Slumberjack Big Timber Review

Slumberjack Big TimberIt has been many years since I stopped backpaking. I wanted a sleeping bag that would keep me warm and was tough as nails. This bag is not for woosey tofu eating backpakers, (like I used to be). The outside shell is tough waterproof heavy canvas, and the bag would keep you sleeping like a baby on the Polar Ice Cap. This is the most serious sleeping bag I have ever seen in my life. Warm and tough and soft and comfy. I bought a canvas tent with this and it would withstand a storm on an alien planet. If the end of the world comes this bag is what you want. It is extra long also. Forgot to mention that.

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Product Description:
Slumberjack Big & Lil Timber 110003 By Slumberjack

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Wenzel 2008 Windy Pass 0-Degree Mummy Sleeping Bag (Black/Red) Review

Wenzel 2008 Windy Pass 0-Degree Mummy Sleeping BagOk let me start by saying I'm researching survival stuff (best bang for the buck). The one thing I wanted to let people know is you may get cold at zero degrees or 15 degrees but you will be alive the next day, that is something that people get confused on with sleeping bags. Now, after I got this bag out I climbed inside remembering the previous reviews on ripping fabric I carefully zipped it up and could reall feel the bag heating up. Everything was going fine with a little care until I tried to close the top red part around my head with the pull tie.....it ripped, fabric tore, stitching popped, and I was instantly disappointed because of how a few little odd ends can ruin a great product. The bags tearing in certain areas kills the deal for me, I'll try and repair it but don't have alot of faith it will hold together for future use. Find a better bag to buy guys

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Product Description:
Wenzel, the original family camping company, has long felt that next to a quality tent, a good sleeping bag is the most important necessity when it comes to enjoying the camping experience. It's tough to appreciate the outdoors if you can't get a good night's sleep, which is why Wenzel offers a sleeping bag for every temperature range.
The 33-by-84-inch (W x H) Windy Pass sleeping bag is an affordable, mummy-style bag rated to a chilly zero degrees Fahrenheit. A built-in drawstring hood helps keep body heat in, and 56-ounces of non-allergenci Omega II polyester fill will keep you toasty throughout the night. A full-length three-inch draft tube and five-inch shoulder collar ensure comfort every evening, and the polyester inner and outer layers feature offset quilt construction for maximum warmth and durability. A self-repairing, two-way zipper with anti-snag tape will hold up over years of heavy use. The Windy Pass includes an Oxford stuff sack that compresses with two elastic straps.
About Wenzel Camping Gear
Wenzel, established in 1887 and originally an outfitter for explorers and pioneers, was one of the first family camping equipment companies in America. It's Wenzel's mission to help families remember the times of 10 miles a day, not 75 miles an hour, to spend time listening to chirping birds and babbling brooks, not pinging instant messages and ringing cell phones.
The company seeks to create the modern tools that families require to escape to and reconnect with the great outdoors. Each Wenzel product is run through a very specialized filter--Wenzel employees' families. Wenzel knows what family camping is like, which is why the company makes tents that are easy to set up and take down, sleeping bags that feel big and cozy but pack small, and pads that smooth out the roughest forest floor. Wenzel strives to be an ambassador to the great outdoors, encouraging families to return to the place where memories are made.
Amazon.com Sleeping Bag Guide
Sleep Well: Finding the Right Sleeping Bag
Sleeping bag technology has come a long way from the days of cowboy bedrolls. These days, there are a number of high-tech materials and designs available to keep you warm during the coldest outings. Here's a short list of things to keep in mind when you're shopping for a bag:
Buy for Cold
It's a safe bet that on at least one of your adventures, the nighttime temperature will drop unexpectedly. That's why it's smart to buy a bag that's rated for the lowest possible temperature you expect to face on your camping and backpacking trips. For summer trips, a bag rated at +35 degrees or higher will likely do the trick. If you like to camp in higher elevations in the summer, or if spring and fall outings are in your future, consider bags rated from +10 to +35. Winter adventurers should look for bags in the -10 to +10 range, while those on serious winter alpine climbs and expeditions will want a bag rated lower than -10.
Keep in mind that sleeping bag manufacturers' temperature ratings only estimate the minimum temperature at which the bag will provide warmth. Take these numbers with a grain of salt, as different folks generate different amounts of heat when they sleep. If you're the type who likes to pile on the covers even on warmer nights, go for a bag that's rated ten degrees colder. The opposite is true for "warm" sleepers--a 35-degree bag will probably work for you on a 25-degree night.
Goose or No Goose?
The most important component of any sleeping bag is its insulating material. Modern sleeping bags offer two choices: goose down or synthetic. While both materials have advantages and disadvantages, down bags are considered superior because of their phenomenal warmth-to-weight and warmth-to-bulk ratios. While providing great insulation, down is extremely compressible and light. There's a reason why geese can fly and stay warm through the winter! Down also boasts great long-term durability and will typically retain its insulating properties after years of use.
All of that said, there are many high-quality synthetic bags on the market and synthetic materials are getting better all the time. While a synthetic bag will weigh somewhat more than a down bag at an equivalent temperature rating, synthetic bags perform better when wet. (Yes, the Achilles heel of down is that it loses all insulating properties when wet.) If your trips take you to wet climates, you may want to consider a synthetic bag for this reason alone. Keep in mind, too, that many people are allergic to down--synthetic bags are non-allergenic. Finally, down is considerably more expensive than synthetic, which might tip the balance for adventurers on a budget.
Bags for All Shapes
Sleeping bags come in two basic shapes that reflect their intended use. Mummy-shaped bags offer the best warmth because they conform to the body's contours. This minimizes the amount of body heat the body must put out to maintain a constant temperature. Many mummy bags are offered in women-specific shapes and sizes, as well. Rectangular bags, while they do offer more room to toss and turn, are less thermally efficient because they contain more open air space. Also, they are typically heavier than mummy bags, and are generally not offered with down insulation, making them best suited for car camping or short backpacking trips.
Pad Yourself
No matter what kind of bag you choose, a sleeping pad is a required accessory. Not only do they provide much-needed comfort when sleeping on the ground, pads also offer crucial warmth for your backside, as the weight of your body compresses--and renders virtually useless--the sleeping bag insulation that lies beneath you.


