MSR Dromedary Bag
This is one of the most useful purchases I have made with regards to camping gear under $50. MSR has a lot of great products but the virtues of their dromedary bag can be overlooked with just a casual glance; you might think its just a water bag.
So what's the big deal? Well, this water pouch can handle water from freezing to boiling without compromising water safety or taste. I have found this fact very useful especially in snow camping. Water keeps its temperature (high heat capacity) much longer than many other things and as such can be used to keep you warm on a cold night. Fill this puppy with boiling water and put it at the foot of your sleeping bag or use it as a pillow. You need not worry about it leaking either if you have closed the cap properly -- it is made of a very durable fabric which is lined on the inside with a polymer to keep water from leaking through.
The bag shown above is the 6 liter size and plenty big for overnight camping. Another interesting feature if you have an MSR water purifier is that it will screw directly onto the bag mouth for easy refilling. See MSR's website for more information on their dromedary bags.
Princeton Tec EOS Headlamp
There are many LED headlamps out there nowadays and I have not had the experience of using even one-third of them, however, if you are searching for a durable LED headlamp, it isn't going to get much better than this model. The EOS model is molded from a hefty plastic and has a seal protecting the battery compartment making it waterproof to a depth of one meter (quite handy if you are out in the rain or spelunking through a wet cave).
The EOS requires three AAA batteries. Princeton Tec only claims one hour on the brightest setting but that is for an output of 70 lumens... in my experience the light dims slowly over time providing over 100 hours of light (though it does get pretty dim after about 20 hours).
There are several other brands with brighter beams but they feel somewhat flimsy in comparison. The Black Diamond Spot has several features that I appreciate including a built in battery life indicator and red LEDs to preserve night vision in case you need to consult your map or sectional chart. If you don't need to have a rock solid and waterproof headlamp then the Spot is a great option.
For those of you still using handheld flashlights, give a headlamp a try -- you might not ever buy a handheld again.
Gear Reviews
There are many LED headlamps out there nowadays and I have not had the experience of using even one-third of them, however, if you are searching for a durable LED headlamp, it isn't going to get much better than this model. The EOS model is molded from a hefty plastic and has a seal protecting the battery compartment making it waterproof to a depth of one meter (quite handy if you are out in the rain or spelunking through a wet cave).
The EOS requires three AAA batteries. Princeton Tec only claims one hour on the brightest setting but that is for an output of 70 lumens... in my experience the light dims slowly over time providing over 100 hours of light (though it does get pretty dim after about 20 hours).
There are several other brands with brighter beams but they feel somewhat flimsy in comparison. The Black Diamond Spot has several features that I appreciate including a built in battery life indicator and red LEDs to preserve night vision in case you need to consult your map or sectional chart. If you don't need to have a rock solid and waterproof headlamp then the Spot is a great option.
For those of you still using handheld flashlights, give a headlamp a try -- you might not ever buy a handheld again.
Gear Reviews
