by Tom Mangan
Gearheads can't help but be intrigued at this news: Mountainsmith is adding tents and sleeping bags to complement its line of backpacks in 2011.
Company rep Ingrid Niehaus told me the company is simply responding to customers who like their Mountainsmith packs and think the company should allow them to fill out their Big Three with products from the same brand.
At first glance the newcomers mirror Mountainsmith's reputation: sturdy, functional, economical.
The tents are dome-style. The two-person Morrison 2 will weigh four pounds 11 ounces and retail for $159. The four-person Genessee 4 will weigh 6 pounds 5 ounces and retail for $199. Both are free-standing with double doors and a rainfly over a body fabric of nylon and anti-bug mesh.
The half-dozen sleeping bags, all in a relaxed mummy shape, accommodate up to 6' 4" height and a shoulder girth up to 65". They will be divided between down and synthetic. Here's the lineup:
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Down:
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Synthetic:
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All these stats lie in the middle of the range for recreational backpackers; the ultralight crowd might be unimpressed, but what should they expect from a company with an anvil in its logo?
