If you’ve ever watched even a single episode of Vikings on History Channel, you’ll know that the craft of knifemaking in Norway is an art form that is deeply rooted in their history and culture. Granted, the real Vikings tended to prefer the axes and longswords in battle. But when they weren’t raiding they were farming land and raising animals as part of their agrarian society. This is where knives really came into play.

What I Liked

Materials and Quality Craftsmanship

The Helle Mandra—like all Helle knives—are hand made in Holmedal, Norway, one at a time. I love this because it means my knife wasn’t mass produced in a factory. As a result of this meticulous, slow-batch handmade manufacturing, no two knives are exactly the same. From handle to blade, what I ultimately hold in my hand is a heritage-style knife that is the result of a long tradition.

Helle starts the process with a high-alloy steel that is surrounded by two layers of 18/8 stainless steel, making it triple laminated. The blade extends the full length of the knife from tip to grip. The handle portion of the blade consists of two slabs of curly grained birch. The tang can be seen along the edge of the entire handle of the knife. This is called “full tang construction”. The benefit of full-tang construction means you can apply greater force onto the blade without the risk of it snapping shut at the bolster or snapping it off completely, possible with a finger in an unfortunate location.

Weight

If you think all this sheer strength of blade and handle equates to a heavy knife you’d be wrong. The Helle Mandra tips my scale at a mere 70 grams, excluding the leather carrying sheath. Add the sheath and even then, the weight climbs to a scant 110 grams. My Victorinox Trekker knife weighs in at 129 grams.

Not that I’m comparing the two knives side by side because that’s impossible. I only point this out because I’ve been carrying a 129-gram knife for more than a decade. For the ultra-lighters out there, all grams count. Still, the weight of the Mandra feels hefty enough to inspire confidence when the moment calls.

Minimalistic Traditional Design

The Helle Mandra is a traditional design. It comes with a leather carrying sheath and thong. The sheath is also made painstakingly by hand, one at a time, in the Holmedahl factory. You can wear it around your neck or you can wear it looped through your belt.

Since I don’t wear a belt, and I didn’t like the feeling of a knife dangling from my neck neck, I looped it through the waistbelt of my backpack and centered in the middle. If you do this, you’ll just need to figure out for yourself where the placement needs to be so that it doesn’t interfere with your normal walking gate. In my case I had it pointing down the middle. It looks a lot more awkward than it is. I’ve also carried it laced through the sternum strap with good results.

Performance

I ran it through the usual paces that I would put a knife through. I carved a sharp point into a stick to see how precise and smooth it cut (it was very precise and smooth), sliced a sheet of birch bark in half that had been naturally shed from a tree to start a fire with wet wood, cut a climbing rope with an impossible knot tied by someone else’s negligence, freed a snagged fishing line, shaved off intricately thin slices of cheese and sausage for crackers on a trail lunch. As much as I wanted to dress a lake trout to see how easily the Helle Mandra made it, it just didn’t happen. When it comes to fishing, I’m on a multi-decades losing streak.

I even fashioned it into a spear by securing the knife to a stick with its leather thong. I didn’t kill anything with the spear, I was simply evaluating its potential for long-range weaponry as a means of fishing without a pole. Something one would see in an episode of Survivorman, for example.

The effect turned out to be more Hollywood than realism. The blade doesn’t have a barb and the blade secured with the leather thong isn’t stable enough to securely hold a fish to the bottom of the lake or river bed until you can grab it. Seriously, don’t try this at home and expect to harpoon a Walleye or a wild ungulate. While the blade is sufficient as a spear, the three-inch handle is too short to really gain purchase.  

That brings me to…

What could be Better

Short Handle

At three inches in length, the handle is short. Even for my small girly hands. For whittling a sharp point onto a stick—for roasting hot dogs or fashioning a tent stake to replace one that got bent (it performed great at this unfortunate task, too)—or cutting rope, fishing line and food, I didn’t need to really grip it that hard to gain a solid purchase. It both met and exceeded expectations in this department.

But when I had to put some weight and effort into a downward cut, the back neck of the blade protruded into the soft fleshy palm of my hand. I get that the Helle Mandra is intended to be a minimalist EDC knife, one made in collaboration with a professional survivalist, but it can still be minimalist with an extra two inches added to the handle.

Final Thoughts

A good knife is an indispensable piece of kit for nearly any situation and Helle crafted a solid knife in the Helle Mandra. The blade is strong, it’s capable of performing most of the knife-type situations you would encounter on the trail, at the campsite, in the boat, etc. Its blade is small, sharp and mighty.

For me, it’s the combination of the heritage style and high-quality materials and craftsmanship that makes me love this knife. In an era where so much gear is mass produced to meet the demands of stockholders and evolving trends, it’s a pleasure and honor to own a piece of gear that keeps it simple, traditional and made one at a time.

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Tents were ready upon arrival at the retreat, and despite the crazy winds on the first day, the ladies of Wild Balance Adventures made sure the campsite was inviting and gave us a warm welcome with a dry bag that included homemade sunscreen, a towel, a beautiful set of Focused, Elevate Your Life with Words cards, and other goodies to use for the weekend as well as replenish the soul. Once we were all settled, we headed off to Unity Health and Wellness for a trapeze yoga class.

