Ibex Nomad 1/2 Snap: A throwback to when men wore sweaters.

In my closet I have two 1/2 zip 100% wool sweaters.  They are nice, probably were gifts when I was in high school or college and would look appropriate for a dinner party.  I would not, however, wear them into the woods on a backpacking trip (or day hike for that matter).  Styles change, advances in technical gear continue to be made and slowly the woolen wonders have been replaced with brightly colored fleeces and down sweaters.  

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Image courtesy of: Telegraph (telegraph.co.uk)

During the adolescent years of what would be considered modern day alpinism and even at the turn of the 20th century when exploration of the west was in full swing thick, heavy all wool sweaters were the last line of defense in the battle against the elements.  You don't see many black & white photographs with grizzled men sporting The North Face puffies or First Ascent fleece pullovers.  Names like L.L. Bean and Eddie Bauer were probably more common but lets be honest many of these guys weren't all that concerned about what brand was on their layers, but rather if these items would keep them from freezing to death in subzero wind chills.  These were the same explorers who considered protection to be a hemp rope tied around their waste and a pebble stuffed in a crack with a leather strap as a sling.  These were the same explorers who trekked through the wilderness without the support of GPS or even a map, in a lot of cases, because it was up to them to draw that map.

I don't want to bash on technical gear.  I own my fair share of down apparel and wear it quite frequently when out in the elements.  However, there is something to be said about going back to the way it was and designing garments with the same style and durability as they were made almost a century ago.  I don't know if that was Ibex's goal when making the Nomad 1/2 Snap, but I imagine myself in post WWII America when I put this piece on.  Its build and look give it a unique sense of place and style not often seen in the woods or the mountains anymore.  

So lets dive into a couple features of the Nomad 1/2 Snap that make it a uniquely great piece.

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1) Snaps: One of the first features you notice when pulling this pullover out of the package is the distinctive six button design that gives it the half snap name.  Just about every pullover I own... correction... every pullover I own besides this one has a zip design.  Zippers replaced buttons helping to eliminate drafts and to keep garments sealed.  The upside is snaps don't get jammed or break as easily.  Even the left breast pocket is secured by a snap.  This is just a cool feature that immediately catch people's attention and if layered properly the draft issue becomes a non-issue.  I wore a Woolies 220 under my Nomad on a recent trip and was quite warm despite day-time highs only in the mid 40's and gusty winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean... and those two layers were all I had on.

2) Brushed wool lining: We all love fleece because they're ridiculously soft... right?  That's one challenge wool has always had; how do you take a material that's naturally coarse and make it soft?  That's where Ibex's Nomad fabric becomes the star.  The brushed inside of this garment gives is a very soft, fleece feel while the outside still maintains a very durable, water absorbing, wool finish.  This feels like a 100% polyester fleece when you put it on but it has none of the qualities of polyester.  

3) Beefy, tough design: Going back to the ruggedness of early sweaters; the Nomad 1/2 Snap could hold its own.  It's a thick garment.  While I wouldn't classify it as ultra-light gear it's still light compared to other Ibex garments.  The Nomad weighs in at 14.08 ounces compared to the Shak line of garments which weigh between 15-19 ounces, depending on which piece you're checking out.  Really though, that's splitting hairs as they're all relatively light compared to expedition weight sweaters.  Another nice build element are the extremely robust seams.  Great craftsmanship that's not going to come unraveled easily.  

Overall, this is a fantastic garment and it's going to translate well no matter what endeavor you're pursuing.  I wear this fleece out around town probably more than I do in the woods.  At a price point of $160 it's an investment but honestly if you're in the market for a high quality fleece you're going to pay upwards of $100 elsewhere and you're probably looking at a polyester blend instead of 100% merino wool.  I encourage you to shop around, but at the end of the day there are only a handful of textile companies that are putting high quality garments out there where it's all about the design, durability and longevity.           

