xcel
04-16-2011, 07:02 PM
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg The Ford F150 EcoBoost – “A Star is Born” Fuel Economy Adventure Challenge is made even more comfortable with Eureka! Outdoor Gear. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=304785)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Eureka_Outdoors.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - April 16, 2011
Eureka! camping gear makes visiting the Great Outdoors... well, Great!
In the universe of camping equipment manufacturers, there are few that have the breadth of offerings covering the needs of the first timer to advanced adventurer taking on mountain peaks the world over. And who else would I have made a request to in order to keep 5 journalists and 7 CleanMPG members who are about to embark on a very unique adventure of our own making comfortable and cozy during the overnight hours?
In the words of possibly Plato, “Necessity is the mother of invention” and that phrase is but one of the guiding principles of a company called Eureka! Not only do they design some of the greatest outdoor adventure gear on the planet, they are attempting to leave the smallest impact on the world we live in while doing so.
Anyone that has listened to our Go_Hypermiling Podcasts (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=118) knows about Eureka! and if you have not, the following describes the company’s history, its gear and its values with little more that needs to be said.
Eureka! Built to handle anything… From backcountry to your backyard: Around the globe and across the street, Eureka! has been bringing families and friends together in the outdoors for more than 100 years. Their field-proven tents, shelters and sleeping bags are ready to take on everything from the rigors of Everest to the rowdiness of a backyard sleepover. With innovative features, Eureka! products are designed for a lifetime of use, providing the comfort that makes it easy for you to enjoy life outdoors.
Fantastic Gear at a Fantastic Price!
Eureka! Mission Statement
At Eureka!, we look at the world as a place full of passionate outdoor participants, and see opportunity for us to innovate & add value to categories of products beyond tents used in the traditional campsite. In previous years we added sleeping bags, camp furniture, and LED lighting. For this year we devoted resources to expanding our product offering by developing a new versatile sleeping bag collection, a patent-pending sleeping pad, new types of LED lanterns and flashlights, and additional campsite-specific furniture. In our core market of tents, we have addressed the diverse needs of the novice backpacker to the experienced user demanding weather protective and durable shelters.
As you will see, we have the products that make it easy to enjoy life outdoors… Eureka! For Life Outdoors.
Setting the table
Some may remember the 2010 Yamaha WR250X X-Country Adventure Ride (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33889) last fall. While it was a fantastic adventure ride in its own right thanks to sights that could not have been believed, I was left lacking one very important set of equipment. That being solid colder weather gear for the overnight camp stops. To put it bluntly, I was freezing my butt off in Douglas, WY and especially during my overnight stay in Yellowstone :eek:
With that experience as a guide, I wanted to make sure I did not recreate the same unpleasant familiarity of the great outdoors for my compatriots as we work our way from the Pacific to the Atlantic on the first of its kind, 150 mpg person equivalent from a full sized 2011 Ford F150 with EcoBoost in what has been dubbed, “A Star is Born - Fuel Economy Adventure Challenge”.
During the initial planning, we were fortunate to have Bob Winger available to help with gear selection and what was one of his first thoughts? Eureka! as it is gear he personally owns and uses “year round” for himself, his boys and the entire Boy Scout Troop of over 30 that he leads on local camping expeditions all over the Central East Coast.
With overnight camping scheduled for the colder upper elevations of New Mexico and far northern reaches of Texas to the warmer and far more humid conditions of Mississippi and Georgia, it was found Eureka! had the gear that not only works but should provide this outdoor adventure a positive outcome for all concerned. After literally months of planning and hundreds of E-Mails, Eureka! is not only providing the team with some of the best consumer camping gear known to the outdoor world, they are looking forward to the results and commentary about their latest and just being released to the public gear just as much as we are!
The Tents
Where do we start? Overnights from freezing to warm and humid, from snow to clear and starry nights require equipment that not only provides functional shelter but comfortable accommodations as well. In addition, the gear is lightweight and stores small helping us in our quest to achieve > 30 mpg from a loaded, 6-passenger 2011 Ford Pickup truck that is approaching 7,000 pound’s with people and gear!
Eureka! provides such a large assortment of excellent tents that it was a task just choosing what would meet our needs. Fortunately their just recently published Eureka! Camping Gear (http://www.eurekatent.com/uploadedFiles/Eureka/Website_Assets/Files/Eureka!2011Catalog.pdf) online catalog helped us sort out the variety quickly and easily. After 5-minutes in the spec sheets, it was discovered they not only offered what would meet our needs but from all appearances, would surely exceed them as well! Along the way, Eureka! management offered additional equipment suggestions in order that we experience the outdoors in a manner it should be experienced vs. a far less comfortable solution that other equipment makers would surely have provided.
