Category: gear

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NeoAir FAIL – Therm-a-Rest bulge

The best air mattress on the market right now is the NeoAir made by Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest.

neoair

I was lying on mine one night in the tent during an 8-day hike of the Haute Route in the Alps. A strange sizzling sound began.

At first I thought I was being attacked by insects under the tent.

Then my NeoAir began to swell in one small spot.

Bizarre.

Each night after being inflated the swelling increased in size. It seemed to stop when internal pressure reached a specific point. (under-inflated)

weird bulge on an air mattress
weird bulge on an air mattress

neoair-fail2

I slept on the thing anyway though, being a savvy hiker, I was actually carrying a second small air mattress, using it as a pack frame and pillow.

I’m BRILLIANT to have a back-up. Right?

Sadly, my “pillow” had developed a slow leak. It was worse than the NeoAir.

The NeoAir is not widely available in Europe as yet. By luck I happened to find a demo model in Chamonix, France reduced to 109 Euro (US$156).

I’ll be returning the damaged NeoAir on warranty when I get home.

But I’m wondering if this was a fluke. Or a design flaw in a new product. Leave a comment if you’ve heard of this happening to any other NeoAir mattresses.

I’ll post it to Twitter tagged #NeoAirFail, as well.

Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest – official NeoAir webpage

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UPDATE: I’ve only heard of one other incidence of this happening. My NeoAir was replaced under warranty.

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Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 3

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles. Day 3 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

This turned out to be the most memorable day of many amazing days.

The weather was terrible. All day. Terrible.

The most remote and wild terrain of the entire route.

intensely glaciated
intensely glaciated
surreal glacial tarn
surreal glacial tarn

I was quite happy to finally arrive at Cabane de Prafleuri.

alpine hut
alpine hut

These refuges offer accommodation as well as food. Nice.

Rosti
Rosti

I got a chance to dry out. And warm up. Then walked on when the rain slowed.

Very impressive this day was Lac Dix, man made, created by one of the highest dams in the world.

Lac Dix (Lake 10)
Lac Dix (Lake 10)

The wildflowers and wildlife this day, were the best of the entire Haute Route. It’s an animal reserve.

wildflowers

marmot
marmot

In the early evening the weather worsened. Again.

I decided to stay at an alpine hut rather than try to climb out of the valley.

A long, impressive ridge would take me up to Cabine Dix.

Cabine-Dix

That photo I shot the following morning. The night before, in the rain and dark. I thought I’d never get there. It’s very high. Nearly 3000m. Higher than the pass I would cross next day.

Cost for dinner, bunk bed and breakfast was US$65.

The dinner was excellent. The bed very comfortable. The breakfast the worst I had in Europe.

I was the only Anglophone that night. Ordered about like a German soldier.

Overall, I’d rather sleep in my tent and cook my own food.

See the rest of my photos from day 3.

… on to day 4

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

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Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 1

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles. 

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

It was a beautiful sunny day in Chamonix. I had my perfect gear set. And far more quality food than I needed to start a week long hike. (Note the British Old Cheddar. Buying that imported merde is not chic in France.)

Cheddar and Diet Coke
Cheddar and Diet Coke

Effortlessly, I found myself atop the first high pass of many.

Rick at Col de Balme, France
Rick at Col de Balme, France

Effortlessly because I took a bus and cable car to get up to altitude.

My guidebook author Kev Reynolds would not approve. The best way to do the Haute Route is walking every step from Chamonix to Zermatt, 180kms or so.

Another guidebook editor, Hilary Sharp, advises not to walk underneath any working cable car.

Everyone I met doing the Haute Route cheated at one point or another.

My plan was to cheat on the lower valley sections, and opt to take every higher, longer, more scenic option. There are many trail alternatives on the Haute Route.

The main goal for the day was Fenetre d’Arpette, 2665m. It didn’t look so tough.

There is a lower trail alternative … but it was called the Alp Bovine route. (I translated that as COW PATH. Wanted nothing to do with it.)

that small lower notch is the "Window"
align=”aligncenter” that small lower notch is the \”Window\”

Instead of sticking to the BORING regular trail, I over enthusiastically decided to climb the edge of the Trient glacier moraine.

Trient-glacier

That turned out to be a HUGE mistake. I ended up scrambling a cliff – for HOURS – to regain the trail. By the time I finally reached the pass it was close to sunset.

sunset from the Window
sunset from the Window

A gorgeous night, I pitched the tent right on the pass.

