product endorsements – Page 31

August 14, 2008

review – Ultimate Directions Baffin backpack

My Adventure Racing Team just bought 8 from Mountain Gear in Washington State for $30 each.

An older model, so far we are LOVING them.

The Ultimate Direction Baffin is a dynamite hydration pack that’s packed with features including an insulated hydration pocket, making it a natural choice for extreme hot or cold weather.

Features:

* Maintain the pack shape and never get overloaded – the contoured hydration pocket maintains packâ€™s intended shape and has a drainage hole at the bottom
* Large main pocket offers easy access while a front panel pocket and two side mesh pockets let your organize gear
* Contoured shoulder harness and removable waistbelt let you carry the load in comfort

Specifications:

* Capacity: 1000 cu in
* Weight: 1 lb 14 oz
* Fluid capacity: 64 fl oz
* Material: 420-denier nylon

Regular price $69.95. Sale Price: $29.98. – details

August 13, 2008

MSR Carbon Reflex 2 tent – WOW

I’m seriously looking at this one.

MSR Carbon Reflex 2 tent - WOW

… we were ecstatic to find out about MSR’s two-man Carbon Reflex 2 (pictured at right). Similar to the popular Single Hubba tent (which is only for one person), they’ve done away with the hubs and are using carbon fiber poles. What does this one weigh in at? Two pounds, thirteen ounces. One ounce heavier than the Single Hubba, but for double the campers.

Outside – Outdoor Retailer: The Shows Lightest and Brainiest Tents

It’s not yet on the MSR website, as I write.

(via The Adventure Blog)

August 12, 2008

great idea – Hike Hacker

Based loosely on the wonderful Lifehacker blog, Tom Mangan is putting together a similar blog for US.

… devoted to handy hints for hikers, backpackers, etc.

My darling spouse has already contributed several tips for organizing and de-skunking a gear closet, for example.

Right now Iâ€™m thinking of keeping it down to a half-dozen simple categories:

1. Hygiene
2. Fitness
3. Gear
4. Navigation
5. Food
6. Safety

Suggestions welcome, as always …

Tom Mangan on Two-Heel Drive.

Click through if interested. Especially if you want to contribute.

July 31, 2008

$40k prize money – climb Mt Washington, NH

Where do I sign up for the Seek the Peak fundraiser for the Mount Washington Observatory?

I could handle the media interview at the top:

larger version

… Hikers came in droves to support the non-profit Mount Washington Observatory during Saturdayâ€™s annual Seek the Peak hike-a-thon, making the 2008 edition the most successful event in its eight-year history. 250 hikers from as far away as Texas, Colorado, Florida and the Carolinas, ventured to the summit of the tallest peak in New England, raising a total of $97,000 for the Observatory. That sum fell just short of the eventâ€™s ambitious $100,000 goal, but surpassed the eventâ€™s 2007 fundraising totals by more than $33,000 and more than doubled the 2006 effort.

Despite its reputation for being home to some of the most extreme conditions on Earth, Mount Washington was rather tame on Saturday, with sunny skies and pleasant hiking conditions. This was a welcome sight, after a weekâ€™s worth of torrential downpours and strong thunderstorms in the area.

…

Presented by Subaru and L.L.Bean, Seek the Peak is Mount Washington Observatory’s largest annual fundraiser. All proceeds from the event benefit the 76-year old organizationâ€™s ongoing efforts in weather observation, education and research. The cumulative total that this specific event has raised over its eight year history is now over $377,000. …

Mt Washington Observatory

Seek the Peak – official site of the fundraiser

July 29, 2008

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir

I gots to get one of these.

For the past month, rumors have circulated among the outdoor-gear cognoscenti about a new minimalist air mattress that’d pack to the size of a one-liter Nalgene bottle while providing nearly as much warmth as a bulky pad stuffed with goose down.

Indeed, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Mattress, announced officially on July 17, is now touted as the “worldâ€™s lightest, most advanced three-season air mattress.” Manufacturer Cascade Designs Inc. cites the inflatable pad as being approximately three times warmer than any other un-insulated air mattress on the market.