Eureka!’s Apex (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/426932/Apex_2) and Apex 2XT (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/426933/Apex_2XT) lightweight backcountry tents were designed for the new backpacker and have been completely redesigned for 2011. These easy to setup fiberglass 2 pole domes come with oversized dual doors, and two roomy vestibules. In addition, the Apex 2XT will be along for the ride providing a little more room and additional wet weather protection for smaller items like shoes and boots with a fully enclosed all-new fly design. The tent(s) can be rotated 180 degrees for easier tent entry during fair conditions. Our own Msirach (aka Mike Sirach), Seftonm (aka Mike Sefton), Rhwinger (aka Bob Winger) and the newest addition to the CleanMPG moderator core, FSUspectra (aka Brandon Daly) will be equipped with these excellent tents for their overnight accommodations.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Apex2_and_Scenic_Pass.jpg
Eureka! Apex2 and Scenic Pass 2XT at the ready.
Our favorite New Yorker, Chris Bernius (aka MaxxMPG) is going to stand out from the rest in a tent that he selected for his very own. The tent was sourced from Eureka!’s Scenic Pass collection in the form of the Scenic Pass 2XT (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/364788/Scenic_Pass_2XT_Tent). A versatile 2 pole dome tent utilizing DAC Pressfit poles for strength & reduced weight. The unique fly design offers protected wet weather performance or can be rotated 180 degrees for easier tent access in fair conditions.
The (3) journalists, Dave Hall from Consumer Guide Automotive, Jill Ciminillo from Chicago Now and Sebastian Blanco from Autoblog Green are each going to be camping in the lap of luxury as they are outfitted with Eureka! tents from the Outfitter series. These tents are built to handle the rigors of repeated use, year after year and in this case, Timberline SQ Outfitter 4’s (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/365451/Timberline) were selected. The Timberline SQ 4 is a 4 person tent utilizing Eureka!’s proprietary injection molded SQ hub providing a 24% increase in internal volume over a std. A-frame design. In addition to its large foot print, the Timberline’s incorporate a significant increase in usable headroom over a similar sized dome tent the rest of us will be using!
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Timberline_SQ_4_and_Sunrise.jpg
Eureka!’s Timberline SQ 4 and Sunrise 8 front and center.
And finally from Eureka!’s Recreational tent lineup arrives the Scenic Pass collection. Both Palemelanesian (aka Andrew McGuckin) and I will be equipped with the Eureka Sunrise 8 (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/364758/Sunrise_8_Tent), a performance freestanding 2 pole dome offering four-way ventilation, heavy-duty 210D poly oxford floors, plus convenience accessories that will provide for years of comfortable use.
The Sleeping Bags
Addressing the needs for both a colder, wintery environment (it is actually snowing outside my window here in Northern IL as I type in fact!) and a warmer ambient temperature environment we can expect in the Southeastern US, Eureka! has just released an all-new rectangular-shaped bag with a dual range of thermal efficiency while maintaining the packability their gear has been known for years. And what a better way to launch the “Hybrid”-rectangular design then with a group of Hybrid and high efficiency automobile enthusiasts from CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com)!
The hybrid-rectangular design tapers at the lower legs, contours at the shoulders, and includes a trapezoidal 3D foot box for increasing “thermal efficiency”, all-the-while retaining the full width of a rectangular bag through most of the body for sleeping comfort. To add greater versatility to this new shape of sleeping bag, Eureka! engineered each side of the sleeping bag with differing amounts of their proprietary Rteq insulation.
And an all-new collection of Sleeping bags was born. Meet the all-new, versatile performance hybrid-rectangular sleeping bags known as the DualTemp Series.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Eureka_20-40_Dual_Temp_Sleeping_Bag.jpg
Eureka!’s all-new 20/40 DualTemp Sleeping Bag – Ready to tackle your outdoor adventure.
The DualTemp Series sleeping bags (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/426960/?pid=83b03f3614afdac3b42eb91be0b82ef1) are a unique hybrid-rectangular design that combines the thermal versatility of two temperature ratings with the compact performance of a mummy. These sleeping bags are ideal for campers who are:
Stepping-up in performance from a recreational rectangular bag
Mummy bag users who are looking for a far more comfortable bag
Base camping/family camping end users demanding both comfort and performance
The versatile DualTemp sleeping bags are available in two models, the DualTemp 10/30 and DualTemp 20/40. We selected the 20/40 (20 degrees F/40 degrees F rated) series in both a regular (fits up to 6') and long (fits up to 6' 6") for optimal fit and comfort. Remember we have Jill Ciminillo who on a good day might reach all of 5-0” and Chris Bernius, the big guy of the group who on his best day still has to stoop under door frames less than 6-4” in height!
The ever-important Sleeping Pad
To outfit the group of long haul campers, I had originally thought of purchasing what the camping world had in the past generally deemed to be the most versatile camping pads in the business. Namely, a Therm-a-rest or in my own past experience, a Big Agnes Insulated Air-core. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Eureka was working on something far more advanced, far more comfortable, warmer and more packable when compared to designs currently on the market.
I can almost remember the statement during a conference call while I was asking for guidance on a sleeping pad solution when Mark Hrubant's, Eureka!'s Brand Director at Johnson Outdoors said the following:
“Do not concern yourself with this as we have something far better that you are definitely going to want to use.”
Mike Sirach, Bob Winger and I at that exact moment were wondering what does Eureka! have up its sleeve that in one fell swoop would take the outdoor camping gear industry by storm?