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Ibex OD Henley L/S: Rock star looks paired with rock solid design

Every once in awhile a layer comes along that's so good, so amazingly comfortable, so exceptionally fashionable that it's hard to beat.  Ibex has reached this point several times in my mind.  Okay, I know this is where many of you think... "Of course you're going to say this, you get this stuff for free to test and blog about."  True, but I don't think in the year or so that I've been writing blogs about Ibex products have I ever worn one piece so much and thought so often... "this is my favorite shirt".  That statement rings 100% completely true with the OD Henley L/S.  This shirt has rock star looks and I've jammed air mandolin to many sweet bluegrass tunes while wearing this garment.  As if that's not enough to make me want this shirt it's also solid for layering on the trail, on the rock and on the set.  In fact, I've worn this shirt more while on set than I have out on the trail (I need to change that ratio of work to trail time...).  So lets dig deeper into this piece and talk about the specifics that make the OD Henley the shirt to top all long sleeves.  You get the same 18.5 micron merino wool that most Ibex products feature.  I've always thought the feel of this wool is soft and not itchy which has drawn me to Ibex's shirts and the reason I won't wear any synthetics.  This shirt has a thickness along the same lines of the Ibex staple, the Woolies 150, except it's a loose fitting shirt instead of a form fitting long sleeve.  At 150g this shirt actually has almost identical material specs to the 150 with the exception of being about one ounce heavier.  In terms of fit, I noticed the Henley ran a little on the spacious side for my liking.  If you're a person who likes a more slender fitting shirt, consider sizing down.  I wear a medium in most shirts and a small would have probably fit comfortably for me.  You can also try washing the shirt in warm water and running in a dryer to shrink it a little... but I don't want to condone machine drying wool because it could damage the shirt (there's my disclaimer).   

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Another thing that really makes this shirt spectacular are the seams.  Yes, the seams.  I love the way the seams on this shirt fall on my arms.  This is one of the strangest observations I've ever made about a garment, but it's noticeable in a good way.  Ibex has two seams running down each sleeve from the back of the shirt.  Continuing with my comparison to the Woolies 150, which has one seam, it feels natural when I shove my sleeves up and I don't feel like the shirt ever gets twisted and uncomfortable when I'm wearing it under several layers.  It's funny because the two Ibex garments, I own, that I notice the sleeves and really admire them are this piece and my Hooded Indie (another Ibex staple) which also sports the two seam sleeves.  Just the way the sleeves attach to the shirt make it super comfortable for lounging around camp at the end of a day of cold winter backpacking.

So here it is... a Wednesday afternoon and I'm sitting down writing this post.  Thinking back over the previous week; I've worn this shirt three of the past seven days.  It still smells pretty fresh considering the high intensity days I've put in this shirt.  This week it wasn't out in the woods... it was on set for a reality TV show.  Running a lot, in and out of vehicles, this shirt was my next-to-skin layer on cold days (17 degrees for the high last Wednesday).  I'm already prepping for my next backpacking trip over the New Year's holiday and this shirt will be in the pack.  I may do a combo hike in my Woolies 150 or 220 and throw this shirt on at camp or make this the only shirt that comes along.  I will say, there's one huge difference between this shirt and the Woolies line.  I'll wear this shirt out as a stand alone piece, I always layer my Woolies because I'm not into the skin tight look by itself.  With the more loose fitting look and the quarter button design this shirt looks magazine ready with jeans or chino khaki's.  The OD Henley is just classic, cool, laid back and timeless.  There's really no other way to put it than just a chill shirt.   

Ibex OD Solo Shirt: The everything shirt

In my line of work, finding a shirt that is both professional yet functional can be a bit of a challenge.  Now don't get me wrong, when I'm out on the trail the most important thing to me is how my shirt performs.  There are many Ibex shirts which fit the bill perfectly for my backpacking, climbing and other outdoor ventures.  However when I'm working, either on a photo shoot, while writing, researching and interviewing for an upcoming magazine article or on a video shoot I tend to want to look a little more presentable than my usual hot sweaty mess that happens on the trail.  It's those scenarios that I've found the OD Solo Shirt shines brightest.  In the short while I've had this piece it has worked hard on numerous video productions, city outings and in the backcountry.  This piece accompanied me on an 8-day road trip around northern California through Yosemite National Park, Lassen Volcanic and the Redwoods National Parks.  From the flight to dinner out in San Fran and even at camp this is quite the versatile garment.  So what makes this such a sought after piece in my bag?  

