A Sleeveless Adidas

Another impulse purchase because it was available at a good price. An Adidas running shirt. Sleeveless. In neon lemon colour. As opposed to Rs 1400 regular price, I got it at Rs 839. Home delivered.

From the Adidas website. Those deltoids are not mine

Those who have run in Calcutta in summer would know why a sleeveless T-shirt is an asset here. I bought this for the summer really. Will keep it aside till May/June when humidity becomes a killer and one sweats litres of water over a distance of a few kilometers. This is badged Climacool.

The material is super soft. I have a pair of Adidas running shorts. This will be my first running top from Adidas. It's very soft and the size medium fits me perfectly. Long ago I had bought another sleeveless T from Adidas but that was more for basketball players and it had an itchy feeling. It also did not fit me properly, being too large and the under arm area is too large, exposing the body a lot. I don't even know where it is now.

Pearls of Wisdom - Upper and Lower

Last year I requested my nephew Gublai in the US to get me a pair of cycling bibs from Pearl Izumi when he came home for a short visit. The riding experience changed dramatically ever since I tried them on. In fact I have never got onto my roadie without them since that day. But bibs come with an accompanying and practical problem. Peeing becomes a headache. You have to remove your gloves, helmet, jersey, belt pouch (if you have one on) and then take the suspenders off of your shoulders and pull the damn thing down to relieve yourself. Doing it on the way side on the highway is not a problem but time consuming. Villagers do tend to look at you with surprise written large on their face, but then who cares when you are desperate to go.

I bought the bib for the simple reason that I read in reviews that normal cycling shorts tend to slip down. 

This year when his sister, my niece, was coming I requested her to get for myself a complete set of cycling jersey and shorts. Just so that I have a. a spare pair of padded shorts to wear (cycling clothes have to be worn without any underwear and therefore cannot be worn twice without washing and b. these shorts would be more for my city rides, as opposed to the bib for long rides.

Got the items in my hands last night when Guria and Mezda and Boudi came to our house. A pair of Pearl Izumi cycling shorts in size Small and a cycling jersey in size Medium. While the shorts are black and grey, the shirt is an electric lemon colour.

My personal taste in everything that I wear is very sedate and understated. The colour electric lemon, or fluorescent lemon is not really my favourite colour. But riding a cycle on the streets of Calcutta, particularly early in the morning in winter, you need to stand out. These colours make you more visible to motorists and friends. A reckless motorist is dangerous for you in any case, no matter what you wear or what light you put on. But if you wear something that makes you more visible on the road it is always safer. Rest is in the hands of God.

I remember in Chadar I was climbing down a huge heap of boulders on the river side alone, with my left hand broken and out of action (at that time I didn't know for sure that it was broken though but it was certainly out of action). My other trek mates were resting near the river, having reached ahead of me. I was a good half an hour away from them if I went alone without help. I was in the maze of largish grey boulders, making my way down slowly. Navigating your way through such a terrain is difficult when you have one arm totally limp. Body balance goes for a toss.

I desperately wanted my friends to see me and help. And they did see me simply because of my fluorescent green down jacket. Someone came quickly to my aid and guided me down to the river bed. If I was wearing something like grey or black I wouldn't be as visible. Fluorescent colours stand out clearly.

Also, while riding with some friends last month very early in the morning, I realised the guy who was in a fluorescent orange jersey was really visible from a very long distance. It actually helped me keep track of him from a long distance. Hence, I decided that I must have at least a couple of highly visible jerseys. For brevets wearing gilet with reflectors is mandatory. But wearing a gilet for daily rides is not feasible, particularly in summer.

The Shorts - Select Escape

I chose size Small because that's my correct size for cycling shorts. Cycling clothes have to be form fitting. That is, they should hug closely to the body. I checked the shorts for fit. They fit me perfectly. Snug and a perfect Mamil. The product has two other brands tagged with it. Lycra and 3M.

The Jersey - Select Pursuit

For the jersey I chose size Medium. While it is form fitting on the body, the arms are just a bit loose. The Adidas jersey that I bought from Brand Factory the other day has a stretchable band. This one is plain.

New Rubber for the Feet

Yesterday I ordered for a pair of Under Armour Speedform Gemini from Flipkart. Size 8.5 and colour orange. 

Let me try to analyse why I did it. Basically thinking on my keyboard. A. I got them at a throwaway price of Rs 5.5K. Big brand, properly cushioned running shoes come at minimum 10K, if not more. This was available at almost half the price. Possibly because it is old stock. This particular model was launched in 2015. Gemini 3 is the current model and obviously no one will buy a model that is two iterations old unless offered at a deep discount. 

But curiously enough, on the Amazon international store this same shoe is priced at 12K.

B. Ever since the latest injury I am wondering if my Asics Gel Nimbus 16 is losing its cushioning. Till date I have run 364 km in them. This I did in 137 activities. That means I would have walked an additional 137x2 = 274 km in them because I walk 1 km either way to go to and come back from my runs. That makes it 638 km in all over two years. Given that I am pretty lightweight I wouldn't think that the shoes need to be retired off but I was checking the soles and they have indeed worn off a little on the outside (proving I am a supinator). 

This prompted me to look around for options and soon enough I found the deal. I will possibly not retire the Asics right away. I am sure they have a good 200 km more at least in them in pure running, not counting the slow walks to and from the start/end point. 

I read up on the Gemini. Actually I first read about them and while looking for them on Indian sites to check if they were available I discovered the deal. Here is the detailed review that I read on Sole Review . This piqued my curiosity and the deal sealed it for me. The final endorsement came from this video here.

The review might disappear after a few years. To keep the vital statistics about the shoes. They have a heel drop of 8 mm. My current Nimbus have 10 I think. It's a neutral running shoe, meaning it is not specially meant for under or over pronators.

I have to see how they fit. All websites are saying they fit half a size small. This is the reason I ordered the 8.5 size, as opposed to my regular size of 8. Actually my right foot is perhaps 7.5 and the left is 8. But shoe fit is not just about size. It is also about the shape of the last and the material of the upper.

Shoes in India are always stocked in round number sizes. That is, 7,8,9 and it is impossible to find shoes in 7.5 or 8.5 size. And I have a feeling my correct size for most shoes is perhaps 7.5. Flipkart, for the first time I discovered, has these shoes in 7.5 and 8.5 etc. But since they fit half size less I had to upsize and order 8.5. If it was available I would probably go for 8. They will arrive on Friday, that is, tomorrow.

Friday, December 15, 2017

The shoes arrived today. I had placed the order Tuesday night. That means they took just two full working days and the item arrived on the third day. I would call this super fast service. Very happy.

Now the first reactions after unboxing.

A. The colour is hideous. Absolutely hideous. To me it looks like baby pink. According to Mampu and Monisha it is orange. I had of course chosen the orange colour. But this is not the kind of orange I wanted. To make matters worse, the main upper of the shoe is white. This makes the pair look absolutely hideous on my feet when I wear them. I had thought it would have some orange inside the mesh. It is just pure white.

B. The fit is fantastic and almost perfect. I had deliberately chosen 8.5 on the advice of all the reviewers. I could've done with 8 but that was not available. 7.5 would have probably been tight on the left foot.

