Ear buds, compliments of Delta Airlines, complete the package. An emergency rain poncho from Walmart (Ozark Trail, 1.4 ounces, $3) lives in my day pack, so on those days when you leave the house without a rain jacket, well, at least you’re covered. Ben’s (maker of the ultimate bug repellent) Invisinet does the trick (1 ounce, $12); it resides in the pack during bug season. I do a lot of winter backpacking and needed a bag for my big, but short haired, canine companion. I picked this up at Walmart one day and have had it for two years it has withstood 4 continuous months of winter backpacking the AT. This involved a big dog crawling in an out of it every night for a third of a year and never once tearing it with his claws.
I got in the bag, tried to zip it and the zipper tore immediately. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login. 🌟 Trendy home decor that will transform your living spaces.📱 Must-have ozark trail canopy consumer electronics for work and play.💼 Everyday essentials that make life easier and more enjoyable.💎 Unique finds that you won’t see anywhere else. Get Backpacking Light news, updates, gear info, skills, and commentary delivered into your inbox 1-2x/week.
I could have gotten better quality from a teenager’s home ec project and lighter weight. The big things – pack, tent, sleeping bag and such – yes, they’re huge, but a few key small items also border on essential. The foot-box of the Ozark Trail Cocoon 200 is all quality…roomy and delightfully filled…you will not want for cold feet in this thing…though you should certainly wear socks inside your bag! The only difference between the foot box on the Ozark Trail Cocoon 200 and a top-quality bag is that some of your more quality bags will sometimes use a heavier fabric on the foot-box to prevent holes from abrasion and puncture…but this only adds undue weight in most cases…and not something I prefer. I notice this isn’t the first review with this complaint.
A shoulder strap pocket to hold your smart phone is a must. Gossamer Gear makes a good one that attaches to your pack with Velcro straps and features a front mesh pocket for an energy bar, lip balm and the like (large is 1.9 ounces, $22). To the pocket, I’ve connected the Koala 2.0 Super-Grip Hangtime Phone Harness (1.2 ounces, $34), so no more worries about dropping my iPhone into the drink or off some precipice while taking a photo. Bean’s Primaloft Performance lightweight crew socks ($20) and the X-Static Liner Crew Socks from Eastern Mountain Sports ($18) in my tried and true Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Hiking Boots. I really liked how I could cinch the hood and collar down to keep more warmth in or open it up to cool off. I also liked the two zippers, so I could open up the foot box if too hot or stretch my legs apart.
I’m on my second pair of Seirus X-treme All Weather gloves and I love them. Softshell material, waterproof (to a point) yet breathable, and light (4 ounces, $60). Thank you for choosing Wills Deals Liquidation Services for your shopping needs.
Inside the sleeping bag, the manufacturer skimped on the softer inner lining, by making four inches around the interior zipper, and about two feet from the interior bottom of the bag, a rough cheaper vinyl or nylon fabric. And every time you move your feet you get to hear the crinkle of the fabric on the bottom. I purchased this sleeping bag for warm weather camping trips at the local lake. For fifteen dollars I wasn’t expecting (or needing) anything that would stand up to freezing weather. Unfortunately the workmanship was more than a little upsetting, even for that price.