If you’re not familiar with trapeze yoga, think yoga with aerial silks and handles on the silks for pull motion exercises. I’d highly recommend it. You’ll be amazed at how much further of a stretch you can get with the aerial silks. Some of the poses will challenge you, but there are also positions that are beyond relaxing. Our teacher, KerryAnn, made for an incredible experience, and by the time the class was over, the knee pain I walked in with was all stretched out, and my body felt more limber and refreshed.

The second day was SUP/kayak (SUPs and kayaks provided by Dig Paddle Sports) and petroglyph day. On the first ride of the day, the majority of us loaded on a multi-person stand-up paddleboard with a few in kayaks. Synchronization of paddling on the multi-person SUP took a few paddles, but we eventually got into a smoother cadence to head to the hike where the petroglyphs were located.

Petroglyphs have always been sacred to me, because these are stories, significant events, spiritual beliefs, among other things that happened to someone. They are ancient and deserve to be respected. The area we were in had a whole smattering of petroglyphs carved on the rocks, and I wished that I could translate and determine the stories that were being told. 

After a hearty lunch, we had the option of doing another paddle on single SUP boards, tandem boards or kayaks into a different area. A few of us were apprehensive as the wind was picking up, but we were assured the area we were paddling to would be calm. The area was definitely calm and like a beautiful oasis surrounded by trees, a few fishermen, people relaxing in the shaded area, and cute dogs jumping after sticks and balls in the water.

The last day we were there started with a morning meditation followed by a gorgeous boho breakfast, Parisian style, set up by Kays Events and Picnics. We dined by the water, enjoying stories, laughter, and a bittersweet feeling that the end of the retreat was upon us. It was an enchanting sendoff from a fulfilling, laughter-filled, activity-fest of a weekend.

Wild Balance Adventures gave a spectacular Fit Chix Retreat! The three ladies that started this company to give women a chance to “rediscover your inner harmony with transformative women’s retreats” are all extremely admirable, determined, full-of-grit, and beautiful inside and out.

Between Michelle, Jen, and Tricia, they come with a love for the outdoors, experience in retreats, and a true heart to give you one of the best experiences that will leave you more grounded with an inner peace that some might’ve thought they lost.

Watch out for their next retreat coming in July! Their website is launching soon, but you can follow their Facebook page for updates and pictures in the interim.

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What I Liked

Features

Weighing approximately 9.77 lbs, the GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540 is lightweight for such a sturdy a two-burner stove. The cut-in handle in the base makes it easy to carry for short distances, and has a fairly compact profile when it’s packed up. The stove is also easy to set-up and clean, featuring snap-in wind-block wings, easy on and off nickel-plated grate and stainless steel burner surround, and a propane connector arm that doesn’t fight back and fits inside the stove to transport.

The Piezo auto-igniter means no singed knuckle hair or need for matches and lighters, and the stove lights as well in a thunderstorm as it does in perfect weather. The individual control valves are sensitive, allowing you to carefully moderate the flame.

Performance

The GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540 functions equally well in the dead of a Minnesota winter and the heat of a Utah summer. At full blast in fair conditions, it boiled (100c) a half-gallon of cold (21c) water in a two-quart stainless steel pot (uncovered) in nine minutes and five seconds (at 4,300 ft above sea level). The grate was red hot, the closest windshield wing was uncomfortably warm to the touch but not a burn hazard, the lid was slightly cooler than the wing, the opposing wing was completely cool, and the base was just pleasantly toasty. Within 90 seconds, the underside of the base had cooled completely and, after three minutes, the wing had as well. 

The stove is roomy enough for two 10-quart stockpots or a 10-inch cast iron and 6.8 quart stock pot. However, it was just barely too small for my 10-quart stock pot and 10-inch cast iron with the windshields in the up position. If it’s a calm day, you can gain a little extra room by not deploying the windshields. Certainly enough room to feed everyone at your campsite — and the ones on either side. 

What Could be Better 

To be honest, there’s nothing to dislike about this stove, there are just some features that aren’t perfect. However, the plastic latch that keeps it locked in the closed position is fairly sturdy, but I can easily imagine it being the first casualty in an unfortunate tumble off the picnic table or out of a packed car. 

Piezo igniters can be a little finicky. Seven out of 10 times, the igniter worked on the first or second try. The other 30 percent of the time, I had more trouble with the right-hand burner than the left, though in those cases it often ignited easier if it was turned on first. It always did light, though, and it never flamed up dangerously.

Though it does have good burner control, the burners sit so close to the cookware that delicate cooking can take a little extra skill and attention. Watch the area directly over the flame carefully when cooking on low heat.

Comparisons to Other Two-burner Stoves

Here’s the real question — is it worth the extra $82 to upgrade from the Coleman Classic two burner? Should you spring for the Camp Chef Everest 2X, which is $20 more? Let’s compare.

	GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540	Coleman Classic	Camp Chef Everest 2x
Size	21.4 x 12.9 x 3.8 inches	21.9 x 13.7 x 4.1 inches	25.2 x 12.7 x 5.6 inches
Weight	9.77 lbs	11.4 lbs	12.3 lbs
Number of burners	2	2	2
Individual burner control
Burner Control Sensitivity		🆇
Burner BTU output	10,000	10,000	20,000
Auto-igniter		🆇
Windshield wings
Removable grate
Carrying handle
Locking latch
Price	$124.99	$43 – $50.99	$143.99

The simmer control is more precise on the Selkirk 540 than the Coleman Classic, and the reliable auto-igniter is a very nice feature. The Coleman Classic has a slightly larger profile but doesn’t afford much more cooking space and the wings aren’t as encompassing as the Selkirk 540, making it less effective in very windy weather. The Selkirk 540 is made of better materials, but either lid will dent if dropped on a rock. The Selkirk’s design is more efficient, so it cooks quicker in worse conditions while preserving more fuel. 

The Everest 2x is bigger and heavier but provides twice the BTUs to cook with, a slightly larger cooking surface, and despite all its power, has better simmer control. 

Final Thoughts

There’s plenty about the GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540 I liked, some things I was ambivalent about, and truly nothing I didn’t like. It’s a solid stove. It performs better than any other 10,000 BTU two-burner camp stove we’ve tested. If you expect to camp in the cold, wind, or rain and still want to impress with your camp cooking, the Selkirk 540 definitely outperforms. It’s certainly better than the Coleman Classic but it’s also three times the price. If you’re a perfect-weather camper who doesn’t get particularly gourmet at your campsite, you will probably be happy enough with the cheaper Coleman Classic. 

That said, the Everest 2X outperformed the Selkirk 540 in cooking ability, while it fell behind in weight and price. If you’re really getting out there and need a two-burner stove for incredibly cold and windy conditions and willing to pay a little more, the 20,000 BTU Camp Chef Everest 2X may be worth exploring further. If you’re looking for a versatile, reliable 10,000 BTU two burner stove and you’re willing to pay to upgrade from the Coleman Classic, the Selkirk 540 can’t be beaten.

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Humane Innards

The Outdoor Research Helium Down Hoody’s 800-fill down comes as a result of a partnership between Outdoor Research and  a supplier who sources its down globally from farmers who have pledged allegiance to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS).

Before I dive into the review, I think it’s worth mentioning how the down in jackets and other down-insulated products comes to be, the varying types of down and its origins. It isn’t always a process that is as warm and cozy as your down jacket or sleeping bag.

Lucky Geese vs Unlucky Geese

In a perfect world, the down in your jacket, sleeping bag, gloves and comforter come as the byproduct of the food industry. Geese and ducks are raised on farms with good food, fresh air, clean water and warm beds. When big enough, they’re slaughtered for their meat and the sleeve of a down jacket is filled. These are the lucky birds.

Unlucky geese are forcibly live-plucked several times a year for their entire lives to increase their meat production and their down is collected post-humously. The really unlucky geese are the ones who get live-lucked up to six times per year while being force-fed and then slaughtered for their bloated livers.

Responsibly-sourced Solution

These grisly practices have prompted the outdoor industry to search for a more ethical solution to obtaining down. Which ALLIED Feather & Down, a supplier who sources its down globally from geese farmers who only raise birds for meat and sells to companies, has done. ALLIED Feather & Down has responded to this scourge of animal abuse in two significant ways:

1. Created the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) which certifies and oversees a global network of goose and duck farmers that adhere to the standards and supply their partners with responsibly-sourced and processed down.
2. Created Track My Down, a program that enables ALLIED partner products like the Outdoor Research Helium down hoody to include a TrackMyDown.com hangtag with a lot number that traces the origin of the down (Europe or Asia), content (goose vs duck), fill power, care tips and information on the differences between European and Asian down.

TrackmyDown.com Hangtag

Think of the TMD hangtag as the 23andMe of your down jacket or sleeping bag.

My Outdoor Research Helium down hoody’s down comes from the perfect world side—as told by its TrackmyDown.com hangtag of 1508L19F2577 where I learned its full story and then some:

• The down in my Helium came from Europe. European birds live longer, grow larger and produce a higher quality down. Their Asian counterparts aren’t as lucky due to the need to feed the denser Asian population. Plus, birds in cold climates naturally grow warmer down.
• The down in my jacket is 100% grey goose! Goose down is better than duck down.
• Its verified fill-power is 810 fill power, which traps more air for its weight than 800 fill power. Bonus warmth. Woot!
• The specific break-down of the 810 fill contents is 91.3% down cluster, 4.3% down fiber, 1.8% feather fiber and 2.1% waterfowl, 0% broken feathers and quill, 0.4% landfowl and 0.1% residue.
• The differences between European and Asian down, old geese and young ducks. For example, a mature goose that lived on a farm Northern Norway will have a denser down than the youthful duck in Southern China—but a mature duck from Southern China will have a higher-quality down than a youthful goose on a farm in Northern Norway.

Warmth

Outdoor Research states that the Helium Down hoody offers 800 fill power; however, per its Track my Down hangtag, my jacket is actually insulated with 810 fill power.

So far this fall and winter, Minnesota has had an odd variety of normal seasonal temperatures (high 30’s) and abnormal (high teen’s, snow and gale-force winds to seventy-five degrees and sunny). On the high teens days, it has translated to a very warm jacket that performs well running around town on errands, walking outside and even a late fall hiking trip on the Superior Hiking Trail.

The hood is phenomenal and, when its bungee cords are tightened, stays on even in gusty 30-mph winds. It’s also helmet compatible for you ice climbers and mountaineers.

