The Primetorch 1010 is tiny–measuring in at only 1 inch in diameter and 3 inches long and weighing under 2 ounces, it’s hard to believe that it puts out 130 lumens (thanks to the powerful Cree Q4 diode). That’s A LOT of light, making the Primetorch the brightest flashlight I have ever used. The compact and sturdy aluminum casing is built to last, and has a military-grade feel to it. That can be most likely attributed to what Primus calls the “tactical switch” used to turn the light on and off. Rather than a slider on the side of the light, there is a bright red button on the end of the light, designed for signaling. While you hope you’ll never need it for that, the bright light is sure to be seen if you do happen to get lost and need to signal for help. For everyday use, the tactical switch is easy to use, and harder to accidentally turn off and on.

The Primetorch is powered by one Lithium CR-123 battery, which comes with the flashlight (as well as a belt holster). Battery life runs about 3 hours, so if you plan on taking it with you for an extended time, you’ll want to bring a few extra batteries, which aren’t cheap (about $5 each). For the peace of mind, I think it’s worth it, though.

The Primetorch 1010 may look like a great stocking stuffer on the outside, but it will cost you. With an MSRP of $66, it’s not cheap. A quick internet search yielded a few sites listing it for around $50, so you can pick it up for a bit less. With that being said, the Primetorch is tough enough that it should last you a long time–there are reports of people running it over accidentally with their car and it continues to work, though we didn’t take our testing that far so I can’t confirm the validity of that statement!

Product provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The Axio Mini watch is a lightweight and small-scale watch designed specifically for women, based on High Gear’s popular Axio watch for men. As part of the Summit line of watches, it boasts the same features as the men’s Axio: a Swiss-made altimeter sensor, barometer, thermometer, chronograph and multiple alarms and date/time zone features, just in a smaller, more compact case.

On first glance, I was a little concerned that the display would be far too small to read quickly while running, after all, it was considerably smaller than the display on the Origo watch I had been wearing for over a year which has a huge display. But after the inaugural run, I was sold. The display is clear and easy to read, and switching between modes is easy, even on the move. The best part? The Axio Mini stayed in place and didn’t rattle around on my wrist like most watches during my test runs. The small size is surely a factor, but I attribute this to the super-customizable watch strap. Designed with holes that run the entire length of the strap, it’s easy to find the exact placement for your wrist. An extra bonus? Even though it’s specifically designed for women, you won’t find any pink or baby blue styles–just a straight black or white and grey style. I also took this on a few test hikes, to see how the altimeter and barometer features performed. The altimeter was accurate (when compared to both a GPS and another calibrated altimeter watch) and once the barometer is set properly, the “weather predicition” setting is fairly accurate as well.

Bottom line, the Axio Mini is a versatile, full-featured watch designed for smaller wrists. Plus, it’s priced quite competitively at around $100, though a quick online search yields a few results of it on sale for even less.

Products provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

The Expedition Trail Mate has all the basic watch functions: time, chronograph, alarm, day/month/day-of-week displays, and water resistance (to 100 meters), but what makes this stand out from any other digital watch is the ability to track your progress on hikes/trail runs with a built in accelerometer. This allows you to view real-time stats, set goals, and view previous trips, as long as you have calibrated the watch and have the chronograph running during your activity.

Initial set-up and calibration is easy, and Timex has even provided a quick video that walks you through setting up the watch in less than five minutes. Just program your gender, height, weight, pack weight (if you are carrying one), as well as any goals you may want to set. An alarm will chime at when you have reached the halfway point your goal, whether it is distance or time. Calibration is simple as well–just walk a pre-measured distance in calibration mode to set your stride. This will allow the accelerometer to calculate the most accurate readings while hiking or running, though there are separate calibrations for either activity.

The watch is lightweight, with a comfortable, flexible band that stays put and doesn’t flop around. The actual face of the watch is about average for a men’s watch, though I would consider the styling to be more unisex. With the exception of the back plate, the case is durable matte plastic (which contributes to it’s lightweight characteristics). In our testing, it hasn’t scratched, which is a good sign of the durability. My only qualm is that you aren’t able to lock the keys–so it is possible to switch between modes without realizing it.

