Gordini Winter Gloves (did they hold up?)

Over the winter months I tested a pair of Gordini gloves that I bought at a ski shop. I used them whenever I went skiing this past winter, and on fun days enjoying the winter wonderland. With that said and having already put them to the Tough Gear Test I will not break them down on how they performed according to the Tough Gear criteria.

DURABILITY :( C-) These gloves really did not hold up like I expected them. They did not insulate very well and after about 10 minutes on the lift back up the mountain I could feel the cold penetrating back in. However once I got moving it wasn’t a problem. When I had a nice wipe out they did not keep the snow from filling in. After a day on the slopes I knew that I should have shelled out the extra money for the pair of Marmot gloves but did not want to give up on my investment quite yet. Time was to tell and they ended up not preforming to the Tough Gear standards. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Durability grade of a (C-)

AFFORDABILITY :( B+) One thing that this brand of gloves has going for it is that they are extremely affordable. If you are the person that is looking for a nice cheap winter glove that won’t break the bank then these are for you. But I do warn, if you are like me and spend countless hours outside during the winter months a nice set of gloves is worth spending a little more on. This set of gloves is nice for the price because they do a quality job and are really better than being caught outside without gloves. Because of this they receive the Tough Gear Affordability grade of a (B+).

PACKABILITY :( A) For the most part gloves are not the hardest thing to find a spot for when it comes to packing you bag, but with a lot of people doing these long trips every little space adds up and therefore it does count. These gloves were very nice to put into a side pocket or mesh area. They also have a clip that will keep them from separating within your backpack and keeps organization to a max. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Packability Grade of an (A).

VERSITILITY: (B) I was not very pleased with this brand of gloves but did find that they offered some use in different situations. The felt lining is very comfortable and is nice to have when a camp setting is in place. The leather on the outside of the glove offered good resistance from tear and added nice gipping capability. They also make a very nice hammy down that your siblings can use. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Versatility Grade of a (B).

Over all the Gordini gloves did a fairly good job of standing up to the pressures of the outdoor environment. They are not suited for the snowy environment but really more for a cold environment. They have no features for snow sports and will not keep the snow out if you fall. If you are mobile then you will keep warm, but if you are looking to be in a tree stand or watching birds then these really won’t do the job you’re looking for. I recommend a pair of mittens for this situation or a higher quality brand. Therefore they receive an overall Tough Gear grade of a (B).

Leatherman's Freestyle Mulititool (Tough or Bluff?)

  To introduce this light weight multi-tool made by Leatherman, I would first like to tell you a little about where I tested it. I used this tool on a month long adventure in the Yukon wilderness and used it for a multitude of things. In freezing temperatures in the mountains, and moist environments along the river I depended on it for day to day use. The weather in the Yukon is one that will surprise anyone because you cannot plan on one type. You have to plan for all situations, and all scenarios, because when you’re not looking there is a snow storm rolling in, or a flash rain storm, followed by bone chilling winds that are  just waiting for you to underestimate mother nature. I am going to break down this produce based on what I went through and experienced with it. I am going to use the Tough Gear Criteria to grade this multi-tool and see if it has the grit to stand up to the versatile back country conditions.

DURABILITY: (A) The freestyle Multi-tool preformed up to my standards and above. Not only did I drop it in the sand multiple times but I cut through several ropes, and used the blade until exhaustion and the thing did not go dual. I used it when I was on the river and stored it in a pocket that was on my life jacket. Not only did it get wet every time I went in, but it stood up quite well to river conditions in general. To this day it still has not showed a speck of rust. With all of these factors taken into thought the Leatherman’s Multi-tool receives a Tough Gear Durability grade of an (A).

AFFORDABILITY: (B) Even though this multi-tool is very high quality and I would recommend it to anyone there are some price issues. Compared to other tools on the market one can get by with a much lower end product that will most likely last the duration of your trip. The freestyle cost anywhere from 28-38 dollars and to a lot of outdoors man this is a lot of money to spend on one multi-tool. However with this said you are investing in a quality product that has a 25 year warranty and will perform every time no worries. Also you get the great customer support that comes with the Leatherman brand. These are just a few things to think about! However with them all in mind the Leatherman Freestyle receives a Tough Gear Affordability grade of a (B).

PACKABILITY: (A) The freestyle offers a nice light weight option to the conventional bulky multi-tool. It offers a nice knife with a reliable pair of pliers that will be worth its weight in the burden of carry. The Multi-tool can fit into almost any small space, pouch, and pocket. It weighs in at 4.5 oz. or 127.57 g, and is only 2.6 inches long when all closed up. It has a clip on the side to attach to your pants or belt for easy access, and a compact design to slide right into your pocket.  With taking all of this into mind the Freestyle Multi-tool receives a Tough Gear Packability Grade of an (A).

