We've inadvertently gotten into the habit of cutting to the chase when it comes to gear reviews. No more setting the stage, leading the reader in, and feigning objectivity only to deliver our verdict to a wanting audience. Partially, this is because that format is pretty boring and tired. Mostly, however, it's because -- if one of us is taking the time to write about an item -- we're passionate about it, one way or the other.
You just want to know if the rod, reel, bag, pack, accessory, etc we're writing about is worth your hard-earned money or just a piece of junk, right? That said, I'll get to the point: I have three favorite possessions in the world and the Patagonia Stormfront Backpack is one of them. It joins another Patagonia product, the Patagonia Nano Puff (which we reviewed last year), in this oh-so highly exclusive group of my favorite possessions. The third item, in case you're wondering, is a cheap bottle opener inscribed with a gradually wearing away Sam Adams logo. I received it from a ditzy girl wearing a low cut top who, along with two cohorts, invaded a normally quiet local bar in order to promote some unsavory concoction Sam Adams was trying to peddle at the time. Not unlike the other two items in this elite group of three, my Sam Adams bottle opener does what it is supposed to do with minimalist, simplistic ease and rugged toughness. It's also worth mentioning that, in a house where nothing smaller than a piano lasts more than six months without disappearing, it somehow has remained a fixture.
