BobS from United States, CA Public Profile

Yeah yeah, I know you shouldn't use these indoors. Guess candles are out too then. For me, they (I have two) are a nice back-up in case of a power outage. Also, when in in a car-camp, they add some really nice ambiance to a dining picnic table. Don't think I'd mess with them backpacking.

Good:
Excellent engineering and a solid product that produces some nice light.
They sip fuel.

Bad:
The light output is the equivalent of one candle (hard to read a book by it).
They are quite prone to blowing out in a breeze.

Bottom line:
I'm happy with the purchase, and would buy again if I had a need.

Pretty simple here: Easy to install, and makes the pillow even more comfortable. Also, I know this is something that I can throw into the wash when I get back from a trip, and once washed, it will be fresh and ready to go for the next trip.
Only negative is that it does add even more bulk to a luxury item, and there's not enough space in the stuff sack the pillow comes in, so there's a storage issue I'm still trying to figure out. So, one star deducted for practicality. Other than that, a great item.

If size is your only consideration, this may be a good solution. Personally, I way prefer the Sea to Summit hard-anodized series of utensils. They're less than a quarter of the weight, far more robust, and have no parts that can be lost. Okay, technically, they do have ONE part that can be lost... the entire thing.
Another feature I'm just not thrilled about is the wire-extension part of the spoon. I'm learning not to squeeze it as I move it - either to the extend or retract the handle, as doing so typically causes the wire-portion to detach from the body of the spoon.
The good though is that, once extended and the locking piece is in place, the spoon is solid.

I like the Halulite stuff from GSI enough that this was only my first purchase. After buying it, and seeing it's quality, construction and weight, I went on to buy both the 1.1L and 1.8L boiler. Ultimately, where this pot will come into use is still to be determined. The boilers offer lots of nesting options with other pots, cups, fuel canisters, etc. fitting nicely inside. While I look forward to using this pot, it will probably sit unused until my wife, or others, join up, and make packing efficiently less of an issue (assuming shared resources for more communal cooking, and the space efficiency that comes along with that).
Another feature I prefer about the boilers is the handle that folds back to secure the lid in place. This doesn't have that, and as such, it's a good idea to use the included mesh bag to hold everything together. Not a huge deal there, but one that falls into the "gee, wouldn't it be nice if..." category.
My "Do you recommend this product?" answer of yes would be conditional. I'd recommend it if you, and your party, have plenty of space in your backpacks. Otherwise, I'd only recommend it for camping, and even there, I would probably recommend something else (assuming its low weight is really not a benefit). Bottom line, and to me more important than if I'd recommend it would be if I'd buy it again. The answer there is no, I would not. The 1.1L and 1.8L GSI boilers are just better solutions.

What I love about this bag:
+ LOW weight!
+ Packs way down in a compression bag
+ Compression bag is included!
+ Made of quality materials
+ Zippers work great (for me)

What I don't love about the bag:
- I'm a side-sleeper with one knee pulled up 90 degrees relative to my other leg (if that makes sense), and the bag is a little tight. It's better than other mummy bags I've tried, but I do still wish the bag was just a smidge wider... even if it meant weighing in a couple ounces more
That's it... no other negative points, and that one really isn't a deal breaker.

I like this bag so much that I'm about to order another Mountain Hardware bag for an upcoming trip that will be far cooler than the comfort range of this bag. The Ratio 15 is the one I'm looking at, and if the quality is anywhere near this one, then I know I'm set.