Here are a few of the quotes from Bob, Mike and myself that were passed along to the direct and only the direct participants after we found out what they had just recently developed.
“We have more news about Eureka's latest and greatest gear with some not even being out yet! Awesome stuff! I will let Mike and Bob fill you in about the Eureka! gear. I simply cannot believe it!”
I'm just beside myself :D
WOW! All I can say is when it comes to "Hybrid" sleeping bags and air pads, this is a "bomb"! Be sure and check out their website and their FaceBook page for more info very soon!
And here are those details…
Eureka! Patent Pending Dualis & Singlis Technology
What makes for a good night’s sleep while in the outdoors? There are many technologies and types of sleeping pads available with each having benefits and detriments. Many of us use two separate sleeping pads in an attempt to achieve a restful night’s sleep.
Anyone that has tent camped has surely pondered or even tried alternate solutions looking for the comfort of home while in the outdoors. And trust me, none of us has really ever found it… Until possibly now.
Eureka! just introduced two new sleeping pads. The Singlis ST collection is an air tube pad with integrated pump. And enter a Eureka! invention, the patent-pending Dualis Technology which provides an elegant solution for obtaining a good night’s sleep in the outdoors, and is used in the Dualis ST collection.
Dualis Technology creates a multi-chamber sleeping pad combining the cushioning and thermal resistance of a self-inflating pad with the conformability, support, and compactability of an air tube mattress. The bottom chamber is comprised of open cell PU foam, like a self-inflating pad. The top chamber is a separate interconnected air tube pad.
Each chamber has its own valve for independent inflation and control. Dualis Technology provides the user with home mattress-like comfort in a more compact size.
New Technology
The development and commercialization of Dualis Technology required extensive prototyping, lab testing and field testing; with the result being the introduction of the Dualis ST collection of pads. Dualis ST pads utilize TPU laminated soft-touch anti-slip fabric on the air tube chamber and durable anti-slip 150D polyester oxford ripstop with TPU lamination as the ground contact fabric of the self-inflating chamber. These fabrics offer durability, slip-resistance, and excellent next-to-skin comfort.
Polyurethane open cell foam is utilized inside the self-inflating pad chamber, and each chamber has its own brass valve with polymer overmolding for independent inflation and firmness customization.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Eureka_Dualis_-_Singlis_Sleep_Pad.jpg
Eureka Dualis and Singlis Sleeping Pad Detail.
The Dualis ST Regular with 1.2" of foam is designed for those participating in self-propelled activities where comfort and a good night’s sleep is valued. With an overall thickness of 4" and an R-Value of 3.7, it makes an effective all season pad. Additionally, being a dual technology system, redundancy provides a measure of security and confidence while in the backcountry.
The Dualis ST Large (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/436062/Dualis) is the ultimate pad for expeditions, family camping, and base camps which fits our needs to a tee! The plush 4.8" thickness of the Dualis ST Large, with 2" of foam and an R-value of 5.2, makes this pad more comfortable than many beds, especially if you sleep on your side or stomach! For a pad of this comfort, it packs a small 6" x 27".
Dualis ST pads, utilizing Dualis Technology, are the only sleeping pads providing the insulation and cushioning of a self-inflating pad with the conformability and support of an air tube mat suitable for all end users valuing comfort and a good night’s sleep. Expect the Dualis ST pads to quickly become your favorites.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Eureka_Dualis_Sleep_Pad.jpg
The Singlis Collection is comprised of two models of integrated-pump air tube pads. The Singlis ST air tube pads are ideal for the camper or backpacker in temperate climates valuing comfort, compactability, and durability. The Singlis ST models utilize the same soft-touch anti-slip fabric on the top of the air tubes and durable anti-slip 150D polyester oxford ripstop on the ground surface, and brass valves as the Dualis ST models. The integrated pump makes inflation of these lightweight pads a quick 1.5 minutes for the Singlis ST Regular, and 2.5 minutes for the oversized Singlis ST Large.
It is now time to consider Eureka! for the best night’s sleep while in the great outdoors. We will be sure to tell you how all of the above new technology works out after our first night under the stars just two short weeks from today.
Eureka! camping gear promotion – A chance for you to win!
I have described in detail some of the excellent Eureka! gear that will accompany us and there is even more which you will hear about in short order. That said, Eureka! is at this very moment setting up a Facebook landing page in which anyone friending them after hearing about our Adventure Challenge drive and especially those that meet us on the road will be provided an opportunity to win a prize package consisting of camping gear similar to the gear described above.
In addition, the individual that guesses the closest to the overall final fuel economy we receive during our crossing of the Continent in the aforementioned 2011 Ford F-150 w/ the 3.5L EcoBoost loaded with at least 5 people at all times and enough gear for over a week on the road will also win the camping gear as spelled out in the soon to be revealed Eureka! promotion.
I have not seen the Facebook page or its content yet but if it has anywhere near the time, effort and tenacity that Eureka! has put forth to date on our portion of this project, I am quite sure it will be a great place to visit for the very latest on your own outdoor adventure gear.
