Gear

Initial Tarptent test results- meh

July 23, 2010

***One quick update: I recently met a bunch of Tarptent owners on the PCT and asked them a bunch of questions. One thing I thought I’d pass along. Cloudspotter said, “When you start using your Tarptent on the PCT, you’re in the desert, and it’s pretty easy. By the time you get to more difficult [...]

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Product Review: Cliff Shot Blocks

July 21, 2010

I’ve been a GU fan for a while now, but when my local grocery store stopped stocking them, I decided to look for other electrolyte replacement options. Enter Cliff Shot Blocks. Each packet consists of 6 100 calorie gummy squares. I tested out packets of these for two hikes and an Ultimate Frisbee tournament, and [...]

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The Great Hiking Pole Debate

July 15, 2010

I took the steep and rocky Hunt Trail up Mt Katahdin when I was on the AT last year, and using my hiking poles ended up being a hassle because of the terrain. About half way up, a day hiker teased me about it, saying, “Sure seems like there is a lot of snow up [...]

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The Tarptent has arrived!

July 13, 2010

Our Tarptent Squall has arrived, and Erin and I are thrilled! We immediately set it up in her front yard. The instructions say that it will “take 2 minutes once you get the hang of it,” which I can believe, even though this was not the case for us. By a long shot. All together, [...]

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Ultralight stove options we’re considering

July 3, 2010

Erin and I continue to find ways to lighten our load for our trip on the PCT, and we are now working on the stove problem. Here are the options we’re considering: AntiGravity Gear Pepsi Can Stove (.4 oz) 12$ Two of my favorite thru-hikers use this one, which is to say, I’m pretty impressionable [...]

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Gear decisions for the PCT- some made and some not

June 23, 2010

After weeks of deliberation, Erin and I sat down and picked out our tent for the Pacific Crest Trail. We’ve decided to go with the Tarptent Squall 2. There are a ton of great ultra-light tents, and we did think about the Squall Clasic that Gossamer Gear and Tarptent collaborated on, but Squall 2 is [...]

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Worn out shoes

June 9, 2010

I stumbled over this quote today and thought it would be a fitting memorial to my falling apart light hikers. Rest in peace, little guys. I’ll miss you. I even remember the day I bought you. When you have worn out your shoes, the strength of the shoe leather has passed into the fiber of [...]

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Why you should hike in a skirt (or at least think about it)

June 7, 2010

I am going to break this down in one word: pee-ability. That is, the ability to pee wherever you want. Now, I’m a big fan of leave not trace and peeing away from the trail, but the are some times when you just really, really have to go. If you are a guy, dealing with this [...]

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