Gear: That's All for Nau...

We were bummed to hear that, after less than one year of selling stylish and eco-minded technical outdoor clothing and lifestyle apparel, as of last Friday, May 2nd, Nau "will immediately begin the process of shutting down its business operations."

In other words, they're kaput.  As one of the main gear editors here at Outside, I found the news disheartening. Not only did they make legitimately technical and tough outerwear and clothing—that I personally tested on many occasions—it also looked refreshingly more hip and modern than most of the other high-end brands. (I particularly liked the fact that they chose not to festoon any of their stuff with logos.)

More important, in an era where every company out there—and outdoor clothing and manufacturers especially—is falling over themselves to make more enviro-friendly products (and reduce their carbon footprint, etc.), Nau really did walk the walk. Their unorthodox, Web-based sales approach (you could shop online or at a bricks-and-mortar store, but if you did the latter they encouraged you to go home and then actually purchase the item online) saved both Fed Ex truck exhaust and cash, which allowed them to donate a remarkable 5 percent of its revenue to green causes. (Last March, we investigated dozens and dozens of the greenest outdoor companies we could find, and Nau was the only company that received a five out of five-stars rating.)

Of course, we here at Outside weren't that surprised that they didn't succeed, either. From the get-go, Nau faced obstacles at nearly every step—from securing capital to figuring out how to make fabrics with actual end-of-life recyclability. Last February, we took an in-depth look at Nau's business model and intentions, wondering if their altruistic intentions would connect with consumers. You can read the entire story here.

And while we now know that Nau wasn't able to connect with enough consumers fast enough, in less than a year the company did manage to donate over $223,000 to various charities. Which is more than many companies donate in a lifetime.

-- Sam Moulton

Toxic Water Bottles: Don't Drink That!

Yelling of the phrase, "Don't drink that!", when camping may occur in an entirely new context. And it has nothing to do with your buddies unwillingness to get out of the tent on a cold night to go to the bathroom.

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) recently deemed there is “some concern” with bisphenol-A, a chemical found in polycarbonate plastics—the kind used in many Nalgene water bottles. Their finding is a swift reversal over last year, when the NTP determined that studies linking bisphenol-A (BPA) to low birth-weights and delayed puberty were unconvincing. But with the new report, and with Canada apparently set to declare BPA a toxin, the debate is on again about which bottle is best to nurse a cold one from. Here are some of our favorites:

—Klean Kanteen’s nearly unbreakable water bottles are made from stainless steel, so you’ll never have to worry about the potentially hazardous chemicals found in plastics—just don’t think about using it for your daily fix of steaming-hot joe.

—Sigg makes an entire line of aluminum bottles that are light, stylish, and polycarbonate-free. One downside is their durability—they dent as easily a beer can.

—CamelBak recently jumped on the health-sensitive bandwagon with its new line of BPA-free water bottles, incorporating their signature styles and lids, but still making them from polysyllabic compounds—they’re made from Tritan, a type of copolyester plastic, whatever that is.

—Nalgene, got a bit of a rep for BPA poisoning, but it just came out with it’s own line of BPA-free bottles, called Everyday. The new bottles—also made from Tritan—are just as durable as their polycarbonate predecessors and come in a range of colors and styles, including Nalgene’s iconic 32-oz widemouth.   

                                                                                —Ryan Krogh

A Chafed Odyssey: For a Good Cause

Buddies Scott Paynton and Mike Conway both led pretty environmentally-conscious lives – eating vegetarian, biking all over the place, spending tons of time out in nature.

But sometime last year, it occurred to them that their favorite pastime – surfing – was adding to their carbon footprint in a major way.

"Surfers themselves are harming the waters," said Conway, 27, from Santa Barbara. "The foam that surfboards are made of use some nasty, nasty chemicals, and we're driving around burning up gasoline, wearing petroleum-based neoprene wetsuits."

So they found alternatives. Now the two are about to embark on a 550-mile bike/surf odyssey to raise awareness about lower-impact surfing lifestyles. If you think they're making you look bad, it gets worse: they're raising money for the American Cancer Society while they're at it.

Paynton, a communications professor, and Conway, who works in banking, will depart from Fort Bragg, California in mid-May and make their way down the coast to Santa Barbara, surfing every morning and riding 50-60 miles a day.