Fit

The Outdoor Research Helium Down Hoody performs as expected in this category. It’s designed to be worn as a stand-alone down jacket or as an insulating midlayer under a rainjacket or softshell.

Since fit is oftentimes aligned with size, I feel it is sized correctly. I’m a size small in general so that’s the size I went with. It was the right call. What impressed me the most in the fit was the length of the arms. They’re plenty long enough to cover my wrists when I’m stretching or reaching.

Packability

There is no reason to ever leave the Helium down hoody behind. If you don’t plan to wear it out the door, it packs down into a hand pocket so that you can stash it in any pack or bag. I’m dating myself by saying this but I consider the Helium down hoody to be in the “down sweater” category—but on caffeine. Unlike other 800-fill down sweaters I’ve had that easily stuff into their own pockets, the Helium takes a little more effort. This came as no surprise. The Helium has more down, it has a hood and its exterior fabric has more oomph to it (more on that in “Durability”).

Anyway, to make what could be an unnecessarily long story short, I did get the Helium packed into its own pocket—but was afraid to zip it all the way in case it ripped from its own girth. And as you can see from the photos above, despite having more insulation, a more durable exoskelten and a hood, it’s still just as packable in size as the unhooded, 800-fill Patagonia down sweater.

 Weather & Abrasion Resistance

The Outdoor Research Helium down hoody blew me away here. Like really blew me away. It actually has waterproofing in the shoulders and hood, thanks to the Pertex® Quantum Diamond Fuse technology. It is the same technology found in Outdoor Research’s Helium Rain products. To be clear, the Helium is not a rain jacket. But if you’re outside hiking, climbing, snowshoeing, winter camping, etc, and it starts to snow, the waterproof Pertex® Quantum Diamond Fuse technology will ensure snowflakes that melt on you hood and shoulders will not seep into the lining.

This also translates to increased durability and abrasion-resistance. Pertex Quantum is essentially very tightly woven yarns with diamond-shaped fibers that resist snags, block wind and have beading properties to repel rain and melting snow.

Final Thoughts

Warm with responsibly sourced down from Europe, versatile, packable, durable, weather- and water-resistant, the Outdoor Research Helium down hoody blew me away.

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It’s goes without saying that with more traffic into the backcountry due to the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to filter your water.

Capacity

The MSR Guardian Gravity holds 10 liters of water. This is a significant size for one person but close to perfect for groups of two or more. When I used this, it was on on a two-day backpacking trip on the Sioux-Hustler Trail in the the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. I didn’t find the size or capacity to be overkill for just me. It’s always good to have more than water than you need versus not enough.

Weight

When packed, the MSR Guardian Gravity is a little bigger than the standard 750 ml wine bottle and weighs in at 1lb, 2 ounces. Obviously, this is bigger (and heavier) than my Katadyn Hiker Pro which weighs in at a scant 15 ounces.

To be clear, the Katadyn Hiker Pro and the MSR Guardian Gravity isn’t an apple-to-apple comparison. The Katadyn Hiker Pro is a standard pump-action, labor-intensive water filter. The MSR Guardian Gravity is a self-flowing goliath that frees water of the invisible fluvial zoo of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, E-Coli and Salmonella hands-free.

I didn’t notice the extra weight, especially considering the benefits. Ultra-lighters, however, may feel their knees buckling and spinal discs bulging under the ample weight.

Ease of Use

The MSR Guardian Gravity is a lazy hiker’s dream come true (e.g. me). Gravity, as the name implies, is the key component. This means you will need a tree or some apparatus sturdy enough to hold the filled bag at least six feet above the ground for optimal flow rate. If your backpacking plans include the vast desert or open plains where there are no trees, or you’re spending the majority of your time above treeline, this may not the best filtration system.

Filling the bladder was easy – I just scooped up all the lake water it would hold and rolled the top to closure. Hoisting the full ten liters of water six feet above my head to secure to a tree—not so easy. Impossible, actually.

Filling

After dumping half the water back into the lake, it was manageable. I repeated this process a couple of times as needed at camp. It was all good. Once I secured the bladder to the hang strap tied from a tree, the purge and purification process began without any hitches. Note: The ideal water-to-weight ratio for me to lift is six liters. That’s plenty for me to drink.

Purifying

The MSR Guardian Gravity has two hoses – one short, which is the “purge” hose, and one long, which is the “input” hose. This is the hose that empties into your pot, water bottle or hydration bladder. There is no way to confuse these hoses, by the way. The purge hose is short, black and has a visible “do not drink!” tag.

The very first step to purify your water is to “purge and purify”. To do this, ensure both the purse and input hose clamps are clamped. Unclamp the purge hose first. This flushes the purifier of gunk. MSR recommends you purge about a half-liter of water. I did about a full liter just because. You’ll want to do this every time you fill the bag with new water.

After the ceremonial purge, lock the purge hose clamp and open the inlet hose (the long clear one), and let gravity do the rest. 

Top Tip

Find the right branch first, detach the hang strap and secure it around the said branch. Then fill the bag, carry it to the branch, hoist and secure to the clip. My first time around I was trying to do this all at the same time. A bit of a stupid, bumbling, inefficient way to do it.

