Gear Review: North Face Terra 65

As promised, I have thoroughly tested my North Face backpack and believe that I have an accurate idea of how well the pack holds up. When I was in Peru, I put the pack through a lot of rugged tests, not to mention bags get beat up when travelling anyway, and it seemed to hold up well. It, first of all, survived the flight which tests it's durability to begin with. With the excessive use when hiking (over 40 miles), and enduring all sort of weather (wind, rain, sun, heat, cold, extreme altitudes), it has experienced a rugged test.


I want to systematically go through this review and look at it's:

• value for the money
• overall construction and features/comfort
• durability
• suitability for it's intention

Value for it's money:
The North Face Terra 65 is, I believe an obsolete pack, in that it has been replaced by a newer model. I bought this pack for $110 on sale at a Dick's Sporting Goods. Pricing on the internet can range from $120 to $180. I believe this is a reasonable price for what you are getting. The durability, features, and ease of use are well worth the price as you will see later in this post.


Overall construction and features/comfort:
This is largely based on opinion (in my opinion). I give it a 4.8 out of 5, but others may not because everyone like different features. I prefer a simpler pack over one with many pockets. As far as construction, I feel that it is a sturdy frame. The pack is an internal frame with the standard 2 aluminum slats. The pack is made of a thicker nylon that is water resistant. I don't believe it is marketed as "water resistant" but I found this to be the case when I encountered rain. Pair it with a rain cover and you probably won't need a pack liner (if it's newer). The one downside to the construction that I experienced was the thickness of the material. The thick material adds durability, but also adds weight and when you are hiking long distances, it is remarkably noticeable. Overall, the pack has a top loading design with drawstrings and 2 buckles for the lid. However, it does have a side zipper to access the interior without opening the lid. There are also 2 thick Velcro straps for trekking poles (one on each side) and the standard 2 ice ax loops. I like the 2 compression straps on each side which do an excellent job and compressing the pack as well as holding gear.


The shoulder straps and hip belt are thick and well padded and never had an issue with them. As with most packs, the shoulder strap system can be adjusted depending on the size of the user. The shoulder straps give great flexibility to adjust it to fit perfectly. However, the waist belt only has the standard adjustment straps and nothing to finely adjust it. I didn't personally have a problem with this, but my body type fit it well. I hiked 30.8 miles in the Andes and didn't have any issues with the suspension system. I found them to hold up quite well. My only complaint is when hiking that far (particularly if there's lots of stairs), the waist strap can loosen slightly.


As far as features, I am very happy with this pack! There are 2 pockets on the face of the pack that are roomy and offer plenty of space. The 2 side pockets are mesh and stretch significantly to hold water bottles, snacks, etc. Both sides of the waist strap have large packets to hold snacks, GPS, etc. Most packs have smaller pockets, so I was impressed with size on this one. The lid only has an exterior pocket that is large and zips all the way around the lid. This made it easier to organize and find items quickly instead of trying to dig through a pocket with a small mouth. The inside of that pocket has a mess pocket that I found great to hold items that may be needed but not immediately.


The pack does have a water bladder pocket on the inside with only one exit port on the right side. I did not use this on my Peru trip, but have used it. There are 2 elastic pieces on the straps of the pack that I use to run my water bladder tubing through to hold it. I also used one to hold my watch/thermometer.


I am impressed with the sleeping bag pocket, the mouth is large and the compartment is large itself which is rare for a pack. I actually found it to be too big for the bag I brought to Peru. The divider between the man compartment and sleeping bag compartment can be loosened to make one large compartment.


I think overall, it is a comfortable pack. I felt the weight I was carrying, but that is usually the case with most packs, especially at high altitude. I never has issues with comfort of the pack during my whole Peru trip.


Durability:
I found the pack to quite durable, but I don't think I would give it 5 stars in this area. The material holds up to wear better than I expected. I think if you let it undergo excessive abrasion, it would wear through, but it seems to hold up to normal use exceptionally well. The zippers are large and don't bind up, even when the pack is stuffed. The straps and suspension also holds really well. I had the compressions straps cinched down TIGHT and they held up very well. My only complaint in durability would be the seems at the top of the pack. When it has any moderate amount of weight, the seems over the frame seem stressed and I was a little nervous as to whether they would hold up. They did well, but I don't like when a seem is overly stressed. I think the stress points could have been reinforced better. One of the pluses, though, is that it holds up well as a seat when you stop to rest. I would lay it down on it's face and use it as a seat and it didn't show any wear after that.


