Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro Hammock - Long Term Review

This was my first hammock purchase, and it came highly recommended by someone I met while shopping for backpacking supplies. I've since bought (or won) 3 more hammocks and we've even built a "hammock hang" in our back yard. While I've not actually taken it camping yet, I have slept in it multiple times in the yard and I've been quite pleased with it so far.

Specs:

• Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro
• 10'6" x 5'
• 26.45 oz
• 400 lb capacity
• Lifetime warranty

                       

Features I Love:

• This hammock feels huge. No issues with sleeping on the diagonal or rolling around at night.
• The parachute nylon is rugged yet breathable.
• The stitching is holding up well and the zippers are smooth and easy to use.
• It's wonderfully bug free.
• Hanging ropes are included.
• The stuff sack has a mesh section to allow air flow making it less likely to mildew if the hammock is damp when packed.

Things I Don't Love:

• The mosquito netting is very fine and soft and easily snagged or ripped. Even the carabiners and melted ends of the included hang ropes can cause snags.
• The netting suspension shock cord is a giant pain. It's thin and way too long, plus it came knotted on both ends. It's constantly a tangled mess and I have to keep trying to come up with creative ways to hang it.
• It's huge. It packs so much larger and heavier than my ENO Double Nest!
• I wish it had an interior pocket for a phone, wallet, etc.
• The colors. Olive and Khaki, Navy and Forest, or Camoflage - seriously, Ugh.

 Other Notes:

• I've found that as a side sleeper with hip issues, I've had to hang it much flatter and tighter than normally recommended to keep my hips from fallling asleep.
• With a 50 degree sleeping bag as an interior liner and a self-inflating sleeping pad as a base, I've found it completely comfortable to sleep in as low as 40 degrees with just a fleece blanket on top.

 Long Term Updates:

• I had my seamstress make DIY under and top quilts with a pair of Costco Double Black Diamond Down Throws, and I'm now toasty to 45 degrees without having to fight with a pad and sleeping bag. A second layer of unaltered throws (one between the hammock and underquilt, and one over the top quilt) has me quite warm as low as 37 (and probably lower, but I haven't tested that yet).
• I've learned the secret of the 30 degree hang, and now have zero issues with hip, back, or shoulder pain.
• The stupid bug net shock cord disintegrated after the first year, so I replaced it with standard cord. This turned out to be a bad decision, as the shock cord gave the bug net some give, and without that give, the hangers have begun pulling out of the their anchors and ripping the bug net. It's currently holding up with Gorilla Tape, but it's sucky that the net is that fragile.
• On that note, the bug net also now has multiple holes in it, also patched and holding with Gorilla Tape.

Overall, I'm still pleased with it, even for backpacking, but I'm disappointed in the bug net's glaring design flaws.

Cstomer Service/Warranty Update:

I was searching websites to see if there was a better option than the Skeeter Beeter Pro that was still affordable. During this search, I stumbled across Grand Trunk's warranty repair/replacement policy. Even though my hammock was over 2 years old, I figured "what the heck" and I filled out their online warranty form and sent a picture as requested. I then waitied for an email with return/repair directions or a shipping label. Instead, a week later, a brand new hammock arrived in my mailbox. No email, no shipping label, no directions, nothing - just an invoice showing no charge, warranty replacement. Holy WOW!! I am so impressed by this!

I also ordered their new Skeeter Beeter, the XT. I will be reviewing that next year when I've had a chance to use it a few times.

Women's Hiking Boot Shoot Out

WOMEN'S HIKING BOOTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I'm an over-50 heavyweight "athlete" who enjoys alpine skiing, mountain biking, hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, nordic skiing, and disc golf (oh, and I also run and road bike). While hiking, I'm usually carrying a daypack of around 13 lbs or a full backpack of around 30 lbs.

My crazy weird feet:  Street shoe size 7 1/2-8, running shoe size 8-8 1/2, ski boot size 23.5 (men's 5).  I have a wide forefoot and super narrow heel with narrow but bony ankles and flat arches with pronation and a medium to high instep. I also have a history of bunion removal and neuroma surgery on the right foot with a second neuroma flaring on and off, and a stress fracture on the left. Actual foot measurements (unsupported): Right = 235 mm long, 98 mm at widest, 65 mm heel width. Left = 242 mm long, 95 mm at widest, 70 mm heel width.