VERSITILITY: (A+) When it comes to a product that meet the needs of almost any outdoors man the freestyle multi-tool by Leatherman is the way to go. This tool can come in handy especially in situations where a sturdy knife and pair of pliers will help you out. I used it for two weeks in the mountains opening food packs, cutting and chopping food, and tending to broken zippers on the tents. I then went on to use it for two weeks on the river whitewater canoeing and it put up to the brutal test of the river conditions. It was used to cut tie down ropes, carve walking sticks, and a multitude of other uses.  For this the Freestyle receives a Tough Gear Versatility grade of an (A+).

In conclusion I have found that The Freestyle Multi-tool made by Leatherman preforms very well and holds up in a variation of climates. The tool is reasonably priced for those wanting to invest in reliable tool and not out of range for many who want it for everyday use. It is extremely packable and folds up into itself when not in use. Also you can clip it just about anywhere. When it came time to look at the versatility of the product it did not let us down. It could be used to cut up a potato one minute and the next be fixing a broken zipper on my tent. I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a light weight backpacking multi-tool that will live up to its name. Not recommended for someone looking for a multi-tool that has a screw driver and all those other additions. For this the Freestyle Multi-tool receives an overall Tough Gear Grade of an (A).

Cabelas compression coolmax socks ( Tough or bluff?)

Cabela's has put a number of items on the market and here I have tested there compression coolmax socks. These socks are for hiking and everyday comfort. They are supposed to increase blood flow to your feet and provide extended comfort throughout the day. Here I am going to break down how these socks stood up to the Tough Gear criteria.

DURABILITY :( B+) Having hiked in these socks for days on end i can personally say that they stood up to my abuse. I put them through creek after creek, mile after mile, down mountain sides of skeet and back up again. They are very comfortable and will keep your feet dry and snug. One thing that i found them very helpful is when my wool socks got wet i could put this pair over them and wear them around camp and they could wick the moisture away from my wool socks and then dry out quite fast themselves. They are a great pair of sturdy socks and therefore receive a Tough Gear Durability Grade of (B+).

AFFORDABILITY: (B) This pair of socks is great however with many other pairs of socks on the market I found them to be a little pricey. They are constructed of synthetic materials that will keep your foot insulated when wet and do offer extreme comfort. There are sock systems out there for a better price. But if you are the person that can get away with wearing one sock these are cost effective and nice to have on a long packing trip. I would recommend having at least three pairs. Standard price is around $14.99. However they are about in the middle of the price range for hiking socks and come with the Cabelas know name for quality. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Affordability Grade of a (B).

PACKABILITY: (A) This pair of socks dries out extremely fast and will there for not soak your pack. When wet they are easy to tie on the outside of your pack and will often dry within 20 minutes. I have found that if you are going to keep them inside your pack make sure to keep them inside a nice small dry bag or plastic bag. Do this because they tend to draw moister, but i guess that shows there extremely strong wicking ability. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Packability Grade of an (A).

VERSITILITY :( A) The cabelas coolmax material is highly versatile. Its ability to insulate when wet makes it great for hiking where you are getting your feet wet. I had some cold nights with my sleeping bag not doing quite the best job. I had to put on all my cloths and three pairs of these socks and they defiantly allowed to me to fall back asleep and recharge for the next day. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Versatility Grade of an (A).

Overall this pair of socks performed very well in the backcountry and front country. They held their ground in cold, wet, and dry environments and also stood up to the consistent day to day vigor’s of the Yukon wilderness. This is a great pair of socks and I would recommend them to anyone. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Grade of (B+).

Link to product on Cabelas website

Pictures Of Yukon, Canada

Me with moose shed

Camp

Me with Caribou shed

Hiking Down vast valley in Coast mountian range

Caribou

ptarmigan

Chad Fly fishing on wheaton River

Vally

Hyland River

Night on Hyland River

Aligator Lake

Portage

Rapids on Hyland

Wolf Track and James Hand

Griz skull

Mountain House Freeze Dried Meals or Real Food?

Sometimes you will find yourself seeking a new choice for the pack. Not the Standard Mountain house meal or MRE. If you are looking for variety then you can add a number of ingredients to your pack to spice up your menu. Some really easy and simple ingredients are flower baking powder and salt. You can make some nice flat bread that will add to any meal and is nice to have with some of the freeze dried meals. If you are going on day packs or trips that are only a couple of days long you have more options. A nice chunk of cheese if stowed in plastic deep within your pack to keep cool can stay good for a while. Also summer sausage is nice to have and beef jerky always adds some variety to the menu. Hope this helps and I am going to post an upcoming full length review on Menu options for the back country.

Homemade Back Country Pizza NOLS style

Steri-Pen With Solar Charger (Pro or Joe)

When it comes to purifying your drinking water everyone wants to make sure that they have the job done right. There are many bacteria and viruses that live in the environment. Even if they are not dangerous to us we don’t know how our bodies will react. Also if you are somewhere in the world that you have not been your immune system has not been exposed to foreign strains of bacteria and viruses in there water. There is many water born disease that can turn you’re backpacking trip into a nightmare. There are many types of purifier’s on the market; plus multiple brands of particle filters. With this said there are several ways you can go by killing all the organic living materials with in the water and one way is called the Steri-Pen.  It uses UV rays to kill all of the living microscopic creatures in your water. The one that I have tested has a solar panel charging case that could be relied on in the back country without the constant changing of batteries.

