A Place for All Outdoors
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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
Categories: Reviews.
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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 2nd of 3 installments on my review of this product here…
Categories: Reviews.
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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….
Categories: Reviews.
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Summer has arrived in full force and as a result I have been able to get out
even more than just a few months back. But the downside to the warmer weather is that a day pack which fastens around my waist can be downright uncomfortable after an hour or so. And in the reguard, I would have to say the Shasta has shown what a truly versatile day pack it is. I have also continued to use it to carry my odds and ends to and from work. To read the rest of this update along with the entire review please click here.
Coy Boy
Categories: Reviews.
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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?
| Manufacturer: Ahnu Product Model: Women’s Sequoia Product Specifications: 11 ounces, Garnet & Medium Gray, Women’s 6 to 11 Manufacturer Website: http://www.ahnufootwear.com |
Categories: Reviews.
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hill near Horn Pond
The Tilley Organic Airflo Hats are 98% organic cotton and are acknowledged to be the “Best in the World”. A hat with outstanding qualities. I will start off with some of the features. To read more.
Categories: Reviews.
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Ever hear of Geocaching?
Ever think, ‘that might be fun, but how do I get started?’
Do you have a GPS? Ever think ‘I wish there was something fun I could do with this?’ Or ever look at a GPS in the store and think ‘wish I had an excuse to get one of these’?
Well if you answered yes to any of these questions, or said no to all of them but continued to read this anyway, you might be interested in my article describing how to go about getting started Geoching.
Wondering what Geocaching is? Well you won’t learn that from my article, but since you got this far you might as well Google “Geocaching”, and then come back and read my article.
Regardless of how or why you read the article, I don’t think you will be disappointed, so you might as well click this link and read it. After all you have read this far, aren’t you at least a bit curious?
Dave (the turtle) Wilkes
Categories: Outdoor Article.
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RELAX?!?!?!…..and here is a cap to do it in. Read more….
Categories: Reviews.
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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….
Categories: Reviews.
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I have been using the Benchmade 930 Kulgera for two months now while camping, hiking, around town, and for a few special projects.
The Kulgera is still very sharp and is working perfectly in the field.
Check out my final thoughts here.
Jenn K.
Categories: Reviews.
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Now that the weather is warming, the importance of good hydration increases. Check out my latest thoughts on the Osprey Manta Hydraulics pack.
Categories: Reviews.
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~ Leesa
Northern New England and Quebec are home to a 740 mile canoe trail.
Explore the Northern Forest Canoe Trails of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Quebec.
Check out my review, first of the book, and then upcoming follow ups of the trail.
Summer is almost here in Maine!
Categories: Reviews.
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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.
Categories: Reviews.
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view of Liberty Gorge
I now have been wearing the Columbia Blood N’ Guts shirt for about a month and it is performing better than I expected. I have worn the shirt on 4 local hikes, 5 hikes in the Franconia Notch area of New Hampshire, and almost everyday for other activities.
To read more.
Categories: Reviews.
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The eGear PICO™ Lite may not be the worlds smallest flashlight (they don’t make the claim) but it certainly is the smallest I have ever seen. And on top of that, it is very bright! It seems very rugged for such a small light. Perhaps because it is constructed similar to tactical lights I have seen, just in an ulta-compact size. The manufacture (ESSENTIAL GEAR) claims the light is good for 30 ft and has a 10 lumen beam but With the cloud cover it was pitch black and I could see up into trees in my yard that were at least 50 ft tall. To read more click here.
Coy Boy
Categories: Reviews.
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Cannon Mountain from Echo Lake
I am reminded of a saying I heard on the trail: “A bad day on the trail is always better then the best day at work”. Hiking has been my favorite outdoor activity all my life. I have always struggled with determining the difficulty of a hike. To read more.
Categories: Reviews.
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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
Categories: Reviews.
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It’s been a while that I’ve had the Trailhead tee – and I’ve worn it both on trail and off and have been pleased with its performance and styling. If you are looking for a technical tee that can handle both the trail and casual tooling around town, the Trailhead is one you should consider.
To read the full review, pop over here.
~Stephanie
Categories: Reviews.
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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
Categories: Reviews.
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Being comfortable while outdoors is a big priority for me. When I hike, or paddle I want to be able to move without restriction, and not have to worry about my clothing. Many times, especially paddling, I find that the straps of either my base layer, or bra become uncomfortable. The constant movement of my arms seems to cause chaffing. Wearing a backpack can make it even worse.
Check out how the Icebreaker is working out here.
Categories: Reviews.
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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.
Categories: Reviews.
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It’s been another month since I last popped in to tell you about the Columbia Ravenous Trail Runners. I’ve had em out and about around town, and more importantly out on trail – including some pretty aggressive terrain. In a nutshell, I’m happy with how they’ve performed. They are light, comfortable, breathe well, grip the trail nicely, and don’t let my toes get mashed on serious downhills. Want a bit more detail? Head over here to read the full review.
~Stephanie
Categories: Reviews.
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last of the snow on Peobody slopes
Recently I spent a week in the Franconia Notch area of New Hampshire. The weather was great with rain only for half a day. I wore the boots whenever I went hiking and they provided excellent traction on the rocks. I encountered wet and muddy areas which also were not a problem. To read more.
Categories: Reviews.
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Benchmade 1111H20
I’m a little tardy updating my use thus far but this is the season when I’m getting my garden started, the yard needs mowing every time I turn around…you get the picture. On the bright side, I have been using the H20 a lot. I’ve carried it on three overnight camping trips and for cutting limbs etc the knife works great. For example, on one hiking trip I forgot my stakes that are used for the fly on my hammock. A friend had one spare stake but I needed two so I found a dead but solid limb and made another one. To read the rest of the update along with the rest of the review please click here.
Coy Boy
Categories: Reviews.
By Dennis
My Labrador retrievers help review some new Planet Dog glow in the dark balls. Planet Dog donates 100% of the proceeds from this popular dog ball to the Planet Dog Foundation to provide grants to programs throughout the country that train, place and support service dogs helping people in need. Read the review
Categories: Reviews.