Same great wool... 
As always (and I wouldn't expect less from Ibex) you're getting the same great materials that go into all their wool garments.  The OD Solo Shirt is made of superfine 18.5 micron New Zealand Merino wool.  This shirt has 100% of the benefits of wool (no nasty smell, quick drying and insulating) and it feels like an awesome soft, cotton jersey.  That's obviously important when designing a summer garment as you'll often be sweating in it and the last thing you want next to your body when it's 90 with 75% humidity is an itchy, scratchy shirt.  I wore this shirt in the woods recently on a very humid day and was more than comfortable and cool because of it's breathability.  

Casual yet professional... 
I know not everyone has the luxury of wearing just whatever when going to the office.  For us creative, free spirited type folks we appreciate having something that looks both good and can be a work horse all at the same time.  I try to appear clean and together when Skyping with a client or sitting down for an interview for a magazine.  The OD Solo fits the part very well and has that stylish feel; keeping me from wearing a t-shirt or needing to change if I'm going to hop from a meeting onto something that requires a little more manual labor.  The shirt sports an over dyed fabric with a button down front (the buttons are metal, not plastic) and a regular fit.  This is such a great travel shirt and looks awesome with a worn-out pair of blue jeans, khakis or even my gray hiking pants.  Recently when in Cali, this was my go-to shirt on travel days when I was in and out of airports, on and off different flights.  

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Sometimes I travel light... other times not so much.  My three essential shirts along with a camera, notepad, writing utensils and my computer. 

A must have in my bag... 
Along the lines of what I said above, this shirt has been an awesome companion when on the road.  It gets packed on almost every trip along with an Ibex T and either a Woolies 150 or 220 Crew.  Between those three garments (and of course the essentials for the bottom half) I'm covered for pretty much any temperature I encounter during my summertime trips.  It's great to have this shirt on the ready if I go straight from the trail into town for dinner, to run errands or get a few essentials before heading back to camp.  I don't often hike in this shirt but on occasion I do hit up a fine eating establishment without a shower (gasp) and a quick wardrobe change at the trailhead and boom you can't tell I just spent two days out in nature... except for the dirt under my nails, my animal-like appetite and probably my hiking pants which I'm still rocking.  

This shirt has wrapped up for the season as Ibex released its fall/winter line this week.  However, Ibex also has a long sleeve version of the OD Solo which is awesome as the temps start to head south and the days get shorter.   You can find the OD Heather L/S here in four different colors.    

Ibex W2 Sport T: Summer time wool is cool

I have a "go-bag"... well actually it's usually just my messenger bag that I never unpack after a trip... but sure we'll call it a go-bag.  (More on what's inside my go-bag in an upcoming blog series... stay tuned!)  In this bag I keep everything I would need if I had to take a trip with just a few hours notice.  Does this ever happen... not usually.  Typically I have a week or at least a few days notice before I'm traveling for an assignment or project.  Still... it's cool to think I can pick up and leave in a moment if I need to go.  It's very Jason Bourne or James Bond "esk" except I don't carry a gun in my go-bag.

I tell you all this to state that in said bag are clothes and amongst those clothes is the Ibex W2 Sport T and will be at the top of my travel clothing selection list for quite some time.  

Last year the company introduced the Rim series of garments which consisted of an 89% merino wool and 11% nylon blend.  This year Ibex upped the ante even more introducing a new type of fabric to their Peak line of clothing. The Weightless Wool (or W2) is an 18.5 micron wool blend consisting of an 87/13 blend of merino wool and nylon.  Pop quiz: Ibex has built a solid foundation, deeply rooted in one material... which is?  Wool.  Awesome... you passed... I knew you would.  So is this company, which is very committed to sheep, going soft on that wool garment base and heading in the direction of so many other outdoor clothing manufacturers?  I highly doubt it.  However what I conclude they're doing (and frankly I like it) is finding ways to make wool a more versatile, all season material to fit whatever adventure you're engaged in.  

