Year’s Best Gear- Gear Reviews

Each year, the Gear Junie pulls together a best-of-the-best list from the new and prototype products he reviewed for Gear Junkie. His “Top 10 Gear Picks” article is syndicated to a national group of newspapers, on Outside magazine’s website, and featured on GearJunkie.com.

1. The North Face Animagi Jacket — Cold-weather and winter running — as well as XC skiing — are more comfortable in this hybrid jacket. With PrimaLoft-stuffed panels and thin, stretchy sleeves, the $149 Animagi breathes where it needs to and insulates the core. Its unique design was a winner during neighborhood training runs up to longer endurance fests where I was out for two hours or more in the cold. Full Gear Junkie review: http://gearjunkie.com/the-north-face-animagi-jacket

Virginias vs. Carolinas: Which offers superior outdoor adventure?

Vote Here>>> and let us know!

Check out what other people have written about the two areas. I think you will be surprised!

Go Virginia!

Here is an excerpt from what one person wrote:

Jared Surasky-

“I thought so hard about this I got a headache! I have lived in Charleston SC, Asheville NC, and Charlottesville VA and I have to say that all are uniquely amazing when it comes to the outdoors. I have seen sunsets kayaking in the Ace Basin that would make your cry, hiked all over Western NC and seen beautiful things that would inspire a simple man to think profound thoughts (not that I’m simple), and climbed all over West Virginia, which is an endless playground of challenging routes! So, which is the best? I guess I will just have to be comfortable knowing that I won’t ever be able to answer that question. I can’t wait to see the results from this poll though!”

PureBot Water Bottle- Gear Review

From SIGG water bottles to baby products, the great BPA (Bisphenol-A) debate is raging right now. But fewer people are aware of another plastic unpleasantry known as EA. That stands for estrogenic activity, and it refers to any chemical that either blocks or mimics estrogen in the human body.

According to some researchers, nearly all plastic bottles leach an EA chemical, which are cited in studies to alter human growth rates, change behavior patterns, reduce sperm count, increase cancer rates and do other ugly things.

Hydrapak has partnered with an outfit called PlastiPure to create the PureBot, a sports bottle launched in November that is touted as EA-free.

Hydrapak PureBot

The PureBot does not contain Bisphenol-A or EA chemicals. Besides being free of two highly debated compounds, the Hydrapak PureBot is a normal 24-ounce bike water bottle with a large screw top lid. It’s currently available for $10. www.pure-bot.com

—Ryan Dionne

World’s Best Winter Mitts- Gear Review

When it’s too cold for gloves — generally around 10 degrees Fahrenheit for me — a good pair of mittens is crucial to enjoying any wintertime adventure. You sacrifice dexterity for cozy digits, but that’s the price of warmth in the rock-bottom cold months of the year.

So what mittens are the best for outdoor enthusiasts who want to ski, climb and throw snowballs at friends? A few years back, I tested six pair of top-end mittens for three months to find out.

Granite Gear’s Lutsen Mitts (orig. $89 but now discontinued; http://www.granitegear.com), a stout waterproof-breathable pair with wool fleece liners, nudged out first place in my little competition. The company stopped producing mittens. But, with my pair, the simple, streamlined construction and a non-bulky liner let me clip a carabiner and tie knots when ice climbing. They fit well and had a durable leather palm. Also, they were among the warmest in the review, holding their own in temps down to 20 degrees below zero. So if you can somehow still find a pair, buy ‘em.

A close second place goes to Black Diamond’s Mercury Mitt ($86, http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com). The company described them as cocoons for the hands, and indeed they’re stuffed with 284 grams of Primaloft insulation, the same fill used in cold-weather sleeping bags. They are nice waterproof-breathable mitts, but dexterity was not as good as with Granite Gear’s discontinued Lutsen Mitts. With the newest rendition of the Mercury Mitts, Black Diamond added a “trigger finger” removable liner that separates your index finger from the rest, increasing dexterity.

Marmot’s Expedition mitts ($110, http://www.marmot.com) take the warmest-of-all award. Made for Mount Everest climbers and South Pole scientists, the puffy Primaloft-stuffed waterproof mitts kept my hands toasty in extreme temps (as low as minus 30). In fact, the Primaloft is said to be twice as warm for its thickness than any other insulation. But the abundant insulation creates a mitt that lacks dexterity — I could easily grip a ski pole, but anything more than that was difficult.

The Cloudveil Troller mitts ($80, http://www.cloudveil.com), a classic leather mitt with a soft-shell back for stretch and breathability, is a nice model that deserves an honorable mention. It’s a neat combination, and the mitt balances warmth and dexterity well. Wear them on cold days down to 10 degrees or below.

—Stephen Regenold

The Gift For The Person Who Has it All – Yosemite?

What do you get the guy or gal on your list who has it all this year? Get em Yosemite, or Joshua Tree, or maybe Grand Canyon…

Sierra Club has launched a green giving program called “Sponsor a Wild Place,” where people can sponsor a national park

like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon in honor of a friend, and the friend gets sent a little package with info and a present.

