Gadling Gear Review: Brooklyn Outfitters Wolfjaw 16L Backpack

by Kraig Becker on

Over the years, major outdoor gear companies like North Face and Patagonia have built billion dollar businesses out of selling their various jackets, base layers, packs and other equipment. But these days some of the highest quality and most innovative gear comes from smaller, lesser known companies who mix a passion for adventure into their designs. Many of these boutique gear companies are the result of climbers, backpackers and paddlers creating the specific gear they need simply because they can’t find it anywhere else. Such is the case with a company called Brooklyn Outfitters, which makes a small, but very high quality, line of backpacks that were clearly designed by outdoor adventurers for outdoor adventurers.

As the name implies, Brooklyn Outfitters is located in New York City and in addition to creating their own line of gear they also regularly organize a series of short outdoor excursions and seminars. I haven’t been lucky enough to join them on one of those day trips just yet but I have had the good fortune of putting one of their packs through its paces. Over the past couple of months I’ve been testing the Wolfjaw 16L backpack and I can honestly say that I’m very impressed.

The Wolfjaw is a no-frills, minimalist pack that will appeal to day hikers, peak baggers and rock climbers alike. Its simple, yet unique, design hugs the body nicely, doesn’t restrict motion and stays in place while on the move, which is important for those that like to hike or climb light and fast.

Made from lightweight and durable fabrics this pack can take a beating without showing a hint of wear and tear. Better yet, those same fabrics are also waterproof and when combined with the unique buckled top enclosure – which resembles something you’d find on a dry-bag – you can be sure that the contents of the pack will stay nice and dry even under the wettest of conditions.Staying true to its minimalist roots, the Wolfjaw features just one main storage compartment and a second front organizational pocket. Both are large and can swallow up more gear than the 16-liter size would typically imply, but there were times where an extra pocket or two could have come in handy. Access to the main compartment can also be a bit frustrating at times as whatever piece of gear you need will invariably be on the bottom and difficult to find.

On multiple occasions in this article I’ve used the term “minimalist” to describe this pack but that doesn’t mean that Brooklyn Outfitters has skimped on the options in the Wolfjaw. For example, the bag includes a dedicated internal hydration sleeve that makes it easy to carry a couple of liters of water on your adventure. The designers have also incorporated an easily adjustable hip belt, multifunction compression straps and a foam pad that provides solid back support. Those looking to shed excess weight from their pack will be happy to know that both the compression straps and foam pad can be removed.

I used the Wolfjaw on a variety of trails, as well as while climbing, and found that it was comfortable and carried a full load of gear very well. The shoulder straps aren’t particularly thick, but still provided plenty of support, and the hip belt helped lock the bag into place, keeping it from moving unnecessarily. I appreciated the fact that this bag wasn’t constantly shifting about while hiking or climbing and didn’t limit motion in any way either.

Not everyone will appreciate the Wolfjaw’s minimalist approach and for those who need more storage or organizational options, I’d recommend looking elsewhere. But outdoor and adventure athletes in need of a well built, comfortable pack that was designed specifically for their needs will find a lot to like with this bag. With a price tag of just $99, the Wolfjaw also happens to be a fantastic bargain, particularly for a pack that is made in the U.S.A.

In addition to the Wolfjaw 16L, Brooklyn Outfitters makes a couple of other packs as well including a larger Wolfjaw 34L and the smaller Panther 14L. If those packs share the same high quality and attention to detail as the Wolfjaw I tested, the company has some real winners on their hands. This small company could be in for big things down the line.

Gadling Gear Review: REI La Porte Jacket

by Pam Mandel on

I love it when it’s time to put away the winter gear – that’s sometime around the end of June in Seattle. You still need a rain shell, though, even in high summer so it’s nice to find something that’s not styled like all your other GoreTex foul weather gear. REI’s La Porte Jacket gives you rain and wind protection and some military styling, too.

As for things I like about this jacket – let’s start with the zippers. The jacket has high-quality metal zippers, not the plastic ones that are so common in most outerwear. The front zip is a two-way zip, as it should be, and the snaps are high-quality metal snaps, too. The zippered side and breast pockets will keep your stuff safe, though the top pockets could be a little bigger – they’re not big enough to hold my phone.

There are a lot of nice styling details. The jacket is cut narrow and it’s a flattering shape. There are big snaps at the cuffs; you can roll them up if you want. The belted waist gives you a bit more curve if you want it. And there’s a lot of surface stitching and panels. With the high collar done all the way up, you end up with something of a ’70s crime fighter look and that is not a bad thing. There’s some nice contrasting color on the inside along with some deeper pockets. And the fabric has a really nice texture to it, a little bit like a raw silk, if I had to draw an analogy.