MID WEIGHT/BREATHABLE MODELS

Merrell Reflex Mid (Size 7.5 or 8? tag illegible)

• Fit:  Wide through the toe box, medium through the mid foot and heel. Runs true to size.
• Feel:  Heavy weight and bomb proof. Mid height ankle wrap. Heavy weight padded tongue.
• On The Trail:  I bought the Reflex used, and found them to be a super heavy duty shoe well adapted to use as disc golf shoes on hilly courses. The toe box is one of the widest I've encountered, perfect for my weirdly wide forefoot and cranky neuroma. They are well padded everywhere with reasonable trail feel and a decent tread. The waterproofing works well in all but the wettest conditions, but their breathability suffers a bit from the mostly leather upper.
• Complaints:  The wider heel does result in a bit of heel slip for me (not as much an issue while playing disc golf as when hiking) and the tongue tends to float sideways. They are too hot and heavy for long distances on warm days.

Merrell Moab Mid GTX (Size 8)

• Fit:  Mid width fore and mid foot, narrow heel.  Runs true to size.
• Feel:  Light but sturdy with lower ankle wrap and good trail feel. Ankle wrap is supportive with just enough padding.
• On The Trail: The trail feel of the Moab is quite nice, with just the right amount of flex, support, and padding for long hikes with lighter packs. The waterproofing works as expected without being stiflingly hot. If your foot fits this shoe, it is a real winner!
• Complaints:  I really like the feel of the Moab, but the shape just isn't right for my foot. Even a short 2-3 miler flares my neuroma up until I'm limping like Quasimoto.

Keen Voyageur Mid (Size 24.5, remainder of tag illegible)

• Fit:  Wide through the toe box and mid foot, medium heel. Runs true to length but wide.
• Feel:  Light weight with a stiffer sole. High ankle wrap with minimal padding. Well padded tongue.
• On The Trail:  The Voyageur was my first pair of high-end hikers purchased new and my first pair of Keens. I love the wide toe box and the sturdy toe bumper! The stock insole is fairly stiff and supportive. Their breathability is great given the mostly leather upper and small ventilation areas. Despite the "Waterproof" tag on the outside of the boot, they are not waterproof at all. Stepping into a puddle will result in soaking wet feet! The sole material and tread is pretty good in soft and sandy terrain, but it gets really slippery when wet.
• Complaints:   The wider mid foot allows my feet to slide forward and smash my toes on inclines no matter how tight I tie them. The minimally padded ankle wrap and thickly padded tongue dig into my ankle bones and even give me bruises on longer hikes. The leather is holding up well, but the stitching is not. The laces are awful (they've stretched and twisted and refused to stay tied even when double bowed).

Hi-Tec Penrith Mid WP (Size 8.5)

• Fit:  Wide through the toe box and mid foot, mid-to-narrow heel. Runs 1/2 size small.
• Feel:  Light weight with a softer sole and great trail feel.  Lower ankle wrap with nice padding. Low and well padded tongue.
• On The Trail:  The Penrith is wide enough in the toe box and forefoot to not irritate my neuroma, even at my longest distances. I love the trail feel of these; you absolutely know exactly what you're stepping on, but that delicate feel doesn't translate into any instability at all. In addition, the flex area under the ball of the foot is functional and well placed. While the ankle wrap is lower, it's very well padded with 2 rows of speed laces, so it's easy to get that area very tight resulting in super support and stability despite the low height. In addition, the tongue is well padded but not super wide, so this is one of the few mid height shoes I've owned that don't dig into my ankle bones when tightly laced.  The waterproofing is exceptional - I've been on hikes in mist and rain where the rest of my body was soaked while my feet remained bone-dry, yet my feet have never felt hot and sweaty in these on even the warmest days. The tread is neither wonderful, nor awful, it just works well in most conditions.
• Complaints:  The Penrith's wide mid foot tends to give me rub spots under the right big toe sesamoids and on both the inside and outside of the arch area on both feet unless I wear really thick and well padded socks. Update on this - I've discovered the arch rub was actually a function of using both my orthotics and the stock insoles. Once I tried wearing them without my orthotics, that issue totally disappeared. Yay!

