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« November 2005 | Main | January 2006 » December 29, 2005Titanium Camping and Hiking Gear
Recently I've been surveying the field for titanium gear for use in camping or multi-day hikes to reduce over-all weight of my pack. In this case titanium is being chosen specifically for its extremely high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and ability to self-sterilize using ultra-violet light (when using high-grade titanium). The weight savings are immense, with full-sized spoon and fork sets weighing less than half and ounce, or a Titanium Jet-ti Stove weighing in at only 2.7 oz. Many large 1 liter plus pots, pans and other cook ware weigh in at less than 3-4 ounces. Replacing existing gear with their titanium counterparts can quickly free up several pounds off your load with-out sacrificing gear. Titanium products have expanded in recent times to include more than just cookware and stoves. Lighters, tent stakes, knives, multi-tools, carabineers, binoculars and walking poles are just a few of the items to get the titanium treatment. Do yourself a favor, cruise through your local REI, Vargo Outdoors or Amazon.com Titanium Outdoors Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 2:39 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack December 23, 2005Brunton Kayak Deck Compass
Carrying over the water theme from yesterday, the Brunton 58 Kayak Deck Compass is a must have for any serious Kayaker. Open water adventuring or cave kayaking are solid examples of those who should have some form of navigational equipment. Be it a marine GPS or a simple low-tech compass and waterproof map book. If you already have the GPS, invest in the security of the low-tech to ensure that when your electronics die, you won't. Brunton makes top quality gear, and this is no exception. It attaches via shock cords with hooks, and will attach securely to deck lines, straps or strap eyes. It also features 10-degree graduations and is completely waterproof, as you would expect. If you haven't picked up any sort of navigational means for your kayak, now's the time to do it. Available from Sit-on-TopKayaking.com Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 1:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack Friday HeadlinesThis site is a member of the travel blog network at Blogads, a group of some of the best independent travel blogs on the web. Check out this week's headlines from other travel blogs in the network: Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 8:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack December 22, 2005Molokini Transparent 2-Person Kayak
Looking for a new Kayak, but want to go for something a little different or adventurous? Look no further than the Molokini Clear 2-person Kayak. It's an all-transparent two-passenger kayak made from an ultra-strong polycarbonate hull, aka bulletproof glass. Standard features include a 3-quart water bailer, outrigger system, ABS retractable skeg and a cargo rating of 475 lbs. It really has to be seen to be believed. Great for cruising around the lake, but it really shows it's brilliance on the cleaner tropical waters. Great for families; it will keep the kids entertained for hours, and safely providing great stability with the included dual polyurethane floatation bladders balanced on either side. I wouldn't recommend this Kayak for white water obviously, but it's great for a mid-afternoon cruise. Cheapest price I could find was from Costco.com for $1,299.99, shipping & handling included. Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 8:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack December 19, 2005MREs for Hiking, Camping and Survival Use
The MRE, or Meal Ready-To-Eat has been in use since the first delivery in 1981 to the armed forces. Having gone through seemingly constant revision since inception, they have now matured to a point where it is now reasonable, if not required, to view them as an option for the civilian recreational market. Boasting features such as self-contained heating, super-long shelf life and extremely durable and compact packaging, the MRE is a serious contender in the crowded meal and meal replacement market. Each meal typically contains around 1,200 calories in a 13 to 18oz package. An individual MRE contains a main course, crackers, cheese, peanut butter or jelly spread, a dessert or snack, cold beverage mix & coffee, an accessory packet, a plastic spoon and a flameless ration heater for heating the main course or for use with coffee. The typical MRE is capable of lasting more than 5 years at room temperature. It's usefulness in an emergency is undeniable, and is a much better solution than those who use "food cubes" for survival reasons. There is no reason not to extend the civilian use of MREs to more recreational activities rather than restricting its use to survival. Military grade MREs are designed for field use, not sitting in an emergency pack in the basement. Under strict requirements from the DOD they have been engineered for lasting taste, shelf life, compactness and durability. They can withstand parachute drops from almost 1,300 ft. or free fall for 100ft; it can also survive temperature extremes from -60 F (-51 C) to 120 F (49 C). Now I've been backpacking for a number of years, and I can't remember