gear posts
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (4 months ago)
Jan 16th, 2012 at 8:00AM: When packing for a trip, one of the most important decisions we make is what shoes to bring along. Usually we know that we're going to be busy, and on our feet a lot, so comfort is always a consideration, but versatility doesn't hurt either – especially if you prefer to travel light. That's why the Jamison boots from Bogs are such a great choice for active travelers, as they manage to be ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (4 months ago)
Jan 9th, 2012 at 8:00AM: Picking the right bag to carry with us on our travels can be almost as important as selecting the items we put inside of it. Our baggage must be versatile, rugged, distinctive, and now days, easily fit inside an overhead compartment. The Carry-on Zip from Hummingbird meets all of those criteria, and then some, providing travelers with a simple, but very useful, bag for active excursions. ...
by Pam Mandel (RSS feed) (4 months ago)
Jan 2nd, 2012 at 9:00AM: Truth: Writing gear reviews is fun. I get to play around with a lot of different toys, try on clothes that are polar opposites of what passes for my personal style, and most of the people I meet in the outdoor gear industry are great fun. They're just like you and me; they like to travel and camp and be kitted out nicely while they're doing it.
The tough part about being a gear head is that you ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (4 months ago)
Jan 2nd, 2012 at 8:00AM: I've always enjoyed having a collection of my music with me when I travel. It helps me to relax on a long flight, keeps me entertained while on the go, and is much appreciated when I'm passing the time in a hotel room. Thanks to MP3 players and smartphones, it is now easier than ever to carry our entire library of music with us wherever we go, and enjoying that music is made even easier with a ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (5 months ago)
Dec 12th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The line between a once in a lifetime adventure, and a miserable trip that can't be over fast enough, is a fine one. There is nothing worse than finally visiting your dream destination, only to have inclement weather ruin the experience. The right gear can make all the difference in those situations however, turning a potential disaster into an amazing outing. Mountain Hardwear is one company that ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (5 months ago)
Dec 5th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Handheld GPS devices are a popular tool for outdoor enthusiasts who regularly hike or backpack deep into the backcountry. They can be an indispensable piece of equipment that comes in handy for navigating through remote regions, and for those who know how to use them, they can quite literally be a lifesaver. The problem is, the devices can also be quite complex to use, which is very daunting for ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (5 months ago)
Nov 29th, 2011 at 8:00AM: As December approaches and the holiday season draws near, those warm summer days that we enjoyed just a few months back are already a distant memory. But no matter what the calendar says, I guarantee the adventurer on your shopping list is already plotting his or her next warm weather escape. Considering summer really is just a short plane ride away, here are some suggestions for what to buy them ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (6 months ago)
Nov 28th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Remember when buying a cell phone was easy? You simply walked into a store, found a device that was the right size and price to fit your needs, bought it, and walked out the door. You usually didn't have to buy another one until that phone died, and the thought of upgrading on an annual basis was nearly unheard of. The increase in demand for smartphones over the past few years, spurred on by the ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (6 months ago)
Nov 21st, 2011 at 8:00AM: Staying healthy while on the go is one of the most important aspects for us to enjoy our travels. Nothing ruins a "trip of a lifetime" more quickly than contracting a stomach ailment or developing nasty blisters on our feet. Anticipating everything we might need to take with us to avoid these issues can be tough however, and invariably we end up leaving home without the one thing we really need.
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by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (6 months ago)
Nov 14th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Modern technology has obviously had a dramatic impact on how we travel. Thanks to small, lightweight portable devices, we now have the ability to carry our entire music library or a collection of our favorite movies and television shows, with us where ever we go. But one of the key elements for enjoying our music and videos is a good pair of headphones, preferably headphones that are comfortable ...
by Mike Barish (RSS feed) (6 months ago)
Nov 1st, 2011 at 12:00PM: So much of the gear that's out there these days is incredibly technical and specialized. Ski jackets that are impervious to the elements yet breathe so that you don't sweat too much. Raincoats with 16 pockets and stretchy materials so that you can also scale a rock face while wearing them. These products serve many purposes and are innovative, but they also end up being expensive and including ...
by Meg Nesterov (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Oct 25th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Let's get this out of the way: you can travel with a baby. Many new parents feel that once they have a child, their travel days are over, but many parents will tell you that the first six months are the easiest time to travel with a baby. Is it easy? Not exactly, but with enough planning and the right attitude, it's not as hard as you might think. Is it selfish? Probably, but so is most travel. ...
by Libby Zay (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Oct 17th, 2011 at 11:00AM: After hours and hours of watching travelers roll by with boring baggage at the airport, I finally spotted a line of suitcases that gives me luggage envy. SteamLine Luggage makes well-tailored, vintage-style cases that are reminiscent of old steamer trunks-except with a modern twist.
These leather-bound bags are at the same time fashionable and funcitonal. Color combos range from pink and ...
by Melanie Renzulli (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Oct 14th, 2011 at 11:30AM:
Think your iPhone or Android camera and a panorama app is all you need to take 360 degree photos? Then I'd like to introduce you to the Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera. As you'll see in the video above, the ball camera is equipped with 36, 2-megapixel mobile phone camera modules which all click together to create a full panorama when the ball reaches its peak of flight. This crazy cool ...
by Pam Mandel (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Oct 10th, 2011 at 10:00AM: This is kind of gross, and I'm a little bit sorry for that, but I still have scaly bits on the tops of my ears. This because I burned the daylights out of them by wearing the wrong hat while on a recent adventure. I made it worse by neglecting to apply sunscreen to my poor ears -- I'll skip the part about what happened when I started to peel.
I pack a baseball style cap for my travels. I'd ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (7 months ago)
Oct 3rd, 2011 at 8:00AM: As a gear reviewer, I see a lot of different travel and outdoor products come across my desk. Some are unique and useful, others are shameless derivatives of products that have come before them. I've seen a few pieces of gear that are truly ingenious, but many more that are just down right whacky. It isn't often that you get a new product and immediately realize that it has the potential to change ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (8 months ago)
Sep 26th, 2011 at 8:00AM: ExOfficio is a company that has earned a reputation for designing excellent clothing for travel and outdoor adventure. Their comfortable, stylish, and high quality apparel is just as popular with travelers visiting the Louvre as it is with those exploring the Serengeti. The ExOfficio catalog includes clothing to keep you warm and dry in unexpected rainstorms and cool and comfortable in the warmest ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (8 months ago)
Sep 19th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Grace Digital Audio is probably best known for its line of Internet radio devices, but the company also produces a line of waterproof cases for smartphones and mp3 players as well. In fact, we positively reviewed their Eco Extreme case back in 2010, and now are similarly impressed with their new Eco Pod as well.
As an active traveler and avid outdoor enthusiast, I almost always cringe when I ...
by Mike Barish (RSS feed) (8 months ago)
Sep 8th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
I have a bit of a fetish for daypacks and, as such, I've become quite particular about what I like and what annoys the heck out of me. That's why I was so excited to try out my new Osprey Raptor 14 on a recent trip to Zion National Park. With temperatures pushing 100°F, hikes lasting hours and the air as dry as a bone, it's incredibly important that you have the right supplies and that ...
by Kraig Becker (RSS feed) (8 months ago)
Sep 5th, 2011 at 10:00AM: When packing for an active trip, we often put a lot of consideration into the clothes we bring along with us. If we're headed to a cold weather destination for example, we bring quality base layers, fleeces, and of course a good shell. If we're setting out for a hot climate, its lightweight, breathable apparel that we put in our bags. One piece of clothing that we don't always put much thought ...
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