Overall, the Expedition Trail Mate is an easy-to-use watch that provides a more feedback than just the time. With an MSRP of $65, it’s a great entry-level watch for someone that is just beginning to get into tracking their hikes or trail runs, but not quite ready for the alimeter and compass features of a more feature-rich watch.

The Inspire is a portable power pack so you can charge your electronics on the go. The rechargable lithium polymer battery can be charged up at home via your computers USB port, in the car with an included 12-volt car adapter, or paired with one of Brunton’s portable USB solar panels. It holds just under 12 watt hours and has an output voltage of 5V, and weighs in at 5.5 ounces. It’s small enough to stow in your pack should you need it, and holds enough power to charge the average cell phone 2-3 times before the unit needs to be recharged itself. With both standard USB 2.0 and mini-USB ports, as well as a micro USB adapter, the Inspire should be able to charge most electronics, like a digital camera, GPS, cell phone, or Kindle.

If you’ll be away for an extended period of time, and expect to drain the Inspire’s battery before getting back to the grid, Brunton recommends pairing it with one of their portable solar panels, such as the Solaris 4. This smaller, flexible solar panel is USB compatbile, and folds up neatly for storage. Weighing in at 6.3 ounces and about the size of a small paperback book, it won’t take up much space in your pack. Plus, the rubberized case is tough enough to hold up to bumps along the way and keep on going.

After a quick read of the manual, the Inspire was easy to use. After it was fully charged via USB, I put it to the test, and was able to charge two completely drained iPods in only a few hours…about the same amount of time it would have taken if I had plugged them into my laptop. To recharge the Inspire, I grabbed the Solaris and headed outside…luckily, it was a (rare) sunny day here in Seattle so recharging was a breeze. For optimum performance, you really do need full sun. If sitting around during the day isn’t something you can do while in the backcountry, there are grommets in the corners, so you can easily lash it to the outside of your pack as you hike, connect your Inspire to the panel and recharge on the go.

While I am less likely to bring along a ton of electronic gadgets when I hike, I always carry a GPS and my cell phone, and the backup security that the Inspire provides is welcome on longer trips. It has also proven to be a handy travel accessory. We all know how few and far between power outlets can be at airports (especially when you really need to charge your cell phone!), but if I have the Inspire I don’t have to waste time hunting for the ever elusive outlets.

With an MSRP of $72, the Inspire provides an affordable way to power your gear on the go. The Solaris 4 will run you quite a bit more, but after all, it is a solar panel. The Solaris 4 retails for $252.

Products provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

At just shy of 16 ounces, the Lumapivot trades lightness for brightness. With 2 15 LED panels producing 110 lumens of light, this lantern will light up just about any tent on the market and will give you ample warning of a branch at ankle level when going out for a midnight bathroom break.

While the Lumapivot is heavier than the standard headlamp, it’s actually quite light for a lantern. Kelty has kept the materials to a minimum by using extruded aluminum rods for the body of the lantern and fairly lightweight plastics for the remainder. At 15.9 ounces without batteries, it’s not going to kill you to carry around. It’s certainly much larger than I’d want to take on a backpacking trip, but for basic camping it’s quite manageable.

The lantern has 2 modes. One where both panels are on, and another with a single panel on. Using both panels works great for lighting up tents for night time card games. A single panel is just what you need for walking around outside the tent at night.

Unfortunately, there is a tradeoff with this much light in a battery powered device. The run time isn’t fantastic. Using a single panel, you can expect a full set of 6 AA batteries to last you 12 hours. Using both panels, that run time drops to 6. That said, no one is going to take this lantern on through hikes of the AT thanks to its size and weight. For car camping, the battery life will be more than acceptable.

While I’m not crazy about the number of batteries this lantern takes, I applaud Kelty for not using a proprietary battery pack. You can pretty much guarantee you’ll be able to find AA batteries just about anywhere in the world for decades to come. That said, I really wish they would have made the Lumapivot take either 4 or 8 AA batteries. Nearly every AA recharger takes sets of 4 batteries, making recharging 6 somewhat of a pain.

