Paddle Junkie Gear of the Year Awards
Over the last year we have had the opportunity to test and review some of the best gear available. During the Holidays I took a little time to think back about the over 150 products we tried and here are the 10 we feel deserve our "Gear of the Year" award. Most of these products were new for 2011, some may have just been new to us, either way we think the…
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Packs
Frost River's Vintage Pack - Gear Review
If you are looking for a great weekend pack that is made by a GREAT company, than you must take a look at the Vintage Pack from Frost River in Duluth, MN. This is a pack that you can take on a day hike, carry your schoolbooks in (like I did this summer), or take on a short weekend trip. The Vintage Pack is made with waxed canvas and has a wonderful self-adjusting y…
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500 Facebook Fan Promotion
We are only a handful of "fans" away from 500 on Facebook. Help us get there and win a Paddle Junkie Prize Pack! I"ll make this one easy. Suggest The Paddle Junkie to your friends... like this... Then let us know on Facebook and Comment here and you are entered... The promotion will run until we hit 500! I'll let you know ;) Twe…
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KEEN
Keen Revel Winter Boots - Holiday Gift Guide Review
In Minnesota it is important to keep your feet warm especially in the middle of winter, and with the Keen Revel Boots you can do just that. I have only had these shoes for a short while, but so far they are unbelievable! These boots look just like a regular pair of hiking boots, but what is not seen is the 200g Keen.Warm insulation that keep your feet nice and warm…
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Outerwear
Helly Hansen Swift Fleece - Holiday Gift Guide Review
A fleece is a fleece, right? Um, no. Sure you can run to Target and pick up a sweatshirt like fleece that will keep you kind of warm, as long as it isn't asked to do too much. The cheap ones provide about zero wind protection and soak up any precipitation like a sponge. This fleece on the other hand is built to battle the elements. Helly Hansen been one of …
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Holiday Gift Guide
Best Made Company's American Felling Axe - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Need to stock up on firewood for the winter? Tired of using that busted a$$ axe you got from ol' Grandpa Jones? Well, there are axes and then there are Best Made Axes! This 35", 4 pound High Carbon steel ax is not like the ones you find at your local hardware store. If you are looking for disposable, try again. This is a tool you will be passing down fr…
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Watershoes
Baffin Amazon Trail Shoe - Holiday Gift Guide Review
I recently had the pleasure of trying out a pair of Baffin Amazons for the Kansas City Ruckus Run back in November. The weather did not look good that morning, having rained that week with temps in the 40's. This being my first obstacle course race, I expected a lot of cold, muddy, challenges. The race was a lot of fun, and more than half the obstacles involv…
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Sea to Summit
Sea to Summit's Dry Mesh Duffle - Holiday Gift Guide Review
I have spent a huge part of my life, for as far back as I can remember, in on and around lakes. Water in general has been a place my mind automatically associates with fun, relaxing good times. As with anything though, it has it's challenges. The biggest and often most frustrating is the obvious fact that around water, things get wet. Try as you may, it just …
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Holiday Gift Guide
Cool Gear Stocking Stuffers - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Looking for a few things to fill those stockings with? Cool Gear Inc has a boat load of options... I have been using the Eco 2 Go Mug for a few months and I love it. It keep my java hot for hours. I have yet to spill this thing, and trust me that has to be some kind of record. It looks like a normal cup from your local coffee house, and it isn't plastered …
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Sanukmas
12 days of Sanukmas starts TOMORROW!!!!
Just a quick FYI... The 12 days of Sanukmas giveaway starts again tomorrow. Take a look at the pic above to see what they handed out last year. If that is any indication of what is to come, I'm pumped... Keep tabs on their Facebook or Twitter pages... Tweet <div style="display:none;"><img src…
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Newton Running
Newton Running's Terra Momentus Trainers - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Barefoot running is all the craze, and I am a believer. But after years of running in cushy trainers, my feet, legs, knees, hell most of my lower body, was not ready to dive in to the deep end of the barefoot pool. I spent the better part of the 1990's running in sprint flats, pretty much as close to barefoot as you can get, but once I left school and my track …
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Outerwear
Hi-Tec's Crack of Dawn Hoodie - Holiday Gift Guide Review
The days of the StayPuff Marshmallow Man down jackets are over, but that doesn't mean down is out. Advances in natural and synthetic downs have made the jackets slimmer and less "Raiders Starter Jacket" without sacrificing warmth. The team of product designers at Hi-Tec have been delivering products people that love the outdoors will appreciate. 1) T…
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Outdoor Technology
Outdoor Technologies Bluetooth Tags - Holiday Gift Guide Review
I am pretty much a music nut and being able to bring it with me everywhere is getting easier and easier. Bringing tunes into the back-country has always been a challenge though. Electronics plus dirt and water never mix well. So I encase my iPhone in a weatherproof, bombproof plastic fortress to protect it. But this does make listening to The Black Keys while I pa…
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Goggles
Electric Visual's Peter Line EG2 Goggles - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Trying to find a gift that screams style for the winter sports junkie on your list? The R.I.D.S (Rider Inspired Design Series) from Electric Visual are not for the faint of heart... Electric's R.I.D.S. Peter Line EG2 Goggles Wild graphics reminiscent of my Batman Comics days cover the frame and strap of these epic goggles. There is nothing boring about the …
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Holiday Gift Guide
Gibbon Slacklines - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Here is one of Santa's deliveries that the entire family can enjoy. Ok, so the kids will have a great time playing on it and an even better time laughing at the rest of us attempting to stay upright. While roaming the halls of the Outdoor Retailer trade show, I stumbled across a group of folks walking, bouncing and generally having a good time on what looked …
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Paddling
Necky Rip 12 Kayak - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Looking to go all out this Holiday Season? Have a need to get back a few "brownie points" from misdeeds over the last year? I think I have the answer. Blurring the lines between recreational and touring kayaks, the new Rip 12 from Necky is both comfy and responsive. If that person on you list is a relative newbie to kayaking, but is loving it, this is …
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Woolrich
Woolrich Big Horn Pants - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Every guys should own at least one pair of wool pants. Living in the frozen tundra of the Mid-West, you develop an appreciation for something a little more substantial than your average chinos. Finding a pair that is stylish enough to go from the office to happy hour can be kinda tricky though. Many wool trousers are designed with manual labor in mind, a function…
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Sanuk
Sanuk Sidewalk Surfers - Holiday Gift Guide Review
In Sanuk's own words "they're NOT shoes, They're sandals". But these sandals are ready for a Minnesota winter. Wait, what? It is probably no big secret that I freaking LOVE my Sanuks. I practically live in these things. All it usually takes is having someone put a pair on their feet and spend 5 minutes in them and it's all over. Throw…
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Sunglasses
Maui Jim Kula Sunglasses - Holiday Gift Guide Review
Style and performance in a tight package. These shades from Maui Jim may not have been my first choice from an aesthetic perspective, but after wearing them for a while, I realized that they provide EPIC protection. The full shield design of the lens stop any stray light from sneaking in. More than just the light they keep the rest of Mother Nature's assaults…
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Hot Chilly's
Hot Chilly's Cabo Fleece Hoody - Holiday Gift Guide Review
If like me, you live in a part of the world where temperatures plummet this time of year, then the term Base Layer is nothing new. Neither is Hot Chilly's. They are the #1 selling base layer in winter sports. I remember having a Hot Chilly's sherpa lined sweatshirt back in the late 1980's and what I remember is it was flat out hot. When I was heading…
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