A top choice! Black Diamond Mega-Light. Four season tent that sleeps 3-4 in an extremely spacious shelter weighing less than most 1-2 person tents. Ideal choice for lifestyle camping (long term) and expeditions.

Floorless bottom is great for snow caming or setting up on a raft, rocky ground, etc. Perfect cooking shelter; you can roll back the floor and cook up breakfast without ever getting out of your sleeping bag.

Highly recommend getting the Mega Floor for this tent, and because it does not come pre seam-sealed, you´ll also have to get some McNett Sil-Net Sealer for waterproofing.

Comes with a Pole Link Converter™ for ski/trekking pole set-up, and rugged carbon-fiber pole. Mega-Bug floor/netting is available for this tent. but kind of expensive and only necessary where the bugs are extremely bad.

They used to offer the Mega Mid, a heavier duty version of this tent, that still weighed less than most 1-2 person tents and included a single pole.

Can´t find a better tent than this.

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As we peruse the aisles at Outdoor Retailer…we are always looking for that next great piece of gear to test and share the results with our readers. We are also looking for environmental stories surrounding products as well.

There has been an ongoing discussion about the chemical BPA (Bisphenol A, suspected of being harmful to humans for over 70 years) used in so many products that we have used for years in the outdoor industry. A plethora of companies are now marketing products free of this controversial compound. So…what does one do with all of the food and beverage products that have already been made with this hazardous material? We found one great use.

GSI Outdoors had a large stockpile of the discontinued Lexan polycarbonate products in their warehouse and were opposed to sending the products to the landfill. Instead, they joined forces with Leave No Trace (LNT) to grind up the Lexan products and remolded the recycled material into the cathole trowel (seen here).

Advantages of this venture:
• Facilitates ethical backcountry use
• 1% of sales of the tool goes to support LNT programs
• Virtually unbreakable
• Tons of Lexan that did not end up in a landfill

The trowel will be available Spring 2010 and the MSRP is only $4.95.

I returned from the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market over the weekend after spending over 3 days walking the show floor and meeting with dozens of companies each day. I spent my time trying on boots, running shoes, jackets, crawling in tents and just enjoying being surrounded by so much cool gear. In the past, I have packed my schedule so tightly that I basically ran from from one meeting to the next trying to make mental notes about what I wanted to go back and check out in a booth that caught my attention (only to ultimately forget and possibly missing out on something really cool). However, this year…I left blocks in my schedule just to walk the floor checking out not only the booths that I had scheduled meetings with but also allowing me the freedom to browse new booths and not just spend time rushing from one meeting to the next.

The below products are just a few of the many items that I came across at the show that we look forward to actually getting in our hands and putting to the test for ourselves. So for those of you who begin to salivate at the thought of new gear…most of the below items (and others that we saw at the show but not mentioned below) will not be available to the public until early 2010.

new SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger
Having used the older generation of SPOT devices in races throughout the country…I was excited to see enhancements in the new model that will make it advantageous for racers and adventurers alike. According to the company, the new device is 30% lighter than the original and weighs only 5.2 ounces.

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The Riding the Spine crew just got ahold of Xtracycle´s prototype Heavy Duty Freeradical.

If there is anybody who could give the new heavy duty version of the Xtracycle a worthy trial run, it´s gotta be these guys. RTS have been finding some of the most obscure backcountry routes across the Americas, encountering landslides, drug traffickers, and 4,000 meter climbs. Even though the traditional Xtracycle is more than substantial for 95% of its riders, the folks at Xtracycle were still down to make a heavier duty model for the other 5% of riders looking to take the Xtracycle that extra rough mile.

The Xtracycle has been aptly marketed as a “sport utility bicycle” and offers stabilit/performance like no other load carrying bike/trailer, etc. Even with a fully-loaded Xtracycle, whether carrrying your groceries, all your camping equipment, or even a kayak, it will still ride like a shortbike. No tug/pull/push that a trailer offers and a lower center of gravity are some of Xtracycle´s more notable features. They are perfect for those looking to live a car free lifestyle! Check out some more photos and a brief review of the new Xtracycle.
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Gone are those speed wobbles that have kept you from bombing down that nearby hill. Thanks to some innovative longboard designs by a dedicated group of boarders up in Vancouver, B.C. Landyachtz Longboards has helped revolutionize the sport, and have created a healthy community of riders and events along the.

