gear

by Joshua Riggins (Experience Via Imagination)

I was asked to review the Catalyst Waterproof Sleeve by Paul from The Outdoor Adventure. When I agreed, I wasn’t too familiar with the product, I actually thought it was more for the iPhone. Turns out it’s rather larger, and fits an iPad, or a small laptop. I figured I could still run some tests on it to see how it performed. And my roommate has a tablet, so I could check out its for and durability.

 

 

This sleeve is designed to carry and protect your tech devices pretty much anywhere. Stylish and functional, they come with a carrying handle, and an over the shoulder strap to carry like a tote or purse. Or two that make it a small back pack of sorts. Personally, I like to be able to tuck the sleeve itself into a backpack for traveling security and protection.

 

The waterproof construction has a double seal water tight closure. With
cushioned high grade EVA foam, and a velcro folding flap to keep devices inside. You can literally go anywhere in any weather with your device, and feel secure. It can also work to keep sand out of devices at the beach. Or just store anything from your wallet, to pictures, or a book. Maybe even for carrying some important papers.? It really work wonderfully no matter what you’re using it for.

 

 

 

Likes:
Works great. I tested in my shower filled with toilet tissue, and completely submerged it in the bathtub. And all the tissue came out perfectly dry. Love the sleek black color.

 

 

Dislikes:
Maybe the price of anything. At $44.99 it is kind of expensive. But in retrospect, you probably have paid more than that for an iPhone case. So really not bad to keep your valuables protected.

 

Overall:
Great product that should last a long time and be extremely durable, while still protecting your devices from weather. I like it.

 

Specs:
The maximum internal size: H 300 x W 220 mm. Will fit pretty much any tablet or iPad comfortably. And a smaller laptop (11 inches) just fine.

 

Fits:
iPad (all versions), iPad Air, 11 inch Macbook air, Microsoft Surface Pro 3, and most 9 to 11 inch tablets and laptops.

http://www.catalystlifestyle.com

 

 

 

Disclaimer:

I am not currently an ambassador for Catalyst. I was asked to review a product as an independent blogger. I received this product for free, in return I agreed to test it and review it. In no way did this offer influence my review. The opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.

It’s nice to finally see an overbuilt solar home lighting system that performs the way its meant to. d.light Design’s D20 solar home lighting system has impressed me because it is built for the developing world where off the grid is the only option and where durability and functionality are what drives design.

While most solar lighting that we see on the market has the quality of those solar patio lights that end up in the trash every fall, this setup is built for real-world use, making it ideal for your backwoods cabin, hot tent, lakeside boat house, or wherever you’ll need a real solar system that will work for years to come.

Let’s look at the features and then discuss in more detail why I like this system.

Features:

• 5w solar panel with 20 foot power cable
• 2 solar lamps with attached cables and switches (one has 13’ cable the other a 20’ cable)
• cordless solar lantern
• 3000mAh battery pack cable of running up to 4 lights
• USB output and six adapters for charging most USB devices
• 2-Year Warranty
• MSRP: $200 ($144 on Amazon)

 

Take a look at our video review below to get an idea of how easy it is to setup:

Testing

Currently this system is setup and my parent’s cabin/shed by the lake. It’s been up for 6 months with the solar panel set up on a Southwest facing wall (not ideal).

 

 

 

Setup was a breeze with a pocketful of screws to fasten the various components. The Switches are heavy duty utilizing a tap system to switch between low, high and off. There are two switches, one for each light, meaning you can turn on the lights separately (great if you have multiple rooms in your cabin or tent).

 

 

 

 

 

The setup includes a solar lantern that charges via the battery pack. There are an assortment of connectors, meaning you can charge your usb powered devices with it as well.

 

 

 

The battery pack has a 3000 maH battery. It’ll run the two lights on full power for 7-8 hours or 15 hours on low level. You can also buy additional lights to run a total of four off this battery pack. It can be precharged (and therefore used separately) or charged via the solar panel.

