October 23rd, 2008

Freestyle Audio Waterproof MP3 Player

By Julie Blakley | 1 Comment »

Freestyle Audio’s Waterproof MP3 Player–a little 1 GB music player that you can take anywhere, even underwater.

Are you clumsy? Accident prone? Tend to break most expensive or even semi-expensive electronic gadgets you get your hands on? Welcome to the club. If you’re like me, you’ve washed your cell phone with your clothes (yes, it went through the whole cycle), you’ve smashed your ipod when you wiped out skiing, you’ve dropped your phone in the toilet and you’ve cursed when your digital camera landed smack dab in the middle of a giant puddle. Well, for all of us who tend to destroy our belongings, there is a solution with Freestyle Audio’s new Sport MP3 player. This tiny little MP3 player will not only hold up to 600 songs, it is super durable and is waterproof. In fact, this is the very first fully submersible MP3 player out there, and will continue to work up to 10 feet deep. That means if you jump in the water and forget this thing is still in the pocket of your board shorts (or just tend to sweat a lot), you’ll still be golden. In fact, you could even listen to music while hanging out in the pool or ocean if you’d like. Want to make snorkeling soundtrack for your trip to Hawaii? This device could actually allow you to dream of such a thing.
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October 23rd, 2008

The North Face Primero 60

By Daved Brosche | Add a Comment »

The North Face Primero 60 – The ultimate multi-day backpack.

There used to be a time when every pack was a multi-day pack. The Problem was, the pack you used for a short overnight trip was the same one you used for a month long stint in the backcountry. And we as backpackers have a tendency to fill up any amount of pack space we are given. Thus, we would carry the same amount of gear on an overnight trip as we would on a month long jaunt. Today though, we are lucky enough to have a variety of different sized packs. The North Face Primero 60 being one such pack.
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October 22nd, 2008

MADE’s Seattle Sling Dry Camera Bag

By Julie Blakley | Add a Comment »

Seattle Sling Camera Bag– A camera dry bag that will keep your equipment safe while on the move (and in the elements)

I’m not sure if some of us travelers like to fancy ourselves National Geographic photographers, or if we just like capturing that perfect shot while traveling and seeing some of the world’s most spectacular scenery, but when I’m traveling with my camera I always find myself running into the same problem. How do I keep my camera dry and safe, but still have it easily accessible so I don’t miss a great shot? From backpacking through Panama when torrential rainstorms would sometimes come out of nowhere, to sailing on a catamaran in Hawaii to hiking in the Rockies, I always manage to find myself in some situations where I’d rather not subject my camera to the elements. I mean, I’m young, I’m poor and I like to spend all of my money on traveling, so the idea of ruining the camera I just emptied my bank account for isn’t really something I’m trying to do. At the same time, I bought the camera for a reason—to take great pictures during that hike in the jungle or that sail on the catamaran. So, a solution is needed. I recently came across a camera bag that I think could solve my problems of wanting to keep my camera safe and dry while still making easy to access.
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October 22nd, 2008

Helly Hansen Manifesto Beater Shoes

By Daved Brosche | Add a Comment »

Helly Hansen Manifesto Beater Shoes – Perfect for big mountain trails.

When it comes to trail running there are those who run the trails at their local recreation area and then there are those who venture far off the beaten path to make their own. For these types of trail runners, a serious trail running shoe sis a must have. The Helly Hansen Manifesto Beater Shoes are about as serious as they come.
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October 21st, 2008

Sierra Designs Verde 20

By Daved Brosche | Add a Comment »

Sierra Designs Verde 20 – Made with recycled insulation

In the eco age of everything green, it only makes sense that sleeping bags should jump onto the bandwagon. Sleeping bag manufactures have been making some huge strides in using a variety recycled materials for their bags insulation. The Sierra Designs Verde 20 sleeping bag is a prime example. The bags insulation is made up completely of eco friendly materials.
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October 16th, 2008

Lightload Lightweight, Compact Towels

By Julie Blakley | Add a Comment »

Lightload Towels–Ultralight, versatile and compact towels perfect for travel or the outdoors

Anytime you make things lighter, more compact and easier to fit into a bag, I’m happy. I mean, aren’t those kind of the tenants for great travel gear? When it comes to towels, they can be big, heavy and very space-consuming, which is why Lightoload Towels—pocket sized towels that expand when you get them wet—are perfect for travel. Not only do these towels, which come in both a small dish-towel size and a full beach towel size, come packaged into tiny palm-sized and pocket-sized packages, they also are super absorbent, quick drying and biodegradable. The other plus is that even once you’ve used the towel and it is no longer dehydrated in the mini palm-sized brick, these towels are still very lightweight and space-saving. In other words, you don’t have to worry about how you are going to fit the towel in your pack or bag after you’ve used it. It’s super lightweight and thin and could easily be rolled up to be much smaller than a regular towel.
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October 15th, 2008

Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2.1 Tent

By Daved Brosche | Add a Comment »

Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2.1 Tent - Sweet new tent by Mountain Hardwear

Talk about an open and airy tent! The Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2.1 Tent will make it hard pressed for you to overheat inside of your tent. This sucker is 90% mesh and allows for ventilation from every angle. This slick new tent isn’t just airier, but it is also bigger. Three whole inches to be exact. That might not seem like much to some, but to others, it is a world of difference.
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October 14th, 2008

GoLite Jam2 Pack

By Daved Brosche | Add a Comment »

GoLite Jam2 Pack - Lightweight multi-day pack.

The GoLite brand of backpacks sure picked a good name for them self. These packs are so light that they may actually get you to consider becoming one of those obsessive lightweight backpackers. You know, the kind that sawtooth brushes in half and all that jazz. Pick up the GoLite Jam2 Pack and it will make your backpack feel like an anvil. If you want a lightweight backpack that’s perfect for lightweight multi-day trips, rock climbing, day hikes, and other outdoor activities, pick up the GoLite Jam2 Pack.
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October 13th, 2008

Sierra Designs Nahche +0 Sleeping Bag

By Daved Brosche | 1 Comment »

Sierra Designs Nahche +0 Sleeping Bag - Go green with this eco friendly sleeping bag.

It seems everything is going green these day. Why should sleeping bags be any different? Not that I am complaining by any means, it’s just crazy how just about everything under the sun can be made in a more environmentally friendly manner. The Sierra Designs Nahche +0 Sleeping Bag is a prime example of this. Not only is it an example of how things can be made better, but it also shows us that green products are just as good, if not better, than their counterparts.
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October 9th, 2008

TravelSmith’s Disposable Underwear

By Julie Blakley | 5 Comments »

TravelSmith’s Disposable Briefs—You read it right, underwear you toss instead of washing or packing dirty.

So, I know what you are thinking. “Disposable underwear? Really?” To be honest, I thought the same thing when I first heard about this Travel Smith product that is supposedly supposed to make traveling easier. My original thought was “Why on Earth would you need something like this?” I mean, is it really that big of a deal to wash your underwear and bring them back with you? But, to be honest, these things actually aren’t so bad. Contrary to what you may expect, these undies are made out of lightweight cotton (so, no, they don’t disintegrate on your body) and they feel and look a lot like regular cotton briefs. The difference is that these things are biodegradable, so when you do toss them they have a very low ecological impact, which is great. You also can wash these things a few times before you toss them, so you don’t have to feel like you are being totally wasteful.
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