the last time I did a parachute insertion or free fell 100ft at -60 F, but it's good to know that your food source can survive a lot more than you can. Durability of the MRE no longer being a factor, MREs provide a great variety of meal types in the field. They were originally designed to provide adequate variety for field lengths of up to 10 days; however, during Operation Desert Storm they were used for more than 60+ days continuously. As of this writing, there are currently 24 main entree items to choose from. Having personally sampled only three of the 24 entrees, I came away with a good experience with all three. The three entries I have personally consumed (ranked in order of preference) were: Beef Enchiladas, Jambalaya and Chicken Breast. The nice thing about the MRE is that they offer enough variety that you can trade specific items with other members of your camping or backpacking party. For instance, I would be more inclined to trade away a package of Skittles candy for another's cold drink mix. So it has durability, it has decent flavor, but what else makes this an essential resource? It comes with its own oven to cook your meal. A large hot meal after a solid day on the trail and harsh weather is a welcomed friend. Requiring no external flame or heating mechanism, the flameless ration heater uses a chemical reaction to create boiling heat instantly. Drop the flameless ration heater into the original MRE packaging, wait a few minutes and enjoy a piping hot meal. With an MRE, there is no need to venture outside your tent or shelter to cook a meal. Acknowledging the MREs flat rectangular package and easy storage of multiple meals without sacrificing space for other essential gear, MREs definitely receive the Treknologies label of an Essential Resource. Individual MREs are typically around $8-$12 depending on where you shop. A box of 12 is available directly from Amazon.com What do you use for meals or meal replacements while in the field? Leave a comment or use our tips line. Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 1:40 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack December 16, 2005Friday HeadlinesHere are this weeks headlines from the travel blog network at Blogads: Taking India to Heart (TravelBlogger.net) Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 8:06 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack December 14, 2005JVC 180s Headphone Ear Warmers
Listening to MP3's while snow shoeing, hiking or running during the cold winter months doesn't have to mean frost bitten ears; at least now that JVC has just released the 180s Performance Tec Fleece Ear Warmers. It's a high-tech ear warmer with a pretty decent set of head phones built-in. Crafted with quality fabrics and solid technology, they look to be a great accessory to any cold-months outdoors kit. Fabric Features: Audio Features: You can purchase these from Cabela's for $29.99 in black. Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 12:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack December 12, 2005REI Syncro Jacket Review
Recently I've been in the market for a light jacket with some weather and wind resistance. I needed it to be light enough for every day wear, but provide warmth enough for light outdoor work or trail excursions. On my quest for this product, I (or my Girlfriend rather) found the men's REI Syncro Jacket. After getting it home and putting it on, though it was ultra-light and pretty darn thin, it appeared that it may be too warm. I was quite surprised, considering its thickness and overall weight. After wearing it around indoors for just a couple minutes I had already gathered a surprising amount of sweat forming on my face. Outside and on the trails it performed to a higher degree than I had even hoped. It's extremely warm, breaks the wind very well and breathes better than any of my previous jacket purchases in a similar class. Often times I've worn multi-layered jacket setups, creating a very cumbersome and constricting environment to navigate harsh trails, or scale boulders and other obstacles. The Syncro jacket eliminates this as a concern. It's very free moving, using a soft-shell stretchy material in the shoulders, sleeve backs and chest. As well, the underarm gussets are made of a stretch fabric to increase flexibility. Aside from the warm, unrestricted movement of the Syncro jacket, it also has 4 times more wind resistance than a traditional fleece and is very water repellent. This was most evident during a recent storm, which had a healthy dose of both wind and rain. As stated above, the jacket is water repellent. It is not designed to replace a rugged outer-shell, able to be drenched and submerged with no water getting through. It was designed to be a middle-weight soft-shell jacket that can be worn stand alone or combined with another layer. For the purpose it was designed, it's an extremely capable jacket, and I highly recommend it. Specifically, it's the best choice for when it's too cold for a wind breaker, and the weather doesn't require a multi-layer hard-shell jacket. It's my new all-weather jacket of choice. REI Syncro Jacket Features: For more information, check out REI's product page. Posted by Jesse Gunderson at 7:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack |
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