Backpacking Light Magazine

Komperdell Touring Glove Spotlite Review

06 May 2008 00:00:00 MST

Gloves made with Komperdell's new seamless bonding construction get a mixed review.

by Will Rietveld and Janet Reichl | 2008-05-06

Komperdell has developed a new "seamless bonding" construction method to produce gloves that are entirely free of seams. Their latest line of gloves are made of a new three-layer softshell fabric with four-way stretch, which are claimed to be waterproof and breathable. All these innovations made us eager to test them out and report on their performance.

In the seamless bonding process, glove parts are assembled using a narrow seam tape (about 13 millimeters wide) and a special adhesive-plus-heat-plus-pressure process. The result is a glove in which all of the joints are butted and taped; there are no sewn seams, and the taped seams are hardly noticeable.

Equally innovative is the unique fabric used in the gloves. It is a three-layer softshell construction with four-way stretch. The sandwich consists of a soft nylon outside layer, waterproof-breathable membrane, and a merino wool mix inner lining. According to Komperdell, the membrane functions according to c_change technology. In warm temperatures, the polymer structure opens up, and water vapor and heat escape; in cold temperatures, the polymer structure compresses, becoming wind and water tight and providing more insulation.

The first thing we noticed when we donned the gloves was that they run small, so it is best to size up. Will found that size extra-large was a snug fit, but comfortable to wear because the snugness was compensated for by the stretchiness of the fabric. The stretchiness was very noticeable when we closed and expanded our hands and made it easy to grip trekking poles. The silicon pattern on the palms provided a good grip on trekking pole handles - more so on EVA and cork grips, less so on plastic or smooth leather grips.

A range of models is available that utilize the same construction, differing in insulation, wrist closure, and palm coating. Insulated models are a four-layer construction that adds an Isopren layer. We chose the Touring model because it is one of the lightest and most versatile. We used it for hiking using trekking poles and for snow sports using ski poles.

For warmth, we found the Touring glove to be moderately warm, down to about 25 Fahrenheit when active and down to 35-40 Fahrenheit when less active.

During our four months of testing (eleven trips), we found these seamless gloves to be quite durable. Upon close inspection, we did not find any failed seams or areas of specific wear. We used them a lot with poles, and the palm side has held up well to intensive use.

These gloves are claimed to be "breathable"; so how breathable are they? In our field testing in cooler weather, we consistently found that the gloves accumulated moisture (from sweat) inside and felt clammy. Because of the moisture inside, our hands got cold and we had to switch to dry gloves. While hiking uphill at a brisk pace in 50-60 Fahrenheit temperatures, the gloves were damp inside, but our hands did not get cold. It appears that their c_change technology provides some breathability at moderate temperatures.

We tested the gloves waterproof claim by filling the inside of the gloves with sand (in a plastic liner glove) and immersing them in water down to the wrist for one hour. It did not take long to get our answer; after twenty minutes the water level inside the gloves was the same as the outside! Not waterproof, sad to say. Our immersion test was done after three months of use; upon close inspection we found that the gloves leaked in multiple locations, but primarily from the taped seams between the fingers. If you look closely at the second photo above, you will notice that the tape has shifted a bit between the fingers.

Besides a lack of breathability and waterproofness, we found that snow and debris stick to the gloves exterior fabric, and the fabric also absorbs a significant amount of water. We weighed Janet's size small gloves after wetting the exterior and found that the outside fabric absorbed one ounce of water, which is 28 percent of the gloves weight.

Overall, we are impressed with the materials and construction in these gloves, but we are disappointed with their performance. A lack of breathability is a common problem with waterproof gloves, so the gloves get as wet inside from sweat retention as they would from water leaking in. Also, their lack of waterproofness came as a surprise, considering the fabric and construction. Their leakage, combined with water absorption of the exterior fabric certainly does not make them very useful for hiking in wet weather!

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Overview
Specifications and Features:

# WORDS: 930
# PHOTOS: 4
# TABLES: 1

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View All: SpotLite Reviews > Gear

(M) Hypothermia

06 May 2008 00:00:00 MST

Avoiding and treating hypothermia in the backcountry with ultralight equipment.

by Darin Banner | 2008-05-06

Ten years ago, I was asked by some Boy Scout leaders to join them on a backpacking trip into the High Uinta Wilderness area of Utah. They were taking a group of fourteen- to sixteen-year-old boys into the Chain Lakes basin, a trip of nine miles with 3,400 feet in elevation gain. We left the trailhead on a warm sunny day with most of us wearing shorts. As it is apt to do in the Uintas, by mile five the weather turned cold and stormy. Many of us thought the rain would soon pass and decided not to put on our rain gear. However, when the rain turned to hail, everyone donned rain gear - with the exception of one headstrong young man who thought he was tough enough to hike through the rain and hail with just a t-shirt and shorts. He would not be coerced into covering up until he was already soaked and shivering.

