SE Adventure Women

the olympus tough series is...well, tough!

2010-05-19T08:21:00.000-07:00

In honor of the upcoming Warrior Dash, and for any Southeasters who may want to overnight a camera that is perfect for running around with that day....

I've been known to participate in Photoshop hijinx here and there, but I assure you the above image is not digitally altered. That is my Olympus Stylus camera after some particularly awesome caving at the SERA cave carnival.

Somewhere in the evolution of point-and-shoot cameras, someone decided that it would be a good idea to make an EB-proof camera. Ok, so they weren't totally thinking of me when they made this. But seriously. After some of the things I've put my camera through, I'd swear they were at least thinking of someone like me.

It's:
Waterproof: as deep as 33 feet underwater.
Shockproof: designed to withstand a 6.6-foot drop, bump, or other mishap.
Freezeproof: winterized to perform at below-freezing temperatures (down to 14°F/-10°C).
Crushproof: withstands up to 220 pounds of pressure

After taking the picture you see above, we hosed it down and kept rolling. Seriously. Awesome. Camera. The image quality is great, too. The shake-free setting has given me some great results, as I don't always have the steadiest of hands. (Perpetual motion will do that to you.) It shoots great (HD) video, too. I've basically been beating on this camera for 2 years and it's still working splendidly.

The cons, to be fair:

Sometimes, it can respond a little slow with the memory card (other reviewers have noted the same thing)
When you've run it through so many mud baths, you start to lose the labels on the back. Then it's sort of a guessing game with the dial, which totally sucks if you're in a hurry and trying to change modes.
Sometimes I wish I had fancier settings like I have on my SLR, but that's not really what a point-and-shoot camera is about.
You actually can get mud on the lens and in the lens cover (which retracts when you turn it on)...that's a pain for sure, though I've not personally done this. (One of our readers notes she's glad she bought the extended warranty particularly for this issue. She dropped it off for a cleaning and voila! All better.)

Still, the latest iteration of the Olympus Stylus (the Olympus Stylus Tough 8010 14MP Digital Camera) has moved up in megapixels and awesomeness. I'm, of course, tempted to upgrade :-)

Note: there are several "levels" of this camera available for purchase, with varying degrees of megapixels, toughness...and cost. Dig around on amazon and you'll see what I mean.

i never take my chest harness off

2010-05-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

Technically this is a binocular harness, but nevermind that. Think outside the box and embrace a Nikon 6121 Prostaff Bino chest harness for your digital SLR and your neck will thank you.

I really could end the review there, but I'll give you a little more detail than that....

I actually stole my chest harness from my fiancé a couple of years ago. He wasn't using it because he's got a tiny point and shoot camera, and I wanted a comfortable way to bring my Nikon d50 into the field without stashing it in my backpack where accessibility is, frankly, a pain in the arse. This solved that quite nicely.

The pros are that it takes the weight off of your neck, it centers the camera in front of you, and it's stretchy enough to give you flexibility. The only thing you'll find yourself worrying about when you see a shot you want is setting your camera fast enough to capture it. If I want to slip my camera off of the strap, to pop it onto a tripod for example, there are two easy hooks to unclip it and go.

The con, for me, is that after I've (occasionlly) stretched it out to get a shot I don't always remember to tighten it back to start hiking again. I'm small, and a loose harness equates to my camera bouncing uncomfortably until I pause to tighten the straps again. If I'm walking slower this is a non-issue, but sometimes we're really booking it on the trail so it gets annoying.

Still, I never take it off. I love this thing. When I don't wear it properly around my shoulders, I wear it "messenger bag style" over one shoulder (this works quite well too).

Cabela's makes a similar harness and a friend of mine LOVES hers as much as I love mine. There is also another brand if you google around a bit and want something a little cheaper without the Nikon logo.

They're completely unnecessary for a tiny camera, but for a larger format I can't imagine anything else anymore. Yeah, you can lug around a camera bag but when weight is an issue or when you're going for a long day hike where you know you'll want your camera pretty constantly a camera bag is just not going to cut it.

Super-Fast Drying Pants from Columbia ROCK

2010-05-06T06:46:00.000-07:00

I nabbed a pair of the Columbia Titanium Omni-Dry Silver Ridge capris on a sale rack last summer, mostly because I happened to find them cheap and they seemed like a good lightweight option for summer hikes and playtime.

WOW. Gotta love that omni dry technology.