The Lumapivot has an MSRP of $49.99, however as of writing this review you can find it online for as low as $35. At that price, it’s a no-brainer. If you’re looking for more light than a headlamp can put out, but still want something that’s not going to break your back, the Lumapivot lantern is a good choice.

Product provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

While we do occasionally cover travel topics, luggage isn’t usually part of our normal topic of conversation here at Daily Hiker. However, it’s near and dear to my heart. If there’s one thing I’m picky about, it’s luggage. In any given year, I fly between 100,000 and 150,000 miles. That means I live out of a suitcase for a good portion of the year. This also means my luggage has to be extremely durable, able to be carried on a plane, and large enough to fit at least a week of clothing inside.

In the past, I have tried most of the popular luggage brands out on the market. I had a Samsonite suitcase that fell apart in about six months. I’ve known others with Tumi luggage that has fared only slightly better. Eventually I settled on a Travelpro Crew series suitcase that has lasted me nearly 4 years now. This has been my gold standard for luggage and is what I compare every other suitcase to.

However, after 4 years of abuse, my suitcase has seen better days. It’s scuffed, a zipper pull broke off thanks to mishandling by luggage handlers, but it’s still holding together. So, when Briggs & Riley said I could try out some of their luggage, I thought I’d give it a chance.

Since I hate to check luggage, I prefer to travel with a 22″ roll aboard suitcase. This is the maximum legal size airlines will let you carry on. Unless you’re in a commuter jet, it will also fit in every overhead bin (except for some of US-Air’s Airbus flights for some reason). So, I decided to go with the Explore 22 upright. This fits my style and allows me to easily compare to Tumi, Samsonite, and my current Travelpro.

The bag itself is very well made. All the zippers are extremely high quality that will clearly stand up to serious abuse. The zipper pulls themselves are made from flexible cord instead of metal so you’ll avoid the fate of my Travelpro. The fabric is fairly thick and appears to resist scuffing quite well. The wheels are thick rubber that have handled snow, puddles, asphalt, and the normal airport surfaces without a problem.

The bag allows for a good amount of compartmentalization with 3 pockets on the front and 2 under the lid. I’m not a huge fan of the handle being external from the bag as it reduces interior storage, but I was still able to fit a weeks worth of clothing inside.

I’m also not entirely sold on the soft sides that Briggs & Riley used on the Explore. This means I can’t sit on the bag while waiting to board a plane, and it may be a bit easier to get damaged when gate checked. However, this is really a personal preference and not a fault in the design of the bag. The advantage of soft sides is that this bag is much lighter than my current Travelpro.

The Explore 22 also has a couple nice small touches to it. The name tag on the front of the bag can be pulled out and will automatically retract. The strap to hold a laptop bag has a zippered pocket at the top of the bag. Even the handles are sculpted to avoid being caught on luggage machinery and are nicely padded for comfort.

The buckles on the outside aren’t actually for compression either. They’re so you can click together any two pieces of BRX luggage and check them as a single piece. Thus, you can avoid at least one $15 luggage fee. Quite clever.

The Explore 22 is a bit of a tight squeeze on American Airlines 737 and 757 overhead bins, but it did fit and the bin closed without any struggling. The bag is also easily maneuverable around an airport. Since Briggs & Riley wisely chose to offer the Explore 22 in gray instead of black, it’s also quite easy to spot in a pile of luggage if you have to check it (a very handy feature).

I’d love to say that my trusty Travelpro is worlds better, but that would be a lie. Certainly, there are some things I prefer better about my current luggage, but the Explore 22 upright is an amazing piece of luggage in its own right. This bag will stand up to use and abuse for hundreds of thousands of miles of travel and look quite good while doing it. If you’re willing to spend the money on a quality piece of luggage, give the BRX series from Briggs & Riley a look. It’s expensive, but it’s worth it.

