Overnight, we challenged this mattress with 100 pounds of distributed weight. It deflated from 21 inches to 19 inches, but this isn’t overly surprising for a mattress that lacks a secondary pump for overnight inflation. We also think it’s an excellent value—it’s neither the most expensive nor the cheapest air mattress on the market.
We like that this pack has a lot of pockets including a zipper that allows you to access the middle of the pack without opening the top. Includes Trekking pole attachment points, compression straps and a sleeping bag compartment. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). Take the opportunity to relax and enjoy this fun extra par 3 at the base of a giant limestone rock wall featuring flowing waterfalls.
The Bindi’s body swivels up and down on a plastic mount, which seems like it might be unstable (it wasn’t) but ends up being useful for aiming the light. You can adjust the lens of the main light for proximity, movement, or distance. Proximity gives you a flood light, while the distance setting creates more of a spotlight. (The “movement” setting is somewhere in between.) All three feel more like floodlights than the Spot, covering a wider (but shorter) portion of the ground in front of you. When you’re running, this is ideal because it illuminates your footpath. On a long run at night, Jenni was able to use the Bindi on its brightest setting to see through the pitch darkness in a rainstorm with complete clarity.
Do keep in mind that this degree of water protection is intended mostly for accidental exposure, not intentional underwater adventures. When we removed the Spot from the bucket, the battery casing was filled with moisture. After we left it open overnight to dry, the headlamp worked as well as it had before the water test. The ozark trail canopy Spot 400 can hold either three AAA batteries (included with the headlamp) or Black Diamond’s BD 1500 rechargeable lithium ion battery (sold separately). We tested the Spot 400 with AAA batteries and the BD 1500; we also tested the new Black Diamond Spot 400R, a variation of the Spot that you recharge using a Micro-USB cable.
The light automatically turns off every two hours, just in case the kiddos forget. This meant that during our 12-hour battery test, we had to keep turning the Wiz back on every two hours. But by the end of the test, it was still going strong—for far longer, in total, than Black Diamond’s advertised run time of five hours on high. Sure, headlamps are a practical purchase, but they can also be a fun gadget for kids to play with at the campsite or during backyard adventures.
Along the way you’ll cross paths with fewer people than you can count on two hands—just keep an eye out for mountain bikers and horseback riders who frequent the multi-use sections of the trail. Great for hiking in warm weather, thanks to the breathable construction, mesh straps, and hydration bladder hook up. While this pack won’t work for everyone, it’s a practical size for day trips, light travelers, and kids. This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design.
Hug your tee shot as close to that bunker as possible for the best approach into the green. A miss left of the green will create a challenging up-and-down. Enjoy the game’s pristine water features, large fairways and greens, and spectacular 19th hole—the Big Rock at Payne’s Valley™. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair Creek section. The 26-mile route follows Blair Creek south as it carves down a valley through oak-hickory-pine forest before merging with the emerald waters of the Current River. Here the 30-mile Current River section picks up, following the river for two miles before veering south toward Stegall Mountain.
Setting up the Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress is simple enough; it took us less than five minutes for the mattress to fully inflate in our tests. Plus, we like that you have the option of plush, medium, or firm settings. However, the motor was surprisingly noisy while filling the mattress, especially compared to others we tested.
You can certainly find stronger lights with better optics, but this one occupies the part of the Venn diagram where price, reliability, performance, and ease of use overlap. After a new round of testing, the Black Diamond Spot 400 is our pick for the best headlamp. It may be intimidating from the tee box, but the large green provides plenty of landing space with additional room right of the green for a safe miss. Avoid the left side to stay out of the heavy rough, deep bunker, and the lake.
You may find it helpful to make a list of meals for each day you are out on the trail to ensure that you are not over- or under-packing for your trip. Exploring Missouri’s scenic Ozark backcountry is one of the best reasons to head out on the trail. The Ozark Trail Association marks and improves the trail and ensures backpacking campsites are well maintained.