review

A couple years after National Geographic released Andrew Skura’s first edition of the ultimate hiker’s gear guide, they’ve come out with a fully updated Second Edition. Having reviewed the first book, and having heard good things about the updated version I eagerly said, “yes” to the opportunity to review it.
What’s the book about?

This book is more than a gear guide. It’s goal is to increase your enjoyment of the “hiking” component of your outdoor adventures, and as such it provides easy to digest advice, tips and gear recommendations based on Andrew Skurka’s extensive experience. Here’s a list of the major themes covered:
• Why, When & Where – Solid tips on how to prepare for your adventure by looking at your goals, destination and expected climate
• Tools & Techniques – What to bring and how to use it: clothing, footwear, sleeping gear, shelters, navigation, trekking poles, food, cook systems, water, essentials and packs. Check out his “Core 13” pieces of clothing – a mix and match set of every piece of clothing you’d need for every environment you could face.
• Sample Gear Kits – How to pack and what to pack depending on the climate and time of year.

What did we think?

It’s Fantastic. Targeting the beginner and intermediate backpacker, this book goes into a LOT of detail on everything from how to choose a good campsite to the science and performance of various fabrics used in backpacking gear to how to choose the right gear without bringing too much or too little.

One thing I like about this book is that while Andrew speaks from experience, he doesn’t speak from personal preference; he takes a scientific approach. For example, Skurka used to be skeptical of the role of hammocks for backpackers, but after researching the subject and testing it out himself, he includes a section on their benefit in certain climates. I appreciate that kind of objectivity.

Another thing that I really like about this book is how he takes the argument away from ultralight versus… and makes it about the knowledge you need to carry in your head and why you should bring what you should bring. He makes use of clear and informative charts listing the features, pros and cons of various gear options. For example: Boots, hiking shoes, or trail runners? Polyester, merino wool, or nylon? Wool, fleece, synthetic or down? Double, single, or mountaineering tents… or tarps, Bivvys or hammocks?

It’s not a book trying to sell gear, either. Check out page 166 for a tutorial on how to make your own alcohol cookstove, one of the lightest and cheapest stoves on… or should I say off the market. One of the thing that becomes clear when you speak with the author is that he’s there to give you advice, not sell expensive gear. Despite having worked with specific brands, his recommendations cover everything from DIY to cottage manufacturers to mainstream pieces of gear that have proved themselves and have made it into his own kit.

It’s hard to know how much detail to go into, but let’s just say it’s 240 pages of well indexed, well organized and well written advice with no waste or unnecessary weight.

Summary

If you’re looking for tips on how to make your outdoor adventures more enjoyable you need this book. Nowhere have I seen the topic covered so comprehensively and in a down-to-earth and objective way. There are practical tips here that I constantly refer to and recommend to others.
The Second edition adds more knowledge and advice based on the experience he’s gained since the last book was published, including knowledge gained from marriage and backpacking with his wife.

One more time: If you haven’t read this book then buy or borrow a copy and read it. If you’re looking to gear-up for this summer then buy a copy of the book first and check out the tips. It’s bound to save you money and make your trips enjoyable, not just memorable.

We’re always eager to try out Merino wool layers, so when WoolPro reached out to us with not just an offer for some clothing, but with a 178 year old story that went with it, our interest was piqued.

WoolPro (Est. 2012) is the brainchild of Charlie and Owen Merrow, 7th generation owners of the Merrow Sewing Machine Company  – US maker of industrial sewing machines since 1838. One of the features that sets them apart is what they call “Activeseam stitching” we’ll talk about that below.

Owen was the one that personally reached out to me, and that reflects something special about the company. They’re down to earth, connected and current. One of their main marketing avenues has been reddit of all places. They started and maintain a thread there (inluding a special reddit discount).