Product provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

Note: The day I had to try these skis was on very packed snow. So, I didn’t get a chance to test their performance in powder.

Salomon BBR:

If you’ve been following any of the news about the skis coming out next year, you’ve certainly heard about the BBR. Salomon is claiming this ski is the one ski you’ll need to ski pretty much anything. It certainly looks a lot different than any of the other skis on the market today.

Here’s the official verbiage about the BBR:

The BBR ski is the brainchild of Bertrand Krafft, aka: BeBeR, the ski designer and gravity enthusiast behind the groundbreaking X-Scream and Pocket Rocket. As an avid gliding enthusiast in winter and summer, Beber has made sliding sports his life’s inspiration, from surfing to kite-skis boarding to skiing. Designing new shapes to make his sports more fun grows naturally from this inspiration. The radical new BBR is no exception.

BBR is a ski like no other ski ever made. An oversized, surfboard like tip and rocker shape enable the ski to float in powder and adapt to uneven terrain smoothly and predictably, while the narrow waist and pintail, short radius and short effective edge on-piste provide great grip and  playfulness on harder snow. What Salomon calls the “V” shape, is literally 2 skis in one.

Beber explains his vision and inspiration for the ski, “All the sensations I found in surfing and kite-surfing, I’ve brought them to skiing: the  liberty to go where you want when you want, a great grip for more confidence, and overall lots and lots of playfulness. That’s what my ski is  about: freedom and fun.”

The company’s press people generally don’t want to talk stats about the ski, preferring to talk about how it feels to ski it. That’s usually a giant red flag in my mind, but I wanted to give the ski a try before I wrote it off entirely.

On the groomed runs I tried the BBR on, I had mixed feelings. The oversized tip resulted in quite a bit of chatter at speed, the same as a normal powder ski. Carving was fairly easy though. Certainly easier than a straight powder ski.

I’m still not a fan of the graphics the company chose to use, but it’s not a terrible ski for the right person. If you’re an expert skier that only does groomers when you can’t find any more powder, you’re going to hate the BBR. However, if you’re an intermediate skier looking to advance to off-piste areas, but still want something that’s going to be able to carve and will handle easily on a groomer, you might want to look at the BBR. It’s certainly not for everyone, but it will be perfect for some.

Head Peak 84/90:

As near as I can tell, the Peak series are the same basic designs as in previous years. However, they’ve introduced some new sizes this coming year and have changed up the graphics.

In previous years, the Peak series had fairly subdued graphics (for skis) with nothing that would stand out on the mountain. Next year, the company has gone with a retro 80s theme that I personally can’t stand. The new Peak series has neon green and brown on the top, ensuring that you’ll stand out in every lift line, and not in a good way.

Performance is pretty standard for front mountain skis. My current Head skis handle pretty much the same, which is somewhat impressive for the Peak 90. With the width under foot that these have, you should be able to get a bit of powder skiing in without a problem. These would be a good fit if you mostly ski on groomers. Now, I just wish they’d change up the graphics.

Volkl Kendo:

As far as I can tell, the Kendo is unchanged for next year. This is a good thing. The Kendo has been one of the company’s best selling skis for good reason. I ripped down a few groomers with these and loved every minute. With stats of 127/88/109, this is an all mountain ski by definition. If you spend 60% of your time on the groomers and 40% off-piste, this is the ski for you.

I really can’t say enough good things about these skis. I went faster than I really should have for the run I was on, and the skis would have gone faster. The 2 turns of powder I managed to find while testing these also proved that the Kendo can float. Bottom line: awesome ski.

Volkl Mantra:

This is the Kendo’s big brother. It’s a bit slower on the groomers, but wider under foot (98mm) for even more float in powder. For 2011/12 the Mantra gets a bit of rocker in the tip to float better through crud.

On groomers, the Mantra doesn’t carve as well as the Kendo thanks to the extra width. That’s not to say that it’s impossible, just that it takes some more effort. If the Kendo is 60/40 on piste/off piste, the Mantra is 40/60. If you spend more time off piste than on, but still want to be able to carve, the Mantra should be on your short list. Perhaps the best thing I can say about the Mantra is that I might buy these as my next pair of skis. I liked them that much.

