Wondering how the SteriPEN has been performing?  There are some definite Pro’s and Con’s for this type of water purifier system, but  so far I think I really like this little gadget!

After having the device for a month here is the second of three installments of my review.

Dave (the turtle) Wilkes

Image courtesy of Benchmade

“Quality is remembered after price is forgotten” I saw this quote on a marquee the other day and the first thing I thought of was the Benchmade NimClub-II knife. While I may have been initially taken aback by the price, after a month of use, I have been quite pleased with the quality. To put it bluntly, this is a damn fine knife.

You can read the 2^nd of 3 installments on my review of this product here…

Danielle Denton

I have been using my Oboz Hardscrabble shoes for the past month and have found many great uses for them.  I have taken them through mud, snow, and water and have yet to be disappointed in how they perform.  Whether on an eight mile hike, rugged trail run, trudging through neck deep water, or rappelling off a 140 ft. arch, I never got blisters or felt discomfort.  Those things are very important when looking for an outdoor “adventure” shoe. 

Click here to read more about my experiences with the Hardscrabble….

The amazingly lightweight Ahnu Women's Sequoia

By Suzanne

I don’t know about the other hikers out there, but I can never seem to find a light weight summer hiker that can hold up to my abuse. I tried a well known brand and killed them within two hikes. I mean, crushed them to death. I had always figured that I was just too hard on my feet and that no shoe company would want to take me on.

But then something happened. Ahnu came along. And, suddenly, I have a pair of hikers that I’ve worn nonstop since their arrival and I have yet to notice any wearing. How the heck did that happening?

Click here to read more!

RELAX?!?!?!…..and here is a cap to do it in.  Read more….

The Gerber Octane is not an additive to your gas tank in your car….but it can be used to fix just about everything on your car and whatever else might be broken. Read more….

Now that the weather is warming, the importance of good hydration increases.  Check out my latest thoughts on the Osprey Manta Hydraulics pack.

Read the Review

by: Dave D’Abate

GoLite Lime Lite

GoLite Footwear’s Limelite hiker features their proprietary Soft-Against-The-Ground Technology. A traditional shoe’s construction is layered with the thick foam midsole attached to a stiff plate followed by the rubber outsole. GoLite Footwear literally flips this system over and places the stiff plate under foot and the soft foam against the ground. The idea being that while hiking along a rocky trail, instead of stepping on a rock and letting your ankle tilt to the shape of the rock, the Soft-Against-The-Ground Technology allows the Lime Lite to squish and form around the rock thus allowing for greatly improved ankle and foot stability that doesn’t throw you off balance.

Read the rest of the review!

I’ve been out and about with the Mobex – we’ve been around town, on trail, off trail and scrambled up and down some rougher terrain.  Through it all, the Mobex has served me well, conforming nicely and allowing me great freedom of movement without shifting and throwing off my balance.

The Mobex is definitely a little different from the usual daypack, but in a good way – and with lots and lots of organizational features.  Read the full report here.

~Stephanie

My how time flys! I can’t believe it is time for an update on the Alpini Bivy. More importantly given how thin and light this thing is, I can’t believe I have not ripped it yet. But the material seems to be far tougher than I had expected. Click here to read my second installment of this review.

I hope you enjoy reading it.

Dave (the turtle) Wilkes

by: Dave D’Abate

100 Hikes in New Mexico

New Mexico has been my primary location for the many miles I have hiked and backpacked over the years so I had to jump at the opportunity to review 100 Hikes in New Mexico by Craig Martin, published by The Mountaineers Books, is now in its Third Edition for 2010. As far as guidebooks go, there are only a few publishers I really trust for concise, accurate information and The Mountaineers Books is one of those publishers. The Mountaineers Books is the non-profit publishing branch of The Mountaineers Club, an organization founded in 1906 and dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and enjoyment of outdoor and wilderness areas.

The first few pages of the book has a wealth of information, starting with Trails at a Glance, an Introduction about hiking in New Mexico, and the table of contents which breaks the hikes down into seven distinct areas of the New Mexico landscape. The hikes are further broken down throughout the book in clusters near each other to allow for a complete weekend of hiking with trailheads a only few hours apart.

Click here to read more!