adventure travel

Gear Review: Salewa Ortles Guide 35 Backpack

David Lottmann adventure travel, Backcountry Skiing, Backpack Reviews, Deals on gear!, Gear Reviews, hiking, hiking, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, winter hiking , , ,

I’ve now had a couple months to test the new Salewa Ortles Guide 35 Backpack and I’m ready to publish my review!

TLDR Version: The Salewa Ortles Guide 35 Backpack is a rugged lightweight technical backpack that is an excellent pick for general mountaineering, waterfall ice climbing, and ski mountaineering.

How I Tested:

I’ve taken this pack on a half dozen trips so far. Two general winter mountaineering trips up Mount Washington, a few waterfall ice climbing trips, and on one ski mountaineering objective.

What I Really Liked:

Hard to pick my favorite feature as there are a few of them. Let’s start with the roll top closure and removable “brain”. Around the rim of the roll top Salewa added a stiffener that reminds me of those wrist snap bracelets from yonder years. This stiffener creates a great seal that makes rolling the top of the pack down easy and makes a great seal to keep snow out of the pack in inclement weather. A magnetic “over the roll” strap helps secure climbing ropes and slim the profile of the pack if I’ve decided to remove the “brain” for a more streamlined climbing pack.

Both of the two external zippers on the pack are the high end waterproof zippers I prefer, the Salewa does not claim the pack to be waterproof I found it to be one of the more “snowing hard out”-proof bags I’ve tested. The horizontal zipper near the top accesses a pocket that was big enough to carry my avalanche shovel and probe on a recent ski mountaineering mission. The diagonal side zipper gives the user another access point to reach their water bottle without having to go through the roll-top access point.

The backpack features reinforced side carry loops for A-framing your skis. The upper compression straps have a nice “separator” straps for securing any type of ice axe from mixed climbing tools to general mountaineering axes.

The “Dry-Back” back panel and molded shoulder straps felt awesome for both carrying heavier loads while ski mountaineering or while climbing vertical frozen waterfalls.

I found the 35 liters to be generous and was easily able to pack my for guide kit for a technical day of ski mountaineering (post coming soon to show that gear list).

Salewa is definitely a safety orientated company at the sternum strap whistle is the best quality I have seen for a sternum strap whistle. Beneath the removable lip is also information relating to the “Alpine Emergency Signal” which includes a diagram showing how to put an injured person into the “recovery position” and the numbers for contact emergency services in Europe and US & Canada, along with SOS morse code instructions.

Finally, I love the color. I’m a huge fan of bright colors in backpacks from both a Search & Rescue perspective and a general preference.

What Could Be Improved:

There is not too much here I would change but a few things did come to mind while testing the pack. Probably the biggest is the reinforced lower compression straps do not have releasable buckles. So if carrying a rope coiled in a single strand butterfly coil (quite common these days) you’ll need to “tuck” the rope into the ski carry loops if you want the rope fastened securely. A minor issue for sure but I do like packs where all four side compression straps can be opened.

While this pack was designed and marketed toward “ski mountaineering” vs. backcountry touring the avalanche tool pocket could use one small drain hole towards the bottom. It was also a bit tight for my super light carbon avalanche probe and shovel (what I carry on more technical tours vs. general backcountry skiing. My larger shovel and probe may not have fit in this pocket.

Summary/Who Is This For?

In summary this is a very well designed backpack made by a great company. I had way more great things to say about the pack then the couple of small nitpicks I mentioned. Who should consider purchasing this backpack? This backpack is best designed for an ice climber who occasionally goes touring or a winter above tree-line type hiker. I did not rig snowshoes to the outside of the pack but it shouldn’t be hard with a couple straps to easily fasten them to the outside. So if you are into ice climbing, winter hiking, and maybe do a little backcountry touring on the side, maybe this could be the backpack for you! You can find it in the US at these retailers:

Buy from Moosejaw

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

A media sample was provided for purpose of review. Affiliate links above help support this blog. Thank you!

