Apparel
No White at Night Challenge
As the evenings get shorter and the darkness of night invades the day earlier, we find ourselves out training in more dangerous conditions. Throwing on a bright white t-shirt initially makes sense, but is it doing the job? Take the No White at Night Challenge and see just how wrong that is... To check out 3M's entire line of Scotchlite gear, follow this LI…
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Sunglasses
Costa Del Mar Grand Isle Sunglasses - Gear Review
Over the last couple of months I have been testing out new sunglasses from Costa Del Mar called the Grand Isles. A more lifestyle oriented frame, which transitions easily from the boat to the patio. Back in February I had a chance to review the Howler frames with 580P Polycarbonate lenses, which taught me more about sunglasses than I thought possible. The clarity…
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Knives
The Baladeo Eco179 - Gear Review
The Baladeo Eco179 is a knife designed for the typical adventurer whether they are found on a mountain, in the woods, or under the sea. This knife is marketed towards all experience levels and that shows through in the design intent. The design intention for this knife was to be a lightweight easy accessible cutter that could be clipped onto a carabineer. It can e…
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An "Under the Radar" Outdoor Gear Legend Celebrates 25 Years...
Have you ever busted a zipper or blown out a seam in a piece of quality gear. I think we all have. If you sent it in for factory repair, you have probably seen the work of Rainy Pass Repair, Inc. You may have never heard of them before, but the list of companies these guys work with is simply astonishing... With names like like Arc’Teryx, Helly Hansen, Ibex, …
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Sanborn Canoe
Sanborn Canoe's "Unnamed" Paddle - Gear Review
The guys over at Sanborn Canoe keep proving that they truly understand both paddling and wood-working. Several weeks back the delivery guy handed me a box from Winona, MN. Inside was a beautiful wooden bent-shaft paddle and a note from Zak at Sanborn Canoe. In my hands was a paddle so fresh off the design table that it didn't even have a name yet and I got to …
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KEEN
KEEN Recess comes to Minneapolis... TODAY!
In addition to making killer footwear and other gear, KEEN has been doing their best to get us back outside. Remember recess. For some of us the most memorable part of the day back in grade-school. It wasn't long, but the only part of the day where FUN was the only thing on the agenda. Well, KEEN is bringing recess back. Today we are lucky enough to have t…
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Travel
Innate's Portal Deluxe Travel Envelopes - Gear Review
When I was laying out my gear and checking things off my pack list in preparation for a week in the BWCA it took all of about 30 minutes to realize 2 things; 1) I have trimmed much of the unnecessary weight from my pack and 2) this very process has left me with a large number of small items to pack. From my first aid kit and bug deterrents to back-up fishing gear an…
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Cooking
Bridgford Ready to Eat Sandwiches - Review
I am a bit of a food snob when camping. I am not afraid to throw a couple extra pounds on my pack to ensure that I eat well in the woods. When I first saw the Ready to Eat Sandwiches from Bridgford Foods I was a bit skeptical. The possibility of these things tasting like cat food wrapped in play-doh was a real concern. What I found was that they are not just tole…
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Paddling
Outdoor Research Equinox Shorts - Gear Review
I literally took the tags off the Equinox Shorts from Outdoor Research the day before our BWCA trip back in June. I did try them on to make sure they fit before I packed them, but I was going to give them a real evaluation in the woods. Temps in the 80's and 90's, in and out of the water, inevitable rain showers and miles and miles of portages all make for a…
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Sea to Summit
Sea to Summit's Big River Dry Sacks - Gear Review
How you pack your gear is a personal choice, but for many of us keeping it dry and relatively organized is a bare minimum. When paddling into canoe country, dry is by far the harder of the two objectives. Inside my waxed canvas canoe pack you will find several ultra-light stuff and compression sacks shrinking my gear down and keeping it all dry and accessible. Th…
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Water
Platypus GravityWorks Water Filter - Gear Review
If I were to list the worst things about getting water in the wilderness with a traditional pump-action filter, it would certainly include: 1) Time: having to spend a half hour squatted down pumping water for dinner 2) Energy: expending countless calories on pumping instead of fishing 3) Risk: focusing on pumping instead of watching for bears 4) Muscle cramps: t…
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Freewaters
Freewaters Dude Sandals - Gear Review
When it comes to flip-flops, I am pretty picky. I don’t allow just anything between my toes. In fact, there are some flip-flops I just won’t wear. When I came across the Freewaters, I was intrigued not only by the comfortable, stylish, and practical flip-flops, but also by their message. If you buy a pair of Freewaters proceeds also go to help provide water for p…
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Fenix Lights
Fenix Lights LD01 & LD20 Flashlights - Gear Review
One of my favorite parts about spending time in the woods is the night's sky. You simply don't get to see the stars for what they really are if you live in the city. There is just too much artificial light and it drowns out the stars. My first trip to the BWCA changed how I look at the sky and my understanding of just how many stars there are out there. T…
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Travel
SPACETrailers - Gear Review
This is not your father's trailer... As I toured the Northwest Sportshow this spring, one thing caught my attention. It was a sleek looking, covered cargo trailer that would be perfect for my family vacation up north. I have a big family, and while we all fit comfortably in our van, it doesn't leave much room for storage. To solve this problem last year, …
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Climbstation
Climbing Wall + Treadmill = Climbstation
Looking for a new way to get your workout in? Check this out... They call it the Climbstation. With variable speed and incline settings you can tailor this to anyone's skill level. Check it out in action... Tweet
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Primus
Primus Litech Super-Set - Gear Review
For many reasons the food-pack always ends up being the heaviest pack on every trip. We tend to bring more food than is necessary, simply because we don't want to run out and you definitely can't count on catching fish to sustain you. So, in order to make the food-pack less of a chore, we tried to shave weight where ever possible. Step one was the cookwar…
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Therm-A-Rest
Therm-A-Rest Neo-Air Mattress
At just 14 oz, the comfort to weight ratio on the Therm-A-Rest Neo-Air mattress is in the thousands. Granted, I have not tried many sleeping pads, but compared to the heavy self-inflating ones or the blue foam pads that have been around for centuries, this is one neon-yellow savior. When we reached our camp site in the Boundary Waters this last June, I unpacked t…
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Wolverine
Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Preview
Today marks the start of the 2011 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market trade show. Sadly, I will not be in attendance this year. It is by far the largest US show for the Outdoor Industry. Words cannot express just how much I will be missing out on. With roughly 1,300 booths and over 20,000 people in attendance, this is set to be the largest OR to date. Here is a quic…
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Paddling
Harmony Vapor Bent Paddle - Gear Review
I have had the privilege of testing out many of the top paddles on the market and nothing compares to a wooden paddle. The feel and performance can not be replicated by new-age materials. However, if done correctly, blending in modern technology is not a bad way to go. The Vapor Bent Shaft paddle from Harmony marries Cedar wood with Carbon Fiber and Fiber Glass…
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Sperry
Sperry Top-Sider SON-R Bungee - Gear Review
I've always been a big fan of being "ready for anything." In grade school I was all over the fad to wear zip off pants to a skating party, just so when it got hot you could turn them into shorts. So you might think that a pair of shoes like these would be right up my alley, and they are. The Sperry SON-R Bungees clearly come from a company that has m…
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