C. The first experience of putting them on at home was excellent. The heel stays locked in place. The plantar pain almost immediately vanished from the corner of the heel. The heel feels more firmly held in place than in the Nimbus 16. As you can see in the review, there is no insole and the cushy feeling of the Nimbus is absent, yet the feeling is better. Has the Nimbus really lost its comfort value for me? If indeed that is true then I must say their durability is highly questionable. I have hardly run in them. 350 km is nothing for a pair of modern running shoes, particularly for a lightweight runner like me.

D. The lacing up system is quite different from what I am used to in my Asics. There is just one final hole on each side where you tie the knot in the lace. I prefer two there, where I make a loop and tie the lace in a different way to lock the heel. I use this on my trekking boots and I have saved a boy from calling off his trek due to blister by adopting this technique.

This UA does not have two holes. But the upper mesh material and the lacing up system combine to give the shoe a nice form fit. There is no collar or extra cushion near the ankle. It doesn't matter really. Perhaps it is better for a good grip. I must add, the lace is fairly long.

Another point worth mentioning here is that when you undo the lace before taking the shoes off, it is not easy to take the foot out. The shoe clings to your foot and you have to pull it off carefully. This is a good, albeit time consuming thing because it shows the shoe is literally form fitting.

E. Traction on the shiny floor of the living room felt much better. On a wet road I would be more confident in these than in my Nimbus. That is not to say that the Nimbus is bad. But this is better. I don't know if this is so because the shoes are just off the box but the design of the outsole is definitely quite different from anything else that I have seen so far in running shoes. This interesting and radical design more closely mimics the anatomy of the sole of the foot than anything else. However, it is pertinent to add here that this unique design has been discontinued in the latest iteration of the model. Gemini 3s do not have them.

F. The midsole is not soft, which is basically two pasted layers - the upper one has Charged written on it, the other has Speedform written on it. It is perhaps a little more hard than the Nimbus. But that wouldn't lead to any shock on the feet. Or so it seems.

G. The front toe area has a transparent plastic protection. I have never seen such material being used on running shoes. On trekking boots this is given to give protection against rocks and other such things. I suppose the purpose is quite the same here as well.

H. The shoe does not have any collar around the ankle. It's like our good old keds. This is a speciality of Under Armour. None of their shoes have collar. But you don't feel it and now that I am gradually getting used to it, it is perhaps a good thing.

Except for the colour, I quite like this pair of shoes. This is my first pair of shoes bought off the internet. I always prefer to check them out at the store for fit. With these I took a risk and looks like it paid off. Now I have to wait for the plantar fasciitis to completely go and then I will take a chance with them. Till then I am going to wear them at home.

Monday, 18th December 2017 

Post first run views

Went for a one kilometer run on Saturday. Of course one has to add to that more than one kilometer to reach the starting point and 1.5 on the way back. So a total of 3.5 or almost 4 km perhaps. Here are my first reactions based on that. A. I did not feel the plantar pain while running. It came back a little as I approached my house on the way back.

B. The shoes feel more firm than my Nimbus 16. I guess this is what they mean by stability shoes. It does not have the squishy feeling of the Nimbus 16. These shoes are harder but not in a wooden sort of way.

C. The cushioning is adequate in that I did not feel the shocks of the road much.

D. The grip around the ankle is superb. There are some silicone linings on the edge which sit on the leg. Very comfortable and good grip due to that.

E. The traction is undoubtedly fantastic. Of course I ran on dry asphalt. Even then you can understand the difference easily.

Saturday, 30th December 2017 

I have had a few short 1 km runs in these shoes. I also ran one 1 km with the old Asics in the middle. I think these shoes, being neutral, are better for a proper mid foot strike and it is time to retire off the Asics. They have definitely lost the cushioning though they retain that squishy character, which is rather funny. One simple difference between the Asics and the Gemini is that with the Asics on, I can hear my foot strike the road. Loud and clear. But with the Gemini my run is almost silent.

Once my feet regain their strength I will probably run a shorter run in the Asics once again and see how it feels but it is not going to be my main go to shoe any more. I think I like the neutral nature of the Gemini than the squishy feeling of the Nimbus.

If I could afford another pair I would probably go for the GT 2000 5.

My First Cycling Jersey

Pic courtesy: Adidas

Today I bought for myself my first cycling jersey. A Strava-orange Adidas. Never knew Adidas also made cycling jerseys. I have a black Pearl Izumi cycling bib which had a tremendous positive impact on my riding comfort. I was so far using this with ordinary running T's. I never had a cycling jersey. 

Today while browsing alone through the sports section of Brand Factory I saw this beautiful Strava-orange jersey among a bunch normal running and fashion T-shirts. At first I didn't realise it was a cycling jersey because that's the last thing you would expect in a store like Brand Factory. I was initially attracted by its colour. But then I saw it had full zip in the front. On closer inspection I found 3 pockets on the back. It's Adidas branded and the icing on the cake was that though MRP was 4k it was available at a 70 per cent discount making the effective price Rs 1200. I thought this was a bargain.

A quick trip to the trial room convinced me that M was quite the right size for me. It fitted me pretty well, including around my biceps where it has silicone bands. Cycling shorts and jerseys and bibs have to be form fitting. This one did. I didn't spend too long to decide. Pulled the trigger. 

I needed this shopping therapy to come out of the office blues as well as the injury blues (read about my plantar fasciitis injury here). I hope this jersey will serve me for a long time. 

Once I do a trip with it (hopefully tomorrow), I will add more details to this review. But before that I can give a few basic facts about the jersey.

No. I don't take myself so seriously. Just a joke here :-)

The front zip feels easy and smooth to operate. The sleeves and the bottom have silicone bands on the edge for good fit and body hugging abilities. They have fluorescent reflector bands on them which are of top quality. The very first evening I wore it at home there was a short power cut. I checked out the quality of the reflectors on the mirror in the dark. They were pretty bright. The Adidas logo is also made of the same reflector material.

I learnt something new about cycling jerseys from this. The back of the jersey is a little longer than the front. Probably to compensate for the upward pull that portion gets when you bend over to hold the handle on the drops. So no chance to expose your butt cleavage with this.

The rear of the jersey has three vertical open pockets, typically for keeping energy bars and other such sundry items as an air pump or some medicines etc. One of the pockets has a very small fourth pocket with a zip on top. presumably for a key or anything that is small but too valuable to lose. I doubt if I will have any use of that unless I take the bike in my car to the highway to ride (as some serious cyclists do).

Review After A Few Short Rides In Summer

The winter of 17-18 was a rather idle time for me, what with injury and a general dislike to go out in the cold of Calcutta. By western standards our winters are ridiculously warm but by my standard I hate going out in the dark cold early mornings.

I started cycling back in right earnest from April 2018 and obviously chose this jersey. Short hour-long 20 km rides. Summer has set in and I sweat profusely. This jersey is definitely not warm but the word "chill" in the brand name is an over statement. But it cools much better than any cotton T-shirt. Its only problem is it stinks after a ride. It is not enough if you let it dry out in the sun. The stink does not go. My other T-shirts or socks, with which I have sweated a lot more, don't stink like this. It is not a very strong smell that you can get from far. But if you sink your nose into it, it smells bad. In any case I do wash my T-shirts after every single use. So it's not a problem for me so far.