They've lined up a slew of environmentally-friendly surf product sponsors, from agricultural product-based Homeblown Biofoam surfboards, Quiver Kaddy board trailers, and Matuse wetsuits made from, get this…limestone.

"The whole gig is eco-friendly," said Paynton, 39, who lives in Humboldt County.

The pair hopes that their unusual convoy will spark curiosity – the giant, dinosaur egg-like Quiver Kaddy trailers should do just that. If the trip works out, they hope to make it into an annual event.

For more on the trip, and to check out the list of sustainable surf products, see the Bike and Surf California website.

--Emily Matchar

You'll never get lost again: upload online directions directly to your Garmin GPS

Looks like the "let's stop and ask directions" versus "I know where I'm going!" debate is becoming even more obsolete. Starting tomorrow you can send Google Maps and MapQuest directions directly to your Garmin GPS device. All you need to do is locate your destination and click the "Send-to-GPS" function.

“GPS-enabled navigation devices are becoming increasingly prevalent," said MapQuest Senior Vice President Christian Dwyer. "Offering users the option to plan online from the convenience of their computer and send information to these devices is a natural progression and an important, time-saving resource.”

Of course all you need is a Garmin GPS device, which will set you back anywhere from about $213 to well over $1,000.

Imagine, future generations of Americans may never have to contend with the indignity of refolding a road map again!

Solar-Powered Lighter

The Sunlighter, a solar-powered cigarette lighter, was born when 52-year-old Paul Martino sat on a windy New Jersey beach a few years back and watched some guys hopelessly trying to light a cigarette. "Inventors see a problem and try to form a solution," he says. "At the end of the day we're just trying to make life easier."

The mechanics of the Sunlighter are pretty simple: It's curved aluminum surface, when positioned precisely right in the sun, creates up to 270-degree heat. The Sunlighter comes with interchangeable cigarette and cigar holders, but Martino, who recently celebrated his 13th year as a non-smoker, says it can light just about anything. Tested and approved, oddly, by the Boy Scouts, the lighter can make flames from your headlights and start a killer bonfire with just a cotton ball and Vaseline.

Martino and his business partner, Leonard Ucci, have already sold 6,000 and are gladly hopping on the eco-friendly bandwagon, marketing themselves as the "greenest" lighter around and citing the 3 billion Bics each year that make their way to landfills. And the best part is that it looks like your own little personal satellite dish. The folks around the ashtray might think you're a bit strange, and it doesn't exactly fit in your pocket, but for $15 you can have one of your own“ at sunlighter.com. And stay tuned: Next up for this enterprising duo is the Sunlighter in camo-print, and a two-and-a-half-foot Dennis the Menace-style periscope.

-Claire Napier Galofaro

The Appalachian Trail Without Re-Supply

At sunset tonight, Demetri Coupounas, the president and co-founder of GoLite, with the weight  of a small person strapped to his back, will set out to hike the Appalachian Trail. For 40 days and 40 nights, Coup will take the classic American pilgrimage—with no re-supply—as an elaborate field test of GoLite’s products. While 127 pounds (eight of them are chocolate!) is, to most, not a particularly light cargo, his journey is meant to affirm the company’s core values—that the outdoors is a lot more fun once you take a load off. He’s commemorating the 10th anniversary of GoLite, which he founded with his wife and late father, while hoping that by the end of his trip, on April 30, he will have broken the current 620-mile World Alpine Style Backpacking Distance record by at least a couple hundred miles.

How far are you going to walk?

One of my favorite maxims is that “in real adventure, the outcome is unknown.” I have maps for about 1100 miles. And it’d be a shame to carry a bunch of maps many hundreds of miles and then not use them. Still, I’d settle for 621 miles without much regret. I want to find out just how far I can go in 40 days. Since the AT is 2176 miles long, I won’t have to worry about running out of trail!

Why not just re-supply?

I like keeping the hike as untamed as possible. Every single one of my workdays has a schedule; every single one of my hikedays doesn’t. Alpine style thru-hiking also rededicates me to the core mission of GoLite. I will experience a maximum load of 127 pounds and a minimum load of 15 pounds. Guess which end of the spectrum is more fun?

What’s in the pack?

I have less than a 15-pound base load—equipment and clothing that will be with me the entire time. The other 112+ pounds is food and other “consumables.”

Anything unusual?

