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Cassin Bladerunner Crampons
The Cassin Bladrunner crampons are a new modular design that is supposed to provide both maximum versatility and excellent performance. The design allows the crampons to be set up with either horizontal or vertical front points, (or, I suppose, one of each,) and there’s a great deal of choice on how the front points are […]
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E Climb Klau Aluminum Ice Screws
The E-Climb “Klau” ice screw is not widely available in the United States. As of this date, I couldn’t find a single U.S. seller. I ended up ordering the screws directly from Spain, where E-Climb is headquartered. E-Climb Website HERE The E-Climb Klau screw has a couple of features that make it different from most […]
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2014 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Highlights
The 2014 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market presents an overwhelming array of products to assess and be dazzled by. After a couple of days wandering the halls of the outdoor retailer show, here are some of my impressions: Backcountry Ski Touring: As the winter oriented show, it’s not surprising that there were tons of backcountry […]
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Patagonia Ascensionist 25L Pack
15.8 ounces (with add-on shock cord compression straps.) The Patagonia Ascensionist pack line is Patagonia’s new foray into making backpacks. The 25 liter pack is the smallest of the line-up, suited for day trips and traditional alpine climbs from huts. The Ascensionist 25L pack is stripped down to the bare essentials. The suspension is […]
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Rab Boreas Pull-On
The Rab Boreas Pull-On is a strange soft shell. It’s not very wind resistant. It’s not very water resistant. Currently, outdoor clothing companies all seem to be making their softshell clothing more and more weather resistant, blurring the line between hard and soft shells. The Boreas goes the other direction. It’s a softshell that provides […]
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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Echo II Shelter
1 pound, 12.5 ounces (tarp, inner tent, beak, and stuff sack.) 5.5 ounces (12 aluminum stakes and small stuff sack.) Total packed weight of full tent with 12 stakes: 34 ounces (2 pounds, 2 ounces) The Echo II from Hyperlite Mountain Gear is my latest backcountry shelter. It’s a hybrid tarp/tent made mostly from lighweight […]
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Backcountry Fishing Kit
I love backcountry fly fishing. When I’m fishing the backcountry, I typically have to do a fair amount of hiking to get to the waters I’m going to fish. Weight and space are at a premium. Many roadside fishermen carry a lot of fishing paraphernalia; enough to fill a fishing vest. If you’re fishing close to […]
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Knives and other cutting tools
A knife has got to be one of the first tools that early man created. When you’re in the wilderness, you often have the need to cut things, and having a knife along can be pretty handy. Because knives are so useful, it’s no surprise that primitive people worked on making knives from flint, […]
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Overloaded on the Uinta Highline Trail
I just got back from the Uinta Highline Trail. This trail follows the spine of Utah’s Uinta Wilderness Area. It traverses about 70 miles, and requires a bit over 15,000 feet of vertical gain (and corresponding vertical loss.) The route pretty much stays above 10,000 feet altitude, with multiple 12,000+ foot passes. Scenery […]
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Patagonia River Crampons
It’s been a while since I have reviewed any fly fishing gear. This isn’t because I haven’t been fishing (I fish a couple times a week when conditions are good,) but rather because I haven’t bought any fishing gear in a long time. I’ve been pretty happy with the gear I’ve been using. However, […]