2014 Montbell Down Hugger 800 #3 (First Impressions…)

Posted on June 21, 2014 by

P1040161

Back Story

It was just a few short years ago when I started backpacking… and it was very soon after that when I realized I needed to lighten my accumulated gear load up. I began my backpacking career like many others probably did… with an internet search for gear. I was searching for all the “right things” that I needed, so that I could survive for an “extended” period of time “in the woods.” And likely like many others, I ended up with way more than I needed… But hey, we live and we learn… Continue reading →

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Posted in Gear, Sleeping Bags | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rhino Laces Contest Winner!

Posted on June 15, 2014 by

Screen Shot 2014-06-15 at 7.57.00 PMThe contest for a free pair of any size, and color, Rhino Laces is now finished! Thanks to everyone that entered. There were definitely lots of great ideas there, however, I could only choose 1 winner. And that person is… Continue reading →

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Rhino Laces: First Look & Give Away!

Posted on June 7, 2014 by

P1040136I first came across Rhino Laces on Brian’s Backpacking Blog. There was actually a Kickstarter project going on for it, but unfortunately, I didn’t get in on it at the time. Since then they have slipped my mind, however, I was recently reminded of them when I got an email from a lady named Melinda who works with the folks making the Rhino Laces. Continue reading →

Posted in Give Aways, Shoe Laces | Tagged , , , , , | 32 Comments

Oakley Valve Sunglasses

Posted on June 4, 2014 by

OakleysI have rarely used/carried sunglasses while hiking. When I do, I am usually concerned with trying to make sure I keep up with them: how do I keep them on me for when I need access to them, what to do with them when I don’t need them; and of course, not breaking them (which has always kept me from buying an expensive pair). And let me be real… there is always the weight thing too! Fact is, the only time I really even think about wearing sunglasses is when I am driving. Saying that, there have been a few hikes that I didn’t have any sunglasses, but found myself wishing I did (particularly when hiking in snow, or on hikes in which I wasn’t in a green tunnel the whole time). Continue reading →

Posted in Gear, Sunglasses | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Liebster Award

Posted on May 23, 2014 by

liebster-award-main1As other bloggers know, and likely those that aren’t bloggers, is that most blog hosted sites offer a dashboard of sorts. (Of course though, it is in the background where only the author of the blog can access it.) The dashboard is basically a page that offers numerous stats about the given site, which are broken down into numerous little categories. Anyway, one of those categories is “referrers,” which as one may guess, is simply a list of other sites that directed folks to the site. Yesterday, while looking through that list, I came across a site I had not seen before, Hiking Forward. Continue reading →

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ZPacks Solo Cuben Fiber Ground Sheet

Posted on May 4, 2014 by

A couple of months back I took delivery of my new solo size cuben fiber ground sheet from ZPacks. I had been wanting to pick one of these up for quite a while, and finally got around to getting one. The reason that I wanted it was so that I could carry the ground sheet to use with my Hexamid Solo Plus tarp when bugs are not an issue, and I can leave the Hexanet behind. Why? Well, to simplify things, and to save some weight… of course! Continue reading →

Posted in Ground Sheet, Tarps, ZPacks | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments