--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "Andrew Buskov" <rescue@...>
wrote:
>
> Looks good... upload

Whoo-hoo!

Congrats Alex, you are now a Tester!

Ray

Hi Andrew,

Thank you for all your thoughtful edits and patients regarding missed edits.

Thanks again
Alex



----- Original Message ----
From: Andrew Buskov <rescue@...>
To: BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 10:51:16 PM
Subject: RE: [BackpackGearTest] OR MSR Titan-Alex-9.30.08


Looks good... upload to http://tinyurl. com/4rgvjo please.

AB

_____
Visit Corridor9
Blogging about BackpackGearTest. org, Firefighting, Linux, Hiking and more!
http://www.corridor 9.net
____________ _________ _______

> -----Original Message-----
> From: BackpackGearTest@ yahoogroups. com
> [mailto:BackpackGearTest@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of Alexander Chard
> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 4:40 PM
> To: BackpackGearTest@ yahoogroups. com
> Subject: [BackpackGearTest] OR MSR Titan-Alex-9. 30.08
>
> Hi Andrew,
>
> I really believe that all the edits and manufactures have been
> corrected :]






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

My Bad!  The e-mail was one that looked like a spammer, but unfortunately
I wasn't wise enough to try and look them up in the member list.  At the
time I assumed they had posted it and left, but next time I'll be more
thorough.

Jet

BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com wrote on 09/30/2008 07:57:04 PM:

> Thanks, Jet. Has the spammer been deleted from the member list? Kind
> of curious how they got through the screening. Or can people post to
> the calendar without being approved?
>
> Ted
>
> --- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, jetriple@... wrote:
> >
> > Huh... people use those on-line calendar things?
> >
> > Anyway... the offending entry has been removed.
> >
> > Jet
> >
> > BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com wrote on 09/30/2008 08:16:29 AM:
> >
> > > Could someone with the right access level please delete the spam
> > > appointment, regarding getting $200k for reading emails, out of the
> > > group calendar? It's making a mess of my own yahoo calendar.
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > > Dave
> > >
> > >
> >
> >


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

No prob. I'll assume it was hit and run...

Ted

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, jetriple@... wrote:
>
> My Bad!  The e-mail was one that looked like a spammer, but
unfortunately
> I wasn't wise enough to try and look them up in the member list.  At
the
> time I assumed they had posted it and left, but next time I'll be more
> thorough.
>
> Jet
>

We will be leaving for a week-10 days in Arizona in the wee hours of the morning
tomorrow.  We will have limited internet access.

Things affected:  awaiting reposts for:
Arcteryx Alpha SL Jacket - Daniel Nash

MARMOT PRECIP FULL ZIP RAIN PANTS - Andy Winz



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

I really like what Steve is doing with WildeBeat and our gear reviews. I'm
encouraging everyone to contribute reviews to him.

I think it is good for BGT, good for the community, and good for WildeBeat.
Win, win, win.....I *like* it......

http://www.wildebeat.net/

Jerry



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



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

I'll be outside most of the time including an overnighter, and I'm not
sure about internet access the rest of the time. Nothing affected.
Richard

OK, I'm new to this thing, but love your gear reviews and would love
to contribute.  Constructive feedback very welcome.  Thanks in
advance.
Brad

MSR SIMMERLITE
BY BRAD BANKER
OR
October 04, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Brad Banker
EMAIL: brad_banker@...
AGE: 34
LOCATION: Greensbro, NC
GENDER: m
HEIGHT: 6' 0" (1.80 m)
WEIGHT: 240 lb (109.00 kg)

I went on my first backpacking trip at 5 years old, and hiked quite a
bit as a child.  I picked it back up in my 20's, and have been
regularly backpacking now for well over 10 years.  I mostly backpack
the mountains of NC and VA on 1-5 night trips from solo to groups of
10 or, most of it on or around the AT.  I backpack in all seasons
from >90 degrees F to 0 and below.  My main hiking companions are my
wife (when it's not too cold) and my two golden retrievers.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: MSR
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.msrgear.com/stoves/simmerlite.asp
MSRP: $99.95 US
Listed Weight: 8.5 oz oz (240g)
Measured Weight: 10.1 oz (289 g) With stuff sack and repair kit.
Other details:  Comes with small wrench, o-ring and sealant.  Make
sure you let the stove cool fully before you place it in it's stuff
sack, or the plastic bag which contains the repair kit will melt.

FIELD USE

Owner review after 4 dedicated years of use.
I have experience using many types of stoves including the old
Coleman Exponent Feather 442 Dual-Fuel Stove (which is not made of
feathers at 1.8 oz empty,) MSR Whisperlite, homemade soda can
denatured alcohol stoves, and isobutane canister stoves.
I was looking for a go between for my very heavy, but bomb proof
Coleman and my soda can stoves.  I needed an option that allowed me
to simmer if necessary, but afforded me the ability to melt snow for
water - but of course at a lighter weight.
My prior experience with my old whisperlite years ago lead me to have
realistic expectations about my simmerlite, as I knew what to expect
with priming and cleaning using the Shaker Jet.
My initial experience with priming and lighting the stove was a very
large fireball on my back deck.  The instructions read "Release only
1/2 spoon full of fuel.  Open pump control valve several turns and
let fuel wet entire burner head.  Immediately close pump control
valve."  The directions state that a small soccer ball sized flame is
normal.  It was much more than a soccer ball the first time.  I found
this harder than my old whisperlite in that the burner holes seemed
to slope downward more, and the fuel spilled onto the ground easier.
Once I practiced this 8-10 times, I got the hang of it, and was able
to get a softball sized fireball upon ignition and just enough fuel
to warm the burner, drop into the fuel catch cup below , prime the
stove before opening the valve again to fire the burners.
Simmering only took a few tries to master.  I read many reviews
myself before selecting this stove and read many complaints about not
being able to get this stove to simmer, but I may have spent enough
time futzing with my whisperlite (which is not supposed to be able to
simmer, but it can somewhat if you play with it enough) and my not as
light as a feather 442, that it was pretty easy.
I have used this stove in every weather from 95F to 0F and altitudes
of around 6000 feet with great results.  It folds up very nicely, and
fits into my SnowPeak Trek1400 Titanium pot along with two lexan
spoons very well.
I do notice that there is a lot of soot under and on the stove after
use, which I do not remember as much on my Whisperlite.
For my cooking setup the pot support width is fine, but if you use a
larger pot, such as a 4 quart pot with a wide base, you may have
tipping problems if you are not on perfectly level ground.
I have both a 22oz and 11oz fuel bottle, but most commonly use the
11oz bottle.  It seems to be plenty for 2-4 people for 2-3 days,
which are representative of most of my trips.  I have found that if I
use the supplied wind screen and heat reflector bottom (which add an
extra 2 ounces to my previously mentioned weight) boil times in the
field are around 3-4 minutes as advertised.  Fuel consumption is on
par with MSR's tables as well, but if you do need to cook multiple
things at one meal, only priming the stove once and cooking
everything at one time saves a considerable amount of fuel.


SUMMARY

This stove is my go to stove for high volume, multiple meal cooking,
or any cold weather application.   I still revert to my trusty old
soda can stove for fair weather solo trips,and for warm weekends with
just my wife I sometimes still use my isobutane PocketRocket stove.
I would not hesitate to recommend or purchase the Simmerlite Stove
again.  Stove weight, efficiency, boil times, ease of use and
reliability are on par with MSR's advertising and reputation.

THINGS I LIKE

Light weight for white gas stove.
Relative ease of use if you are used to MSR's products.
Truley simmers when you need it if you practice.
Easy to clean and maintain with supplied parts and ShakerJet.


THINGS I DON'T LIKE

Lots of soot on the stove.
Average pot support width.
Can be difficult to learn to prime without a fireball and potentially
loosing your eyebrows and hair.
Can be difficult to learn to simmer, unless you practice.

SIGNATURE

Brad Banker
Greensboro, North Carolina



This report was created with the BGT Report Generator.
Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.

Roger,
Here is a updated copy. I hope I have resolved those last couple of errors.
http://tinyurl.com/4jzkl7
Kevin



KERSHAW BLACKOUT
BY KEVIN O'CONNELL
OR
September 27, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Kevin O'Connell
EMAIL: kocon49@...
AGE: 18
LOCATION: Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA
GENDER: M
HEIGHT: 5' 7" (1.70 m)
WEIGHT: 150 lb (68.00 kg)

Backpacking Background:  I started backpacking about 6 or 7 years ago, mostly
taking weekend trips and occasionally going out for a whole week. I spend my
summers in the field, so I am no stranger to the trail. I am a minimalist, and
will pretty much do anything to shave off some weight, but I am more about
experiencing the local ecology then than getting to point B. Mostly I hike
around my local area, so a forest setting, rainy and pretty hilly, although I do
occasionally do a snow trip. I am trained in wilderness survival and first aid.
I also enjoy rock climbing, mountaineering, and kayaking.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Kai USA
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Manufacturer's Website: <<HYPERLINK GOES HERE - "http://www.kershawknives.com"
LINK TEXT = "www.kershawknives.com">>
Listed Weight: 3.5 oz (99 g)
Weight as delivered: 3.5 oz (99 g)
Steel: 13C26 stainless-steel
Complete Length: 7.72" (19.61 cm)
Closed Length: 4.5" (11.43 cm)
Blade Length: 3.22" (8.18 cm)
Blade Coating: Tungsten DLC
Handle Material: Injection Molded Polyimide
Pocket Clip: Yes
Serrated Option: Yes
Warranty: Lifetime
MSRP: US $89.95
<<IMAGE GOES HERE. ALT TEXT = "IMAGE 1">>

Description

Kershaw's Blackout knife is a folding blade primarily marketed as an everyday
utility knife. It features a 13C26 stainless-steel blade, a Tungsten DLC
coating, and Kershaw's patented SpeedSafe opening system. Tungsten DLC (Diamond
like Coating) was first developed by a weapons company looking for a non
reflective coating that increases steel hardness (90 on the Rockwell C scale).
The SpeedSafe function is an assisted opening method in which the user applies
pressure to the thumb stud. A spring then flips the blade out into the "ready"
position, all with one hand. Unlike a switchblade, the user has to overcome the
force pushing on the handle. The handle is Injection Molded Polyimide- an
extremely stress-resistant uncured plastic resin.
<<IMAGE GOES HERE. ALT TEXT = "IMAGE 2">>

First Impressions

The Kershaw Blackout comes in surprisingly refreshing cardboard box. I was happy
to see that more time was invested in the knife than in the packaging. It also
included a foldout sheet with instructions on using the SpeedSafe function and
the warranty.

  When the blade is opened, it is held in place by  the "inner handle": a piece
of metal that bends out from where the blade sits while closed.  This inner
handle puts pressure on the butt of the blade to hold it in place. To close the
knife while holding it in my right hand, all I do is push it from right to left,
back to the inner wall of the knife. With practice, I learned how to close the
knife using only one hand.

After playing around with it for a while, the only thing I can say is wow.
Simply opening it is a joy, and hearing the sharp metallic click as the blade
flips into place is just an added bonus. To open the knife, all I need to do is
press on thumb stud. The blade just jumps right out into position and locks
firmly into place.
<<IMAGE GOES HERE. ALT TEXT = "IMAGE 3"  IMAGE CAPTION = "Balances behind the
pivot point, just where you want it to">>

Use

I carried this knife every day last summer while I taught wilderness survival,
rock-climbing, and whitewater rafting, but here a few specific trips I have
taken with it.

     Glacier National Park, Montana (Backpacking)
     Florida Keys, Florida (Kayak Island hopping)
     Silver Falls, Oregon (Backpacking)
     Twin Lakes, Oregon (Backpacking)
     Smith Rock, Oregon (Rock climbing)
     Mt. Hood, Oregon (Snowshoe Backpacking)
     Lenore Wilderness, Idaho (Canoeing, Backpacking)

The only negative aspect of the knife at this point is the pattern on the grips.
They dig into my hand, fraying the skin.

After some time, the speed and force of the SpeedSafe function deteriorates.
However, this is a good thing, because it cuts down on the chance of a
unintentional opening. I did not even notice until I borrowed a friend's, and
nearly dropped it when I opened it. However, I have found I am able to combat
this by cleaning and oiling it frequently.

One of the major concerns I have heard from most people is, "Won't it open if I
drop it?" So I dropped a (new) Blackout 10 times on four different surfaces. I
dropped it on Cement which opened 3/10 times, and on hardwood which opened 4/10
drops. On carpet it opened 1/10 drops, and dirt opened 0/10 drops. These numbers
might seem high, but I have never had any problems, and I use this knife quite
frequently.

  I have managed to scratch up the black coating by lighting a few matches on it,
but they only show if I look for it in the sun. I have to say, I am surprised
with just how well the coating has held up. I am a big fan of black knives, and
have never before seen a coating that stands up to this kind of abuse.

  The one issue I have had with the knife as far as durability goes is the
strength of the tip. The first time I bent it I was prying the husk off of a
coconut (granted, it might be extreme). Although it was bent so far it would not
close, I bent it back into shape and planned to bring it to Kershaw later. After
exchanging it (see below), the tip on the new knife again bent slightly from
everyday use. So although the tip does bend occasionally, It does not impede on
preformance, and is very fixable.
<<IMAGE GOES HERE. ALT TEXT = "IMAGE 4">>

Testing the Warranty

When I went to the Kershaw factory's customer service counter there were about
three people ahead of me, but they were taken care of within 10 minutes. The
lady behind the counter was very nice, and informative. The first thing she did
was look at the straightness of the blade, then tested the edge. She just said
that the knife was not up to Kershaw's standards, and gave me a new one, with no
questions asked.

Sharpening

After a few frustrating attempts with several stone kits, I stropped it. It is
just as sharp as when I first got it. This steel seems to hold a edge well,
although it is hard to get it sharp in the first place.

Pros

Sharp
Easy to close and open with one hand
-The assisted opening adds a new level of use to this knife. I don't think I
could go back to using a knife without it.
Molded handle
The shape of the handle allows it to fit my hand comfortably.
Good customer service
-Forgiving return policy, knowledgeable staff.
Aesthetically Pleasing
This is a good looking knife, period.
Light
This knife is not a huge monster that weighs my pack down, it's light enough to
throw in my pocket and go.
Scratch resistant coating
The Tungsten DLC coating holds up very well.

Cons

SpeedSafe function deteriorates with time
That oh so satisfying click wears out with time. Can be repaired though.
Opens unintentionally
Even though I have never experienced this, the possibility is always there.
Weak Tip
Two separate knives bent at the tip.
Abrasive handle
After using this knife for a long period of time, my thumb looks like it went
through a blender.
Sharpening
It is frustrating that the only way to get a decent edge on this knife is
stropping.

Summary

The Kershaw Blackout is a good knife solid knife. I have split logs, cooked
food, and mass produced 20 bow-drill sets with this knife. Although there may be
better fixed blade knives out there, I have never seen a folding knife with this
level of craftsmanship or sophistication. I require a very high level of
performance from my blades, and the Blackout delivers. It is has earned a place
in my pack, and become a regular in my pocket.



This report was created with the BGT Report Generator.
Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.

Sorry gang, too much to keep up with at weeks end this week.  I'll get
the weekly edit queue updated and posted on Sunday.

Jamie D

KELTY LIGHT YEAR 25 DEGREE DOWN SLEEPING
BY JOHN DOUGHERTY
OR
October 05, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: John Dougherty
EMAIL: jmd25@...
AGE: 23
LOCATION: Pensacola, Florida, United States
GENDER: M
HEIGHT: 6' 1" (1.85 m)
WEIGHT: 149 lb (67.60 kg)

I started backpacking one year ago mostly taking two to five day
trips. I like my pack to stay as light as possible but am interested
in quality over weight. I hike a variety of terrain from sandy beaches
with 100 degree weather to 4,000 to 5,000 ft mountains around the
north carolina, north georgia region. I hike 3 seasons because winter
in florida is similar to late fall or early spring in northern
regions. I am a photography student and usually hike with my
girlfriend or other college students.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Kelty
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Manufacturer's Website: <<Kelty.com>>
MSRP: US$135.00
Listed Weight: 2lbs 2 oz (?? g)
Measured Weight: 2lbs 5 oz (?? g)
Other details: Zipper Vent at the feet.

FIELD USE

The Light Year is a very comfortable bag. The down is very soft and
still has the fluff that it had when i first bought the bag a year
ago.  On a hot beach hike out to Ft. Pickens (Florida) the foot vent
and half zipper came in handy.  The vent allowed for much needed air
flow which kept me from feeling sticky or itchy in my bag all night. I
like to have some sort sleeping bag even in the hottest weather but
when everything was unzipped the Light Year was still very
comfortable. On a much colder trip to Linville Gorge in Early March
the temperature got down to 25 Degrees and snow fell, none sticking to
the ground. The Light Year was a little cold that night but when i
threw some pants and a sweater on i felt fine and stayed warm the rest
of the night.


SUMMARY

The Light Year is a very light weight sleeping bag that packs to the
size of a 2 Liter Bottle.  It will be hard to find a down sleeping bag
that is this light and of such good quality for the price I got the
Light Year for. This sleeping bag has always been very comfortable for
me. I have tried my room mates synthetic bag and for me down is much
more comfortable and the weight is just a bonus.

THINGS I LIKE

1. Packs down to a very small size.
2. Weighs just over 2 pounds.
3. Very comfortable but i have never tried any down bags over 650 fill.

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

1. I wish it  had a compatible zipper for female light year so i could
zip mine to my girlfriends sleeping bag, even if it is just half a zipper.
2.  I think the bag is better as a 30 degree bag but could definitely
be a 20 degree bag with a liner or some more clothing.

SIGNATURE

John Dougherty, UWF BFA Candidate/ Jet Ski Instructor



This report was created with the BGT Report Generator.
Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.

Hi John!

Welcome to BackpackGearTest. We're always looking for more members. Your
report is a bit slim, but is a good start. I'd recommend you join up with
one of our mentors as they will be able to help you learn the tactics and
requirements for becoming a well versed BGT tester. You can email
Mentor@... and request a mentor who will work with you
personally on your first few OR's to make sure they meet the standards that
BGT has setup.

Once again... welcome to BGT and the great outdoors.

AB

_____
Visit Corridor9
Blogging about BackpackGearTest.org, Firefighting, Linux, Hiking and more!
http://www.corridor9.net
____________________________

> -----Original Message-----
> From: BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of john_michael_d
> Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:49 AM
> To: BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [BackpackGearTest] First Post Feedback welcome.
>
>
> KELTY LIGHT YEAR 25 DEGREE DOWN SLEEPING
> BY JOHN DOUGHERTY
> OR
> October 05, 2008

Approval: Kershaw Blackout - Kevin O'Connell

Hi Kevin

A long road, but success. Yep, seems OK to me.
Please delete from  the test folder and upload to:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Knives/Folding/Kershaw%20Blackout/

Yes, we are very fussy, but I suspect your next OR will go a lot
smoother. Onwards.

Cheers
Roger Caffin
BGT Editor

EDIT: REPOST: OWNER REVIEW - Kelty Gunnison 2 Tent

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "johnschlafer"
<johnschlafer@...> wrote:
>
> Andre,
>
> I've edited my review and added pictures. I uploaded the HTML to
> the owner review test platform. My OR can be found at:
> http://tinyurl.com/4j3m4t
>
> Thanks so much for your help thus far, and I look forward to hearing
> from you.
>
> Best,
> John
>

John, thanks for your repost. I feel that I should apologize for the
delay in my response again. It's usually much faster once the initial
edit's been done, but your response must have slipped my radar.

Anyway - to your edits.

1) In the future, please include the text version of your report with
your post in addition to the html link - it makes editing much
easier. Yes, this has been discussed at some length and we do require
both.

2) I note some of the conversions (you seem to have included them
with every measurement, excellent!) are off regarding their writing.
Please go over them once and make sure that units given conform to
the units listing at the bottom of our conversion page ("lb"
for "pounds", rather than "lbs", "kg" for Kilograms and "m" for
meters) and that there's a space between each measurement and the
corresponding unit.

3) I like your pictures. They sure help to get a good idea of what
the tent is about. And I think this may be the first first-timer
Owner Review that includes the maximum of 15 pictures. By the way,
the ALT text for your 14th picture just reads "The" - I believe it's
intended to say "The gear hammock from below" or something along
those lines.

4) Under Product Description you state "This design is intended make
the clips easily to slip on, but " which should read "... intended
*to* make the clips *easy* to ..."

5) OR you go with the sentence immediately after that. They both say
the same thing. Please decide on one and delete the redundant one.

That's it!

Once you've taken care of this, please repost again, with text in
your repost and a link to the html version and I'll look it over once
more. We're almost there!

Please feel free to shoot me a message sideband to notify me of your
repost once you've reposted. I'm going on a business trip pretty soon
and am afraid it may take me longer than it should to get back to
your report.

Regards,

André

Ray and Jenn BIP

Little sunburned, little sore

Back to work, what a bore...

Ray

The following statement is being added to all of the relevant BGT documents:

"Non-U.S. testers please note: BackpackGearTest.org is primarily based in
the U.S. and deals primarily with U.S. manufacturers and non-U.S. companies
desiring entry into the U.S. market. Some of these companies, but not all by
any means, insist on their gear being tested in the U.S. only. We do what we
can to persuade them to ship gear to our overseas testers but we aren't
always successful in this.



  We value our overseas testers highly and know that they frequently
contribute not only as testers but also as members of our administration
groups. But we also want them to understand that we can not always guarantee
overseas testers that they can participate in all, or even any, tests.  We
can only guarantee we will do our best to get them involved in as many tests
as possible."







Jerry


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



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

Here is my owner review of the MSR BlackLite Classic Cookset. The HTML
may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/OR-DW-Cookset

####################################################
MSR BlackLite Classic Cookset
BY DAVID WYMAN
OWNER REVIEW
October 6, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION
NAME:  David Wyman
EMAIL:  wyman@...
AGE:  30
LOCATION:  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
GENDER:  Male
HEIGHT:  5' 10" (1.78 m)
WEIGHT:  175 lb (79.40 kg)

While I've been camping for years, I've only been backpacking for a
short time. As a fairly new backpacker, I'm still trying to find the
right equipment so I alternate between my tent and hammock. I do quite
a number of short trips in the Pennsylvania (PA) state parks (Raccoon
Creek and Ohiopyle mostly) and longer trips are usually up in the
Allegheny National Forest. My dog almost always comes along on the
longer hikes, and my wife and toddler join me on the shorter ones.

PRODUCT INFORMATION


<IMAGE>MSR's Image of MSR BlackLite Classic Cookset (from
msrgear.com)</IMAGE>


Manufacturer:  MSR - Mountain Saftey Research
Year of Manufacture:  Unknown - Purchased in 2005
Manufacturer's Website:  http://msrgear.com/
MSRP:  US $44.95
Listed Weight:  18 oz (512 g)
Measured Weight:  18 oz (510 g)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This cookset comes with six items: one 1.5 l (51 fl oz) pot, a 2 l (68
fl oz) pot, a lid that is designed to fit either pot, a small
Packtowl, a PanHandler (pot lifter), and a stuff sack. The 1.5 l pot
nests inside the 2 l pot with the Packtowl between them to protect the
non-stick finish. The PanHandler can be placed inside the pots and,
with the lid on, the whole set fits inside the mesh stuff sack.

The pots are made of aluminum, have a black exterior to help with heat
absorption, and the insides are coated with a non-stick coating. With
the included Packtowl separating them, the smaller pot fits snuggly
inside the larger pot with little room to spare which keeps them from
rattling around while hiking. When used with the larger pot, the lid
fits well and has a small, wire handle that folds down when not in
use. When used with the smaller pot, the lid is placed on it upside
down which renders the wire handle useless. That is one of my chief
complaints about the cookset.

The included Packtowl is fairly small and fits nicely between the two
pots when packed. It can be used to grab the wire handle when cooking
to protect my fingers and it is useful for scrubbing out the pots
after cooking. It would have been nice to have a second Packtowl in
order to protect the inside of the smaller pot if anything, such as
the pot lifter, is packed inside. The pot lifter works well but,
unless wrapped in another cloth/towel, can't be packed inside the
cookset as it will scratch the interior of the smaller pot.

The mesh stuff sack is sufficient to store the cookset. The pots fit
nicely inside it and, when cinched tightly, it does prevent the pot
lid from separating from the pots and keeps everything together.
Unfortunately, it doesn't cinch down completely and leaves just enough
room for the lid to rattle which can be a bit annoying if the cookset
isn't packed tightly in the backpack.

FIELD USE

This cookset has been used quite often over the last three years on
trips ranging in length from weekend car camping trips to 3 or 4 day
hiking trips. Trips have taken it to several PA state parks, including
Ohiopyle, Raccoon Creek, and Morraine. Several of the multi-day trips
have included portions of the North Country Trail in the Allegheny
National Forest. For all of the hikes, weather was always fairly warm,
between 50 F (10 C) and 80 F (27 C), sunny, and mostly rain-free.

On car camping trips, the cookset sees heavy use feeding me, my wife,
and (recently) my son. It has been used to cook portions of every meal
and has worked well with everything from soups to rice dishes to
scrambled eggs. The smaller pot has only been used with my Snow Peak
backpacking stove. It is small enough that it easily balances on the
stove's arms and, when using the lid, heats quickly. The only
complaint about the small pot is that the lid must be used upside down
if a good seal is desired and this renders the fold-down wire handle
unusable. The only way to remove the lid is to grab the edge (possibly
using the Packtowl to insulate the fingers) or using the pot lifter
which can scratch the finish on the lid (though that is purely an
aesthetic issue and does not noticeably affect performance.)

The larger pot is only brought on car camping trips and has been used
on my Coleman camp stove as well as over wood fires. Unless there is a
very stable and level surface, it is a bit too large to be used on the
Snow Peak stove. This pot has also been used to cook a wide range of
foods and the non-stick coating works fairly well. After cooking, it
is used to boil water for cleaning the other pot and any utensils.

The included Packtowl comes in handy when lifting the lid while
cooking and works very well at scrubbing the pots and utensils while
cleaning up. It dries fairly quickly and fits nicely in between the
two pots when they are stored.

The PanHandler (pot lifter) works well on both pots without scratching
the non-stick coating though it does have a tendency to scratch the
lid if it used to lift it while cooking. This doesn't seem to affect
the performance of the cookset. My chief complaint with the pot lifter
is that it must be wrapped in a separate towel if it will be stored
inside the pots. Unfortunately, no second towel is provided and must
be obtained separately.

The non-stick coating works as advertised, at least while it lasts. It
doesn't seem to matter how carefully the pots are handled as the
non-stick coating seems to scratch fairly easily. The large pot hasn't
been handled very well (my son likes to play with it) and has picked
up several scratches. This is partially my fault as I could have taken
better care of it. On the other hand, the smaller pot has been very
carefully taken care of and still has managed to pick up a few
scratches to the non-stick coating. So far, none of these scratches
have caused too much trouble. Everything still cooks well but cleaning
the pot takes a bit more work. I'm watching closely to see if any of
the coating begins to flake off on its own, but no flaking has been
noticed yet.

On longer backpacking trips, the larger pot stays at home and the
Packtowl protects the inside of the smaller pot from the pot lifter
and the Snow Peak stove which I pack inside. The lid is placed on and
everything is packed in the stuff sack to help protect the finish. A
rubber band is then wrapped around it to help control the rattling.
The small pot works very well with my stove and cooks my one-pot meals
as well as the titanium mug that I also carry. The extra room is nice
as I don't have to watch for boil-over like I do with the mug.

THINGS I LIKE

     * Smaller pot works very well with my Snow Peak stove.
     * Larger pot holds quite a bit and works over both my camp stove
and an open fire.
     * Packs small and is light weight.

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

     * Fold-down handle on the lid is useless when used with the
smaller pot.
     * Lack of a second Packtowl to protect the inside of the smaller pot.
     * A little expensive.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer
Version 1. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Well here it is,

I submit for your editing enjoyment (I can hope, right?) my 100th
Owner Review. The HTML may be found here;

http://tinyurl.com/4vbsk7

I thank you in advance,

Ray



SOLE Ed Viesturs Signature Edition Footbeds
By Raymond Estrella

OWNER REVIEW
September 27, 2008

TESTER INFORMATION
NAME:  Raymond Estrella
EMAIL:  rayestrellaAThotmailDOTcom
AGE:  48
LOCATION:  Orange County, California, USA
GENDER:  M
HEIGHT:  6' 3" (1.91 m)
WEIGHT:  200 lb (90.70 kg)

I have been backpacking for over 30 years, all over California, and
in many of the western states and Minnesota. I hike year-round, and
average 500+ miles (800+ km) per year. I have made a move to
lightweight gear, and smaller volume packs. I start early and hike
hard so as to enjoy the afternoons exploring. I usually take a
freestanding tent and enjoy hot meals at night. If not hiking solo I
am usually with my wife Jenn or brother-in-law Dave.

The Product

Manufacturer: SOLE Custom Footbeds
Manufacturer's Website: www.yoursole.com
Product: Ed Viesturs Signature Edition footbeds
Year of Manufacture: 2008
MSRP: USD $49.95
Weight listed: N/A
Actual weight (pair): 4.8 oz (136 g)
Size: US men's size 11
Thickness of SOFTEC cushioning: 3.2 mm (0.13 in)
Color: blue with a mountaineering graphic of Ed climbing

Product Description

The SOLE Ed Viesturs Signature Edition footbeds (hereafter called the
SOLEs or footbeds) are a custom fit after-market insole made for use
in high-volume footwear, like my hiking and mountaineering boots.

The footbeds are composed of three layers. At the bottom is what
makes them custom. The base layer is made from a heat-moldable
material in an orthopedic shape that contours to the wearer's feet to
ensure better fit, support and foot alignment.

The middle layer is made of a material called Softec. This is the
cushioning agent of the footbeds, which the company claims "give
unparalleled shock absorption and comfort".

On the top, sitting against the foot is an antimicrobial odor
protection top-sheet that also wicks moisture away from the foot.

The footbed is extremely "shaped" as can be seen above. It has a deep
heel cup that is meant to align the foot during heel strike and
stride.

It also has a highly curved arch support that takes on the shape of
each user. The pair shown above have already been molded to fit my
feet.

On the bottom of the footbed near the highest point of the arch is a
small white sticker called the Opti-therm Molding Indicator. This
sticker, seen to the right, is meant to allow users to heat the
footbed to the proper temperature without getting it too hot. When it
turns from silver to black (as mine is here) it means that it is
ready to be fitted. More on this process later.

The web site listed above has complete written fitting instructions
as well as a video explaining it.

Field Data

Here are some of the trips I used the SOLE Ed Viesturs Signature
Edition footbeds on in 2008.

In my Lowa boots I used them for the following trips, all but the
last in snow with and without snowshoes.

An overnight trip with Jenn to American Fork Canyon, Utah in the
Wasatch Mountain Range the day after a snow storm. Starting elevation
of 6800 ft (2073 m) up to about 8400 ft (2560 m) with temperatures 37
F (3 C) in the day and just below 32 F (0 C) at night.

Another over-night trip with her at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
with the camp elevation at 8000 ft (2438 m). The daytime temperatures
were from 36 F (2 C) and a nighttime temperature of 5 F (-15 C).
There was snow on the ground from a trace amount to almost 3 ft (1 m)
drifts.

A 6 mile (10 km) day-hike with Jenn in San Jacinto State Park
Wilderness with 600 ft (183 m) of gain and loss.

Over two consecutive weekends Jenn and I went for over-nighters in
the same Park. We stayed at Round Valley at 9100' (2774 m) elevation,
on snow again and with temps down to 25 F (-4 C). The second trip saw
the temps climb to near 50 F (10 C).

And finally was a 79 mile (127 km) 3-1/2 day monster hike from Sonora
Pass down through the Emigrant Wilderness to Tuolumne Meadows in
Yosemite National Park. This hike saw 15200 (4633 m) of elevation
gain and almost the same loss, with temperatures that ranged from 83
to 43 F (28 to 6 C). My starting pack weight with food and 3 qt/L
water was exactly 37 lb (16.8 kg).

These trips were in Kayland Convert boots.

Two day-hikes in Minnesota, both at 900 ft (300 m) elevation and on
dirt farm roads. Temps were from 39 to 67 F (4 to 19 C) and I carried
no pack. I walked 8 and 10 miles (13 & 16 km) consecutively.

Next Jenn and I went to Limber Pine Bench in the San Gorgonio
Wilderness for an overnighter. The trails were fine, dirt and rock,
until just above 8500 ft (2590 m) where we started hitting lingering
snow. Temps were from 67 F to 40 F (20 to 4 C) with enough wind to
keep the mosquitoes away. We had 3680' (1122 m) of elevation gain in
6 miles (9.6 km) and a total of 12 miles for the trip (19.2 km). I
started with a 41 lb (18.6 kg) pack weight.

Two days at a primitive campground on the edge of the Mt San Jacinto
State Park Wilderness at an elevation of 6500 ft (1980 m).
Temperatures ranged from 76 to 55 F (24 to 13 C). We just did day-
hikes from camp, only on one did I carry a pack.

I took my twins Emma and Ray to Itasca State Park , the birthplace of
the Mississippi River where we got a permit for one of three sites at
Myrtle Lake.(Backpacking sites are issued, a new one for me.) This
four mile (6 km) round trip hike was on easy terrain as it is almost
all grass, at the worst dirt. I carried a big pack as I brought lots
of creature comforts as well as cold pizza in a soft cooler for my
picky eater son. Temps were from 64 to 80 F (18 to 27 C) at an
elevation of 1500 ft (460 m). My pack weight was around 42 lb (19 kg).

I wore them as Dave and I took the three nine-year olds to Round
Valley in San Jacinto State Park for an over-night trip with lots of
boulder climbing. We only hiked six miles (10 km) with 300 ft (100 m)
of elevation gain and loss, but I carried a lot of gear, including my
biggest three person tent and a soft-sided cooler. My pack weight was
over 50 lb (22.7 kg) walking on packed dirt and rock. The
temperatures ranged from a low of 55 F to a high of 80 F (13 to 27
C).

I wore them on a hiking/climbing trip with Jenn to Malibu Creek State
Park. The approach hike put 3 miles (5 km) on the boots in temps that
reached near 90 F (32 C).

I wore them on a two-day trip taking the South Fork Trail to a camp
site at Lodgepole in the San Bernardino National Forest. This 11 mile
(18 km) round trip hike had 3400 ft (1036 m) of gain and loss. It got
up to 83 F and only down to 59 F (28 to 15 C). I carried a 35 lb (16
kg) pack starting out up very rocky trails.

And last I wore them with Emma and Ray again on a three-day
backpacking trip to Maplewood State Park in Minnesota. We stayed at
the Beers Lake Backpacker site the first day and at the Grass
Backpacker site the second. The weather was great for two days then
rained the last. The temperatures were from 79 down to 61 F (44 to 34
C). We backpacked for 6 miles (10 km) with another few miles (5 km)
of exploring. The elevation was 1340 ft (408 m) above sea level. My
pack was near 50 lb (22.7 kg) starting out.

