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Category Archives: Gear Review
Initial Impressions of Big Agnes Air Core Ultra Sleeping Pad
I recently had my first recent section hike of the Appalachian Trail. A portion of the trail (over 70 miles) passes through the Smoky Mountains and section hikers are required to make reservations and sleep in the shelters. I’m primarily … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear Review
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Initial impressions of the Thrupack Summit Bum – Pocket
One of my goals in the past few years has been a lighter pack weight and to hike more efficiently. I am pretty happy with my pack weight and gear. My base weight (everything except food and water) for cold … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear Review, Hiking
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Track my progress real-time on my SPOT GPS Messenger
I’m leaving tomorrow (10/5/2019) morning to drive to Elkmont, Tennessee and begin a 4 day, 35 mile backpacking trip. To show how a SPOT GPS Messenger works, I am sharing my public page where you can track my progress. There … Continue reading
Initial impressions of the Outdoor Vitals LoftTek (TM) Insulated Jacket and compared to the Patagonia Nano-Puff Jacket
Yes, it has been several months since I’ve posted. Life has been busy. However, I received something in the mail and thought I’d share! You may have seen the OutdoorVitals jacket for sale on Kickstarter. If not, the link is … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear Review, Hammock Camping, Hiking
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Dirty Girl Gaiters (Initial impressions)
All quotes are from https://dirtygirlgaiters.com/ I finally gave in to peer pressure and purchased a pair of Dirty Girl Gaiters to wear when I’m hiking. For the unknowing, Dirty Girl Gaiters are lightweight gaiters that fit from just above your … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear Review, Hiking
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I bought new shoes….
Since my very first hike I have worn Merrill Moab Ventilators. They are great shoes – easy to find, affordable, comfortable, and have served me well for many trips. I typically buy a new pair every year because water crossings … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear Review, Hiking
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SPOT Gen 3 Satellite Messenger review
Where I spend most of my time hiking is outside of cell phone service and I wanted a way to allow some communication with my wife and family. I have been debating for some time what type of device to … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear Review, Helpful information, Hiking
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Improved water filter system
I wanted to provide an update to my water filtration system. The main reason I changed my system was twofold: Higher rate flow of filtered water and ease of collecting unfiltered water. While this system works great for me, it … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear Review, Hammock Camping, Hiking
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Gaia GPS App vs Garmin GPS
I’ll start with a disclaimer: I believe you should first have and know how to use a map and compass when backcountry hiking. The advantage of a map and compass is that it never needs batteries, works anywhere, and is … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Beginner Series, Gear Review, Helpful information, Hiking
9 Comments
My first DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Project – A hammock stand!
After reading about a portable and easy to make hammock stand, I finally decided to make one. There are several threads about this on http://www.hammockforums.net – the original thread is here: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/51787-The-TurtleDog-stand?highlight=turtledog. There are many other threads that incorporate different … Continue reading
Posted in DIY, Everything Else, Gear Review, Hammock Camping
3 Comments