uncategorized – Page 7

September 6, 2010September 1, 2010

warning – do not buy North Farce

You’ve heard it time and time again. Don’t risk buying the shoddy fake gear in Asia.

I ignored that sage advice last November, buying a bag looking somewhat like this one, the Ajungilak Sphere Spring. US$445 on the Marmot website.

My cost … US$76.

I bought it at the best department store in Kathmandu, BhatBhateni Super Store.

When I asked the clerk if it was “made in Nepal“, not in Romania as it claimed on the label, he vigorously denied it was a fake.

About 4 months later, the zipper started to fail. Weeks after that, the seams started to undo. Each morning I’d wake with plenty of goose down floating around my tent.

Finally I replaced it with this GoLite Adrenaline 40°F Down Sleeping Bag – Mummy, 800 Fill Power (For Women) bag from Sierra Trading Post.

I paid $162.50 for it, in store. Same price as on their website today.

I tried the Men’s version, as well. But the Women’s just felt better. And with a half zip it was 1oz lighter. (1 lb. 6 oz. Regular)

April 23, 2010April 18, 2010

Crescent City dunes, California

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

I had been on my way to the Oregon Dunes, a hiking destination recommended by Lonely Planet Hiking USA. (It should be added to our best hikes list.)

But the rain was pounding down when I drove through Oregon. Instead I rolled on down the Redwood Highway into northern California, staying one night in the rather forgettable town of Crescent City.

Next morning when the rain stopped, I was pleased to discover several nearby hikes strongly recommended by Moon Hiking California, one of them coastal “dunes”.

This is the Lake Earl Wildlife Area.

Also called Pelican Bay Sand Dunes, Kellogg Beach, Fort Dick Beach, … and likely some other names. By whatever name, I sincerely enjoyed a morning walk there, all by my lonesome.

Listed at 2.5mi in my guidebook, in reality you hike from one of several parking lots to the beach wandering for as long as you like.

It felt like Oregon, even though I was something like 11mi south of the State line.

See all my photos from that day hike.

October 21, 2009October 17, 2009

best water bottle for hiking

When I gave up on carrying a water filter, I gave up on Nalgene wide mouth bottles.

In recent years I’ve simply carried a soft drink bottle. It’s fantastically reliable and fits more easily into my pack pocket than a Nalgene.

Crow recommends …

… a 20 ounce “Vitamin Water” bottle. I wanted a wide mouth bottle because it’s easier to add drink powders to them. …

I have been using the same bottle for years. That’s the thing about “single use” plastic bottles, I don’t care how many years I have carried the same bottle, nor how many times I have dropped it, nor how rough its life has been. I have never, ever had a “single use” plastic bottle fail me.

They are light, dependable, and cheap. “Single use” plastic bottles are what I use for all my water carrying needs.

read more – Gear Review: “Vitamin Water” bottle

Good idea. I think I’ll buy my first and last bottle of Vitamin Water.

Needless to say, Crow has no time for water bladders.

July 5, 2009July 8, 2009

gone hiking …

Editor Rick McCharles will be offline hiking for a few days.

June 16, 2009

video – Adventure Sports Week

What is Adventure Racing, anyway?

I put together a 2.5min video with a few clips from the 25 races at Adventure Sports Week 2009.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

May 29, 2009June 4, 2009

site editor hiking Death Valley

Expect delays approving comments.

May 17, 2009May 19, 2009

Bibbulmun Track trip report

Only about 500 people have completed the Bibbulmun Track, nearly 1000kms (620mi) from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia.

One of those is Dave Tomlinson who posted his 2007 trip report on Our Hiking Blog.

Bibbulmun_Track_map_large

… When I reflect on the entire time I spent hiking the track, I think the first few days were the toughest of all. There is nothing quite like the challenge of carrying a heavy pack over difficult terrain in 40 degree heat. Although the track goes through eight towns, the first one is ten days from Perth. So, my pack was very heavy with supplies and I was stiff and sore during those initial stages. But as I progressed, my muscles began to get attuned to what was expected, my pack gradually lightened and things became easier. …

albany_windfarm_bibbulman_track

… Amazingly, I completed the whole distance without even a blister. Apart from some general soreness when I first started, I didn’t have any problems at all. There wasn’t a single day when I didn’t wake up and feel excited by what I was doing. Even on the most physically demanding days I embraced the challenge and never felt any doubt about reaching Albany in good health. The weather was generally very good and my Goretex jacket was often nothing more than my pillow at night. I only had rain on four days in the entire seven weeks. …

dave_at_the_end_bibbulman_track

To learn more about this amazing tramp, here are the most important links:

» The Bibbulmun Track – a long distance hike – Trip Report – Part One

» Bibbulman Track – Southern Section – Trip Report – Part Two

» official website – Bibbulmun Track

March 28, 2009March 23, 2009

Travels to the edge with Art Wolfe – Patagonia

GreatOutdoors.com recommended a PBS TV show called Travels to the edge with Art Wolfe.

Art Wolfe, an internationally acclaimed photographer, invites you to experience the world with him as he travels and photographs Patagonia, Peru, Bolivia, Alaska, Ethiopia, Madagascar, India and South Georgia Island. Watch in HD (high definition) as Art captures images of majestic glaciers, expansive deserts, teeming rainforests, remote mountain peaks, and exotic tribal gatherings right on location.

A wonderful sample of the program takes you to the rarely photographed North Face of Mt. Fitz Roy:

Click PLAY or watch a 7min introduction on YouTube.

more videos in higher resolution – Travels to the edge

March 26, 2009

research – health benefits of hiking

From an excellent article by hiking author John McKinney:

“Walk out the door and find good health. There is no fever that a 10-mile hike can’t cure,” suggests Garrison Keillor, the wry host of National Public Radio’s Prairie Home Companion.

Millions of Americans who like to hike believe that hiking contributes to good physical and mental health. And yet, until recently, nearly all evidence offered for the benefits of taking a hike was anecdotal, and very little hiking-specific scientific research supported that belief.

In 2004, Austrian researchers announced the results of an intriguing study demonstrating that different types of hiking have different influences on the fats and sugars in the blood. For the study, one group hiked up a ski resort mountain in the Alps and descended by cable car, while the other group rode the cable car up and hiked down. After two months of hiking, the groups switched hiking programs and repeated the experiment.

As expected, hiking uphill proved to be a great workout and provided measurable health benefits. Unexpectedly, researchers from the Vorarlberg Institute for Vascular Investigation and Treatment discovered that hiking downhill also has unique benefits.

Both uphill and downhill hiking reduced LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Only hiking uphill reduced triglyceride levels. The study’s surprise finding was that hiking downhill was nearly twice as effective as uphill hiking at removing blood sugars and improving glucose tolerance. A second study of uphill/downhill hiking was conducted this summer, but results have yet to be announced.

… read more – Miller-McCune – For Good Health: Take a Hike!

(via Backpacker)