A GoLite Shangri-La 2-person shelter because my food will take up as much space as a 2nd person the first few nights. Also, I want to be able to accommodate any visitors I might get.

2 pairs of shoes because you shouldn’t count on more than 400-500 miles per pair.

A GoLite Ultra 20* Bag Top, basically a 2nd sleeping bag to keep my food from freezing at night.

A Blackberry and recharger because while, technically, electrons can be thought of as a re-supply, this isn’t to aid my hike but just to allow me to communicate with my mother, my wife, and my office.

3 different kinds of lubrication with different mechanics of delivery because different parts of the body respond better to each and it takes a stick to reach the most important place.

What pack are you using?

An off-the-shelf GoLite Odyssey, Men’s, Medium, Crimson. GoLite because we make the best backpacks to carry such a monster load—I am biased because I designed them all. Odyssey because it is our biggest and plushest with the suspension, volume, and features I need, and nothing more. Men’s because I suffer from testosterone poisoning. Medium because I am bigger side-to-side and front-to-back then I am up-and-down. Crimson because our Sales Manager Kevin Volz told me it looks better on me than “Tempest.”

What will be the first thing you do when you get home?

First I'll give my wife a big kiss. Then I’ll shower. Twice.

-Claire Napier Galofaro

Blink Once For Track 2

Now that Nike has joined forces with Apple to create the most ingenious distraction device in the running world - perfect for runs up steep hills, but not so perfect for crossing busy intersections - it was inevitable that another product would open our eyes to the possibilities of combining music listening with effortless operation. Say hello to the Temple Switch, an eyelid-operated remote control for the iPod. According to a Reuters report out of Tokyo, a graduate student named Kazuhiro Taniguchi has developed a device that uses sensors clipped onto a pair of sunglasses or headphones to detect the eyelids' movement and then relay the collected signal to an iPod. Taniguchi, who is apparently still enrolled in Osaka University's Graduate School of Engineering Science, told reporters via email that the user could wink strongly for one second with one eye to rewind, use the other eyelid to skip to the next song, or close both eyes to pause and play. Purportedly, the infrared sensors would be able to differentiate between a quick blink and intentional track skipping. No word yet on how all this winking has helped or hindered the inventor's dating prospects.
--Jason Kerkmans

The Black Diamond Megawatt

Fat is beautiful. Especially when it’s underfoot in the form of the Black Diamond Megawatt, the most obscenely fun toy to hit snow sports since the inner tube. If you’re not used to skiing boards as wide as your fathers’ circa 1957 waterskis, the flat-camber Megawatt (sidecut:153/125/130; length: 188 cm only), which will debut this fall, can be intimidating. But spend a day getting to know them in the Aspen backcountry—or just a few minutes on virtually any slope covered with snow—and your fears will dissolve like melting snow.

After recovering from my initial terror at the thought of carving turns with a ski that’s almost 20 cm longer and twice as wide as my mere-mortal telly skis, my only problem with the Megawatt was trying to muscle my way into the lineup. The day I tested these fun fatties, I was backcountry skiing low-angle Aspen backcountry, flush with a foot of new snow, with about a dozen hard-charging cat skiers all eager to surf. I had to wait my turn. But the turns I finally made were worth every second. How, I kept asking myself between giggles of joy and plumes of white powder, can one simultaneously float and carve? The physics behind the Megawatt are beyond me. But that's ok. The engineers at BD have already figured it out. It was just my job to embrace the new technology. $800; blackdiamondequipment.com  —Stephanie Pearson

Gear Guy: Which camera can handle both mountaineering expeditions and snorkel trips?

Which camera can take the abuse of an Everest expedition and a 10-foot dive at the local snorkeling spot? I would prefer a digital (maybe even a digital SLR).

— Osvaldo
Miami, Florida

I hope it occurs to you that you’re asking for quite a bit: a camera that can withstand cold, get knocked around, and then take a swim. And actually, no SLRs are up to the task; their interchangeable lens mounts are a natural leak point, so they’d need some sort of waterproof case (more on that in a moment).

On the point-and-shoot front, probably your best bet is the Olympus 770SW ($325; olympus.com), which Olympus bills as the “toughest camera made.” And it might be. It has a steel case that’s crush-proof, is designed to take a 5-foot fall, can go as deep underwater as 33 feet, and operates well down to 14 degrees. Not bad! Plus it’s a decent little camera, with 7 megapixels of resolution and a 3x optical zoom lens.

