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Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Two Pot Cook Set First Look
Sea to Summit released an updated collection of cookware earlier this year, and I got my hands on a review copy of the new Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Two Pot Cook Set (Get it direct from Sea to Summit). I’ll be using this over the summer on family camping trips. To make that work, they also sent me an extra Passage Bowl and Cup. This is my first look at the system. I’ll follow-up with a full review after using them for the season. Sea to Summit has been making some interesting gear that has peaked my curiosity. For example, last year the new Sea to Summit 50L Big…
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Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio 5 Watt GMRS Radio First Look
Rocky Talkie’s Expedition Radio is a new GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radio that has IP67 waterproofing, which means it’s waterproof to 3 feet (1 meter) for one hour. It also claims a long battery life of five days and offers 5-watts of power, which in theory will give a range of over 35 miles in optimal conditions, but more likely two to eight in the real world. For paddlers, the claimed range on a river is a half to three miles. Rocky Talkie sent over a pair for testing and I’ll be testing these over the paddling season. Here are my initial impressions. Unboxing the Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio…
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LaCrosse Grange Boots Review: Best Boot for Canoeing?
For the last couple of years, I’ve been using the LaCrosse Grange Boots for canoeing when I want a rubber waterproof boot. If you’re a long-time reader, you may remember that back in 2019 I wrote The Best Boots for Canoeing. I recommend the Xtratufs boots, and I still think that’s a good recommendation. But I found that after a couple of trips that they didn’t fit my feet well. I sold them and then bought a pair of LaCrosse Grange Boots. To make this review short, these are the boots that I’ve been using for canoeing, shoulder seasons around town, when going into wet areas for photography, and for…
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Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 Review: Lightweight Tent for Paddlers
My Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 review will explore my experience with this tent over the last couple of years and why I always come back to it.
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Yama Mountain Gear Cirriform Tarp Review
The Yama Mountain Gear Cirriform Tarp is a lightweight, shaped tarp designed for lightweight trips when you only need a minimal shelter. Here's my short review.
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Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy Review
The Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy is a lightweight sack to put your sleeping bag, sleeping pad and self into while you sleep. How else do you describe a bivy? It’s designed to shelter you, protect you from splashes and drafts and add a little warmth to your sleeping bag. It also has bug netting above your face to help you breath and keep the bugs out. I bought it to provide a little extra protection when sleeping under a small tarp. I used this in 2023 on a ten-day bikepacking trip, and I would call this a limited review. That said, I probably won’t be using it often due to…
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Bikepacking Gear is Nearly the Same as Canoe Camping Gear
If you’ve followed this blog for awhile, you’ll know that in addition to canoeing and kayaking I love biking and specifically bike touring or bikepacking. You may even remember the April’s Fools joke that I did on this topic. The joke was that this website was going to change to a biking website, but I digress. This year, in leu of a big paddling trip, I did a long bikepacking trip across the proposed Minnesota ORV Border to Border Route. I basically used the same gear for this trip as I would have for canoe camping. I made a video about the gear that I used. There were a lot…
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KÜHL’s Renegade Pant (the perfect paddling pants) and Fall Collection
Earlier this fall, KÜHL sent over a few of pieces from their fall collection. That included the Renegade Pant, Interceptr Vest and the Invigoratr Merino 1/4 Zip shirt. Together they create a warm and cozy fall outfit that functions well during the shoulder paddling seasons. It also looks great. When wearing them, I feel like I’m living up to my Appalachian Trail thru-hike name, which was Fashion. All kidding aside, I love KÜHL clothing and have written about their clothing before here. One of the things that I love about the clothing is the thought that goes into the design of the features and the fit. As an example, I…
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Paddle Pocket and Tether Tabs by RedLeaf Designs
Having been in the paddlesports industry for over 26 years, I’ve become jaded by new products. There isn’t often something that I see where I say immediately, “I need one of those.” Well, wipe that jade off of my eyes, because I have serious GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) when it comes to RedLeaf Design’s new Paddle Pocket and Tether Tabs. These new products offer a simple way to store your spare paddle in your canoe or to stash a paddle while portaging. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anything exactly like it before — maybe there are products similar to it that I haven’t seen before. The second I…
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FLEXTAIL ZERO PUMP Review
Recently, FLEXTAIL sent over a beta version of their new ZERO PUMP for me to test out, and I have to say that I’m excited about this little pump. If you’re an ultralight backpacker or paddler looking for a lightweight, compact, electric pump to inflate your sleeping pads, then read on. Even if you’re not, you may be interested after reading my impression of this little device. It makes inflating a thick sleeping pad easier than with the pump bags provided by pad manufacturers. What is it? The FLEXTAIL ZERO PUMP is the world’s smallest pump for sleeping pads, weighing only 1.2oz (about 34.02 g) without the battery and measuring…
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Xero Aqua X Sport Shoes for Canoeing and Kayaking
Back in July Xero sent over a pair of Aqua X Sport water shoes for me to test out over the summer. I’ve been using their Z-Trail sandals, so I was excited to try out this pair of water shoes. I had considered the Aqua X in the past, especially for paddling in moving water where I may want a closed toe and for sea kayaking. During the summer, I used these on canoeing day trips. Features of the Xero Aqua X Sport The Aqua X Sport water shoe features an open mesh upper that breathes well and sheds water out of the shoe. The tongue is non-absorbent. When combined…
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Marmot Ether DriClime Hoody Review
I’ve been a big fan of Marmot’s DriClime Windshirt. It has been a staple of my outdoor clothing system for years. I think it is one of the best layers for shoulder-season canoe trips. It’s warm, breathable, and blocks the wind. You can use it as a base layer against your skin, as an insulation layer under a hardshell, or as an outer layer to block the wind. Over the last two or so decades, I’ve owned multiple and have worn them constantly and year-round. I usually wear them so much that they become threadbare. Earlier this year, I went to buy a new one and discovered that Marmot discontinued…
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GSI Coffee Rocket Review
The GSI Coffee Rocket is a small, compact and collapsible, pour-over coffee maker for camping. It’s one of the many portable coffee makers that I’ve used over the years, and it’s currently my favorite. After about a month or so of use at home and in the field, I’ve come to appreciate the simplicity of this one-person camp coffee maker. I like it so much that it has replaced an Aeropress for making coffee at home. Plus, it’s cheap! It’s just $11 at REI last I checked. It’s also available on Amazon. The Coffee Rocket is a small, polypropylene and nylon coffee maker with a stainless-steel filter. It’s designed to…
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Sea to Summit 50L Big River Dry Backpack
The brand-new Sea to Summit 50L Big River Dry Backpack just arrived at my door. I was excited to see it because I’ve been looking for a lightweight 40-to-50-liter portage pack for canoeing. I’ve written about my dream portage pack before. The 50L Big River Dry Backpack fits the bill. Description The Big River Dry Backpack is a 50-liter pack that weighs 26 ounces. It’s made of a beefy 420D nylon that’s bonded to a TPU lining. This gives the exterior good abrasion, tear and puncture protection while providing a waterproof construction. The TPU lining is bright white which makes the interior of the pack nice and bright for packing…
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Kayak Paddle Size
Kayak paddle size can be personal, but it’s an important consideration if you are going to get the most out of your kayaking. Many stores end up sizing paddles too long, and you want to avoid that if you don’t want to have to buy two paddles — one the right size and the other too long. The below image in this article is an example of a store that got it wrong. The problem with paddles that are too long is that they are harder to get into the right positions for some strokes — particularly any strokes that require a vertical shaft such as draws. Longer paddles also…
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