The trail, covered with hail and runoff from the rain, became indistinguishable from the rest of the terrain, and we found ourselves searching for the right route as the cold sapped our energy.

Alarmed by the deteriorating physical and mental condition of the group, the leaders decided to stop and make camp near a small lake a mile and a half from our destination. As we set up our tents, filtered water, and started the stoves, I observed with fascination the effect the cold had on even the stronger members of our group.

One leader was confused about how to set up his tent; he could not figure out which poles went where. He asked for help from another leader who said he needed to focus on getting his own tent up and getting inside. The wet, headstrong teenager was unable to perform any meaningful tasks - in essence, he was unable to help himself. Another leader set up the young man's tent, got the him into dry clothes, put him inside his down bag, and began making him warm food and drinks. After a number of hours, the "tough guy" improved and warmed up, as had the rest of our group.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
Hypothermia
Thermodynamics
Heat Gain
Heat Loss
Preventing Hypothermia
Causes of Hypothermia
Signs and Symptoms of Hypothermia
Treatment
Biography
End Notes
Bibliography

# WORDS: 3220
# PHOTOS: 2

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View All: Techniques & Best Practices > Techniques

(M) MYOG - A Winter Canister Stove using your Summer Upright Stove and the Brunton Stove Stand

06 May 2008 00:00:00 MST

The Brunton Stove Stand is a nice bit of engineering, but is it really of any use? Oh yes: it can be turned into a neat winter stove with just a little DIY effort.

by Roger Caffin | 2008-05-06

*The Brunton Stove Stand is quoted as weighing 5.4 ounces (153 grams), but this is a little high. With the added bits, mine weighs a total of 5.57 ounces (158 grams). The weight of a summer upright canister stove must also be added in. As an example, my favorite Snow Peak GST100 weighs 2.58 ounces (73 grams), making the total weight for my inverted winter canister stove 8.15 ounces (231 grams). This makes it one of the lightest winter canister stoves around.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Overview
The Brunton Stove Stand
Winter Stove Requirements
Concept
Implementation
Lab Testing
Technical Details of Gas Expansion
Field testing

# WORDS: 3610
# PHOTOS: 10

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View All: Make Your Own Gear > Techniques

(M) Stoves, Tents and Carbon Monoxide - Deadly or not? Supplement 1: The MSR Reactor

29 Apr 2008 00:05:00 MST

Roger Caffin revisits the carbon monoxide emissions performance of a production model MSR Reactor stove.

by Roger Caffin | 2008-04-29

In Part 3 of this series, a pre-production version of the MSR Reactor stove was tested and found to emit well over 1,000 ppm of carbon monoxide (CO) at low power. This is a potentially deadly rate of CO emission. In my opinion, the cause was that the air flow into the combustion space was being stalled, so that not enough oxygen was available for full combustion.

My results were sent to MSR shortly before the stove was to be released. At MSR's request, I sent the pre-production stove back to them so they could examine it. I was told by a representative from MSR after their examination that the pre-production unit I had been sent was not meant for actual use and testing: just for examination, and that the jets on it were wrongly set up. This had not been obvious when I inspected the jet region myself, but perhaps the design is very sensitive in this regard. I also have to question the whole idea of sending out slightly defective units meant just for looking at but not for testing: to me that is weird!

The release of the Reactor stove was then delayed while MSR considered the problem and what to do about it. Once they had decided on their course of action and implemented what MSR thought to be the appropriate modifications, the stove was released. In due course I was sent a production stove for repeat testing, and this testing of the production version is reported here.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
My Original Analysis and Recommendations
MSR Measurement Approach for CO Emission
MSR Changes and Commentary
Testing the Production Version of the MSR Reactor
- Heating Rate and CO Emission
- Technical Analysis
- The Exhaust Holes on the Pot
Summary of Analysis
- Transient Effects
Hazard Warnings
- Swing Tag
  - Comment
- Yellow Note
  - IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
  - Comment
- Pot Sticker
  - Comment
Summary

# WORDS: 4600
# PHOTOS: 8

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View All: Research Reviews > Technology

Master Index to 'Stoves, Tents and Carbon Monoxide - Deadly or Not?' Series

29 Apr 2008 00:01:00 MST

This page is the Master Index to the series on ‘Stoves, Tents and Carbon Monoxide - Deadly or not?’. It lists all the files in the series and all the stoves tested, with links to the appropriate files.

by Roger Caffin | 2008-04-29

This page is the Master Index to the series on ‘Stoves, Tents and Carbon Monoxide - Deadly or not?’. It lists all the files in the series and all the stoves tested, with links to the appropriate files.

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View All: Research Reviews > Technology

Podcast: Journey on the Wild Coast – When the Weather Outside is Frightful and There is No Inside, What Gear Works?

