie DeBenedetto
Edit Administration Officer

PLEASE READ THIS EMAIL IN FULL. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT!

Thanks for your Owner's Review.  It has been added to the Owner
Review Queue and will be picked up by an Edit Moderator soon.  Do not
worry if nothing happens with it for several days.  All our Editors
are volunteers and your report will be subject to an official edit
within fourteen days. If you have not had a response from an Edit
Moderator via the Yahoo Groups list within this timeframe, please let
me know directly at jdeben@....

To assist in this process, if this is your first Owner Review we ask
that you post only ONE Owner Review for edit at a time. Our
experience is that it is more efficient for both the Editors and
yourself, if you post your first review, have it edited, approved and
uploaded before you post your second and subsequent reviews.  This
way we can work with you on addressing any standard BGT policy edits
which you can incorporate into your second and subsequent reviews
before submission.

If you are new to BackpackGearTest.org, welcome to the community!
The Editors will work with you, within their own time constraints, to
get your first two Owner Reviews approved and upload in a timely
manner.  Once these first two Owner Reviews have been approved and
you have submitted your Tester Agreement you will be eligible to
start applying for Tests.

You may receive edits or comments from other members of the group.
These edits and comments, while not official, should be considered
carefully, and if you find them substantial, revise and re-post your
review. Incorporating member edits and re-submitting to the list will
usually result in a better review, as well as making things easier
for the official Editor. Please put REVISED in the subject line of
your re-submitted review, if you take this route or make any changes
to your review BEFORE the review has been taken by an Edit Moderator.

Additionally, it is important for you to monitor the Yahoo Groups
list to keep track of the progress of your Owner Review.  Once an
Editor has taken your OR and made the necessary edits they will post
their comments to the list with EDIT in the subject line.  Once you
have incorporated these edits into your review please use REPOST in
the subject line. When your OR has been approved by the Editor they
will use APPROVED in the subject line.

If you'd like to keep track of the progress of your OR, the entire
Owner Review Queue is posted to the list on Fridays.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask via
the list or contact me directly.

Regards
Jamie DeBenedetto
Edit Administration Officer

WoodlandSprite <cl_woodlandsprite@...> wrote:To:
backpackgeartesters@yahoogroups.com
From: WoodlandSprite <cl_woodlandsprite@...>
Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 17:15:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [backpackgeartesters] Attn: Anyone who needs to mail in a TESTER
AGREEMENT

For those who need to get their tester agreements in,
Please EMAIL ME a Text Version with all the pertinent information.

You should also include in that email that the email is in lieu of filing the
paper versions and un understand and agree to all portions of the Tester
Agreement.

Once we get a place to mail the paper versions will will get the official
copies.

-Stephanie
stephanie at backpackgeartest dot org

Rebecca wrote:
Please do not mail any tester agreements until notified that it is okay to
do so.





(In case you didn't notice, they go to a place that is currently being
evacuated..)





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





Yahoo! Groups Links







__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

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





Yahoo! Groups Links









---------------------------------
  Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page

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

Roger:
This report has a date of April 2003 at the top of the report and a date of
August 2005 at the bottom...
please update accordingly :)
Thanks!
Steph



A new file has been uploaded at:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Cook%20Gear/Stoves/Coleman%20Powermax%20\
Xtreme%20Gas%20Stove/Owner%20Review%20by%20Roger%20Caffin





------------------------------

_______________________________________________
Upload-notify mailing list
Upload-notify@...
http://backpackgeartest.org/mailman/listinfo/upload-notify_backpackgeartest.org


End of Upload-notify Digest, Vol 26, Issue 25
*********************************************


----- End forwarded message -----


--
http://www.BackpackGearTest.org : the most comprehensive interactive gear
reviews and tests on the planet!

Dear Jeff

Thanks for uploading your Jacks R Better Hammock Quilt Set Owner
Review and adding the disclaimer. However, I did notice one other
thing that needs correcting. We have a quite a strict policy on
external links in Owner Reviews and Test Reports (please see the
regular posting to this list which outlines this policy). Your link
to Hennessy Hammocks violates this policy. Can you either remove this
link or link to our internal link for Hennessy Hammocks at
<http://www.backpackgeartest.org/hennessyhammock/>.