At just over a pound, the La Porte Jacket is lightweight. It packs down quite small – smaller than my Goretex shells, it turns out. I suspect that’s because it doesn’t have a hood. I’m not sure how I feel about this. If I need a jacket for rain, I’m going to want a hood. However, if I’m looking for a lightweight shell to block the wind or to keep off some very minor weather, the La Porte could do the trick.

The jacket comes in two colors: mushroom (a medium khaki) and a pewter green (a dark sage sort of color). It’s cute; it’s light, and looks great with casual city attire. The La Porte jacket retails for $99.50, directly from REI.

Gadling Gear Review: Lowepro Event Messenger 250 and Flipside 500 AW

by Kraig Becker on

One of the greatest travel innovations of the past two decades is, without a doubt, the digital camera. Not only have they made photography more fun but more accessible as well, allowing us to capture travel memories like never before. Over the years, digital cameras have gotten smaller and lighter, increased their megapixels, added new features and greatly reduced their prices. As a result, it is difficult to find anyone who doesn’t own one these days.

As amateur photographers have gotten more sophisticated, the digital SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) cameras have grown into the best selling segment of the market. These cameras are popular because they not only offer great image quality and fast performance, but they also have the ability to change lenses to capture just the right photo. The problem is that SLR’s tend to be considerably bigger and heavier than point-and-shoot cameras and when you throw in a few extra lenses, it can be a real challenge to lug all of that gear around. Fortunately for us, Lowepro makes a number of fantastic bags for travelers that make it much easier to carry our photography gear and keep it well organized. Here is a look at two of those bags, each designed for different uses.

Lowepro Event Messenger 250
The Lowepro Event Messenger 250 is the largest of the Event Messenger series packs and features everything that an aspiring or experienced photographer could ask for in a compact camera bag. This shoulder-sling style pack has room for a large pro-style DSLR body and up to four extra lenses, depending on size. A zip pocket on the front provides storage for accessories such as extra memory cards, USB cables, batteries and so on. The bag even has a well-padded slot for a laptop or iPad, which was a bit surprising as it doesn’t initially appear large enough to carry that much gear.I was impressed with how slim and compact the EM 250 is while still providing plenty of padding to protect the precious cargo inside. The interior of the bag is easily customizable to fit your needs and it can carry plenty of gear with ease as well. I managed to fit my Nikon D90, three Nikkor lenses, a Macbook Air, cellphone and a variety of other accessories. A well-designed shoulder strap rounded out the package, making it a breeze to carry all of that gear for a full day in the field.

Using the EM 250 was a revelation for me. Typically in the past I kept all of my gear in a standard backpack, which did little to keep my gear well organized. When I needed to access another lens or spare battery, I was often forced to rifle through the pack to find exactly what I needed. But Lowepro’s pack not only kept everything well organized but also close at hand, which made it much easier to change out a lens and capture the perfect shot.

Pro photographers will appreciate the Event Messenger 250 as a slimmed down bag for carrying just their bare essentials, while well-equipped amateurs will find that the pack more than meets their needs. At a price of just $79.99, it is a fantastic investment for protecting your expensive camera gear while traveling, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Lowepro Flipside 500 AW
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the Event Messenger is Lowepro’s Flipside Backpack. Designed for professional photographers, this pack provides far more storage than the typical amateur would ever need, wrapping it all up in a pack that is comfortable to wear on extended trips to just about anywhere on the planet.

The spacious interior of the Flipside has room for three DSLR bodies, 2-4 extra lenses (Up to 500mm!), a large flash, collapsible tripod, extra memory cards, an iPad and plenty of accessories. Much like the Event Messenger, the interior is fully customizable and very well padded, and the seemingly endless number of pockets will keep all your gear very well organized.

For a backpack dedicated to photographers, I was surprised to find a number of features that would be more common on packs designed for climbers and hikers. For instance, the shoulder straps and back padding were extremely comfortable, allowing the wearer to easily carry a large, heavy load over challenging terrain. Other nice touches include a built-in rain cover that provides extra protection from inclement weather, a tripod mount and leashes for trekking poles and more. It is even hydration ready, providing a dedicated pocket for carrying a 1-liter water reservoir. In short, this pack has everything an active photographer could hope for and then some.

The Flipside 500 AW was built from the ground up for the professional level adventure photographer. It was designed for someone who needs to be able to move quickly and easily with all of their gear, while still having their hands free to shoot photos. As such, it is overkill for the average traveler who is only carrying a DSLR body and a lens or two on a group trip. But if you’re an active, adventure traveler with lots of camera equipment, this is a no-brainer purchase. Simply put, every action photog should own one of these bags.