Gear and Service Review: iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent and Rooftop Adventure Company

David Lottmann adventure travel, car camping, family camping, Gear Reviews, hiking, Misc Reviews, Travel Guide , , ,

Have you been curious about what it is like to camp in a rooftop tent? I have been interested in this style of camping for a few years now as I notice more and more rooftop tents on the highways and at our local campgrounds. The investment in a rooftop tent is not insignificant though so I have held off on committing to purchasing one. Through a bit of serendipity I met Summer Brown while traveling on Cape Cod this past July and when I asked her about the rooftop tent on her vehicle I learned she is the owner of a new company in southern New Hampshire that rents rooftop tents, Rooftop Adventure Company.

At the end of September I drove down to her location in Merrimack, NH and was fitted with the iKamper 2.0 Rooftop Tent and headed back north for a four day three night camping trip. In this post I’d like to share our experience in relation to the service provided by Rooftop Adventure Company and our thoughts on the iKamper Skycamper 2.0 Rooftop Tent.

Reservation Process

iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent Review
.0

In order to reserve a tent you will first want to browse the available models. Rooftop Adventure Company currently has 5 different models:

Guana Equipment Kamuk, $75/day. This is a great choice for 1-2 people who also want to carry a kayak, bike, small roof box, etc as this tent only takes up about half of your roof rack!

Smittybilt Overlander, $75/day. A roomy 2 person option with an included LED light strip.

Thule Autana 3 + Annex, $85/day. Enough room for 4 people when using the attached annex!

iKamper Mini, $95/day. The perfect choice for 2 people who are constantly changing location as this one is a breeze to set up and breakdown to head to the next spot!

iKamper Skycamp 2.0, $105/day. The biggest tent in the fleet and the one we used! I’ll go into more details on this model below.

In addition to renting these rooftop tents Rooftop Adventure Company also rents an “Adventure Trailer”. If you have a towing package on your vehicle THIS is the way to go! The trailer is an additional $30/day and can be paired with either the Smittybilt Overlander, the Thule Autana 3, or the iKamper Mini. There are two great advantages to using the trailer. First, you have a ton of cargo space for transporting bikes, paddle sport equipment, camping gear, etc. Second you can set up the tent and camp and still drive your vehicle to town or the trailhead. This option really made me wish we had a vehicle with a towing package!

Once you have decided on the model and have some dates in mind you just fill out a short contact form and Summer is quick to get back to you to lock in the reservation. We did have some back and forth correspondence trying to determine which of my vehicles had a more suitable roof rack for the different models of tents available. Right now the only requirements listed for each model are:

“Vehicle raised side rails and Thule or Yakima crossbars (rental crossbars available upon request)”

Adding the weight of each model to the website might help customers narrow down their selection, though it isn’t too hard to look up the weight of any of these online. I would suggest to potential customers to check your vehicle’s user manual for the roof weight limit in addition to the weight limit of your factory or after-market roof rock.

Pickup/Installation Process

iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent Review

Rooftop Adventure Company is located in Merrimack, NH, at Summer’s residence. To make installing this tent on the roof of your car Summer has an electric lift that does almost all the work. You simply back your vehicle up next to her garage and her lift does on the heavy lifting. After just a few minutes the tent is secured to your vehicle and it’s time for a quick clinic on how to set up and break down your tent. Once I felt comfortable with the operation (the iKamper Skycamp 2.0 is really super simple to set up and break down, literally both actions take less than 3 minutes) it was time to sign some paperwork. Typical liability waivers and what anyone would expect when renting equipment. A fully refundable deposit is made and you’re ready to head out on your trip!

Setting up the iKamper Skycamp 2.0

iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent Review
iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent Review

After arriving at our campsite, a great riverside site at Saco Family Camping, I got to work getting our campsite ready for the rest of the family (kids were still in school and wife was still at work). One consideration when roof top camping off of pavement is to try to park level. Once I had our vehicle on a flat spot with the front of the tent facing the campfire and river I opened it up was impressed with how fast the whole process went. I took the extra minute or two to extend the optional side awnings. With the tent fully deployed in less than 5 minutes I setup our new camp grill (not doing a full review on it right now but I will say we LOVED cooking on our new Royal Gourmet Griddle!) After that I had some free time so decided to go for a quick eBike ride on some adjoining trails!