From our past outdoor camping experiences and current perspective, the best value in gear comes from a company named Eureka!
2011 Ford F-150 w/ the 3.5L EcoBoost – Fuel Economy Adventure Challenge Drive Route with nightly stop locations
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/2011_F-150_Challenge_Drive_Map_Final.jpg
2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost - "A Star is Born" Fuel Economy Adventure Challenge Drive Route (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Los+Angeles,+CA&daddr=Circle+Pines+Rd%2FForest+Service+Rd+146+to:Will+Rogers+Dr+to:Unknown+road+to:35.6859901,-101.4945358+to:35.3855601,-99.498711+to:KOA+Ave+to:Chewalla+Lake+Rd+to:Unknown+road+to:Tybee+Island,+GA&geocode=FYqYBwIdm77z-CkT2ifcXcfCgDH0CEYlb98v4g%3BFZIBGgIdo0NR-Q%3BFVY6FQIdc_zC-Q%3BFUTVIAIdzFTy-Q%3BFWaGIAId-VDz-SnxxeGLDt0GhzGjYlrkB3J_XQ%3BFdjwGwIdKcUR-ilTjaGBNuarhzEpvhPnlyQr5Q%3BFVzBHAId2k9Z-g%3BFQoFEgIdycSs-g%3BFZzv9AEd_KwB-w%3BFddI6AEdnmQu-ykBg6i3c3_7iDEYmJqUdtsHQg&hl=en&mra=dme&mrsp=6&sz=15&via=4,5&sll=35.440533,-94.799395&sspn=0.020978,0.055232&ie=UTF8&ll=35.245619,-97.075195&spn=21.469437,56.557617&z=5)
[ A ] Depart LA on Saturday morning, April 30th
(Drive 436 miles) Arrive near Williams, AZ on Saturday evening, April 30th
[ B ] Depart Williams/Circle Pines KOA - 1000 Circle Pines Road, Williams, AZ 86046 Circle Pines KOA (http://koa.com/campgrounds/williams/photos/)
(Drive 468 miles) Arrive at Santa Rosa, NM on Sunday evening, May 1st
[ C ] Depart Santa Rosa Camp Ground - 2136 Historic Route 66, Santa Rosa, NM 88435 Santa Rosa Campground ( http://santarosacampground.com/)
Monday AM - Chase car returns to ABQ (117 miles west) for journalist swap and return (Jill departs for Chicago and Dave arrives into Albuquerque). Depart campground at approximately noon.
(Drive 212 miles) Arrive near Sanford, TX on Monday evening, May 2nd
[ D ] Depart Amarillo KOA - 1100 Folsom Road, marillo, TX 79108 koa.com/campgrounds/amarillo (http://koa.com/campgrounds/amarillo/)
(Drive approximately 245 miles) Arrive in Oklahoma City, OK on Tuesday about noon, May 3rd. (Dave fly’s back out to Chicago and Sebastian fly’s into Oklahoma, City)
(Drive approximately 160 miles) Arrive near Sallisaw OK Tuesday evening, May 3rd
(405 total miles)
[ E ] Depart KOA Sallisaw/Ft Smith West - 1900 KOA Power Dr, Sallisaw, OK 74955 Sallisaw/Ft Smith KOA (http://koa.com/campgrounds/sallisaw/)
(Drive approximately 310 miles) Arrive in Memphis, TN on Wednesday May 4th in the early afternoon (Pick up Brandon from the Greyhound Station in Memphis)
(Drive approximately 70 miles) Arrive near Potts Camp, MS on Wednesday evening, May 4th
[ F ] Depart Chewalla Lake in Holly Springs National Forest, Potts Camp, MS 38659 Chewalla Lake in Holly Springs National Forest Campground (www.southernregion.fs.fed.us.com)
(Drive 412 miles) Arrive near Macon, GA on Thursday evening, May 5th
[ G ] Depart Night of Thursday 5/5 - Forsyth KOA - 414 Frontage Road, Forsyth, GA 31029 koa.com/campgrounds/forsyth (http://koa.com/campgrounds/forsyth/)
(Drive 193 miles) Arrive at Tybee Island, GA
[ H ] Arrive at Tybee Island, GA (http://tybeeisland.com/) on Friday afternoon, May 6th
If anyone from CleanMPG would like to join us at any of the nightly stops, you are more than welcome. We will have a campfire, smores, marshmallows, (plenty of “Pepsi” ;)) and most certainly a variety of animated discussions about any number of topics related to our drive and anything else that makes its way to the top of the discussion tree.
A special thanks go to Mark Hrubant, Rob Marcello, and Kristin Jankowski at Johnson Outdoors Gear, parent company of the Eureka! brand. We would also like to recognize Eureka's dedicated vendor partners, Greg Squires, William Robbins, Aaron Tatum, and Erin Keefe, for working together to make our “Challenge” that much more enjoyable from the aspect of a comfortable night’s sleep while outdoors and under the stars. Make sure to “like” Eureka! on Facebook at Facebook.com/EurekaTents (http://www.facebook.com/EurekaTents)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Eureka_Outdoors.jpgWayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) - April 16, 2011
Eureka! camping gear makes visiting the Great Outdoors... well, Great!