Ok, so what makes the W2 Sport T awesome enough to go everywhere I go?  

1) It's super light and airy.  Immediately when handling this shirt, compared to some of my other Ibex T's, I noticed that it was thinner and weighed less.  In fact, the W2 Sport T is the lightest of all of Ibex's t-shirts, weighing 5.73 ounces.  I know it's like splitting hairs when you consider that other shirts like the OD Heather T and the Bouldering T weigh 5.76 oz and 5.81 oz respectively. However, when you're on a photo shoot, working on a commercial set or even better, climbing an awesome line or pushing up a steep grade on the trail and really burning the calories... you notice light and airy!  Which leads to the next awesome thing about the W2 Sport T.

2) It's dries fast... I mean this shirt dries freakishly fast.  I've worn this T hiking, rock climbing in addition to on assignments where I'm hauling gear and running like crazy.  When it's hot... I start to sweat and this shirt dries faster than I can notice that I'm sweating up a storm.  I love it and like its all wool brothers this shirt wicks the sweat away like it's the W2's job!  Naturally like I've stated in past reviews for Ibex shirts; it doesn't smell bad after one or two wears because of its wool properties.

3) This shirt fits great!  I really love the fit of this garment and every time I throw it on it has that "favorite old T" feel to the shirt.  The W2 Sport looks good with anything... jeans, shorts, hiking pants, running shorts... yeah... pretty much anything.

I love my t-shirts and one of the best parts about what I do is getting to wear T's just about everyday to work.  This shirt gets worn a lot and worn multiple days in a row.  That's one of the best parts about Ibex garments... cuts down on laundry!  So, if you're in need of that great feeling, great fitting awesome shirt for this summer (and who isn't?) than you need to give this one a hard look.  

Shoot me questions or thoughts... love to hear 'em!  

SealSkinz Winter Gloves: Warmth and waterproof all in one.

As I sit here writing this review it's eight degrees outside.  That's 20 degrees warmer than it was this morning when our overnight low clocked in at -15.  When you don't live in Florida (or anywhere near the equator) it's going to get cold.  In Indiana... it gets stupid cold.  Naturally with temperatures registering in the negatives and after getting dumped on by 13 inches of snow in just a 12 hour window the conditions were ripe to test the SealSkinz Winter Gloves.  

Dexterity: 

My initial observations of these gloves were that they were really thick.  Typically I'm not a fan of "astronaut" gloves that limit dexterity and really render your hands useless to do anything besides hang off your body. However these gloves contained more than the limited range of motion, an attribute of most ski style gloves.  I was able to pull keys out of my coat pocket, start my car and even take pictures with a point and shoot camera pressing a rather small shutter button.  

Waterproof:

After trekking out in the cold for a little while I was anxious to see how they lived up to the claim to be "water proof".  As a backpacker and hiker I'm leery of any product that claims to be waterproof.  If you're out in the elements long enough with enough rain, snow, sleet or anything falling from the sky eventually it's going to seep through and you're going to get wet.  The 13 inches of snow that fell just so happened to be the heavy, wet snow that makes for awesome sculpting, molding and generally the most fun for building things.  After nearly an hour of almost quite literally digging in the snow my hands were still dry.  Remarkably dry in fact.  I didn't even experience any sweat or clamminess inside the glove.  With other gloves I've owned, after 15 or 20 minutes of intense snowball fights have resulted in them being soaked through leaving my hands wet and dangerously cold. The gloves are lined on the inside with a silky Polyester fabric, part of SealSkinz '3 layer technology' which allows the gloves to be breathable yet still keeping your hands dry.  That internal layer combined with the 100% Nylon shell and Polyurethane palm make this a force to be reckoned with when it comes to terms of waterproofing.  