Sleeping in the iKamper Skycamp 2.0

iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent Review

One of the first things that impressed me when I climbed up into the tent was how stable and sturdy the floor felt. Summer has added carpet to the floor of this model and that combined with the king sized mattress made for an excellent sleeping surface. We did not pack or use any of our other sleeping pads. The four of us had plenty of room and we found it best to sleep with our feet towards the door and our heads towards the cool quilted world map that is basically the inside of the hardshell cover. Despite nighttime temperatures forecasted in the lower 40s we opted to keep the two screened windows open to help with moisture control. Since we were car camping with brought a couple big puffy blankets in addition to my prized Western Mountaineering TerraLite Sleeping Bag. I bought this sleeping bag for a Cascades climbing trip I went on a few years ago and I love how it opens up into a huge blanket that almost the whole family can get under!

In the morning I checked in with everyone to see how well they slept and in was unanimous. Best night of sleep in a tent any of us had ever had! We had no noticeable moisture buildup despite there being four people in the tent on a cold clear night.

Packing Up The Tent/Returning the Tent

iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent Review

On the last day of our “stay-cation” style camping trip we emptied everything out of the tent and closed it up in less than 5 minutes. Since we were staying local we had a second car to use for our day adventures but I realized this tent was so quick and easy to set up and break down it wouldn’t have been much of a hassel to do so each day. The only downside would be removing and storing your blankets and pillows each day but that’s a very small drawback. The next day I drove back to Merrimack where Summer was ready to remove the tent, give it a quick look over to make sure there was no damage, and send me on my way.

Video

I captured a lot of this process with video and have shared it to my YouTube. If you’d like to see the details on setup and breakdown check it out here!

<video edits still in progress>

Summary

Renting a rooftop tent was an incredible experience for our family! The kids LOVED it. My wife has told me she might not sleep in a regular tent again (I think she’s being a bit dramatic). Rooftop Adventure Company is the first of its kind that I know of. Summer started the business in 2019 and I can’t wait to watch it grow! Her customer service is top-notch through out the process. She was available for any questions from the beginning to the end of our trip. She is located in an excellent spot to serve the greater New England area and points south. Owning a rooftop tent can be tricky for many of us. We don’t have a garage or place we would be able to store it when not using it. Given the quality of the tents and service she provides I feel her rental rates are very reasonable. We would definitely use this rental service again and if you’ve been thinking about trying a rooftop tent you don’t need to look much further than the Rooftop Adventure Company. I’ll finish this review with the journal entry my wife wrote the day I returned the tent.

iKamper Skycamp 2.0 Rooftop Tent Review

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Spivo Video Editing Service Review

David Lottmann adventure travel, Backcountry Skiing, Electronic Reviews, Gear Reviews, hiking, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Travel Guide , , ,

Usually I review outdoor gear and provide technical tips for climbing and backcountry skiing here but today I’m reviewing something a little different… a video editing service. I first heard of Spivo through a sponsored Instagram ad soon after returning from a 7 day backcountry ski trip to Iceland. The timing was great as I had a lot of video and still footage from the trip so I reached out to see if I could get a sample of there service to share with you. The response was positive and I was soon logging into the service to upload my videos and photos to see what they could do with.

Spivo Video Editing Service Review

It’s pretty simple actually. You start by requesting a video edit quote for yourself, someone else (great gift idea), or a business. Next question is what kind of video you would like with choices being; Travel or Adventure Video, Action Sport or Motorsport Video, Vlog Video, or Event, Honeymoon or Wedding Video. Then you select how long you want the finished edit to be with options ranging from less than a minute to a full half-hour, with “3 to 6 minutes” being labeled as “most popular”. Pricing will then be displayed with discounts and promotions available if you purchase more than one editing project. Here’s a couple examples of current pricing with a few different selections:

Cinematic Adventure Video Edit 1-3 minutes long in 1080p HD Quality: $219

Cinematic Adventure Video Edit 1-3 minutes long in 4K/360 Videos: $319

Cinematic Wedding Video Edit 6-9 minutes long in 1080p HD Quality: $349

Once you select your options and checkout you will receive an email with a link to upload your files. My sample order was for a 3-6 minute edit and allowed up to 20Gb of uploading. I was interested in going through the entire process only on my iPhone and it was quite simple to select the videos and photos I have in My Photos and start uploading them. I selected about 5Gb (everything I took in Iceland) and started uploading. At some point I must have disconnected from WiFi and it appeared everything wasn’t uploaded. I couldn’t easily see which videos or pics from my phone didn’t get uploaded so I reselected my geo-tagged Iceland photos and did a second upload assuming the editors would recognize any duplicate images/files.

