• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

A Word in the Woods

A city-dweller's outdoor travels, gear reviews and field tests, survival tips and tricks, camping and canoeing.

  • Home
  • 💼 Shop Handmade Leatherwork 💼
  • Articles…
    • HowTo
    • News
    • Gear
    • tips
    • Canoe
  • Contact Me
  • About

Mountain Equipment Co-Op and the Merlin DF Sleeping Bag

July 24, 2013 by Michael Zimmermann Leave a Comment

Merlin Sleeping Bag

  Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) — one of my favourite outdoor stores — is selling a sleeping bag on clearance, and it’s a good opportunity to tell you about both the product and the store. They’re selling this bag as a “Second-quality” product, and the reality is anything but. The original designation listed this as…

Read More »

Filed Under: Gear, Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: down, MEC, Mountain Equipment Co-op, returns, shelter, sleeping bag

Happy Trails

July 16, 2013 by Michael Zimmermann Leave a Comment

I occasionally wonder if I talk too much about the woods. I probably do, but that doesn’t deter me in the least. It warms my heart to see evidence of that sort of passion elsewhere, too, and makes me feel less like a deviant. I’d like to share a recent example of just this type…

Read More »

Filed Under: editorial, Gear, Guest posts, Personal Tagged With: algonquin, Gear, hiking, learning, Special Ops Mosquitos, Speech, wedding

New Ray Mears pack on the horizon?

May 29, 2013 by Michael Zimmermann Leave a Comment

Looks like there’s a new pack in the works [update: The pack is now available for purchase. If you know of anybody who has tried it out, please don’t hesitate to add your thoughts to the comments below]. It may be a bit on the pricy side, but some might not mind paying that much…

Read More »

Filed Under: Bushcraft, Gear, News, Packs Tagged With: Gear, hiking, pack, product, ray mears

Making a classic bow-frame saw

November 7, 2012 by Michael Zimmermann 1 Comment

I’m the first to admit that despite my love of the outdoors and the woods, I’m relatively unschooled in the fine art of woodworking compared to some. Natural wood has a life and character unlike any other material, and it’s hard to ignore those who make this craft their pursuit. I love to listen and…

Read More »

Filed Under: Bushcraft, Courses and Education, Front Page, Gear, Technology, Things to try Tagged With: diy, education, saw, skills, woodworking

The evolution of the gear closet (part 1)

April 4, 2012 by Michael Zimmermann Leave a Comment

Gear: Fit is everything. Good gear selection comes from knowing what you want out of it, and a large part of finding that out is by knowing what it’s like to deal with an inferior product, or having to improvise to fill an unanticipated need along the way. I wrestled with myself for quite a…

Read More »

Filed Under: Front Page, Gear, Technology, tips Tagged With: buying, Gear, improvised

Are survival kits the “good” silverware that gather dust?

February 16, 2012 by Michael Zimmermann Leave a Comment

I recently read a brace of posts from fellow outdoor blogs, The Oak and the Mountain, and Wood Trekker talking about survival kits. Now, the reason I came across these posts was because I was actively looking for survival kit ideas. I thought it was high time I re-visited my personal kit. Given that it’s…

Read More »

Filed Under: Front Page, Gear, HowTo, tips, Uncategorized Tagged With: emergency, shtf, survival, survival kit

Norway PakCanoe trip report by Cliff Jacobson

August 18, 2011 by Michael Zimmermann Leave a Comment

I’ve been thinking of trading in my folding PakCanoe for a lighter, more maneuverable vessel (I have the 17-footer, but I would be fine with a 16-, or even 15-foot), but not because it has let me down in any way. For any of you who are unsure as to the viability of the PakCanoe…

Read More »

Filed Under: Canoe, Gear, News, Trip Reports Tagged With: folding canoe, pakcanoe

Packing up your gear for the end of the season

September 27, 2010 by Michael Zimmermann Leave a Comment

I came across an article on this subject from the Ontario Parks Insider enewsletter. It’s a quick overview of the main tasks to think about when you’re squirreling your gear away for the off-season, or just to give your gear a good clean after some hard use.

Filed Under: Front Page, Gear, HowTo, tips Tagged With: enewsletters, Gear, maintenance, Ontario Parks Insider, storage

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Follow @awordinthewoods

Twitter

  • Just posted a photo @ Toronto, Ontario, Canada https://t.co/gzZiGIGnmr June 17, 2022 9:03 pm
  • Just posted a photo @ Leslieville https://t.co/tR3TbjMvQ9 April 28, 2022 6:37 pm
  • When the straps on a Barcelona chair start to give out, replacing them with proper vegetable-tanned full grain leat… https://t.co/a3EuvWSxeY April 6, 2022 4:13 am

Copyright © 2022 · Michael Zimmermann