Suitability for Intention:
This is the summary of the whole review and believe this pack passes my inspection incredibly well! The pack is 65 litres which was just the right size for my trip. But of course, it's important to find a pack the right size for what you need. North Face does made a Terra 55 if you need a smaller pack with the same construction as this one. I have to say, it held all of my gear quite well and was easy to organize everything in it. I would say it is suitable for oversees trips like I took and for multiday hikes. I did not have a tent, food, stove, or cooking supplies with me so I cannot accurately say it works well for a self contained trip. with that being said, I did have excessive things with me that were specific to travelling Peru and was able to pack extra clothes and luxury items since I had the extra room. I believe it would hold tent, small stove, solo cook set, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, change of clothes, food, and maybe even a backpacking chair in the main compartment if you pack it right ( I have had it packed for self contained trip, but have not taken one of those trips with this pack yet). I do believe I will use this pack for my Appalachian Trail trip. As I stated before, it is a simple (and slim) design which I think makes it easier to pack and with the slim design, helps to avoid over-packing.


Altogether, I am very happy with this pack. If you are looking for a good pack that will hold up to the elements and lots of abuse, I think you have found what you are looking for. But as I mentioned, pack design is a personal preference and it may or may not suit you needs. I was able to adjust it to fit me perfectly, but some people with other body types may have issues with it. Overall, a good pack!

Gear Review: Teton Sport Tracker sleeping bag

This winter has been quite harsh. Even though here, in Southeast Iowa, we didn't get a whole lot of snow, it has been bitter cold. I have been camping a lot more this winter than I did last winter, so I decided it was time to start looking for more cold weather gear. As I was looking for a sleep system, I came across the Teton Sport Tracker. I am quite biased to Teton. They make some really good products from sleeping bags, to tents, to packs. In fact, my first pack was (and still is) a Teton. 

This is very comfortable sleeping bag. It has a 7 denier woven fiber Innovative Polarlite insulation. This is a very warm fill and even though it is a warm fill, it is still thin and lightweight. It's compressibility is quite impressive seeing as how it is synthetic rather than down. The bag is rated for +5 degrees, but sleeping bag ratings are for survivability and not so much comfort. I camped in 9 degrees and it was a little chilly. I would say about 12-13 degrees would be a comfortable temperature for this bag. It has extra fill in the foot box as well. The feet are usually the first part of your body to get cold, so this nice addition is a must. The bag is good for people about 5'6" but anyone taller than that would feel constricted. I'm 5'4" and am comfortable in it. It also is more for skinny built people for it is a thinner bag. 

The interior of the bag is actually a soft, synthetic material. Most sleeping bags have a diamond weave interior, same as the exterior. That kind of material can get cold and takes some time warm up after you crawl inside. The material in this bag stays warm so you don't have the initial shock of the interior being cold. The downside to this material is that it does not allow for much movement when wearing clothes to bed. The slicker material allows you to roll around inside with ease, whereas this material clings to clothes which is uncomfortable. 

The hood of the bag is pocketed and fits comfortably on the head. There is a single drawstring to tighten the face of the hood. Last time I was out, I was able to tighten it until the opening was almost completely closed, which is beneficial in cold weather. The bag also has a thick draft tube to keep the warmth in. 

This bag has a duel zipper system that can be opened and closed from the inside and outside. A Velcro keeper is also added to hold the zipper shut. As with most bags, it also has loops at the feet to hang the bag up to air out. A nice, final addition is a small gear pocket on the inside of the bag that zips closed. This is a great pocket for a phone or iPod. 

The bag also comes with its own compression sack. It has 4 compression straps on the sides to compress it lengthwise and 2 on the open end as well. The bottom end has a handle to assist with pulling the bag out. It compresses small enough to fit in a medium sized day pack and weighs about 4.1 pounds. 

This is overall, a great bag. In the negative degree weather, it works great with an additional sleeping bag. I hope this post helps you in your decision on choice of sleeping bag. Please comment any questions or comments. 

Gear Review: Camelback Rogue

One of the most important things that you can take on your trek is water. We can only live 3-5 days without water. That makes water a valuable thing to have when hiking, biking, boating, or simply walking. Most people understand this. Because it's so important, there are several brands that make all different styles of containers to carry it. One of those brands is Camelback. I have never done a review on any Camelbak item before so I will do one on Camelbak itself, along with a particular hydration system. 

Camelbak is one of the most well known brands when it comes to water carrying systems. They have a wide variety from water bottles and bladders, to filters, backpacks, and drink mixes. In fact, they even make gear for the military. Because of the quality and name, they are a little pricey, but you do get what you pay for. 