Flow Rate

Flow rate is all dependent on how high you can hang the bag. A point of contention here is the length of the inlet hose. I think it could be considerably shorter. If I was seven feet tall and had the strength to lift 100lbs over my head to a tree with a branch seven to eight feet off the ground, I could get the flow rate gushing. But I’m 5’ 6” tall and cannot lift 100lbs over my head so all I got was a consistent, easy trickle. This wasn’t a deal breaker for me but I think MSR should provide the option of shorter hose lengths to accommodate the height and strength of the non-Viking warrior body types.

When timing the flow rate, it was all over the board due to the availability of tree heights and accessibility. On one time trial, I hung the bag the on a tree branch that allowed the bag to hang about four feet off the ground, but with lots of slack in the inlet hose. It filled a 32-ounce Cambelbak Chute in 3:45. Another time trial involved a tree with a branch that I could easily reach, with the bonus of being situated at the precipice of a downward slope. I hung the bag on the low branch and twisted it around to the slope where it hung at least seven or eight feet above the ground. There was no slack in the inlet hose this time. It took 2:12 to fill the Camelbak Chute.   

Water Taste

The water tasted like clean, purified, delicious, refreshing lake water. I tasted no hint of plastic.

Cleaning

The beauty of the MSR Guardian Gravity is that it is self-cleaning. Every time you do the purge and purify process with the purge hose, it’s a cleaning process.

Final Thoughts and a Parting Shot

Is the MSR Guardian Gravity worth the $250 price tag? In my opinion it is. From this day forward, the only reason I would use a hand-pump is if my hike took me to a treeless place. It’s faster and less labor-intensive than my Katadyn Hiker Pro. It’s incredibly well made and reliable. The hose assembly never leaked. The bag is light but incredibly strong with a reinforced bottom to protect it from twigs or rocks should you have to set it down. The filter is designed to last for about 3,000 liters and has a cartridge indicator that tells you when it’s time to change.

The MSR Guardian Gravity is also the only purifier that meets military-grade NSF protocol P248 testing standards. P248 is the most rigorous certification for proving a treatment device removes claimed contamination from challenging wilderness water sources. My only grievance is the long input hose—it could be shorter. Again, hardly a deal breaker.

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Versatile, Multipurpose Use

The Chrome Cobra 3.0 Hoodie arrived in late January. In Minnesota, January means snowshoeing, fatbiking, bike commuting, Nordic skiing, travel and staying warm when binging on Netflix.

Its construction and style make it stand out as both a mid-layer and an outer-layer, but doesn’t look like it fits specifically in any real sport or activity category. This is a good thing because its non-binary style and purpose increases its versatility—a must, in my opinion, if one is going to spend $180 on a garment.

Bulk-free Warmth & Performance

As I said above, the Chrome Cobra 3.0 Hoodie works equally well as a mid-layer and an outer-layer. With light-weight merino wool baselayer, I wore it as a midlayer with a Northface Apex softshell jacket or down vest while snowshoeing. The temperatures on these tests runs ranged from 10 to 20 degrees and I was plenty comfortable. Mostly, though, I wore it as an outer layer fatbiking, commuter biking and Nordic skiing with only a Kora Shola yak wool baselayer Merino wool baselayer.

As with anything, you have to temper your baselayers to the temperatures. For example, I was sweating like cold beer glass on a hot day the day I Nordic skied in 20 degrees with a heavyweight baselayer. When fatbiking on a -5-degree day with just a heavyweight baselayer, I was freezing (and with freezing comes whining, moaning, cryonics, etc). You get the picture. Use your best judgement.

Features

The Chrome Cobra 3.0 is a blend of Merino wool and recycled polyester to combine breathability, warmth and durability. While 100% Merino wool is my fave, I honestly didn’t feel any difference with the polyester blended in. A couple other interesting features that the Cobra 3.0 offers are:

Two-way Zipper

For fatbiking and commuter cycling, this is a must for me because I’m generally wearing bulkier bottoms. Opening the zipper four or five inches below makes for a more comfortable ride when in the aggressive cycling position in the saddle. The zipper pull here is nicely glove-friendly, too.

Thumbholes

Of all the garments I own that have thumb loops, the Chrome Cobra 3.0 is the only one in which I don’t feel any biting at the base of my thumb. This is because the arms are delightfully long. Noice.

Rear Pocket with a Full Pass-through

Great for carrying tools, ID, money, and what have you but they need to be re-thought. The zipper pulls are microscopic and most definitely NOT glove-friendly. The Cobra 3.0 is an evergreen staple in the Chrome line, going back a decade with incremental updates made each year. So I’m kind of scratching head wondering why nobody thought to add glove-friendly zipper pulls to the pockets on a Merino wool hoodie intended to be worn in cold weather. (Note: the front zipper pull is glove-friendly, just not the pocket zipper pulls.)

Style

Beautifully longer in the back as a cycling jacket should be, I love how it has an element of being form-fitting but still has just enough room to accommodate any size baselayer. I also love how high the front zipper comes up, how it doesn’t sit at my throat and the delightful snuggle-effect it gives when fully zipped. My only criticism on the style is the color. It’s only available in black. This is not to say I want an option that includes pink (hell no!) but maybe a nice dark red.