Once everything was uploaded I wasn’t exactly sure if I needed to do anything else. A quick message to the company was responded to promptly directing me to log back into my video edit order page (easy) and answer just a few more questions before their editors would start working on the project. There were just a few questions about any direction I wanted to give, key moments, creative thoughts, and a chance to select a music theme from possible hundreds of unlicensed options. I really wanted to let the company do what it felt was appropriate creatively so I basically just answered “editor’s choice” to each of the customizable options. Once that was completed I received an email stating they would get to start on my edit and I would receive the video within 7 days!

Six days later I received the email that Felix had finished editing the video and it was ready to view and download! You can watch the video before downloading and share it via a link. This is helpful if you watch it and decide it needs any revisions (free revisions until you are happy with the video or full refund offered).

Downloading the video on my iPhone was pretty simple but it took me a minute to figure out where it was located. I found it “Files” on my iPhone, and could then click on “Save Video” to have it findable in the more convenient “Photos” app on the phone. I could then easily upload it to YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

The original edit ended up being 4 minutes and 48 seconds long. I immediately liked the soundtrack that Felix selected as it fit the Icelandic landscape quite well. The cuts were smooth and polished and in great time with the music. My overall impression was it was a quality edit of the probably hour or more of videos and photos I had uploaded if but just a tad long. Here it is with out any revisions being requested if you’d like to see.

Being an Instagramer I reached back out to the company to see if 60 second edits were an option and was told a 60 second highlight edit can be requested for an additional $50. A few days later I received another email with my shortened highlight edit. I really liked the cadence and length of this edit for today’s busy digital consumer clocking in at 1:07. Here it is:

Summary

So the big question, is the service worth it? With prices ranging from low 200s to high 300s for most projects the answer is it depends. Ever since my first iPhone and discovering the iMovie app I’ve enjoyed learning to edit my own home family movies and adventure projects. I rate my editing skills as solidly mediocre. If you are not great at editing this service makes a lot of sense after a cool vacation or adventure somewhere. There’s also the time it takes to edit these projects… My own amateur edit of the same trip ended up being about two minutes in length but took me 5-6 hours of editing to get it down to something I wanted to share. You can see my edit of this trip here if you’d like to compare. A lot of people might not have the free time, or the motivation, to sort through all the video and images you captured on your latest adventure to create something memorable and entertaining. I think it’s also clear my edit is pretty amateur and the Spivo edits have a professional level of polish! I can definitely see why this service has a market and is probably doing quite well!

Wedding Videos!

I also think the idea of using this to create a wedding video is a very novel idea and likely a few thousand dollars cheaper than hiring a professional videographer for your wedding. Just think about it, if you have everyone who is at your wedding taking videos and pictures and they can all just upload to a central place like Spivo where they then edit and produce your wedding video in 7 days for less than $500? I’ll be suggesting this to my brother who is getting married this June in fact!

See you in the mountains.

Northeast Alpine Start

A media sample of this service was provided for purpose of review. Affiliate links above support the content created here at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Gear Review: KÜHL’s AIRKÜHL™ Men’s Hoody

David Lottmann adventure travel, Clothing Reviews, Gear Reviews, Wilderness Survival , , , ,
KÜHL’s AIRKÜHL™ Men's Hoody Review

I think most people who follow me know I have a thing for “sun-hoodies”. They are literally my favorite type of active outdoor clothing and I’ve had the opportunity to review quite a few different brands. When I saw the KÜHL’s AIRKÜHL™ Men’s Hoody I immediately placed an order. For those who are not aware of what a “sun-hoody” is it’s basically the best thing to happen to outdoor clothing since the use of synthetics! It is by far the BEST protection from both sun/UV and the incoming mosquito/black fly season! Every outdoors-person should own at least one (I won’t disclose how many I currently have in my gear closet).