Volkl Gotama:

The Gotama is an even wider ski than the Mantra. For 2011/12, the profile is going to be 139/107/116. Don’t expect to carve much in this ski. I was throwing the skis around more than I normally do. Not really the best choice for a day without powder. They’re certainly workable on groomers, but not great. I’ve heard that the Gotama is excellent off-piste though.

This is where the ColdAvenger comes in. It’s designed to keep your breath higher in humidity and warmer than the ambient temperature. This means you won’t get chapped lips, dry sinuses, and can stay outside longer.

The ColdAvenger is a pretty simple piece of gear. At its core, the ColdAvenger is a piece of rubber with holes in it that goes over your face. There is an adjustable port at the front to adjust how much fresh air you get with every breath. The Pro model we tested also has a wrap around mask that covers the side of your face and your ears.

We’ve had the ColdAvenger through some fairly extensive testing. We took it with us on Rainier earlier this year, and we’ve had it out on the slopes every day while skiing. Over all, we’re pretty impressed with it. There is a noticeable difference in air temperature and it does prevent chapped lips. This has replaced a balaclava style face mask in my cold weather gear.

There are some trade-offs with the ColdAvenger though. Since there’s a lot of rubber between you and other people, it can be a bit difficult for others to hear you while you’re wearing it. Additionally, you need to make sure your breathe through your nose and not your mouth. This is because when you breathe through your mouth, you lose a lot more moisture. This means that water can build up on the inside of the mask during high activity. In the end though, these issues are still far better than the alternative. Either deal with the effects of wearing nothing at all over your face, or the downsides of wearing a piece of cloth over your face.

At $60 for the Pro model we tested, this isn’t what I’d consider cheap. If you spend a lot of time outside in the winter though, it’s well worth the cost. The Talus ColdAvenger is available pretty much everywhere these days. So, there should be a store that carries it near you.

We’ve had a couple of them for a while now, but wanted to see how our German Shepherds liked the others. So, here are our thoughts on each toy:

Gourdo:

We’ve had the Gourdo for the longest out of all of these dog toys. I bought one a year ago for one of our dogs when she was a puppy.

Within an hour of giving the Gourdo to the dog, she chewed off the rope section of the toy. Aside from this, the toy has held up quite well. For a period of 4-5 months, this was her favorite toy that she’d carry around wherever she went.

In the past year, the dog has managed to chew off quite a few of the rubber bumps on the toy, but it’s still holding up pretty well. I bought a new one recently, but the old one is still quite frequently used. Over all, this was a pretty decent purchase that has held up better than several of the Kong brand toys I’ve bought in the past.

Hydro Plane:

It flies, it floats, it stands up to the jaws of 2 German Shepherds. Is there anything this toy can’t do?

We’ve had a Hydro Plane for about 6 months now. While this isn’t a chew toy, it has held up surprisingly well. We primarily use the Hydro Plane for fetch in the back yard ever since the dogs broke a Wubba after a month of use.

To say the dogs like the Hydro Plane would be a bit of an understatement. I recently had to buy a second one since they would fight over the toy after each throw. It got bad enough that I could only have one dog out at a time if I was going to throw the Hydro Plane.

After 6 months of use the dogs have yet to puncture the toy. The worst they’ve managed to do is cover it in slober and dirt. Thankfully the Hydro Plane washes off pretty easily with a garden hose.

If you happen to take your dog to a lake or pool, the Hydro Plane will actually float. It’s fairly large and easy to spot, so the dogs rarely lose track of the toy.

Lunker:

Think of the lunker as the stick version of the Hydro Plane. It’s made of the same material as the Hydro Plane, but the toy is a bit more substantial. Ruff Wear also makes the Lunker in 3 different sizes so you can pick the appropriate one for your dog.

We haven’t had this toy too long, but the dogs seem to enjoy it. Long term it appears that it will hold up just as well as the Hydro Plane.