In the universe of camping equipment manufacturers, there are few that have the breadth of offerings covering the needs of the first timer to advanced adventurer taking on mountain peaks the world over. And who else would I have made a request to in order to keep 5 journalists and 7 CleanMPG members who are about to embark on a very unique adventure of our own making comfortable and cozy during the overnight hours?
In the words of possibly Plato, “Necessity is the mother of invention” and that phrase is but one of the guiding principles of a company called Eureka! Not only do they design some of the greatest outdoor adventure gear on the planet, they are attempting to leave the smallest impact on the world we live in while doing so.
Anyone that has listened to our Go_Hypermiling Podcasts (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=118) knows about Eureka! and if you have not, the following describes the company’s history, its gear and its values with little more that needs to be said.
Eureka! Built to handle anything… From backcountry to your backyard: Around the globe and across the street, Eureka! has been bringing families and friends together in the outdoors for more than 100 years. Their field-proven tents, shelters and sleeping bags are ready to take on everything from the rigors of Everest to the rowdiness of a backyard sleepover. With innovative features, Eureka! products are designed for a lifetime of use, providing the comfort that makes it easy for you to enjoy life outdoors.
Fantastic Gear at a Fantastic Price!
Eureka! Mission Statement
At Eureka!, we look at the world as a place full of passionate outdoor participants, and see opportunity for us to innovate & add value to categories of products beyond tents used in the traditional campsite. In previous years we added sleeping bags, camp furniture, and LED lighting. For this year we devoted resources to expanding our product offering by developing a new versatile sleeping bag collection, a patent-pending sleeping pad, new types of LED lanterns and flashlights, and additional campsite-specific furniture. In our core market of tents, we have addressed the diverse needs of the novice backpacker to the experienced user demanding weather protective and durable shelters.
As you will see, we have the products that make it easy to enjoy life outdoors… Eureka! For Life Outdoors.
Setting the table
Some may remember the 2010 Yamaha WR250X X-Country Adventure Ride (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33889) last fall. While it was a fantastic adventure ride in its own right thanks to sights that could not have been believed, I was left lacking one very important set of equipment. That being solid colder weather gear for the overnight camp stops. To put it bluntly, I was freezing my butt off in Douglas, WY and especially during my overnight stay in Yellowstone :eek:
With that experience as a guide, I wanted to make sure I did not recreate the same unpleasant familiarity of the great outdoors for my compatriots as we work our way from the Pacific to the Atlantic on the first of its kind, 150 mpg person equivalent from a full sized 2011 Ford F150 with EcoBoost in what has been dubbed, “A Star is Born - Fuel Economy Adventure Challenge”.
During the initial planning, we were fortunate to have Bob Winger available to help with gear selection and what was one of his first thoughts? Eureka! as it is gear he personally owns and uses “year round” for himself, his boys and the entire Boy Scout Troop of over 30 that he leads on local camping expeditions all over the Central East Coast.
With overnight camping scheduled for the colder upper elevations of New Mexico and far northern reaches of Texas to the warmer and far more humid conditions of Mississippi and Georgia, it was found Eureka! had the gear that not only works but should provide this outdoor adventure a positive outcome for all concerned. After literally months of planning and hundreds of E-Mails, Eureka! is not only providing the team with some of the best consumer camping gear known to the outdoor world, they are looking forward to the results and commentary about their latest and just being released to the public gear just as much as we are!
The Tents
Where do we start? Overnights from freezing to warm and humid, from snow to clear and starry nights require equipment that not only provides functional shelter but comfortable accommodations as well. In addition, the gear is lightweight and stores small helping us in our quest to achieve > 30 mpg from a loaded, 6-passenger 2011 Ford Pickup truck that is approaching 7,000 pound’s with people and gear!
Eureka! provides such a large assortment of excellent tents that it was a task just choosing what would meet our needs. Fortunately their just recently published Eureka! Camping Gear (http://www.eurekatent.com/uploadedFiles/Eureka/Website_Assets/Files/Eureka!2011Catalog.pdf) online catalog helped us sort out the variety quickly and easily. After 5-minutes in the spec sheets, it was discovered they not only offered what would meet our needs but from all appearances, would surely exceed them as well! Along the way, Eureka! management offered additional equipment suggestions in order that we experience the outdoors in a manner it should be experienced vs. a far less comfortable solution that other equipment makers would surely have provided.
Eureka!’s Apex (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/426932/Apex_2) and Apex 2XT (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/426933/Apex_2XT) lightweight backcountry tents were designed for the new backpacker and have been completely redesigned for 2011. These easy to setup fiberglass 2 pole domes come with oversized dual doors, and two roomy vestibules. In addition, the Apex 2XT will be along for the ride providing a little more room and additional wet weather protection for smaller items like shoes and boots with a fully enclosed all-new fly design. The tent(s) can be rotated 180 degrees for easier tent entry during fair conditions. Our own Msirach (aka Mike Sirach), Seftonm (aka Mike Sefton), Rhwinger (aka Bob Winger) and the newest addition to the CleanMPG moderator core, FSUspectra (aka Brandon Daly) will be equipped with these excellent tents for their overnight accommodations.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Apex2_and_Scenic_Pass.jpg
Eureka! Apex2 and Scenic Pass 2XT at the ready.
