Month: December 2014
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Shit that works week: non-black accessories
Black socks and black liner gloves irritate me. Yes, it’s the most universally pleasing color, important if you’re going to make only one available for a low-margin item, and yes it hides dirt. But a pair of black socks, when put into a drawer with six other pairs of black socks, are hard to differentiate,…
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Shit that works week: Aquaseal
Giving the gift of Aquaseal is to the regular outdoorsperson what the gift of socks or quality shaving razors is to anyone else; not exciting, but the pinnacle of practicality. It is not possible for me to have too much Aquaseal laying around. The uses are virtually innumerable, and too often when I want some…
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Shit that works week: Gossamer Gear grips
Tonight’s entry makes the cut for a simple reason, it is the best in class. Different trekking poles are good for different things, but all of them are better with Gossamer Gear grips on top. And most of them shed significant weight in the process, as well. The geometry is ideal for a number of…
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Shit that works week: Werner Shuna
A lot of gear upgrading is malarkey, born of boredom or fashion or envy or lust or some other vaguely protestant shortcoming. Buying new stuff is fun, usually harmless in that postmodern capitalist headinthesand way, and sometimes even justified, but most often little substantive reward is gained. That jacket was probably not quite as warm…
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The future of ultralight packs
The future of ultralight backpacks is a ~45 liter bag made of materials which will last multiple years under all but the most abusive use, carry 50 pounds easily, and weigh a fair bit under 2 pounds. The future is just about here. I do need to bend the frame a bit to get those …
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Shit that works week: a Flat Tarp
There is no substitute for a simple, flat (no curve in the center seam), rectangular tarp. It is the most versatile and pleasing of backcountry shelters. But I’ll get ants in my pants! Don’t camp on an anthill, genius. If the skeeters are bad camp on high ridges, gravel bars in wide valleys, and little…
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Shit that works week: Suunto Observer
Over eight years ago I paid 300 dollars for this watch, which seemed like the height of self-indulgence. M and I had just moved to Arizona for my first truly adult job, and were living in a spacious duplex which was almost empty. We had moved out with a full Xterra and 3 bikes on…
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Shit that works week: the Thermarest Prolite
The gift guides this time of year become too much very quickly. While your loved ones no doubt deserve plenty, and there is little more fun than a good gift given, most of the talk here too baldly feeds consumerism and is often just an amalgamation of press releases in disguise. To honor this bullshit,…
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Banff 2014: Turning the Corner
It’s been plain for a while now that the Banff Film festival is in a perilous position. The relative accessibility of video equipment has made outdoor films more common than ever before, thus in theory increasing both the breadth and depth of the pool from which an official fest like Banff has to draw. At…
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More deer lessons
Hunting teaches you a lot. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to have been able to get out so often and immerse myself in that process. As I’ve mentioned before I really started to get up on the learning curve this fall, and being able to move towards being more effective in a noticeable…
Bedrock & Paradox 
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