Archive for the ‘Gear Reviews’ Category

There was nothing harder than the decision to hang up my old and trusted hiking boots.  I felt as if I was moving away from an old friend, but alas they had holes in them, and the tread was worn down to something resembling bowling shoes.  I dreaded the search for a new pair, but it was a trek I had to take (pun intended)…

As it turns out, I ended up with a pair of Merrell Moab Mid GTX.  I had tried on dozens of other pairs from stores within a radius of about 60 miles, and these were the clear winners in comfort.  From the moment I put them on, I felt as if they had been on my feet for 40 miles already.  The price was about what I wanted to pay as well, roughly $100.  I was a month away from my next trek, so as every good hiker should, I left them glued to my feet, taking them off only to sleep.  I would have thought that the breaking-in process would have been more drastic, but these boots were so comfortable and form fitting, that they hardly changed during the whole process.  I wore them up and down my hike, and I still wear them as my daily walkers as well.  They are an excellent fit, completely waterproof (I mean it!) and are comfortably lightweight.  I would recommend buying a pair of Merrells to anyone, and even did so to a team of hikers we caught up with on the trek.  Even my partner Kelly bought a pair, and it’s almost a struggle getting them off of her before bed!  Trust me folks, they’re worth the price!

Breakdown and Features:

UPPER/LINING
• Waterproof Dura leather and mesh upper
• Bellows tongue keeps debris out
• Synthetic leather toe cap and heel counter
• GORE-TEX® Performance Comfort Footwear lining protects feet and keeps them dry
• Breathable mesh lining treated with Aegis® Antimicrobial solution maintains foot comfort
• Ortholite® Anatomical Footbed

MIDSOLE/OUTSOLE
• Molded nylon arch shank
• Compression molded EVA footframe provides cushioning
• Merrell® Air Cushion in the heel absorbs shock and adds stability
• 5mm Sole lug depth
• Vibram® Multi-Sport Sole/TC5+ Rubber
• Weight: 1 lb 15 ozs.

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One thing you will notice in all of my pictures is that I am wearing a headband or bandana.  I can’t express enough of handy they are to have.  They can serve as a tourniquet in times of trouble, a washcloth on a hot day, head covering from bugs, and even preventing sunburn for the ‘hair challenged’.

When I found my first buff, I was rather skeptical.  I didn’t think it would do all of the things that they boasted it would.  Boy was I wrong.  The sheer combinations of configurations that this glorified loop of synthetic fabric can create are just staggering.  The best part of all is that when you no longer wish to wear it on your head, you can simply wrap it around your wrist for easy access next time.  Most Buffs are UV protected to prevent burning your pretty little head.  They are also comfortably soft and stretchy, and even moisture wicking!

They also have hundreds if not thousands of patterns to choose from.  I would strongly recommend going to their sales website and looking to see if there is one you love.  http://planetbuff.com

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Permethrin

Well if you’ve read any of my reviews, you’ll know that I don’t typically talk bad about products.  I won’t talk bad about Permethrin spray, but I can’t honestly say anything beneficial either.

The product states that after applying the permethrin spray to your clothes and allowing it to dry, your clothes will become a deathtrap to any ticks or flying bugs and mosquitoes that come into contact with it.  I wouldn’t put my money on that…

The directions state that you should completely spray down your clothes before going out, allowing them to dry for at least 24 hours before wearing them.  DO NOT get this on your skin.  It burns rather harshly.  So spray down your pants and shirts, even your jackets and bandana, and let them dry very well before wearing them.  The directions state that you can even wash them several times before you have to spray them again.

Well, I’ve used this spray on dozens of my hikes, including those with rampant mosquitoes and ticks.   I have not noticed any difference in the attitude of bloodthirsty mosquitoes biting through my shirt, or the demeanor of the tick I had to dig out of my shoulder.  Ticks are supposed to die on contact with permethrin, yet this tick managed to get through 2 layers of clothes, both sprayed with this product.  I have been thoroughly unimpressed with this product for years, and I’ve given it dozens of chances.