To start out, let's look at a water bladder (since that is primarily what this review is about). Camelbak makes 3 sizes of bladders: 50 oz., 70 oz., and 100 oz. These can range from backpack style bladders to lumbar pack bladders. All bladders are BPA free and range in shapes. The lid is easier to get off and on than other bladders. With Camelbak, it only takes a quarter turn to take it off or replace it. This makes refilling so much quicker. The mouth also has 2 stands that flip out to air dry the bladder, which is unique to Camelbak. The top of the mouth also has a little hook to secure it in other packs (such as your large pack for backpacking). 

The hose (that I have) is a little shorter than other brands. It took some getting used to, but I think I like it better. With my old bladder, if the hose hung down it would drip. However, the nozzles on Camelbak bladders are very well made and have a shut off valve on them. Therefore, if the hose is hanging, it won't drip. The way it hangs also makes it easier to just pick up, drink, and drop it. There is also an option to get a clip that goes near the bite piece and can be clipped to a shit or strap to have it near your mouth. Camelbak also makes insulators to keep the water, that is in the hose, cold. 

Altogether, the bite piece and hose are comfortable. And not only are they comfortable, but also easy to clean. The bladder, hose, and bite piece are all very well designed. 

Now, onto the carriers. Camelbak has a huge variety of packs. They have large day packs that are great for short backpacking trips. They also have small packs that only hold the bladder. As I said before, they have backpack and lumber pack styles. Each of the packs are designed for a specific purpose, whether biking, running, or hiking. The pack I have is the "Rogue". This is a medium sized pack that is a actually designed for biking. 

This pack comes in either red or black, unless you get the redesigned one which has green. It runs around $85. The pack is made of a durable nylon material. The front of it (the part on your back) has 2 mesh/foam pieces down the sides. These make the pack more comfortable and allow for air flow. The straps have this mesh as well for breathability. The back of the pack has reflective striping for cycling in low light or at night. The bottom of the pack has a small drain hole for the unfortunate event of a leaking bladder or if it gets wet. On the top of the pack is a loop to hang it up or carry it by hand. 

The bladder slides in the top like most do, and a Velcro strap holds it in place. In fact, the carrier holds the bladder snug enough to fill it without taking the bladder out. The flap that covers the mouth of the bladder does not secure like most small bladder carriers do. At first I didn't like this feature, but found that it makes filling the bladder much easier. There is a little plastic piece on the bottom of the flap to hold it down. 

The straps have nylon webbing that are adjustable. The ends of the straps have Velcro loops to secure them to the strap itself, to avoid the straps from flying around. The front of the straps have small gear loops with reflective tape on them. One strap also has a clip holder for the hose. The straps also have a chest strap with buckles. 

Looking at the face of it, the pack has a zipper pouch on the bottom part. Inside this zipper pouch, is a netted pouch. This is designed to hold bike repair tools. This pouch is suspended by netting, which makes an additional pouch behind it. Inside this pouch is an elastic loop which I call a "banana pocket". The mesh netting on sides also have compression straps that can be tightened. 

The flap that covers the mouth of the bladder also has a zipper pocket. On the inside of the pocket, is a small lanyard with a gear hook. In addition, all of the zippers have pull cords instead of standard zippers to keep from having a lost or broken zipper. 

The pack itself is very comfortable and feels natural on the back. It fits me well. For those of you who are ultralight hikers, this pack is very light when empty and it holds weight evenly. When I initially started looking for a Camelbak, I was trying to find a small daypack such as the "Fourteener" or "Mule". However, I am very happy with this smaller pack. Even though it is made for cycling, it works great for hiking as well. In fact, it has just the right amount if room for my essentials (compass, paracord, food, jacket, flashlight) and then some. For cyclists, the Rogue is great for day rides or if you are also riding with panniers. However, if you are cycling a long distance, I recommend looking into a lumbar pack because they don't sweat on your back. 

If you are looking for a good day hike pack, consider looking at the Mule, Rim Runner, Could Walker, or Trail Blazer. For what I'm doing, this pack is perfect. I put the bladder in my Teton Explorer pack and strap the Rogue pack on the outside to use for short day hikes after camp is set up. 

Overall, I would recommend getting a Camelbak. They are pricey, but it is a good investment. Any questions or experience, please comment below. 

Gear Review: ENO hammock and accessories

Spring is coming on fast and everyone is getting back in the groove of weekend camping trips and weeklong backpacking trips!

I previously did a review on the Hennessy scout hammock. But recently I got a new hammock system called the Onelink! 

