GearFlogger

DeLorme Earthmate PN-30 GPS

DeLorme has been doing digital maps for a long time, and their expertise shows in the Earthmate PN-30 GPS unit (waterproof, baby!), sitting in the middle of the Earthmate lineup between the -20 and the -40 with a 32 channel chipset, dual core processor and 500MB of memory and only giving up the 3-axis electronic compass and barometric altimeter.

Setup of the lighweight 6oz unit is slightly confusing (what GPS isn't?), with little description of some of options (saving maps to SD card versus internal memory, the Topo USA 8.0 versus the PN map CDs) and a few other small glitches (when done transferring to internal memory it says done transferring to SD; refers to "the connect to computer page” but doesn’t say how to get to it).

The PN-30 took a while to get its first fix, but after that it was fairly snappy. It laid a nice track on a 15 mile through hike, but for some reason the backlight wouldn't turn off and by the end of the eight hour hike it was dead. A quick search of the DeLorme website yielded an easy fix, and since then battery life with two AAs has been good. More concerning was the screen locking up at one point, but since then I've been unable to replicate the problem although I found reference to it on user forums. The software is amazing, but takes some investigation to get a handle on. The 3-D views are very cool and you can generate any kind of data your skeevy little heart desires.

The unit itself is a bit thick, and for some reason the lanyard is at the top of the unit so as it hangs around your neck the screen is upside-down, but otherwise the PN-30 fits nicely in the hand and the buttons provide good usability. The screen is quite nice, rendering topos beautifully. Overall the PN-30 is one of the better GPS units we've seen. The problems are minor and mostly common to outdoor GPS units (confusing setup and map management), which in general have a ways to go to match the friendliness of, say, in-car units. The maps, once you figure the software out, are great fun. If you're looking for a rugged, waterproof GPS with powerful software the DeLorme Earthmate PN-30 fits the bill.

$299.95 at REI

Princeton Tec Fuel headlamp

Headlamps have come a long way in the last few years, giving more bright for less buck, and Princeton Tec seems to have the formula dialed in with the Fuel. At only 2.7oz you'll forget the Fuel is mounted on your brain bucket, but you'll never fail to appreciate the 35 lumens of illumination provided by four LEDs.

The Fuel is low-profile, barely big enough to hold its three AAA batteries (included, no less). Even with such a light light, Princeton didn't skimp on the headband: it's plenty wide and has a soft lining. The feature set is complete, with three brightness levels and a flash mode, ranging from 50 to 160 hours rated runtime and 15 to 35 meters throw, all roughly accurate in testing. Field of view side-to-side is also good.

Usability is great. The clever little hobbitses at Princeton obviously put some thought into the design, even making the plastic buckle double as a tool to release the battery compartment cover. The beam can be adjusted through a full 90 degrees vertically, and the body has a little lip on it that makes adjustments easy even with one gloved hand. Given the features you'd expect to pay a lot more for this little gem of a lamp, but the price is just icing on the cake.

$26.95 at Backcountry

Sierra Designs Lightning XT3 tent

Sierra Designs tries a few new tricks with the Lightning XT3 three-person (really, it actually fits three normal people comfortably, unlike many so-called three persons tents), three-season tent. The result is a nifty freestanding design that weighs in at only six pounds and works well overall with just a couple of awkward features.

The main thing that's different is the pole setup. There is one normal straight pole for the back of the tent, while the front pole is actually three poles in an H configuration with swivels at the two junctions. Hear me now: do NOT try to set the XT3 up for the first time in the wind and rain at night. You will freak out, break the poles into little pieces and stick them in your friends heads. Once you've done it, it's no problem and you'll appreciate the way everything quickly snaps together. For some reason the storage bag is too large, so you'll want to cinch it down so it doesn't expand in your pack.

Another nice feature is the all-mesh construction, wonderful on nice nights when you can leave the fly off. The fly itself goes on in a specific direction, but once you figure that out it too is a nice design. The walls are steep making for a roomy interior, and the front door is comfortably large, but the back door is more of an afterthought. There are three low-mounted smallish pockets inside for organization, conveniently reachable from a sleeping bag. The vestiblues are also on the smallish side, but sufficient for a backpacking tent. All in all the XT3 is a good choice for couples who like a lot of room or for three normal size friends, like Hugh Hefner and the twins.

$388.95 at Backcountry

SanDisk Sansa slotRadio music player

Normally I don't like surprises. Like the time I asked the SheFlogger for Snap-On tools for my birthday, but we somehow ended up with a strap-on, which was not nearly as fun for me. I can happily report the SanDisk Sansa slotRadio player is a good surprise,giving you a ton of music for your backcountry edification, as long as you understand what you are and are not getting.

What you get is the new slotRadio format that gives you 1,000 songs on various themed micro SD cards for $49.99. That's five cents per song, as opposed to a buck a song from just about anywhere else, so theoretically you save big bucks. Various SanDisk Sansa players accept the card, including the somewhat confusingly named Sansa slotRadio player we tested, and supposedly phones are on the way that support the format. SlotRadio players also accept albums using the slotMusic format as well as micro SD cards with your own tunage.

The player is simplicity itself: tiny and lightweight with a built-in sturdy metal body and clip, you can choose between FM radio (RBDS compatible, no less) and the card, adjust volume, switch between the seven built-in playlists, and skip songs. The songs are good but not great audio quality, and they are totally locked to the card (no copying) and you can't go back through songs. The last limitation is far and away the most annoying because there is no reason not to include a reverse button.

SlotRadio is designed to provide an equivalent experience to listening to the radio, but without annoying commercials and inane DJs. No computer is needed so it's pretty much a zero-effort experience. I found the included Billboard Mix music card to have a great selection of songs spanning genres and time, and the overall listening experience was great; I discovered and rediscovered a lot of music and was continually pleasantly surprised by the tracks. Bottom line: with the exception of no backtracking, what slotRadio does it does very well and inexpensively.

$99.99 at SanDisk