Category: gear

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new danger in the woods: Electric Bear Fence

Does Rocky Thompson make this stuff up?

(This can’t be for real.)

On his blog:

… Try to remember there’s an electrified fence right outside your tent when you get up in the middle of the night to take a piss. If a can of Bear Spray doesn’t offer the protection you’re looking for, then you might try lugging some fencing and batteries into the backcountry. The Bear Shock outfit weighs 3.7 pounds with batteries, and stretches around a 30 x 30ft area.

The website claims the batteries will last five weeks and blast someone with 6000 volts of electricity if touched. I say “someone” and not “some bear” since it’s much more likely you’ll walk into it than anything else.

Backcountry.com: The Goat » Blog Archive » Portable Electric Bear Fence to Encircle Your Campsite

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more photos – Bear Shock

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best hikes – The Gear Junkie

Another (older) “best hike” list posted by nationally-syndicated newspaper columnist Stephen Regenold, The Gear Junkie:

BK: What are your five favorite camping or hiking places in the U.S. or Canada? And why?

SR:
1. Minnesota’s North Shore—Lake Superior views, quiet old mossy forests. My homeland!

2. Big Sur, Calif.—Giant redwoods, rushing rivers, waterfalls, fog, ferns, ocean. . .

3. Red Rock Canyon, Nevada—Otherworldly sandstone valleys and mountains 25 minutes from the Vegas Strip

4. Black Hills, South Dakota—Granite spires, deep piney forests

5. Central Colorado—This country’s version of the Swiss Alps, especially in springtime

And a bonus question:

BK: Let’s take water. What is your opinion on all the different ways to treat waterborne parasites and bacteria. What’s your ultimate recommendation?

SR: I use iodine and other chemical tablets. Have never had a parasite or an incident, though most of the places I go are pretty pristine. On the Primal Quest, however, we had to filter the silt out of river water with one of my teammates’ (Roy Wallack’s) underwear!

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Q-and-A with The Gear Junkie :: The Daily Dose :: The Gear Junkie

(via The Adventure Blog)

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tips to make a good hiking trip, great

In the cold Canadian winter, the only hiking I can do is on-line. I’m dreaming of warmer weather.

On one of my favourite hiking sites (out of Australia), Frank posted this advice:

What do you need to prepare for a multiday hike so you have a great time and enjoy the outdoors? We have put together a “Top 7” list of ideas we always use whenever we head out into the bush.

Now the list, in no particular order……..

1) Good food …

2) Good companion(s) …

3) Know your route and expected hiking times …

4) Light weight …

5) Comfortable boots …

6) Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back …

7) Take shared gear

Our Hiking Blog: 7 tips to make a good hiking trip, great

Another good, original checklist was posted by Tom Mangan. Essentials for dayhiking:

1. NAVIGATION.
2. SUN PROTECTION.
3. INSULATION.
4. ILLUMINATION.
5. FIRST-AID SUPPLIES.
6. FIRE.
7. REPAIR KIT AND TOOLS.
8. NUTRITION.
9. HYDRATION.
10. EMERGENCY SHELTER.

The real 10 Essentials – Two-Heel Drive

Tom neglected to include a product I got as a Christmas from Garth: TowTabs.

Simply add water to a “tablet” … and it turns into quite a good towlet!

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details – TowTabs

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air-supported tents – good idea

Only just subscribed, here I am already linking to a post by Allie Comeau on the Sierra Trading Post blog. This one from last summer.

Want to see something really cool? Nemo Hypno and Nemo Morpho are tents—but not like the ones you’re used to. In keeping with their “Matrix”-esque names, they’re super lightweight, super high-tech tents that go with the flow. The air flow, that is. Instead of relying on old-school metal poles, these suckers are held up with air-filled tubes. …

Nemo Hypno and Nemo Morpho: Awesome Air-Supported Tents: Video

Click PLAY or watch a demo on YouTube.

Now … If I can use that air pump to also inflate my 5lb hiking raft, I might be interested.

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hiking guru Ray Jardine carrying a HEAVY pack

The man who popularized Lightweight Hiking is carrying a heavy pack.