Oboz Sawtooth Mid B-Dry (Size 8.5)

• Fit:  Wide toe box, mid to narrow mid foot and heel. Runs 1/2 size small but true to width.
• Feel:  Sturdy but not super heavy with stiff soles. Higher ankle wrap and tongue with lots of padding. Very little trail feel.
• On The Trail:  The Sawtooth is a bombproof shoe that feels like having bulldozers on your feet. They have handled my weight plus a 30 lb pack, remaining perfectly supportive under the load. The tread is exceptional and sticky, even in damp and muddy conditions. The stiff shank in the sole means you feel almost nothing on the trail. The thick, wide out sole and higher, well padded ankle wrap gives tremendous support for weak ankles on rough terrain. The stock insoles are thick, stiff, and very supportive with small cushioned areas front and rear. The proprietary B-Dry waterproofing works as expected, although it doesn't breathe very well, making for hot feet on warm days. The narrow mid foot and heel keep the foot firmly planted in the shoe on inclines. The laces are oversized and round, and very stiff at first.
• Complaints:  Only a minor gripe regarding the ankle wrap and tongue and my super skinny and bony ankles so far. The fit runs a bit deep, so I needed to add very thin gel padding under the stock foot beds to bring my "short" feet up into the upper boot. The Sawtooth definitely requires a break-in period. All the materials are sturdy and stiff, so this one takes a while to soften up and fit really well. My first 5 hikes resulted in massive heel blisters, so I've taken to using the duct-tape trick on both heels and wearing a super-thin polypro liner sock under my hiking socks when wearing these, and it's totally possible that I bought these 1/2 to a full size too large.
• Update:  I'm now almost sure I bought them at least a full size too large. 

 Mountain Warehouse Retrieve Waterproof Soft Shell (Size 8)

• Fit:  Mid to wide toe box, mid to narrow mid foot and heel. Runs true to size.
• Feel:  Supple and light weight. Very supportive with great trail feel.
• On The Trail:  So happy with this boot!! I had never even heard of Mountain Warehouse when we stumbled over them at an outlet mall 2 weeks ago. I love the raspberry color (also offered in teal) and soft, but not flimsy nature of the material, as well as the higher and well padded collar with 3 sets of speed hooks. I would consider the Retrieve a true high-top rather than a mid boot, resulting in exceptional ankle protection and support. I was skeptical about the waterproofing of the soft shell material, but a hike in the rain and a pond crossing on a "floating" bridge that actually sank the full depth of my boot tops quickly set my mind at ease on that issue. The tread pattern has been grippy and secure in all the conditions I've encountered so far, and my usual gripe about boot laces was also quickly quashed as they have stayed tied and snug even without double knotting. The interior padding did require a very short break-in period (about 4 miles) for best fit. I've had no issues with with the ankle wrap, and the odd blistering I get under my right first sesamoid/metatarsal head hasn't happened in these yet, even after two 5 mile hikes and two 7 mile hikes.
• Complaints:  Absolutely none, so far. Even the price was exceptional. These have become my go-to hikers now.

HEAVY WEIGHT/FULL LEATHER

Merrell Summit (Size 7.5):

• Fit:  Medium throughout, a touch snug through the metatarsal area. Runs true to size.
• Feel:  Snug and solid, with well padded tongue, and slightly more padded ankle wrap.
• On The Trail: I haven't really used these on the trail yet as I have other lighter boots for the trail and knee high winter boots for snow filled trekking. I do, however, use these as my daily around town boot in the winter and they're great for that unless I'm out in the cold for long periods of time. Like all smooth leather, non-GTX boots, they require some care and feeding to keep the looking and performing their best. I heat them over our heater vent until they're nice and warm, then apply a thin coat of Sno Seal, rubbing it in well. I then reheat them to let it soak in, then buff with a cloth once they cool off. This yearly maintenance has kept them fully waterproof and looking like new for the 4 or 5 years I've had them, which is surprising since I got them at a resale shop! The 3 sets of speed hooks make them a breeze to get on and off (a real win for winter use around town!).
• Complaints:  The tread compound is not particularly sticky,  and the partial gusset on the tongue and lack of a lace loop allows the tongue to slide to the side. The full, heavy weight leather nature of these boots means they require a pretty substantial break-in period, but they only seem to get better after that.

