Alan Dixon

SPECS: weight 43 oz | volume 58 L | volume/weight 22 L/lb | Max Carry: 40 lbs Fabric, nylon | Frame, internal | Back Panel, suspended mesh panel for more airflow to help with back sweat WOMEN’S MODEL: In fact, the Exos and Eja are popular among both thru-hikers and weekend warriors alike, so no matter your needs and experience level with ultralight gear, these packs are a good option. In summary, Osprey Exos and Eja packs hit the sweet spot of weight, features, comfort and price.

This year as I near 45 years of REI membership, I thought I’d share a very personal experience on how the outdoors and REI have played a key role in helping me through some difficult times in my life. One of my key REI member experiences was at the 1975 grand opening sale of REI’s Berkeley California store and I all lined up for the REI Berkeley Store’s Grand Opening hoping to outfit the family on the cheap. REI delivered with grand opening deals, sales items and a bunch of solid gear at prices a family could afford (not so common in the 70’s).

Lightweight or ultralight hammock setups ( see the Recommended Hammocks I’ve listed below ) are as light as the lightest ground camping setups. The main reason for the “sleeping cold” myth is that people unaccustomed to sleeping in a hammock do not use an under-quilt or don’t adjust it properly leaving huge gaps. [Not using an under-quilt with a hammock is equivalent of someone using their sleeping bag directly on the snow without an insulating ground pad and saying that all sleeping bags are cold.] That’s way lighter than most tent, sleeping bag, ground pad setups!

But it still has an exceptionally strong storm resistant structure, good floor area, double doors and vestibules, and strong, low-stretch and durable Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF). The trekking poles are solidly linked by a carbon fiber ridge bar at the top (green line) and by a strong seam in the tent floor fabric, a beefy 1.3 oz DCF fabric (yellow line). Its tent walls are 0.78 oz DCF fabric,  and the floor a tough 1.3 oz DCF fabric that is far more durable than the 20d and 15d floors on most ultralight tents. Single walled tents are quickly rising in popularity (the Dirigo 2 is technically one).