Well, looks like I won’t be getting an MSR Microzoid unless they suddenly release a new model soon. The new Big Agnes SL 2 (avail. Oct 15th) is only 1.6kg for a 2-person tent! Compared to the (newly revised) weight of the Microzoid at 1.33kg for a 1-person tent I think the SL 2 is a much better investment. Especially once you consider that the SL 2 would only be 800g per person. Of course I would also get the SL 2’s footprint which adds 184g or 92g/person making the total trail weight less than 900g, even lighter than the Microzoid. Even if I’m not backpacking with someone else 1.7kg is bareable. Or SL 2 also has the option of leaving the main part of the tent behind and only taking the fly, poles, footprint, and pegs, making it only 1.1kg – still lighter than the Microzoid! The only downside to the Big Agnes SL 2 is the price, the tent is $364 CDN and the footprint is an additional $64 CDN making the tent a steep $428 CDN.

Of other note I decided not to purchase the North Face Work Gloves – they stock them at FAE now and they aren’t really what I was looking for. However, I did find some really nice North Face Windstopper gloves that were put to the test this weekend in Duck Mountain. I wonder if they are as good as the probably much cheaper MEC version…

Since I’m thinking about continuing to backpack through the winter this year I’ve started making a list of gear that I would really like to get for those cold nights.

North Face Quantum Nuptse Jacket

- 900 filll goose down
- Weight: 623g
- MSRP US $299
- Could also get the Nuptse Jacket, which is 700 fill down for US $199

North Face Work Glove

- Kevlar reinforced stitching
- Weight: 124g
- MSRP US $50

North Face Hightail 900 Sleeping Bag

- Temp. Rating: -10ºC
- 900 fill goose down
- Weight: 921g
- MSRP US $349