I love the colour, I must say. One certainly stands out on the grey streets of Calcutta. The other day, as I was coming back home from the Red Road area, I saw a group of amateur photographers near Victoria out on their Sunday shooting practice. Very soon I realised some of them were clicking me !!! I don't think they would have, if I were wearing something duller or more mute.

Is it worth the price? I guess so. Yes. 

Some Hardware For The Body

Bought a pulley, nylon rope and an S for doing some lat and deltoid type exercise at home. Bought them from Chandni where Monisha and I went this morning, basically to buy two Aron helmets (Rs 600 each). The pulley (a very basic one) cost Rs 170 and the S Rs 10. The 10 meter nylon rope came in for Rs 80. It's the thinner variety. I thought the thicker variety might be difficult to tie to the weights. But now after installing the machine, looks like it's too thin for the weight. I am using 10 kg for pulling up. Might go up to 15 kg. It's too thin for a decent grip. Let me see. I might go for a thicker rope or a wooden/cane rule to be tied at the other end or perhaps both. 

I remembered my father once again. He would've been happy today. We had a very famous large well in our house in Deoghar where the entire neighbourhood used to come for their water in summer when the other wells in Belabagan used to run dry - ours never ran out of water as it had several perennial springs inside. It had a very elaborate grille (according to Baba his father had bought them off an auction from Hazaribagh jail) on top but it did not have the pulley system for pulling out water. During my grand father's time it had a latha system to fill up the cistern for irrigating the field around. A latha is a large bamboo with a rope attached to one end with a bucket hanging from it and the other end is on a Y kind of piece of wood fixed to the field. That end has a big weight. You pull the rope down and guide the bucket into the water and then let it go free. It rises with the load at the other end of the bamboo. A very ancient kind of system, I am sure. I don't think these systems are practised anywhere in India any more. 

Our caretaker Tilua used to complaint a lot that pulling water out of the well without a pulley was a hell of a problem. Basically he used to stand on the grille on top and pull water out with a bucket attached to a rope. To use a pulley we would need to make a concrete structure over the well. Two pillars on the sides and a concrete slab connecting them over the top from where the pulley would hang. 

Baba used to often take quotes from some local masons and they would spend hours over various details like how many bricks and how much cement would be needed, what diameter of steel rods to use etc. Finally the pillars would never get erected for paucity of funds. 

Today that pulley finally got purchased. Albeit for a different purpose altogether. But it's a similar pulley nevertheless that should have hung over our big well in Deoghar. All that is part of my memories only. 

From Chandni I also bought for my tool collection a small hammer for Rs 70. It's not a regular requirement item but when you need it you cannot make do with something else, particularly on cycles or other delicate items. 

You Light Up My Way

The unit mounted on the handle bar

Yesterday my basic headlight and taillight arrived from Bangalore for my Red Roadie. Bought these off Happy Earth. A NiteRider Swift 350 lumen front light and a very basic NR TL 5.0 SL. Both are basic but the taillight is more so, given that it costs Rs 549 only. The headlight costs Rs 2299 for 350 lumens of white LED light. But then there are cheaper headlights that offer 200 or 100 lumens. 

The other day while going for the early morning group ride with Rana, I realised that light is really going to be important if I was to ride early mornings. Particularly now that winter is coming and fog will soon envelop Calcutta streets in the wee hours of the morning when we venture out on the streets.

Everyone else in the group had their taillights. It was really helpful for me because all of them went ahead of me and I could see them from a very long distance behind. 

My taillight has three LED bulbs inside and offers three modes. It has the steady light, which is fairly bright. The second is the strobe mode where one light blinks on and off. Then there is another mode where the three lights go on and off in succession. I think I will have the lamp on in this mode when I ride. It draws the maximum attention. 

The lamp is powered by two small AAA batteries. The OE pair was NR branded. Very cute looking. 

The unit is operated by one tiny little switch behind. I have stuck the unit by the clip to the back of my saddle bag and I hope it does not come off on a rough patch of road. There is another attachment for strapping it to the seat post. I have kept it aside because with the saddle bag on, there is no space to use that on my bike. 

The unit feels very cheapo. Opening the unit up for installing the battery was easy. But fixing it back on was a bit scary. I was worried that it might break. Well, it did not. 

It's on. The white light is of the button

The headlight is a small "pencil torch" kind of flashlight. The light output is decent. But it is not really meant for seeing the road in the dark. It is more for making yourself visible to other drivers. That's fine for me for now. If I ever went for a 300 or 400 km Brevet, where you do a lot of night riding I would have to go for something bigger. 

This unit has three light intensities - I guess 100, 200 and 350 lumens respectively. To switch it off you keep the switch pressed for 3 seconds. There is no strobe mode. There is a way by which you can lock the switch to prevent accidental switching on when you are carrying it in a bag or something. I have to work it out though. The unit is powered by a lithium ion battery that is USB rechargeable. The unit came with a USB charging cable. I have installed it on the left hand side of the handlebar with the strap that is provided. I don't think the battery is user replaceable. I will have to chuck it off when the battery dies out.

Important Note - Added 10th June 2020

I think it was last year that the rear tail light fell off the bike and broke. It had a clip system to attach to the saddle bag and that clip progressively became loose. I had hit a small road bump and it fell off the bike. The first time it happened I could re-assemble the unit after collecting back all the disintegrated parts but on the next accident the glass shell broke. I have since not replaced it. If I do I will possibly go for a Sigma but the attachment system has to be something like my front light which is quite good.

In fact the other evening during lock-down I had gone cycling to Regent Park and the roads were totally dark in stretches. The light is pretty adequate. I could quite see my way around. I may not feel confident with it on unknown mountain roads in the dark but here in the city I am quite okay with this.

Crankbrothers Multitool 19

Yesterday my Crankbrothers Multitool 19 arrived. Bought it off Amazon. I intend to carry it on my bike trips. It has a few hex keys and star keys. It also has a chain tool, not to speak of spoke wrenches. These days that's about what you need for a world tour. Because bicycle manufacturers have simplified most of the stuff. Of course a few specialised tools are needed for specialised jobs but this tool can do most of the basic tightenings and loosenings.

The chain tool; it also has 4 spoke wrenches - Moto G5s

The tool feels nicely heavy and solid in the hand and does not give the el cheapo feeling at all. I find the different tools a little too tight as of now. But I am sure with use they will loosen up. So far I have only used it to tinker with some minor saddle adjustments like pushing the saddle back a bit and pulling it up a bit. The tool came in handy. I have to learn to use the chain tool. I don't think one will ever need it on the road. But no harm learning basic things that can be fixed on the road.

June-end 2018

The tool has found a permanent place in my saddle bag and it is immensely useful. The other day I bought an old chain just to practice chain breaking and repair. I broke a few links with this multi tool. Works like a charm. You can read about it here.

