Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
My Adventure Racing captain, Dave Adlard, wants me to test a DEMO model of this new product.
JakPak™, the world’s first all-in-one waterproof jacket, sleeping bag and tent, …
JakPak – Our Story
Looks very cool. I’m IN.
The specs aren’t definitive. But I’ve seen cited on other blogs an approximate weight of 2lbs. At that I’d carry it as survival gear even on day hikes.
Available late Spring 2010. Guesstimated price, $250.
Often called the “greatest runners in the world”, Mexico’s Raramuri Indians currently wear these sandals handmade from rubber tires.
They are much studied by researchers of the Running Barefoot or In Minimal Footwear movement.
Living in Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountain range, the Raramuri Indians are some of the best long distance runners in the world, but how far can they run in the face of problems like environmental damage, loss of native lands, and the drug war? An American ultra marathon runner known as Caballo Blanco is fighting to help the Raramuri preserve their culture and tradition of long distance running. The Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon is the result.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Trailspace posted a review of the new solar chargers on display at the Outdoor Retailer show 2010 in Vegas.
Bill Straka is sticking with this Brunton, for now:
Brunton Solaris 12 – Solar charger (approx. $239)
But Brunton has a new, more compact system coming out this year. And it’s much cheaper.
Click PLAY or watch a Brunton Restore (7.2oz) demo on YouTube.
There are more options reviewed on the original post on Trailspace – Solar power in small packages
More research on whether Nike has caused all your foot and leg injuries.
A word of caution from Dr. Ross Tucker and Dr. Jonathan Dugas:
… I guarantee that the media are going to be all over this and they are going to tell you that you should be running barefoot or in Vibrams. You will hear how science has proven that being barefoot will prevent injuries, and that those of you who are injured should blame your shoes as you lob them into the garbage bin. …
If you wish to guarantee yourself an injury, then go out for a 2km run barefoot on a hard surface, and you will be asking your calf muscles and Achilles tendons to do work that for perhaps 30 years, they haven’t had to do. …
read more – Science of Sport blog.
That article led me to some cutting edge research …
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Click PLAY or compare a runner wearing shoes on YouTube.
More caution:
Disadvantages of Forefoot Striking Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear
* Thick-soled shoes are much more forgiving when running over glass, sharp objects, ice and so on.
* If you have been a heel striker, it takes some time and much work to train your body to forefoot or midfoot strike, especially because you need stronger feet and calf muscles. Runners may be at greater risk of developing Achilles tendonitis when they switch from heel striking to forefoot or midfoot striking …
This comes from a new blog by Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman of Harvard University: Running Barefoot or In Minimal Footwear
That’s likely the best site of all for those who want to research this topic.
(via Full Twist – Running Barefoot – The Debate)
Previously I was thinking of these as something of a gimmick. … But I think I’ll buy a pair this summer and try them out.
The second is a Men’s shoe. Click through to Amazon to see other models. And competitive products from other companies.
Five Fingers were named one of Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2007.
The are getting a lot of love on the blogosphere from runners and hikers.
Leave a comment if you’ve worn them in the gym. Or have an opinion pro or con.
Would you wear this jacket to summit the world’s highest peak?
That’s what climber Jamie Clarke from my town, Calgary, Canada plans to do this Spring. He’s working with Champion Athletic Wear on a new technology that has “the potential to change the entire outdoor apparel industry.”
A big boast.
Jamie has tested the apparel and outerwear on Mount Pumori in Nepal.
This spring, Expedition Hanesbrands heads to Mount Everest. With good weather, hard climbing — and nanotechnology on their backs — Clarke and his crew are counting on the Supersuit to help them make it to the top.
Gear Junkie – Champion Supersuit Unveiled!
It’s super-insulating Zero-Loft Aerogel, more than 99 percent air, according to the company. The claim by Champion is that it’s four times as warm as goose down.
Details on Jamie’s Everest ascent is posted on ClimbeEverestWithUs – The Team
by site editor Rick McCharles
You may find it surprising how much electronic gear I hauled on my recent 17-day trek in the Everest region.
I carried two iPods. … Overkill?
My iPod shuffle plays for about 10hrs on a charge. The iPod touch perhaps 20hrs. Both filled with audio podcasts and books on MP3.
Click on any of the images below for a description.
Recharging batteries en route was not always easy.
Comments?
UPDATE: Tony Rix recommends Vibram’s latest model, the KSO Trek. (see the comments)
That’s one of the themes of a fantastic book I’ve just finished:
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
I’m convinced that author Christopher McDougall is on to something.
For specifics, check this article: The painful truth about trainers: Are running shoes a waste of money?
His theory is that we evolved running barefoot. And became the dominant species on the planet because of that advantage.
Running barefoot … an advantage?
It seems counter intuitive. Yet the case laid out in his book seems irrefutable.
Shoe companies, especially Nike, seeking mad profits, have convinced us to buy technology that changes our natural technique.
In recent years I’ve been hiking and trail running in one of the cheapest pairs of shoes made by New Balance. I bought them because of bunions. Perhaps, by luck, this soft, flat-soled shoe is what I need.
I’m tempted to try hiking in Vibram Fivefingers. That’s what the author is using now for distance running.
… That might be going too far.
Instead, I’ll pull out my old sandals. I’ve hiked in those before, very comfortably. Those feel like “bare feet”, but keep the pebbles and grit out.
Leave a comment if you’ve experimented with tossing your hiking boots in the closet. And getting back to something more natural.
On the insistence of my Adventure Racing buddy, Dave Adlard, I bought a book.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
A fantastic read, even for non-runners. The author, Christopher McDougall, (video) is a master story teller. I was gripped by this true life story.
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong. …
It’s available on Audible.com, as well as in a Kindle edition.
Get it!
Christopher Mcdougall reminds me of Jon Krakauer, another magazine scribe turned author.
Born to Run is as engaging as anything by Krakauer.
The culminating Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen is set in Mexico’s Copper Canyon. I visited as a tourist in 1999. Fantastic.
I’ve long planned to return for some serious hiking there. Unfortunately, as the book describes vividly, it’s very dangerous today as the Canyons are home to big marijuana plantations. You might get shot.
If you’re looking for a GPS for hiking in North America, this add-on will soon be available for about $180.
The GPS Navigation & Battery Cradle provides a complete navigation solution for the iPod touch, including the NavAtlas® turn-by-turn navigation app with TTS technology, and the latest U.S. and Canada maps.
Click PLAY or watch a demo on YouTube.
The Cradle features a built-in GPS Receiver, Rechargeable Battery, Amplified Speaker, Audio Out connection and Mini USB port. An Adjustable Windshield Mount is included for in-car use.
The Cradle, which resembles a thin battery case, is super portable and can be used for in-car navigation (with the provided fully adjustable windshield mount) as well as for handheld use. The built-in GPS receiver provides GPS data to most location-based apps. The NavAtlas app, which works exclusively with the Cradle, will be available on the iTunes App Store for free.
Will the next generation Touch have GPS built in?
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