I don’t recommend flipping a kayak in 40º air temps, 55º water and 25 mph winds in order to test a jacket. Luckily, I already did this for you – actually, it wasn’t for you. But sometimes sh!t DOES happen and I’m glad I was wearing the Orvis PRO Insulated Hoodie for this soaking. Brutal conditions…
I needed a way to cook birds in the backcountry that didn’t consume burner fuel and also didn’t add weight or bulk to a pack. The Überleben Stoker comes in under a pound, flattens to a 6” square canvas pouch and is barely noticeable in the gear until you need to grill. The smart, minimal…
“What?! Did you ask if I got my COVID booster? No? OH! Rooster!” You never know what you might hear out in the field this year. But, with a pair of Axil GS Extreme Earbuds, I’m betting you won’t hear “booster.” The Axil GS Extreme Earbuds offer great features such as: 6X hearing enhancement (for…
Water. It’s proven to be one of the biggest challenges of our Way Upland trips. I’ve tested multiple solutions, but I’ve been most impressed by the performance of the Katadyn HIker Pro in our latest season. I’ve used Katadyn water filters in the past and they have always been solid gear. The biggest difference with…
I own lots of tents for lots of different backcountry scenarios. I’ll be replacing every tent stake I have with Big Agnes 10” Dirt Dagger UL Tent Stakes. These stakes use a unique design that helps prevent bending in rocky surfaces and also promotes grip in soft soil conditions. Lightweight with high-vis color, they are…
It’s a Christmas miracle when I find a beanie that fits my large noggin. For me, the trendy, tight-fitting, skull cap-style beanies reduce air flow and don’t provide the warmth and versatility of a loose-fitting knit cap. I was pretty excited when I found the 5.11 Last Stand Beanie. The loose-fitting knit exterior stretched to…
There is a lot of crossover between fly fishing and upland hunting which got me thinking about gear in the same way. Even though the original intent of this sling pack may be for fly fishing, the waterproof features and easy access to storage made it a great option for camera equipment and electronics in…
I’m a sock snob. And the worst part is I don’t really know what makes a good sock until I put it on — too thick, too thin, too scratchy, too floppy. I’m Goldisocks…..errr… Locks. The Under Armour Hitch Coldgear socks are just right. I suspect it’s due to the blend of materials – 63%…
Garmin took the most popular, most used features from their other tracking and training collars and boiled them down into the smallest, most battery efficient handheld in their lineup. When paired with the TT15 Mini collars, the Garmin Alpha 10 becomes a powerful tool for tracking dogs and keeping them safe afield. I’ve had the…
The dogs work hard. And it seems like no matter how much we try to protect them, injuries happen. Most of the time they’re easy to fix right at the truck: torn pads, legs cuts, goopy eyes. Because I’m often extremely remote, I felt like I should get a little better versed in canine first…