woodswoman
2013-01-25 01:04:03 UTC
Mike,
Here is my FR for the Sea to Summit Daypack. Thanks in advance for the edits. Gail
HTML:
http://tinyurl.com/aeehwkx
Field Report:
January 24, 2013
USA Locations and Conditions
During the field test period I have worn the Sea to Summit Dry Sil
Day Pack for a variety of activities including cross country
skiing, snowshoeing and day hiking. It was also used during a
backcountry trip of three days. Location of all activities were in Michigan and ranged from hilly deciduous forest to
open non-deciduous communities. Elevation ranged from 600 ft (183
m) to almost 2000 ft (610 m).
Late December Trip
Location: Hiawatha National Forest, Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Type of Trip: Trail
Distance: 18 mi (29 km)
Length of Trip: 3 days/2 nights
Sled Weight: Approx 40 lb (18 kg)
Sky and Air Conditions: Cloudy, snowstorms
Precipitation: Approx 6 in (15 cm) of new snow
Temperature Range: 10 F to 24 F (-12 C to -4 C)
Dayhikes/Snowshoeing
Locations: Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Distances: 4 mi to 6 mi (6.5 to 9.6 km)
Temperature Range: 15 F to 38 F (-9 C to 3 C)
During the field test
period I have both worn and stowed the day pack as needed. For example it's been a handy pack to wear when carrying extra supplies for skiing. Lately the temps have been
double digits below zero (-17 F/-27 C) with wind chills of -25 F (-32 C) or worse. These kind of conditions always make me a little more safety orientated than I already am. The pack is easily stuffed with a down sweater, emergency blanket and fire making essentials, personal locator
beacon and more.
When the conditions aren't as bad I have found the pack to be
slightly a nuisance for fast cross country skate skiing. Water bottles are harder to
retrieve and the extra weight on my back is more noticeable. I am mostly
used to wearing a waist pack during skiing which doesn't interfere
with my style much. That said, I have found the pack very
handy to bring my extra gear plus ski boots to the ski trailhead or hut and leave
the pack there while I am skiing (minus the ski boots of course).
When I come back to the hut I take out dry socks, shirt, hat, etc as
well as sometimes lunch from the pack. I like that the pack doesn't weigh much and
I can wear it on my back to and from the parking area as I already have my arms full with skis
and poles.
I have also stowed the pack on top of my sledge during a three-day
trip. It contained all the necessary emergency supplies so that they
were readily accessible. The sil-nylon material kept the contents
dry and I had no hesitancy to place the pack on the ground when
retrieving other items.
Where the pack shines for me is for day hiking and snowshoeing. It is
hardly noticeable for such activities as my forward motion doesn't hinder carrying a pack (unlike skate skiing where the torso is rotated). I like how the pack can be cinched and the top rolled down to hold supplies in place.
So far the pack has held up well. I have not been picky about
putting wet cross-country ski boots in the bottom of it plus other wet clothing at
the end of a ski session. Of course I empty it out as soon as I get
home so that no odors are noticeable. It has been carried in all kinds of winter weather including frigid cold and blustery snow storms without incident.
I haven't bothered to use the stuff sack as the pack is small enough on
its own already. I wasn't too keen on stuffing it in a tiny sack only to
deploy it anyway on an almost daily basis. I have found the Sea to
Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Daypack to be a useful and dependable addition to
my outdoor activities.
Pros SoFar
* Water-resistant
* Light weight
* Roll-top closure easy to use
Cons SoFar
* Stuff sack is very tight so I haven't bothered to use it Tester Remarks
Thanks to Sea to Summit and BackpackGearTest for this opportunity to test the Ultra-Sil Dry Daypack .This concludes my Field Report. The Long Term Report will be appended to this report in approximately two months. Please check back then for more information.
Top of Page
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Here is my FR for the Sea to Summit Daypack. Thanks in advance for the edits. Gail
HTML:
http://tinyurl.com/aeehwkx
Field Report:
January 24, 2013
USA Locations and Conditions
During the field test period I have worn the Sea to Summit Dry Sil
Day Pack for a variety of activities including cross country
skiing, snowshoeing and day hiking. It was also used during a
backcountry trip of three days. Location of all activities were in Michigan and ranged from hilly deciduous forest to
open non-deciduous communities. Elevation ranged from 600 ft (183
m) to almost 2000 ft (610 m).
Late December Trip
Location: Hiawatha National Forest, Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Type of Trip: Trail
Distance: 18 mi (29 km)
Length of Trip: 3 days/2 nights
Sled Weight: Approx 40 lb (18 kg)
Sky and Air Conditions: Cloudy, snowstorms
Precipitation: Approx 6 in (15 cm) of new snow
Temperature Range: 10 F to 24 F (-12 C to -4 C)
Dayhikes/Snowshoeing
Locations: Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Distances: 4 mi to 6 mi (6.5 to 9.6 km)
Temperature Range: 15 F to 38 F (-9 C to 3 C)
During the field test
period I have both worn and stowed the day pack as needed. For example it's been a handy pack to wear when carrying extra supplies for skiing. Lately the temps have been
double digits below zero (-17 F/-27 C) with wind chills of -25 F (-32 C) or worse. These kind of conditions always make me a little more safety orientated than I already am. The pack is easily stuffed with a down sweater, emergency blanket and fire making essentials, personal locator
beacon and more.
When the conditions aren't as bad I have found the pack to be
slightly a nuisance for fast cross country skate skiing. Water bottles are harder to
retrieve and the extra weight on my back is more noticeable. I am mostly
used to wearing a waist pack during skiing which doesn't interfere
with my style much. That said, I have found the pack very
handy to bring my extra gear plus ski boots to the ski trailhead or hut and leave
the pack there while I am skiing (minus the ski boots of course).
When I come back to the hut I take out dry socks, shirt, hat, etc as
well as sometimes lunch from the pack. I like that the pack doesn't weigh much and
I can wear it on my back to and from the parking area as I already have my arms full with skis
and poles.
I have also stowed the pack on top of my sledge during a three-day
trip. It contained all the necessary emergency supplies so that they
were readily accessible. The sil-nylon material kept the contents
dry and I had no hesitancy to place the pack on the ground when
retrieving other items.
Where the pack shines for me is for day hiking and snowshoeing. It is
hardly noticeable for such activities as my forward motion doesn't hinder carrying a pack (unlike skate skiing where the torso is rotated). I like how the pack can be cinched and the top rolled down to hold supplies in place.
So far the pack has held up well. I have not been picky about
putting wet cross-country ski boots in the bottom of it plus other wet clothing at
the end of a ski session. Of course I empty it out as soon as I get
home so that no odors are noticeable. It has been carried in all kinds of winter weather including frigid cold and blustery snow storms without incident.
I haven't bothered to use the stuff sack as the pack is small enough on
its own already. I wasn't too keen on stuffing it in a tiny sack only to
deploy it anyway on an almost daily basis. I have found the Sea to
Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Daypack to be a useful and dependable addition to
my outdoor activities.
Pros SoFar
* Water-resistant
* Light weight
* Roll-top closure easy to use
Cons SoFar
* Stuff sack is very tight so I haven't bothered to use it Tester Remarks
Thanks to Sea to Summit and BackpackGearTest for this opportunity to test the Ultra-Sil Dry Daypack .This concludes my Field Report. The Long Term Report will be appended to this report in approximately two months. Please check back then for more information.
Top of Page
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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