Let’s start with…

Manufacturer Description:

Incredibly soft with superior moisture management and breathability, KÜHL’s AIRKÜHL™ Men’s Hoody displays excellent abrasion and snag resistance for increased durability. Maximum sun protection (UPF 50+) paired with odor resistant properties keep you fresh and confident throughout the day.

KÜHL’s AIRKÜHL™ Men's Hoody Review
I also have one in this “Sea Breeze” color! Photo from Kuhl.com

ADVANCED FABRICS

  • Fabric: 85% Ultra-soft premium Polyester 15% Spandex | 147 GSM

CARE INSTRUCTIONS

  • Machine wash cold
  • Do not bleach
  • Tumble dry low

DIFFERENT BY DESIGN

  • Saddle-stitched seams for less bulk
  • Elastic binding at hood opening and sleeves
  • Five-panel hood constructed to lay flat without bulk when not in use
  • Featuring the original thumb loop

DIFFERENT BY CONSTRUCTION

  • High moisture-wicking
  • Open-air construction for advanced breathability
  • Odor-resistant infused fabric keeps you fresh longer so you can wash less and wear more
  • Abrasion-resistant/snag-resistant
  • UPF 50+ sun protection

Performance

KÜHL’s AIRKÜHL™ Men's Hoody Review

Sun-hoodie season is from the end of April to the late September so I spend a lot of days wearing one of these! I can tell from the weight of the fabric KÜHL has found a great balance in lightweight comfort and durability. I’ve worn mine for about 20 days so far this season without washing so I can attest to the “odor-resistant” technology. My wife would let me know right? The weave is somehow a bit tighter than other models which reduces snagging but is still super soft and breathable. Using the size chart I went for a size large and it fits great, just slightly snug in the forearms.

Summary

If you have already joined the sun-hoodie movement then you already know how great these are! KÜHL has joined a few other top-of-the-line companies in producing a seriously excellent sun-hoodie and this one is available and in-stock in 4 different colors (I’m really partial to the two lighter colors, Sea Breeze and Cloud Gray). A slightly different model is offered in womens, the KÜHL ENGINEERED™ HOODY. A great addition to any outdoor wardrobe made by an ethical company! A couple more KUHL reviews will be coming soon!

See you in the mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

Disclaimer: The author purchased this item with his own money. Affiliate links help support this blog! Thank you.

Gear Review: KÜHL® THE LAW™ Pants Review

David Lottmann adventure travel, Clothing Reviews, Gear Reviews

I rarely shop for non-technical casual pants but when a marketing email from KÜHL® came across my desk for the KÜHL® THE LAW™ Pants I decided to pull the trigger on purchasing a new pair of casual work pants. After a couple of months of wear not only am I really happy with the purchase I’m also motivated to write a short review for these comfy rugged canvas pants!

KÜHL® THE LAW™ Pants Review

Fit/Comfort

The fit of these pants is excellent in part because KÜHL® offers them in multiple inseam lengths and waist combinations and actually has most options in stock!

KÜHL’s THE LAW™ Men’s Pant Review
Available colors, waist sizes, and inseam lengths

The KÜHL® THE LAW™ Pants are a “Full” style which is wide through the knee and leg opening. I went for a 34 Waist, 30 Inseam for my build and they hit the spot like no pair of cargo pants or jeans I’ve ever worn!

KÜHL’s THE LAW™ Men’s Pant Review
The KÜHL’s THE LAW™ Men’s Pant are “Full” fit

The KÜHL® THE LAW™ Pants are based on the “Full” style which definitely makes them feel like a casual work pant vs. a more technical hiking/climbing pant that I usually review. The material is 98% cotton, 2% Spandex, and while a rugged “canvas” type pant they feel soft and breathable for daily casual wear.