Our favorite New Yorker, Chris Bernius (aka MaxxMPG) is going to stand out from the rest in a tent that he selected for his very own. The tent was sourced from Eureka!’s Scenic Pass collection in the form of the Scenic Pass 2XT (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/364788/Scenic_Pass_2XT_Tent). A versatile 2 pole dome tent utilizing DAC Pressfit poles for strength & reduced weight. The unique fly design offers protected wet weather performance or can be rotated 180 degrees for easier tent access in fair conditions.
The (3) journalists, Dave Hall from Consumer Guide Automotive, Jill Ciminillo from Chicago Now and Sebastian Blanco from Autoblog Green are each going to be camping in the lap of luxury as they are outfitted with Eureka! tents from the Outfitter series. These tents are built to handle the rigors of repeated use, year after year and in this case, Timberline SQ Outfitter 4’s (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/365451/Timberline) were selected. The Timberline SQ 4 is a 4 person tent utilizing Eureka!’s proprietary injection molded SQ hub providing a 24% increase in internal volume over a std. A-frame design. In addition to its large foot print, the Timberline’s incorporate a significant increase in usable headroom over a similar sized dome tent the rest of us will be using!
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Timberline_SQ_4_and_Sunrise.jpg
Eureka!’s Timberline SQ 4 and Sunrise 8 front and center.
And finally from Eureka!’s Recreational tent lineup arrives the Scenic Pass collection. Both Palemelanesian (aka Andrew McGuckin) and I will be equipped with the Eureka Sunrise 8 (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/364758/Sunrise_8_Tent), a performance freestanding 2 pole dome offering four-way ventilation, heavy-duty 210D poly oxford floors, plus convenience accessories that will provide for years of comfortable use.
The Sleeping Bags
Addressing the needs for both a colder, wintery environment (it is actually snowing outside my window here in Northern IL as I type in fact!) and a warmer ambient temperature environment we can expect in the Southeastern US, Eureka! has just released an all-new rectangular-shaped bag with a dual range of thermal efficiency while maintaining the packability their gear has been known for years. And what a better way to launch the “Hybrid”-rectangular design then with a group of Hybrid and high efficiency automobile enthusiasts from CleanMPG (www.cleanmpg.com)!
The hybrid-rectangular design tapers at the lower legs, contours at the shoulders, and includes a trapezoidal 3D foot box for increasing “thermal efficiency”, all-the-while retaining the full width of a rectangular bag through most of the body for sleeping comfort. To add greater versatility to this new shape of sleeping bag, Eureka! engineered each side of the sleeping bag with differing amounts of their proprietary Rteq insulation.
And an all-new collection of Sleeping bags was born. Meet the all-new, versatile performance hybrid-rectangular sleeping bags known as the DualTemp Series.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Eureka_20-40_Dual_Temp_Sleeping_Bag.jpg
Eureka!’s all-new 20/40 DualTemp Sleeping Bag – Ready to tackle your outdoor adventure.
The DualTemp Series sleeping bags (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/426960/?pid=83b03f3614afdac3b42eb91be0b82ef1) are a unique hybrid-rectangular design that combines the thermal versatility of two temperature ratings with the compact performance of a mummy. These sleeping bags are ideal for campers who are:
Stepping-up in performance from a recreational rectangular bag
Mummy bag users who are looking for a far more comfortable bag
Base camping/family camping end users demanding both comfort and performance
The versatile DualTemp sleeping bags are available in two models, the DualTemp 10/30 and DualTemp 20/40. We selected the 20/40 (20 degrees F/40 degrees F rated) series in both a regular (fits up to 6') and long (fits up to 6' 6") for optimal fit and comfort. Remember we have Jill Ciminillo who on a good day might reach all of 5-0” and Chris Bernius, the big guy of the group who on his best day still has to stoop under door frames less than 6-4” in height!
The ever-important Sleeping Pad
To outfit the group of long haul campers, I had originally thought of purchasing what the camping world had in the past generally deemed to be the most versatile camping pads in the business. Namely, a Therm-a-rest or in my own past experience, a Big Agnes Insulated Air-core. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Eureka was working on something far more advanced, far more comfortable, warmer and more packable when compared to designs currently on the market.
I can almost remember the statement during a conference call while I was asking for guidance on a sleeping pad solution when Mark Hrubant's, Eureka!'s Brand Director at Johnson Outdoors said the following:
“Do not concern yourself with this as we have something far better that you are definitely going to want to use.”
Mike Sirach, Bob Winger and I at that exact moment were wondering what does Eureka! have up its sleeve that in one fell swoop would take the outdoor camping gear industry by storm?