In my opinion folks, I would look into other options or just go the old-fashioned route and buy some DEET-based bug spray.

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The Casio Pathfinder PAW1500T-7V is the latest addition to my hiking and backpacking arsenal.  There are a few reasons to purchase this watch, the main one being it makes you feel eerily like James Bond with a new gadget.

Getting back to all seriousness, this watch is fantastic to take out on the trails. The range of functions that this watch can perform will stagger the senses.  I will list just a few for you;

Multi-Band Atomic Timekeeping

It automatically calls out to the national atomic time broadcast towers and updates itself up to 6 times a night, so your time is always accurate.

Solar Power

How do you make a watch better?  Make it run off the sun!  With as little as 5 minutes a day exposure to direct sunlight, this watch will keep it’s main charge for up to 5 months.  Just with 5 minutes a day!  Any more than that, it will always keep the battery fresh and charged.

600ft Water Resistant

For those tough days hiking in a horrible, driving rain.

Tide Graph

I haven’t really figured out how this will benefit me, but I’ll admit I find myself checking EXACTLY what the current tide is every hour!  I suppose it would be useful for beach hiking, but around Michigan that’s not exactly our main trail system…

Moon Data

Notably, one of the best functions ever put into a watch.  You may be asking yourself “Why the hell would I want to know the phase of the moon when I’m backpacking?”  Well I’ll tell you!  There are several good reasons, such as you can more accurately predict the movement of nocturnal animals (i.e. deer, bear) as corresponds to the moon and moonlight rating.  Also, you can tell when there is going to be a full moon, so you can plan a romantic moon-watching session on the beach!… or turn into a werewolf.  Both are interesting, and this watch will help!

Digital Compass

This wonderful bond-esqe watch comes with a live compass that will change the main directions, as well as the compass degrees as you walk.  Given a proper map, you can actually use this watch to find your compass bearings and location, therefore combining NEW technology, with TRUSTED paper.

Altimeter

Climb a lot of mountains?  Yeah, me neither.  I try to keep it to at least one a year though!  So when you do, this watch will tell you exactly how high you are, and how much further you have to go.  As an added bonus, it will store the max altitude reached, so when your friends don’t believe you just came back from that easy stroll up K2, bust out the watch and show them EXACTLY how high you were!

Barometer

My favorite function.  Not only will the Pathfinder tell you the current barometric pressure, but it graphs the changes in pressure too!  With simply a push of one button, you can see the barometric change over the last 18 hours.  I can not begin to tell you how handy this is when you’re stuck on a trail and the clouds turn iffy.  It’s like having a weatherman strapped to your wrist!  …only lighter, and less hair gel.

Thermometer

Ok, I’m not terribly thrilled with this function, but it still doesn’t turn me off of the watch as a whole.  The temperature is very inaccurate, mostly because it’s strapped to a big sweaty Polish wrist when I keep hitting the button.  Even in the user’s guide, it says to take off the watch and let it set for at least 5 minutes in order to get an accurate temp.  I guess it’s a small price to pay, and when taken off and let stand, the watch does read very accurately.  It’s just a bit of a hassle.

Low Temperature Resistant (For those really, REALLY cold mornings.  You know which ones I’m talking about.)

World Time (29 times zones for when you’re hiking abroad)

So basically as I’m wrapping this up, this watch is a wonderful toy to have.  Not necessary on the trail, but given the opportunity, it would be a nice addition to anyone’s repertoire of hiking goodies.  At a retail price of $400, it’s… well… very expensive.  You can find it on sale quite a bit, and with as many vendors that carry it, you shouldn’t pay more than $230 for it.