Lowepro lists the MSRP on the Flipside 500 AW as $249.99 and considering the market that it targets, that seems like a steal. This is a pack that will carry thousands of dollars worth of equipment with ease and protect it from all kinds of dangers. Aside from it being a bit bulky, it is an amazing piece of gear that is difficult to find fault in. If you fit the target market, and don’t already own one, add the Flipside to your gear closet now.

Gadling Gear Review: SuperTooth Disco Portal Speaker

by Kraig Becker on

One of the best things about carrying smartphones, tablets and laptops with us when we travel, is that we are also generally carrying our entire music libraries with us as well. The problem is, the speakers on those devices aren’t usually the best for enjoying that music and we don’t always want to wear headphones to get the best sound. Fortunately a number of companies now make excellent portable speaker systems that do offer great sound and are fun to take with us on the road.

One of those speaker systems is the Disco from SuperTooth, which can stream music from any device that supports Bluetooth 2.0 technology. Once paired with such a device, the Disco pumps out surprisingly loud and clear music, streaming audio, movie soundtracks or anything else that you can throw at it. I was impressed with how this relatively small device could fill a room with sound, serving up distinct highs and lows and clear vocals from a variety of sources.

While the Disco does included a standard wired audio port for devices that don’t use Bluetooth, the best way to connect is wirelessly of course. Pairing my iPhone and iPad with the Disco was simple and took just seconds and once they were connected, it was a breeze to stream my personal music library, as well as audio from Pandora, Stitcher Radio or any other app. It was a joy to listen to podcasts while wandering around my apartment and it was fun to use the speaker system as a mini-home theater while watching movies on my iPad too.All of that great sound comes courtesy of two 8-watt speakers and a 12-watt subwoofer, but the Disco is packing more than just a quality sound system. It also features a built-in rechargeable battery that allows you to take it with you just about anywhere. The tech specs say that the battery is good for anywhere from 3 to 10 hours, depending on volume, and in my testing I was routinely getting 8-9 hours on a moderate setting. That’s plenty of time for most single-day outings, but you’ll want to pack the charger along with you if you take it on a trip.

While I found the Disco to be a high quality product, with better sound than I was expecting, I do wish it were a bit more portable. It is slightly more than a foot in length and weighs in at 2.5 pounds. As someone who likes to travel light, that’s a bit on the heavy side for my liking. I love having it around the home and for day trips in town, but I’m not sure I’d want to add it to my suitcase or backpack when I’m heading out for a longer trip.

SuperTooth saw fit to include a speaker cable and a decent carrying case in the box, but I wouldn’t have minded having a remote control as well. While most of the time you’re controlling the music and volume from the phone itself, it would have been nice to be able to pause, skip tracks and control the bass booster from across the room too. Once you get accustomed to wirelessly controlling your audio, it is a bit jarring to have to cross the room to adjust a setting.

All of that said, this is one of the better portable Bluetooth speaker systems that I’ve come across, particularly for the money. The SuperTooth Disco carries an affordable price tag of just $149, which is actually a steal for a device with these features and high quality sound. In fact, I’ve used systems from competitors that cost much more but didn’t sound nearly as nice.

If you’re looking for a great way to wirelessly listen to your favorite music, podcasts and streaming audio, either at home or on the road, then the SuperTooth Disco is a great option. Simply put, you’ll have a very hard time finding anything else that sounds this good in the same price range.

Nat Geo Announces 2012 Gear Of The Year

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers and outdoor enthusiasts looking for the best new gear for their summer adventurers will want to check out National Geographic’s Adventure Blog. Earlier this week the site announced its selections for Gear of the Year, with the best new tents, boots, gadgets and apparel earning a place on the list.

Some of the more interesting items to get the nod include a new sleeping bag from Sierra Designs that features waterproof down, a pair of sunglasses from Pivothead with an integrated video camera and a multi-function tool from Gerber that can also serve as a tripod for your camera. Campers will love the new Tulip Lantern from Snow Peak as well as the new Kilo tent from Easton, while shutterbugs will be eager to get their hands on the new Canon 5D Mark III.

Two items that we told you about here at Gadling made Nat Geo’s list as well. They were the Camelbak All Clear water purification system and the Osprey Atmos 50 backpack. We were impressed with both products in our reviews and it seems our colleagues at National Geographic were as well.

To take a look at all the other great gear on the list click here, and have your credit card at the ready.