Looking forward to a couple of new products from Nomad, who have made some innovative on-the-go charging connectors. They have a decidedly more urban focus, as you can see by their recently-announced NomadPlus battery add-on for the Apple wall lump, but the portable power option is definitely useful to many travellers. The NomadClip is something to…
Gear Review — Grand Trunk Hammock
I like camping in hammocks, and sleeping under the canopy of stars and leaves. In early summer, this isn’t possible with an open hammock design in the woods because of the bugs, but during the day, any hammock is just heaven. I recently conducted a test of the Grand Trunk Single Hammock, and if you’re…
Gear Review — Mosquitno Bands and Spotz
Happy (soon-to-come) Canada Day/Fourth of July/First week of summer! Spring is officially done, and for many people that means that summer fun can begin in earnest. More active, outdoor lifestyles means more weekends at the local park, at the cottage, biking, hiking, and, of course, camping — all of which mean mosquitos. In the buggy…
Gear Review: Ribz Front Pack — Land
It was 28°C (83°F), and the humidity was up. My back had been a little bit off of true for the last year (sneeze-and-your-knees-might-give-out sort of pain), and while I had been looking forward to a nice wilderness hike, I dreaded the consequences should my health and fitness not meet my needs on the trail….
Happy Trails
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…
New Ray Mears pack on the horizon?
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…
The evolution of the gear closet (part 1)
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…
Packing up your gear for the end of the season
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.