Thanks
Andrew
Senior Edit Moderator

Hi  Erin,

Following a review of our Owner Review queue at BackpackGearTest.org I
notice that you have not responded to the upload approval of your Black
Diamond Lighthouse Tent owner review by Steve on Aug 16th. Please refer to
message number (67184) at
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/messages>.

Is there something we can assist with in helping you complete your Owner
Review? It would be a pity to have the work done so far disregarded.

Please let me know how you wish to proceed with this review.

Regards
Jamie DeBenedetto
Edit Administration Officer

> Hi there, editors!

### Hi there Lynne :)
Many thanks for this excellent and timely Review. There's not a great
deal for you to do but there are a couple of things that I'd like you to
give some thought to. When you've had a chance to fix things if you post
back with REPOST in the subject heading, I'll give you a folder to
upload to,
Cheers
Graham
BGT Edit Moderator



> ISBN:0-89997-354-X
> Pages: 340
> Weight: 1 lb 4 oz (0.57 kg)

### COMMENT: not a problem, but we would more commonly write weights
below 1 kg as (570 g)

> **********
> THE SUBJECT MATTER
> **********
> The book deals with most every foot issue a backpacker could ever
> encounter, from blisters and black toenails to parasthesia and
> neuropathy. All subject matter is presented in easy-to-understand,
> layman's terms and John's makes the subject matter interesting by

### Sp.? paresthesia or paraesthesia

### As you go on to say that the book is in easy-to-understand layman's
terms, might it be an idea here to do the reader a favour and write this
as '...paraesthesia (A skin sensation, such as burning, prickling,
itching, or tingling, with no apparent physical cause) and neuropathy
(any pathology of the peripheral nerves)...'
These are my definitions of course, and you might have more concise ones
that would be better

> I've had the book since Christmas, but I've followed many of John's
> suggestions even longer as I've read his advice on mailing lists.
> During that time, I've consulted his advice on a variety of issues,
> with successful results:
> - blister prevention
> - dealing with blackened toenails
> - plantar fasciitis

### book reviews are in a category of their own and the part that is at
odds with BGT reviews is the Field Experience, so what suffices here is
'What have you learnt, or what changes have you made as a result of
reading this book' . Although you refer to the successful results you've
had it might be an idea to expand on this here and relate some real
Field Experience. i.e. What blister problems were you experiencing and
what methods have you used for blister prevention?  How much of a
problem was blackened toenails? Was it resolved easily? Planter
fasciitis. What is it? how did it affect you and what did you do (as a
result of advice in the book)? These are just a few of the ways you
could give the reader something real to relate to in terms of problems
they might be having themselves.










--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.10.17/84 - Release Date: 29/08/2005

> This report has a date of April 2003 at the top of the report and a date of
> August 2005 at the bottom...
> please update accordingly :)

Cut and paste ....
Done
Thanks Steph

Due to the evacuation of New Orleans, we've changed the address to
send Tester Agreements to:

Jim Hatch
Attn: BackpackGearTest
P.O. Box 8
Simsbury, CT 06070

If you've recently mailed one to Louisiana, it would be in your best
interests to mail another copy to me as we're not sure where or when
mail will make it down south.

You can also download a new copy from:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/files/1%20BGT-Tester%20Agreement%\
20Docs/
(Tinyurl is: http://tinyurl.com/dndp)

Either the Word doc or the PDF version is fine. Use the one with the
"Aug05" designation. As noted, do not use Shane's until further notice.

Thanks,
Jim Hatch
Edit Moderator

Here's an Owner Review of my Granite Gear Vapor Trail.  HTML version can be
found at either
<http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/test/OWNER%20REVIEWS/GGVT%20-%20TJ%
20Smith/>
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/test/OWNER%20REVIEWS/GGVT%20-%20TJ%2
0Smith/ or http://tinyurl.com/cawaq.  Forgive the usual Yahooisms, and if
something doesn't look quite right it probably does look right in the HTML
version.
TJ

Owner Review
Granite Gear Vapor Trail Backpack

Personal Biographical Information
Name - Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age - 30
Gender - Male
Height - 5' 10" (1.78 m)
Weight - 155 lb (70 kg)
Email Address - tjsmith1946@...
City, State, Country - Pensacola, FL USA
Date - August 30, 2005
Background - I have been camping for a little over 5 years now, mostly car
camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new
gear to my "collection" in an effort to get my gear list tailored more
towards backpacking. Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not
more than one or two nights. I am planning some longer trips in the near
future.

Product Information
Manufacturer - Granite Gear
Year of Manufacture - 2004
Manufacturer URL - www.granitegear.com
Stated Weight - 1 lb 14 oz (907 g)
Stated Size - 3600 cu in (59 L)
Weight as Delivered - 2 lb 3 oz (1106 g)
Size - Regular
MSRP - US $150.00
Product Description (from the manufacturer) - So you're ready to take the
next step. You've gotten your pack weight down to 30 pounds or less. The
Vapor Trail uses a high-density polyethylene frame that helps distribute the
load evenly over your back and onto your hips. This pack has fixed (not
interchangeable) shoulder straps that are well padded and it comes standard
with the Ultralight Packer hip belt available in a range of sizes for men
and women. The pack is fully hydration compatible with an internal sleeve
and port. Reports from our AT thru-hiker pack testers suggest that by the
end of last season roughly 40% of AT thru-hikers were carrying the Vapor
Trail, largely due to its exceptional comfort.

Field Information
Locations Used
I have used my Vapor Trail in numerous locations throughout Northwest
Florida. I have accumulated an approximate total of 25 to 30 trail nights of
use in the time I've had the pack. During my use, temperatures have ranged
from a high of 95 F ( C) to a low of 32 F (0 C). I have experienced clear
sunny days while wearing my Vapor Trail, as well as various amounts of rain
from light drizzles to fairly heavy rainfall. The trail conditions I have
experienced have ranged from well cleared, well maintained trails to dense
brush that required careful maneuvering to avoid getting stuck in the brush.
I have also used my Vapor Trail on a few car camping trips, as a convenient
method of carrying my equipment. Currently, the majority of my gear stays
stored in my Vapor Trail, ready to head out at a moment's notice.

Summary
The Vapor Trail is a basic backpack without a lot of frills. It does have a
hydration sleeve, which I consider an asset to any pack as my chosen method
of carrying water is in bladders. The pack is basically a cylinder with
compression straps, and an extension sleeve at the top with a draw cord,
that is cinched tight to close the pack and then rolled down. There are 2
straps that cross the top of the pack, with plastic buckles to connect the
straps across the top of the pack and contain the rolled up extension
sleeve. There are also compression straps on the front of the pack, used to
cinch the pack down around the load contained within. This is to stabilize
the load, as the pack does not have much suspension to secure the load.
On the back of the pack, there is a padded, curved hip belt which I find
distributes the load well onto my hips. The belt has a plastic buckle at the
ends of the straps to secure the belt around the waist, and there are
adjustment points on both sides of the buckle as well as on both sides of
the belt where it attaches to the pack. The pack also has padded shoulder
straps, which only have minimal adjustment to tighten or loosen the straps.
The shoulder straps also have "load lifting" straps at the top, which help
shift some of the load closer to my back and not hanging so far away from my
body. This serves to stabilize the load carried. The back of the pack is
also padded, with rigid stabilizers running the length of the pack and
contained within the back. There is also a small hole near the top of the
pack, which serves as an outlet for the drinking tube of the hydration
bladder.


Conclusions
Right now, the Vapor Trail is my first choice when traveling the trail for
more than a day hike. I find the pack fits my torso very well, I am able to
stabilize loads better than any other pack I own, and keep the load closer
to my body. All this leads to a more comfortable trip, which gives me a more
enjoyable experience. When using the Vapor Trail, I can carry more weight
than in my older frame pack in more comfort for longer distances. The only
problem with fit that I have found, and this is not exclusive to the Vapor
Trail, is that the hip belt prevents me from carrying items on my belt (such
as a multitool.) The belt does not ride properly, and causes the item on my
belt to "dig in" to my waist, causing a great deal of discomfort in a
relatively short period of time. So far, I have remedied this by not wearing
items on my belt, instead looping them onto the straps of the pack.
The padding of the hip belt, shoulder straps, and back pad all help to make
the Vapor Trail quite comfortable to wear. I have found that the padded back
allows some flexibility in placement of items within the pack, as they are
not as likely to poke me in the back as with other lightweight packs I had
tried previous to the Vapor Trail. One concern I had with the amount of
padding and the conditions I travel in (most of the time) is that the
padding would absorb my sweat and begin to smell. I have not yet had this
occur, and have not had to wash the pack.
I am able to carry spare clothing, rain gear, my sleeping bag and foam pad,
Hennessy Hammock, cooking gear, and food for 2 to 3 days with ease. I do not
even need to use the extension collar when carrying this gear. Early in the
use of this pack, I did have to modify my packing methods to accommodate the
nature of a lightweight backpack. One method I have found to make packing a
bit easier is to use stuff sacks to organize items contained within the
pack. I am still modifying my methods as I change out specific gear items
and as I gain more use with the pack and find I'm needing different items at
different times than anticipated.
The pack has held up well in the terrain I have traveled. I have caught it
on several snags and brush, and the fabric has not ripped at any point yet.
I have gotten a few scuffs and marks on the fabric, but nothing that has
penetrated through. Any dirt and debris I have gotten on the pack has
cleaned off by just brushing the pack with my hand. The seams and stitching
do not show any signs of fraying or coming unstitched yet.
The Vapor Trail has done quite well with the precipitation I have
encountered on my trail experiences. I have yet to experience significant
leakage, even without using a dedicated pack cover. The small amount of
moisture I have had come through the pack was kept off my gear inside by the
use of the stuff sacks. When storing my pack at camp, I have used a garbage
bag as a pack cover to ensure the contents did not get wet with the pack
sitting still, and this has worked so far.
Overall, I am extremely pleased with my Vapor Trail and look forward to many
more miles on the trail with it. With the minor issues noted, I feel the
Vapor Trail is the best suited pack for my backpacking needs, and I don't
foresee this changing in the near future.




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

Thanks for the edits, Graham!

Just wanted to give you a heads up that it will be a day or two before
I can repost -- things just got very hectic at work and I'm putting in
some major hours.

I'll be sure to get the repost up by the weekend.

Lynne

---
Lynne Durham
Benton Harbor, Michigan USA

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "graham blamey" <gg@h...>
wrote:
>
> ### Hi there Lynne :)
> Many thanks for this excellent and timely Review.

Tom -

Loved the background on why you ended up getting poles. Struck by
lightning - sheesh! Hope he recovered fully.

I've made just a few edits. Go ahead and repost when you've made
them, and in the meantime, I'll make sure there's a folder in place
so I can approve this. Great review!

- Steve


[EDITS FOLLOW:]

...
Finish: Anondized
***EDIT: "Anodized"

...
Grip: CORE-TEK with positive angle
***EDIT: "COR-TEC" here and throughout the rest of the review (there
are quite a few)

...
Percipitation:
***EDIT: "Precipitation"
Everything from rain to hail and everything in between.

...
Basically, if my opinion was that if you were weak enough to need
hiking poles, then you shouldn't be on the trail.
***EDIT: "Basically, my..."

On the last day of my trip to Yosemite, this opinion changed
suddenly. The afternoon before I
had fallen and twisted my knee.
***EDIT SUGGESTION: "The previous afternoon I..." might read better

...
The knee was swollen and tender and I still had 8 miles (13 km)
till the trailhead.
***EDIT: "until" or 'til the trailhead

   My friend loaned my his poles and the next eight miles
were a lot easier than I had expected them to be. In short, I
realized that
these poles were useful, but I was still a bit reluctant to get a
pair. I
was finally convinced to get a pair when another member of my hiking
group
was struck by lightening the same year I hurt my knee.
***EDIT: "lightning"

...
Description:
It took several months for me to reach a decision, but in the winter
of 2001
I purchased my first pair of hiking poles. My darlings were a set of
Leki
Super Makalu CORE-TEK PA AS poles. These poles were three section poles
with an adjustable anti-shock spring, a cork-like grip material (CORE-
TEK),
angled grips, and adjustable comfort wrist straps.
***EDIT SUGGESTION: This whole section and much of what follows is
worded in past tense, which left me with the feeling that you've
moved on from these poles to other pairs; consider putting this all
in present tense when it refers to ongoing attributes of the poles,
as opposed to past experiences. Your call.

...
Several trips to sporting goods stores
convinced me that the CORE-TEK material of the grips were much less
slippery
than the "rubbery" grip material on other models of poles.
***EDIT: "was much less..."

...
If I can find more than one use for piece
of gear, then it is likely to make repeat appearances on the trial
with me.
***EDITS: "for a piece" and "on the trail"


...
In one instance I used a ground sheet from
a tent and my Leki Poles to create extra vestibule on the back of my
tent so
that I could keep gear dry during a rain/hail storm.
***EDIT: "an extra"

I have even strung line between my poles to create a clothes line so
that I could dry them after washing.
***EDIT SUGGESTION: "dry my clothes after" is best, as the current
wording reads as if you might be drying the poles :-)

...
I cannot even count the number of times they have
kept me from taking a header on a rocky down hill section of trail.
***EDIT: "downhill"

...
They have been super dependable have
never let me down.
***EDIT: "and have"

...
The problem I have is that the poles are very hard to adjust, then
secure if my hands are wet, cold, or in gloves.
***EDIT: I know we're not supposed to suggest commas...but in this
one case, adding a comma after "then secure," would make this much
clearer.

[END OF EDITS]

Shane has been one of the spark plugs of BGT for quite awhile now. He always
steps up to the plate. He always does way more than his share.

He's in a bind. He has no job. He may have no house. He does have a wife,
daughter, and brand new baby.

His situation is one of our deepest fears....he can't feed his family for
the short term and is relying on the kindness of strangers.

We're not strangers. He's one of us.

It's time to give back.

I was going to go to the ALDHA-West Gathering. It was going to be
entertaining and I was going to give a talk on BGT.

I live on a fixed income. That was my big shot for the month.

But Shane's situation just can't be ignored. I'm sending the money I would
have spent on the trip to Shane's PayPal account at

shane@...

He needs our help. Let's try our best to return just a little bit of what
he's done for us.

It's only fair.

Jerry

http://www.BackpackGearTest.org : the most comprehensive interactive gear
reviews and tests on the planet.

Guess I never saw the approval notice.  Thanks for the update.  I
will upload it today.
Erin

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "Jamie D"
<jdeben@h...> wrote:
> Hi  Erin,
>
> Following a review of our Owner Review queue at
BackpackGearTest.org I
> notice that you have not responded to the upload approval of
your Black
> Diamond Lighthouse Tent owner review by Steve on Aug 16th.
Please refer to
> message number (67184) at
>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackGearTest/messages>.
>
> Is there something we can assist with in helping you complete
your Owner
> Review? It would be a pity to have the work done so far
disregarded.
>
> Please let me know how you wish to proceed with this review.
>
> Regards
> Jamie DeBenedetto
> Edit Administration Officer

> 4 out of 5 of the Bite OS testers have "external links".  What's the rule
  > again?  (I'll ask before stating my opinion.)  :-)

Reposting...

With rare exception (like my HH video) they aren't allowed.  You can link to
internal bookmarks, other reports on BGT, and you may also have a link to
your personal hiking page.

Without paying too much attention, I have been the worst culprit when it
comes to violating this rule, and I have been spanked for it.  I'm in the
process of removing all external links from my reports.  I've got a lot of
fixing to do...

With the Magellan IR, I stripped them all out and just left the Additional
Resources link to a page on my personal hiking website that I maintain.  I
think that this is within the rules, but I've done it as more of an
experiment to see how I like the idea.  We may think about hosting something
like this in the future on BGT.  If we have an Articles section, then we
could all contribute to it and simply have a link in our reports that says,
"If you want to learn more about GPS, then see the GPS page in our Articles
Section."  Time brings all things...

So, to answer your question directly, the policy as it stands is that NO
external links are allowed EXCEPT for links to:

A Manufacturer's HOME page.
A vendor or distributor's HOME page, when that vendor or distributor is
directly responsible for the Manufacturer's product.  (In other words,
Thales.com in the Magellan reports.  RETAIL links like www.campmor.com are
NOT allowed.)
A link to a testers personal hiking website, and with rare exception, this
should be the HOME page of that site as well.

Active testers try to remove external links that do not fit this policy at
their continence.  This is not a requirement, but the policy will be
enforced more stringently in the future.

Shane
BGT Moderator


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==
Senior Edit Moderator and List Moderator
http://BackpackGearTest.org
ICQ No. 38215599
MSN Messenger: aushiker@...
Yahoo Messenger: aushiker
Google Talk: Aushiker or aushiker@...

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

Hopefully I got it all. Thanks for the edits. I wasn't sure I was happy with
this review from an organization standpoint, but it aint' too bad on a
reread.

TV

Leki Super Makalu Core-Tek PA Trekking Poles Owner Review
August 24, 2005
Thomas Vickers
37 years old
Male
5 ft 11 in tall (1.8 m)
175 lb  (79 kg)
redroach@...
Southeast Texas, Houston Area

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip
into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and
over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach
to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions).
While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a
mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the
lightest load possible
Manufacturer Information:
Manufacturer: Leki
Website: http://www.leki.com
Series: Mountain Trek
Material: Aluminum
Weigh:: 21.7 oz  per pair
Finish: Anodized
Grip: COR-TEK with positive angle
MSRP: $ 139.95 US
Information from Tester:
Minimum pole length: 32.5 in (83 cm)
Left pole weight: 11.55 oz (327 g)
Right pole weight: 11.50 oz (326 g)
Total weight: 23.05 oz (653 g)
Year purchased: 2001

Testing Locations and Conditions:

South East and Central Texas:
Temperatures between 40 F and  95 F (7 C to 35 C).

North/Central California:
This includes altitudes from 9,000 to 13,000  feet (2,700 to 3,200 meters)
and temperatures between 35 F and 75 F (2 C and 24 C).

Arkansas:
Altitudes of 1,000 to 2,000 feet (305 to 610 m). Temperatures between 35 F
and 95 F (2 C and 35 C).

Terrain:
Trails, boulders, rocks (1-3 feet (30.5 cm - 91 cm ) in diameter), mud,
snow, sand.

Precipitation:
Everything from rain to hail and everything in between.

Activities:
· Day hikes and weekend trips
· Long Hiking trips (5+ days)
· Shelter supports

And some background:
I first used hiking poles during a week-long trip to Yosemite.  One of my
hiking partners had used them for several years and I had given him a lot of
grief over them.   They just weren't part of what I considered wilderness
gear. Basically, if my opinion was that if you were weak enough to need
hiking poles, then you shouldn't be on the trail.  On the last day of my
trip to Yosemite, this opinion changed suddenly.   The previous afternoon I
had fallen and twisted my knee. The injury didn't seem so bad until the next
morning.  The knee was swollen and tender and I still had 8 miles (13 km)
until the trailhead.  My friend loaned my his poles and the next eight miles
were a lot easier than I had expected them to be.  In short, I realized that
these poles were useful, but I was still a bit reluctant to get a pair.  I
was finally convinced to get a pair when another member of my hiking group
was struck by lightning the same year I hurt my knee.  Without his poles he
would never have gotten down off the mountain he was on in order to get
medical attention.  After that incident, I knew I needed to get a pair of
hiking poles as soon as possible.

Description:
It took several months for me to reach a decision, but in the winter of 2001
I purchased my first pair of hiking poles.  My darlings are  a set of Leki
Super Makalu COR-TEK PA AS poles.  These poles are three section poles with
an adjustable anti-shock spring, a cork-like grip material (COR-TEK), angled
grips, and adjustable comfort wrist straps.  They have a cool gold and black
color scheme and are a lot more advanced than the set of poles that I had
originally borrowed.  I choose the the poles based mainly on the grip
material and anti-shock features.  Several trips to sporting goods stores
convinced me that the COR-TEK material of the grips was much less slippery
than the "rubbery" grip material on other models of poles.  I just like the
way that it felt and I also feel that it is less prone to damage than any of
the other grip materials I saw.

