543 Posts
Having a writing utensil on you at all times can come in handy on more than one occasion, but let’s be real: some of us really don’t want to walk around with a full-size pen in our pocket all the time, or even one clipped to the outside of that pocket.
When it comes to thru-hiking, the Appalachian Trail gets all the love – as does the Pacific Crest Trail. But not everybody has the means or desire to spend 5-6 months on the trail, leading many people to simply hike sections of it. But people who only stick to these well-trodden trails often miss out on some of the best hiking trails in the country – like Vermont’s Long Trail.
Good hard cases are useful for any number of situations for hauling gear to any number of locations. Whether you just want to keep your gear in a sturdy box or need to stash your laptop somewhere it absolutely cannot be broken into or stolen during your travels into rough terrain, a secure, high-performance case from a brand like Pelican will provide the protection you’re looking for.
When outfitting your kitchen on a budget, you’ll probably find yourself reaching for an inexpensive cast iron skillet, from Lodge or another similar brand. Cast iron is cheap, overall, and you don’t need to spend a lot to get a useable pan that will last many years – hence why Lodge is totally fine.
There isn’t much that can be done to improve upon the classic sleeping bag; sure, some new wonder material will come in the next few years to shrink the bag down in both size and weight while simultaneously upping insulating power, the classic cocoon-style bag will likely remain the same.
Our guess is no, you don’t have $48,000 to drop on a watch, but you’re welcome to join us in wishing we did. The Ressence Type 2 builds off the success of their original mechanical watch, the Ressence Type 1, which was launched in 2011 and followed by the Type 3 and Type 5 and brought about a new style of mechanical watchmaking that few had seen
Valet trays are essential pieces for any home or apartment interior, creating a convenient and classy spot to neatly throw and stash their equipment at the end of the day. But what about the truly tool-obsessed, the EDC Gear lovers among us, who have more knives, watches and pocket-sized tools than your average fellow, and wants to display them all – neatly and gracefully
A properly-equipped bar is a necessity for every home, and that means more than just a few bottles of scotch. You need to be able to properly store, chill, open and serve drinks of all kinds, from a vintage bottle of wine to a fine bourbon. Our emphasis today is on the “open” part of line. There’s a lot of different bottle opener styles out there to pick from, each with their own unique twist and specialized purpose. Here’s a couple of cool bottle openers we’re using right now.
Sennheiser’s Ambeo line is one of the coolest we’ve seen in quite some time. The Ambeo Smart headphones had the unique property of being able to record 3d audio, in addition to pumping out rich sound with active noise canceling.
There’s no shortage of handy, versatile, bombproof multitools out there, ranging from the conventional to the surprisingly creative. Whatever design they have, they all manage to pack the essentials tool and blades needed for everyday tasks, and in many cases, to drag yourself out of all kinds of hairy situations.
Sometimes, we all just need a little push to get out of bed in the morning – and we all have our own little tricks and methods of accomplishing that, whether it’s setting 4 alarm clocks, putting them in another room, or even setting a coffee pot on alarm. The latest innovation, however, is a scented Alarm clock – like the SensorWake Trio.
One of the most prominent dangers when traveling abroad is being the unlucky target of a pick-pocket. It’s not so common here in the USA, but many an American tourist or backpacker has found themselves missing a wallet, phone or watch at the end of day sightseeing.
Winter is right around the corner, which means that it’s time to hit the slopes again. Many of the country’s best ski mountains just got their first real snow, and those that haven’t likely will soon. And while there are certainly plenty of epic mountains out there to choose from, and a whole network of sweet resorts to hit up, if you’re like us, you might find yourself wishing to ditch the crowds and find some slightly-less-popular ski spots the next time you venture out in search of powder.
We’ve all had those days where we’re stuck in bad traffic – either on the way to work or elsewhere – and wish to ourselves we had our own helicopter.
Wet shaving the old-fashioned way – with razor, shaving brush and cream – is a time-tested way to add some ritual to your morning routine, slowing time down and enjoying the process for what is it. And while a safety razor is certainly a nice, easy way to do it, there’s just something so much more satisfying – and challenging – about using a straight razor.
Dolby is famous for their rich sound, usually found in the movies and other cinematic experiences. We’re sure their headphones are just as good. The Dolby Dimension are essentially the perfect pair of headphones – wireless, stylish, noise-cancelling, and with totally incredible sound.
A pillow might not seem like the most necessary piece of equipment when you’re going backpacking or even just car camping, but it can really come in quite handy. Many of us are perfectly comfortable just using our pack or rolled up jacket as one, but sometimes the comfort of an actual pillow is called for.
Watches can be expensive; it’s hard to find a really high-quality watch for under a couple hundred bucks, but that’s not to say it can’t be done. You’ve just got to know what to look for – what is good and what isn’t. In our opinion, you can’t go wrong with Skagen.
There’s nothing worse than trying to spend a night in the woods only to find your tent has a hole in it and it’s going to rain, or your pack has ripped at the seams, or your down jacket tore, and the fill is falling out everywhere.
A lot of people seem to think that European stuff is always nicer than American. We definitely don’t think that’s is always the case, but sometimes the quality, craftsmanship and elegant design that a piece of European gear has just stands out. Meindl boots certainly fit that bill.
Samsung and Apple might still dominate the smartphone world, but we’ve been seeing some good independent options popping up on the scene in recent years; the OnePlus 6T comes to mind. If, however, you’re not a fan of how big phones are getting, and desire something a little more conducive to fitting in your pocket, look at the FlexPai Developer Model, the world’s first folding smartphone.
If you haven’t yet upgraded from your regular camping utensils to an all-in-one spork or something similar, what are you waiting for? Having everything you need to eat in one tool saves a good amount of room and weight in your pack and can make your life on the trail just a little bit easier.
Every true coffee aficionado knows that burr grinders are practically a necessity when it comes to making good coffee. Cheap blade grinders simply don’t grind with the kind of precision and consistency that burr grinders do, and how finely they grind the coffee is determine solely by the length of time you let it run.
When we’re camping or backpacking, we’re usually looking for ways to cut down on weight, and the camping stove you choose is usually one of the first pieces you look at for shedding weight.