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Photo: 770SW Camera, courtesy Olympus

Which camera do you use on the mountain and/or in the water? Let us know here by commenting.

Gear Guy: Can two three-season sleeping bags equal one four-season bag?

I'm curious if layering sleeping bags is an effective way to turn a three-season bag into a four-season bag.  I currently own a Marmot Arroyo, and I wonder if tucking a Feathered Friends Hummingbird or Lark inside of it would do the trick for snow camping, paired with a four-season tent. I know you have both the Marmot Arroyo and a FF Swallow…care to head out into the Cascades and let me know?

— Nicholas
Seattle, Washington

Yeah, glad I didn’t head out there this past weekend—blizzard conditions, followed by a near-hurricane, followed by torrential rains. Sweet!

In principle, you’re on the right track. Insulation is insulation, and how you get there doesn’t really matter. Several manufacturers sell either liners or “overbags” designed specifically to add degrees to another bag, or to stand alone as a lightweight bag. The Big Agnes Cross Mountain ($128; bigagnes.com), for example, is a Polarguard Delta-insulated bag that adds 25 degrees, more or less, to the comfort rating of a bag stuck inside of it.

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Photo: Cross Mountain Sleeping Bag, courtesy of Big Agnes

Has anyone else ever tried this method? Let us know by commenting here.

Gear Guy: Can the addition of a bivy make my three-season tent usable year-round?

I have a Marmot EOS 1 tent that I love for three-season camping in Colorado. I would like to use the EOS occasionally for winter camping, but I wonder how well the EOS would protect me from blowing snow. Would it be a wise investment for me to purchase a bivy to use inside my EOS for those few times I may camp in the winter?

— Sherry
Parker, Colorado

Yeah, that’s a good point. Three-season tents such as the otherwise excellent Marmot EOS 1 ($225; marmot.com) often have too much mesh to be good winter tents. But it does have a full-coverage fly, so that should help quite a bit. If you’re camped on snow, for instance, you can heap some snow around the perimeter of the fly to form a better seal. That will prevent wind from blowing up between the fly and the tent body, bringing snow with it.

Certainly, taking some sort of bivy bag or sleeping bag cover wouldn’t hurt. But I wouldn’t get a fully bivy bag; it’s too heavy and expensive. Outdoor Research (outdoorresearch.com) makes just the right thing: the MicroNight Bivy.

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Photo: MicroNight Bivy, courtesy Outdoor Research

Do you have a question of your own?

Gear Guy: Which snow shovel would you take into the backcountry?

I'm in the market for a new snow shovel and am debating between a collapsible and a removable handle. Any suggestions? And what is the best/easiest way to pack it in the Black Diamond Covert 22 Bag w/Avalung?

— Seth
New York, New York

Interesting question. Life-Link’s updated 3DXS ($40; life-link.com) is sort of the gold standard in winter shovels. It has a polycarbonate blade and aluminum handle that detaches or collapses, and weighs a mere 22 ounces. I’ve used a Life-Link for years; it’s tough, light, and perfectly suitable for winter use.

The folks at Black Diamond decided to have a go from a blank slate. The Deploy 3 ($60; bdel.com) has both a blade and handle made from aluminum. And it weighs about the same as the Life-Link (20 ounces).

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Photo: Snow Claw Guide (courtesy, Snow Claw)

Do you have a question of your own?

Gear Guy: Which soft shell breathes enough for high-energy activities, such as trail running?

I'm looking for the perfect trail running jacket: soft shell to eliminate the noise of nylon, breathable so I don't overheat, and resistant to light rain and wind. Am I chasing a unicorn, or does such a beast exist?

— Blake
Lexington, Kentucky

Unicorns exist, don’t they? At least, if you have the right frame of mind. And maybe that’s the key to the “perfect” trail-running jacket. “Perfect?” I don’t know. “Pretty good?” Yeah, we can do that.

Regular readers will remember that last winter I often extolled the virtues of REI’s Mistral Jacket ($140; rei.com), made with a light version of Polartec’s PowerShield material, which is my preferred stuff for soft shells.

Do you have a question of your own?

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Photo: Skyline Full Zip Wool Top (courtesy, Ibex)

Gear Guy: I need a little more wiggle room than my old mummy bag offers. Any suggestions?