Final Thoughts

If I was anal enough to do a rating scale on a scale of 10, I would give the Chrome Merino Cobra 3.0 Hoodie a solid 9 (I had to subtract a point for the microscopic zipper pulls). It is a highly-functional, highly-versatile, warm, breathable, well-designed and durable cold-weather Merino-blend hoodie for absolutely every type of cold-weather activity on your agenda. It’s even a fantastic piece for the shoulder seasons and for Spring and Fall hiking and camping. Even you yoga-goers will love it.

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For me it was the late 80’s in a European’esq coffee house in Flagstaff, AZ where I was going to college. That’s when and where I made my pledge. While today you can pick up a bag of small-batch, sustainably grown and roasted whole bean or fresh-ground in any grocery store, in the dark years of the late 80’s, the choice was Folgers or Maxwell House. It would be years before pretentious coffee habits could be had by a visit to the local grocery store.

Today, thanks to the Miir Pourigami, pretentious coffee habits can be had on the trail, at camp or while traveling!

Setting up the Miir Pourigami

The Miir Pourigami is a compact pour-over system comprised of three powder-coated stainless steel panels. All panels have an interlocking edge and groove that allows them to connect to each other, Origami style, to form a little three-sided boat that sits atop a coffee cup. I used a Miir 12-ounce Camp Cup.

And that’s it. The first few times through it was a little fiddly with more misses than hits but now it’s second nature.

Making the Coffee

Like setting up the Miir Pourigami, the first few times were hit and miss, mostly misses. I either made the coffee too strong, too weak, or the grounds splattered and caked to the sides of the filter, making for uneven saturation and an inconsistent brew. One ill-fated trial resulted in only the dripping of boiling brown water into the cup. My pour technique clearly needed work so I turned to Sam Spillman for guidance.

I finally came up with a decent brew that was a blend of pour speed, swirl technique, amount of water, amount of grounds and the size of grounds.

Because I was using a 12-ounce mug, I finally settled on four rounded tablespoons of medium-ground Caribou Coffee Mahogany dark roast. The dark roast is simply personal preference. I like the intensity of it. I poured a bit of water into the filter to make it conform better to the Pourigami and then dumped it out. Next, I added just enough boiling water to bloom the grounds. When the grounds were bloomed, I slowly added more boiling water, evenly and gently, and swirling it from the center out and back to center. Then I added the remaining water, achieving brewvana.

The Result

I don’t usually make pour-over coffee. French press is more my style. But now I get it. Pour over has its place! The blend of the Miir Pourigami and medium-ground Caribou Coffee Mahogany dark roast created a rich, robust, full-flavored coffee.  

Clean-up

Clean-up is easy, depending on where you are. If you’re making pour-over coffee at home or in the office, you just toss the used filter into the trash. The Pourigami itself just needs a quick rinse with water.

If you’re making pour-over coffee while camping or backpacking, there’s a few more steps to dispose of the grounds and filter properly. If you live and breathe Leave No Trace, you will need to pack it all out – soiled wet filter and grounds – in your pack. If you have a little wiggle room in your Leave No Trace ethos (e.g. me), dig a hole to bury the grounds and then seal the soiled filter into a Ziplock bag and pack out. Rinse the Pourigami, dry it, pack it into its case and hit the trail.

Weight & Size

The Miir Pourigami on its own is 5.1 ounces (the website says 4 ounces, but it’s 5.1). When packed into its storage case, which is a little smaller than a smartphone, the total weight comes to 5.3 ounces. When I brought this backpacking, I was also carrying the Miir 12-ounce Camp Cup which, at 9 ounces, isn’t featherlight. All told, the Pourigami, storage case, and Camp Cup tilt the scales at 14.3 ounces – on top of all the other gear I carried, like tent, sleeping bag, camp pad, food, etc.

If you’re an ultralight backpacker, 14.3 ounces worth of coffee-making gear is enough to make your lumbar discs bulge and burst. No judgement!

Final Thoughts and a Parting Shot

I think the Miir Pourigami is a brilliant set up. It’s compact, it’s simple, it brews a great cup of coffee no matter where you are. You can use it with any camp mug or cup, too. Filters are required but you can purchase them anywhere and you can stash the filters in the storage case.

But it isn’t perfect for every mission due to its weight. I really loved the flavor of the coffee the Pourigami delivered in the morning. Pairing it with the Miir Camp Cup made it all that more enjoyable because its double-wall construction and sippy cup lid kept the coffee hotter longer. Still, for home or office use, or for travel that does not include having to carry it on your back in a backpack, it’s brilliant.

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I have always been a person who “sleeps cold”, and I was excited to wear the Cush slippers on a chilly Minnesota night to give theses booties a test.

The Slipper

The Baffin Cush Slippers are a fully insulated slipper, sole and all. They are sufficiently wide and have a toggle drawstring to tighten to the foot. The slip-resistant bottom is helpful when you are wearing these inside on linoleum or wood flooring. They can easily be kept clean as they are machine-washable.

The Test

The night I tested the Baffin Cush Slippers, the temperatures were in the 30s. I immediately put them on when I stepped foot in my tent, and I was ready to snooze. These slippers were toasty! My feet were very warm. To give it a true test, in the middle of the night, I kicked off one slipper and kept the other on for comparison. I noticed a bit more chill on the foot without the slipper. Soon enough, I stirred, and was happy to put on the slipper again. As warm as my feet were in these temps, I suspect they would maintain the heat in significantly colder temps.

