ShareA well-sharpened blade can be an invaluable tool in the backcountry, but not everyone agrees on the form that blade should take. Minimalists and traditionalists prefer a single-bladed folder that slips easily into a pocket. More tech savvy gear geeks lean toward the versatility of the multi-tool, which provide an array of functions in one [Continued...]
ShareThis fall brings the biggest leap forward in rain-jacket technology since the first introduction of Gore-Tex to the outdoor world in the late 1970s. Whether you’re traveling to the Olympic Peninsula or a Costa Rican cloud forest, here’s news you can use. W.L. Gore offers its lightest, most breathable membrane ever to the market this [Continued...]
ShareMany of us like to watch wildlife when we travel near or far. According to the most recent survey from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Washington alone more than 2.3 million people participate in wildlife-watching activities each year, spending upward of $1.5 billion annually on that pastime. That’s a lot of people and [Continued...]
ShareAnglers use an odd array of craft to get on the water in pursuit of fish. From fancy inner tubes (fishermen with fins on their feet dangle through holes in these “float tubes”) to simple old-school crafts like canoes, if it floats someone fishes from it. Sit-on-top kayaks represent one of the latest trends in [Continued...]
Hiking with Dogs: The key is education not only for the dogs and the dog owners but also for the general hiking public who will surely, at some time or another, encounter dogs on trails. People with sentiments against dogs on trails will successfully push for dog bans if dog owners continue to let their canines run freely up the trails, chasing wildlife (which, depending on the species pursued, could be a state or federal offense, punishable by sizable fines and/or jail time for dog owners) and [Continued...]
ShareAt times, technology enhances the wilderness experience. Today’s smartphones, for instance, allow me to carry in my pack a wide range of nature guides so I can quickly identify birds, beasts, wildflowers and stars — with minimal weight. Readers seem to agree, with many e-mailing suggestions of apps for me to try, or asking for [Continued...]
ShareWhen it comes to bad wildlife encounters, the littlest critters create the biggest concerns. If you doubt that, ask a camper anywhere which is worse: a bear roaming the woods nearby or a cloud of mosquitoes in camp. The answer will be close to unanimous: a scourge of skeeters makes camp life nearly unbearable. The [Continued...]
ShareFirst there were flaming torches, then oil lanterns and candles. Incandescent flashlights came next and then LED lights. The new breakthrough in outdoor lighting comes from Petzl, the leader in headlamp technology. Petzl’s popular Tikka 2 series gets a refresh this year thanks to a new rechargeable — and programmable — battery pack. The Tikka XP2, with [Continued...]
ShareDespite the abundance of reusable bottles available, designers keep coming up with new, unique styles. Camelbak, a leader in the hydration business, recognized a largely untapped market and promptly tapped it. The new Camelbak Groove bottles target users who buy bottled water simply because they don’t like the faint taste of chemicals in their tap water. The [Continued...]
ShareGroundbreaking gear comes only when managers set idea-people free from limitations on their creativity. Wild ideas abound in the outdoor products industry, and once in a while, a seemingly crazy idea becomes a winning product. Here are a couple of our current favorite unusual designs: The backcountry snuggy Take a warm, comfortable, down sleeping [Continued...]