DURABILITY :( B) This product is the Adventurer Opti. It uses UV rays produced in the pen to kill any life with in the water. With the direct focus of the UV light the fungi, bacteria, and viruses stand no chance. This product is nice to have if you can spend the money on it and is very convenient to pack on long trips. It eliminates the extra batteries that might need to be taken and stands up very well to the harsh river environments. It also worked well in the mountains and I didn’t notice any change in the performance due to altitude. I was also very impressed with the little amount of time it takes to cleanse the water. It performs much, much faster that purifying tablets usually sterilizing in a couple of minutes. It was very dependable when it was time to cook, get a drink, or just purifying some water for cleaning cuts and scrapes For this it receives a Tough Gear Durability grade of a (B).

AFFORDABILITY :( C) With many of these products on the market the companies are competing for your business. This is the benefit of a supply and demand market and you can often find good deals from different brands. But remember to do your research on the product before you commit to buy. This product is one of much better quality and will last you a long time. It is worth investing in if your trips into the backcountry are long where every ounce of weight counts. Also it will save you fuel from boiling water every time you cook. Very good but again it is on the upper side of the price range at $140.00. Therefore it receives a Tough Gear Affordability Grade of (C).

PACK ABILITY :( A)  With its ability to clip on the outside of the backpack and charge while you hike it takes up virtually no space. It is well worth its weight in Gold! Therefore it receives a Tough Gear Pack ability grade of an (A).

DEPENDABILITY: (B) The steri-pen is dependable everywhere that the water is clean and clear. But if you are hiking anywhere that is downstream of a city, farm or almost any modern day infrastructure then you will most likely want to filter your water to get out the inorganic material such as fertilizers, oil run off and other contaminants. Also with-out filtering out the dirt particles and inorganic material the steri-pen will not be as effective. This is because instead of being spread throughout the UV light particles reflect off the inorganic particles and do not make it all the way through the amount of water and thus not killing all of the living organic material.

In conclusion the Steri-Pen is extremely efficient in killing viruses and bacteria. You can almost always count on it to get the job done in a pristine back country environment. But because of the steri-pens inability to perform with cloudy water and not being able to clean the inorganic material it receives an overall Tough Gear Grade of a (B-).

Here is a link to the product
http://www.rei.com/product/807755

Cabelas Waterproof Gore-tex pants

The Cabelas Gore-Tex pack lite pair of pants worked out really well for me. They fended off harsh winds and also kept me dry in the ever changing Yukon environment. The pants breathe really well and have zippers at the bottom so you can roll the legs up during times in between rainstorms. The Pants are 100% polyester. The pants also feature a nice draw string that can tighten them to what-ever size you desire. Now I will show you how they stood up to the Tough Gear criteria.

DURABILITY :( B) This pair of pants was extremely durable. They lasted my whole trip of a month in the Yukon environment and I wore them for many miles on the trail. I recommend a pair of gators however to offer the most protection on the bottoms of the pants and to also keep them lasting the whole trip. I fell down on my butt on a patch of skeet and slid for 15 feet and these pants did not rip or puncture (Truly amazing if you have ever hiked on skeet). I still have this pair today and use them when skiing and on long hikes in the rain. With this in mind they receive a B for their Tough Gear Durability grade.

AFFORDABILITY :( B) This pair of pants was extremely affordable and you can find them often in the bargain cave. They are however one of the more pricey pairs on the market and are not as versatile as other pieces of gear that you might need to spend the 100.00 dollars on. There for they receive a B on the Tough Gear Affordability grade.

PACK ABILITY:(A+) With their ability to compress very well and being so light weight this pair of rain pants offers there weight in gold on a long hiking trip. If you have ever had a pack that was overweight and had your back aching and had to go digging for things you need you will find comfort in this pair of light weight Gore-Tex pants. There for they receive an A+ on the Tough Gear Pack ability grade.

DEPENDABILITY :( A) This pair won’t let you down in the field. They test up to the harsh environment and offer extreme comfort. When testing them I didn’t even have to hesitate to use them if the weather was changing because I could put on layers underneath and knew that they would do their job. They are easy to remove over boots with their zippers at the bottom and fit snug with the Velcro straps around the ankles. There for they receive an A on the Tough Gear Dependability grade.

Overall this pair of Cabelas Waterproof Gore-Tex pants will prove tough and hardy when the time comes. They performed extremely well in the field (unlike my friend’s rip-stop pants from North Face) and will get the job done time and time again. If you are looking to invest in a piece of rain gear that will last you a good many years then I recommend them. If you are looking for something that is good for casual hiking they are good also. But not to be biased there are many good pairs on the market and you should look around and buy what is most comfortable for you. Overall Tough Gear Grade Is a B+.

Here is a link to Cabelas Website