Hi-Tec Altitude IV WP (Size 7.5):

• Fit:  Medium throughout. Runs true to size.
• Feel:  Snug and solid, with minimally padded tongue, and slightly more padded ankle wrap.
• On The Trail:  The Altitude was the second boot I bought brand new, and it was the start of my love affair with the fit of the Hi-Tec products. The waterproofing works as expected, and it's not as hot and sweaty as you'd expect with a full leather (nubuck) boot. The sole material strikes a nice balance between stiff and soft giving it reasonable trail feel, while the 2 sets of speed lace hooks allow for quick and secure lacing. This is one of the few boots I've seen lately that comes with flat laces that stay tied without having to double bow them. Given the 5 or 6 years I've had them, they are holding up really well.
• Complaints:  The tread compound is not particularly sticky, so the Altitude tends to be a bit slippery in wet conditions, and the insole is total junk. In addition, the partial gusset on the tongue and lack of a lace loop allows the tongue to slide to the side. This is another boot where the combination of the tongue and cuff padding digs into my ankle bones when laced tightly.

Treksta Alta GTX (Size 8):

• Fit:  Wide toe box, medium mid foot and heel. Runs true-to-size to 1/2 size small.
• Feel:  Higher ankle wrap with plenty of padding. Nicely, but not overly padded tongue. Sturdy without feeling massive.
• On The Trail:  Yes, the toe bumper looks odd, and the insole is particularly weird looking, but all this weirdness translates into the best out-of-the-box feel I've ever had. The last is nicely foot shaped, and the tilted toe box keeps from having too much room over the toes, keeping those irritating across the toes sock seam blisters from occurring. Treksta's proprietary "Nest Fit" works as advertised, cradling and supporting the foot throughout the stride. The Alta's tongue lacks a lace loop, but the almost full length tongue gusset effectively keeps the tongue from sliding into the boot or off to the side. For a solid leather boot, they're surprisingly light and flexible feeling while retaining plenty of ankle support for scrambling. I expect that the Alta will be prohibitively hot and sweaty during warm spells, despite the supposed "breathability" of the Gore-Tex liner.
• Complaints:  There are only 4 dealers remaining in the US, so getting a pair that fits the first time is a bit of a craps shoot. I got lucky in that a local shoe store used to be a dealer and still had other models in a 7 1/2 and an 8 1/2 left to try on. Beyond that, hikes of over 3 miles started to rub the skin right off the top of my right fourth toe. A quick email to the company explaining the problem was met with a return email and RMA the next day. I'm now waiting on a replacement pair to appear.

Update 10/6/17:  The Oboz and Merrell Moabs have both found happy homes with hiking friends, and I still haven't worn anything other than the MW Retrieves for hiking since I got them. I've now put well over 50 miles on them and my only complaint is that I'd have expected them to be somewhat more breathable than they seem to be. Otherwise, they remain comfortable, completely sure footed, wonderfully supportive, and amazingly waterproof and I couldn't be happier.

Adventuridge 65L and 70L Hiking Backpacks

Adventuridge Hiking Backpack

I admit it......I'm cheap. I don't mind paying real money for something I love and am going to use over and over (like skis), but I definitely balked at paying over $200 (Osprey Aura) for a backpack that I wasn't sure I was going to use more than once. I kept searching for something affordable that had the features I wanted; 60-70 liters storage, a well padded hip belt with at least 1 pocket, a separate sleeping bag compartment, a top hood pocket, hiking pole loops, and a water bladder pocket.

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon the Adventuridge Backpacks at Aldi's - of all places - during a shopping trip, for $30. Yes, that's $30!! I grabbed a purple 65L for myself and a green 70L for hubby, figuring that even if they only lasted through one trip, they were cheap enough to allow us to learn if backpacking was something we were going to want to do on a regular basis and to learn what features we liked or didn't like for possible future purchases.

