Backpacker Magazine – August 2008

Field Notes: North Face Propel Sleeping Bag, Asolo Power Matic Boot, Lanterns, and Vargo Titanium Sierra Pot

The latest word from our testers

by: Kelly Bastone, Berne Broudy, Kristin Hostetter, Dennis Lewon, Steven Roy, Charlie Wood

Tags:
• Boots
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• Gear
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• Sleeping bags
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• Gear essentials
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Lanterns
Deluxe: Black Diamond Apollo Lantern Meet the smartest LED lantern on the planet: Its dimmable light conserves batteries, and its folding legs make it compact. In our tents, the frosted globe emitted a warm glow that was perfect for playing cards. Our tester's only quibble: "When you turn the light on, it blinds you in the high position; I wish the adjustment started low and let you ratchet it up from there." In our tests, batteries (four AAs) lasted close to a week at the lowest setting. At the highest setting, however, batteries averaged 7.5 hours–half of the listed lifespan. $50; 11.2 oz. with batteries. (801) 278-5552; bdel.com. Reader service #109

Bargain: Coghlan's Micro Lantern This tiny lantern is the size of a D battery and costs little more than a deli sandwich. It's not as bright as the BD Apollo for camp duty, but it's a good tent light at a fraction of the price. $8; .8 oz. (877) 264-4526; coghlans.com. Reader service #110

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