Eagles Nest Outfitters (aka ENO) makes great hammocks that are a little easier on your bank account and just as fun as a Hennessy. ENO hammocks are different than Hennessy in the sense of their customizability. When you buy an ENO, you buy everything seperately, even the straps. Even though it can be a headache to find everything you want, you can really customize what exactly you want in your system. 

I got what's called a Onelink. This is ENOs only system that is fully put together. It includes the hammock, straps, bug net, tarp, and stakes. I'll talk about each one in this review along with a few other things I added in. 

First off, let's compare size. The Onelink fits into an included durable stuff sack. When all packed up, it's about the size of an average backpacking tent. Compared to the Hennessy Scout, it's a little bigger, however in the picture, I have another tarp in the bag which makes it a little bigger. 

Everything included in the Onelink. 

With the added tarp. 

The Onelink compared to the underquilt. 

A full ENO set. 

So first, let's look at straps. ENO has 2 kinds of straps. The slap straps and atlas straps. The Onelink comes with slap straps, but they accidentally sent atlas straps instead :). I prefer the atlas straps because they are simple and make it easy to adjust tension. When you look at the picture, you can see the atlas straps are much longer than the Hennessy straps, about 9 feet long. They are almost set up like a daisy chain and you clip the harness into the loops to adjust the tension. 

The orange you see is reenforced threads to keep the straps from stretching. They are a little narrower than I expected but they work amazingly well. You could actually use these straps with Hennessy hammocks too and I suggest that if you go with Hennessy, get atlas straps as well. 

When rolled up, both straps fit into a stuff sack a bit smaller than the stake bag. 

Next, let's look at the hammock itself. The hammocks come in a large variety of color so you can get what you like. Unlike Hennessy, ENO does not have snakeskins, but then again this hammock doesn't really need them. The hammock itself is very lightweight and comes in a stuff sack that's just a little bigger than my hand. It's so lightweight that you can drape it over a shoulder to keep it off the ground. 

The stuff sack is actually built-in to the hammock and doubles as a gear pocket to hold snacks, phone, etc. 

Because the hammock is lightweight and thin, it feels weak, but is actually the opposite. At first it may feel like you need to be gentle, but you get used to it. All the hammocks are triple stitched for strength. The single nest and doublenest both hold up to 400 lbs.

The Onelink has the option of 3 different hammocks: pronest, single nest, and doublenest. The pronest is the smallest and lightest so I would recommend it only for children. I have the single nest which is a slim hammock made for smaller adults. It fits me perfectly, but if you're close to 6 feet, get the doublenest. The double nest adds a foot in width and is a little longer. If you're smaller and want a hammock you can wrap around yourself to act as a windbreak, the doublenest is for you.  

It is very comfortable and you can sleep in it about any way you want and you can sit in it sideways as a chair. 

Setting the hammock up is very simple. The hammock has a carabiner on each end. This one came with aluminum carabiners but you can get steel ones. The carabiner just hooks into the loops on the straps. Try to use the same loop on both straps to keep the weight even. If you decide to leave the hammock a little loose, the tension will be more on the sides of the hammock. If you tighten it, the tension will be more in the middle. 

Ok, so now let's look at the Gaurdian bug net. I'm actually happy with how this net sets up. Like the hammock, the bug net has a built-in stuff sack. When it's packed up, it's about the size of the hammock. 

To set it up, just unclip one side of the hammock and run it through the openings at the top of the net. Next to the carabiner on the hammock, there's a knot. Cinch up the net ABOVE the knot as shown below. This helps keep bugs from sneaking in and holds the net in place. 

After securing the ends, along the top there's clips to secure it to the included ridgeline. When I tried to set up the ridgeline, I found it was too short so I ended up using my bear bag line. If you get the net, you may want a new line. 

I've heard people say that the net feels constricting when you're in the hammock, but I do not find this to be the case. If you think it will be a problem for you, get a doublenest hammock. The netting has no-see-um technology to make it a little more invisible when you're inside. You can still see the netting, but not significantly so this helps with the claustrophobic  issue. 

The net has a zipper door on one side so you want to make sure it's on the side you want to get in on. I like to put the door on the side that's the stuff sack is on. 

Now let's look at the tarp. ENO has several tarps and there's many tarps on the market today. Most tarps are interchangeable with other hammocks. 

The Onelink comes with profly, dryfly, or fastfly. Mine came with the profly so I will show you that one. 

I am happy with this tarp. It's a larger tarp and definately keeps out the rain and wind. It's a little bigger than my Big Agnes sleeping pad rolled up. The tarp has a built in ridgeline that secures to the trees your hammock secures to. You want to secure the ridgeline right about the same height as the straps. After securing the ridgeline, the fly has a little device to allow you to tighten it as you want. It also makes it so much easier to center the tarp over the hammock. 