Fantastic.

See the rest of my photos from day 1.

… on to day 2

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

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Therm-a-Rest Ultralight, Zipperless Sleeping Bag

Chris Weiss posted a new sleeping system on Uncooped: Therm-a-Rest Haven- Ultralight, Zipperless Sleeping Bag .

haven_3

haven_2

This goes on sale January 2010.

… It’s something like what I do already.

My down sleeping bag is, after many years use, so small, light and thin that it’s really only warm enough at +5C (41F).

I don’t want to replace it with something heavier as I also (usually) carry a full down jacket, the Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero Parka. I put that on for a while if I get cold in the sleeping bag.

And I sleep on a full Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress, very warm too.

My combination seems easier and more flexible to me.

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BIG in Europe: Nordic Walking

My stand on hiking canes remains unchanged.

I think they’re great for the elderly and infirm.

elderly-couple-hiking-poles

Just kidding.

I’m astonished at how popular this new activity is in Europe. It’s HUGE compared with North America.

Europe has dedicated Nordic Walking paths.

Nordic walking is defined as fitness walking with specially designed poles. … Hikers with knee pain discovered they could walk more powerfully with a pair of trekking poles, often eliminate or reduce hip, knee, and foot pain, and backpackers found relief from painful backs when using poles. …

Wikipedia

Nordic-Walker

Check out a video tutorial by trekkingpoleguru.

Swedes call it stavgång. In Norway and Denmark it is stavgang. And to the Estonians it is kepikönd.

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$80 US Parks Pass FREE from Amazon

Promotion Details

While supplies last, get a National Parks and Federal Recreation Land Annual Park Pass for free (an $80 value) when you purchase $299 or more of eligible outdoor recreation gear sold and shipped by Amazon.com. To take advantage of this offer, please review and follow the steps below:

Add eligible outdoor recreation gear to your cart totaling $299 or more (before shipping, gift wrap, and taxes) shipped and sold by Amazon.com.

Add the National Parks and Federal Recreation Land Annual Park Pass to your cart.

Proceed to checkout.

The value of the National Parks and Federal Recreation Land Annual Park Pass ($80) will be deducted at checkout. Verify that your discount has been taken to ensure that your order qualifies for this offer before clicking the “Place your Order” button.

Once you’ve placed your order, your products and the Park Pass will be shipped to you.

This offer applies only to select Amazon.com purchases. Items eligible for this offer will feature a promotional message indicating that it is an eligible item. Applies only to products sold by Amazon.com. Does not apply to products sold on our site by third-party merchants or through third-party areas such as Amazon.com Marketplace, or Auctions.

Amazon

annual-park-pass

(via Trailspotting)

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future climbing trip to the Italian Dolomites?

Dreaming …

Via Ferrata are, in effect, a range of protected scrambling routes, comprised of skilfully installed fixed cables, ladders and gorge-spanning bridges, which assist ascents to high levels, from which you walk on, often to a nearby rifugio, or back to the starting point via a path.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I wouldn’t want a guided trip. But one instructional session would be valuable.

The gear costs about $200. Helmet, and carabiners. Or you can rent it for about $10 / day.

via-ferrata-gear

Best timing would be the first 3wks of July. Or September.

There are plenty of good guidebooks.

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hikers die of dehydration … near Palm Springs

… Authorities recovered the remains of two hikers in the hills near Palm Springs last week. They can tell that they’re hikers based on their clothing, but the bodies are so severely dehydrated that they can’t even pull fingerprints. …

dehydrated-water-1

details on The Goat – Why It’s Important to Bring Enough Water

In the Italian Dolomites I was shocked at the scarcity of water. There’s none up high. Anywhere in July.

Weird.

And the few water sources you do come across normally have signs saying “not potable”.

Luckily, carrying a stove, I melted snow whenever I needed H2O.

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win a Merrell wardrobe

By email:

Starting July 17th, Merrell sponsored a contest with the aim of disseminating our love for our national playgrounds. …

The grand prize for this contest is a one-year free pass to all the National Parks for a family and a whole wardrobe of Merrell footwear and apparel to assure that these adventures are as enjoyable as possible.

To take part, all readers need to do is visit Merrell’s Facebook Fan Page (www.facebook.com/merrell), and post their favorite National Park story in 150 words or less on our Wall. Participants are encouraged to include pictures or videos of their previous outdoor adventures The stories receiving the most “thumbs up” will win.