After two days in Mendoza, we were driven 1.5 hours to a wintertime ski resort in the nearby mountains called the Cordon del Plata. There we shouldered our outrageously heavy backpacks and hiked for 1 hour up a quite steep trail to a lovely alpine meadow called Las Vegas (The Springs), and there made our first camp.

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Jenny

We were now at an elevation of 10,300 feet and, as we live at 1,500 feet, and Mendoza is at 2,700 feet, that was quite a sudden jump in altitude. …

read the trip report – NFT

I won’t feel so bad next time I do the same thing.

Ray and Jenny Jardine are hiking in Argentina right now. I’ve been eyeing that region, the towns of Mendoza and Bariloche, myself for some time now. Jumping off points for Aconcagua and Nahuel Huapi.

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gear – Down vs. Synthetic Guide

You know the Sierra Trading Post (love that retro name) as a good supplier of overstock and closeout outdoor gear. They also post information for hikers. For example: Down vs. Synthetic Guide

Quick Guide to Down

Pros

* Is warmer than synthetic insulation ounce for ounce. …
* Retains its shape and loft and, with proper care, can last a lifetime. …
* Wicks body moisture and allows it to evaporate. …
* Is highly compressible and lightweight. …

Cons

* Loses its insulating properties when wet and is slow to dry. …
* Requires special cleaning. …
* May contain allergens. …
* Costs a pretty penny. …

If you, like me, are already decided on the Down vs Synthetic issue (buy the highest fill down you can afford) it’s still well worth checking out something new:

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I saw that article linked from the very attractive Sierra Trading Post blog. We’ve linked to their blog under BLOGS in the right hand navigation as it includes much more than the usual buy-my-latest-greatest-gear promos. (e.g. Writer Raises Wild-Born Coyote in Wyoming)

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do NOT throw away your Nalgene

16 Oz. Colored Narrow Mouth Nalgene Water Bottle - In Your Choice of ColorsChris on the Hike Alberta blog has been researching the dangers of Nalgene bottles leaching bisphenol.

Goodbye to my Nalgene Bottles | Hike Alberta

Click through if you want to see the details.

It’s the first I’ve heard of this hazard. I normally carry one Nalgene, one soft drink bottle.

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UPDATE: Turns out Sarah on the Freezer Bag Cooking blog has already debunked this myth.

Leave a comment if you are throwing away your Nalgene bottle. But first read the other comments.

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how can I blog from the hiking trail?

Circumnavigate the world by bike and boat?

… better them than me.

Simon Evans and Fearghal O’Nuallain are planning an adventure called Revolution Cycle 2009. Team Geared Up has the details.

But I’m always looking for state of the art technology I might use for updating hiking trip report and blogging from the trail.

Here’s what Revolution Cycle is planning to use:

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As the expedition will cover over 25,000km and last for over 14 months, durability is the key requirement for our bikes and equipment. All of the kit used en route will have to be of the highest quality as it will have to function in extreme and varied environments- from the subzero Andean passes to the baking heat of the Libyan desert and everything in between. …

Revolution Cycle – gear page

Too heavy for hiking. Ideally, I’d want to take a photo on something like a satellite camera iPhone — and have it automatically posted on this blog.

Any suggestions? Leave a comment.

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wind-up iPod replacement

Rocky Thompson linked to a Treehugger post about an MP3 player that can be recharged manually with a crank.

It’s got a voice recorder for trail notes. Can store and display hiking photos and video on removable SD cards.

This looks interesting! (Is Christmas coming?)

… the Eco Media Player would be a great option for PCT hikers or anyone who spends a lot of time in the backcountry and likes to bring music. One minute of cranking this MP3 player gives you 40 minutes of audio play time while a full charge from a wall socket gives you 20 hours of playback. It only has 2GB of internal storage, but an SD slot lets you add more slow jams and books on MP3. The Eco Media Player also has an FM radio, LED flashlight, memo recorder, and it can recharge your cell phone. Not bad. The rig is only available in the UK for now, and it costs about £155.

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Backcountry.com: The Goat » Blog Archive » Wind-Up iPod Replacement

Oh, oh. Looks like it’s not Mac compatible. That’s a deal breaker for me.

… might have to wait for a wind-up iPhone.