29 Apr 2008 00:01:00 MST

Carol Crooker exposes the insanity of Bretwood Higman and Erin McKittrick. Three pounds of shared sleeping quilt for minus 30 degree weather?!

by Carol Crooker | 2008-04-29

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ARTICLE OUTLINE

Overview

# WORDS: 80
# PHOTOS: 1

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View All: Podcasts > Places

(M) Yellowstone in Winter: An Igloo Traverse in America's Oldest National Park

23 Apr 2008 02:00:00 MST

Chris Townsend explores Yellowstone during the winter in a group igloo expedition with skis, snowshoes, and pulks.

by Chris Townsend | 2008-04-23

ARTICLE OUTLINE

# WORDS: 2700
# PHOTOS: 25

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View All: Trip Reports > Places

Fire and Ultralight, a US Forest Service Recon

23 Apr 2008 01:00:00 MST

Ultralight Backpackers Scouting Post-Disaster Trail Conditions for the US Forest Service.

by Jhaura Wachsman, Photos: Paul Cronshaw | 2008-04-23

The US Forest Service (USFS) has seen the light when it comes to backcountry trail reconnaissance - the ìultraî light, that is. USFS managers in the Los Padres National Forest have chosen a group of veteran ultralight hikers and trail builders, the Litehikers, to complete difficult post-disaster backcountry wilderness patrols or recons.

Ultralight backpackers can move faster, covering more ground in a shorter time than traditional backcountry rangers on horses or those with heavy packs and boots. In dangerous post-disaster conditions, ultralighters can negotiate washed out or snag-ridden trails more safely because of their lower center of gravity and lower profiles. The information gathered by the ultralight crew enables the officials to quickly determine which trails to open, close, or repair. For the public, this speeds the possibility of trail access, rather than typical district-wide closures following a disaster such as a fire or flood.

In the past, this task would have been assigned to paid backcountry rangers who lived in stations throughout the forest, but due to funding issues, the Los Padres Forest Service has partnered with volunteers known as Volunteer Wilderness Rangers (VWRs). VWRs are trained by the Forest Service and operate as non-paid employees. Not all VWRs in this area practice ultralight backpacking, though many are converting after seeing the distances covered by the ultralight crew.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
Disaster Strikes
The Litehiker Recon Team
Just the Beginning
Gearheads
Backtracking
Campfire Stories
The Troops Return
Recon Results
VWR Programs
Author's Bio

# WORDS: 2540
# PHOTOS: 6

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View All: Notes from the Field > Places

EXPEDITION: Journey on the Wild Coast (Erin McKittrick and Bretwood Higman)

23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 MST

Erin and Hig travel by foot, packraft, and skis, 4000 miles from Puget Sound to the Bering Sea

by Erin McKittrick and Bretwood Higman | 2008-04-23

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View All: Expeditions > Places

(M) Trekking Techniques for Early-Season Conditions

16 Apr 2008 00:05:00 MST

Andrew Skurka's insights and techniques for early season trekking can dramatically increase the length of your normal hiking season.

by Andrew Skurka | 2008-04-16

The conventional hiking season is very short, particularly in the mountainous West, and to a lesser degree in some areas of the Northeast and upper Mid-West. There may be as few as three to four months (roughly mid-June through mid-October) during which trailheads are accessible by passenger vehicles, trails are melted out, weather conditions are comfortable and stable, and avalanche and fording dangers are low or non-existent.

The objective of this article is to help you understand, prepare for, and excel in early-season conditions and their associated challenges. You may benefit from this article if you are looking to schedule and be comfortable during trips that fall outside of the conventional hiking window, such as if you are an aspiring Continental Divide or Pacific Crest Trails thru-hiker.

Gear is not the general focus of this article, but it should be noted that having a lightweight load is beneficial in a number of instances during the early-season. It decreases your overall body weight and hence the frequency of post-holing; it minimizes strain on your legs that could become detrimental while fording swift snowmelt-fed creeks; it has less of an effect on your balance while kicking steps across steep snowfields; and it reduces mental fatigue that may lead to poor navigational or thermoregulatory decisions.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
Explained: "Early-Season Conditions"
- General Description
- Contributing Factors
- Challenges of Early Season Hiking
early-season Challenges, Solutions AND Tips
- 1. Trip Planning
  - Description
  - Solutions and Tips
- 2. Walking (Putting One Foot in Front of the Other)
  - Description
  - Solutions and Tips
- 3. Route Determination and Route Finding
  - Description
  - Solutions and Tips
- 4. Natural Hazards
  - Description
  - Solutions and Tips
- 5. Mental and Physical Health
  - Description
  - Solutions and Tips
- Conclusion
# WORDS: 6230
# PHOTOS: 9
# TABLES: 1

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View All: Techniques > Techniques