Category: gear

Posted on

Outdoorzy top 10 hiking innovations

Bloody good list. Thanks!

10. Jet Boil
9. LED lights
8. MSR Miox Water Purifier
7. Digital Cameras
6. GPS
5. Multi-tools
4. Titanium Cookware
3. Quick Dry – Polyester
2. Lightweight Shoes
1. Ultralight Tents

Outdoorzy.com…blog

Now …

If you have a JetBoil, no need for Titanium cookware. Maybe I can add fleece in that spot. (I was in the Andes when fleece clothing first arrived. The Indian MOMS love it!)

I need to try the Miox. My days of enjoying the ritual of pumping water are looonnnggg gone.

fleece.jpg

MEC check fleece top – my #4

Posted on

2oz AeroVestâ„¢ – $15

I want one of these.

AeroVest Survival Vest

The 2 oz. AeroVestâ„¢ is compact, lightweight and inexpensive insurance against emergencies. It packs up smaller than a deck of cards yet inflates into a full sized emergency vest that shields you from wind and rain. The silver lining refects radiated heat back to you while the 18 air pokets insulate you from the cold. …

* 18 air pockets help keep heat in, cold out.
* Your 98.6 degree breath provides instant warmth
* Bright Yellow/Orange exterior for increased visibility in an emergency
* AeroVestâ„¢ comes in a single size that can fit teens and adults up to XL (men’s 46 jacket)

PreparedPilot.com

aerovest_400.jpg
(via Hiking H.Q. forum)

Posted on

Light Backpacking says abandon Swiss Army Knife

Sacrilege! They say:

I have two beautiful Swiss Army Knives and love them.

BUT they weigh four ounces each and I don’t need all the extras they offer.

So I purchased for 99 cents a small knife with plastic handle I found in a clear plastic bin on the counter of my local hardware store. It was put there to be an impulse buy. But it’s been a trusty little friend, weighing a half ounce. Great for cutting cheese, salami, or cord.

LightBackpacking.com Make Your Backpack Light in 2007 – One of the “Ten Essentials”

Personally, I can’t bear to leave behind my Swiss Champ.

In fact, I may upgrade to the Wenger Giant Collector’s Swiss Army Knife. (Let’s see a bear try to swallow this.)

16999e.jpg

Practical Travel Gear

Posted on

The Gear Junkie gets it right

When columnist Stephen Regenold set out his list of Greatest Gear of 5 Years, he must have known the potential for indignant outcry was great.

Gladly, the Gear Junkie got it right:

#1 The Original Buff

Nothing else I’ve tested over the past five years has stuck with me as much as the Original Buff, a hard-to-categorize headgear piece that’s essentially a tubular hat made of a thin, stretchy, seamless synthetic fabric that hugs your head to wick sweat or keep the sun and wind at bay.

I use Buffs year-round, as headbands in the summer, hats in the spring and fall, and balaclavas during the wintertime. They are lightweight, multi-functional items that have become literally indispensable for me during outings that range from ultra-endurance races to nightly jogs through my neighborhood. (Original Buff, $18.50; www.buffusa.com)

566.jpg

The Gear Junkie – The Daily Dose

The lowly bandana is my #1 piece of gear. But I will get Buff.

I also like his #4 pick, the Granite Gear – Virga Ultralight .

Granite Gear - Virga Ultralight Pack Short

Given to me as a gift, this is my go to pack for cycling and short walks.

For multi-day hikes I use the heavier Granite Gear Nimbus Latitude.

(via Adventure Blog)

Posted on

Alpacka lightweight raft

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }
.flickr-yourcomment { }
.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }



Raft 11cropped, originally uploaded by adamnoman.

I think I need this for pioneering a new route on Vancouver Island.

The Alpacka packraft rolls up to about the size of a 3-person tent and weighs only 4 pounds. Add the Alpacka deck for 11-ounces more and you can motor through rapids in the inflatable bathtub.

It’s a pretty cool little boat, but it’ll set you back almost $800. It’s a lot of money, but apparently it’s more than just a pool toy—the little boat is popular for long backpacking trips and gaining access to unclimbed ranges.

Backcountry.com: The Goat » Blog Archive » Lightweight Inflatable Kayak Looks Suspiciously Like Tire Inner Tube

Thanks Rocky!