While the pad isn’t yet available for testing — and it won’t ship to stores until April 2009 — …

WHAT! … WHY so long?

NeoAir pads will come in four sizes, but the smallest iteration — which measures 20 x 47 inches unrolled and packs to the size of the aforementioned Nalgene bottle — will weigh a scant 9 ounces, or less than the average trail-running shoe. …

NeoAir debuts next year for $120 – $170, depending on size. If all is as the company claims, this pad could be a panacea for backpackers looking to cut bulk and save weight while still sleeping cozy in a bag on the cold hard ground.

The Gear Junkie Scoop: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir – Outside

I’m loving my ExPed 7 â€” but it weighs 27.9oz (790gms). I usually leave it at home.

July 27, 2008

great gifts for hikers

Check this page on the Life is Good site:

category – camp and hike

My own personal favourite: Not all who wander are lost. (I have 3 of these.)

Life is good Inc. is doing well:

Last year, the company sold 4.2 million of its $25 T-shirts and had sales of roughly $107 million, said Bert Jacobs, who along with his brother, John Jacobs, founded the business in Needham, Mass., in 1994 with only a handful of styles and a van.

They were trying to create â€œa symbol about what was right in the world,â€ he said

NY Times

(via Wicked Outdoorsy)

July 15, 2008

Trailspotting Features – awesome

Very cool.

There’s more to Trailspotting than just spotting trails, and we’re adding new features all the time. Here’s a summary of the special features we’ve let loose during our first few months of publication …

Trailspotting – Features

I love this site.

July 3, 2008

Alpacka Raft for hiking

AT bought an Alpacka Raft.

I’m jealous.

Alpacka rafts are ultra-light inflatable rafts designed for wilderness boating. They are ightweight (about 2kg), very durable, repairable in the field, and suitable for running whitewater. In certain terrains (such as Lapland), packrafts tremendously expand your exploration options. The unique virtue of the packraft is its portability. Alpacka Raft is designed to be carried for extended distances, along with its propulsion system (usually collapsable paddles or lightweight oars).

Wanderlust

Ouch. $790 retail. I still can’t afford one.

Alpacka Raft – official website

June 29, 2008

recommended – Powermonkey Solar Power Charger

George bought a solar power charger over the winter. So far, he’s very impressed.

The official weight listed is 1.4lbs. But that’s with EVERY piece. If you are only hiking with an iPod and a phone, it would be far lighter than 1lb.

You hang the solar charger anywhere on your pack. It stores a charge for later juicing your camera, phone and other electronics.

I’m convinced. I’ll get one for longer trips this summer. Cost is $130 from Amazon. George got his for less than $100.

Powermonkey Solar Power Portable Charger – Amazon

June 26, 2008

recommended hiking book – The Cactus Eaters

How I Lost My Mind-and Almost Found Myself-on the Pacific Crest Trail

Traversing broiling deserts, snowy mountain passes and dank rain forests on its crooked way from Mexico to Canada, the Pacific Coast Trail is an epic challenge for die-hard backpackers. White and his girlfriend, Melissa, set out, late in the season and bereft of experience, to tread all 2,650 miles of it, leaving behind lousy reporting jobs and hoping to find self-definition and a deepened relationship. (They call their trek the Lois and Clark Expedition.)

Hilarious greenhorn misadventures ensueâ€”including the author’s ill-advised chomp, while dizzy with dehydration, into a reputedly moisture-laden prickly-pear cactusâ€”that tested their survival skills and commitment as a couple. The trail becomes less an itinerary than a world unto itself, full of squalor, discomfort and majestic scenery, and peopled by charismatic misfits and an austere cult of ultra-light speed-hikers, as the couple rely on arcane camping gear and bizarre gummy-bear-and-marshmallow diets. The wilderness authenticity the author seeks proves elusive; all journey and no destination, the story itself eventually trails off with the hero even more callow and confused than when he started. Still, White’s vivid prose and hangdog humor make readers want to keep up.

The Cactus Eaters – Amazon