The keys have eased up quite a bit. However, you have to be very precise with folding the chain breaker tool otherwise the unit does not slide into the aluminium case. Precision designing at its best. The plastic cap of the case, which was difficult to take off and snap back on, has eased up too.

I love using this tool. No doubt.

Asics 5-in Split running shorts

The first shop I went into in Amsterdam was an Asics concept store. It's near the Light Supply area. Quite prominent and fairly large store. Here I saw the 5-in split running shorts. Available at € 30. On my second visit to the store I bought it after a trial wear.

This is clearly one of the most expensive running gear I have ever purchased, apart from my shoes and a pair of Adidas compression pants. Is it worth it? Well, I don't really know. But if you leave the cost bit aside, it is certainly a great pair of running shorts. It is very light, airy, roomy, stylish. It dries out in real quick time. These are what many elite marathoners wear. And that's precisely the reason why I bought them :-) You may not run like an elite marathoner but you must look and feel like one !!! That's my motto in life - like it or hate it :-)

Almost all the running shorts that I have worn have had problems with the crutch area. They are perhaps a little too tight for free movement of the legs. Like you cannot really do a full squat without adjusting them a bit. This one has no such problem whatsoever.

My most favourite running shorts so far has been the New Balance that I had bought years ago. That material is a little more plasticky than this. It's unbreathable. But it lasted forever except that its stitches around the crutch broke. This one might well outlast that without anything breaking.

The Asics shorts have only one real problem. It has a pathetic little pocket meant only for a mobile phone. I normally run with a fat Turkish face towel. It is very difficult to shove that in. The pouch of the pocket hangs on the back - on the side of the thigh. That makes shoving something very difficult. However, if you want to carry a phone - it's ideal.

I am wearing it for every evening run now, meaning three times a week. Let me see how long it lasts. 

Motorola Moto G5S

Just pulled the trigger on a Moto G5S. After a lot of pussyfooting over what to buy and what not to buy, from where to buy and how to pay etc. Finally settled on this model. As it turns out, the model has just been launched in August. I didn't know this before deciding to buy. I have never bought anything so fresh on the market. I prefer to wait and watch and let a new launch establish itself. But with phones and computers that strategy does not work. Technology is evolving so fast, before anything is established a new development kills the predecessor. 

This is perhaps the first time I spent so much time on choosing a phone. Earlier the choice was simple. Now there is a mind boggling array and so many features to consider. My priorities were simple. It must have the latest OS (Nougat, I think), Gorilla Glass 3 at least, minimum 3000 mAh battery, panorama feature in the camera and a metal body. I have no clue about processors, hence had no priority there. In this phone I am told they use Qualcom Snapdragon, which is supposed to be a good choice.

If everything was equal I would go for a non-Chinese brand with a better camera. I ended up picking up the Motorola despite it now being Chinese owned. I am shamelessly racist about anything Chinese but increasingly we have to accept their domination in the manufacturing space. 

From GSM Arena

My next set of updates will come after the phone is delivered. Amazon takes its own sweet time to deliver something. I have bought it on COD. Let me see when it arrives.

September 122, 2017

The phone arrived yesterday. Nicely packed in a jiffy bag. Though the package might look casual it was not damaged in any way. The box had the phone, a black charger and a white head phone. There is also a small pin for the SIM card tray. The phone is discretely heavy. Not too heavy to be an extra load in the pocket but not too light either, giving it a personality.

The back cannot be opened. It's sealed. Even the battery cannot be taken out or user replaced. Batteries in any case are not supplied by mobile companies and changing a battery does not solve any problem. In fact if I could get a new battery for my older Samsung I don't think I would have bought this new phone.

The transition from the old phone to the new one was relatively smooth. All the numbers got transferred. All the apps also got downloaded once again into the new phone. This is the beauty of google. They know everything about me. It is scary. But makes a few things like the phone transition smooth.

The phone's display is very nice. Way better than my previous phone's. Of course that being a way cheaper phone is perhaps not comparable.

Though Samsung makes a big song and dance about Super Amoled display, this display - IPS LCD - isn't too bad either. The camera is also fairly decent. I took a picture of Mampu and that looked pretty nice. Even the old photographs taken with my previous camera look nice on this phone.

The phone gets charged pretty fast. But if the data is on, the phone gets heated up quite a bit. More than just warm. It gets really hot. Switching off data during the charging process helped, it seemed. Charging speed is faster when the battery is relatively empty. Like, from 20 to 30 per cent it goes up really fast. But from 90 to 100 it takes a much longer time.

There are obviously lots of differences between the way you do things on a Samsung and on Motorola. I am having to work things out right now. Changing over to Samsung from my Nokia was an even more painful experience. That was an upgrade to touch screen and smart phone from an ordinary phone. I think they have given it a fancy name - feature phone.

One obvious disadvantage I think is absence of Samsung's equivalent of a "gallery". Gallery is where all your media files are stored, including the downloaded files from whatsapp or any other app like facebook or telegram etc. You can create albums there and keep your photographs neatly arranged. Here the gallery is google's "photos". I cannot seem to find out how to create albums there.

Another disadvantage over Samsung is the absence of a smart switch that toggles between wi-fi and data, depending on which is faster. It is particularly useful in places like my house where connectivity is poor. If I keep both wi fi and data pack on, it chooses the faster connection. Here it is not so. You are either on wi-fi or on data pack.

I have chosen not to use any screen protector or back cover with this phone. I did not buy any back cover for my Samsung also, which had a plastic body. It was just fine with no scratch mark. Of course it came with a screen protector on the front. I didn't take it off. But I refused to give it a jacket. My Nokia's back was totally ruined by all the scratch marks caused by the trapped dust inside the jacket.

Regarding the front cover, I paid a premium for this phone's Gorilla 3 glass, that is virtually unbreakable and unscratchable.  

Long Term Usage Update

It is pointless writing about it now because I am sure the phone is discontinued but let me say that this Gorilla 3 glass being unbreakable is a myth. Phone's display cover glass cracked after a drop on the floor. Some pixels also got broken after another fall. I don't know the current series of Gorilla that is selling. Will have to see how durable it is. But the phone is working fine so far, touch wood.

Deuter AC Lite 26 lit

Stok Kangri - Sept 18

Before going to Roopkund in June 2017, I bought a smaller backpack that I would carry during the trek. I had decided to give my main back pack for the mules to carry and take a small pack for myself. This would carry my camera gear, my rain wear, my down jacket, medicines, some basic snacks, water bottles etc. In Sandakhphu I used my Lowepro for the job. But then I did not have anything other than my camera gear, water and some very basic snacks. Sandakphu was much easier than Roopkund and also I would have access to the porter, should I really need something. Roopkund would be different and my Lowepro wouldn't be able to carry it all. 

Finally I zeroed in on the Deuter 26 lit AC Lite, which I bought off Amazon. It came in the colours black and granite. I am not too fussy about the colour of my pack. 

I am quite happy with my purchase and would recommend the Deuter brand for anyone who wants to go for it and needs a validation.

