Mountainsmith's Approach 35 Pack - Gear Review

Back in December I was introduced to a pack company with a nice mix of hiking and mountaineering packs.  Mountainsmith makes packs ranging in size from 20 liter commuter packs to gear swallowing 90 liter expedition packs.  Our first experience was with the incredibly versatile Approach 35.  Blurring the line between overnight scrambler and universal traveler, this pack was loaded with cool features, including being FAA approved carry-on size.

Mountainsmith's Approach 35 

I love pockets! and this pack has a few of every kind.  Exterior zipper, exterior mesh with elastic and interior stash pockets make keeping your gear organized and accessible a breeze.  The large mesh pocket that hides behind the front "pod" on this pack was a brilliant addition.  It is large enough to stow rain gear or your wet stuff to keep everything else dry while being easily accessible.  I kept my rain gear in there so when the clouds  in the mountains of Hawaii dumped, I could have my jacket on in seconds flat.  The side panel pockets are big enough to hold my Nalgene water bottle too, which is something that should be an absolute requirement.  One that several packs we have tested fall short on.

Clam Shell zipper style makes loading & unloading easy as it gets

The "clam shell" design allows you access to any part of this pack without unloading the whole thing every time you need something.  It also lets you cram more gear inside that you would think possible.  We filled every inch of the 47 liter interior of this pack for our flight home and we never could have done the same job with a traditional top loader.  Even stuffed to the gills this pack was comfortable to wear and stayed right where it was supposed to.  It took me a while to get it adjusted properly, but once I found the sweet spot I could hardly tell it was there.  A variety of loops allow for clipping on or hanging larger gear items to this pack as well.  In my opinion you can never have enough places to clip on a caribiner.

The material seems rugged and fairly water resistant.  The few showers I encountered did not manage to get the interior of the pack wet.  According the their site the Approach relies heavily on recycled materials.  Each pack takes 18 recycled 16 ounce water bottles out of the landfill.  How's that for huggin' a tree?

MSRP: $125

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Christopher Ward C60 Trident Automatic - Gear Review

Hi-Tech can be cool, but there are times when simplicity reigns supreme.  My wristwatch is one instance where I feel less is more.  I have tried several ABC (altimeter, barometer and compass) watches, and they provide interesting information.  On the down side, accuracy of these features is questionable in many cases.  What good is a compass when you can't trust the heading it gives you???

Christopher Ward is a young watch company, launched in 2005, yet they have taken the watch world by storm.   These watches are the quintessential example of our mantra "quality gear that won't break the bank".  Designed and built to standards that make brands like Tag Heuer and Rolex sweat, but without the 5 figure price-tag.

We had the opportunity to test the C60 Trident Automatic, a watch that took it's design styling from the iconic 1954 Rolex GMT Master.  An elegant dive watch that is as at home with a business suit as it is with a wet-suit.  Sporting a 1000 foot depth rating, I can take this watch anywhere I want to without fear of wrecking it.  Powered by either the ETA 2824-2 or Sellita SW200-1 movement (identical, for all intensive purposes), used by several top name watch makers, these self winding automatic movements are everything you expect from a Swiss watch.

Aesthetically this watch is amazing.  It looks like it would be right at home in a collection of heirloom timepieces.  I have owned Tag's and Ebel's, neither of which had the style of the C60 Trident, and were at least triple the price.  The wavy black face, the pitchfork looking Trident second hand and the amazingly bright Super-Luminova glow-in-the-dark indicators all bring a touch of style that momentarily makes you forget this is a watch designed to be used, not admired in a glass case.  And all for only $499!  Take that Rolex.

If you are in the market for a new watch, you have to look at the Christopher Ward line-up.  Forget tracking your GPS location and heart rate, and get a timepiece that does one thing incredibly well, keep time.  You will  have a watch that you can pass on to the next generation, and still have a little cash in your pocket.  What more can you ask for?

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Osprey's Escapist 30 Multi-Use Pack - Gear Review

A trend to create the ultimate do-anything, go-anywhere pack has been surfacing among the top manufacturers.  Osprey Packs latest entry is the Escapist.  We had the chance to bring it along to Hawaii for a couple of weeks and, man, do we like...

We tested the larger of the two sizes, 20 & 30 liter.  From heading to the beach to hiking the trails around the 7 sacred pools in Hana, this bag had room to spare for any day outing we had. Two large top-zip compartments handle the bulk of the gear, but the base pocket came in handy more than once stashing wet stuff away and keeping the rest of the bags contents protected.

The pack rides tight to your back, while still providing ample air circulation.  Super light vented harness and hip belt along with the AirScape back-sheet make it light and stable.  The fit and load distribution make this a great climbing and bike pack, while still making many hiking specific packs hide from shame.  There is a "Lid Lock" helmet attachment and organizers inside to keep your bike tools handy, for the bikers out there.  Side mesh pockets, a zipped stash pocket at the top and several internal organizers make this a commuter friendly pack too.  Let's not forget your hydration system, the Escapist comes ready for them all.

I love to see this from a technical pack maker like Osprey.  The "one pack to rule them all" methodology is usually impossible, but unless you are planning a serious multi-day trek this pack will handle whatever you have cooking.  Light and nimble enough for an afternoon hike, yet capable of carrying everything I need for a long weekend deep in the woods.  As usual it was bomber built and backed by the Osprey "All Mighty Guarantee", one of the best in the business.

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Who's been to the BWCA? Where? When?

Anyone ever been up around Sawbill Lake (EP#38)???

We booked an entry permit for Sawbill lake in early June.  There are simply a ton of options for that area and we want to know what you think is worth seeing or doing. We have been talking to the good people at Sawbill Outfitters just steps from the entry point and they are as in tune with that neck-of-the-woods as anyone could be, but we thought we'd put it to Paddle Junkie Nation and see what you come up with.

Fishing is different in every direction, campsite numbers and ability to hold our group of 6 to 8 guys is also a concern.  We are looking for a well balanced trip.  Some fishing (nothing beats a shore lunch fish fry), but we like to check things out too.  Waterfalls, cliff jumping locations, cool old stuff, tell us about it.

Tell us about your favorite spots.  They may be no where near here, but that's OK.  We'll be going again, so most amazing island campsites and secret fishing holes are the tid-bits of paddler love we are looking for.

Comment here, Facebook, tweet it to death....  the more feedback the happier we'd be.

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