We were sent a couple layers that we’ve had the pleasure of testing out and we’re happy to share our experiences. Let’s look at the products and their features. We tried out:

• Women’s Juno T-shirt in Carolina Blue
• Women’s Helios in Navy Blue
• Men’s Skylark (long sleeve) in Carolina Blue
• Men’s Helios in Navy Blue

Just as a starting point, we should mention that not all Merino wool is woven equally. Fabric comes in different thread size, different tightness of weaves and different quality of preparation. All of that will result in a different stretch, different warmth and especially a different level of comfort. Woolpro uses 18.5 micron wool, which is finer and more comfortable.

Women’s Juno T-shirt

• Lightweight Merino Baselayer
• 135 gram 18.5 micron 100% Merino Wool
• ActiveSeam Stitching
• Athletic cut
• V-neck collar
• Raglan Sleeves (no shoulder seams)
• Side panel seams
• Drop Tail
• MSRP: $59.99

Activewear needs to be just that. It has to allow you a good range of motion for activities likes running, cycling, backpacking, etc. The Woolpro Juno held up perfectly for that. On a recent trip we travelled 10 miles up a rough mountain trail into the snowy alpine. It was at times a scramble across creeks and down slopes. Even with a pack on, there were no sore spots or discomforts. This layer fits really well.

This top uses WoolPro’s ActiveSeam technology. ActiveSeam Tech is designed to be low profile (to reduce discomfort), is meant to stretch more naturally to compliment merino wool properties, and be stronger than typical seams.

It’s lightweight enough to handle warm weather and it does a fantastic job of handling the cold. When you’re moving in the mountains it’ll keep you warm until you get to camp, where you’ll want to add another layer (like the Helios).

Men’s Skylark

• Lightweight Merino Baselayer
• Crew (long sleeve)
• Raglan Sleeves (no sholder seams)
• 135 gram 18.5 micron 100% Merino Wool
• ActiveSeam Stitching
• Athletic cut
• V-neck collar
• Side panel seams
• Drop Tail
• MSRP: $64.99

I’m a fan of long sleeve tops when hiking, so the Woolpro Skylark was for me. Even when working up a sweat on the trail, I was never uncomfortable with this top. I’m a stock medium and the dimensions were perfect for me. The cut is perfect. I can access a full range of motion without seams catching or feeling like it’s tight across the back, under the arms or anywhere else.

Raglan sleeves are essential when backpacking for avoiding hot spots from seams rubbing against your skin. They also allow the shirt to hang better. We were also fans of the ActiveSeams. They seem to be doing their job and we’ll report back in time with how they’ve held up.

Even when it got soaked from fast packing, I felt comfortable and warm in this top (one of the benefits of merino wool). When I got to camp I was able to hang it up and it dried overnight, even in cold weather.

Do note that 135 gram merino is a more delicate fabric and won’t take the abuse of a heavier duty, heavier weight merino. We’re noticing a small amount of wear from backpack straps, but nothing to be concerned about yet.

Helios Hoodies

• Midweight Merino layer
• Hoodie Style
• Zipneck
• 250 gram 18.5 micron 100% Merino Wool
• Athletic cut
• Temperature Range: 20 – 60 F
• Drop Tail
• MSRP: $129.99

The Helios Hoodie is a great cold weather active layer and fantastic for wearing around camp after putting down a couple miles on the trail. The hood is comfortable, while spacious enough to fit a helmet inside. The high zip collar is great for blocking out cold breezes when you need to as well.

The 250 gram merino will keep you comfortable in cold weather and when used with a lighter weight base layer, should keep you warm until the sun goes down (at least in the Canadian Alpine).

We’re fussy about the length of our layers – we don’t like cold breezes… or mosquitos tickling across our back – so it’s nice to have the drop tail feature.  The zip pockets are great for all your small items around camp too.

Oh, and they look sharp too. You’d look pretty good wearing this around town – and definitely at your favourite BBQ joint after you climb off the trail! The odour eating qualities of Merino will ensure that you’re smelling fresh too!