The sack looks small but it has an incredible ability to accommodate whatever you give it. I gave it a Canon 7D with 24-70 lens, also fondly called the brick. I had another 18-55 lens wrapped in possibly a lightweight base layer from Columbia. I had the Marmot Precip rainwear (upper) and the Marmot down jacket. I possibly had a towel too. These went into the main sack. In the compartment meant for the hydration pack, I kept the food/snacks. Some date palms and other stuff. Not much bulk or weight. I also kept a few spare socks and the poncho I bought from IH in Wan. It was very very small. Less than palm size (and completely useless in rain).

The sack was certainly not full at all. There was a lot of space. 

The top cover of the sack has two zippered pockets. One inside and another outside. I kept my camera accessories like batteries, cards and cleaning kit inside. The outside pocket carried my red diary, medicines and lots of this and that including my wallet, phone, GPS, plane and train tickets etc.

My sack weighed a total of about 7 kgs. 

The backbreaking trail from Pathar Nachauni to Kallu Vinayak - Roopkund '17

The sack came with a rain cover. In fact I had kept my Precip in the small opening at the bottom with the rain cover !!!

The straps are very nice and comfortable on the shoulder and chest. You could adjust them on the go without much hassle. The waist strap is more like a belly strap because the sack itself is small and I am 5'10" :-) But that's fine. I had no problem walking with it except when I was panting really hard (and I breathe through my belly). But it is easy to readjust the waist strap.

This sack can accommodate a hydration pack and has the facility to take out the pipe. But I kept my water bottles on the two mesh side pockets outside. I would have loved to have a vertical pocket outside. 

The only con of the sack is it is difficult to keep it standing on the ground. That might well be because of the nature of the items that I put inside the sack. If I had kept my sleeping back in it, it would have easily stood its ground. 

There are other usual features like loops for trekking pole etc but I didn't use them. 

The sack is not water proof at all. I walked in snowfall that turned into a rain for a couple of hours without putting the rain cover. I was feeling too lazy and kept telling myself - the sack was born in Germany. I am sure it will stop the water. The sack was thoroughly drenched when I reached camp. 

Overall it's a nice value for money sack. Lightweight. No frills. Ideal for a multi-day trek when you are giving away your main sack for porters to carry. I am happy with the purchase.

Long Term Use Report

I have now used the sack for three trips. Roopkund, Netherlands and Stok Kangri. There are a few negatives that come out that are worth talking about. A. The mesh of the side pocket got torn. I have no clue how. But it did get torn a bit. I guess I will have to repair it with Gorilla tape. The rain cover, which does a fantastic job of protection against rain, got torn possibly during some flight where the sack was booked as a cabin luggage. Here also I will have to perhaps use either Gorilla tape or replace it altogether.

The third point of course is its non-waterproofness. Otherwise, it's a great bag. 

Deuter 2.5 lit Waist Pack

Looking rather smug in front of the Van Gogh Museum :-) 

After the Roopkund trek of 2017 I realised my good old leather waist pack (I call it a belt pouch) is not adequate enough for the demands of a modern travel anymore. These days our tickets - train or plane - are all A4 sized paper. My old pack, robust and strong though it is, is not large enough to accommodate them. It is not wide enough either and if I put my wallet then there is no place for anything else. 

This prompted me to go for a larger waist pack and after my first experience with the Deuter 26 lit backpack, I did not think twice about the brand. I bought it ahead of the Amsterdam trip. It arrived on 24th July and turned out to be a good purchase. 

(Of course some digitally inclined folks might suggest why not carry your ticket in your phone? Well I don't trust the phone to function all the time under all circumstances, even if I don't lose it while travelling. So I carry my A4 sized paper tickets with me. Smart Alecs can keep their opinions to themselves and trust their digital gadgets. I want to stay old fashioned in these things.)

I chose to go for the largest available size. The price difference between the smallest (I think 1 lit) and this wasn't much, though that wasn't the reason really to go for the 2.5 lit. The pack, despite being quite large (it is way larger than my leather belt pouch) doesn't seem bulky around the waist. In Amsterdam I carried it around with loads of stuff like my passport, red note book, tickets, mobile phone, charger and even the power bank. It never protested. I think if I took the thick red diary out it could even carry my wallet also. 

I don't know how they manage it but Deuter has this remarkable ability to create a lot of space inside their bags without them looking too big. My 26 lit back pack is also similar. Lots of space for a backpack of that size. 

The only downside to this bag is that it is not easy to adjust the size of the belt on the go, which is often a requirement especially when you are out walking with the pack on day-long trips.

I foresee using this pack in virtually all my trips from now on.  

Meindl Antelao

The new boots on my dining table. Sorry for the hideous table cloth

I bought a pair of Meindl Antelao GTX boots the other day. This is meant for walking in the mountains. I have a pair of Quechua that are decent but I always wanted to have a pair of big brand hiking shoes and I used the opportunity of the Amsterdam visit to buy it. I had originally wanted to buy the Scarpa R-Evolution but that did not quite happen and I will tell the story later. Suffice it to say that I went for the Antelao and I am happy for that, although I think I would have preferred the Scarpa for its price.

I bought this boot from Amsterdam's Kathmandu store on 9th August 2017. It's a large chain of outdoor gear stores in The Netherlands. This particular shop is on Haarlemarstraat near the Central Station. I wore the pair in the shop and it felt instantly good and comfortable as I walked on their test area - essentially a heap of logs kept artistically in the middle of the store. 

Earlier I had worn another pair of Meindl at Bever (another chain) but it felt a little too stiff and not that comfortable, particularly on the up trail (they also have a track). 

My regular boot size is 8. This is the first time perhaps that I bought a pair of walking boots in size 8.5 UK or Euro 42.5. So far it looks like it fits me very well. I think a few years ago I got a pair of Asics which was also the same size and it also fitted me very well. I guess that is my right size for activity oriented boots. Actually my left foot is slightly larger than my right foot. And 8.5 is absolutely right for the left foot. 

Earlier this year while coming down from Roopkund - we walked downhill for 11 hours - I felt my left foot was very snug inside the boot and did not move at all. But the right foot was moving inside the boot (a pair of Quechua 500 in size 8). I thought I would get blister on my right foot for the internal movement. But as things turned out, the big toe nail of my left foot, I later realised, died out. Because it had got too tight. The small toe nail still pains from all the compression. I am not sure if there is a small stress fracture there. I don't think all this will ever happen again with these Antelaos because there is enough space here without being loose.

We have to remember that after a long walk our feet swell a little and a half size cushion is good for the feet. My regular office wear shoes will always be 8, if not 7.5. But my walking or running shoes will be 8.5 from now on.

Vibram soles and Gore-tex linings are now standard and de riguer 

One of the things that Meindl highlights about the Antelao is that they are meant for wider feet. I did not know that I had wide feet. I mean I always thought my feet were wide but by European standards I would have thought they were just about normal. That's not quite the case, I realised. Because I find the fit of these shoes very comfortable. 

These are class B shoes with a flexible sole and are therefore very comfortable to walk in. Almost like sports shoes. Class C shoes are not really ideal for lightweight walking on the non-snowy trails. They have stiff soles that do not flex with your feet. Therefore the walk becomes uncomfortable. Those shoes are best for the snowy trails where you need to wear crampons or microspikes at least. 