 

 

 

Features:

• Double aluminum internal frame
• Padded and Velcro adjustable shoulder harness with chest strap
• Padded hip belt with a zip pocket on the right side
• Padded and air channeled back panel
• Plastic reinforced grab handle
• Separate sleeping bag compartment with a zip separator (unzipping it makes the inside of the pack one large compartment rather than 2 smaller ones)
• Internal, separate bladder pocket with a right sided hose port
• Oversized and super stretchy side pockets (big enough for Nalgene bottles)
• Triple side compression straps and adjustable, quick release height compression/hood closure straps
• Expandable depth with double drawstring closures and adjustable hood height
• Hood pocket and lashing bungee
• Double front daisy chains with pole loops and movable Velrcro straps
• Adjustable, quick release sleeping pad/tent straps
• Load lifter adjusters
• Top load with zip front access
• Small front accessory pocket
• Plastic loop zipper pulls
• Built-in rain cover

Specs:

• Ripstop Nylon
• 65L in red or purple, 70L in turquoise or green
• 65L=12.5 x 8.6 x 25 inches, 70L=13 x 9.8 x 26.5 inches
• Both with a loaded capacity of 44.1 lbs
• Made in China 

Fit and feel:

I found the Velcro torso length adjustment (S, M, L) easy to use and pretty secure once set. All the adjustable straps seemed to stay exactly where they were set, with no creeping. The hip, shoulder, and back padding was soft but not squishy, and air flow seemed adequate. The hip belt and padding is massively wide. The sleeping bag compartment is large enough for my 50 degree low-loft bag, self-inflating pillow, camp shoes, and tent repair kit. The small pocket on the front is only big enough for a small pack of wet-wipes and a few Off wipes, but the side pockets are HUGE and seem to be made of pretty sturdy stretch material, rather than the usual mesh with an elastic top band. The hip belt pocket is only big enough for a snack bar or two, or a very small camera. The zipper pulls are easy to grab and most of the zippers work flawlessly, with the exception of around the curves on the top of the sleeping bag compartment opening.

Of course, this shouldn't matter at all, but I am a girl, so I had to mention that the colors and color combinations are just stunning - rich and vibrant with nicely contrasting or coordinating trim. The turquoise and orange combo is especially eye-catching.

On The Trail:

I loaded her up with a full 2 liter bladder, sleeping bag, self-inflating pillow, camp shoes, tent repair kit and extra clasps, sliders, and toggles, extra clothes, water purifier, full first aid kit, emergency kit, 2 days of dried food and eating utensils, down puffy, rain jacket, 6 lb tent (under the hood with poles on the side under the compression straps), self inflating sleeping pad (in the lower outside straps), a tripod stool (under the compression straps on the other side), snacks, Gatorade, head lamp, saw, flashlight, multi-tool, Epi-pen, and sanitation stuff; all-in-all about 30 lbs worth of gear, and I still had some room inside.

On my test-jaunt of about 3 miles, I found the pack rode well and stayed put, although I also found that I originally set it up too low on my "butt shelf" making my hips ache early on. At the 1/2 way point, I hoisted the pack farther up my back and tightened the hip belt more, bringing the weight further up and easing the pain in my hips and shoulders. Once snugged up, bending over to tie shoes or make other adjustments resulted in no shifting of the pack at all. My back remained cool and pain free the whole trip.

Complaints:

My OCD really, REALLY wishes this pack had at least one organizational pocket! I'm also finding I hate the backwards-pull hip belt adjustment. Since I'm bigger, there's just not enough extra belt material to really get a grip, plus I'm so totally spoiled by the forward-pull adjustment on my day pack and higher end large packs that the back-pull is just irritating and frustrating. While hiking, I found that the lower end of the shoulder harness padding isn't connected to the adjustment strap and it tended the roll out or fold under during use. I also wish there was a hose port on both sides, as I prefer my drink hose on my left side due to years of mountain biking (you REALLY want to keep your right hand on the handle bar for shifting and braking!).

Truly though, for a mere $30, I have no serious gripes with this pack. Obviously, I'll update this review more as I get bigger mileage in with the pack on and loaded.

Actual pics of mine fully loaded:

Back padding, air channels, rain cover

Expandable main compartment

Hip and back padding, harness adjustment

Front view with tent under the hood

Side view

Boots-On-Buddy Shoehorn for Ski Boots

Boots-on-Buddy Shoehorn for Ski Boots

 

This ski season has been my 4th year in my Lange XT 100 ski boots, and I've been having an issue with the foam padding in the back of the liners disintegrating into little chunks and sliding down to the bottom of the liner each time I try to put them on, leaving me with an irritating wad of foam under my heels and driving my foot forward into the front of the boot making my toes hurt (I wonder if this has something to do with drying them in my HotGear bag?).