Conclusion

We’ve be very impressed with the construction, fit, overall quality of WoolPro layers. The company was relatively unknown to us and we weren’t sure what to expect, but we’re glad we checked them out. The quality and fit rival that of other high end merino companies, so you can expect these layers to perform.

Prices are in-line with other higher end merino wool, but what sets this brand apart is the down-to-earth feel we got from dealing with Owen and the Woolpro team. Any brand that is happy to head out into the storm that is reddit and comes back unscathed is a brand that you can expect great service from.

Check out WoolPro and let us know what you think of their layering options.

I don’t follow a Paleo diet, but if it tastes as good as these meals I might. Paleo Meals to Go sent us 3 of their gluten free, grain free, milk free, soy free, nut free, shelf stable, and protein-rich freeze dried meals to test out and they were all fantastic. They are seriously the best freeze dried meals that I’ve tried – and it takes a lot to knock the Pad Thai off its throne.

We’ll look at each meal in a moment, but first I’d like to talk about what we liked so much about them.

Clean Tasting. Most freeze dried meals get goopy and give you a heavy feeling after eating them. It may be because they’re grain free, but the Paleo Meals to Go that we tried tasted fresh, flavourful and yet didn’t give us that heavy in your stomach “I need a nap” feeling.

Lots of meat. These meals had 32 to 42 grams of protein in them. The Beef meals had chunks, literally chunks of beef. There was no ground beef or chicken in these meals. They were loaded with tasty, glorious, and copious amounts of protein. When you’re putting in the miles, protein is important for muscle regeneration. These meals will bring out the cave man in you.

Fresh Ingredients. Bright green and orange vegetables await you. seriously, look at the photos. They use coconut sugar and sea salt to sweeten and flavour the meals too, which taste delicious.

Now, on to the meals. First off, we loved each of them and would take them on any trip in the future. Two of our kids avoid gluten, so these would be ideal for them too. Check out the video of the trip we taste tested them on to see our reactions.

Bedrock Beef Chili

Mrs. Adventure loved this one. Lots of big chunks of beef, fresh tasting. This mild chili had a perfectly balanced flavour and wasn’t overpowered by tomato. The Sweet potatoes were a delicious addition. Beef is the first ingredient! 5/5

Ingredients: Beef (Beef, Salt), Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Tomato Powder, Seasoning Blend (Chili Powder [Chilies, Salt, Spices], Spices, Granulated Garlic), Carrots, Coconut Sugar, Red Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper, Tomatoes, Sea Salt.

Caldera Chicken Curry

I’m not a huge chicken fan, but this one was surprisingly my favourite. The Coconut sugar and Pineapple were what did it for me. Pineapple slays me and that, with the curry spices were absolutely fantastic. Chicken is the first ingredient! 5/5

Ingredients: Chicken, Pineapple, Spinach, Coconut Sugar, Red Bell Pepper, Seasoning (Garam Masala, Spices, Curry Powder), Onions, Celery, Sea Salt.

Mountain Beef Stew

We ate this for breakfast, overlooking the mountains… and fought over the last spoonfuls. This good ol’ fashioned stew hits the spot. This may have been Mrs. Adventure’s favourite. The mushrooms were big, juicy and fresh. The celery was plentiful and green. Beef is the first ingredient! 5/5

Ingredients: Cooked Beef (beef, salt), carrots, onions, mushrooms, celery, spices (spices, granulated garlic), sea salt.

Conclusion

You don’t have to be a Paleo adventurer to enjoy these meals. Even if you’re not you need to check these meals out. The fresh ingredients, delicious recipes and abundance of protein will leave you full, energised and ready for adventure. Check out Paleo Meals to Go and tell us which meal looks most appetising to you.

Full disclosure:

Paleo Meals to Go supplied us with these meals free of charge for review. All opinions are our own and reflect what we would tell family and friends.

The Talus 3 is a tent that can take abuse , protect you from the elements and is still packable enough to take on your backpacking trip.

Live Out There contacted us, asking us for our honest opinions of this tent by The North Face and we are happy to do so.

