Category: gear

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GoLite Ultra 20° sleeping bag


Saw a strong recommendation for this bag on Seattlepi.

Ultra 20°

1 lb 3 oz. | 540.0 g
Rating: 20 deg F | -7 deg C
$225.00

A premium 800-fill goose down, 20º sleep system that offers superior warmth, unmatched comfort and versatility for the ultra-lite purist. Waterproof Pertex® Endurance Arid Zones™ at the head and foot of the bag protect against condensation in critical areas. The comforter-style top can be attached directly to a sleep pad at variable girths for ideal temperature regulation.

Fill Weights: Small 257g; Medium 270g; Large 297g

Sleeping Bag Specs

* Rating: 20 deg F | -7 deg C

<a href="http://www.golite.com/Product/proddetail.aspx?p=SS7500&s=1">product details</a>
product details

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sleeping bag – bear costume

Cure your fear of bears by pretending you are the mighty hunter and have slayed the terrifying bear. Then strut around the room wearing the huge bearskin to show off your prowess. OR take the sleeping bag camping and you can scare the be-jezuz out of your friends when they wake up next to you.

Both are possible with this incredible new sleeping bag by artist Eiko Ishizawa. This fun design is so cool (and a little creepy looking) that we just had to share it with all of our readers. …

the-sleeping-bear-1

My Bad Pad

(via campingblogger on twitter)

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hiker Brian Frankle of ULA

Tom Mangan— I’ve heard that name before … somewhere — published an article on hiking guru Brian Frankle of ULA-Equipment.

Frankle’s ULA-Equipment essentially goes out of business every fall, when he shuts down his garage-based backpack factory in Logan, Utah, and hits the trail, typically for weeks or months along little-known routes like Utah’s Hayduke Trail or Idaho’s Centennial Trail.

Then it’s back to the sewing machines.

“Basically, from the day that I reopen in November until all the way to the day that I close, it’s full-on,” Frankle says. “I’m in here 10 to 12 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Sounds like a crazy workload, but Frankle’s grown into it over the decade since he completed the Pacific Crest Trail in 1999. He started ULA-Equipment in 2001 to bridge a gap: commercially built backpacks were too heavy, and ultra-light packs were too bare-bones.

brian-idaho-375-485

Trailspace – Gear Maker Profile: Brian Frankle of ULA-Equipment

(via Two-Heel Drive) … and Facebook

I am looking for a new multi-day hiking pack this season. My beloved Granite Gear Virga is getting “holey” and is somewhat underfeatured to carry my preferred gear list.

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cooking outdoors – Jetboil Flash PCS


The best site by far for hikers who EAT FOOD is Trail Cooking & The Outdoors.

Subscribe to that blog, for sure.

Sarah posted a good overview article: The Many Methods Of Trail Cooking. The main categories:

  • Freezer Bag Cooking™ (FBC style)
  • One pot meals
  • No Cook Method
  • Insulated mug method

    • If you like one pot meals you should check out the recently announced Jetboil Flash PCS.

    will come in four colors—black, gold, purple, and blue …

    thermochromic technology (the decorative wave on the outside of the cup changes colors as contents inside heat up) …

    translucent lid to track cooking progress …

    The Flash PCS canister stove will be available for fall 2009 and will retail for $99.95.

    Trailspace

    I’ll be updating my current JetBoil. These are good improvements.

    Click PLAY or watch a demo on YouTube.

    Still … the entire system is dangerously unstable. (The centre of gravity too high for the small base of support.) I never use it without stabilizing the unit by burying the base in the sand, or bracing it with rocks.

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    bike tent combo


    Another odd idea.

    … According to Topeak, the Bikamper ‘is a personal shelter that utilizes a 26″ mountain or 700c road front wheel in place of tent poles.’ The tent and the fly fold down into tiny 10.2″ x 5.5″ pack, weighing in at 3.59 lbs. …

    bikamper

    Uncooped – campergirl – The Bikamper: A good idea?

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    waterproof backpacks and bags

    Famously, in his classic book A Walk in the Woods, author Bill Bryson was outraged that top-of-the-line backpacks were not waterproof.

    That’s finally changing.

    Shopping my favourite gear store (Mountain Equipment Co-op) with Christmas gift certificates, I was surprised how many waterproof backpacks were on the shelves. Their website lists 16 products in the hiking section.

    MEC carries Outdoor Research (OR) and Seal Line. Both looked great.

    For example, the OR Drycomp Summit Sack:

    or-drycomp-summit-sack`

    Only $55.00 CAD. Cheap.

    For myself, I picked up a $10 MEC Sil/Pu Pack Liner.

    What gear did you buy yourself for Christmas?

    Leave a comment.

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    VholdR – wearable sport camcorder

    I’m looking at options for recording adventure racing events.

    This would work.

    VholdR Wearable Camcorder (Black)

    VholdR Wearable Camcorder (Black) ($330)

    Leave a comment if you have any other recommendations.

    “Waterproof” (or water resistance) is a big selling point. Here is the VholdR being used on a Jetski.