‘Gear Reviews’ Articles
Publishes reviews of various outdoor recreation gear, equipment and apparel.
Written by Dan on 23 May 2013
ShareWhen it comes to Father’s Day gifts, forgot the old cliché gifts of aftershave and ties. Outdoor-loving men want fun gifts, cool gifts, manly gifts! Any adventurous dad will appreciate these items designed to air them in their outdoor sports. Hiking and General Outdoors Dads Anniversary Bottle and Shoulder Sling (by Filson), $175 For the [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 27 December 2012
ShareLooking back at the best products of 2012, we realized we needed to make sure they all got the attention they deserve. So we’re breaking up the “Best Of” story into a series of stories. Today, we explore the Best Personal Watercraft of 2012 for active outdoors enthusiasts. Bellyak Frequency – The Full-Body Boat Whitewater [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 07 December 2012
ShareIf you have an outdoors enthusiast on your gift list, you may need help since this unusual breed generally has strange ideas of what makes a good gift. Honestly, finding the perfect gift for a backcountry traveler can be a laborious chore. In the interest of serving our faithful readers, we once again took it [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 05 November 2012
ShareThe era of fast action fly rods really began with Sage some 25 years ago. Now, the company has launched a new era of slower but incredibly accurate rods. The Sage Circa sets a new rhythm for fly casters. Since the mid-1980s, the Bainbridge Island company has moved the world for fly fishing progressively forward [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 26 September 2012
Share When gearing up for a hiking adventure, savvy backpackers know that finding gear that does double duty helps trim off a lot of pack weight. A great new brand from Washington state took that idea and created a brilliant new two-in-one product for hikers who like to enjoy angling during their adventures. The Fikkes Fly [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 22 August 2012
ShareBank anglers frequently envy the ability of boaters to cover more water during their angling adventures. But they never envy them the hassle of having to trailer and tow those vessels to and from the lakes and rivers. Personal-sized water craft make it possible for those of us who primarily wade-fish to get out on [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 03 July 2012
ShareOne of the hallmarks of great backcountry gear is its ability to fulfill several different needs. After all, when everything you carry everything on your back, weight matters. So multitasking tools win out over single-purpose items. The Gerber Steady takes multitasking multitools to a new level – literally. The addition of a swing-out camera mount [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 04 June 2012
ShareWhen June rain squalls hit the western Cascade foothills, they tend to hit hard. Standing in the high, cold waters of the Tilton River I noticed the partially sunny day had turned dark. Looking upstream, black clouds dropped curtains of rain across the river valley and it was drifting quickly toward me. Stepping up on [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 29 May 2012
ShareOur test team worked diligently to pair quality flasks with a specific alcoholic beverage ideal suited to that container. After weeks of research, this is what we remember: Innate Classic Flask – $20 Small, round flask made from premium-grade stainless steel. A sparkling 5-ounce flask with a narrow mouth, ideal for spirits worthy of being sipped [Continued...]
Written by Dan on 24 May 2012
Share As the spring turns to summer, campers increasingly flock out into our forests, river meadows and beaches. To make the most of their outdoor adventures, those campers require good shelter in the basecamp so they can be well rested for their days of play. That means having a weather-tight, comfortable ‘home-away-from-home.’ Enter Sierra Designs. [Continued...]