Warmth:

You'd think a winter glove would be close to worthless if it didn't keep your hands warm... but you'd be surprised at the number of gloves I've tried and five minutes after putting them on my hands were tingling from freezing temps.  These winter gloves stood up to some of the most bone chilling cold temperatures the U.S.A. has seen in more than two decades.  Wind chills of -35 to -50 degrees blew through the great plains.  I actually heard a stat that said parts of Antarctica were warmer than some of the states in Midwest America.  These gloves were definitely some of the best I've worn.  However my hands still experienced numbness and tingling in my fingertips when wearing these gloves outside for long periods of time.  Most of those sensations were accompanied by me doing vigorous labor, like scraping my car.  Those activities might account for the feeling as I was getting the blood pumping faster.  SealSkinz puts a thermal rating (1 to 5 scale) on all their products to communicate what types of conditions the product is meant to be used.  The Winter Gloves have a thermal rating of 4.  I would agree with that rating.  These gloves will do the job better than most at keeping you warm.  

Overall:  

In addition the SealSkinz Winter Gloves have a velcro cuff fastener and a durable reinforced palm that add to the outstanding quality of the product.  The $55.00 price tag for these gloves may seem high but for what you're getting it's really a good price.  For anyone needing a sturdy pair of winter gloves for whatever activity you're getting into this is definitely a pair you should consider.  Whether or not you're going to head out into subzero conditions and brave the arctic deep freeze check out the SealSkinz website (www.sealskinz.com) for more products.  They produce gloves, hats and socks for a variety of activities including cycling, running and even golf. They've got more styles of gloves than you can shake a fist at (pun intended).  C'mon... I had to find some way to close out this review!   

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the SealSkinz Winter Gloves for free from SealSkinz.  I have not been compensated in any other way for my review.  The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Ibex Rim T: Blending wool with performance

How about a t-shirt that wicks sweat away, doesn't smell bad after a hard workout and is cut for high performance, high exertion activities?  That pretty much describes Ibex's Rim T.  This 89% wool/ 11% nylon blend shirt is designed for active people and is built to withstand serious physical endurance.  The fabric is actually referred to as a 'technical wool'; two words you don't often hear together when describing a natural wool garment.  However, if you look at the science behind wool, you'll see why Ibex is so passionate about this all natural material and why their products really fall into an elite category above so many other brands.  Wool absorbs about 30% of its weight in moisture compared to just 4.5% for Nylon and less than 1% for polyester.  

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Great for summer endurance activities such as backpacking 30+ miles in 85% humidity.  The shirt wicks sweat away like a pro and dries quick so you're not putting on a damp shirt in the morning.    

Ok, so enough of the science and me raving about this t-shirt.  How does it hold up?  Over the two months that I've owned this shirt I've sent it through the wringer for sure.  Out of the box it went on a four day backpacking trip in eastern Kentucky, in July, in extremely humid conditions.  The hills were intense and the temperatures were hot (read my Pine Mountain Trail post for more about that trip).   I soaked this shirt through everyday from all the exertion of climbing hill after hill with my 25-pound pack.  When we'd get to camp at night, one of the first things I'd do is strip out of this shirt and let it dry on top of my tent.  It would dry completely in a couple hours.  I've taken other brand name hiking shirts into similar scenarios and have not had as much success with both their wicking or drying capabilities.  The second feature is huge.  If my shirt doesn't dry quick enough I'm hiking in a damp shirt the next day.    

I mentioned it in the video but it's worth going into a little more detail about Ibex's Peak series.  The Rim T is one of several garments that make up this more performance based line of Ibex clothing.  As described online this category of garments is meant to be an outer layer that works with you.  That's why these garments are more form fitting and great for a gym session or a quick run or a day at the sport crag.  My Rim T has gone on several bike rides, a rock climbing trip, a second hiking trip and out for a few runs.  Every time the shirt wicks sweat away, dries quickly and smells amazingly fresh afterwards. After one of my runs I even let it dry and tucked it away without washing and it still smelled fine the next time I pulled it out.  Wool is an amazing fiber!  Find it on Ibex.com

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Blending wool and performance... no matter where you take this shirt.  

I received the Ibex Rim T for free from Ibex as coordinated by Verde PR.  I have not been compensated in any other way for my review.  The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are my own.  

Ibex Merino Logo T: 3 reasons wool is just better.

I can't say enough about the Ibex line of clothing.  They are wool ambassadors with a whole army of New Zealand sheep standing... er... grazing behind them.  Merino wool is soft to the touch and doesn't have the scratchy feel.  I've worn these shirts hiking, backpacking, rock climbing and just hanging out around the house. 

The Merino Logo T is a 100% Merino Wool t-shirt (as the name would suggest).  It comes in 'Blue Ribbon' (pictured), 'Tabasco' and 'Wheat Grass' and all of them sport the signature Ibex on the front and in the middle top of the back.  I could go into great detail about this particular shirt but instead let me give you three general reasons wool is just plain better than synthetic.   

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 1. Better breathability and moisture wicking:
So breathability or moisture wicking may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of wool.  Until now most of our perception of this natural fiber was from our grandfathers scratchy old plaid suit that he'd wear to church on Sunday mornings.  Ibex has made wool cool (yeah... that was a pun).  The Merino Logo T is a super light 5.7 ounces and dries almost quicker than you can get it wet.  When you put the shirt on it feels soft to the touch and is very comfortable, even on a hot, sticky day in the middle of summer.  I took this shirt with me on a four day hiking trip, in July, in Kentucky and I stayed comfortable during the day and night.  

2. Merino wool does not smell nasty: 
I own several of those fancy shmancy synthetic blends and run in them quite frequently.  They smell bad... actually downright horrendous if you pick it up a couple days later and wear it to work out again.  Yeah, I know weird... but I like to reuse and save a little water when I can.  If you've ever worn synthetics hiking you know the feeling.  You almost have to bring a second shirt to wear at night so you don't gag yourself to sleep.  Wool is very different.  Because this all natural fiber is so absorbant and wicks sweat away from your body, it means less moisture for bacteria to feed on which is the cause of the smelliness in the first place. (gross... right?)  Since the sweat has long been evaporated from your skin you don't stink and your shirt doesn't smell rotten either. That means you can get off the trail and head for the celebratory post hike meal without having to change in the parking lot restroom first.    

3. The Merino Logo T is just a plain cool shirt:
Like I said in my video this shirt can go from the trail into town pretty easily.  You can mountaineer your way up a 14er in Colorado and be at that super hipster new place in town that night and none of your friends will believe that you just epic-ed up a 14 thousand foot mountain because you don't reek of B.O. and that nasty tuna ramen combo you ate for lunch.  Wool is hip, synthetics make you look like you just came from the gym (a look some go for).  The Merino Logo T, like many of the screen printed tees Ibex makes aren't just designed for performance but for a sense of style as well.   

Ok, so you've heard me rave about this t-shirt and I do love it but my disclaimer for any of Ibex's clothing is: prepare to pay dearly.  You're going to pay more... period.  For the dirt bag climbers and backpackers who don't like to throw down for gear or can't afford to throw down often for gear this one is going to cause a little sticker shock.  The Merino Logo T goes for $75 on ibex.com.  Don't get me wrong, you're paying for quality products that will last a lot longer than the synthetic blends a lot of hiking clothing is made with.  This t-shirt is an investment but drop it in your shopping cart and it'll be one purchase you won't regret.  

I received the Ibex Merino Logo T for free from Ibex as coordinated by Verde PR & Consulting  I have not been compensated in any other way for my review.  The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are my own.  

Ribz Front Pack: A great addition to your backpack system.

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If you're anything like me, when you go backpacking you want to carry some creature comforts on your trip.  When I'm on a two or three night trip, my backpack system consists of about 4200 cubic inches of space, that's where the Ribz Front Pack comes in handy.  This front pack adds over 700 cu/in of room for storage.  I like carrying everything from a spacious tent, a few extra snacks and sometimes even a lightweight camp stool.  With the Ribz pack I don't have to compromise and pick and choose which items aren't completely essential.

The pack comes in two sizes, regular (700 cu/in) and small (500 cu/in). This tiny pack allows for a few extra items that would have otherwise not made the cut on my trek.  I was able to to store three granola bars, a hefty bag of trail mix and some other trail snacks in the pack as well as my GPS unit, compass and map, camera, knife, small first aide kit and notebook... with room to spare.   

The Alpine Green pack is made of extremely durable Cordura fabric which has made a name for itself as the material of record for many rugged outdoor products.  Having such a heavy hitter as the Cordra brand associated with Ribz automatically gives the pack a more legitimate reputation. I will admit, when I first tried this pack, I was a little hesitant of how it would jive with my backpack and if it would cause chaffing or be really constricting, especially on those uphill trudges when I'm huffing.  The pack fit like a glove and rarely did I notice that it was in the way.  In fact it made my load more enjoyable to carry (if that's even possible) because the weight was more distributed than on previous backpacking trips where I had the extra pounds on my back.      

There were however a couple things that I have to ding the Ribz pack for, although they really are probably out of the control of designers.  

First, it's not very breathable.  I took a three night trip in southeastern Kentucky and northwestern Virginia in July and it got pretty steamy.  I'm sure regardless of whether I was wearing a front pack or not I would have probably been sweating profusely but this pack definitely did not help.  It will however make for a great insulation layer on cool Fall and cold Winter hikes!   

Second, while the Ribz Front Pack works well with your backpack system it can interfere with the hip belt pockets a lot of backpack companies are putting on their packs now.  Really Ribz is a beefed up version of those hip belt pockets so you may not even want to bother messing with them, but if you're trying to fill every available cubic inch of space you may have trouble accessing those with your front pack on.  I tried initially storing a few items in my hip belt pockets but gave up soon into my trip because they were to difficult to use with the RIBZ pack sitting right on top of them.   

I wouldn't let those minor inconveniences deter you if you're looking for a great front pack or even an alternative to a day pack, which I have used it for (it also makes a great camera carrying case).  I've even worn mine while cycling to carry a few essentials that would have been overkill for a backpack so there's a lot of versatility with this pack!  You can pick up the regular size Ribz Front Pack for $64.95 on ribzwear.com.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the Ribz Front Pack for free from RIBZ as coordinated by Deep Creek Public Relations.  I have not been compensated in any other way for my review.  The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are my own.  

DoubleNest Hammock - ENO

Eagle's Nest Outfitters (ENO) has really become the industry standard when it comes to camping and backpacking hammocks.  The DoubleNest Hammock ($69.95) is one of their larger hammocks with the capability of fitting more than one person and holding a weight capacity of 400 pounds.  These hammocks unpack and can be assembled in seconds when you're ready to take a break from the trail, cooking dinner, after finishing a climbing route or whatever it is you're doing outside.  ​

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​I'm not the only one who enjoys a sunny afternoon in the hammock.  

I own this hammock and keep it readily available even when not camping, hiking or climbing.​  I use mine on my deck and makes for a nice spot to relax and take in a magazine.  

There are only two concerns I have with this hammock.  First, it doesn't include straps to hang it with.  If you're a first time ENO buyer, you'll need to make an additional purchase of a set of straps before you're ready to hang this thing in the wild.  I learned this the hard way when I pulled it out for the first time on a climbing trip.  Luckily I had some spare webbing that sufficed for straps and went all MacGyver rigging the hammock.  ENO sells several options for straps ranging in price from $19.95 up to 29.95.  My second concern and really this is more of a personal preference is the weight of the hammock.  I don't consider myself an ultralight backpacker by any means, but I do try and stay weight conscience.  Weighing in at 20 oz, this hammock adds slightly more heft than I'm willing to carry on a backpacking trip.  Some might disagree and if this is your bedding in place of a sleeping bag, I could certainly see the justification.  However, if you're carrying this piece just for a little creature comfort you may want to go with their Pronest Hammock with only weighs 13 oz.    ​

​In conclusion.  The DoubleNest Hammock is a great piece of gear for car camping, hanging out at the crag or just snoozing on your back porch.  If it included straps I'd score it close to perfect.  I feel straps are sort of a no brainer and if you're buying a hammock you'd expect to see them included.

​Quality Star Rating: 4