Alpacka rafts

Posted on

puncture-resistant Therm-a-Rest

If you use a Therm-a-Rest long enough, you invariably wake up one night on a deflated mat. If it’s a slow leak, you’ll re-inflate it every two hours when your violent shivers wake you up. Then you’ll probably forget to patch it when you get back home making your next trip just as much fun.

But now Therm-a-Rest is selling ToughSkin mats with a layer of foam between the air pocket and face fabric that blocks thorns and broken beer bottles from poking through. What took so long?
Backcountry.com: The Goat » Puncture-Resistant Sleeping Mats – Rocky Thompson

ToughSkin by Therm-A-Rest

ToughSkin by Therm-A-Rest

On the same topic, I heard an excellent audiocast interview with Greg Garrigues, GM of award winning Pacific Outdoor Equipment. (Who knew mat technology was so sophisticated!)

Greg is quite knowledgeable about the materials and technology that goes into making comfortable sleeping mats. And he explains the season, gender, size, and genre-of-user specific features that are available in the Pacific Outdoor Equipment line of sleeping mats.

Practical Backpacking podcast #26

I’m still using the ExPed 7.

Posted on

New Zealand hiking patches

tongariro-patch.jpgBack in the 1970s I collected patches from my travels. Sewed them on to my old backpack travelling Europe.

Patches are back. At least in New Zealand. They make an ideal retro Great Walk souvenir.

The patches are inspired by New Zealand’s wonderful natural landscape and unique fauna and flora. Focusing on the National Parks, the patches feature iconic images ranging from alpine wilderness and volcanic mountain to rugged coastline; rainforest to montane forest and tussock grassland; glaciers, cascading rivers and serene lakes.

NZ Patches.com

Posted on

what’s the best backpack for a dog?

“Can I take my dog on this hike?”

That’s the critical question for many.

As an increasing number of trails disallow dogs overnight in the backcountry, it’s becomes a more important question.

One of the best hkes we know that allows dogs overnight is Paria Canyon in Utah. If you can recommend others, please leave a comment below this post.

Also leave a comment if you have a recommendation on a dog backpack. There’s some good buzz on the internet about the Kyjen models available from about US$20.


The Quick Releaseâ„¢ Dog BackPacks will give your dog maximum comfort and convenience when hiking with you. The backpack is designed with an adjustable harness and removable pack. Large storage pockets hold food, water and other gear. Made with extra-strong nylon for durability. Quick Release Dog BackPacks feature the “quick release” leash holder for use when approaching other hikers, dogs, or wildlife. Available in four sizes to fit most dogs.

The Kyjen Company :: Outdoor Gear for Pets

pet-guys_1943_11286906.jpeg

Check also — HikeWithYourDog.com

Posted on

do you carry an MP3 player on the trail?

I’m often embarrassed to admit I do.

But look at this. Crow is up front with her electronic dependence.

For the upcoming PCT trip I’m bringing the iriver T10 2gb MP3 player with fm radio. It weighs 1.7 ounces 48 grams without battery. It has a little clip to clip it on to anything or clip it on to the neck lanyard it comes with.

… one AA battery; the battery is supposed to last 45 hours. I put a lithium battery in it because it is lighter and last longer then a regular battery, so I’m thinking maybe it will last 100 hours on one battery.

If I super compress my files, I think I can get 100 hours of stuff on it. It also records, so a person could record their thoughts along the way with the built in microphone.

… I have ordered a pair of Sony MDR-ED21LP Fontopia In-The-Ear Headphones …

… Last summer, my son downloaded, for me, 300 hours of “This American Life”, a NPR radio documentary show. Sadly I have listened to all 300 hours—twice. But that would have made great listening, on the trail.

For music on the trail, I find folk, country and show tunes the most effective hiking music, with most stuff by Johnny Cash being about the most perfect hiking tempo.

As The Crow Flies» Blog Archive » Radios and mp3 players for the long distance hiker.

I’ve carried a Rio Cali for years, finally losing it atop the highest mountain in Tasmania.

Apple 4 GB iPod Nano AAC/MP3 Player - Silver (2nd Generation)After some research I opted for an iPod Nano. The proprietary battery is a problem — but I plan to get the portable charger, as well.

Another planned add-on is the Griffin iTalk microphone.

I mostly listen to audio podcasts (BBC, CBC, NPR, TWIT, etc.) as well as books on MP3.

I only listen on the trail when I REALLY need it. But in the tent at night the MP3 is a Godsend.

What about you? Do you carry an MP3? What do you listen to?

Leave a comment below.