Observations

I have used after-market insoles of a non-moldable nature for many
years in boots that the stock pair doesn't cut it, or just to give
extra support to my high arches. I have kind of weird feet with
narrow heels, high arches and wide, but low forefoot and toes. Think
of a tall ugly duck with high arches. Give it a backpack and you have
Ray…

With my plastic-double boots I did not care for the stock felt inner
boots and bought a pair of custom heat molded inners that cost almost
as much as the boots themselves. So I was aware of the properties and
benefits of heat-moldable construction. But until meeting Jenn, I had
never thought of them for regular boots.

I was given these footbeds in early 2008 which I put into my Lowa
full hiking boots. I use these for long backpacking trips with heavy
weight and/or extreme trail conditions where I need lots of support,
and also for snowshoeing and winter hiking that does not call for my
plastic-doubles or full leather mountaineering boots.

I liked them so much that I bought another pair, the Ultra Softec
model, to put in my full leather La Sportiva Makalu mountaineering
boots.

The Ed Viesturs Signature Editions were heated and fit for me by
professionals. But the other pair I heated in my home oven utilizing
the Opti-therm Molding Indicator. I will relay the experience here as
the process is the same.

The package directions say to preheat my oven to 200 F (90 C), which
I did.

This is directly quoted from SOLE.

"Place your SOLE Custom Footbeds in the oven for exactly 2 minutes.
NOTE: Your SOLE Custom Footbeds come with the Opti-therm Molding
Indicator. This is the sticker on the bottom of the footbed. When
your footbeds have been heated to the correct temperature, the
indicator will change color from silver to black. This tells you your
footbed is done heating and is ready to mold. If the indicator hasn't
changed color after 2 minutes, continue to heat the footbed, checking
every 20 seconds for the indicator to change color. Once the
indicator has turned black remove the footbeds from the oven. If it
has not turned black after 4 minutes remove the insoles from the
oven, they will be ready to mold."

Following these directions I put the SOLE footbeds inside the oven
with the Opti-therm Molding Indicator dot showing. I then waited the
allotted time for the dot to change colors telling me it was time to
take them out.

And waited.

And waited.

I frantically re-read the instructions about the time it should take
for the dot to change color. As I could see inside the oven I did not
have to check every 20 seconds, instead I looked in the window every
10 seconds it seemed. I finally decided in a near panic at the four-
minute mark that I better just get them out before I ruined them or
something. (Of course me being an independent man I waited to do this
until my wife, who has been using the Sole footbeds for years was out
of town.) As I opened the stove the dot turned black. See, I had it
all under control…

I put the footbeds into my boots, wearing my normal winter socks I
then quickly put the boots on and stood in the kitchen with my feet
shoulder width apart and my toes pointed directly forward for two
minutes, per the directions. I made sure I was thinking heavy
thoughts to make sure that they formed properly. Note: Sole does not
say anything about this method of ensuring proper foot depression.
But heck, it can't hurt, right?

Once done the SOLE foodbeds felt great. The difference from the
normal after-market brands I have used for the past 20 years was very
noticeable.

While the Lowa boots I put the SOLE footbeds in have never given me
any problems as far as the stock insoles, I did notice that they were
more comfortable. My feet were not AS sore after a crazy high-
distance day backpacking in my favorite mountains. And when using
them for snowshoeing I found that they were warmer than the stock
insoles by a large factor. I am sure it is from the material as the
after-market inner boot in my plastic doubles are similar and made a
huge difference in warmth also.

The Kayland Convert boots absolutely killed my feet on a very hard
two-day 30 mile (58 km) hike that saw a brutal 20 mile (42 km) first
day with 6000 ft (290 m) of hard downhill pounding. My feet felt like
I had been walking on wooden slabs at the end of that grueling day. I
remembered reading that the SOLES can be switched between other
footwear.

As soon as I got back home I took the SOLEs out of the Lowas and put
them into the Converts. While the Converts had other issues, at least
putting the SOLE footbeds into them allowed me to continue the test
with no further foot soreness. They helped my foot fit the boots
better also which had been a major problem, but not well enough to
totally overcome the problems with the boots. If not for the Soles I
probably would have abandoned the test, or curtailed it to a point
that I may as well not have been using them. Instead I put another 12
days in the Converts. (Please thank SOLE, my Kayland friends.)

On a solo hike in Yosemite I was forced to do a 31 mile (50 km) day
in a pair of light weight mid boots that were not made for that kind
of travel. I ended up with a bad blister on the bottom of one foot,
and very sore feet. But what was worse was I had only five days until
a long-planned 79 mile (127 km) hike with Dave. I let my feet heal by
wearing sandals for the next few days and switched to the big Lowas
with the SOLE footbeds to make sure I did not have any reoccurrences
of the blister. After some pretty intense long days I had no problem
with my feet other than small blisters on the top/sides of my little
toes from sliding forward on the steep descents for hours at a time.
That could not be helped by footbeds.

I have seen no deterioration of the material. They look the same
today as when I got them.

I am pretty impressed with the SOLE footbeds. I will continue to use
them in all of the boots which they will fit in. I have a pair of
Vasque boots I am using right now that the Soles just take too much
volume with. (The Vasques are almost too narrow for me as it is.) And
I can't use them in my trail runners and low hiking shoes. But Jenn
says I should try the lower volume models for these uses, so I may be
getting some other SOLEs in the future. If I do, stay tuned to this
Bat-channel. I will surely report my findings here.

I'm back. Richard

Hi Ray

> I submit for your editing enjoyment (I can hope, right?) my 100th
> Owner Review.
Woo Hoo! Congrats! An epic achievement!

Cheers
Roger

EDIT:  OR - SOLE footbeds - Ray Estrella

Delete all commas!

Cheers
Roger

--- In BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com, "Roger Caffin" <r.caffin@...>
wrote:
>
> EDIT:  OR - SOLE footbeds - Ray Estrella
>
> Delete all commas!

Thanks Roger,

Actually the post-it note says, Delete "of". That was the bane of my
early  BGT existence.

And too many commas. Now I just use too many dots…

He he

Ray

Edit:  SOLE footbeds - Ray Estrella

Hi Ray

100th eh? Well done!
Some edits for you to consider, plus the usual slew of my
'meant-to-be-humerous' comments.