 

 

 

The solar panel is 5 Watts, and is of course weather proof. It is permanently attached to its power cable, so you don’t have to worry about losing it.

 

 

 

There is plenty of attached cable to power these devices. The switches are also installed inline giving plenty of distance to set them up in separate rooms in a small home or cabin.

 

 

The two lights were able to provide adequate lighting to read a book in the evening in a 16×12 shed and the hand lantern does a fine job of lighting your way should you need to go out for a midnight excursion.

 

Conclusion

 

The d.light systems are specifically created for the developing world, meaning they’re meant to handle long term use in real-world, daily life. As such, they don’t disappoint in simplicity or functionality. The price point ($200 MSRP) is excellent for this setup, making it a great choice for your cabin, tent, or even the kids’ playhouse.

 

disclaimer: dLight gave me this system to review free of charge. As always, my opinions are my own and what I would recommend to family and friends.

Back in 2013 when I hiked the John Muir Trail I took two tops to keep me protected from the sun and comfortable in the cool mornings and both of them were by Terramar Sports. The first was the now discontinued Smartsilk BaseLayers and the other was the Terramar Sports.

With a ~15 lb baseweight and a 40 litre pack I was going for lightweight packability that would be warm enough for the cool mornings, protect me from the sun and of course keep me smelling fresh after a week on the trail. The Thermawool 2.0 Half-zip did not disappoint.

Let’s take a look at the features and then move on to my thoughts.

Features:

• 30% Merino Wool
• 180g (per square meter of fabric)
• Super Fine Merino Wool
• Flat Stiched Seams
• 1/2 zip
• Layering System 2.0 (Light/Midweight)
• MSRP: $65 (Shop Thermawool on Amazon)

Testing:

These items have not been retired in the two years I’ve had them… except for one caveat (read on and I’ll explain). I’ve worn this layers with other base layers (the Smartsilk for example) as well as alone on the John Muir Trail and countless other adventures since.

 

 

Performance:

We are huge fans of Merino wool. The characteristics of these super fine natural fibres makes it an ideal outdoors and backpacking fabric. It’s warm, breatheable, non-itchy, and odor resistant.

The flat stitched seams mean that even when warm by itself when wearing a backpack for long days of hiking we didn’t develop sore spots, rashes or itching. Even when we were caked with salt due to perspiration we didn’t feel discomfort.

 

 

The 180g fabric is typical of the lightweight merino wool offerings of most brands. It’s light enough to wear in warm days by itself and provides sufficient warmth for cool mountain mornings when layered with a lighter base layer. We did develop a small hole when we snagged it on a sharp object, but that’s expected (and it hasn’t grown). And no, that’s not the caveat.

A half-zip is the ideal choice for a layer in my opinion. The slight increase in the weight of a zipper is worth the benefits of temperature regulation that it offers.

The MSRP of $65 is right in line with similar Merino offerings and matches the details of the high performance and popular Merino Wool.

 

 

So what’s that caveat I was speaking about? Thermawool is apparently a girl magnet. No, I don’t mean it makes you irresistible… although that may be true. I mean that my wife has claimed all my Thermawool layers for herself. So if you want to pick up some Thermawool layers, you may want to pick up the ladies version as well.

When you’re packing for a hiking trip, you need a balance of enjoyable meals and caloric density. Your body needs fuel to keep you going through your day, but that food needs to be packable and tasty. Enter Greenbelly Bars.

 

I’m always on the lookout for new options for Backpacking food, so I was happy to receive a set of Greenbelly Bars for the trail. I’m happy to say, that after testing, they are kid and adult approved.

 

Brand Background:

 

Greenbelly Bars was founded by Chris Cage, a world traveller and thru-hiker. His expeditions led him to develop food ideal for the adventurer. He worked with a food scientist to ensure a good mix of what the body needs in a bar that you’d want to eat. The end result were bars that account for 1/3 of your regular nutritional and caloric needs (600+ calories per pack) and that come in one of three flavours: Dark Chocolate Banana, Peanut Apricot and Cranberry Almond.

