During our boys' trip to the Boundary Waters, I had the opportunity to try out a lot of new gadgets and gear. Yesterday, I wrote about my impression of the Wenzel Ridgeline and Pinon tents. Well, since it rained a lot, I should talk about the rain suit I purchased. I suspect that by now, many of you have heard of Frog Toggs rain gear. For those of you who haven't, they're a lightweight, breathable rain suit.
I've been intrigued by them for a while, but there were two things that really scared me away from them... the price, and the issue that they LOOK like they'll shred to confetti in a stiff breeze. Just before my trip though, I found a knock-off, made by Natural Gear, at Sam's Club for about half the price of Frog Toggs... a price where I was willing to try them out.
All I can say is WOW! My last day was a full day in a constant downpour, and I stayed dry. Though the material looks flimsy, it's not. I snagged the coat sleeves on brambles and branches many times, and it never tore. It's also a great top-layer light jacket. It's breathable, but provides that extra bit of warmth when the weather starts to get chilly.
The other thing that made my time up north very comfortable was wicking clothing. Everything from my shirt to my undies had wicking action. This, combined with my rain gear, kept me dry and comfortable... not too hot, but not too cold. My wicking clothing, including the undies and socks, were purchased at Sierra Trading Post. I've made around six purchases from during the last year, and I've been consistently satisfied with their merchandise, service and prices.
The last thing I want to talk about is the water purifier. Water is heavy to carry, especially if you're going to port a weeks' worth. And while the water up north is clean and clear, it's still recommended that you filter, purify or boil your drinking water Greg purchased a Katadyn Combi. That was another WOW product. It worked exactly as advertised. The filter required considerably more cleaning than I expected, but then again, we tended to get our water right at short, and the manufacturer recommends using the purifier in deeper water. The thing that really surprised me was HOW MUCH water we all consumed. Between the four of us, for drinking and cooking, we probably went through two to three gallons per day. But I'm digressing. If you're in the market for a portable water filter, check out the Katadyn Combi.
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