SquareBall:

This is another brand new toy to our household. The SquareBall is a six sided rubber die with dog commands on 5 of the sides and a Ruff Wear logo on the 6th.

This is not a toy to throw around the house. It’s heavy and will eventually break a lamp if you do. That said, it’s a fantastic chew toy that our dogs can’t get enough of. This seems to be the most popular new dog toy in the house as the dogs will spend most of the day chewing on it if they can.

The best comparison I can make for the SquareBall is to the big red Kong ball. It’s hefty, the dogs love to play fetch with it, and it’ll last forever. I do like the SquareBall better than the Kong ball though. The dogs don’t lose it under the couch nearly as much as the Kong ball and the SquareBall doesn’t leave a rubber smell on your hands.

Sqwash:

If the SquareBall is the dogs’ favorite new toy, the Sqwash isn’t far behind. One of the dogs tends to hoard the SquareBall and the Sqwash at the same time to try and chew on both.

The Sqwash is quite a bit safer than the SquareBall to throw around the house as it’s much lighter. Thanks to the shape, it will bounce in unpredictable directions that always seem to fake the dogs out.

So far the toy seems to be holding up pretty well with little to no damage. I don’t think we’ve had it long enough to tell exactly how well it will hold up though. That said, I haven’t had any problems with Ruff Wear toys in the past. So, I doubt this will be an exception.

TurnUp:

If there had to be a disappointment in the entire lot of Ruff Wear’s toys, this would be it. Not due to the quality or design, but due to the lack of size choices.

I ordered the dogs toys via the internet, so I didn’t get a chance to check it out ahead of time. Since the company only offers one size, you’re stuck with what you get. Unfortunately, the TurnUp is bordering on a choking hazard for our larger dog. So, this is a toy that the smaller of the two dogs gets to enjoy all to herself.

That said, it’s a high quality toy that our dog likes to play fetch with. If you have a dog under 65lbs, you might want to check out the TurnUp.

Summary:

I have yet to buy a Ruff Wear dog toy that I’ve been disappointed with. The company quite clearly tests their products with actual dogs ahead of time. That’s more than can be said for quite a few of the toys you find at your local pet store. While my dogs ignore a few of the other brands we’ve brought home, they universally enjoy Ruff Wear toys. The only real downside I can see to Ruff Wear toys is that they can be a bit hard to find and they’re a bit more expensive than some of the other toys out there. However, they do last for what seems like an eternity. So, it’s money well spent.

The OTF is a bit smaller (24 ounces) than Nalgene’s Everyday bottles, it makes up for it in usability and convenience. The wide-mouth bottle has a slim profile, so that it can fit into standard car cup holders and bottle sleeves in packs. But what really sets it apart from other water bottles is its cap. The locking, leak-proof top swings open with a simple push of a button. Under the cap is a raised and contoured drinking spout with an opening about the same size as a soda bottle. The top swings completely out of the way for ease of drinking. When you want to close and stow the bottle away, there is a locking bail to ensure that even if the button is pushed, the lid won’t open and a silicone dome under the lid keeps a tight seal with the spout to eliminate leaks.

We first tested the OTF on the Outdoor Retailer show floor, keeping hydrated in both the crowded show and the Utah summer heat. Though it’s easiest to fill by unscrewing the top, the drinking spout has a wide enough opening for refilling quickly as well. If the 24-ounces is just not enough capacity for you, the top is interchangeable with all of Nalgene’s wide-mouth bottles.

Though I usually prefer a hydration bladder in a pack on most hikes, for traveling, pre-and-post hikes, and even walking the dogs on a hot day, the OTF fits the bill and has been one of my go-to bottles. It’s easy to take a quick gulp of water on the go without worrying that a misstep or sudden jolt with have you pouring ten ounces of water down your front. (Something that’s happened to even the best of us.) It’s also fairly lightweight (136 g) and has a slim profile, so it doesn’t take up much room in a pack. An added bonus: the dishwasher-safe bottle is made from copolyester and polypropylene and is completely BPA-free.

The Nalgene OTF retails for $12.99.

Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.