In typical, average Himalayan treks we start from very high altitude, relative to European trails, but we experience snow much later - perhaps for a day or two towards the end of the trek. For that kind of walking one does not really need Class C boots. If I was starting most of my trails in the high mountains with snow then I would probably go for the stiffer ones. 

The Antelao has a few features that Meindl talks about. I will come to those later, but first let me speak about the exterior features that are apparent to even a casual viewer. The laces start from almost the toes. That's a good thing. One can add extra tension or slack to the toes area to control and fine tune the toe box. Next is the rand - the rubber band around the boot to protect it from rocks and other stuff on the trail. It is only a half rand and not full. The other Meindl that I checked had full rand all around. I am not sure if the full rand gives any extra rigidity or it is just that the rigid shoes also come with a full rand. 

Half rand, synthetic loop for ankle and no loop behind heel (negatives)

Most trekking boots have a loop behind which can be used to hang them. I have never really used them but cannot fail to note their absence here. The loops give a boot a professional look setting them apart from normal boots. Antelao does not have them. 

Antelao has metallic hooks for the laces and the laces are pretty long and thick. But the hook around the ankle is of synthetic loop kind. I don't know what difference this makes but I have never seen this in true blue trekking boots. 

The fit is indeed comfortable

The upper of the boot is a combination of suede (or nubuck?) and mesh. Again four season trekking shoes almost never have any mesh on them. But the mesh adds an element of comfort to these shoes and presumably should make the boots more airy (leading to less sweat on feet). The suede is anthracite in colour. If there was a brown option I would have perhaps gone for that. But lot of Europeans like the subtle anthracite colour.

Now comes the interior of the boot. It has the white inner lining of Goretex. This should make the boot waterproof. Unless water seeps in from the top, for example if I have to wade through water that is deeper than its height, my feet will remain dry for sure. I have worn Goretex lined boots (the other Timberland) in blinding rain and my feet have been bone dry. 

Insole. Downloaded from the net

The footbed is apparently made of cork and covered with fleece. It also has something like a PU shock absorber. I don't know about all the technology but the feel is surely very nice. I spoke to the Kathmandu store assistant about the footbed and whether I should go for some 3rd party sole. She took the sole out and gave it a good look. Then she said, this is obviously very good quality. Don't change it till it lasts. So I take her word for all it is worth. I liked the feel of standing inside the boots. 

Now comes the sole. The Vibram sole certainly feels very sticky. This will give a lot of confidence on rocky surfaces. My Aku was a lot more slippery. It was a stiff sole boot meant to be worn with heavy loads on the back. However, I must clarify that I have so far walked with them only on the shop floor and test track of the Kathmandu store in Amsterdam and here in my flat in Calcutta. So it is obviously not enough to pass a final verdict on it. But when you test a good thing the first impression is enough. 

These boots don't need any break in period. They are very flexible already and in a way broken in. The question is I will be going for a maximum of two treks a year. And the first one will be sometime in April/May next year. Before that I intend to wear it at least once a month or twice. Oherwise the gumming might come off.

I have to now see how long these last. Durability is definitely something I expect from a German brand. I hope Meindl will not disappoint me.

Once I complete a proper trek in them, I will write a more detailed account of that feel. 

Fresh out of the box, with the tags intact

Field Test Report

I walked in these boots during my September '18 trek to Stok Kangri. That was my first real tes of the boots. More than a year after its purchase. I went upto a height of 6000 meters plus in these boots. I walked through fresh snow, crossed a small glacier two times (while going up in the darkness of the night and once while coming down in broad day light), walked through shallow streams, walked down dusty trails, walked in snowfall and rain. The shoes were quite tested, to put it very mildly. I walked almost continuously for 19 hours. Not for a moment did I regret buying this. On the contrary, I am happy I bought them and wore them to Stok. If I was wearing my Quechua I would surely lose both my nails on the two big toes, like I did after the Roopkund climb down to Wan from Bhagwabasa (almost a day long walk downhill). Of course that's more of a size issue than the intrinsic quality of the boots. But I am very happy with this purchase of mine.

At Delhi airport

I don't know what to say but these boots just did their job of keeping my feet well protected and dry. I never got any blisters. Didn't slip or skid. In fact the soles are very grippy and have good brakes. Didn't get my feet wet. Half the time didn't feel the boots were there. Of course I never walked in any deep water and never really let water come over the neck of the boot. Even then, the waterproofness of the boot is 100 per cent in snow and shallow ankle deep water. My upper body, on the penultimate day got completely drenched when I walked for a couple of hours in a light drizzle without a rain coat. But my feet were dry and warm.

The outer Vibram soles were great in snow, mud and dust. Possibly a full protection against abrasions would've been better (only the toes are covered with half a rand) but that's fine. I didn't really walk over very rocky trails. Will see how it performs on such trails in future.

On snow I used Kahtoola microspikes. Because we were walking on fresh, soft snow, snowballing was becoming a major issue. But the boot has nothing to do with it. In fact at one point of time I took the microspikes off and walked only in the boots and the snowballing was somewhat reduced. However, I felt less secure and so put the Kahtoolas back on again.

Incidentally, because it's nubuck, the boot lost its colour on the very first day on the dusty trail out of Stok village. Probably in the very first hour. But a gentle dusting back at home and they are back to being new.

On a rainy day in camp

I just hope that these Meindls lasts for a long time. I am expecting a good 10 years and at least 15 long treks in them. Anything less than that - I will be disappointed. But I have to ensure that I wear them every now and then, just to keep them going. Otherwise, the pasting can come off.

Sitting inside my tent on a rainy day, doing nothing, at the Base Camp above 15,000 feet, I felt rather bored. So I took this rather innocuous looking picture of the boots outside my tent in the vestibule area. One can see the dust and how it changed its colour. A full grain leather boot wouldn't lose its colour like this. But then, it regained the colour at home after getting a sharp dusting. I am yet to wash them with soap and spray any Nikwax. I will, shortly. The internet advices using dishwasher detergent for this purpose. But it seemed no shopkeeper in Calcutta has ever heard of dishwasher in the first place. The detergent for that is understandably a far cry. I guess, I will make do with Eezee. I just hope the waterproofness is not compromised.

   

Blast of Light - Black Diamond Storm

The Black Diamond Storm that I bought in 2017 August from Amsterdam offers the strongest light in the market at this point in time. All of 350 lumens. I mentioned the month and year because every now and then they come out with a new and improved version making the previous model obsolete. So by the time one reads this, the 2017 model might well have become a very back dated one.

Here is a link to the company's website.  I don't know if this will work once the unit goes out of production some time in future.

Why The Storm 

I bought the Storm principally for two reasons. A. It is climate proof. Both dust and water. That's a great help out in the field while trekking or going on adventure trips. Not that I foresee walking in the rains in the dark with this on. But out in the Himalayas rain is ALWAYS a possibility and I have a considerable investment in rain protecting myself and my gear. This is one of the reasons for my upgrade from the Tikina. B. It has a huge amount of light available. The highest in the market. Well, there are other brighter units available but they use different batteries and are not only expensive and heavy, they are for specialist rescuers which I am not. Also many of the 400+ lumen lights consume a lot of batteries, therefore not suitable for multi-day Himalayan treks. Among trekking headlamps this is perhaps the highest and strikes a great balance between power output and energy consumption. My Tikina has 80 lumens, by the way.