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Globe Skimmer Ultrlt Trp 10X12 Review

Globe Skimmer Ultrlt Trp 10X12It's a mixed blessing. I bought it instead of a one man tent, b/c I wanted:
to save weight
to save $
and I heard tarps are all the rage in ultralight backpacking nowadays.
I spent loads of time online researching various ways to set it up. Using 2 trekpoles, rigging as a tarp tent w/ one trekpole, rigging it between 2 trees using a paracord roofline. Foul weather rigging etc...

I've taken it out overnighting now 4 - 6 times. 1/2 of the time it withstood rain very well b/c I was able to rig it well. The other 1/2 of the time...I would not have wanted to be there if it was raining. I've also yet to encounter serious winds....this scares me, especially if you can't stake it well.

Sometimes it has taken me 1/2 hour ,or more ,to get it rigged well enough to feel confident in it. Sometimes I was able to do it in 5 -10 minutes. It all depends on how much room you have, are there boulders that prevent you from staking where you need to? Are the trees close enough? etc...if the soil is rocky, you better hope you have some trees...that's an argument for something w/ poles instead. At least you can set up a tent without stakes if you must...

So, it can be both fun/creative to set up, and be frustrating. Better hope it isn't raining and windy when it is time to set it up! And by the time I added some $15 mosquito netting and a $15 cheapo survival bivy bag/ground cloth, I was inching towards the weight and cost of a quality ultralight $$$ one man tent , quality bivy bag, or quality one man poncho tent. Had I had another $100 or more to spend, I would've gone w/ an ultralight $$$ one man tent, $$$ bivy or $$ poncho tent.

But , for the $ I saved at the time, and the brainpower I've used rigging it, it has been worth it.

Plus I've learned all kinds of new knots! Go to [...] for rigging and knot videos. Also youtube etowah8x10 tarp set up for the easiest fair weather tarptent . see adventure alan for more on ultralight backpacking.