Let’s take a look at the features and then break into our review:

Features

• Dimensions
  • Floor area – 38.94 sqft
  • Vestibule area – (9.27 sqft per)
  • Height – 46”
  • Packed size – 8” x 23”
• Features:
  • 3-person
  • Dual Vestibule
  • Dual Door
  • Gear Loft
  • Ground Cloth
  • Ventilation
  • DAC Shepherd’s Crook tent stakes
  • guylines
• Materials
  • Rainfly – 75D Polyester with 1200 mm PU coating
  • Canopy (inner tent) – 68D polyester
  • Floor – 70D nylon with a 3000 mm PU coating
  • DAC featherlight NSL poles
• Weight
  • Trail weight – 5 lbs 6.7 oz
  • Fastpack Weight – 3 lbs 12.6 oz (Ground cloth, poles and rainfly)
  • Total
• MSRP: $329 – $269 on Live Out There . Com

That’s a lot of detail, so let’s get into it.

Let’s start with the big questions: Weight and packability. The Talus 3 is marketed as a cross over tent – light enough for backpacking, but durable enough for car camping. Ultralight tents tend to use the lightest, most modern fabrics and a smaller floor are, which means a much higher cost and less durability. Car Camping tents tend to use more economical fabrics, have more space, take up a lot of space when packed and weigh a LOT. The Talus 3 bridges that gap, while leaning more to the lightweight scale – a 3-person tent that weighs 5 lbs 7 oz and packs down to an 8” x 23” tube… smaller if you have experience packing it, and lighter if you leave the ground cloth behind.

The Tent offers 3 configurations:

• Using all components (ground cloth, tent, poles and rainfly)
• Using the tent, poles and rainfly
• Using just the ground cloth, poles and rainfly

The lightest option is ideal for fast backpacking trips (3 lbs 12.6 oz), while the full setup with ground cloth is fantastic for car camping where camp ground gravel can beat up your floor.

The Talus 3 opts for Polyester for the rainfly and canopy. This fabric is more durable than siliconized nylon and also holds up better to rain and sunshine. Sil nylon tends to sag when wet and it is not recommended that sil nylon tents are left setup during the day time due to the effect of the sun on them. We are happy throwing a handful of kids in this tent and letting them wrestle and play in it – whereas our ultralight sil nylon tent has a “no playing policy”.

To save weight, the Talus 3 has a typical backpacking tent sized floor (39 square feet) and backpacking tent height (46” at the peak). The tent can fit 3 adults side by side with gear stored in the amply sized dual vestibules, or 4-5 kids facing the other way, with their gear stored inside the tent.

Dual vestibules offer great access for entry and exit, especially if all your gear is kept in one vestibule and provide enough space for footwear and typical backpacking kit. The gear loft and pockets will hold all the gear you’ll want on hand (watches, phones, headlamps, meds, etc).

This tent is fantastically simple to setup. My 8 year old can set this up easily. The design has all poles connected, so there’s no confusion of which pole goes where (a common problem with lower priced, car camping style tents).

The attachment system is easy and intuitive, and once setup offers a solid, tensioned tent. Poles are DAC (anodized aluminum) a high quality, lightweight aluminum that is the standard for high quality tents.

The North Face opted for heavier duty DAC shepherd’s crook poles for stakes. They’re stronger and less likely to bend than the typical stakes that are included in backpacking tents. I’m guessing this choice was for the compacted ground found at car camping campsites.

The full sized rainfly stakes down tightly and includes extra guylines to setup during a storm. The Talus 3 doesn’t come with enough stakes to setup the tent, rainfly and guylines, but the tent sets up so well without them that you’d only need them during a pretty strong storm. You can also remove the stakes used to stake down the inner tent to attach the guylines.

One challenge tent designer’s face is ventilation. A full size rainfly is great for keeping rain out, but it can inhibit airflow needed to remove moisture from breathing – the moisture that builds up on the inside of your tent walls. Even when we tested this with 4 boys on a hot, Eastern Washington weekend, it held up to the test. In the morning, even with no breeze, there were no problems with moisture. The rainfly has two vents that seem to do the trick. If you were to stake out the guy lines, ventilation is even more improved.