Here are a few of the quotes from Bob, Mike and myself that were passed along to the direct and only the direct participants after we found out what they had just recently developed.
“We have more news about Eureka's latest and greatest gear with some not even being out yet! Awesome stuff! I will let Mike and Bob fill you in about the Eureka! gear. I simply cannot believe it!”
I'm just beside myself :D
WOW! All I can say is when it comes to "Hybrid" sleeping bags and air pads, this is a "bomb"! Be sure and check out their website and their FaceBook page for more info very soon!
And here are those details…
Eureka! Patent Pending Dualis & Singlis Technology
What makes for a good night’s sleep while in the outdoors? There are many technologies and types of sleeping pads available with each having benefits and detriments. Many of us use two separate sleeping pads in an attempt to achieve a restful night’s sleep.
Anyone that has tent camped has surely pondered or even tried alternate solutions looking for the comfort of home while in the outdoors. And trust me, none of us has really ever found it… Until possibly now.
Eureka! just introduced two new sleeping pads. The Singlis ST collection is an air tube pad with integrated pump. And enter a Eureka! invention, the patent-pending Dualis Technology which provides an elegant solution for obtaining a good night’s sleep in the outdoors, and is used in the Dualis ST collection.
Dualis Technology creates a multi-chamber sleeping pad combining the cushioning and thermal resistance of a self-inflating pad with the conformability, support, and compactability of an air tube mattress. The bottom chamber is comprised of open cell PU foam, like a self-inflating pad. The top chamber is a separate interconnected air tube pad.
Each chamber has its own valve for independent inflation and control. Dualis Technology provides the user with home mattress-like comfort in a more compact size.
New Technology
The development and commercialization of Dualis Technology required extensive prototyping, lab testing and field testing; with the result being the introduction of the Dualis ST collection of pads. Dualis ST pads utilize TPU laminated soft-touch anti-slip fabric on the air tube chamber and durable anti-slip 150D polyester oxford ripstop with TPU lamination as the ground contact fabric of the self-inflating chamber. These fabrics offer durability, slip-resistance, and excellent next-to-skin comfort.
Polyurethane open cell foam is utilized inside the self-inflating pad chamber, and each chamber has its own brass valve with polymer overmolding for independent inflation and firmness customization.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Eureka_Dualis_-_Singlis_Sleep_Pad.jpg
Eureka Dualis and Singlis Sleeping Pad Detail.
The Dualis ST Regular with 1.2" of foam is designed for those participating in self-propelled activities where comfort and a good night’s sleep is valued. With an overall thickness of 4" and an R-Value of 3.7, it makes an effective all season pad. Additionally, being a dual technology system, redundancy provides a measure of security and confidence while in the backcountry.
The Dualis ST Large (http://store.eurekatent.com/products/436062/Dualis) is the ultimate pad for expeditions, family camping, and base camps which fits our needs to a tee! The plush 4.8" thickness of the Dualis ST Large, with 2" of foam and an R-value of 5.2, makes this pad more comfortable than many beds, especially if you sleep on your side or stomach! For a pad of this comfort, it packs a small 6" x 27".
Dualis ST pads, utilizing Dualis Technology, are the only sleeping pads providing the insulation and cushioning of a self-inflating pad with the conformability and support of an air tube mat suitable for all end users valuing comfort and a good night’s sleep. Expect the Dualis ST pads to quickly become your favorites.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Eureka_Dualis_Sleep_Pad.jpg
The Singlis Collection is comprised of two models of integrated-pump air tube pads. The Singlis ST air tube pads are ideal for the camper or backpacker in temperate climates valuing comfort, compactability, and durability. The Singlis ST models utilize the same soft-touch anti-slip fabric on the top of the air tubes and durable anti-slip 150D polyester oxford ripstop on the ground surface, and brass valves as the Dualis ST models. The integrated pump makes inflation of these lightweight pads a quick 1.5 minutes for the Singlis ST Regular, and 2.5 minutes for the oversized Singlis ST Large.
It is now time to consider Eureka! for the best night’s sleep while in the great outdoors. We will be sure to tell you how all of the above new technology works out after our first night under the stars just two short weeks from today.
Eureka! camping gear promotion – A chance for you to win!
I have described in detail some of the excellent Eureka! gear that will accompany us and there is even more which you will hear about in short order. That said, Eureka! is at this very moment setting up a Facebook landing page in which anyone friending them after hearing about our Adventure Challenge drive and especially those that meet us on the road will be provided an opportunity to win a prize package consisting of camping gear similar to the gear described above.
In addition, the individual that guesses the closest to the overall final fuel economy we receive during our crossing of the Continent in the aforementioned 2011 Ford F-150 w/ the 3.5L EcoBoost loaded with at least 5 people at all times and enough gear for over a week on the road will also win the camping gear as spelled out in the soon to be revealed Eureka! promotion.
I have not seen the Facebook page or its content yet but if it has anywhere near the time, effort and tenacity that Eureka! has put forth to date on our portion of this project, I am quite sure it will be a great place to visit for the very latest on your own outdoor adventure gear.