Function

These have become my favorite pair of every day wear pants. Manufacturer listed features are:

  • Two side pockets; one zip for security
  • Gusseted crotch for freedom of movement
  • French fly interior button closure
  • Articulated knees
  • Double ply front
  • Scuff guards

My favorite feature of these pants, other than how well they fit, is the side zippered pocket which fits my Flowfold Minimalist Wallet and passport easily… these were the only pair of non-technical pants I wore to travel internationally last month and the size and added security of that side zippered pocket was perfect. Both that zippered pocket along with a non-zipper side pocket on the right side is suitable for EDC items.

KÜHL® THE LAW™ Pants Review

Summary

I’m not accustomed to reviewing pants not designed for ice climbing or backcountry skiing but I like these pants so much I felt they deserve some attention! If you are in need of a rugged but comfy pair of casual work pants you can’t go wrong with the KÜHL® THE LAW™ Pants! I also have some other great KÜHL® items, including an amazing sun hoody, I’ll be reviewing shortly!

See you in the mountains!

Northeast Alpine Start

Disclaimer: I purchased these pants with my own money. Affiliate links above support the content created here. Thank you.

Deal Alert: VSSL First Aid Sale (ends 3/28)

David Lottmann adventure travel, Deals on gear!, family camping, Gear Reviews, hiking, Wilderness Medicine, Wilderness Navigation, Wilderness Survival , , ,

In preparation for the Spring hiking, camping, road-tripping season VSSL is offering 20% off it’s two available First Aid models, the regular and the mini! The sale ends on Monday, March 28th so if you need a solid first aid kit for your pack, car, or kayak you should take a look here! I originally reviewed in detail the VSSL Survival Model all the way back in 2015! If you’re interested in that review you can check it out here!

VSSL First Aid Kits
Photo from VSSL

See you in the Mountains,

Northeast Alpine Start

REI adds new Membership Benefits!

David Lottmann adventure travel, Deals on gear!, hiking , , , ,

Yesterday I received an email from REI informing me of some great changes to their membership program. I became an REI Member at their flagship store in Seattle, Washington during a Cascades climbing trip in 2017. While every REI Member enjoys their yearly dividend check members will now have access to free shipping from REI.com, early access to special offers, access to the Buy & Trade used gear section, and 20% off shop services!

All of this for a one-time fee of $30? This is a membership that literally pays for itself just by purchasing $300 or more over a lifetime!

You can read more details on these changes and the rest of the member benefits here.

Northeast Alpine Start is affiliated with REI and shopping through any of the above links will earn this site a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.

Deal Alert: MyMedic “The Solo” First Aid Kit

David Lottmann adventure travel, Deals on gear!, Gear Reviews, hiking, hiking, Ice Climbing, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Self-Rescue, Wilderness Medicine, Wilderness Survival ,

We are about to hit the season of savings on outdoor gear! I’m organizing my annual Holiday Gift Guide and it will be ready by Black Friday. One item that will certainly make my “top ten” Holiday Gift Ideas is a quality first aid kit. MyMedic is currently offering 35% off their most popular first aid kit, The Solo, one I’ve reviewed in depth!

See you in the mountains!

Northeast Alpine Start

Affiliate links support this blog

Gear Review: SOL (Survive Outdoors Longer) Survival Gear and BIVVY SACK GIVEAWAY!

David Lottmann adventure travel, backpacking, family camping, Gear Reviews, hiking, hiking, Land Navigation, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Wilderness Medicine, Wilderness Navigation, Wilderness Survival, winter hiking , ,

September is National Prepardness Month so it was well-timed that I received a handful of SOL products from Adventure Ready Brands. The company was founded in 1973 in Littleton, NH and manufactures the world-famous insect bite treatment, After Bite®, a full line of well-known insect repellents such as Ben’s® and Natrapel®, first-aid such as Adventure Medical Kits® and Easy Care First Aid™ kits, survival products with Survive Outdoors Longer®, and burn remedy products such as AfterBurn®.

In the following video I show the features of the products I received and share some opinions on them. Adventure Ready Brands does not sell direct to customer so I tracked down some outdoor retailers that have these items in stock and provide direct links to the products at these retailers below. These are affiliate links, so if you do end up buying something after using the link I will see a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hey, thank you! Thank really helps keep this blog going!