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Product Description:
Manufactured from rugged, 1.9oz ripstop nylon with 3/4 urethane coating for water-proofness. Includes reinforced brass grommets, spread approximately every three feet and double stitched key seams. 10 by 12 feet.

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Ledge Featherlite Bag Review

Ledge Featherlite BagI bought this bag a little over two years ago. I needed something cheap and didn't want to spend $400 bucks on a top of the line Big Agnes. The bag is awesome. Perfect for backpacking. Super light. It has worked great. Have no desire to buy a nice feathered downed even if I had the money to do so. The synthetic works great. One huge plus for me was the bag it comes in has six straps attached to it so you can tighten and compact the bag to about 10" x 12". Would definitely buy this one again.

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Product Description:
Ledge Featherlite Bag By Ledge

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Eureka Pinnacle Pass/Apex 2 Backcountry Footprint Review

Eureka Pinnacle Pass/Apex 2 Backcountry FootprintThis is just for the footprint AKA groundcloth that goes under the tent.The product features tell you all about the tent that this footprint fits!

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Product Description:
Fitted footprints for your tent is a tent saver. Not just a standard floorsaver, these fitted footprints are specially shaped to fit tents with nonstandard footprints. They are constructed well, lightweight and durable. They are built to protect that specific tent floor shape so it will provide the best protection. When you buy that special Eureka tent, treat it that way with its own fitted footprint from Eureka.

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Eagles Nest Outfitters FastFly Raintarp Review

Eagles Nest Outfitters FastFly RaintarpThis is my second rainfly purchase from ENO. The stitching and seems hold up well, the tightening system is ingenious, and will stand up to years of use. The only reason it's not five stars is because it's a little heavier than I'd hoped for.

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Product Description:
Rain is beautiful. It's being wet that really sucks. Imagine the bliss of resting in a hammock during a spring rain. Frogs singing, droplets splashing on the leaves, the fresh smell of a forest washed clean: all while you stay completely dry. Welcome to heaven. The FastFly's perfectly contoured drip lines will cover you and your gear, and its four-point connection system is a snap to setup. With enough room to cook while sitting in your hammock, you have all your essentials covered. When the rain quits, just stuff it and get back on the trail. ENO offers the outdoor enthusiast a versatile, high-quality option for forging through rough weather. This product complements all ENO hammocks and is displayed with lightweight, rip-stop tarps and shelters. The FastFly can be used with other brands of hammocks as well as independently, to shade and protect your buddies, gear, clothes, or dog.

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Columbia Adventure Quest II Light Duty Mummy Sleeping Bag Review

Columbia Adventure Quest II Light Duty Mummy Sleeping BagUPDATE 3/18/2010:
I used this to get through our recent power outage. The house was 40 degrees and I stayed warm (as long as I kept my head tucked in) and relatively comfortable. I also want to note that the memory foam area at the top has stayed pretty well. I would GLADLY get another one, but the construction of this bag is so strong that I think this is going to last a LONG time.

I bought one of these for myself, and a different one for my son for a camping trip we took. This thing is warm. At night it was about 50 degrees and I had to open it up a bit. This is not a bad thing, and I wasn't about to buy 2 different bags. Opening the bag makes it quite comfortable and I highly recommend it. It rained all night when we were out, and while we were in a tent, and we had pads, I was pretty comfortable and slept very well. A little background...I hadn't gone camping in over 25 years....ehem. My son was dying to go, and I used to love it. I was thinking it was a big mistake. It wasn't. We had a great time, and the bag is great. The only negatives I can give is that it is a little tough to wrap it back up, and mostly, it's heavy. I know 3.5 lbs. doesn't seem like a lot, but it all adds up. I thought it was 1 lb., but I misread, and it is 1 lb. of thermalC fill. If you don't think that you will need a thirty degree bag, save the weight and buy a lighter bag. I know there are lighter 30 degree bags, but I haven't tried them, and I don't know how warm they will keep you. This one should easily keep you warm. At the gold box price, this is a great deal. Construction is very good, and it doesn't feel like it will rip/tear easily. It's nice and long, I'm 5'11" and I have plenty of legroom.

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Product Description:
Columbia Adventure Quest II light duty mummy sleeping bag

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