Personal Information:
Name: Kathryn Doiron
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Height: 1.7 m (5' 8")
Weight: 77 kg (170 lb)
Email: kdoiron 'at' gmail 'dot' com
Location: Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Brief Background: I started backpacking and hiking seriously almost three years ago. Most of my miles have been logged in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I have recently been looking at Vermont and the Long Trail as a new source of miles. My style is to be as light as possible while not spending a fortune. My pack weight tends to hover around 30 lbs. I discovered the Hennessy Hammock last year and have been using it as a two person hammock. I recently had the chance to use it solo and was quite pleased but a little cold.

AntiGravityGear Mapdana AT4 v.0404
Manufacturer: AntiGravityGear
Material: 100% cotton -- Made in China
Website: http://AntiGravityGear.com
MSRP: $12.95 USD
Size (as stated): 27" x 27" (69 cm x 69 cm)
Weight (as stated): 1.6 oz (45 g)

Size (measured): 27.5" x 27" (70.5 cm x 69 cm)
Weight (measured): 1.7 oz (50 g)

Initial Report:
Out of the bag and opened, I found the Mapdana much bigger than I was expecting. Out of the bag and already covered in cat hair. Although I read the website about how big it would be, I still had in mind that it would be bandana sized. It measured in a little wider than stated. Both the website and a small little sticker states that the material is 100% cotton and "Made in China".

The Mapdana has a nice feel to it. This is not a thin cheap cotton but neither is it thick like a pillow case. Being made from cotton does make me wonder if it will shrink when washed. The Mapdana is smooth and the colours are vibrant. The Mapdana is broken up into several sections. The map is in the left-hand column with the legend underneath it. The right-hand side consists of a list of sites with mile markers in white, and further listings in yellow underneath. The further listings contain names and phone numbers of various shops of interest to through hikers. The whole Mapdana is outlined in red with the following written:

"Leave No Trace should be the way we hike and not the way we live. Please support the associations that protect our trails and wilderness. www.LeaveATrace.com. Appalachian TrailMapdana(tm): Falls Village, CT thru Katahdin, Me."

The index on the right hand side of the Mapdana is in an easy to read font. The index is not in alphabetical order but in south to north order of where on the Appalachian Trail the town is located. I requested and received map AT4. This map covers from Falls Village, Connecticut, to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. The map literally starts at Falls Village. There is nothing below this point. I do wonder if there is some overlap between the Mapdanas. The map, on the left side, is angled so as to fit the covered length of the Appalation trail. This means the map is offset by about 45 degrees off north. I find this makes looking at the map as a whole a little awkward as New Hampshire looks funny. I will be testing readability further.
I was interested in knowing whether there would be side trails and there are none noted on the Mapdana. There are also no mountains listed except those on the trail. Lakes and rivers are drawn in on the map and shelters with water are noted in blue writing in the legend. Towns are noted in red if there is further information about them in the bottom, yellow part of the legend, otherwise they are noted in black. Other interesting points are noted in black, such as mountains, major cross roads, and state lines.

Things to look into further:

- How well will the Mapdana wash?

- Will the colours remain vibrant or will they fade?

- How accurate are water listings? Especially seasonally.

- How well will it stand up to pocket abuse and trail use?

Test Plan:
This will be carried into the field and used as a bandana replacement. I will also use this as a reference to planning trips. I will evaluate its usefulness as both a map and town reference and as a bandana. I will test mostly on weekends as day hikes and overnighters with as many longer trips as I can to really test the Mapdana in a through hike-like situation. I plan to see how well it will hold up in rain (if I am so blessed), and how it will hold up as a head covering.

Read more reviews of AntiGravityGear gear
Read more gear reviews by Kathryn Doiron

Initial Report

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