Water Bottle

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June 15, 2010 by Jonsky

The very sleek KOR ONE water bottle was featured in Ironman 2 so there’s a high cool factor there. If you’re backpacking, the slim design makes it fit easily into the side pockets of your backpack. It’s also BPA free.

Check out some of the reviews on this high quality water bottle:

You can get the KOR ONE from Amazon.

June 18, 2009 by Jonsky

Here’s what one hut-to-hut hiker has in his fanny pack:

• Duct tape
• Aleve
• Bandages
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Extra water bottle
• Antibiotics
• Batteries
• Windbreaker/Poncho
• Plastic bags
• Medical kit

So what’s missing? Notice there are no camp stoves and pots, sleeping bags, camping mat, tent, and anything beyond energy bars for sustenance. But one has to be prepared in case of emergencies. In the wild, anything can happen.

I’ve done some hut-to-hut camping in Scotland a few years back and find that we don’t always reach our destination on time. There may be diversions, you may have the taken the wrong turn, etc. Two of the 4 days hike we had to camp and we were glad we had the tarp with us.

If you haven’t tried hut-to-hut camping before, go for it. It’s good fun. Check out this article on hut-to-hut hiking on USA today.

• Day Travel Deals » ‘Hut-to-hut’ hiking offers comfort between … – ‘Hut-to-hut’ hiking offers comfort between daily treks. June 18, 2009 @ 5:00 pm · Filed under Uncategorized. More tour operators are offering walking itineraries between accommodations that range from rustic backcountry huts to deluxe … …
• Hut Hiking – Budget Travel – … like the cabanes in France, the hütten in Switzerland and Germany, and the rifugios in Italy, which are spread out in the Alps within walking distance of each other–perfect for multi-night hut-to-hut hiking trips. …
• Alec Harper’s Page – My CoolWorks – After a quick adventure to the White Mountains (N.H.) for some hut-to-hut hiking along the ridgeline (early June)… I will be looking for a “cool” job! I have 11 years in accounting and finance experience followed by another 12 years …

May 5, 2009 by Jonsky

A hydration pack is a type of backpack or waistpack that functions as  a hydration system i.e. it has  a reservoir made of rubber or some kind of plastic connected to a hose that allows the user to drink hands-free.

Most hoses in a hydration pack have a bite valve that opens when you bite on it. The reservoir is usually insulated so that cold water stays cold a bit longer in warm weather and prevents it from freezing in cold weather.

Now when you do physical exercises like running, hiking and cycling it is important that you keep yourself hydrated to replace the water you lost through sweat.When you’re dehydrated, your body will slowly start to fail you and you won’t be able to perform at your best.

Most people only drink when they are thirsty. Experts say that when you’re thirsty, your body is already severely dehydrated and to be rehydrated won’t be as easy as simply drinking water.

That’s why sometimes you still feel thirsty even after drinking loads of water.

The right way to keep hydrated is not by drinking loads of water at one time but by frequently taking small sips of water. Studies have shown that people are more likely to do anything when it’s convenient for them and it has been shown that people who use hydration packs are more likely to stay hydrated.

You’re also likely to drink more often when you have a water bottle in your hand but you won’t be able to use your hands for holding trekking poles or for keeping your balance.

The problem with hydration packs is that they tend to bounce when you run or jump rocks. Even though the bounce is minor because the backpack is so small it can still make you aware of it and can be a discomfort.

One hydration pack that can reduce this “bounciness” is the Gregory Diablo Backpack which mimics your body movement through its high tech suspension system that involves elasticized attachment points and dual dynamic straps that connects to where the waist belt and harness interface to the backpack.

Check out the review by Outside Magazine:

• The Gear Junkie Scoop: Gregory Diablo Backpack – Gregory-Diablo – small photo The Diablo costs $59, and there are several nice touches, including internal mesh separator pockets and zippered pouches on the waist belt for quick-grab food or small gear. There’s a “tube management system …

January 28, 2009 by Jonsky

The 2009 Outdoor Retailer Show was the biggest tradeshow in the outdoor industry and it was awesome. The fashion show attracted more than 3,500 during its premier. Given the economic situation, advertisers are pleased with the attendance.

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But fashion is not what it’s all about. It’s a showcase of some of the best camping gear available (or soon to be available) on the market.

Backpacker magazine made announcements on the Editor’s Choice Award winners which included a GPS-enabled camera, the lightest yet most livable 4-person tent they’ve ever tested, a boot that comes in sizes for every hard to fit foot, another boot that great for everything from dayhikes to extended expeditions, the most versatile headlamp, a touchscreen GPS, the most comfortable sleeping pad ever crashed on by the Backpacker and some energy chews.

I love awards like these because they’re a testimonial to the quality of the products.

18 of the best hiking and camping equipment won the award, all of which will be revealed in their magazine’s April issue – The Gear Guide. This is out of the thousands of new stuff they tested over the course of the year including tents, packs, boots, bags, stoves, puffies, hard shells, soft shells, pants, socks, hats, knives, cameras, GPSs, chairs, pads, sporks, mugs, duffels, headlamps, chop sticks and more.

The Gear Junkie, Stephen Regenold, on the other hand have a different selection with some similarities. His top picks included S.O.L. (Survive Outdoors Longer) Survival Water Bottle, Timex Expedition WS4, Wigwam and Bridgedale socks, Loki Mountain Hoodie, Cloudveil Koven Plus Down, Mountain Hardwear Refugium Trifecta Jacket, Leki AERGON Grip, Trew outerwear, Adventure Medical Kits Women’s Edition Travel Kit and GU Chomps Performance Energy Chews.

My top pick would be the Loki Mountain Hoodie which looks simple but very well made. What I like about it though is the hidden mittens that fold out of its sleeves and the hidden face with breatheable nose netting. Other features include two large zippered side pockets and two chest zipper pockets with and MP3 pass-through port.

Other things that I liked was the Mountain Hardwear Refugium Trifecta Jacket and Leki AERGON Grip.

The Trifecta is cool because it keeps you warm(the fabric itself heats up) and dry AND charges your cell phone as well. It will be available later this year for around 500 bucks.

The Leki AERGON Grip is a rounded grip atop a trekking pole which sits nicely in your palm. Very useful for descents.

There are a lot of other great stuff at the show. I only wish I could have been there.

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