If you’re heading up to bear country this summer, you’ll want to read this. Rebecca, being a tester for Backpackgeartest.org, has tried ’em all: Bear Vault, Bearikade, Ursack, etc. I own a Bear Vault Solo, which, as Rebecca notes, has…
Gear
Hiking maps: does anybody buy them anymore?
by tom • April 30, 2009 • 5 Comments
The rise of do-it-yourself mapping services like everytrail.com has me wondering about the livelihood of people like Tom Harrison, who divides his time between walking all the great trails of California and creating basically the best maps of those trails…
Next profile: ULA Equipment
by tom • February 18, 2009 • 5 Comments
My next cottage gear maker profile will be ULA-Equipment, run by Brian Frankle of Logan Utah. Henry Shires tells me he met Frankle on the Pacific Crest Trail, which they both through-hiked in 1999. (Hmm, wonder how many other PCT…
We have a winner!
by tom • December 12, 2008 • 0 Comments
The lucky draw in the KEENFOOTWEAR.COM contest is one Peter Duthoy of Frederick, Maryland. Peter has 48 hours to reply to an e-mail I just sent him. If by some chance he doesn’t reply, I’ll do another draw Sunday morning.
Quick contest update
by tom • December 5, 2008 • 0 Comments
Responses have been pouring in for the contest to win a freebie of your choosing from KEEN footwear. Check out the contest post if you’re interested.
Contest: Win one free goodie from KEENFOOTWEAR.COM
by tom • December 5, 2008 • 1 Comment
THIS CONTEST IS EXPIRED. KEEN has a new online footwear store and it’s spreading the word by setting up contest giveaways with gullible enterprising outdoors bloggers. What’s in this for me? Not much, but one of you could win the…
Mountain Hardwear’s coolest new thing: Red Savina Heated Gloves
by tom • December 2, 2008 • 0 Comments
East Bay-based Mountain Hardwear has what must be the niftiest bit of new gear in the pipeline: Red Savina Heated Gloves. They’re more geared to the skiing and snowboarding set but they might be, uh, handy on a snowshoeing outing.…
Hiking gear gift ideas
by tom • November 28, 2008 • 2 Comments
In honor of Black Friday, here’s a bunch of cool hiking gear I’d give myself for Christmas if I had someplace to put it. I went searching among my favorite boutique gear retailers because I know the stuff is built…
Rare deals on Western Mountaineering gear?
by tom • November 26, 2008 • 3 Comments
The San Jose manufacturer of some of the world’s best sleeping bags sews its product right here in the South Bay rather than somewhere in China, commands Cadillac prices for its wares, and insists that dealers cut very few discounts.…