First Impression Before Field Use

The unit looks and feels pretty robust. More robust than my Petzl Tikina (which is a very nice, cute and easy to use thing to have around the house. It's also feather light). The back of the unit is rubberised plastic giving it a smooth yet robust feel. It has a nice hook/clip to open the rear chamber for inserting batteries (picture below), much like my Vanguard water tight case's clips. The Tikina's rear chamber is tricky to open and always feels like it might break (it doesn't).

The Storm uses four AAA batteries which adds a little weight to the unit but that's just fine. The four batteries are kept in a smart way so that it doesn't take up a lot of space. The Tikina is far less energy efficient. It uses 3 AAA for only 80 lumens.

Next is attaching the storm on the head. The strap is nice and smooth and thicker material than the Tikina's. Adjusting for size is simple. Just slide the clip along the strap. The Storm has a soft pad behind where it touches your forehead. The Tikina does not have any pad but still manages to give a snug fit.

Tilting the Storm on the head is just a little notchy. Probably because it is a little heavier. I have to just get used to it.

Now operating the Storm. The Storm indeed comes with far too many bells and whistles. A. it has two lights. One large flood in the middle. Another side one for peripheral vision and these can be switched on one at a time or both together. B. It has a coloured light on the other side offering three colours - red, green and blue. C. It has the strobe feature for all the lights. D. You can dim all the different lights. E. You can also lock the unit when travelling so that the switch is not engaged accidentally when the unit is packed in the sack.

Also, the Storm has a memory of its own. That is, it starts the light from where you had switched it off last. If you switch off on red in a certain brightness, that is exactly how it will switch on the next time.

For all these features there is just one switch on the top !!!! This makes the task daunting, to say the least. It has a power tap feature on the side. But I have to get the hang of using it. The unit can be dimmed by just tapping on the side. I didn't get the tap right every time that I tried. I think I will gradually become an expert.

Essentially it's all about playing with the switch. You tap it once - it does something. Tap it twice quickly it does something else. Long press it for 4 seconds and the unit is locked. Do that again and it is unlocked. These sort of things. I think I will get used to it as I use it over the years. There is no rocket science here. I will work them out in the field through trials.  I refuse to learn it all because I will soon forget them all.

Features as published on the REI site

The product features graphic from REI mentions something slightly misleading. "Rechargeable: No". I had assumed that it means the unit cannot use rechargeable batteries. What I realise now, much to my delight, is that it does use rechargeable batteries. What they mean is this unit as a whole cannot be recharged, like a mobile phone or my Garmin Forerunner. There are several models of headlamps that can be only USB recharged. They are of no practical use in Himalayan treks. In fact this is one of the reasons why I cannot carry my Forerunner on my treks.

The unit has a feature to indicate the state of battery power. A green lamp lights up for a few seconds first indicating the battery power is full. I believe it abruptly goes dark instead of gradually dimming with the battery. I have to see how it behaves. I would prefer the abrupt darkness feature.

My Amsterdam Purchases

Last night I came back from a very short trip to Amsterdam. It was a dealers' conference with lots of internal company managers. I was one of them. It was a short 3-day trip to the beautiful city. 

I took the opportunity of the visit to buy a few items related to my passion for trekking. All very functional things that are either not available in India or are very expensive if available here. 

I will just note down the main items in one place and hence this post. I will later individually review them. 

The absolute first item that I bought was a Black Diamond Storm. As much as 350 lumens of light. It came with 4 new Duracell batteries. Next on the agenda were two 20 lit Sea to Summit dry bags. One for Mampu and another for myself. I later realised that both come in the same dull blue colour. Next in line was a Granger detergent to wash my rainwear and other delicate type items. I finished the visit to Bever with two Nite Ize S-biners. 

After these two I also bought a 5-in Asics split from the Asics concept store next to Bever. But the most important purchase was from Kathmandu - a pair of Meindl Antelao mid rise boots. I also topped it off with a Nik Wax.

I had originally intended to buy the Scarpa R-Evolution from Bever but they goofed up my order on Monday and on Wednesday when I went to get it they said the original order was never placed. Quite a disgusting state of efficiency.

Anyway, the Meindl is a very good fit. One never knows how the Scarpa would have been. But it was available at a very good price as it was on discount. But anyway. All's well that ends well. 

Marmot Catalyst 3P

The new Marmot Catalyst 3P - a three-person, three season basic dome tent from the US outdoor gear maker that I love so much - arrived today. I bought it from Amazon as there was a good deal available on the site. The price works out to about Rs 1000 more than the current price of the same product on REI, USA. I have reasons to believe Marmot is testing the waters in India through Amazon before a full fledged entry into the market. Few of its useful products are available in India at almost their US prices.

The rolled tent is just out of its bag

Curiosity had the better of us and we decided to pitch the tent right away in our drawing room (without the fly sheet of course) and check it out. 

The tent is packed in a nice stuff sack that is fairly roomy. So if you want you can just stuff it in without carefully folding it up like the way we stuff down sleeping bags. There are five different items to be found inside. The blueish ground sheet, the actual tent or canopy, the flysheet, 3 poles in a thin sack, in another small sack there are 6 copper colourd stakes, one small repair kit for a broken pole (if and when that happens), some guy line and tensioners. I didn't open the guy line ball because I wasn't going to use the flysheet this evening. 

Setting up, as usual for a dome tent, is fairly simple. A matter of few minutes really and the tent was up in our living room with no fuss. I think even Mampu can do it alone perhaps. It's that simple. 

Now a few basic first impressions about the tent. 

First the ground sheet. It's deep blue in colur and slightly smaller than the tent's footprint. Apparently this is done to ensure water does not seep in. I felt the material is a little too thin to take care of rough rocky surfaces. We will have to see how strong it is in real life situations in the field. It might well be strong but it certainly is not thick. 

On top of the ground sheet you spread the canopy. The canopy is half mesh and half opaque material. This is not a four season tent mind you. It is not meant for extreme cold or heavy snow. I do not know how warm it will stay in sub zero temperatures but ventilation will certainly be good due to the mesh. I like feeling well ventilated even if it is very cold. Four season tents aren't that great for ventilation and I feel a little suffocated in them.

Monisha peeping out on the first night

However, for places like Chadar where you own breath freezes into droplets of ice on the ceiling of your tent, this tent might not be ideal or you have to spread a tray (I think gear loft is the technical term for it) above you (there are provisions for doing that). 

The canopy has various clips strategically placed around it to attach to the poles. The tent has two D shaped doors on either side on the longer sides. One on the opaque side and another on the mesh side. 

We engaged the two orange poles of equal length and put their ends in the four corners. After this it is just a matter of pulling the clips up and attaching to the poles. It's fairly intuitive. After this it was the turn to set up the third and much smaller pole. 

