Use this as my food/bear bag. Keeps my food dry whether it's in my pack hiking in the rain, or hanging away from da bears. The actual bears!

Great pack! Lot's of space for my 7 day trip. Carried roughly 40lbs (packed weight) comfortably on the AT throught the Great Smoky Mountains NP. Now, I will add that I did swap out the shoulder harness from my Osprey Argon 85 because the shoulder straps padding seemed much thicker on my Argon but did use the Isoform hip belt that the Aether came with rather than also swapping the bioform hipbelt from my Argon. However, whether I had the option of swapping shoulder harnesses or not, I am supremely confident that this pack would still have carried the weight well, and with maximum comfort. The pack seriously has a lot of space and lot's of places to hang stuff. The fabric is very durable and feel that it will last for a long time. The true test will be 2012 as I will be using this pack on my AT through hike. I am 5'10", 165 lbs and have a medium.

I have three of these in all three colors. I have a medium 8L green that i keep my dry camp clothes in; a small 4L blue for tolietries, my cell phone charger, etc.; and x-small 2L red as an emergency/first-aid kit. Very handy to just reach in the pack and pull out the color you need. I also have a couple larger sizes I use in my kayak. Seem durable for my uses. Never had a problem with wet clothes, etc. Really love this product for it's organizing abilities on the trail!

I bought this as a light weight option for my back packing trips, as well as a 2012 attempt at the AT. Several flaws I encountered...
1. The lid is very tight (and more so when using, due to expansion of the metal during heating). Found you have to leave lid partially off so you don't spill dinner in process of just trying to check to see if your dehydrated dinner is boiling, as Tired and Frustrated found. I was only at 4000 to 6000 feet and that hindered boiling a lot. Can't imagine trying to melt snow at 13,000!
2. The handles ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH. When I started my pot a'boilin' the flames on my soda can stove were very close to handles, and they became very hot (natch). Used one of my gloves that I brought as a pot holder and burned my hand on flames trying to get pot off stove, and my glove melted to handle. That was a mess, while hungry!
3. The pot handles look good in the photo. They fold in on sides nice and neat and compact looking. HOWEVER they flop around, and while not a huge deal would think for $60 bucks they'd look and feel a little more secure, especially in your hand when you are removing your dinner from the stove and its as hot as the sun!

Bottom line: I thought this would be a nice light weight pot for long distance backpacking. What I got was a light weight pot for $60 bucks that is awkward to use.

Used these gaiters everyday while hiking the AT through the GSMNP. Encountered all types of conditions including muddy trails, small streams (sometimes the stream was the trail), a little ice, rain and also sunny days. These things performed great. My socks stayed clean and dry (relatively speaking as my feet did sweat, naturally), and my pant legs as well. Not overly hot, even on the days we had lot's of warm sun shine with temps in mid to upper 70's. Very easy to put on and take off, and a very rugged design that should keep these things lasting for years. I'm 5'10", 165 lbs and my calves are big and the medium fit perfectly. Overall awesome product and well worth the price!

Just used this filter for first time and loved it!! Filters very fast! Used it between two people for 7 days and never gave us trouble. only had to backflush once. Although, I will say that all the water sources were crystal clear, so pretty sure that helped a bunch. Very easy to use and lightweight. You have to be patient when backflushing which is why I only gave it four stars. Takes a few minutes to start to pull water through filter when backflushing, but again, didn't have to do that much. Bottom line great filter and no fuss if your water source is free of debris and sediments.

Used this bag on my recent trip on the AT in the smokies. Temps ranged from 30 to 55 degress F. Used the Sea-to-Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liner on the coldest nights and was quite warm. At 1lb 12 ounces it was nice and light. Would have been too hot in my Northface Blue Kazoo.

SOG makes the best knives! This is my second and came razor sharp. Much lighter than my SOG SEAL fixed blade knife, and will be better for backpacking. Nice and compact and at 4.8oz is a great weight for outdoor use. I purchased the half serrated blade model. I like having that cutting edge if I need to cut something thick or a dense material that might dull the blade faster. Fits in the hand comfortably and locking mechanism easily disengages the blade to close it up. Great knife!

Got this for trail running and it is awesome! I Love Osprey packs and the thought and materials they put into their packs. The Raptor 10 is perfect in size with lot's of pockets (more than I really thought it would have) and space. The Osprey Hydroform reservoir is sturdy and designed well. I really like the magnetic bite valve that keeps it in place on the chest strap instead of flopping around or secured someplace where it's hard to get at while moving. Not at all heavy on your back, even with the bladder filled to it's 3L max, and movement of the pack while in use is minimal to none at all. Overall, love this pack and had no reservations about the 5 stars!

Awesome is the single word I can come up with to describe this product. I have a large for my Osprey Argon 85 and fits perfect. Have used several times in heavy down pours and for days at a time under these conditions. My pack has never been wet. Furthermore, had a friend who used a trash bag as a cheap alternative and that is exactly what he got. First day, ripped a whole after it got snagged on a branch. Guess what, ya get what ya pay for. The way I see it, if you are gonna spend the money to outfit yourself for back packing, get the proper equipment. End of story.

I bought two pair of these for a 7 day trip back and March. Have bought two more pairs since. They are very comfortable on your feet, even when carrying a fully loaded pack for 10 to 12 miles at a stretch. Also kept my feet warm in snow and ice. Wick moisture well and are light enough for summer hiking. All around great mid-weight hiking socks.

Easy and set up and lots of space on inside and both vestibules. 3 person tent but would probably be very cramped with 3 full size adults. had 2 adults inside and was perfect. A little heavy at 7lbs for backpacking, but great tent for camping in one place and daypacking. Bottom line great product, easy to set up and take down, with lots of space for 2.