The anti-shock feature is also a great thing in my opinion.  It is easy to
adjust and when in its stiffest (least amount of shock absorption) setting,
the poles are strong and steady with all of my body weight on them.  I also
like the way the pole length was adjusted.  Simply turn the segment
counter-clockwise, pull it out to the desired length, then turn clockwise
till it was tight and would not turn anymore.

Use:
One thing that I tend to harp on again and again is that I prefer my hiking
gear to have a multitude of uses.  If I can find more than one use for a
piece of gear, then it is likely to make repeat appearances on the trail
with me.  The longer I have had my Leki Super Makalu COR-TEK PA AS, the more
uses I have found for them.  They started off a simple hiking poles.  They
help me (who is super clumsy) to stay upright on narrow trails, keep from
falling off of treacherous trails, hop along boulders, pick hats out of
streams, cross streams without falling in, cross streams without falling
over in the rushing water, and that is just the most common things I have
used them for.   Over the past couple of years I have used them as integral
parts of several shelters.  There are two tents and even a hammock that I
have used on the trail that the Leki poles are integral parts of.  This
saves me the weight of having to carry tent poles and it allows me to pitch
my hammock on the ground when there are no trees.   In one instance I used a
ground sheet from a tent and my Leki Poles to create an extra vestibule on
the back of my tent so that I could keep gear dry during a rain/hail storm.
I have even strung line between my poles to create a clothes line so that I
could dry my clothes after washing.

While I love the fact that I have so many alternative uses for these poles,
their main use is when I am in motion along a trail or even off of a trail.
I have had to boulder hop, rock hop, and general make my way over very rough
ground on many occasions with my Leki Super Makalu COR-TEK PA AS poles.
They have taken a beating and gotten some scratches, but they have never
given out on me and they have made these rough types of terrain passable by
me. I doubt that I could have covered some of the ground I have traveled
without these poles.  Being as clumsy as I am, these poles are a real life
saver when fording streams.  They have helped me balance as I crossed on
tree trunks and they have kept me balanced when I had to walk in moving
water on slippery rocks. Before I purchased these poles I took more than one
unexpected dip in cold streams because I lost my balance.  These unexpected
dunkings are now a thing of the past.

I have also had the chance to use these poles on snow. While this is the
least encountered weather issue for me on my trips, it was nice to see that
the Leki Super Makalu COR-TEK PA AS helped me conquer another extreme trail
condition with only one fall along the way.   For a clumsy oaf like me, that
is a great thing.  Now extreme terrain is not the only reason I use these
poles.  When going downhill, I adjust the anti-shock spring to its most
absorbent setting and head down.  This has saved an incredible amount of
wear and tear on my knees.  It also makes my downhill travel much safer. I
was prone to slipping, ankle twisting, and falling due to my swift downhill
'sprints'.   The Leki poles have allowed me to keep up a lively pace while
going down, but they have also helped me keep from hurting or damaging
myself in the process.  I cannot even count the number of times they have
kept me from taking a header on a rocky downhill section of trail.

Durability:
My poles are about four years old.  They have been scratched, banged, and
dunked on many occasions.  The poles are no longer shiny and cool looking,
but they definitely have a lot of miles left on them.  The carbide tips
still bite into rocks and the anti-shock springs show no signs of giving
out. In fact, other than cleaning the poles, I have not performed or needed
to perform any real maintenance on them.  I do have a spare set of expanders
(used to adjust pole length) in a drawer, but I can't see using them until
the old ones give out.  I even have the original baskets that came with my
poles.  The grips and straps are in great condition and work wonderfully
after all my abuse.   I feel that I am going to get a lot more use out of
these hiking poles before I need to repair or replace them.  They are just
plain durable.

Final thoughts:
I really like these hiking poles.  They have been super dependable and have
never let me down.  There has been one small issue with them, but it is
minor.  The problem I have is that the poles are very hard to adjust, then
secure, if my hands are wet, cold, or in gloves.  This isn't a huge thing,
but at the end of the day when I am tired, hungry and cold, any adjustments
to the Leki Super Makalu COR-TEK PA AS tend to take me a lot longer than
they do in warmer or drier conditions.

