Gear Up Heads Up! Kelty Cosmic Down, Jansport Katahdin, Hammocks

We're still mired in the snow and cold of winter here in Wisconsin, but now is an excellent time to gear up for the coming season. Clearing out old stock, Backcountry.com has a bunch of things on sale. Catching my eye are:

- Kelty Cosmic Down 41 Degree: Sibling to my 21 degree bag, Kelty's Cosmic Down bags are a solid entry-level down bag, and I'm so warm in mine that I often find myself using it partially fastened to vent heat. If you're a three-season camper like me, the 41 degree bag is probably more than sufficient. Down Bags are Up in price, so $99 is a good deal on this.

- Jansport Katahdin 50: If you're still looking to try one of these inexpensive packs, this is one of the better prices I've found lately. $79 isn't as good as previous deals on it, but it's still a fair deal cheaper than a lot of other packs.

- Grand Trunk Roatan Hammock: It'll need straps (and the ENO SlapStraps are on sale) and Carabiners (I recommend the Black Diamond Neutrino Wiregate carabiners) but $41 is a decent starter price on a hammock. it's a bit bulky, apparently, so if space is a concern, maybe pass on this one. This Hammock Bliss Single looks interesting too, and it's only $42.

Stop the presses!!! Right after I saw those, I found this "Cutequeen Nylon Hammock". $15 for the base hammock. You'll still need the straps and carabiners, and I know nothing of the maker, but for $15, it's not a terribly big gamble. Apparently there's big "Cute Queen" branding on it though, so... well, that's up to you.