Conclusion

The Talus 3 is a solid tent that we intend to use a lot this summer. The durability, weight and packability make it ideal for canoeing, car camping and even backpacking. 5 lbs 7 oz is not in the ultralight range, but isn’t overly heavy, especially if you divide the tent components between 3 people. When using the Fastpacking option (just over 3.5 lbs) you’ll be cruising. What ties it together is the price. For $329 ($269 on live other there) you’re getting North Face quality and reliability and at a very respectable weight.

If you’re looking for one tent to handle all your outdoor adventures, the North Face Talus 3 should be high on the list of prospects.

• Premium full-grain leather upper for rugged durability
• Primaloft insulation
• Waterproof seam-sealed construction is guaranteed to keep feet dry in any weather
• Rustproof hardware for durability and an authentic Timberland look
• Padded collar for a comfortable fit around the ankle
• Textile lining and footbed cover for breathability
• EVA footbed for lightweight cushioning, shock absorption and all-day comfort
• Rubber lug outsole for traction and durability
• Steel shank for arch support
• MSRP: $190

Canada gets cold in winter, so cold, that the kids complained when out snowshoeing. What’s a family to do? We bought the kids new Columbia Bugaboot Plus Kids boots. With a -32 C rating, these boots have been an excellent purchase. They’ve proved themselves through two kids and many cold adventures. Were they worth the investment? Definitely.

Features

• Omni-Heat thermal reflective, insulated
• Waterproof suede and PU coated leather
• Waterproof seam sealed
• 200 grams insulation rated -25F/-32C
• Molded EVA with nylex cover
• Injection molded rubber shell/outsole
• Weight: size 1, ½ pair = 14.6 oz/413.9g
• MSRP: $70 USD (I paid $32 new)

Testing

Winters snowshoeing, sledding, hiking and doing the paper route. These have hit 20 below (Celsius) on more than one occasion. After two years and two winters in the great white north that is Canada, I can’t think of much more we could put them through.

What do we think?

200 grams of insulation combined with the omni-heat reflection is fantastic.  If you want to get outdoors in cold weather your kids need good footwear. Kids don’t complain until their feet are already icy, and that’s a risk. When we switched from lower quality insulated boots to these the winter experience became fun for everyone.  Seriously, fun. We didn’t have to cut trips short, or sit there massaging frosty toes in the cold. We were only limited by the energy they had.

The seam sealed, waterproof suede still looks good after 2 winters of use. We expect to pass these on to Jr. Adventurer #3 next year.

The injection molded rubber performs well in cold weather meaning it stays pliable and allows great traction on ice and hard ground.

Conclusion

What’s more to say? These Columbia Bugaboot Plus boots are a fantastic investment for an outdoors family. They’re not cheap, but they’re worth it for two reasons:

• The Quality – You won’t have to replace them as often as low-quality boots
• The Performance – They keep the kids’ feet toasty warm, enabling more outside time in cold weather

If you want to get outdoors in winter and need some new boots for the kids, check them out. We have the Bugaboot Plus II, and will definitely be taking a list at the Bugaboot Plus III for next year.

Have you bought Columbia kids’ boots before? What did you think?

For a lot longer than I really want to admit, I have been on the hunt for the perfect pair of snow pants. I also don’t want to fess up to exactly how many pairs of snow pants I’ve bought on the hunt that have found themselves in the “I’ll keep this to lend to someone”, or the giveaway pile. Let’s just say it’s a lot. Given my body shape (short with a string bean torso and mountain loving thunder thighs) and lifestyle (tough on gear, frequently clumsy, and usually being pulled by a neurotic and over enthusiastic husky) – not much survives.