 

 

The Greenbelly Bar is also socially and environmentally conscious. In addition to partnering with Leave No Trace, they’ve partnered with the Atlanta Food Bank. For every bar you purchase, a meal is given to someone in need.

 

Let’s take a look at the Features, the brand and the taste of these bars:

 

Features:

• All Natural Ingredients (see below)
• Nutritionally Balanced
• 3 Flavours (Dark Chocolate Banana, Peanut Peach, Cranberry Almond)
• Package Size: 4″x 3″ x 1″ (2 bars)
• Weight 6 oz (2 – 3 oz bars)
• 33% of your daily nutritional needs (~600 calories per bar)
• MSRP: $49.99 for a 12 pack ($4 per bar)

 

 

Testing:

 

I ate them… well not all of them, I shared them with my son. I was given one pack of each flavour (each flavour contains two bars). We divided use between a winter adventure and a day at the office. Since these are bars designed for all travel use I figured I’d see if they still tasted good when I wasn’t on the trail.

 

First off we found them to be very filling. Some foods leave you hungry soon after being eaten. The combination of ingredients left us feeling satisfied without weighing us down.

 

 

My son obviously preferred the Dark Choclate and Banana, but I found that all of the bars had a good flavour. I was expecting something tasting much sweeter than these do, but because a significant portion of the calories come from fat, it can be almost savoury.

 

I had to do a double check for my tastebuds and I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, but when I went for a day eating the bars I found that I much preferred them to the candy bar like options that one finds on the market today.

 

These bars come in at $4 each, which may seem steep, but here’s how I look at it. First of all, they provide as many calories as a Freeze Dried Meal, which costs much more ($7+). They require no cooking time, so you can leave the stove behind. There’s no mess or clean-up. They taste good. You’re helping a good cause.

 

Kickstarter Campaign

 

On March 3rd, 2015 Chris is starting a Kickstarter campaign, so check out their site GreenBelly Bar for more details.

As a part of the Terramar Tribe I’ve had the opportunity to test out a lot of gear. Each piece has its role, and today I want to talk a bit about the Terramar Sports TXO 2.0 Men’s Crew.

 

Features:

 

• Layer type: 2.0 – Midweight Base Layer
• Synthetic fabric embedded with Activated carbon (will not wash out)
• Fast-drying, breathable and soft
• UPF Rating 50+
• All-flat seam construction
• TXO Brushed Inside
• 18% Spandex
• 82% Polyester
• Fabric weight: 175 grams
• MSRP: $55

 

 

Testing:

 

I’ve had this crew for about a year now. It is a warmer base layer, and I use it with a 1.0 layer in cold mountain evenings when I’m not moving, or by itself on cold days when I’m active. For example, I took it out canoeing with the kids the week before the lakes started freezing over and was very comfortable in it. (see the video below)

 

What are my thoughts?

 

What originally turned me away from synthetics years ago were memories of 1990s rayon and polyester that didn’t work with my body type. They literally stank… so they metaphorically stank as well. Then, newer generations of synthetics started to have odor blocking technologies like active carbon or similar treatments which allow them to be used longer outdoors without developing that all too familiar musk…of muskox.  I’m happy to say that even on active days when I sweat, I don’t clear the room in this top, I’m still huggably fresh!

 

 

Despite being a heavier fabric, it does a great job of wicking. There’s no magic fabric, but synthetics  don’t absorb moisture the same way some natural fibers do, meaning they can pull it away from your skin where it can evaporate.

 

What is extremely important for me about this top is how comfortable it is. The inside is brushed, meaning it’s very soft. The collar is extremely soft as well, which for a bearded guy is extremely important. On top of that Terramar uses flat stitched seams, which is hugely important for those of us that carry packs. You don’t get hot spots or sore spots from welts like you would with a lower end top.

 

The thumb holes in the sleeves are a great addition for keeping your wrists warm, and prevent cold spots when you’re wearing gloves.

 

The sizing feels a bit small for me, especially for a 2.0 layer.It is an athletic fix with its 18% spandex, but if you’re on the higher end of medium, I’d recommend going for a large. You’ll appreciate the additional length and space for putting a 1.0 base layer underneath.

 

Conclusion

 

Terramar Base Layers offer a number of options for your personal base layer preferences. Whether you’re a silk, wool or synthetic fan, you’ll find lots to choose from. All their layering items form a system (1.0 – 4.0) that works together to combat pretty much any weather you’re likely to face.

 

 

The TXO 2.0 is a cold weather technical piece suitable by itself when active in cold weather and layered in even colder weather. It wicks moisture, which makes it quicker to dry and its embedded active carbon means fresher smell and therefore longer, cleaner smelling use between washes. While it could benefit from being a bit longer, it’s a great choice for a midweight base layer.

 by Dave P.

 

The Sandmarc telescoping pole is a simple piece of equipment.  It has one purpose in life.  It functions as an extension of your arm to get your GoPro camera farther away from you.

Lately, these extension poles are also being referred to as selfie sticks.  While that term may sound negative, there are times when nothing will help you to take as good a picture or video – unless you happen to have your own photographer/videographer to follow you around.

 

Think about the times you’ve used your phone to take a selfie with your friends. Unless you happen to be an Orangutan, your arm simply isn’t long enough to get the camera far enough away from you to take a good picture.  Instead, you and your friends have to gather cheek-to-cheek to get everyone in the shot. Personally, I like the closeness of a cheek-to-cheek picture, but all of your selfies come out looking the same.  And forget about getting much of the background in your shot.

 

Want that great picture of you and your family with the Taj Mahal in the background? Before these selfie sticks, you were forced to stop a stranger, ask them to take your picture for you, and hope they didn’t muck it up. You also had to hope the stranger didn’t desire your camera more than you.

 

Enter the Sandmarc Metal Edition Telescoping Pole.

 

It’s advertised to fit all GoPro cameras, including the latest GoPro 4.  The only non-metal parts are the rubber handle and the lanyard. The rest is all aluminum. Even the camera mount itself is aluminum and a beautiful aluminum knob is also included.  The benefit of aluminum is that you’ve got a strong, lightweight, virtually unbreakable pole that will never rust.  Feel free to use it underwater!

 

The mount is detachable, so you can also use it to mount your GoPro to standard tripods.  Conversely, you could detach the mount and if you have a standard screw-on camera attachment, you could use the pole for your other non GoPro cameras.

 

 

The pole is comprised of three sections that enable you to extend the pole to any length you need, from the fully collapsed length of 17” all the way out to 40” at full extension.  The extensions are loosened or tightened by a knurled knob.  It takes nothing more than a quarter twist to either loosen or tighten the fittings.

 

That’s the nuts and bolts of the Sandmarc pole, but how does it really measure up?

 

I like it.  A lot!

 

There’s nothing cheap or flimsy about this extension pole. Everything about it feels like quality.  It’s sturdy, stylish, and I wouldn’t worry about breaking anything on it.  I can’t say the same about some plastic accessories I’ve come across.

 

Despite the robustness, Sandmarc has managed to keep it very light.  It weighs-in at a mere 8.5 ounces (0.25 kg).  Before I had the chance to try the stick, I was a little concerned that, while snowboarding down a long slope, it might be too heavy to hold at arms-length, fully extended with my GoPro attached to the end.  I needed not worry.  Even fully extended, I never really felt the weight.

 

The rubber grip is very firm rubber. At first, it almost feels like plastic. But even in the snow, I never felt like it was hard to hold. I suspect that in the long run, the harder rubber might even be a little more durable than soft rubber.

 

As I’d stated earlier, the knurled grips can be loosened with a quarter turn, extend the sections to your desired length, and then locked-down with a quarter turn back the other way.  I never needed to apply anything more than a gentle turn and the extension would lock in place with no fear of subsequent collapse.

 

The camera mount is a thing of beauty.  All GoPro mounting accessories I own are plastic. Mind you, the GoPro mounts are quality pieces in their own right and I’ve never had issues with any of them, but this Sandmarc mount really appeals to my aesthetic sensibility. The mount appears to be machined from a solid billet of aluminum – even the threaded nut was machined from the block.

 

 

 

As impressive as this mount is, there is a minor issue worth noting.  Since the mount is machined from a solid billet, it’s very solid – it doesn’t flex at all.  When I mounted my camera, it took a great effort to screw the mounting knob in tight enough to prevent the camera from rotating inside the mount. I happened to have a pair of pliers handy and I had to give the knob an extra little turn with the pliers before it was finally tight enough so the camera wouldn’t move.  I can easily envision many people not having the finger strength to get it tight enough and also relying on a pair of pliers.  There are aftermarket GoPro knobs that give your fingers a little more torque.  There are also aftermarket GoPro wrenches available for tightening and loosening the knob. Or you could just use a screwdriver or a pair of pliers.

 

To test the pole, I mounted my camera and headed to the ski hill for a day of snowboarding.

 

 

I can find no fault with the Sandmarc extension pole.  As I stated earlier, it is lightweight – even with the camera mounted to the end, it is high quality construction, and it’s stylish.  If I had to nit-pic, I simply didn’t know what to do with it when I was done using it.  Even fully collapsed, it’s 17”, so it’s not likely to fit in any of your pockets. My choices were to take it back to my car or go to the ski hill’s village and hope to get a locker for the afternoon.  If you’re out on a hike, it’s light and small enough to carry (or put in a backpack or large purse), but while on the ski hill, I didn’t want to finish my snowboarding trip carrying the pole throughout my remainder of the day.

 

It also seemed to gather attention from other skiers and boarders.  You’re not exactly inconspicuous speeding down the slopes, holding a camera three feet out in front of you.  But that’s just my own issue.  Maybe if I was a more impressive boarder, I’d feel less dorky filming myself.

 

Despite my feeling that I was attracting attention to myself, I really feel that you can get some of the best pictures and video of yourself while using an extension pole.  The pole can provide an interesting perspective that you simply can’t get any other way.  Additionally, mounting your camera on the end of a pole has an interesting effect – it smooth’s the video significantly.  When my GoPro is mounted on my helmet, the video can be very jerky and rough.  All my motions (bumping, jostling, shaking) is transferred from my body, through the helmet, and into the camera.  I’m not sure how the pole seems to automatically smooth everything out, but it does.  I’d guess one’s arm is a natural shock absorber.

 

 Features

 

• Compatibility : Fits all GoPro® Hero Cameras (including Hero 4)
• Durability : Water Proof, Aluminum Locks, Tripod Mount & Thumbscrew
• Unique Feature : All aluminum build quality
• Compact : Retracts 17″, Extends 40″
• Lightweight : 9.5 ounces / 0.25 kgs
• MSRP: $49.99

 

All-in-all, I really like the Sandmarc extension pole.  I’m happy to add it to my arsenal of accessories and I know I’ll be using it a lot.  I recommend it highly to anyone that wants to start adding new perspectives to their videos and pictures.

 

 

There’s a little bit of kid in all of us, and from time to time we need to let it out. Pogginz‘s Helmet Accessories are a fun and colorful addition to your sport helmets and I personally think they’re pretty cool.

 

 

From the moment we shared photos of the kids wearing the Pogginz, the response by parents, kids and adults alike has been unanimously positive with everyone being impressed with them.

 

 

So, what is a Pogginz? It’s one of a number of accessories like Shark fins, dionsaur spikes, teeth, horns or even a tiara, all made of Glitter Vinyl. They attach to a helmet via hook and loop fasteners (read Velcro) to your helmet. It’s a simple concept, but really well executed.

 

This is definitely tubing weather. #pogginz #terramartribe #terramarkids

A video posted by Paul Osborn (@theoutdooradventure) on Jan 18, 2015 at 10:03pm PST

 
Why would you buy them?

 

First of all, the kids love them. As soon as they saw the package, they wouldn’t rest until we had put them on their helmets. After that, they showed them off to their friends and the kids at the ski-school. They were an instant hit. My kids did begin to adopt the personality of their new found Pogginz identities, much to the chagrin of their younger siblings.

 

 

Another great benefit that we discovered on the hill was that it was immediately obvious which kids were ours with their shark fin and dinosaur tails.

 

Oh and they’re really reasonably priced: $15 USD ($19 CAD).

 

 

Tips and Suggestions

 

 

When you mount a tail on your helmet, take note of how it will interact with any hoods on jackets. We opted to mount the helmet below the goggle hook on the kids’ helmets and for one of the kids that resulted in the tail falling off. Our recommendation is to either remove the goggle hook or mount the tail about the hook to avoid this problem.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Your kids will love this… Adults will love this. I’d get a good chuckle out of having a Pogginz on my helmet while I did some tricks on the half-pipe… if I could do some tricks on the half-pipe.

 

I wasn’t expecting a lot from the Pogginz, but they’ve turned out to be a huge hit and a fun addition to our outdoor adventures.

 

Check them out here on Etsy or at their website Pogginz.com

When out adventuring in the alpine, sliding down the slopes, trekking in the snow or simply packing the perfect snowball a good pair of gloves is at the heart… err at the finger tips of success… and a good pair of gloves is what you find in Eddie Bauer’s Guide Light Gloves.

 

They’re definitely worth a look, and here’s why:

 

 

Features:

• Nikwax Treated Goatskin Leather Palm and Fingers
• DWR treated Stretch Nylon (90% Nylon/10% Spandex)
• Acrylic/Merino Wool Jersey Lining (70%/30%)
• Stretch-Rib Cuff
• Nose/Goggle Wipe on Thumb
• Webbing Clip Loop (on middle finger)
• MSRP: $80

 

 

What are my thoughts?

 

Eddie Bauer sent me these gloves for testing in early December, and they have been my go-to glove choice this winter. They’ve performed excellently and aside from a slight complaint would receive 5 stars.

 

These gloves are designed to provide warmth and grip without causing dexterity or range of motion to suffer.

 

 

They allow great motion due to the glove’s low profile design and careful placement of leather where you’ll need it for protection and grip, filling in the gaps with a warm and form fitting Nylon/Spandex blend. The result is the ability to use fine motor skills to perform even delicate tasks like grasping fine zipper pulls or adjusting the fuel flow nob on your winter stove.

 

 

The warmth comes from an acrylic-merino blend that does a great job of keeping you warm while active in below freezing temperatures. Take note: they’re not designed for extreme weather. If you want something for that then check out the Eddie Bauer Guide Gloves.

 

The Stretch Rib cuff is pleasantly long for the gloves, meaning you can stretch your arms and move around and it’s unlikely you’ll expose your wrists to the cold.

 

As you can see in the video, the one complaint I have is to do with manufacturing consistency. The width of the leather that covers the finger tips differs from glove to glove, not just finger to finger. It doesn’t noticeably effect performance, but it was a surprise to see the variance that exists. I haven’t had any problems with seams or cold fingers, so this may be simply an aesthetic complaint.

 

 

Conclusion

Is you’re looking for a low-profile, high quality, lightweight glove I’d take a look at the Guide Light Glove by Eddie Bauer. The $80 MSRP is a bit high in my books, but is probably in part due to the buttery soft goatskin and resizing demand for Merino wool.

Now, let us know your feedback down below! What are your go to gloves?