Registered: 02/26/04
Posts: 103
Loc: Christchurch, New Zealand
I ditto the question to Hilleberg re: Lighter materials. I have made my own mesh/silnylon inner tent for three season use in our Nallo 2 and it ROCKS. The traditional inner is just too hot and lacking in ventilation for a lot of the year. Not to mention the coller inner is 300 grams lighter...
A second vent at the top of the back pole (just like the front vent) would also be a nice addition to ventilation, as long as it could be closed off when not needed. This is my next DIY Nallo project, but would be a good option for commercial production for the non-diyers.
This is too late for the show, but I was wondering: given all the interest in alcohol stoves for lightweight and environmentally-friendly camping, is MSR working on anything in this area?
It seems like all the current offerings come up short in one fashion or another: they're not fuel-efficient, they're too heavy, they're too flimsy, you have to burn up left-over fuel, or some combination of the above. I've got to think that there's an opportunity here for MSR to step in and produce a really light stove that will store (or cleanly drain) leftover fuel (a la Trangia), incorporate an efficient, light windscreen (a la Clikstand, but in titanium and more easily stored), and store inside a Titan kettle.
Those are excellent questions, but something I have no idea about. I know they are dedicated to improving the current offering of products in the complete Cascade Design line (Thermarest, MSR, Sealine, Platypus, Tracks). Because they have limited resources, they can only do a few major product introduces per year. Because of the expense behind the Reactor's development, new stoves may have taken the end of the line.
I am always amazed with the ideas that are developed at Cascade Designs. I have in mind what I think should be the next product, but the engineers often have something different in the works. I have never been disappointed.
Look to see some incredible stuff coming in the next few years in cookware, stoves, pads, and water treatment.
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Believe, then you will Understand...
How about outdoor clothes for women that fit women with curves-small waist to hip ratio so they will stay up (and sit at our natural waistline?).
I see fit becoming more of a factor in the high-end clothing market. Before it was all about technical features, but more and more people are wanting performance, but with fit to match. As a rep for Westcomb, I've talked at length with our pattern maker who spends at times up to 9 months developing a pattern. Fit is obviously pretty important to them. I see other manufacturers following suit.
Currently Westcomb is not making any lifestyle clothing, but that is coming. I'm excited to see how they turn out! It should be good!
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Believe, then you will Understand...
I agree with you completely. After fooling around, not so happily, with various alcohol stoves, I've decided to stick with my Pocket Rocket until MSR brings out an alcohol stove. They may not always be the first on the market, but they always tend to be about the best when they do.
I was wondering if you could talk to the lack of pitzips on many of the eVent jackets on the market. I've been looking at the Westcombs but whats turning me off is the lack of pitzips.
Am I being dumb here? I know eVent is much more breathable then Gore-Tex, but for some reason (maybe years of marketing) I'm unwilling to put coin down on an untried jacket/fabric without pitzips.
I was wondering if you could talk to the lack of pitzips on many of the eVent jackets on the market. I've been looking at the Westcombs but whats turning me off is the lack of pitzips.
Am I being dumb here? I know eVent is much more breathable then Gore-Tex, but for some reason (maybe years of marketing) I'm unwilling to put coin down on an untried jacket/fabric without pitzips.
I don't blame you a bit. It is a lot of money. One of the reasons Westcomb doesn't use pitzips is that eVent (the company) doesn't like manufacturers using pitzips. They don't think they're needed.
Some interesting trivia: when a manufacturer makes a jacket, they send it to eVent. They then go over it with a fine-tooth comb either approving it to be called an official eVent product (similar to Gore's Wet Weather certification) or rejecting it. Every jacket needs to go through this strict and stingent process. eVent considers Westcomb as the premier brand for them. They were incredibly impressed with the quality, fit and construction.
Backpacker Mag gave the Editor's Choice Award to the Specter LT calling it "the most breathable jacket they've ever worn". Although it does breath incredibly well (needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated), there are times when it can be overwhelmed. For this reason there are times when pitzips would come in handy. However, I have found personally while wearing the Specter when backpacking that I don't miss the pitzips. They would add weight and the eVent material breaths so well that the amount I sweat is tolerable. The Gore jackets I've owned are laughable when compared to my Specter LT.
Westcomb does make a couple of jackets that include pitzips, but nothing in the ultra-lightweight category. The two jackets are the Mirage and the Phantom. The Phantom is an amazing jacket intended for mountaineering. We currently have a group that successfully summited K2 and are preparing for another climb using the same Phantom Jackets and Bibs. The Phantom is a very clean, incredibly well tailored piece that is unique in the market.
The Mirage could be considered Westcomb's flagship piece. It was the first hardshell to incorporate the iPod controller (iMirage) which won it the Brand New Award from ISPO.
The Phantom weighs in at about 17oz and the Mirage is at about the same. Both use the most durable hardshell material eVent offers.
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Believe, then you will Understand...
I agree with you completely. After fooling around, not so happily, with various alcohol stoves, I've decided to stick with my Pocket Rocket until MSR brings out an alcohol stove. They may not always be the first on the market, but they always tend to be about the best when they do.
Sometimes it isn't best to be first to market, but to make sure the stuff really works. Cascade Designs is fully dedicated in continuing this tradition. They show no signs of compromising quality from what I've seen.
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Believe, then you will Understand...
Thanks, I saw them but they looked like they had a lot of faff on them. I'm a fan of really simple jackets for climbing in. Still, I'm hoping that I'll be able to try on some of your stuff. Any dealers in Toronto?
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