Most notable are their curved decks that place the riding platform closer to the level of the weels effectively lowering the center of gravity, offering a more stable ride (no more wobbles). Other innovations they have on production are decks designed with drop-through trucks to give you stability and still allow for some epic carving.

Their team of riders have been dominating the longboard racing scene for years, winning the IGSA world championship in 2005 and 2006, and you´ll see a good amount of riders using their boards in any serious downhill competition.

They have a bunch of great looking boards on deck for 2009 and come stock with their own brand of trucks (Bear Grizzly & Smokey) that look a lot like Randals. Besides their downhill decks, they have boards designed for carving, travel, hybrid, freeride, and floating.

Three new boards have just been announced : DUALLY, SWTICH, and SPUD. If you order one of these new decks before May 1st, they´ll enter your name in a drawing to receive the first production model of each shape off the production line.

Check out their website often for longboarding events in the Pacific Northwest.

Check out Silverfish Longboarding for news, reviews, videos/photos, and info on longboarding events worldwide.

We picked up one of these Princeton Tec Amp 1.0 ‘flashlights’ at Outdoor Retailer in January.  Since that time, it has been used for everything under the sun (or moon) from trail and road running, digging in the attic for more winter apparel, hiking and more.  At under 4″ long it provides a tremendous amount of light for such a small device.

Features:

They list it at 57g on the specs but we weighed it in at 50g (under 2oz.) using Lithium batteries.

Requires 2 AAA batteries.

Has a 100-meter waterproof rating (we have not tested it in the water other than running in the rain).

Xenon bulb. 3-hour burn time.

Single beam setting.

Final Thoughts:

This is a great little light for the price of only $14.99. It easily fits in your pocket or clips to your pack (with carabiner) and is great as an emergency light. I plan on acquiring many of these units for my car, bike bag, wife’s purse, camera bag, kitchen drawer, and anywhere else that I haven’t thought of yet.
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I had the opportunity to take PROBAR on a trip to Trinidad & Tobago this winter and I am so glad that I did. There were times when the rest of the group was not on my dietary schedule and I was able to reach in my pack and pull out one of these ‘meal replacement’ bars.

PROBAR is made made from whole, organic and raw foods. They are also 100% vegan. If you are used to reading ingredients on other foods that you can’t pronounce…you are in for a surprise as all ingredients are natural and the combinations make for a great tasting and nutritious snack or ‘meal’.

There are 12 flavors in the PROBAR line: Superfood Slam, Original Blend, Whole Berry Blast, Nutty Banana Boom, Apple Cinnamon Crunch, Cran-Lemon Twister, Koka-Moka, Cherry Pretzel, Maple Pecan, Kettle Corn, Cocoa Pistachio and Sesame Goji.

Our favorites were:
Nutty Banana Boom
Apple Cinnamon Crunch
Cran-Lemon Twister
Sesame Goji

Our least favorites:
Cocoa Pistachio
Koka-Moka

Each bar weighs 3 ounces and retails for $3.29 each. We thought this was pretty high for an energy bar when we first started this review but if you take the weight and compare it others on the market, you will find them very competitively priced. And, you can save by buying them by the dozen which drops the price to $2.96 each. Each 3 ounce bar ranges from 350-400 calories depending on flavor.

PROBAR will have a place in each of my future trips regardless of geographic location.

          The first time I saw the Hennessey Jungle Hammock, I was skeptical and never imagined that I would spend almost a year happily living in one.
           Being such an unconventional shelter, it takes a rather bold leap of faith to voluntarily make the switch from your typical floor structure.  Is it really waterproof?  What if you can’t find trees to set it up?  Can you move around in it?  Is it comfortable enough to sleep in?  These questions all pop up.
           As a teenager, Tom Hennessey used to take off on multi-day biking trips in the Appalachians, bringing with him a minimum of gear.  An old WWII army jungle hammock was his preferred shelter because it was light and packed so small.  Yet it still fulfilled his needs for a camping shelter: bugproof, weatherproof, and comfortable.  He later went on to perfect the hammock shelter concept through over 50 prototype designs into what is now appropriately considered a supershelter, securing patents in the US and abroad for its innovative design.
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           Somehow the Mountain Hardwear´s Beryllium feels like more than just a jacket. Designed for serious outdoor activities, it delivers everything you could expect from a jacket. Windproof, waterproof, breathable, lightweight and somehow it is even durable.
           I have used it in tremendously humid tropical conditions kayaking through the San Blas Islands and the Coast of Colombia. It has kept me warm in dangerously cold and windy conditions up at around 20,000 feet elevation on the summit of an Ecuadorian volcano.
           My buddy has the same jacket and I´ve seen him wipeout twice at high speeds over muddy patches, sliding on the pavement, but amazingly the jacket was unphased.

