Nikon Coolpix AW100

Nikon AW100

Nikon certainly wasn’t first to market with a ruggedized camera, in fact they were pretty close to last. That said, the wait was worth it. With built-in GPS (a glaring oversight on many cameras in this class) you can go back and find exactly where a photo was taken. No more guessing. Using software that will map photos such as Apple’s iPhoto, Google Earth, or the built in maps at the bar can be a fun way to share memories of your trip. The AW100 features full 1080p video, 16MP photos and one handed operation. The AW100 is designed to take a decent amount of abuse too. Waterproof up to 33ft. shockproof up to 5ft. and freezeproof make the Nikon AW100 one star performer in the outdoor camera arena. Probably not quite worth upgrading if you already have a camera in this class, but if not, this is the one.
$379.95
http://www.nikonusa.com

Hydro Flask Growler

Hydro Flask Growler

Earlier this year Hydro Flask released their growler and frankly, it’s glorious. The double wall insulation keeps beer fresh and cold until you’re ready to drink it, up to 24 hours. Because it’s made of 18/8 stainless steel it will stand up the abuse that riding in your pack all day will dish out. It also won’t break when if falls on the rock or gets banged around in the back of your car on the way home. You can also store anything you would like to keep warm in the growler (soup, chili, tea) but we prefer to the use it for it’s intended purpose. Hydro Flask makes double-wall insulated flasks in sizes ranging from 12oz. all the way up to the 64oz. growler including a food flask of which we are big fans of the entire line.
$49.99
www.hydroflask.com

Mountain Hardwear Medusa

Mountain Hardwear Medusa Gloves

Cold hands? No problem. Even while ice climbing all day in some of the most demanding conditions. Mountain Hardwear bonded their propriety OutDry waterproof membrane directly to the Medusa’s outer shell making the gloves some of the most waterproof gloves we have ever tried. The Medusa’s also include a removable windproof softshell liner not only makes the glove nice and warm but protect your hands when you need the added dexterity of not wearing the shells. The nose wipe on the thumb is another great feature. While the wipe isn’t the softest material on earth it does stay free of snow and ice. If you are looking for a pair of gloves that spends a decent amount of time outside during the winter you could do much, much worse than the Mountain Hardwear Medusa.
$150
http://www.mountainhardwear.com

Adventure Medical Kits

Travel Medical Kits by Adventure Medical Kits

Adventure Medical Kits makes first aid kits for a range of outdoor and travel medical kits wherever your choice of activity of destination. Adventure Medical Kits packs all of their kits in very organized kits that are very convenient to use and carry. Kits designed for use on the water include watertight cases, travel kits are in portfolio type cases that make for easy packing, and an women’s specific travel kit is available. If you have a loved one that spends much time outdoors or on the road get them piece of mind that comes with knowing they have medical supplies should they need them.
$10-70 (travel series)
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com

Apple iPad

iPad 2

The last thing you need is someone else telling you how great the iPad is. Sorry, but it’s true. For those that travel on a regular basis lugging a laptop around can be a real pain. With countless travel apps for checking into flights, reserving hotels, finding things to do in a new city, and countless other tasks once you get hooked on your iPad for travel it’s tough to do without it. But it’s the fact that it can all but replace lugging around your laptop where the iPad shines. E-mail, web browsing, apps for blogging, text processing, presentations, and almost any other items you need to get done on the road. Presentations can even be given with available adapters. While doing a lot of content creation on the go can be a little awkward on the touchscreen a bluetooth keyboard is available that will ease that pain. Many people are big fans of the other e-readers on the market such as the Kindle and Nook as well. And while we can certainly get behind that we love the versatility the iPad offers. And while there are other tablets on the market that promise similar functionality none have caught on to this point. So this year it’s the iPad 2 that gets the nod and even with the 3G making travel more convenient the wi-fi version should be sufficient for most people.
$499-$829
www.apple.com

Donations to Charity

Charities in this country provide many services that are near and dear to many of our hearts. If you have someone in your life who travels or loves the outdoors there charities no doubt protect some of the land they use. With the prolonged economic problems currently facing us many charities have seen a large drop in donations and this can be your chance to help them. If you really don’t know what to get that special person maybe a donation in their name could be the best gift. Some examples for donations include the Access Fund, Doctors Without Borders, or even the Red Cross. Many local charities are great candidates for your gifts as well. In addition you get a tax deduction for this gift, it is the end of the year after all and it’s kind of like giving and getting at the same time.

