Coleman Sun Shower

We have found that the Coleman Sun shower can be a nice Item to have on a backpacking trip. It has many uses and can be that one luxury item that makes your personal backcountry spa even more enjoyable. However we did find a few flaws that we will note. Most importantly it has been put through the Tough Gear Challenge and that will be the final judge.

DEPENDABILITY: The Coleman sun shower was great if the sun was shining but obviously if there was no sun then you wouldn’t be enjoying a nice hot shower. It did not leak or puncture when I stepped on it, dropped it, and after sitting in the sun for several consistent days. For this it receives a Tough Gear Dependability Grade of a B.

VERSATILITY: When it comes to this sun shower I found that it could be used for much more than heating up water. It works well for transporting water, a make shift float bag, or heavy duty splint in survival situations. Since there are many options for this it receives a Tough Gear Versatility Grade of a B+.

AFFORDABILITY: This product is more on the economic end of the sun shower market. It comes more with the bare bones package that does not include the thermometer, or support rod. It costs around $9.99. With this in thought it receives a Tough Gear Affordability Grade of a B.

PACKABILITY: This item is very easy to pack and goes nicely at the bottom or side of your pack. It can also be roll up and lashed on the outside of your pack (however not recommended if bushwhacking). With this it receives a Tough Gear Packability Grade of a B.

All in all the Coleman Sun Shower performed very well. But there are some flaws that must be mentioned. The support bar for distributing weight around the handle at the top was small and did not extend the whole width of the bag. So if you would fill the bag full it was prone to rip if held in this manner. Also if it is in the heat of the day and the water has been sitting out in the sun for several hours it will be hot enough to burn you. This is where the thermometer would be convenient. It is nice for a short trip but for an extended trip in the backcountry I would recommend a sun shower of higher quality. Or just enjoy a refreshing dip in the lake. With this being said the Coleman Sun Shower receives a Final Tough Gear Grade of a B.  However no matter what you should read more reviews and buy the product that will fit your needs.

Here is a link for more information on this product at amazon

Mosquito Head Net

The Coleman Mosquito Head net is made of fine mesh and can block out mosquitos, black flies, horse flies, moose flies, and deer flies from your face. This can be the barrier between a man having an amazing trip or going insane. We put this head net through continuous nights of use and many days on the water. So now there is only one thing left between this item and a good review. That is the Tough Gear Challenge!!!

DEPENDABILITY: This product saved me and my friends so many times from swarms of mosquitos and black flies that it was well worth its weight in Gold. I could depend on it to keep those bugs from biting my face that with-out it I would have gone crazy. Therefore it receives a Tough Gear Dependability Grade of An A+.

 VERSATILITY: Being made for a specific purpose it doesn’t do much other than keep out blood thirsty insects. However in dire situations you can filter out bugs and debris from water, use it as a small net to catch minnows, or use as a nice breathable gauze type bandage if the situation called on it. Therefore it receives a Tough Gear Versatility Grade of a B+.

AFFORDABILITY: For the low price of $1.99-$5.99 it is sure worth bringing a few along. However I did not have to break out my second one because the first head net lasted the whole trip. For less than the Cost of a gallon of gas you can get one that will make your trip so much more comfortable and rewarding. Therefore it receives a Tough Gear Affordability Grade of an A++.

PACKABILITY: Unlike all those bug hats that require a huge metal ring and whatnot this item can go right around a normal boney hat. This thing can fit right into your pocket and be whipped out at a moment’s notice.  It is Extremely Packable and lightweight. Therefore it receives a Tough Gear Packability Grade of an A+. 

Overall this item was very beneficial to have and did not require all the space of a traditional head net with rings and whatnot. I hiked all over with this thing and I guarantee that it can’t be beaten for its price. You will need to have a boney hat or regular hat to keep the net away from your ears, but in the end it is well worth it. You should buy two just in case one gets snagged on a tree or if you have a friend who forgot to pick one up. It is indeed worth the extra investment. Therefore it receives a Final Tough Gear Grade of an A+.

You can go to Colemans website to buy them or buy almost at any local store. Here is a link Coleman Insect Head Net. As you can see in this picture I took many of my friends have them on!!

