Testing a few pieces of equipment

Hi All,

Last week, I was near San Francisco, California, for a business trip. I took the opportunity to take a few items of my equipment to test them out. Here are my comments:

- North Face duffle bag: I got tricked by its content capacity and it was slightly too heavy for me. I walked as if I was 100 years old: slow and unsteady. I had trouble with the back straps that weren't properly adjusted, making them fall off my shoulders. Fortunately, one of my colleagues arranged that, and now that part is fine.

- Vertical 8 backpack: I liked the multiple pockets it has, but not the stiffness of the zips. I guess it has to do with its waterproofness, but still... not very practical when needed to open and close quickly. It is comfortable to wear as the back of it is padded and it has 2 additional front straps that maintain the back straps in place. I would have added extra padding at its base so to soften its contact with the ground when you take it off.

- 1st layer merino wool thermal top and 2nd layer jacket: I wore these on the plane and was glad I did. I did not suffer from the cold in the plane, nor when I came back to France (left with roughly 20°C with sunshine, came back to 5°C with grey weather). Talk about thermal shock!

These tests are going to be useful in my preparation of my bags.

Stay tuned for final details on my preparation.