I've been using Therm-A-Rest sleeping pads for over 16 years. They continue to improve their products, although the concept hasn't changed much. This is my 3rd therm-a-rest. My first was purchased approximately 16 1/2 years ago and I used it on the Applachian Trail and in the Pisgah National forest for countless hikes. I sold it about 10 years ago when I stopped backpacking and started car camping. The replacement was a base camp model for tent-based car-camping. My son is now interested in backpacking, so I purchased this one for my latest foray into back-country camping.

I'm typically a side sleeper, but have trouble with all but the thickest sleeping pads when I lay on my side. The Base Camp has 2" of loft- when you add a puff of air (or two) and I find that to be comfortable- even if I sleep on my side. This model at 1 1/2" of loft forces me to sleep on my back as I get up very sore if I try to sleep on my side. One thing you can do to help if you prefer side sleeping is to dig out a little bit of dirt below your shoulders and hips (replace the dirt and leave no trace). This improves my side sleeping results.

I'm a 6'-10" male weighing about 210# The pad is 20" wide and is just wide enough for my torso (my elbows will fall on the ground if I lie on my back). It's 72" long (I believe) enough to have my head and feet on the pad when I stretch out to full extension.

This came with a stuff sack, however the stuff sack is designed to have the pad folded in half along it's axis then rolled. I don't like this design because it tends to damage the foam along the axis of the pad (spine will have to deal with this). My solution- sew my own stuff sack that is 20" long and just wide enough to accept the rolled pad without folding first. I use rip-stop nylon and some heavy duty thread with a short stitch length.

I highly recommend Therm-a-rest sleeping pads. If you will be out on the trail for more than a couple of nights, I also recommend getting the patch kit. I haven't punctured a therm-a-rest mattress yet, but won't take the chance on the longer trips.

Enjoy a good nights sleep!

Very good assortment of meals. A majority of these are for dutch ovens. I enjoy cooking with cast iron and look forward to making many of these while camping this spring/summer/fall.

Very limited and general nutrition info, however that might be a good addition for a future issue.

Many of these are very "rich" meals and definitely not of the "dietary" mindset. These are excellent high-energy meals for active individuals who will burn off the energy.

I like the references to where the recipes come from- pack/unit number and individual contributor.

I'll update after the camping season...

I've been to a number of the campgrounds recommended by Matt Forester in this book and have to agree with everything he says. I'm a lifelong Michigander and have been camping as long as I can remember. Most of my childhood experiences have been in the popular State Parks, however lately, I've been looking for the lesser known and quieter sites. The information in this book seems to fit that aim well. Much of the sites listed are of the rustic variety, or clearly best for tent campers.

Since I've been reading through his book, I've made a couple of reservations at some of the campgrounds he has recommended. Two are state parks, the other sites I'm looking at are National Forest campsites.

The descriptions are fairly detailed with most of the information needed to make educated decisions on where to camp. I'll update this review at the end of the camping season with a comparison of how his notes compare with my experience.

Happy Camping!

Just purchased this interface for use with Smaart Live for acoustical analysis and component testing on the bench.

Followed the instructions for downloading and installing the drivers (using Windows 7) and had NO problems.

Initial impression- solidly built, low noise, high quality.

Metal chassis and solid controls.

The shape may not fit as well in my bag, but I'm sure that's a small trade-off for the quality and durability.

I'm looking forward to using it in an upcoming analysis job.

I'll update this review after I've been using it a few months...

Written in a style akin to my grandfathers, Sears provides some excellent advice to greenhorns as well as old woodsmen. Having camped in established campgrounds as well as backpacking in the backwoods and the Appalachian Trail, I only wished I had read this earlier.
Much of the material is dated and many will find it lacking for modern camping in the established campgrounds, however the prudent camper would do well to read and understand what it took to be an experienced woodsman in the days before modern campgrounds.

After one full season, the patches I have on my jersey are in great shape, the adhesive has lasted a dozen or more washes and still sticking nicely. I remove my referee patch before washing and the hook and loop separates nicely every time.

It (the hook and loop) is solid, yet flexible and releases the patch with a little effort. No worries about losing a patch. I'm more concerned about pulling the adhesive off, but so far the adhesive has been stronger than the hook and loop.

This brush works very well on my Weber Q 120 and Q 220 grills.

I find it best to use immediately after using the grill, while it is still on and the grate is very hot. The food comes off quickly and it doesn't take much work at all. The short handle design permits you to put some decent pressure on the grill while scrubbing to get any charred bits off.

In the few times I've grilled after a rainstorm, I find the moisture in the bristles (I leave my brush hanging from the grill exposed to the elements) adds to the cleaning ability of the brush when used on a hot grill as the moisture hits the grate and instantly turns to steam. Hmmm. might have to get a small dish of water to dunk the brush before I use it on the really tough stuff like honey bbq sauces.

The brush tends to get some buildup of grease and particles of meat, but still works very well. I give it a thorough cleaning every few months- an old toothbrush works well getting the gunk out from between the bristles.

I grill on average 2-3 times a week during the summer months and once a month through the winter months. The brush is easily used 150+ times a year and I find I need to get a new one every other year.

My son and I enjoy camping a few times a year and this book has provided plenty of ideas for us. We've enjoyed a number of the activities and preparation guides. We've even made some of the recipes with good success.

There is a lot in this book to do and good advice on all kinds of things related to camping.

My son is about to turn 6 and this has been fun for him to read as well.

If you have young children, this is an excellent add to your camp library.

I purchased this watch last fall as I started to referee soccer. It had mixed reviews leaning toward the positive. I have been pleased with the watch and it is doing everything I need while on the pitch. It keeps good time, allows me to track addded time and notifies me when match time is up and counts up once match time is complete to allow me to monitor added time.

The only features I would have liked to have seen is an indicator midway through the timer (we substitute at the quarter marks in U8 & U10 games in our region), and a vibrate option instead of the beep to be more discreet.

All in all an excellent value for any soccer referee.

I started refereeing soccer this past fall and was looking for some insight into the profession from a consummate expert. This book didn't provide that, but it did provide insight into the life of Pierluigi Collina and his experiences. Interesting read from that standpoint and there are a few situations regarding game-time decisions and tactics, but the bulk of the book is about his career, preparing for matches and travel situations associated with his referee assignments.

If you are looking for a good read on a professional referee's career experiences, this is your book.