I had an unfortunate accident involving spray adhesive and these pants, wherein I (of course) managed to get my pants *and* the object I was trying to apply adhesive to. I'd blame the wind, but many of you know I just happen to be very talented with disasters. So, I took some adhesive remover and applied it straight to the pants (I don't recommend this at home, for obvious potential colorfast issues) ... then I "washed" them while I was wearing them in the sink with the classic cupped-hand-full-of-water-plus-papertowels method typically reserved for quick fixes when you're not home with a change of clothes. My pants happen to be black, so I figured if I looked damp for the rest of the day it wouldn't be *that* noticeable. Damp equated to soaking wet in this instance, and I will attest that my *pants* dried faster than my *skin* did after the generous soaking.

Imagine the implications of that on the trail!!!! Seriously. Awesome. Fabric.

I love that I can roll them up and make them shorter, too, though I'll say the fabric is thin enough that they don't feel too stuffy. Southern heat can be pretty brutal, and these are my go-to pants for the really bad days. (I'm sure they're doing some wicking, also.) I've tripped a few times in them, too, and so far haven't ripped them. Bonus! (I bet that will come later today after I've posted this ;-)

Looking at the Columbia website, they have this to say about them:
Featuring bottom hem adjustability, the Silver Ridge Stretch Capri can be rolled-up into an above-the knee short for serious cooling power. Omni-Dry® advanced evaporation wicks sweat away from your skin and encourages air circulation. With mobility-facilitating gussets and 2-way comfort stretch fabric, this über-comfy capri is perfect for high-octane activities. The rear yoke curves to flatter and harbors hidden vents to keep the cool-air flowing. Plus, you can stow this piece into the zip-closed security pocket for ultimate packability. Sits just below the hip. Active fit.

My pair actually sit higher on my waist than I'd prefer, but it sounds like they may have updated the fit this year to sit a little lower. Try before you buy, just to be sure they're hitting where you want them to. The legs are great; my motion never seems restricted with the cut, even though they are nicely slimming/flattering.

To buy them all over again, I would be ok with full price for the pure awesomeness these hold for summer. If you can find them on sale, even better. (Quick googling says yes, you CAN find them on sale. Just so ya know.)

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

In an ideal world, you've bought indestructible stuff that's never going to die and stay with you until you're 80. But, if you're like me, you tend to trip on things in a spectacular faceplant that sends you wrapping around trees after a few stumbles, tumbles, and flips. When you get lucky you take others down with you in a pile of laughter without actually breaking anything. Others may call it clumsiness, I call it Skill.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, instead of buying replacement stuff get yourself some useful skills: get crafty and fix what you've mucked up in the fall:

Fix your bike:
Repair bicycles
Mountain Bike repair
Bicycle Tutor

Fix your torn clothing:
How to mend clothes
10 Clothing Fixes Everyone Should Know

Repair your damaged tent (Because it happens, and it usually involves a setup disaster or some middle-of-the-night bathroom break half-awake haze.)

--

11:48am
Timely update: Treehugger just posted a link about Fixing things too. Great minds think alike!

when the water just isn't fresh enough

2010-04-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been on a multi-day trek, you know that after a few days things start to get a little...ripe. Whether you're backpacking, or canoeing, or even just camping, you will eventually find that you and your cohorts just don't smell as good as the first day you set out on your adventure. And sometimes, you get there and the riverside campsite just doesn't smell fresh enough. The water smells too plain, too subtle.

Enter one of my favourite backpacking and kayaking buddies: Air Wick, Fresh Waters scent. I like to throw a bottle of this stuff in my pack, as well as a couple of Stick Ups in my tent to ward off the evil nasty that is often found with outdoor adventure. I've even been known to surprise fellow travelers who just aren't keeping up with smelling clean by giving them a good spray or two.

The Fresh Waters scent captures the freshness of a cool, sparkling stream mixed with the light scent of a summer evening breeze. Talk about camping by the Chattooga neatly packaged in a convenient spray! Seriously, you can't pick a better scent to enhance your experience. And if that one doesn't do it for you, there are so many others: Mountain Breeze, Crisp Breeze, Island Paradise...the possibilities are endless!

fanny packs are cool again. (ok, maybe just functional.)

2010-03-31T10:47:00.000-07:00

I come from a generation that openly mocks fanny packs. Truly, not a whole lot could be dorkier or funnier, which is why I chose an NPR fanny pack as my donation "prize" a few years ago. I rocked the fanny pack long enough for a picture in the office, then eventually lost the dust-collected awesomeness in a few rounds of spring cleaning.

However, now that I'm running a lot I kind of regret the loss of my NPR pack. Sometimes on those long runs you just need the ability to carry more "stuff"....cell phone, keys, Gu (and transit card in case everything goes wrong...). If I could just get past the hardwired reaction I have to that Style thing.

Still, my man picked up a nifty piece of gear at a running expo in FL and I'm here to say I've seen the light.

The SPIBelt is pretty darned handy, and quite the upgrade from my public radio prize. It's stretchy, so it's always going to be at its smallest form around your waist. And, it's stretchy so when you want to overpack for your run it can accommodate most requests. I think at max we've gotten a full-sized iPod, a Blackberry (pearl), keys, transit cards, random spare change, and a couple of Gu shots in there. We could have pushed it but you know, that whole packing light to run a half marathon thing got in the way.

So far, it's also quite durable. And, it comes in many colors and varieties. And it's reasonably priced. They have several options on the website, and the one J got has a great system for attaching race numbers.

Embrace your inner dork. You already did with convertible pants, may as well go for the whole ensemble, right?

Needs more juice

2010-03-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

I know we're on the tail end of winter, so this is more something to log in your memory for next season than anything else. Or, if you end up traveling somewhere that requires winter gear, this will certainly help you.

I fiddled with a few combinations of glove options this year, and will admit I haven't totally solved it. I really do hate giving bad reviews, but after this pair of gloves was so strongly recommended by someone I feel that I should warn the world. Or something.

I bought the Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch gloves a few months ago, with the idea that they'd be perfect for hiking and backpacking. As advised, I bought them with a simple mitten shell to layer over them once at camp. Sounded like a good idea at the time, and it really is a pretty solid piece of advice. Minus the detail of these gloves.

My hands were never warm. I couldn't feel my fingers after awhile. I was warmer with a much thinner, non-warmth-promising shell by itself than I was with these things. I tested them in wind, not-wind, mist, not-mist... but always cold (duh).

When I went to return them, I was told "but you have to be *active* for them to work properly. [ie. not just sitting around]" Ok.......busting my butt up the side of a mountain with full pack and actively moving trekking poles.... not active enough to activate the power of the Power Stretch? *Rolls Eyes* Whatever. Something's wrong when all of you is sweating, save for your fingers which you can't actually feel.

Search elsewhere, these gloves are not it. They weren't for me, anyway.

awesome + awesome = awesomer

2010-02-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

I actually stole that title from a Superbowl commercial and wanted an excuse to use it, yet again, somewhere. But seriously...

I snagged this jacket, the Marmot Essence, from a sale rack in Colorado, and have worn it several times in town and in the field. It won't seem to stop raining in the Southeast, so I've certainly had ample opportunity to test it. Quick internet searching tells me it's only available as a closeout on several sites, as it's officially "last season" (I hate it when they do that) and I can't find one for women in 2010. So, lesson learned, snag it fast! I am curious to see if/when 2010's model for women will come out (so far, a only men's version is showing. LAME.)

Things I love:

It weighs 7 ounces, so I don't have to think twice about packing it for any of my trips. Even the salesdude in CO was a little blown away by that detail.
It does what it says it will.... repels the rain and keeps me dry, and so far doesn't have me sweating profusely on the inside making that icky, mucky, yucky moist feeling.
It has a pocket *perfectly* situated for backpacking. I've read some reviews where folks say it doesn't have pockets; it DOES have a pocket, just not on the sides where one might casually place hands on a city stroll. Pockets at the bottom on the sides would be inaccessible with a pack on, but the chest pocket on the front of this jacket is perfectly accessible when I'm on the trail and loaded down/belted in.
It has "wing vents" (under my arms) for days I might be particularly...working hard :-)
It nicely layers over my clothing. I've layered it over a thin down jacket (liner from my 3-in-1), and I've layered it over 2 base layers and my Marmot windstopper fleece (also thin, but still) and not felt the least bit claustrophobic or restricted.

Things I don't love:

You're going to have to do a little searching to find it, now that it's considered out of season.
When I wear it in the city, I don't have a handy place for my hands (get it? har har).

I'll admit, it's the most expensive rain jacket I've ever owned. But so far I'm quite pleased and feel it was worth the investment for a quality piece of gear.

I. Give. Up.

2010-02-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

My art teacher in high school had a rule for all critiques that sometimes proved more difficult than others: However much you struggle, find something nice to say about the piece in front of you before you start in on the negative. Often this helped to soften the blow, and make you think about what you were going to say in as constructive a way as possible.