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Have you ever paid $15 dollars for a spoon? Well then you just haven’t lived yet! Today I found a fantastic spoon, the Cadillac of the spoon world! The Sea to Summit™ AlphaLight Long Spoon weighs in at a mere .4 oz!!! The beauty of this spoon is that it is made of 7075-T6 aircraft aluminumalloy, which gives it the uncanny ability to cool down and dissipate heat in record time. Also, this metal beauty is 8.5 inches long! It’s perfect for your trail gourmet recipes from Freezer Bag Cooking, and getting that last delicious bite out of the bottom of your quart sized freezer bag! Pick yours up today and shed those pesky extra ounces!

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One product that I have overlooked in the past but need to give it the spotlight is the GSI Micro-table.  Although we backpackers look amusing as hell trying to juggle our stove, fuel canister, water, food, chainsaws, and burning torches, it gets to be a bit tedious after the first severed finger…

Well now you don’t have to!  I bought our GSI table for a gift and thought it might be an item that we would only use on occasion.  Boy was I wrong!  Weighing in at only ONE pound (ish) this lightweight aluminum table offers a flat surface to work on.  Whether it be chopping up some food or just having a stable surface to set your stove on, this table will cure what ails you.  The cost is rather cheap (I think around $30) and it’s worth the minimal weight sacrifice.  It is a must have in every backpack.

The table comes in a handy nylon carrying case, and is folded up like an accordion.  By removing the 2 rods from their clips on the side, you simply fold out your table, slip the rods through, fold out the legs, and EAT FOOD!  …or play cards, or juggle chainsaws!  The possibilities are endless!  So next time you stop at the outdoors store to look around, look for the GSI Micro-table and buy it while you still have fingers left!

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The newest addition to my hiking family is a new 2009 pair of Leki Summit Anti-Shock trekking poles.  I will admit, these are my first pair of trekking poles, as I normally just take a homemade hiking staff along with me.  The disadvantage of a staff is what’s called “sausage fingers”, that is your fingers engorging with blood and becoming plump and numb (i.e. sausages).

So I finally broke down and purchased a set of trekking poles.  Thus far, I am very impressed with the craftsmanship and quality of the Leki brand.  They are very lightweight making for a very easy carrying load, as well as they have a snap-hanger for the off season when you’re not using them.  The handles are made of a synthetic material that prevents wear and tear on your hands, as well as allows sweat to pass through and not remain under your grip.   This particular set comes with a nice little micro-DVD to give examples of use and proper height adjustment.

The breakdown is as follows;

• Positive Angle COR-TEC Grip
• Auto Strap
• Classic Expander Lock System
• Triple Spring Antishock System
• Carbide Flextip
• Ultra Sonic Finish
• Interchangeable Basket System
• Weight: 20.6 oz
• Length: 72-140 cm

MSRP:  $99.95

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Alright, if you were to walk up to me and ask “What do I need to know about backpacking?” I would simply walk to my shelf, grab the recent issue of Backpacker, and smack you with it. This edition of Backpacker Magazine is the most informative book to hit print since the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

I sat welded to each page and after several hours and a short nap, I felt a bit more educated.

This edition of Backpacker reviews this years new gear, packs, tents, mats, bedrolls, you name it! Each section of the magazine is appropriately labeled based on what item they are going to review. Under the header, is a full page schematic of the item, labeled with every important point and feature, plus a description of the benefits. I cannot tell you how helpful this is to beginning backpackers, and even veterans.

After the educational section, they then review roughly 32 of the items, giving each one a breakdown, description, price, features, and rating. I do not exactly agree to some of them, but that’s why we’re not a hive-minded society, I’m allowed to have an opinion.

This edition is fantastic for many reasons. If you are considering purchasing ANY new gear, and want a breakdown of good/bad for ALL of the big brands out there, find this magazine and read it. It will help give you a better understanding of the design, pros/cons, and functionality behind whatever item you are thinking of buying.

The downside to this edition? There’s a few car ads. It essentially throws off my grove while reading.

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