Great pad for weight. Not much in the way of padding if you like that sort of thing. Does self inflate within 5 minutes, if you store it unrolled at home with valve open to keep memory foam inside expanded. Like others, still had to blow some air into pad to really fill it up, but not much. Slept comfortably for most part. Kinda wish I had a thicker pad, but for my money, kept me off a cold platform, and definitely was better than sleeping on hard wood at shelters on AT. Bottom line: Probably better pads out there in the way of thickness, but overall pretty good product and very light weight.

Love things that have multiple uses. Stuff a jacket in here for a nice bit o' luxury on the trail. Tried my the Northface down vest the first night and woke up with a crink in my neck. Next night, used my fleece jacket. Perfect fit and caught my z's. Great product.

Loved the first pair so much, bought two more. Versatile, light weight, and built in belt great for keeping pants up and weight down. I am 5'10" and 160 and medium fits pefect. By a pair or three and you won't be sorry.

...unless temp dips below 15F (of course). Only one night did I wake up shivering in this bag during my 7 day backpacking trip in the Smokies. Had on my base layer and 2 pair of midweight hiking socks and still cold. But in all fairness, pretty sure temp was close to 0F at Pecks Corner shelter cause girl thru-hiking next to me had a Big Agnes rated to 0F and she said she woke up kinda cold too. Bottom line, very warm 6 out of 7 nights, and cozy as long as within temp. rating. Love this bag!

Used this pack on my recent hike on the AT through the Smoky Mountains. Carried a 50lb load for 7 days and barely felt the weight. This pack distributes the weight well so you are not entirely carrying it on just your shoulders or hips. Of course after 7 hours of hiking, I won't lie, it was nice to get the pack off and rest, but that kinda goes without saying. Lot's of pockets and straps for hanging stuff. The inner cinch strap and outside straight jacket straps help to tighten up your load and keep things from moving around inside the pack while you hike. I recommend this pack for any beginner or advanced backpacker planning a week or more trip. Overall fantastic product and more than well worth the price.

Just got off AT through smokies and had unusual ice and snow for this time of year. Some places 5 to 6 feet. Kept me held fast to the mountain at all times. Perhaps a bit of overkill as some fellow hikers were doing almost as well with yak trax or microspikes, although they had their grief with them. many complained off those products sliding off at times, but loved that they were so quick to put on with a fully loaded pack. I had no problem with these coming off, but getting 'em on and off proved to be a chore as I would have to find a place to sit down. this was especially cumbersome, as the north side of the mountain had tons of ice and snow while the south side was minimal to devoid of it, so I was constantly taking them on and off. Bottom line, if you are going backpacking in conditions where it will be nothing but ice and snow, get these and you will not slide off the mountain ever! If the conditions are mixed ice and snow and rocky trail, get the yak trax or microspikes.

I used to scoff at hikers that used poles, until now. These things are indispensible and I will never hike without them. Hiked 72 miles on AT through smokies and from Cosby Knob shelter to Newfound Gap and Mt. Collins to Derek Knob Shelter was thick ice and snow. Some places were so steep and icy that without these to steady yourself, you'd slide right off the mountain. They were also very handy for steep uphill climbs and downhill descents. And the carbon fiber design kept 'em light in your hands, like you were barely carrying anything at all. Also, flip lock design on telescoping segments much better than the twist type. Many fellow hikers with the twist type were having issues with collapsing poles.

Get this if you want dry clothes, food and mummy bag. Just got back from 7 days on AT in smokies. This bag is a must. Poured down rain the first day and sleeted and snowed the second and third. Had my food suspended from cables at shelters under these conditions. After the first night of rain, outside of bag was soaked. Opened bag and no water on inside! 3rd and th mornings awoke to find covered in ice and snow, still no leakage. Get two or three and you won't be sorry.

Used this lighter on a recent backpacking trip on the AT in the smokies. Worked well, but found out quickly that takes a couple strikes to light at 5000+ elevation (* * This piezo lighter may have trouble operating at altitudes above 8,000 feet. *stated above) and at temperatures below 40F. Unlike when I tried it at home in Florida at sea level and warm temperatures, where it works the first time you depress the button. Bottom line great lighter and not Brunton's fault for physical properties of butane at varying pressures and temperatures.

Just got this and man does it light up the dark. I've heard some criticism about head lamps not really putting out enough light to be of any use in extreme darkness, but I can assure you this is not one of them. On the low setting it gives you enough light to see about a five to ten foot radius very well. I like the strobe setting too. Will come in mighty useful off the trail for running at dusk after work or walking the pooch! Won't have to worry about cars not seeing us anymore.

Bought this for an upcoming excursion. Very compact and light weight. Bought some Coleman fuel to test it out before we hit the trail and wouldn't light. Thought there might be a problem with stove, or maybe didn't pump up can enough. Fuel started to overflow out of overflow cup on bottom of stove, but still wouldn't light. Decided to try and light fuel that had spilled on cement, but had to hold lighter there for about a minute before fuel would even slightly start to burn (hey, isn't this stuff supposed to be highly combustible?). Took back fuel and went to another store and bought a replacement can of Coleman fuel. That worked first try! Note to self: Do NOT buy fuel from Wally World! Anyway, great stove and easy to use, if your fuel hasn't gone bad.

I use all the Clif Bar products for recovery after cycling, running and the gym. No so useful for energy during a long run, as they require a lot of chewing and can be kind of heavy in the stomach, but not chalky like the old recovery products of the past. Packed with lot's of carbs and protein and all organic so they are good for you! Best product out there!