High Sierra Topix

Most of my new gear I bought this year performed well under expectations.

Bought new REI carbon trekking poles. Basket fell off second day of use. (REI did give me new ones). Broke one pole after one month's use. My old Leiki poles never broke for over 10 years of use, in the same conditions.

Bought EXACTLY the same model and size of Merrel shoes (last two pair of shoes the same). I swear they cheapened the materials. These shoes killed my feet, causing serious problems.

Do not like the new Rocky Mountain Gaiter design- the Velcro front tabs soon do not work because they get full of lint, sand and such.

Bought a highly rated Granite Gear Crown 60 pack. Not only did it have no more volume than my 55L Bergans of Norway pack, I had to put in a backboard from an old pack to make it comfortable, and then put a foam sleeping pad on the back so it did not rub my shoulders raw.

REI hiking pants fit very well, but why in the world do they put belt loops right were the waist belt of a pack goes?

Sawyer Mini treated water OK but I quit using it because the bag that comes with it is difficult to fill.

Cannot complain too much about my Big Agnes Copper Spur 1 because someone gave it to me but the floor is terribly fragile. And it does not set up tight (lots of sags and wrinkles). If you have to use the footprint because the floor is fragile, then you should include that in the tent weight. I never could truely trust the tent.

Sigh! Hope my next purchases work out better.

Merrell shoes... is it possible that your feet are now older?

Granite Gear pack... From what I can see, every backpack manufacturer uses a different standard to specify the volume. Some use the volume of the main part. Some use the volume of the main part plus all of the pockets. Some even include a collar extension where that applies.

REI hiking pants... I would expect that they put belt loops around the waist. Where else should they put them?

Many women do not use nor need belts. We have hips that hold up our pants! The stupid belt loops are over sized simply for "fashion" or fad. The rise on pants can be designed, so that a belt, if worn, does not fall right were one would have a pack hip/waist-belt. And at least the loops could be flush and minimize bulk.

The back side material on the pack is as hard as cement! Come on, it is a woman-specific pack. We do not have burly backs- we need some softness!

I still have the other two pair of shoes. I put them on, one after the other, and there IS a difference. Less supportive. New ones also have very cheap, rough inside unfinished seams. Definitely cheaper made.

Unfortunately, women's outdoor clothing still are designed too much on fashion rather than function. My worn-out men's Craghoppers pants are much better designed, but, alas, my body just does not match the sizing. great pant; poor fit.

Next year, no internet buying. I will be much more careful with my choice of gear. Got a little lazy about this and got burned.

Too much stuff's now made in China with poor quality control. JMO.

These are reasons why one should take their gear for a test drive, or two, or three before deciding, especially shoes and packs, and especially in preperation for a longer trip.
Will never purchase an REI pole again, Leki or Black Diamond Carbon Poles are worth the extra cost.

I prefer to wait, and read the reviews of gear a year or two after they are first introduced. Sadly the days of good shoes and boots lasting more than 4 years are gone. It looks like tents are headed in the same direction. No durability. Look at pads as an example, leaks and blown baffles are very common. Sad that paying an whopping amount of money does not equal a quality product. The only exemption that I know of is sleeping bags. They can still last a lifetime if treated with respect.

paula53 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:03 pm The only exemption that I know of is sleeping bags. They can still last a lifetime if treated with respect.

I have a down sleeping bag here that I purchased in 1977, and I intend to keep using it at least until I get it paid off.

Just an idea: maybe the Merrills were counterfeit. There's a more of that kind of thing going on today. Maybe you can take a look at another pair at your local REI and see how they compare. Also, I've had a pair of Komperdell trekking poles that have lasted for at least a decade now and they are still holding up. Good stuff!

I don't use carbon poles because there are too many reports of breakage.
Regarding the Sawyer mini, does it fit on a Smart water bottle? Many people use the larger Sawyer squeeze on a Smart water bottle and don't fool with the bag. They fill the bottle with "dirty" water, screw the filter on, and drink from that. It makes for a tall set up but eliminates the hassle of filling the bag and then squeezing into a bottle.

For the Sawyer Mini, I always bring a 500 ml disposable water bottle along with the bag. Dip the bottle into the water source, pour from the bottle to fill the bag, then dip the bottle again for an additional 500 ml. Very light, and you can carry one liter of "dirty" water.