SOL Rescue Floating Signal Mirror from Backcountry.com

SOL Rescue Floating Signal Mirror (Two Pack) from Amazon.com

SOL Fire Lite Fuel-Free Lighter from Backcountry.com

SOL Fire Lite Fuel-Free Lighter from REI.com

SOL Fire Lite Fuel-Free Lighter from Amazon.com

SOL Stoke Pivot Knife & Saw from Backcountry.com

SOL Stoke Pivot Knife & Saw from REI.com

SOL Stoke Pivot Knife & Saw from Amazon.com

SOL Stoke Camp Hatchet from Backcountry.com

SOL Stoke Camp Hatchet from REI.com

SOL Stoke Camp Hatchet from Amazon.com

SOL Emergency Bivvy with Rescue Whistle & Tinder Cord from Amazon.com

To enter the giveaway for a brand new SOL Emergency Bivy Sack just click the Rafflecopter link below for all the ways you can earn entries! Contest at 11:59pm EST on September 30th, 2021! Good luck!

SOL Emergency Bivvy GIVEAWAY!!!

CONTEST OVER! Congrats to Angel L.!

See you in the mountains!

Northeast Alpine Start

Media samples were provided for purpose of review. Affiliate links above support the content created at Northeast Alpine Start.

Gear Review: Adventure Medical Kits MOLLE 1.0 Trauma First Aid Kit

David Lottmann adventure travel, Climbing Education, Gear Reviews, hiking, Misc Reviews, Mountaineering, Self-Rescue, Wilderness Medicine, Wilderness Survival , , , ,

I’ve been sent a few of the new models from Adventure Medical Kits to review and will be sharing some thoughts on these models the next few weeks. The first one I am covering is the MOLLE Bag Trauma Kit 1.0. Reviewing a first aid kit is a bit of a challenge as a big part of my role as a climbing guide is to avoid and prevent injury before it occurs. However with over 16 years of guiding and volunteer rescue experience I have some opinions of what should be in a first aid kit, so I hope to share some of that experience with you if you are in need of a first aid kit. Let’s start with a pretty solid disclaimer:

The absolute best thing you can do to prepare yourself for a medical emergency in the wilderness is take an actual Wilderness First Aid Course. No first aid kit, book, or self-study, can better prepare you for handling an injury or illness in the mountains than a quality course taught by professionals on the subject. I highly recommend the amazing instructors and staff at the renowned SOLO Schools in Conway NH. They offer courses all over the country so please consider finding one that you can make it so you will be better prepared for the unexpected!

Now for the details of this kit, let’s start with the manufacturer basics and an inventory of what is included:

Revie

Manufacturer Description

MOLLE BAG TRAUMA KIT 1.0 Be ready for anything when you’re in the field with the AMK Molle Bag Trauma Kit 1.0, designed to work with your tactical modular bag system and to equip you with the supplies you need to venture 1 – 2 days away from your base. The 2-foot QuikClot dressing included stops life-threatening bleeding fast, while the bandages, dressings, and medications enable you to address other wounds, bleeding, and fractures or sprains, while keeping the patient comfortable as you make your way back to camp or await rescue.

  • Stop Bleeding Fast
    Control bleeding with QuikClot® hemostatic gauze, which acts on contact to stop bleeding five times faster. The gauze is impregnated with kaolin, a mineral that accelerates your body’s natural clotting process.
  • Wilderness & Travel Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide
    Know how to provide life-saving medical care. Written by wilderness medicine expert Eric A. Weiss, MD, this book includes over 50 improvised techniques and 100 illustrations for treating outdoor injuries and illnesses.
  • Manage Pain and Illness
    A wide array of medications to treat pain, inflammation, and common allergies.
  • Metal Buttoned Straps
    With integrated metal buttoned straps, this kit easily attaches to your favorite gear for easy access.