The lines that run to the stakes have the same device, making it easier to tighten the fly. After tightening, make sure to tie a half hitch like in the picture below to keep it from slipping (not that it slips. Just precaution). 

A small note on the lines. All the lines on the tarps and the ridgeline that comes with the net are stiff and feel like good, solid lines. However, after setting up once, I noticed the lines begin to fray and get the little "fuzzies". Simply put, the lines wear easily. So you may want to replace them with something that will last a while such as paracord. 

I also got another tarp seperately that I prefer to use called the house fly. This fly is about the size of a tent and give you almost full coverage. It's great for bad weather and winter. It sets up exactly like the profly but it almost reaches the ground (depending on how high you set it). 

The tarp is also very large so you have ample space inside. 

Like every other tarp, you can flip one side over. So if you want the open air, but also need a windbreak, you can. Or if you're camping and want to relax in the hammock, but don't want to be inside the tarp, you can have it on one side. 

The significant difference between the house fly and other tarps is the ability to close it up like a tent. There are flaps at the end the can be staked down to close the ends!

The lines that go to the stakes also have the same device as the profly. However, the flaps at the end also have buckles so you can unbuckle it to get in. 

If you want to leave the ends open, you can roll them up and and secure them with built-in buckles. 

Another difference between these 2 tarps is the amount of stakes it uses. The profly uses 4, whereas the housefly uses 8. When you get a tarp, it will not come with stakes so you have to get some. The Onelink does come with stakes however.

If you decide to get stakes, don't get ENO stakes. They aren't bad stakes, but they are short and smooth, making them easy to pull out. I have aluminum but they do make titanium that are a little longer. I set this up in moderate wind and the stakes kept pulling out. They also don't have hooks on them, only a small hole to feed the line through. It is only big enough for the lines that come on the tarp, so if you decide to replace the line, it may not fit in the stakes. As always, I recommend MSR groundhog stakes. Since the ENO stakes do come with a nice stake bag, I put all my stakes in there. 

I mentioned in a previous post about my hammock underquilt. I figured I may as well show you that too.  

I have the Vulcan underquilt which is a full length quilt made of nylon. It has primiloft insulation and you can actually get a 4 seasons that has extra primiloft. The cool thing about this quilt is the fact that it is synthetic but compresses like down!

The quilt has elastic cord that runs the whole length of the edges and has about a foot extra at each end. The extra is what clips into the carabiner (as shown in the picture below). Where the cord comes out of the quilt, there's clips to hold the quilt in place and keep it from sliding. You can use these to move the quilt along the hammock to fit how you sleep. You can also use them to cinch up the quilt to make it a torso quilt. These clips are on almost every ENO stuff sack so if one breaks, you can take one off a stuff sack to replace it. 

The quilt fits very well under the single nest. I think it would fit the doublenest but it will probably be a stretch. It really does help keep the hammock itself warm. The ends of the quilt also have elastic cord that can be tightened to keep air from flowing between it and the hammock. Just make sure the ends of the cord are tied well or they will pull out and will cost you 3 hrs of frustration trying to rethread it. 

This underquilt is only a 3 seasons quilt but I have used it in winter and it makes a significant difference. If you are going to camp in winter a lot, I would recommend upgrading to a 4 seasons instead. Overall, a great quilt. 

A little trick I like to do is put a ground cloth under my hammock to put my pack on, then cover the pack and stake it down. Since I have the house fly, I take the ground cloth and spread it out under the hammock and stake it down, making a floor. Then I set my pack on it and out of the way. I don't have to worry about the pack getting wet because the house fly covers it well. If I'm worried about dew, my pack has a rain cover I can pull out. The advantage to this is I now have a floor to stand on before getting in the hammock. I can take my boots off and set them aside, then hop in the hammock. Makes life so much easier! This setup also eliminates the need for a vestibule like tents do because you have ample space and can spread out. I recommend looking into doing this. I just use a small tarp from Wal Mart in the sporting goods section. It's a small, blue, lightweight tarp in a black mesh bag. It's the perfect size for a small tent and is great for the ground cloth in the hammock, not to mention it weighs almost nothing. 

I recommend trying ENO. I used to be biased to Hennessy until I got this. Just goes to show how much is out there and what happens when leave your comfort zone (discover you like something you never thought you would ). It is very comfortable and gives you so many options. I can use any of the flies with my Hennessy as well as the straps. Overall, a comfortable setup. 

Hope this helps in your hammock buying decision. Hang safe and see ya later.