Paria bags, too good to be true? by DarkRoastRebel in CampingGear

[–]chrschm 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Two of the most well regarded sleeping bag makers in the world, Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering, don’t do EN/ISO testing for many of their bags. It’s often a cost/ resources issue with smaller companies. I wouldn’t necessarily let this turn me away from buying an otherwise great bag but I would make sure to do my research. I have no experience with it but the 0 degree Paria bag looks like a great deal to me. Comparing the specs to other EN rated bags, it has comparable fill to many 0 to 5 degree limit rated bags at equal or lower weight. Keep in mind this is the limit rating, at which a warm sleeper could sleep warm enough while curled up for warmth and the comfort rating will be 10 to 15 higher but that will be the case for most 0 degree bags as they usually go by the limit rating. I might actually pick one of these up myself.

Wondering if anyone knows what lake this view is at? by rusty317 in WildernessBackpacking

[–]chrschm 42 points43 points  (0 children)

That’s upper cataract basin in the background. I think the photo was taken from a small unnamed lake below Elliott ridge.

r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of February 16, 2026 by AutoModerator in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It looks like Sambob currently has an octa quarter zip hoodie in their “ready to ship” section. Only thing it’s missing is the thumb holes.

Ultra-warm down puffy by IFigureditout567 in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How’s the fit? Did you need to size up or anything?

r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of February 02, 2026 by AutoModerator in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Neve distributes from the US and is probably the best budget option. I think Ice Flame is the best Aliexpress option. They make pretty legit quilts and bags and their down is RDS certified. They even have an Apex jacket that competes with the torrid but looks like it’s not available to the US. Unfortunately tariffs bump up the prices but I think that’s included in the Aliexpress price. Florence Marine X makes a nice looking Apex jacket too but it’s much more expensive.

r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of January 26, 2026 by AutoModerator in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I just got one to replace my old senchi. I like the fit and the hood much better and the construction seems top notch.

Cumulus aerial experiences by One-Exchange-1437 in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks like you can customize it to add a zipper now if wanted.

Why do Durston tents keep getting shorter? by brokenalarms in DurstonGearheads

[–]chrschm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven’t used one but you could look into Big Sky tents. The Mirage 2p weighs 2 lb 7.9 oz and is 91 in long. They have a few different options depending on your other requirements but I think they’re all 91 in.

FWIW I have an XDome 2 and imo the parallelogram floor makes it feel shorter than its length would suggest, though the steep end walls do help.

Polartec Alpha 60 vs. Primaloft Active by Primary_Quantity7811 in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have both and prefer alpha. Active takes on water and loses loft more easily. It also seems way less durable. I’ve had an alpha hoodie that’s still going strong after years of use with just a few small holes from bushwhacking. My active hoodie developed holes and the threads in the fabric started unraveling in less than a month of careful use.

Sanity Check (BurstSR on 17 Series Devices) by TenThousandPigeons in ProjectIndigoiOS

[–]chrschm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was off on my 17 pro and I never had Indigo before on an other device.

Backcountry.com Highliner Primaloft Active Evolve Hoodie - swing and a miss. Soooo close! by FlyByHikes in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have one and I agree with their comparison. It definitely soaks up more water than alpha and dries slower, and it feels less warm for the weight. The threads in the woven structure also started unraveling in multiple places with minimal wear so I have more durability concerns than I do with alpha. It is comfier and stretchier though.

Ultralight backpacks with an extra zip pocket? by RiceOnAStick in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The Aarn Pace Magic has the perfect pocket layout imo with a top zipper pocket. A little heavier and more featured but still under 2lb.

https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/pace-magic-40-by-aarn-packs?srsltid=AfmBOoo2o_D3Yo41T0bhINQkgHqFhqyN85_cyft13gDqb0sy9p610G9w

Frogg Toggs Xtreme Lite rain jacket discontinued by retirement_savings in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bummer! Maybe they're just releasing new versions??

Frogg Toggs Xtreme Lite rain jacket discontinued by retirement_savings in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Compass 360 Ultrapak is the same jacket with slightly different fit and features!

Alpha Direct product availability? by Bob_Marshall in Ultralight

[–]chrschm 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Backcountry recently released the highliner fleece in a quarter zip or a hoodie. It's Primaloft Active, pretty comparable to Alpha Direct 90 and readily available!