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...]
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...]
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...]
ShareOur testers fell in love with the waterproof, shock-proof Pentax Optio WG-1 last year, and the upgrades to the new Optio WG-2 proved wonderful improvements that made that great camera better. (see the WG-1 review here) The new Pentax WG-2 GPS camera offers outdoor enthusiasts the same handy means of documenting their adventures in [Continued...]
ShareLooking for a multi-tool for your serious outdoor adventures? The SOG Pocket PowerPliers earned the highest recommendation from our team of field testers The pliers featured on most multitools serve their purpose well. They provide grip on small nuts, loose cables and broken spokes just fine. But sometimes you need more than simple grip: You [Continued...]
ShareLeatherman Style PS / CS When you need just the bare-essentials tool kit, the Style PS from Leatherman fits the bill. The compact 3-inch (folded) multitool boasts a pair of pliers with tapered jaws so they work as both regular-head pliers and slim needle-nose pliers. A wire cutters nests in the back of the jaws [Continued...]
Share One 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...]
ShareAfter examining an array of rods and reels, our testers identified two standouts in the ‘entry level’ class. We’ve already discussed the excellence of the Redington Voyant outfit. Of at least equal – and more than one of the test team deemed it to be better – quality is the new Orvis Clearwater II Combo [Continued...]
ShareIt’s never been easier, or more affordable, to learn to fly fish. Manufacturers of quality fly fishing gear have recognized the need to offer high quality gear at affordable prices, even as they refine and improve their high-end offerings. We’ll be looking at a range of this new gear in the coming weeks and we [Continued...]
ShareA knife is only as good as its edge. Let a knife lose its edge and, regardless of how much it cost, it’s next to useless. Keeping a knife sharp and ready to use take a little time and effort, but it’s a pretty easy task to take on. First, though, forget those “instant edge” [Continued...]