So, here's my nice thing to say: Camelbak bladders are a pretty blue color. And they're lighter than some other hydration options on the market right now. And it sure is convenient to have a tube with water right by your mouth when you're in the middle of a long day on the trail and you don't want to lose momentum. See, 3 nice things.

And.........I'm done. No, really, I'M DONE. I believe that even might be part of what I screamed as I chucked one of my Camelbak bladders into my back yard Saturday morning with the hopes that I would hit something sharp and metallic.

I've been trying to use their products on backpacking trips and hikes for about 1.5 years now, so i think it's safe to say I speak with experience. We're way beyond the classic "3 strikes, you're out" game. I've had not-readily-evident puncture wounds in a BRAND NEW bladder, I've had to cut a hole in a brand new bite valve so I could use it, I've had slow leaks in the back of the car or down my legs as I hike, I've had gushing waterfalls...the only thing I've yet to experience is a frozen valve, but I'm sure that was coming soon as I've talked to many people who have. Add that to stories of broken bite valves, other varieties of slow leaks, and freezing issues *with* their cold weather accessories, and you'll find I'm not the only displeased consumer. I've talked to many folks who share my distaste, in fact.

I'm sorry, but there's nothing funny about an unreliable water reservoir on a multi-day (or even single day) trek. It is downright dangerous. This doesn't even touch the difficulty in keeping them clean; good times, coming back to find you've got a new science experiment even after you think you've done a great job of drying and hanging it for the next trip.

Grade: F for FAIL.

The curse is broken... Thank you, safety gear!

2010-01-27T06:34:00.000-08:00

I am not a snowboarder. I am uncoordinated, and I generally hate snow, winter and the feeling of my feet dangling in the air as I hang from a cable. I grew up 45 minutes from two or more ski resorts, and I never set foot on a slope until last weekend.

Couple this with the knowledge that I know more people who have broken bones on the slopes than engaging in all of the other dangerous hobbies I know combined. In the last two seasons, two of my good friends obtained wrist fractures (including a fellow Adventure Woman). I knew when I decided to try snowboarding for the first time that extra precautions would be necessary...

While discussing the probability that I would be spending the majority of my day on my rear, a friend suggested wrist guards. Obtaining these was not unlike searching for the Holy Grail. I drove around Atlanta for two days hitting every outdoor and sporting goods store on the map, before finally caving and heading to the edge of the city to a specialty ski shop, Rocky Mountain Ski and Patio, where I picked up a $20.00 pair of Dakine wrist guards.

My ultra-cautious two-day quest for safety gear paid off in more ways than one. While I fell a total of somewhere between fifty and a thousand times, my wrists are completely intact, and were not even sore when I hit the climbing gym on Monday. My friends and I watched person after person (all with far greater skill than me - hell, they probably even left the bunny slope!) leave the mountain limping or otherwise damaged, but I was not one of them. The second benefit was unexpected but very welcome - they kept my hands warm! My borrowed gloves were completely saturated from about an hour into the day from all the falling, to the point that they dyed my hands blue, but my hands remained warm. My hands are never warm. This is a big thing.

Cons: They make it slightly harder to put your gloves on. Also, you're that dork among your friends that would rather wear extra safety gear than end up in a cast for 6 weeks. (Wait, that's not a con...)

Overall rating: A.

(Note: While Rocky Mountain did have the item I was looking for, at a price that was not outrageous, I have to point out the lack of knowledge of the staff. The saleswoman who assisted me, when I asked how the wrist guards worked, instructed me to put them on backwards, despite all common sense notions to the contrary. Please be advised, should you choose to wear wrist guards, which I suggest highly, that the plastic piece should be on the underside of your wrist...)

high country in the not-so-high country (atlanta)

2010-01-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

I often speak of my preference for smaller retailers (vs. the Big Box Guys), and try to make it a habit to support smaller companies whenever I can (especially when they happen to be stellar outdoors people). That said, I am admittedly long overdue in reviewing the folks over at High Country Outfitters.

They have, in my experience, exemplified every reason I tend to cite as my motivation for sticking with the locals:
• Great, fantastic, fabulous customer service
• Experienced and honest advice about gear and outdoor activities
• Supportive of, and involved in, the local community
• Solid products that they firmly stand behind

In a nutshell, I trust them to lead me down the right path. But I'm sure you want the long story of it:

I've now had multiple points of contact with High Country: I chatter with them on Twitter, I've shopped in their store, and I've attended their events both in store and elsewhere. I've always had a positive experience with them.