I did try to find 100 edits just for this occasion, but no joy.

Folder at:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Footwear/Footbeds%20and%20Insoles/SOLE%2\
0Ed%20Viesturs%20Signature%20Edition/

Cheers
Roger Caffin
BGT Editor
------------------------------
> Yosemite National Park. This hike saw 15200 (4633 m) of elevation
EDIT: Missing 'ft' or ' symbol

> started with a 41 lb (18.6 kg) pack weight.
> My pack weight was around 42 lb (19 kg).
> My pack weight was over 50 lb (22.7 kg)
> My pack was near 50 lb (22.7 kg) starting out.
Comment: Man, you got rocks in your head!  Way too heavy!

> I have used after-market insoles of a non-moldable nature for many
> years in boots that the stock pair doesn't cut it
Edit: maybe you could make this just a bit clearer?
'in boots where the supplied pair doesn't ...'

> Think of a tall ugly duck with high arches. Give it a backpack
> and you have Ray.
Comment: does it quack?

> With my plastic-double boots I did not care for the stock felt inner
> boots and bought a pair of custom heat molded inners that cost almost
> as much as the boots themselves.
Edit: I am confused here, so others may be also. I though the felt
inner boots which sometimes come with plastic boots were an essential
part of the design, meant for insulation. Did you discard them
completely? If so, what about the volume the felt boots filled? Or did
you add the inners to the felt boots?

> But until meeting Jenn, I had never thought of them for regular boots.
Edit: um ... what has meeting Jenn got to do with custom inner soles?
Confused.

> The Ed Viesturs Signature Editions were heated and fit for me by
EDIT: 'fitted'

> until my wife, who has been using the Sole footbeds for years was out
Comment: myself, I would either delete the comma or add one after 'years'

> I put the footbeds into my boots, wearing my normal winter socks I
Edit: longish sentence. I would prefer to break it at the comma, OR
insert 'then' after the comma.

> Note: Sole does not say anything about this method of ensuring
proper foot
Edit?: Maybe 'SOLE', to be consistent with other use?

> My feet were not AS sore after a crazy high-distance day backpacking
Comment: boots .... give me joggers any day.

> They helped my foot fit the boots better also which had been a major
EDIT: either 'feet', or 'boot' - all singular or all plural.

> I am pretty impressed with the SOLE footbeds. I will continue to use
> them in all of the boots which they will fit in.
Edit: I am left wondering whether you have just one pair of SOLE
inners which you are swapping around between different shoes, or
several. The confusion in my mind is because I was thinking that the
different shoes surely have slightly different shapes, so surely you
should mold the inner to suit each one?

I can't use them in my trail runners and low hiking shoes.
Edit: why not? Enquiring minds want to know!

Congratulations on your 100th review.  Quite an accomplishment.

Pam

Yes Ray very well done.

Good on you Mate!, Bonza effort!

---- Original Message ----
From: pamwyant@...
To: BackpackGearTest@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BackpackGearTest] Congrats Ray!
Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2008 03:30:30 -0000

>Congratulations on your 100th review.  Quite an accomplishment.
>
>Pam
>

Regards,

Mark McLauchlin
Proprietor
Swan Valley IT
ABN: 60 288 056 889
Mobile: 0400787459
Email: mark@...
_________________________________
MSN: markmclauchlin@...

"This message and any attachments may contain proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or
you received the message in error, you must not use or distribute the
message. Please notify the sender immediately and destroy the
original message. Thank you."

Hi Roger,

Thank you for the help and edits as always. I made all changes and
added to make things clearer about the inner-boots of the plastic
doubles. I actually replaced the entire inner-boot. The felt ones are
gone. I tend to forget that not everyone knows what I am thinking…

I tried to make it clearer also that these (and the other pair I
bought) are for high volume boots. That is why they can't be used in
running shoes and such. They make thinner types for other shoes, but I
do not have any. I tend to go through my trail runners pretty quick and
with the weight I carry with them on being so low I do not have any
issues with most supplied insoles.

I will upload it, but if you think I need to be clearer yet let me know.

Ray

> OOP until 20 October - André Corterier

Business trip, unfortunately. I may or may not get to Edit things in
between - I'll find out when I get there.

André

Thank you guys,

It actually has become quite easy.

Every time I buy a new piece of gear I make a folder for it in my
Futures section of my BGT folder. I take pictures as soon as I get
it, and set up a template of the review. Then at the end of each trip
after I write up my trip log I add comments to the review in progress
while it is fresh in my mind. When I decide I have enough use I pull
one out and put the finishing touches on it. I can finish one in less
than a couple hours. I do them on plane flights quite often. I may
write up some trekking poles today on my flight.

I just looked, and I have 26 possible reviews in the Futures folder
right now. Not all of them will be written up though. If I don't like
something I won't bother putting the time in with it. And lots of
shoes and boots get discontinued before I can get enough use because
of testing commitments (which take priority for my time in the
field). So they get dumped too. But I still end up with a lot to
contribute.

And it helps that I like talking about gear. (I am not allowed to
talk about girls…) ;-)

Ray

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. 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. 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(at)hotmail.com

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.

Once your first two Owner Reviews have been approved and you have
submitted your Tester Agreement you will be eligible to start
applying for Tests. If you'd like more assistance or guidance with
the process you can request a mentor by sending an email to Jenn K.,
the mentor coordinator, at mentor (at) backpackgeartest.org.

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 while it's in
the edit queue, the entire Owner Review Queue is posted to this
yahoo group list on either Thursdays or 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 Manager

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. 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. 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(at)hotmail.com

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.

Once your first two Owner Reviews have been approved and you have
submitted your Tester Agreement you will be eligible to start
applying for Tests. If you'd like more assistance or guidance with
the process you can request a mentor by sending an email to Jenn K.,
the mentor coordinator, at mentor (at) backpackgeartest.org.

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 while it's in
the edit queue, the entire Owner Review Queue is posted to this
yahoo group list on either Thursdays or 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 Manager