On Consuming

With the holidays upon us it is almost too easy to get caught up in the giving spirit. While it is nice to receive things and certainly a joy to give please consider the impact before you buy something you don’t need. Monday, Nov 28 also known as Cyber Monday turned out to be a record in sales…ever. Patagonia on the other hand ran a full-page ad in the New York Times with the title ‘Don’t Buy This Jacket’ (ad below) reminding us that everything we buy damages the earth. No preaching, just thought the ad was worth sharing. Enjoy.

Patagonia 'Don't Buy This Jacket' Ad

Mountain Hardwear Medusa

Climbing Silver Plume, CO

We recently were able to test the Mountain Hardwear Medusa Gloves with Mountain Hardwear’s proprietary waterproof membrane, OutDry. According to Mountain Hardwear OutDry is not just a membrane but the process of bonding the membrane to the inside of the shell material. With most membrane waterproofing techniques the membrane sits between the shell and the insulation and allows water, wind, and ultimately the cold to permeate the shell and sit on top of the membrane. OutDry eliminates these problems. But we have all seen similar claims and potential benefits in marketing materials before; put up or shut up, I say. So, naturally, I put them to the test. Two weeks of ice climbing and skiing in Colorado turned me into a believer. We encountered conditions that ranged from extremely wet ice that turned to blizzard conditions at the top of the route and the gloves not only kept my hands dry but warm even going into the last pitch. I had taken a second set of mittens along as I knew it would be a challenge only to have them shared by two of my group after their gloves froze from the water on the first pitch. The Mountain Hardwear Medusas also performed well on the slopes, and the liners were a great weight for skinning while it’s dry. The gloves were tough to remove if I was trying to keep the liners on my hands. The Velcro that holds the liner in place inside the gloves seems to be too strong and the gloves may be better of without it entirely. One feature of note in addition to the OutDry waterproofing is the snot wipe on the thumb. Although the wipe isn’t the softest material I have ever put on my nose the wipe on the Mountain Hardwear Medusas stayed mostly ice free the entire day, a rarity in snot wipes.

$140
www.mountainhardwear.com

On our trek through the Raggeds Wilderness in August, these pants performed quite well. They are fairly water resistant, and dried very quickly when they did get wet. The built in drawcord cuffs helped keep the rocks & mud out of my boots since I wasn’t wearing gaiters. The convertible feature is quick & easy to use, the zipper never got stuck at all. It would be helpful if there were some identifying marks on the pant bottoms, since I tried to zip the wrong side on nearly every time.

So far the pants have worn pretty well, but they only have about 50 miles on them so far. The seams are holding just fine, despite the snug fit. The pockets are just right, and managed to hold all of my electronics & other necessities great on the trail. One issue I did notice is that the built-in belt does not hold very well. I had to tighten the slip-through buckle at nearly every stop.

These are a great pair of pants for light backpacking in fair weather. They’re not insulated so I won’t be using them for winter trekking, but they’ve worked well all summer. Since they run a little small, if you’re on the high end of a size, consider getting the next size up.

Quick Review

Design:

• Canyon™ Cloth, Lined with Micro-Chamois

Weight:

• 14oz / 392g

Retail:

• $74.95 (buy)

Why It’s Hot:

• Easily convertible
• Dry quickly
• Perfect pockets

Why It’s Not:

• Sizing a little small
• Belt slips

This shirt features a wicking anti-microbial fabric that’s very fast drying. This means less time for the sweat to soak in, and less odor. On our Raggeds Adventure, hiking to nearly 11,000 feet really put this shirt to the test. I’m glad to say that after three days of sweat & dirt, this shirt was still acceptable in a local restaurant in Gunnison.

Another great feature of this shirt is that the bottom seams are rotated toward the front, so your pack stays more comfortable. They’re also flat knitted, which is less likely to dig in to your skin. The fabric is pick-resistant, so even after quite a bit of off-trail trekking there were very few snags and the shirt held up great.

Quick Review

Design:

• 100% Polyester

Weight:

• 5oz / 154g

Retail:

• $44.95 (buy)

Why It’s Hot:

• Anti-Microbial (low odor)
• Well placed seams
• Durable

Why It’s Not:

• A little pricey for a T-Shirt

The jacket is constructed of 15 Denier ripstop that is very lightweight, at the cost of some durability.  It’s also finished with a water repellent to keep your down dry in a sprinkle, although any serious rain will require a shell to keep you dry and warm.  If you are looking for a jacket to have in case of cooler weather and are looking to go light, start with the Phantom.  If you need anything more, you may be better served with another jacket.

Quick Review

Design: Super light down jacket
Retail: $240 (Buy)
Weights: 1lb. .5oz. (medium)
Why it’s hot:

• Weight
• 800-fill down

Why it’s not:

• Quilted construction
• Short cut

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/