Digi power –Dual Power Wall Charger/Portable battery

Being off the grid for more than a week means that you will need back up power for your electronics! Being in the new technological age almost everything we do requires power. We aren’t saying eliminate the traditional methods of navigation but most of us have smart phones and GPS capable devices that can provide us with up to date maps and trails. The Digi power is the missing link between you and your wall charger. Equipped with two USB inputs, an adapter, a built in flash light and a fold-away wall charger, it is perfect for charging hand held devices on the go. So we will see how it stands up to the Tough Gear Challenge!

DEPENDABILITY: This product charged my IPod once and my cell phone twice with-out being recharged itself. I could depend on it when I had a low battery and had to check in or just listen to some tunes. However it is not water proof or crush proof and should be protected in a small case. It held up to the Canadian Backcountry and receives a Tough Gear Dependability Grade of a B.

VERSATILITY: This product is a wall charger, flashlight, portable backcountry battery, and has time to charge two items (VIA USB) at once and is equipped with adapters. It also works as a universal charger that means it is not necessary to pack a wall charger for each one of your hand held devices. I found out fast that it was nice to have because if you miss place your headlamp at night you can whip out this gizmo and have light in no time. Therefore it receives a Tough Gear Versatility Grade of an A+.

AFFORDABILITY: This product is about midscale on today’s market. The price range should be around $25.00-$35.00 dollars. This is a reasonable price to pay if you are going on a trip where you will be out of reach of an outlet. Many of the other portable batteries that I looked at did not come with the adapters and also did not have a wall charger. Also it was really expensive if I was going to buy another camera battery and it really helped me there. This is why it received a Tough Gear Affordability Grade of a B.

PACKABILITY: This Item is about 3”X 5”inches and can fit almost anywhere. The product is very durable but not completely waterproof so it needs to be packed in a safe spot protected from the elements. It is also recommended that you protect your investment with a small waterproof container. As stated above having this item eliminates the need for bringing a wall charger for each of your hand held items. This is going to mean that you will save a nice bit of cargo room. Therefore the Digi power receives a Tough Gear Packability Grade of a B.

Overall this product performed very well for me and I had no issues using it. However because it was so small and somewhat dense I found that if I didn’t put it into a specific pouch or container it would drop to the bottom of my pack. This is not a good thing for two reasons. One you won’t be able to find it when you need it and most important  if any moisture gets into the bottom of your pack it could ruin your battery.  This Item helped me a lot and even though I dropped it many times it kept chugging along. Therefore it receives a final Tough Gear Grade of a B+.

Columbia Omni-dry Long Zip off pants

Testing the Omni-dry pants made by Columbia started off questionable because of their high price. These pants market retail for $60.00 and sell on sale down to $30.00. So I tested with an open mind and let the Tough Gear Challenge take care of them. The conditions in which these pants were tested was the deciduous/coniferous forest of Ontario, Canada. Now the weather was about 75% sunshine and 25% rain.

DEPENDABILITY:  These pants were very dependable and I could count on them to hold strong when it came to going into the brush and high weeds. They also had a great resistance to tear. It proved this when I had to make my way through a thorny black berry patch and skidding down sharp rocks. It seemed that no matter what I would put these pants through they would heal up and be ready the next morning.  There for they receive a tough gear dependability grade of a B.

VERSATILITY:  This pair of pants was more like a two for one deal. The zippers around mid-leg can zip half off and make them into shorts for hot summer days. You can also use it as a pair of swimming trunks. These pants really paid off for me because I was working on the water a whole lot canoeing and doing fisheries research, if they got wet they were dry sometimes in fifteen minutes. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Versatility Grade of a B.

AFFORDABILITY: This pair of pants is on the high end of outdoor clothing. I have seen them from 30-60$ per pair. But in the end they will hold up during a long backcountry trip! I do recommend shopping around and looking for a pair of pants that is comfortable for you to wear. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Affordability grade of a C+.

PACKABILITY: This pair of pants weighs the fraction of a normal pair of jeans and doesn’t take up as much space.  They can compress down to fit in almost any pocket of a backpack. I could fit them right in the front pouch of my backpack if I needed a dry pair of pants. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Packability Grade of an A+.

Tough Gear Final Grade: After reviewing all of the different points of view the Columbia Omni-dry Long Zip off pants receive a final grade of a B+. They held up and the zippers were extremely durable and didn’t seem to be thrown off by mud or sand. The pants dried very fast and really are one of the most comfortable pairs of pants I have ever worn. They do tend to stain a little bit but that all comes with use. Now that you have read our review it is time for you to decide what qualities you’re looking for in a pair of backcountry pants!