Since I'm naturally cheap and these are the first boots that really, really fit me with a minimum of fussing and frustration, I've been railing against the thought of either buying new boots or plopping down a ton of money for an after-market liner for these shells (cuss, swear, mutter, mutter, mutter).

Then, on our trip out west last week, I ran across the Boots-On-Buddy (BOB) in the resort store at Monarch Mountain. I did a quick double-take, then realized the price tag said $5! I figured "what the heck", and gave the salesperson my money.

The next morning, I pulled all the padding and loose liner material up where it belongs, then slid the BOB all the way down inside the boot and shoved my foot in after. Huh! My foot slid right in and I pulled the BOB out to find that all the liner material remained right where it belonged and my boots fit correctly again for the first time in quite a while. Yay!!

Since I had a specific problem I was trying to solve with the BOB, I didn't exactly follow the directions on the tag, so I passed it over to my mom, who has no weird issues with her Langes other than they're just a pain to get on. She followed the directions and was thrilled with how much easier they went on. It then got passed to hubby who was equally impressed.

I have to heartlily give this thing a bunch of thumbs-up!!!

Under Armour Clackamas Snow Boots (Womens)

 I stumbled upon these during a quick trip to Farm and Home to find some winter gloves for hubby.  I've been a big fan of UA running shoes for a few years (I'm now on my 3rd version of the Assert), and I saw that they had both a 7.5 and an 8, and that they were on spring clearance.  When I finally opened the box, I was totally awestruck by the colors and the super aggressive tread lugs on the bottom, so I just HAD to try them on!

They do run about a 1/2 size small, so I ended up getting the size 8 pair, and gave them their first workout 2 days later.

We had planned to do some snowshoeing on the North Country Trail to rack up some miles for our 100 mile challenge, but this has been a really crappy snow year so we ended up just hiking instead.  I was a little concerned about doing a 3-5 mile hike my first time in them, but the only issue I had was a small rub blister on my left heel and a pair of supportive foam arch supports took care of that issue for all future hikes.  The deep sole lugs gave me plenty of grip on slippery snow-covered hills, the soles are thick enough to smooth over rough terrain and forest litter, and the 200 gram Thinsulate kept my feet toasty the whole time without over heating.  It was so nice to not have to worry about stepping in deeper pockets of snow and getting wet legs and feet!!  On our second hike, I ended up getting into a few muddy spots, but the mud on the uppers wiped right off as soon as it was dry and crumbly.

So far, I'm super happy with these and am excited to give them a real test if/when we ever get a true snow storm.  I also haven't gotten to try them with my snowshoes yet, but I expect them to be fantastic for shoeing.  I have, however, worn them to work a few times and like that leaving the quick lace hooks out of the lace pattern makes them suitable for "around town" wear and casual-to-work-shoe-changes.

Features that rock:  Super aggressive sole lugs; fully waterproof lowers; reasonably good footbeds; great ankle support; 2 sets of quick lace hooks; 12.5" height; sleek enough leg wrap to put pants inside or out; sexy colors and styling.

Features that suck:  The laces are just a tiny bit short for full lacing with pant legs inside the boots; the soles are a bit stiff for the first 5 or so miles.

Things to note:

• The Clackamas may not be the greatest choice for women with wider heels or high insteps.
• Sizing seems to run at least 1/2 size small and they appear to not have a lot of "packing out" material.
• The insulation is only 200 gram Thinsulate, so they are best for active uses like hiking and snowshoeing rather than sports like snowmobiling or ice fishing.

I will continue to update my review as I get more time with them in varying conditions.

2017 Midwest Test Fest - The Wide Ones

2017 MIDWEST TEST FEST

THE WIDE ONES

Waists of 100 and up

Skis arranged by waist width where possible – in some cases I couldn’t read the specs with my contacts in and on-line info searches yielded little or nothing.

* marks women’s specific models

Nordica Enforcer 100, 185 cm (?-100-?, ?)