It’s also a great money-saver because you get two things in one – you get to make your end-of-the-year donation to a good cause, and also have a great gift sent to a friend or family member. You can choose whether to to have your friend/familymember receive a stuffed animal that represents the sponsored park (i.e.a bear for Yosemite) or a backpack, so it’s a gift that works for all ages, kids or adults.

100% of the profits go to support Sierra Club’s work to protect our environment. Wild Places sponsorships help support the Sierra Club’s ongoing efforts to protect wild places from development and global warming.

More info, images, and a list of all the different parks that people can sponsor, is available at:
www.sierraclub.org/wildplaces

Budget-Friendly Solar Charger- Gear Review

With pocket-sized solar chargers the craze, Highgear designed one for backcountry techies on a budget. New this winter, the Highgear SolarPod, at just $50, is a basic solar charger about the size of an iPhone.

Designed to charge phones and mp3 players, the SolarPod is said to disperse power for 40 minutes on an 8-hour solar or 1-hour computer USB charge. That should be enough time to rejuvenate your iPod for a few hours of music or your cell phone for some crucial talk time.

Highgear SolarPod

Attached to the corner of the SolarPod is a carabiner clip so you can secure it to your pack and charge while you go. It also comes with eight connector tips for various phones, including a USB connector for mp3 players, digital cameras or anything Apple.

The 2.4oz-unit, which is the company’s first-ever solar charger, also has a battery indicator in 25 percent increments.

The Highgear SolarPod will be available in December for $50. www.highgear.com

—Ryan Dionne

What’s Your Survival IQ?

Outside Magazine has posted their Outside Survival Quiz that is designed to test our ability to survive in a number of situations out in the wilderness.

The questions are definitely challenging and I was left scratching my head on more than one occasion on what the best answer should be. Some of the choices are obvious or easy to rule out, but others are not so easy, and really require some thought or first hand experience in the best way to handle a situation. Some of the answers that they provide are also a bit contrary to other things I’ve heard or read, which goes to show you that survival isn’t really an exact science.

All that said, I have to admit that I only correctly answered 7 of the 14 questions correctly. That gave me a “D” on this quiz, and probably means I’m going to die a slow, agonizing death out in the wilderness somewhere. Take the quiz for yourself, and leave a comment with your score. I’m sure most of you will do better than I did! 🙂

Take the Quiz Here>>>

8 Dirtbag Dinners

Need ideas for what to cook out on a hiking trail? There are eight simple meals you can make yourself in the great outdoors with minimal time and effort, according to Backpacker.com. There’s the basic mac ‘n’ cheese dish, with tuna thrown in. And if you want to get exotic, there’s the Poor Man’s Pad Thai, which is basically Ramen with scoops of peanut butter. Check out the rest of the recipes below.
–Aileen Torres

1. Tuna Mac
Serves 2-3.
Cook 1 box of macaroni. Stir in cheese powder. Add 1 packet of tuna. (Note: Shells & cheese are encouraged.)

2. Poor Man’s Pad Thai
Serves 2.
Cook 1 packet Asian-flavored ramen noodles. Stir in 2 tablespoons peanut butter.

3. Pesto Pasta
Serves 2.
Cook 8 ounces of your pasta of choice. Stir in 2 ounces of pesto and 1 packet of pink salmon. (Note: Do NOT attempt to pack the pesto in a zip-top bag. You will regret it.)

4. Ranch Wraps
Serves 1.
Spread 1 packet of ranch dressing on 1 or 2 tortillas. Add 1 packet of chicken. Roll and eat.

5. Instant Indian
Serves 1.
Place the foil bags that come in 1 box of Tasty Bite Indian

BPA: It’s Not Just in Water Bottles

Outdoor enthusiasts were justifiably alarmed when it was reported that water bottles like Nalgene and Sigg contained Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical linked to reproductive abnormalities, heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. The outcry promptly forced these companies to switch to BPA-free products.

However, water bottles are just the beginning. BPA is found in virtually all plastic bottles and food cans. Everything from Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup to Star Kist tuna to the Jolly Green Giant’s green beans are in BPA-lined cans, according to the latest issue of Consumer Reports. Almost all of the 19 name-brand foods tested contain measurable amounts of BPA.

Equally frightening was the finding that even some products labeled “BPA-free” still contained trace amounts of BPA.

Consumers’ groups are calling on manufacturers and government agencies to act to eliminate the use of BPA in all materials that come in contact with

Aquapac Waterproof Backpack- Gear Review

What’s known as a commuter pack by some could be called a canyoneering or rafting pack by others. The Aquapac Wet and Dry Backpack is a 24-liter (1,525-cubic-inch) waterproof backpack made for a variety of uses.

With a roll-top closure and a TPU-coated nylon exterior with taped seams, it’s made to protect your stash 100 percent from all things liquid — in nature or on the way to work.

Aquapac Wet and Dry Backpack

The pack has an inner divider that helps keep your dry — or clean — gear separate from your wet — or dirty — gear. And it has a small clear pocket to stash and keep track of your phone, wallet, keys and other small items.

With a sternum and waist strap, rear light loop, reflective logo and mesh side pocket to store a water bottle, the Wet and Dry Backpack has the necessary features for a safe and comfortable commute, too.

The Aquapac Wet and Dry Backpack is currently available for $85. www.aquapac.net

—Ryan Dionne