At this point I can't even think of being on the trail without these poles.
It just isn't going to happen as far as I am concerned.  I am far too clumsy
to be on the trail without them and as I get older, they help keep the wear
and tear on my knees to a minimum.  If for some strange reason I had to
replace these poles, I would definitely get this same model again. Of my
five regular hiking partners, I have even convinced two of them to get this
exact model of Leki hiking poles.  Now this makes for interesting situations
every morning as we sort our gear out, but it proves to me that they are a
good investment for any hiker.

Not only did he survive the lightening hit (Poles really saved his bacon)
but not two years later he fell off of a cliff while in the Sierras with me.

Hit snow at the bottom and slid. Fool crawled back up the snow field to get
the pole he dropped.

Just don't stand close to him.

TV

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, Andrew Priest <apriest@b...>
wrote:
Can you either remove this
> link or link to our internal link for Hennessy Hammocks at
> <http://www.backpackgeartest.org/hennessyhammock/>.

No problem...link removed.

Jeff

PLEASE READ THIS EMAIL IN FULL. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT!

Thanks for your Owner's Review.  It has been added to the Owner
Review Queue and will be picked up by an Edit Moderator soon.  Do not
worry if nothing happens with it for several days.  All our Editors
are volunteers and your report will be subject to an official edit
within fourteen days. If you have not had a response from an Edit
Moderator via the Yahoo Groups list within this timeframe, please let
me know directly at jdeben@....

To assist in this process, if this is your first Owner Review we ask
that you post only ONE Owner Review for edit at a time. Our
experience is that it is more efficient for both the Editors and
yourself, if you post your first review, have it edited, approved and
uploaded before you post your second and subsequent reviews.  This
way we can work with you on addressing any standard BGT policy edits
which you can incorporate into your second and subsequent reviews
before submission.

If you are new to BackpackGearTest.org, welcome to the community!
The Editors will work with you, within their own time constraints, to
get your first two Owner Reviews approved and upload in a timely
manner.  Once these first two Owner Reviews have been approved and
you have submitted your Tester Agreement you will be eligible to
start applying for Tests.

You may receive edits or comments from other members of the group.
These edits and comments, while not official, should be considered
carefully, and if you find them substantial, revise and re-post your
review. Incorporating member edits and re-submitting to the list will
usually result in a better review, as well as making things easier
for the official Editor. Please put REVISED in the subject line of
your re-submitted review, if you take this route or make any changes
to your review BEFORE the review has been taken by an Edit Moderator.

Additionally, it is important for you to monitor the Yahoo Groups
list to keep track of the progress of your Owner Review.  Once an
Editor has taken your OR and made the necessary edits they will post
their comments to the list with EDIT in the subject line.  Once you
have incorporated these edits into your review please use REPOST in
the subject line. When your OR has been approved by the Editor they
will use APPROVED in the subject line.

If you'd like to keep track of the progress of your OR, the entire
Owner Review Queue is posted to the list on Fridays.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask via
the list or contact me directly.

Regards
Jamie DeBenedetto
Edit Administration Officer

Jerry, will you please repost with Shane's pay pal address spelled
out the long way.  I can't get it to work with the trucated version
that comes over the yahoo group.

Thanks
Jamie D

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "Chief Moderator"
<ChiefModerator@B...> wrote:
> Shane has been one of the spark plugs of BGT for quite awhile now.
He always
> steps up to the plate. He always does way more than his share.
>
> He's in a bind. He has no job. He may have no house. He does have a
wife,
> daughter, and brand new baby.
>
> His situation is one of our deepest fears....he can't feed his
family for
> the short term and is relying on the kindness of strangers.
>
> We're not strangers. He's one of us.
>
> It's time to give back.
>
> I was going to go to the ALDHA-West Gathering. It was going to be
> entertaining and I was going to give a talk on BGT.
>
> I live on a fixed income. That was my big shot for the month.
>
> But Shane's situation just can't be ignored. I'm sending the money
I would
> have spent on the trip to Shane's PayPal account at
>
> shane@t...
>
> He needs our help. Let's try our best to return just a little bit
of what
> he's done for us.
>
> It's only fair.
>
> Jerry
>
> http://www.BackpackGearTest.org : the most comprehensive
interactive gear
> reviews and tests on the planet.