CS:  This is a really nice ski for a powerful skier.  It skis a lot like the Volkl Mantra.  It wasn’t great in short turns, but that was the only shortcoming I found.

JG:  The 100 was fun to ski in all conditions.

Head Kore 105, 171 cm (135-105-125, 17.8m@180)

KS:  The 105 is a super nimble, light weight ski that requires a solid forward stance to really get the tips to hook up when carving.  The 171 length felt too short and too soft for me, lacking both grip and stability at higher speeds.  This one would be superb for intermediates looking for a wider ski for skidding or skarving all over the mountain.

K2 Marksman, 177 cm (130-106-125, 20m@184)

CS:  I didn’t like this one much at all.  I found it lacking stability and grip, and it really didn’t feel comfortable in short and medium turns.  It’s a burly ski, even for strong, speedy skiers.

Rossignol Soul 7, 180 cm (136-106-126, 17.0m)

KS:  Strangely enough, the 180 length felt too short to me, even on the groomers – if you’re looking to purchase this one, I’d suggest you go up at least 1 size from your “normal”.  This is a calm, damp, forgiving powder ski that is fully competent on the scratchy stuff as well.  This is a ski that can be taken anywhere!

Elan Ripstick 106, ? cm (140-106-122, ?m)

JG:  The Ripstick won’t win any beauty contests, but boy was is unexpectedly good on hard pack!  I couldn’t believe it!

Volkl 100-Eight, *173 and 184 cm (141-108-124, 19.7 and 22.0m)

KS (173w):  I take back everything I said about the –Eight series 2 years ago.  When I tried them then, I really disliked the construction, finding it bouncy, rattly, and unpleasantly stiff.  Just like the Head Joy series, all the Volkl skis with the 3D Ridge construction have had core and construction changes, and I was ready to give them a second look.  Again, just like the Joy series, the construction updates have totally changed the way the skis feel, in a VERY good way!!  I found the 100-Eights to still be a bit bouncy on uneven terrain, but they were dead solid under foot, and way too much fun.  I even took them adventuring for a while and wasn’t disappointed at all!

CS (184):  The 100-Eight seemed to be missing something for me.  I found it balky in short turns and just okay in medium turns.  It lacked both stability and forgiveness, and even grip and rebound weren’t up to what I expect from a Volkl.

Icelantic Pioneer 109, 182 cm (144-109-131 19.0m)

KS:  The Icelantic skis are by far the prettiest skis we tested!  Given the dimensions and the reputation of Icelantic, I really expected to love these skis.  I was impressed that the demo guys were doing edge work on the skis when we got there.  That said, though, I found the Pioneers to be super stiff and very unforgiving.  They were damp and confidence inspiring at speed, but I absolutely could not get them to skid at all.  I have no idea if that was a design issue, an edge issue, or a tuning issue, but I couldn’t get them to do anything beyond carve large radius turns.  In all, it was a very scary ride!!

CS:  The 109 has tons of grip and ripped long turns at very high speeds, but they are very demanding, and have very little forgiveness.  I could have a blast on these skis!

Nordica Enforcer 110, 177 and 182 cm (?-110-?, ?m)

KS (177):  Holy Moly, and Yee Haw!!  This is ski that feels way bigger than it is! The 110 is absolutely solid at the highest speeds in medium and large turns.  The tips get a bit floppy at speed, but that feel never translates to any motion under foot – the center of the ski just stays glued to the ground.  This ski tends toward the big and burly end of the range and it’s not big on forgiveness.  Strong/heavy skiers only need apply!

CS (182):  The 110 was my second favorite ski on the first day.  It’s another ski that doesn’t really want to do short turns, but it’s rock solid everywhere else.

Line Sick Day 114, 180 cm (140-114-26, ?m)

CS:  The Sick Day is a soft snow specialist that really suffered on our frozen groomers.  It’s soft and damp, and prefers to smear and skid rather than carve.  It feels like it has a super shallow side cut, which should help it rock in deeper and cruddier snow.

Lib Tech Wreckreate 110, 181 cm (?-110-?, ?m)

CS:  Yes, Lib Tech the snowboard company makes skis.  I found the Wreckreate to be nice and easy to ski, best in long turns, but with great grip, stability, rebound, and forgiveness.  I enjoyed this one!