From our past outdoor camping experiences and current perspective, the best value in gear comes from a company named Eureka!
2011 Ford F-150 w/ the 3.5L EcoBoost – Fuel Economy Adventure Challenge Drive Route with nightly stop locations
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/2011_F-150_Challenge_Drive_Map_Final.jpg
2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost - "A Star is Born" Fuel Economy Adventure Challenge Drive Route (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Los+Angeles,+CA&daddr=Circle+Pines+Rd%2FForest+Service+Rd+146+to:Will+Rogers+Dr+to:Unknown+road+to:35.6859901,-101.4945358+to:35.3855601,-99.498711+to:KOA+Ave+to:Chewalla+Lake+Rd+to:Unknown+road+to:Tybee+Island,+GA&geocode=FYqYBwIdm77z-CkT2ifcXcfCgDH0CEYlb98v4g%3BFZIBGgIdo0NR-Q%3BFVY6FQIdc_zC-Q%3BFUTVIAIdzFTy-Q%3BFWaGIAId-VDz-SnxxeGLDt0GhzGjYlrkB3J_XQ%3BFdjwGwIdKcUR-ilTjaGBNuarhzEpvhPnlyQr5Q%3BFVzBHAId2k9Z-g%3BFQoFEgIdycSs-g%3BFZzv9AEd_KwB-w%3BFddI6AEdnmQu-ykBg6i3c3_7iDEYmJqUdtsHQg&hl=en&mra=dme&mrsp=6&sz=15&via=4,5&sll=35.440533,-94.799395&sspn=0.020978,0.055232&ie=UTF8&ll=35.245619,-97.075195&spn=21.469437,56.557617&z=5)
[ A ] Depart LA on Saturday morning, April 30th
(Drive 436 miles) Arrive near Williams, AZ on Saturday evening, April 30th
[ B ] Depart Williams/Circle Pines KOA - 1000 Circle Pines Road, Williams, AZ 86046 Circle Pines KOA (http://koa.com/campgrounds/williams/photos/)
(Drive 468 miles) Arrive at Santa Rosa, NM on Sunday evening, May 1st
[ C ] Depart Santa Rosa Camp Ground - 2136 Historic Route 66, Santa Rosa, NM 88435 Santa Rosa Campground ( http://santarosacampground.com/)
Monday AM - Chase car returns to ABQ (117 miles west) for journalist swap and return (Jill departs for Chicago and Dave arrives into Albuquerque). Depart campground at approximately noon.
(Drive 212 miles) Arrive near Sanford, TX on Monday evening, May 2nd
[ D ] Depart Amarillo KOA - 1100 Folsom Road, marillo, TX 79108 koa.com/campgrounds/amarillo (http://koa.com/campgrounds/amarillo/)
(Drive approximately 245 miles) Arrive in Oklahoma City, OK on Tuesday about noon, May 3rd. (Dave fly’s back out to Chicago and Sebastian fly’s into Oklahoma, City)
(Drive approximately 160 miles) Arrive near Sallisaw OK Tuesday evening, May 3rd
(405 total miles)
[ E ] Depart KOA Sallisaw/Ft Smith West - 1900 KOA Power Dr, Sallisaw, OK 74955 Sallisaw/Ft Smith KOA (http://koa.com/campgrounds/sallisaw/)
(Drive approximately 310 miles) Arrive in Memphis, TN on Wednesday May 4th in the early afternoon (Pick up Brandon from the Greyhound Station in Memphis)
(Drive approximately 70 miles) Arrive near Potts Camp, MS on Wednesday evening, May 4th
[ F ] Depart Chewalla Lake in Holly Springs National Forest, Potts Camp, MS 38659 Chewalla Lake in Holly Springs National Forest Campground (www.southernregion.fs.fed.us.com)
(Drive 412 miles) Arrive near Macon, GA on Thursday evening, May 5th
[ G ] Depart Night of Thursday 5/5 - Forsyth KOA - 414 Frontage Road, Forsyth, GA 31029 koa.com/campgrounds/forsyth (http://koa.com/campgrounds/forsyth/)
(Drive 193 miles) Arrive at Tybee Island, GA
[ H ] Arrive at Tybee Island, GA (http://tybeeisland.com/) on Friday afternoon, May 6th
If anyone from CleanMPG would like to join us at any of the nightly stops, you are more than welcome. We will have a campfire, smores, marshmallows, (plenty of “Pepsi” ;)) and most certainly a variety of animated discussions about any number of topics related to our drive and anything else that makes its way to the top of the discussion tree.
A special thanks go to Mark Hrubant, Rob Marcello, and Kristin Jankowski at Johnson Outdoors Gear, parent company of the Eureka! brand. We would also like to recognize Eureka's dedicated vendor partners, Greg Squires, William Robbins, Aaron Tatum, and Erin Keefe, for working together to make our “Challenge” that much more enjoyable from the aspect of a comfortable night’s sleep while outdoors and under the stars. Make sure to “like” Eureka! on Facebook at Facebook.com/EurekaTents (http://www.facebook.com/EurekaTents)