Cozy House Shoes

While you can wear these camping, you can also use these as slippers around your house. I wore them inside for a bit and the slip-resistant soles worked great on my wood floors.

“Hot” Take

I enjoyed the Baffin Cush Slippers and can’t wait to use them on even colder campouts. They provided the heat I needed to have a restful night’s sleep. For me, I feel they are a bit too warm to be house shoes, but if you have cold tile floors, the warmth may be welcoming. If you enjoy camping in cooler weather and struggle with keeping warm like myself, I highly recommend these slippers.

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There are a lot of great options in the sleeping bag category but I have not yet found one that is perfect. I tend to roll around in the night like I am working through the positions of a hot yoga class. When it gets cold enough to zip up a bag, I generally wake up tangled up like a pretzel and sweating like I am in a sweat hut at some kind of executive leadership retreat.

The hood is surprisingly useful and a feature that I use much more than I anticipated. When it is cold you can stay warm AND you can breathe. Not a bad combo…

When I keep the bag unzipped to get the freedom I need, I wake up shivering because I always manage to roll out of the bag. Once that happens it usually means I will be worming around to get barely comfortable or worse, getting out of my tent/hammock to re-situate. Talk about frustrating. The Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt addresses all of those complaints. 

What I Liked

Design

It took a little getting used to but once I figured it out there were a lot of things to like. The Nitro Quilt fits a single person. (You could try to fit two people, but it would be rather…intimate). The basic layout is similar to a sleeping bag with the zipper pulled up around mid-calf. It lies on top of the sleeper – like, you know, a quilt.

The inside of the Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt showcases the integrated hood and pockets for hands – two great features for keeping the quilt where you need it to get a good night’s sleep.

The insulated hand/arm pockets and the footbox work together keep the quilt in place and mostly sealed against drafts. The upper portion of the quilt has plenty of room. I do not wake up chilled or uncomfortable nearly as often. In especially cold conditions, the integrated hood is indispensable for sleeping comfortably. A sleeping pad or liner on the outside of a hammock is essential. If temps dip below 50 degrees – it had best be a good one. 

Specs

Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 800/20 has outstanding insulation vs. weight qualities. The total weight of the quilt comes in at 708 grams / 1 lb 9 oz. When I have the mandatory sleeping pad or hammock liner, the 800-loft DriDown is simply fabulous for temperatures down to around 36 °F / 2 °C (Additional gear is highly advisable for lower temperatures).  There is simply no other solution that surpasses down for weight, warmth, compressibility, durability and cost. 

The Breakdown   

• EN Limit Temp Rating: 21F / -6C
• EN Comfort Temp Rating:  32F / 0C
• Fill Weight: 14.8 oz / 420g
• Minimum Weight: 1lb 9oz / 708 g
• Fits Up To: 6′ 3″ / 190.5 cm
• Length: 75in / 191 cm
• Shoulder Circumference: 56″ / 142 cm
• Hip Circumference: 56″ / 142 cm
• Footbox Circumference: 40″ / 102 cm
• Mesh Storage Bag Size (LxW): 20 x 12″ / 51 x 31 cm
• Stuff Sack Size (L x W): 13 x 7″ / 33 x 17.8cm

Materials

The 15 denier, nylon, ripstop fabric is very lightweight – though not particularly resilient. The compromise between weight and durability has merit for a piece of gear that needs to be ultralight. The fabric is quite thin which makes sleeping under the quilt quite pleasant. Caution is important when using it for anything but sleeping. However, it can easily tear if it is caught on something like a sharp edge. Once those precious down feathers go flying, good luck getting them back in.

Construction

Chambers in the Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 800/20 separate and contain the down. Though some have complained about it, I have had no problems with clumping. If that happens, I will probably just throw the quilt into my dryer for 20 minutes with a tennis ball or two. As with most down items, storage is key. Keeping the quilt in its stuff sack for the least amount of time possible should reduce that issue. 

Storage is key for any item that contains insulation – but especially for expensive down. Give it room to breathe and it will reward you by keeping you warm for years.

Size

One of my favorite aspects of Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 800/20 are the dimensions. For me (6’1” / 200 lbs) it is roomy and comfortable.

Getting a good night’s sleep is much easier. Only one size is available but since it is made to sleep underneath, I think that folks with a smaller frame will like it just as much as I do. However, anyone taller than me may want to check one of these out in person to make sure they can be accommodated.

DriDown

If you ever find yourself in the mood to ruffle some feathers (see what I did there?), simply sit down beside a campfire and say: “treated vs. untreated down.” There is rarely a shortage of opinions and you will hear most of them. Science is my guide in any debate that does not involve s’mores. I have studied the topic in depth and concluded that treated down is safe, effective, and likely to be as, or more, durable than the alternative.

Words like “hydrophobic“ and “polymer” may seem a bit intimidating, but consider that the down that a goose grows is naturally both hydrophobic and a biopolymer. Treating it simply restores (most of) the qualities that are lost when the down is (necessarily) cleaned during manufacturing. I have spent many long hours researching this topic and the claims made by the manufacturers are backed by legitimate data. 