The Features I like:
Helmet ready hood allows me to cover my helmet and preserve a bit of ventilation, crucial for your head.
Welded components keep the jacket weatherproof on the seams, which are most vulnerable.
Climbing Pockets are a little high, most likely designed to be accessible with a harness or waiststrap on, but a bit awkward when sitting around the campsite.
Water-resistant zippers on the pockets make them much more useful.
Articulated sleeves allow the jacket to fit comfortably when cycling or climbing.
Internal pocket allows room for a water bottle (something I wished I realized before climbing Cotopaxi and having all my water supplies freeze).
Fits well with multiple layers (though I have a very small frame).

Summary: May no be the most cost effective solution for casual travelers and weekenders, but anybody going on serious adventures or trips will be happy to bring the Beryllium along. Mountain Hardwear´s commitment to high quality has really raised the bar with this jacket; it´s tough to imagine a better product out there.

          Usually, you have to sacrifice weight and space for a synthetic bag, but the Sierra Designs Lazer +30 Deg bag packs down remarkably small and is uncommonly lightweight. This makes for a great combination for extended backpacking trips when there is a possibility that your bag might get wet. And still, you get the beauty of a synthetic bag: it´s soaking wet and you´re still able to find some warmth and get to sleep.

Some of it´s features:

Insulated with Primaloft Eco, which is basically recycled platic and soda bottles.
Partial flex, creates a more comfortable and efficient design.
Removable mattress guides to secure your mattress directly underneath you and making the zipper more snag-free.
The Lazer uses a half-zipper which apparently saves weight, a feature that might appeal more to ultralight backpackers, but I´ve come to appreciate the ability to fully unzip my bag on warmer nights. I have noticed the half zipper popping up on lots of sleeping bags these days.
Foot box zipper allows for you to let in a bit of extra ventilation, which helps make up for the half zipper.
Top and Bottom draft tubes help with insulation and work great

Sierra Designs also has great warranty service and has made some notable innovations to sleeping bags over the years, making them a top manufacturer of quality outdoor gear.

Summary: The Lazer +30 deg bag is great summer camping, traveling, or tropical destinations when you are expecting warmer nights. Being a synthetic bag, it is a good choice if you are rafing/kayaking, or in situations where your bag might get wet. Also great for tentless camping when the morning condensation will be heavy.

Overall, the ExOfficio Baja Long Sleeve Shirt has held up well to an adventurous lifestyle. During a kayak trip in the San Blas Islands, I began to appreciate many of its features:

Quick drying: could jump in the ocean after a long day on the kayak and it´d be dry within 15 minutes.

Sun Protection and Ventilation: Under the tropical sun, the best thing you can do sometimes, is cover up, but sometimes the heat makes that impossible. Fortunately, the shirt has climate control: generous hidden mesh vents on the sides and back you can Velcro open or closed, combined with deep pleats on the back that offer extra room for airflow.

Wicking Fabric: Especially nice in humid tropical conditions. Helps keep moisture off your skin and still doesn´t saturate the fabric.

Anti-Insect Shield: We were unable to test whether this feature actually repelled the insects, we were swarmed by insects at just about all points during the kayak trip, but being able to cover up comfortably in the warm evenings did help protect us from mosquitoes.

During the rest of my travels, I´ve appreciated the durability of the design (shoulder patches for reinforcement) and wrinkle-free fabric that allows me to pull it out of my dry bag and not look like the vagabond I am. Velcro tabs allow me to roll up the sleeves securely and a zippered security pocket on the chest keep things like my passport/cards safe when I´m crossing borders.

Downside: The chest pockets are oversized in my opinion, and couldn´t imagine ever filling them. After a dozen or so washings the fabric doesn´t seem to be very wrinkle free (that doesn´t really bother me, though) and the cost would be a bit steep for some.

Summary: A good example of technical apparel, a feature rich travel shirt, highly recommended for people wanting a versatile shirt for short vacations up to extended expeditions.