Encampment Sleeping Bag (courtesy, Big Agnes)

I went camping in the Adirondacks recently, and my sleeping bag—which once seemed comfortably roomy—had mysteriously become pretty tight. It must have shrunk in storage; weird, huh? In any case, who makes a good synthetic, roomy bag for middle-aged people in the 15 to 20 degree range?

— John
New York, New York

Yes! That’s a common problem—shrinking sleeping bags. The darned things!

Chances are you no longer want or would be comfortable in a mummy bag, the bag you probably had in storage. Mummies are efficient because you aren’t heating up a lot of extra space inside the bag. But they can be, well, snug. Like a mummy! Full rectangular bags are much roomier and more comfortable, but they’re inefficient because you do have to warm up a lot of interior air. The solution: A semi-rectangular bag. It’s trimmer than a full rectangular, roomier than a mummy, and pretty warm.

Do you have a question of your own?

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Gear Guy: What's the difference between a 3.5-season and 4-season tent?

I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive tent for winter camping.

Alpenlite XT Tent (courtesy, Eureka!)

I've seen some tents advertised as a three-and-a-half-season, but I'm not exactly sure what this means. What is the difference between a three-and-a-half-season tent and a four-season tent?

— Michael
Poynette, Wisconsin

We're getting into the arena of hair-splitting, but the difference is something like this: Most tents that are meant to bridge from fall to winter are labeled "convertibles." Convertibles typically have zip-out panels that you can leave at home in warm weather to expose more mesh or take with you when it's chillier. Some also have poles than can be left home.

Do you have a question of your own?

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Gear Guy: Which jacket should I buy for my first Alaskan winter?

I am moving to Barrow, Alaska, and want to make sure I'm prepared for the cold. I have a thermal lined Carhartt coat. Is this sufficient, or should I buy a new parka?

— Ami
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Well, it’s true that Alaska is warming up—the mean low temperature at Barrow has moved up about 5 degrees since 1950—but that doesn’t mean it has gone tropical. Expect regular lows of near zero, and that’s without wind chill. So as much as I love anything from Carhartt, the only thing they have that I think would be adequate is the Carhartt Extreme Coat ($130; carhartt.com). And that might be what you have. It does have an optional hood, which is $30. It’s quilt-lined, not fur.

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Do you have a question of your own?

Baxter State Parka photo, courtesy of L.L. Bean

Gear Guy: What footwear and raingear work best in the rainforest?

My husband and I are going to Peru for our 50th anniversary. We will be adventuring in the Amazon rainforest, and I’m wondering what kind of supportive footwear I can use on the wet, slick trails. Also, what rainwear would protect against torrential rain, yet not be too hot in the jungle?

— Judy
Reeds Spring, Missouri

Do you have a question of your own?

Oof, that’s a tough one. It’s very hard to find footwear that is comfortable in hot, muddy climates, particularly if you need footwear with good support. My tendency is to break the problem into two components: footwear and ankle support.

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Sunkosi photo (courtesy, Teva)

Gear Guy: What's your opinion of this year's new personal locator beacons?

SPOT Satellite Messenger (courtesy, SPOT Inc.)

This year, at least two new quasi Personal Locator Beacons are coming out. One is called TracMe and the other is SPOT. Being a known gear junkie (the first step is to admit you have a problem),
I'm getting hit up by my associates to get the low down on these critters. So, can you help us out and do a side by side comparison on these new products?

— Ranger Randy
Grand Junction, Colorado

Well, you have at least taken that first step. I remain wildly ambivalent about locating devices, or many “self rescue” gadgets. Yes, they often work. But are they apt to lead you to try things you wouldn’t otherwise try? I know that being on my own in the wilderness makes me considerably more cautious. On the other hand, I was simply hiking along a trail a month back and rolled my bad ankle. It wasn’t serious, but it could have been—and I was a long ways from anyone. So there’s that.

And then there is the fact that technology HAS changed, becoming more affordable and simpler. Hence your question about the TracMe and SPOT.

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Do you have a question of your own?

Gear Guy: Are roof-top touring tents a revolution in car camping?

Simpson II Rooftop Touring Tent (courtesy, ARB)

I’m curious about the ARB Simpson II Rooftop Touring Tent, which attaches to a vehicle's roof rack. It makes sense in a place like Australia, where sleeping on the ground could be riskier. But for the North American camper, is this a revolution in car camping or just a waste of money?

— Jay
Dana Point, California

Well, it certainly makes sense to camp off the ground in Australia, where there may be more poisonous reptiles per square yard than anyplace on the planet. About 100 Australian snakes are poisonous, including the feared Taipan, which has the most potent snake venom known.

Do you have a question of your own?

In the U.S.? Well, I’m not so sure. The ARB Simpson II Rooftop Touring Tent (approximately $1,500; arbusa.com) certainly is a clever piece of engineering. It mounts to the rooftop of your SUV, then unfurls and is supported off the ground by poles, with one end still attached to the roof rack. A ladder gives you access. It’s waterproof, comes with foam mattresses, and can be buttoned up in bad weather or opened to the breeze when it’s warm.

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Gear Guy: Do plastic water bottles really pose a health risk?

N-Gen Bottle (courtesy, Nalgene)

I was told to avoid plastic water bottles containing Bisphenol-A (e.g., Nalgene bottles) because of the health risk they are thought to pose. So, I recently acquired a Laken aluminum bottle. Is this really an improvement, health-wise?

— Ron
Orleans, Ontario

Well, I think my first bit of advice would be to take a deep breath. It’s true that contact with the Bisphenol-A—used in hard plastic bottles made with polycarbonate—has been linked to cancer, and it also can mimic human estrogen and cause genetic problems.

Do you have a question of your own?

But the link between Bisphenol-A and the use of Nalgene bottles isn’t all that clear. In fact, earlier this year the European Food Safety Authority changed its guidelines to basically say that normal daily use of a plastic bottle made with polycarbonate doesn’t pose any additional risk. Nalgene stands behind the safety of its bottles, but of course it would.

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Gear Guy: What shoes do you recommend for a 50-mile trail race?

XA Pro 3D XCR Trail-runners (courtesy, Salomon)

I am competing in an ultra trail race (50 miles) in the Golden Gate Headlands area of California in December. Those trails, from what I am told, are quite different from the more technical trails up here in the Vancouver area. What do you recommend as a good shoe for the trails down there?

— Scott
Vancouver, British Columbia

I have a friend who recently moved from my fair city—Port Townsend, Washington—to Kelowna, B.C. I regard Phil as a way-above-average cross-country mountain-biker, but he tells me the guys he has fallen in with are totally whipping is his butt on technical downhills. “Man, Canadians are hardcore!” he said in his last report.

Do you have a question of your own?

So, I expect you fall into that same category, except trail-running, not trail-biking. Actually, if you’re doing a 50-miler, you’re also nuts, but that’s just an aside. You don’t say what you wear now—something pretty heavy, I take it. So you’d be fine in any reasonable trail-runner, but probably one with a Gore-Tex bootie, as it could be very wet in the Headlands area in December.

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Gear Guy: What shoes work well around the campsite?

Karma Sandal (courtesy, Salomon)

If you are like me, when you arrive at your campsite after a long hike, you want to switch out of your boots and put on something lighter. What shoes are out there that will work well around the campsite? Something that will protect the toes, has enough sole so you can step on a rock with hobbling yourself, and doesn’t make for much extra weight.

— John
New York, New York

Do you have a question of your own?

I’ve been sort of pondering that same question myself, John. Of course, in this day and age of light-packing, and given the fact that nearly all hiking boots are far more comfortable today than their of counterparts 20 years back, we should be doing the right thing and simply wearing our trail boots around camp—maybe going barefoot occasionally if need be.

But I have to agree that after a long, hot day on the trail, putting on something light and comfy and ambling around the campsite is a real treat.

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Gear Guy: Which backpacks are Marine Corps worthy?

Naos 45 Backpack (courtesy, Arc’teryx)

I am the project officer in charge of the design, development, and procurement of all Individual Load Bearing Equipment for the United States Marine Corps. We’re currently performing market research on backpacks with approximately 2,500 cubic inches of capacity. Durability and comfort is top priority. I would like to purchase several different styles of backpacks to study the best ideas out there. Which manufacturers and packs should I consider?

— John
Quantico, Virginia

You mean I have the chance to influence what our troops might use in the field in five or ten years? A frightening thought, in a way. But I accept the challenge!

If I were to look at a range of packs in an effort to devise the perfect pack for today’s military, here are the makes I would look at, and why.  MORE>>

Do you have a question of your own?