Armada ARV 116 JJ, 175 cm (139-116-135, ?m)

CS:  The ARV 116 is a fantastic crud buster that loved big turns at speed.  It’s a bit damp and lacks a bit of grip and rebound, but it’s basically a crud and powder ski, so those aren’t priorities for this type of ski.

Rossignol Super 7, 188 cm (140-116-130, 20.0m)

CS:  The Super 7 has so much rocker, you really only ski about 1/3 of the ski on groomers.  This is way more ski than Michigan hills can handle.  It excelled in long turns at high speeds, and had tons of stability and rebound.

JG:  These could be your best friend in any deep conditions.

Volkl Confession, 186 cm (144-117-133, 23.8m)

KS:  Supposedly the Confession is the replacement for both the Shiro and the non-V-Werks Katana, but I’d say it’s much more like the old Katana than the Shiro.  It had none of the easy forgiveness and fun feel of the Shiro for me, instead, it felt sluggish, stiff, and planky, and that makes me very sad.  It absolutely said “We don’t need no stinking short turns!!”, and was even a bit cranky about doing medium turns.  My dislike may have been a function of the length, but I ski the Shiro in the 183, so it’s not THAT far off my norm.  SO DISAPPOINTED in this ski.

CS:  Yup.  My #1 ski for day 1!  This will be my next ski when my Katanas and Shiros are done.  Top marks across the board!  After reading everyone else’s reviews, I was thrilled to find it’s all true!

Head Kore 117, 189 cm (145-117-129, 24.6m)

CS:  This is a big ski for big turns in deep snow.  It held its own on the groomers, only lacking a bit of grip and forgiveness on steeps, but that’s not where it will shine.

JG:  This ski is a battleship!  It’s great in crud and in long turns.  It doesn’t have a ton of rebound, and it’s not happy doing medium or short turns.

Outdoor Products Cross Breeze 33l Internal Frame Pack

Last summer, hiking became one of my new summer activities, and I even completed the North Country Trail 100 Mile Challenge.  I started out using just a waist pack water bottle holder, then realized that some parts of the NCT were really remote and generally deserted during the week, and any accident or injury could leave me out there for a longish period of time so I should probably carry some basic first aid and rescue items with me.  As the mileage started piling up, I began doing research on day packs and backpack fitting and decided I definitely wanted one with a fully weight-bearing hip belt, hip belt pockets, and capacity for at least a 2 liter bladder, but I didn't want to spend over $100, if possible.

 After trying on every pack that fit my requirements in every sporting goods and big box store in my area, I stumbled across the Outdoor Products Cross Breeze pack on clearance at MC Sports for less than $50.  I was GEEKED!!

Features that rock:  Separate pocket for up to a 3 liter bladder with a hang loop and tube port; large and well padded lumbar pad and hip belt with mesh pockets on each wing and straps that pull forward to adjust hip belt snugness; a top pocket for snacks and small stuff; side mesh pockets for water bottles or apples or whatever; a flat items pocket on the front; an organizer pocket with key hook; nicely padded shoulder straps; loops and bungees for hiking poles; plenty of room for a first aid kit, fire starter, packable puffy, packable rain jacket, extra snacks, and other emergency items; and finally, a mesh trampoline back that keeps the whole back from sitting directly on your back.

Features that suck:  The top pocket for small stuff is almost inaccessible if the the pack is fully loaded; the hang loop for the bladder is small and awkwardly placed and the Velcro doesn't always stay hooked; there's no daisy chains or attachment points for larger stuff; the zipper on the organizer pocket is a single directional zipper that loops up and around the pocket flap so failing to completely zip it may allow stuff to fall out of that pocket; the adjusters on the shoulder harness refuse to stay put; and the hip belt pockets aren't quite big enough for standard snack bars.

I liked mine so much in the first 25 miles of use that hubby bought one for himself and we bought one for my mom as well (mine is red, both of theirs are blue).  We've now each put 50-75 miles on them, even using them for snowshoeing, and they're holding up really well.  Mine fits and carries so well I forget I even have it on most of the time.

I've had personal experience with Outdoor Products' "No questions asked lifetime warranty", and I must say that their replacement program is quick and easy and their customer service communication is stellar.

All-in-all, this pack gets a huge thumbs-up from me!!!