Thermarest understands that a good night’s sleep is key to an enjoyable backpacking experience. This is all the more challenging when the earth below is a frozen lump of soil and stone. The Centari is a winter grade synthetic sleeping bag that’s designed to provide year round protection in a wide range of conditions, including … More Thermarest Centari Sleeping Bag Review
A dry sack isn’t something that gets a lot of attention despite the fact that they’re often a vital piece of equipment for keeping gear dry and organized. Also rare is the dry sack getting much in the way of innovation. The Blocker Dry sack from SealLine makes some key changes to the generic formula, and … More SealLine Blocker Dry Sack Review
I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping feet dry and warm while hiking in wintery conditions. Simply wearing insulated and waterproof boots isn’t enough to prevent wet socks and boots. The Armadillo LT Gaiters by Hillsound create a solid barrier that prevents snow and slush from entering your boot around the socks and ankles. … More Hillsound Armadillo LT Gaiters Review
One of the most challenging aspects of winter hiking isn’t necessarily the cold, it’s traction. When traversing trails that have repeatedly thawed and frozen over, they create dangerous situations of solid sheets of ice. The Kathoola Microspikes are lightweight, tough crampons designed to even up the odds by biting into that very ice that’s threatening … More Kahthoola Microspikes Review
I sympathize, cold toed ladies of the adventure world. Cold feet is a common issue on the icy winter trails and a tribulation of explorers of all shapes and sizes. Thankfully, the Twain Harte Hiking Boots from Ahnu pack in generous amounts of insulation and a warm sock liner to help deal with even the coldest … More Ahnu Twain Harte. Womens Winter Hiking Boots Review
I have a lot of people ask me about footprints. The most common question isn’t which to buy or what to make one out of, it’s why do I not carry one. The simple reason? They’re non-sense. Let’s think about this for a bit. Why buy a footprint in the first place? Well, the idea, … More Why you shouldn’t buy a footprint
Staying warm in the winter is far less biology and much more science. Well designed gear can transform a desolate winter hiding underneath the sheets into a wonderful season of exploration and comfort. The Elite DriDown Parka was built from the ground up with that in mind. Drawing much of it’s inspiration from the sensational … More Sierra Designs Elite Dridown Parka Review: A Feathery Furnace.
When I heard that the makers of my favorite pair of underwear have started cranking out Merino wool long johns, I was instantly interested. Good undies are surprisingly hard to find. Luckily, they’ve been been designed to provide both warmth and flexibility, alongside of the untouchable comfort SAXX is already becoming known for. I’ve been … More SAXX Blacksheep Long Johns
Frankly, the instant slop that comes out of paper packets is garbage. Flat, tasteless, texture-less and drowned in sugar and preservatives, it lacks the very essence that is oatmeal. Oatmeal should be three dimensional, exciting, tasty, and filling. This is how you can make that happen, easily, in the back-country. First things first, you’re going to … More Backcountry, overnight oatmeal (Midnight Oatmeal)
Leave No Trace is, and should always be, a high priority to anyone who considers themselves a true outdoors-man. Just recently, a steely eyed reader brought up the question; Is toothpaste really Leave No Trace? Or should we all abandon our teeth for the call of the wild. Well, I decided to look into it. … More A Leave No Trace Guide to Backcountry Tooth Brushing
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