This one has been several years in the making. Acadia has been on the bucket list for a long time. Life events shut down my previous attempt to make it out there, but I finally managed to land on the salty shores of Maine. My experience was, in a word, phenomenal. We (myself and my partner)…
The Fly Creek HV 2 takes the long standing ultralight design of the original Fly Creek UL and tweaks it in a way that improves the living space dramatically without adding any additional weight. Is it possible to improve on an already legendary design? My review. The Big Agnes Fly Creek HV 2 is similar in style…
It’s one of the oldest tools that humans learned to use, and it’s also still one of the most powerful; Flame. With fire and a bit of creativity, you can create wonderful food, modify gear, and use it for utility and convenience. Here are a few of my favorite uses for Bernzomatic torches around camp. Cooking…
Thermarest has taken the long standing classic cot design and modified it into an ultralight, compact design that’s more portable than ever. Weighing under three pounds in some configurations, it’s the lightest on the market, but does such a huge weight reduction hamper comfort? My review. The Luxurylite cot comes in two versions, the Ultralight model…
The Tensleep Station 4 from Big Agnes is a fully featured tent that understands the fundamentals of a good car camping shelter; comfort, reliability and convenience. I recently had the luxury of living inside the Tensleep for 7 days on my recent trip to Acadia, putting it through the wringer, and this is what I thought. Starting out,…
I’m always whittling away at that ever expanding bucket list. Thing is, it’s getting longer faster than it’s getting shorter. The locations to explore far outweigh the amount of time most of us actually have available to travel to them. For this reason, I’ve put together some tips to maximize the use of that time, while enhancing…
The High Sierra Karadon 40 L backpack is a mid sized overnight pack that’s jammed with features, including a full internal suspension, an easily adjustable torso, removable/washable hip and shoulder pads, and an included rain cover. It’s sized to be fast, light and it’s built to be robust and rugged. I’ve put this pack to the…
Always innovating, in 2017 Big Agnes is planning to bring further improvements to some of their legendary designs while also introducing several new and unique shelters to their ever growing line. Here is a preview of some of my favorites. The Copper Spur HV 2 A long standing favorite of mine, the Copper Spur 2 is…
Not to disappoint, Sierra Designs will be bringing more innovation and clever designs to the table for 2017. New offers will include a light weight budget tent, reinvigorated classics and the all new High Route solo shelter designed by Andrew Skurka himself. The new shelters all provide something new and innovative, something Sierra Designs has…
The Gregory Zulu 65 is designed to be a backpack that’s usable year round. It’s robust and stable enough for heavy winter loads, yet well enough ventilated and protected for fast and light summer trips. As a bonus, it even includes a smaller pack hidden inside for basecamp hiking. The Zulu 65 is built around a lightweight,…
2017 is shaping up to be a big year for MSR as they’re debuting a new line of alpine grade tents, a successor to the longstanding classic stove, the Pocket Rocket, and even new tent stakes, filters and cookware. Here is a preview of some of what you can expect. The Pocket Rocket 2 Riding…
Redesigned for 2016, the Montbell Thunderdome 2 tent has been created from the ground up to offer an uncompromising living experience for campers who demand more internal space, a luxurious floor plan and a palace like ceiling. I’ve been lucky enough to give it a vigorous shake down, and these are my thoughts. The Thunderdome 2 is built around…
Bacon, eggs, hash browns, all delusions of the hungry backpacker while munching on cold granola and instant oats, tears added for a bit of flavor. That is, until they discover the lightweight MSR Windburner Skillet, perfect for expanding possible dining options on the trail. Designed to work in conjunction with the MSR Windburner stove (review…
Backpacking is a sport that as much requires knowledge as skill. That being the case, I find beginners often repeating the same mistakes as those who came before them. It’s almost a rite of passage, a ceremony of sorts. Thankfully, I’m here to help skip that phase of your career. Here are the 5 most…
Keeping energized on the trail can be difficult. In order to perform your best you’ll need high quality, high density snacks that provide lots of energy per ounce. I’ve tried a variety of snacks from Clif, GU, Amazing Grass, Honey Stinger and Scratch. This is what I thought. Honey Stinger: Nuts, Seeds and Roasted Serrano…