KIT DETAILS

  • Size:7.87 x 5.51 x 3.54
  • Weight:.9 lbs
  • Group Size:1 Person
  • Trip Duration:1 – 2 Days

Supply List

  • 3 – Triple Antibiotic Ointment
  • 8 – Antiseptic Wipe
  • 3 – After Bite® Wipe
  • 4 – Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer (Aspirin 325 mg)
  • 2 – Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg)
  • 4 – Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer (Ibuprofen 200 mg)
  • 4 – Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer (Acetaminophen 500 mg)
  • 1 – Petrolatum Dressing, 3″” x 3″”
  • 1 – Wilderness & Travel Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide
  • 1 – QKCLT Z-Fold Gauze 2 Ft
  • 2 – Trauma Pad, 5” x 9”, 1 ea.
  • 3 – Adhesive Bandage, Fabric, Knuckle
  • 5 – Adhesive Bandage, Fabric, 1″” x 3″”
  • 2 – Sterile Gauze Dressing, 4″” x 4″”
  • 2 – Sterile Gauze Dressing, 2″” x 2″”
  • 1 – Sterile Non-Adherent Dressing, 3″” x 4″”
  • 1 – Cloth Tape, 1/2″” x 10 Yards
  • 2 – Bandage, Butterfly Closure
  • 2 – Latex-Free Glove
  • 14 – Moleskin, Pre-Cut/Shaped
  • 1 – Bandage, Elastic, Cohesive Self Adhering, 2″”
  • 1 – Splinter/Tick Remover Forceps
  • 3 – Safety Pin
  • 1 – EMT Shears, 4″”

Here’s a short video where I open the kit up and go through the contents with some comments:

Opinions:

As mentioned it can be difficult to review a piece of outdoor gear that you hope to not use, and are less likely to use with proper preparation and planning. That said a first aid kit should be part of every outdoor enthusiasts “kit”, and this one is well designed for military and hunting/fishing use. The ballistic nylon is coated and the bag itself feels quite robust and weather resistent. It’s a good baseline in your emergency preparedness plan but there are a couple items I would add. The most obvious for me is a SAM Splint… since the description specifically mentions the contents “address… fractures or sprains” I think a SAM Splint would have been a great addition. Granted, those who have gone through a quality Wilderness First Aid course will learn multiple ways to implement splinting material, and you can easily add one yourself for around $15 from Amazon.

The other addition I’d like to see in most first aid kits is a disposable CPR mask. Granted, you need training to use a CPR mask but these disposable masks cost less that $1 each and I think they belong in every first aid and attached to every set of car keys in the country. If you would like to become certified in CPR you can easily find a course from the Red Cross here.

One of the best things included in this kit is the book, “Wilderness & Travel Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide” by Eric A. Weiss, MD. This updated book is over 200 pages long and is in a great format. I especially like the “Weiss Advice” insets and “When to Worry” side bars… This is a great book to brush up on your skills after a Wilderness First Aid course or to pre-study before you take your course!

Adventure Medical Kits MOLLE Trauma Kit 1.0 Review

Some other opinions around these details:

Size (listed above)… this is a big kit for most hikers/climbers/skiers… this is well suited for military/hunting/fishing or as part of your vehicle/home emergency preparedness plan.

Weight– Less than a pound and can be even lighter if you leave the book at home.

Group Size– Listed as “1 person” this is where I feel AMK is underselling the kit. This is definitely a “group sized” first aid kit in my opinion, suitable for 3-4 people for a few days.

Duration– Same as above, listed as 1-2 days I think this kit is suitable for up to week long trips (especially if you supplement it a little bit with personal first aid items).

Summary

This first aid kit is specifically designed to attach to “MOLLE” type packs making it great for those who already use these style of packs (mostly military/law enforcement and some hunting/fishing enthusiasts). It is probably not the right choice for ultra-light hikers, climbers, trail runners, etc (no worries I have a couple other models to review soon more geared to that user-group). There is plenty of extra room in the ballistic pouch to add your own additional items (mine would be SAM Splint, EpiPen, extra headlamp, a couple glow sticks, and a bottle of iodine). If you are already a MOLLE user or looking for a solid kit to add to the “go bag” this is a good place to start!

Purchase: You can find the Adventure Medical Kit’s MOLLE Bag Trauma Kit 1.0 at here at Cabela’s.

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