It's grey in colour and shaped like a gentle bow. There are two pockets on the two sides where you insert the ends. This pole is meant to add more stability to the tent and make the awning create a porch kind of place outside the mesh side door. It also adds some head room in the tent so that you don't feel claustrophobic while sitting inside.

The canopy material is 40 denier polyester mesh and taffeta but the floor material is slightly thicker 48 denier taffeta. The stitches are seam sealed. I am hoping (from various reviews) that it will not leak on a rainy night. In Himalaya you cannot trek and expect not to have rains, regardless of your season.

I did not spread the fly sheet because my room is not large enough and one does need to stake the fly sheet. So I do not know how large it is. The material has a nice feel and is very colourful. Electric orange, to be precise. I do not know if the guy lines are attached to it (probably not). Will have to check it out next time I take it out.

The inside of the tent isn't very roomy. I have a Coleman Sun Dome. That is much larger (but nowhere close to this in terms of quality and modernity). The floor has a fancy name called "catenary cut". What this means is the edges go up vertically and not inclined. Inclined edges have a problem. They touch you (typically on your side or arms) and if it rains it might make you wet where the tent touches your body.

There are a few side pockets to store this and that. The zips are very good quality. The commercial reviews make a big deal of the pocket on the ceiling where you can keep your torch for diffused ambient light. I tried that out with my Petzl. No great shakes. Just hype. I would rather hang it from the centre hook.

Overall I guess it's a nice tent. I love it. I hope it comes to some real use. I intend to take it to my Nanda Devi Sanctuary trek and then add further points on how it fared in the field.

A screen shot from the REI website for the features

Field Report After Stok Kangri Hike (Sept 2018) 

I recently went hiking to Stok Kangri with Tashi as the tour guide cum operator and Chadar friends for company. I took the tent along and used it for about ten nights in various conditions. Stok village was sunny, Mankarmo was cold, Base Camp was cold and it rained and snowed heavily one night. So this tent has already seen it all (except terribly windy conditions). Here are my reflections on the tent after actually using it in the field.

1. Pitching Ease -  child's play really. Any one can pitch it alone within minutes. I did not tie all the guy lines as the conditions were not very windy. The six stakes (four corners plus two doors) are enough to keep the tent in position. I ignored using small guy line loops and two more stakes to pull the two side panels off the canopy. This stupidity resulted in a little water seeping into the tent.

2. Waterproof - The tent was tested in severe rain fall and snowfall and it came off with flying colours. Not a drop of water seeped in, once guy lines on the side panels were properly tied. One issue with the tent is that, if water spills out of a bottle or some water seeps in, one has to mop that up - either with a mop or with some newspaper or something. It is best to carry a piece of rag for such emergencies in future. There is no way the tent material is going to soak up any spilt water. 

I must say, in the mountains it does not rain as heavily as it does in the plains during monsoon. I am not too sure how this tent will hold up against such severe monsoon rains of the plains. But for Himalayan rains it is fine. Listening to the pitter patter of the rain on the fly sheet had a wonderful soothing effect on the nerves. 

3. Snowproof - This tent is not meant to be a four season tent. It is not supposed to be pitched in a snowfall prone region like the Stok Kangri base camp with an altitude of above 5000 meters (I saw a few Polish trekkers with their Marabut tents which looked pretty robust at one fourth the cost of North Face). But it snowed quite unexpectedly that night and despite my lack of experience with such nights I managed it pretty well. First of all, the tent fought the snowfall (through the evening and well into the morning) quite valiantly and never collapsed. Several tents in the base camp area had in fact given way that night. I went out once and shook the snow off the fly sheet. I should have kept a small plate to scoop off the snow from the top of the tent (a must take item for future). I did not do this. The tent lost its shape temporarily. The poles got twisted under the weight of all the snow. Later in the morning, once all the snow melted, I corrected the shape of the poles. They were instantly back to normal. 

4. Windproof - The tent is one hundred percent windproof. In fact unless you keep the chains of the two doors a little open you might find it suffocating. Of course the area I went to isn't that windy but the nights were cold and there was some gentle breeze. But nothing entered the tent at all. I do not know how it will perform in a place like let's say Pathar Nachauni on the Roopkund trail where conditions are always extremely windy. But for normal conditions this is fine. 

I must also mention that the portion of the tent's canopy that looks like mesh isn't actually mesh. It's a see through material but not mesh. So keeping the ventilation going is the responsibility of the owner of the tent. If you pull all the zips all the way, there is no way any wind will enter the tent. 

5. Features - I don't know if these features are important but it has four pockets in the four corners of the tent to keep this and that. I would keep my medicines, flash light, mobile, charger etc in these pockets. I later realised that keeping the mobile and charger exposed to the cold is not a great idea. I started packing them up in the down jacket from then on.

There is one pocket kind of thing on the ceiling. You can keep a flashlight in it and it will diffuse the light for an even lighting. I would have preferred that pocket to be on either side of the tent. It was only on one side. If I get a tent lamp like the Moji from Black Diamond, I don't think I will need that pocket. I can then hang it from the central hook. 

6. Quality of Materials and Accessories - I had earlier expressed certain doubts about the strength of the ground sheet. After field test I take back whatever I said. The ground sheet is light but must be very strong material. Despite sleeping on rough terrain for ten days there was absolutely no abrasion anywhere on it. My only problem is I cannot seem to be able to get rid of the mud stains from it. Another of its quality is that it dries really really fast. Like in 5/10 minutes if the sun is even moderately strong.

The materials are all polyester of various grades. Polyester is a superior material for tents as opposed to nylon and most manufacturers use it except North Face. They use nylon.  I don't know why. Perhaps to make them lighter.

The three poles worked very well through the stormy night and stood their ground well. The elastic cord inside is great. But the question is for how long they will retain that elasticity.

The stakes are really light and very good. They were hammered in using stones of various shapes and sizes. So most of them lost their shape a bit. But I am fine with that. Stakes should look used.

Tashi and his partner Rowdy Rathore were very happy with the tent and particularly the quality of the stakes. I am glad that all of them came back in tact and I didn't lose any of them.

7. Space - This is supposed to be a 3-person tent. Well, unless they are three really slim people it will be difficult to accommodate them in this tent. Also the weather has to be absolutely cold so that they don't mind being really close. Additionally, these three people can only sleep together in the night. They cannot do anything else together. For example, if person 1 was organising his bag, the other two will have to stand outside.

Realistically speaking, this tent is fine for two people. For me alone, this was luxury. For three one or two nights is fine but to go on a ten-day trip with this will be really difficult.

The vestibule area of the tent is a little small. Also, if it rains heavily, there is some possibility that your large sack might get a bit wet on the outside. 

The quality of the zips is also simply great. Except when the tent was deshaped, the zips worked flawlessly.

Is This Tent Recommended? 

If you are planning to regularly go out to the Himalayas, I would suggest go for a 4-season tent. This can take some amount of snow, but I doubt it will be able to take a really bad snowfall for let's say a couple of days. You might need to clear the snow every now and then.

The tent is certainly affordable compared to big brand 4-season tents. But for a final word on its dependability I would love to sleep in it through a night of monsoon rain in the Sahayadris.