We are all human…and kind of gross

When we sleep our bodies release moisture through respiration and perspiration. Some of that will find its way to the down in any sleeping system and will reduce the loft (air space) which, in turn, reduces the insulating ability of the down. Nobody argues that. It is also widely accepted that treating the down all but eliminates that issue. The contrarian folks (who I love!) generally ask, “Why improve something already so great?” and “Will it last as long?”

My thoughts are simple: Innovation is why our society exists (think – fire/wheel/vaccination) and that I have found no reason (none/zip/zilch) to suspect that making the down more resilient to moisture will do anything but add to the longevity. Moisture leads to mold, and mold and our body oils/goo are the greatest enemies of down. Basically, treat any kind of down lovingly and it will last for decades. Period. (Come to think of it, do that for all the people in your life as well and your friendships will last even longer.)

Weight. With 800 loft down and weighing in at 1lb 9oz / 708 g, the Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt is an item that I would classify as ultralight. It packs down so small that, when I take it out and watch the down pop right back up, I am always a little floored. The weight vs. insulation vs. size ratio is nothing short of remarkable. 

What I did not like / What could be better

Not a Liner

In a hammock anything you lie upon is compressed, reducing its insulating ability substantially. A great strategy is to attach an exterior liner to the bottom of the hammock. When I expect cold weather, I pack a liner specifically. However, when temperatures are cool but not especially frigid, I prefer to use a thinner layer on top, and employ my thicker insulation as the liner. Having both means I can switch it up as needed.

Unfortunately, the design of the nitro quilt does not lend itself to that purpose. More flexibility means less gear to carry and that always makes me happy. It would be nice to have the ability to spread the quilt out and attach it to the exterior of my hammock.

Sizes

I slide into the Nitro Quilt as if it were tailored specifically for me – which is fortunate because there is only one option. Folks with different sized frames might appreciate some size options. Since it is meant to be slept under, rather than within, this is unlikely to be a problem for most, but it might be nice to have at least a couple choices. (Like sleeping bags).

Bottom Line

The Sierra Designs Nitro Quilt 800/20 is my go-to when it is cold and I am in a tent, and is pretty much mandatory when I am in a hammock. With my penchant for nighttime sleep-dancing, the freedom of movement alone improves my sleep substantially. It is an excellent product that I expect will be in my arsenal for a long, long time. 

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What I Liked

REACTIVE All Around 2-3 Photochromic Lenses

The Julbo Spark’s 2-3 lenses refers to category of sun protection strength. Essentially, the Julbo Spark offers two categories of sun protection in one lens—Category 2 and Category 3. Category 2 is typically the orange, blue, rose and red lenses, which are idea for shade or partially sunny conditions. Category 3 is an almost all brown or grey/smoke lens is for strong sunlight and most common category. When both the categories work together, they let in between 9% to 20% of visible light. Note: No matter the category, tint or color, UV protection is consistent because it’s applied to all lenses.

When I’m indoors, or outside when it’s cloudy, the Julbo Spark’s lenses transition to Category 2 (automagically!) and appear as normal tinted eye glasses. When I emerge outside into sun, the lenses rapidly transform into full-on, sun-protection sunglasses.

I found this adaptability to be ideal for non-high impact activities like canoeing, sea kayaking, camping and hiking when the sun goes behind a cloud, it’s overcast or hiking trails that took me through shaded forest and exposed ridges without removing them or pushing them up onto my head. Julbo’s website states that these lenses allow you to “read any type of screen”. They are correct, as I had no issues with clarity when reading from my Kindle Paper White, trail map or smartphone screen.

Non-sliding, Outstanding and Comfortable fit

You know when you were a pimply, pubescent adolescent with oily skin? Well, I still have that despite several decades beyond those pimply, pubescent, adolescent years. My principal conundrum with sunglasses is that the second my nose gets oily or sweaty, they slide down my nose. This means I’m constantly repositioning them and having to take my hand off a kayak or canoe paddle, hiking pole, what have you. Except that I haven’t done that yet with the Julbo Sparks for three reasons.

First, the nose grip technology. I have no idea what it is made from because all I could find on Julbo’s website was that the Spark’s nose grip was a “Flexible, shock-absorbing grip insert on the bridge.” Still, whatever the secret ingredient, it grips to an oily, sweaty nose like superglue (but comes off considerably easier).

Second, the weight. The Julbo Spark weighs in at feathery-light 26 grams so there is hardly any gravity working against them or your nose. Third, the ear piece. They’re not adjustable but they’re ergonomically spot-on and comfortably secure around my ears. When wearing a hat or visor whose brims sit on top of ear pieces, I never felt any discomfort or pain in my temple area.  

What Could be Better

The case. The Julbo Spark comes in a soft zippered case with a microfiber bag that doubles as their cleaning cloth. The cleaning-cloth bag is great, and wipes them clean without scratching the lenses. But the soft case doesn’t offer much protection against impact, such as accidentally sitting on them or stuffing something heavy on top of them in a backpack.  

Final Thoughts

For low-impact activity like hiking, paddling, camping or even wearing about town, the Julbo Spark is an impressive pair of sunglasses. I don’t recommend them for cycling or running because they aren’t designed for it. Aside from being attractive, they are lightweight and comfortable. But the big stand-out for me, and for the variety of activities for which I’ve been using them, is the REACTIVE Photochromic lenses and their outstanding clarity and adaptability to changing light conditions when outside.

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