[pct-l] Color Blind!!

[Montedodge@aol.com (Montedodge@aol.com)]

 Just thumbing through an old Backpacker Mag and saw all the folks hiking in 
the desert with dark blue clothing and packs. It's not rocket science that 
dark clothes are hotter than light colored cloths in desert areas. Why 
doesn't Backpack Companys start making their packs Kaki colored instead of 
blue, black or whatever. If your hiking thru the Anza desert with a dark blue 
pack, your pack is sucking heat from 50 yards away. And all these hikers in 
the desert with dark clothing??? Kelty made a few white packs which would be 
great at reflecting heat . I like earth tone colors and would love to see 
Mountainsmith and Arc Terx come out with an " Easy on the Eyes" Kaki colored 
pack. ( Or that least off white)      MSR??? I used to have a great MSR " 
Thunderbird" ice axe that was that ugly orange and was a real classic. ( I 
used it on my 1977 PCT hike) I still have and use my 1973 MSR Model 9 stove, 
BUT  the pump melted after a failed O-ring .A later late 70's pump is now 
cross-threaded and no longer of use. Old MSR pumps had a metal pump handle 
much was much better than todays " Plastic" handled pump. Also the plastic 
threads on their pumps have always been " THE WEAKEST LINK." The new Primus 
and Optimus Nova have a much stronger pump assembly as the threads are Alum. 
as is the handle. MSR was first with using a detachable fuel bottle  which 
was a great idea, but their stove was designed much like the Svea's, 
Optimus's and Primus's of the day. These Swedish stoves have been around over 
100 years and are still going strong. Sorry to hear of Larry's passing. I see 
more MSR's on MT.Rainier than all other stoves combined. ( They just need to 
start rethinking their quality)