On one of the hottest days, the remote sensor reported temperatures exceeding 107 Degrees Fahrenheit while the air temp was in the high 80’s. Overall, it could have been roomier, but the weight savings were attractive to me with only one spar instead of two. Furthermore, I didn’t plan on being in the tent other than during the nights, so a roomier but heavier 1-person tent wasn’t desirable. The weather was going to be great and the hammock was where I wanted to be during the restful moments of the day. In the following paragraphs I share just a few design features that, in my opinion, make this a well-designed product. Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking.
The one downside with integrated rain flies is the lack of ventilation and temperature control. We had great weather – not too hot and not too cold – but it did rain for about 5 minutes. My friend chose to not put up his rain fly betting on the perfect weather to continue while enjoying the stars at night. During those five minutes of rain, he was a little more stressed as the risk of a wet sleeping bag had not been completely mitigated and he rushed back to the campground. True, I wasn’t able to remove the rain fly to watch the stars or let the wind ventilate my tent, but I was able to enjoy the day hikes without any sort of worry. In essence, I had committed to the permanent rainfly option by default and there was a certain contentedness that came with that.
However, it’s important to recognize that warmer bags are generally bulkier and heavier than colder bags. Therefore, try only to analyze weight and packed size between bags with similar warmth. Don’t be afraid to spend a little more for a lighter or more compressible sleeping bag if you plan to venture deep into the backcountry.
This cooler has a number of features that you would find on more expensive coolers and a few that you won’t find. My own personal beverage drama every summer has really pushed me to do this review. To me, worrying about the temperature of the drinks I have on my boat is the absolute last thing I want to be thinking about when I am heading out on the water.
I have to say that I am very impressed with the performance of the Ozark Trail 45Q cooler. This cooler is not only smaller in its overall size but also a fraction of the price of the competition. The Yeti has the most streamlined design of the three coolers, staying true to the original Yeti look and feel. The overall product weight of this cooler is 37lbs empty which is inline with the Pelican, but 7lbs heavier than the Ozark Trail ozark trail canopy cooler.
I needed a day pack and didn’t really have lots of time to search at REI for the various styles provided having only gone to one store. This daypack ended up being the cheapest after a quick perusal. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair Creek section.
We just wouldn’t stretch using this bag too far into the shoulder season. It’s rated to 23 degrees Fahrenheit, but we would not be comfortable bringing it along if the temperatures were below freezing. It’s just a tube with few bells and whistles, but that means it’s also pretty light to carry. For the folks seeking the absolute best sleeping bag, we recommend the Western Mountaineering MegaLite. This ultra-premium model utilizes 12 ounces of 850+ fill power down to create a cozy cocoon of outstanding comfort.
Its warmth-to-weight ratio is certainly outstanding, but you can attain an even higher warmth-to-weight ratio with a hooded mummy design, like the Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20. Still, we believe the added versatility of the Flicker is worth this compromise. At this price point, we weren’t expecting greatness from the Coleman Brazos. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the warmth of this bag when we used it on a few chilly nights in Bryce Canyon National Park. It earned an above-average rating in our warmth testing, outscoring a few other bags in this metric. While we don’t recommend it for the truly frigid camp nights, it’s got you covered through the normal camping season of late spring, summer, and early fall.
With an enormous packed size and at 11.7 pounds on the scale, it’s far too bulky and heavy to carry any significant distance. Instead, the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 is another option that is lightweight, packs up into a stuff sack, and is a bit easier to transport. At full list price, the Alps OutdoorZ Redwood is also a poor value compared to many other camping bags.
I think you could strap things to the outside, as it has a daisy chain and two loops at the bottom. I agree with the other reviewer though, I would not go over about pounds with this pack. By default, this unexpectedly ended up being my go-to daily bag for several months.