So, when a few things came together and I found myself with the chance to test out the Stio Environ Pant, I went into it with my fingers crossed. Could these finally be “the pants”? Would they survive me sliding (unintentionally) down the icy slopes of New England with a snowboard on my feet? How would they fare when my snow deprived husky decided to drag me head over heels into a wall of snow with micro-spikes on? And uhm… would my thighs fit?

Yes. Heck yes to all of the above.

Let’s talk about some of the nitty gritty details before I dive into why I’m in love with these pants.

Features

• TORAYDELFY™ 10,000mm 3L Stretch Waterproof/Breathable 50D 1743 g/m2 DWR Polyester
• Abrasion proof schoeller® dynatec kickpatch and scuff guard
• Fully Seam Sealed
• Adjustable waistband
• Zippered front fly
• Hidden MaxVent™ thigh vents at inseam
• YKK® water-resistant zippers at back pockets, thigh pocket and hand pockets
• Internal boot gaiters
• Custom silicone zipper pulls and metal snaps
• Inseam length: 31.5”
• Weight: 20 oz
• Regular Fit
• MSRP: $350 USD

What are we talking about? Pants. To be super specific, the Environ Pant in Black Iris… which basically goes with absolutely everything.

Who makes ‘em? Stio, an awesome little company based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (where I’ve never been and I’m sure if I go I won’t be able to leave). Their philosophy is you should be able to enjoy great gear both when the going is super tough or a stroll in the snowy park.

How much? The Stio Environ Pant retails for $350. I’ve tried several pairs of competitor’s badly designed snow pants that retailed for about $800, so clearly I should have gone with Stio a long time ago.

What do we think?

So what exactly made the Environ Pant perfect?

Fit. Many of the pairs of snow pants I’ve retired just didn’t fit right. Given my more athletic shape, I often found I was cursed with a super tight fit around the thighs, the notorious bubble butt (even in shell pants like these), and battered hip bones from low waist fits. These pants are made for women who want to be able to do more than stand around at après-ski. I hiked, snowshoed, snowboarded, cross country skied, and kept up with my husky in these… and looked good while eating sugar waffles après-ski. Win.

Material. The snow pants that haven’t been retired due to fit usually met their demise with some type of material failure. I’m the cool kid who has in fact managed to stomp on herself with crampons and micro-spikes, and most snow pants can’t take that. Stio was brilliant and included a real abrasion proof kickpatch and scuff guard right where I’m usually stabbing myself with traction devices. And uh… I tested it. It worked. Yay! As for the rest of the pant, they chose to use this cool TORAYDELFY material that is surprisingly forgiving to movement, unexpected downpours and slush puddles… and that drink I spilled on myself.

Features. The Environ Pant is loaded with little features that make a big difference. My favorites were definitely:

• the MaxVent thigh vents (seriously well placed and highly effective),
• a wonderfully adjustable waistband to accommodate changes in layers and fit,
• all the fantastic lined pockets with waterproof zippers,
• And that kickpatch/scuff guard of course.

So was there anything I didn’t love?

The only things I didn’t love were such incredibly minor details that they’re easy to overlook or work with. For example, the internal boot gaiter is shorter and tighter than I’m accustomed to and was a bit tough to get around my snowboard boot. I also wish there was somewhere convenient to clip a season pass to, but that’s a non-issue.

Bottom Line

I’m full out in love with these pants. Not only do they look great, they function at the level I need them to and they handle my abuse like they were made for it. And yes, I’ll admit the price tag can seem a bit daunting at first. But I know I’ll be wearing the Environ Pant for many more winters and good gear is always worth the investment. Basically, you need some Stio pants in your life.

About the author:

Jillian Bejtlich is a lifelong New Englander plagued by severe wanderlust and a serious love of the outdoors . She’ll try any relatively sane thing at least once and is obsessed with getting more people (and dogs) outside. Find her on Twitter (@JillianLaura), Instagram (@jillpoke), and explore more of her New England adventures at Tails from the Trails.

Full Disclosure: This item was received free for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own and reflect what we would recommend to family and friends.