The Paddle Junkie

Mountainsmith's Approach 35 Pack - Gear Review

Back in December I was introduced to a pack company with a nice mix of hiking and mountaineering packs. Mountainsmith makes packs ranging in size from 20 liter commuter packs to gear swallowing 90 liter expedition packs. Our first experience was with the incredibly versatile Approach 35. Blurring the line between overnight scrambler and universal traveler, this pa…

Christopher Ward C60 Trident Automatic - Gear Review

Hi-Tech can be cool, but there are times when simplicity reigns supreme. My wristwatch is one instance where I feel less is more. I have tried several ABC (altimeter, barometer and compass) watches, and they provide interesting information. On the down side, accuracy of these features is questionable in many cases. What good is a compass when you can't trust…

Osprey's Escapist 30 Multi-Use Pack - Gear Review

A trend to create the ultimate do-anything, go-anywhere pack has been surfacing among the top manufacturers. Osprey Packs latest entry is the Escapist. We had the chance to bring it along to Hawaii for a couple of weeks and, man, do we like... We tested the larger of the two sizes, 20 & 30 liter. From heading to the beach to hiking the trails around the 7 sacr…

Who's been to the BWCA? Where? When?

Anyone ever been up around Sawbill Lake (EP#38)??? We booked an entry permit for Sawbill lake in early June. There are simply a ton of options for that area and we want to know what you think is worth seeing or doing. We have been talking to the good people at Sawbill Outfitters just steps from the entry point and they are as in tune with that neck-of-the-woods as…