I just bought a chalk bag for my newest activity, climbing, and got tons of advice from two of the salespeople about which one to select. I asked "Why?" many times, and got well thought out, rock-solid advice about what I needed, as well as encouragement and information about where I should go play. When I purchased a locking biner for rigging a vertical cave a few months ago, I got out-of-the-box thinking about which would best suit my needs and I've been quite satisfied (Seriously, try asking for a drunk-redneck-proof biner and see what happens! Not your standard question by any stretch).

They also tend to host and sponsor great events. (I recently attended their showing of the Reel Rock Tour and a fascinating lecture with Ken Kamler). Cheap yoga on Sunday mornings, gear rentals, trips & instruction, fundraisers...the list is endless.

No, they don't have the same return policy as REI but I've yet to find anyone else who does. Their policy is still what I would consider quite reasonable at 60 days and the suggestion to call them if you still want to talk about it. And, no, they don't carry every brand. I have a friend who was recently looking for a very low end brand of climbing shoe for her entry pair (and could not find it there). This all goes back to them stocking gear they really stand behind, which is what I expect from most boutique retailers.

Thanks, guys and gals, for showing folks how it's done.

PS> For those folks not in ATL, you can order from them online.

cozy and warm

2010-01-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

Most folks in the Southeast (and elsewhere) are experiencing record lows and brutal temperatures these days. I ran this morning and can tell you it's the kind of cold you feel deep within your bones; I was glad I didn't check the Weather Channel's site until after the run (to find out it was something like 18, feels like 8). BRRRR.

That said, I found a nifty little companion on a recent trip, and after this morning's run I think it's my civic duty to spread the word. Namely, I picked up a "Turtle Fur Neck Gaiter" in a tiny, wonderful outdoors shop in Dillon, CO, admittedly because it was orange and soft. Also because, as mentioned in many other posts, I have a tendency to get and stay cold and I'm always looking for new tricks. (Yes, I also have the tendency to adore products with really strange names.)

That little "neck gaiter" you see pictured above rocks. A lot. The warmest part of my body this morning, by far, was my neck. And it's sooooooo soft. So fabulously, non-irritatingly soft. My sensitive skin was not at all unhappy. And, bonus, this is a cheap accessory. I think we're all glad when we get some relief in the budget department, yah?

I like especially that it's relatively small and lightweight (2.1oz!), and something I can easily take off when I actually get too warm but don't want to shed a full layer. And did I mention how soffffft it is? yeaaah...... :-)

Their company website is about as goofy as their name. You can also use Google Shopping to find these.

2009-12-16T01:46:00.000-08:00

Some gal friends and I have joked, on more than one occasion, that we're going to organize a skirt hike--y'know, a dayhike where you don't necessarily have to be a girl to participate, but you do have to wear a skirt. (That second-to-last part added purely to encourage strapping lads with flowing manes and well-defined calf-muscles to don their boots and UtiliKilts and join us.)

Though I like the rugged functionality of the UtiliKilt, let's face it, on me, it just ain't flattering! I do not have the figure to pull off wickedly thick pleats and umpteen pockets without coming off looking like Frumptonia.

I found something a little more feminine in the Royal Robbins Discovery Skirt - a flattering mixture of functionality, durability, and ehh, maybe a little fashion, too. It's cute enough to wear to a job interview or out for a cocktail, yet rugged enough to emerge from a hike unscathed.

It's made of a slightly stretchy, moisture-wicking nylon-spandex blend that is figure-flattering without binding too tightly, and UPF rated up to 50. The inside of the wide, forgiving waistband is a breatheable mesh, and there's a back zipper for easy entry (though if you're not careful there, quickzip, it tends to bind). And with three pockets - a left hip pocket with snap closure, a right hip security pocket with vertical zipper, and a velcroed cargo pocket at the hemline- there's ample (and secure) room to store enough necessaries that you could conceivably leave your purse at home.

It's lightweight, it folds easily, and it's wrinkle-resistant, making it a versatile piece for your travel wardrobe.

The sizing seems to run a wee bit large though, maybe because of the stretch. I say reach for the ego boost and order down a size--And hurry up about it, so you can go on our skirt hike!

Grade: A

Are you gonna drink that?

2009-12-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

I bought the Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter almost a year before I started backpacking. As the trip binges started (somewhere between 2-4 backpacking trips per month), I began to see a pattern. Almost everyone I went on trips with had this filter.

At an average price of about $70.00, it's not the cheapest piece of gear on the market, and also not the most amazing. While I myself have never had a problem with it, several friends on a ten day Yosemite trip managed to break two of these bad boys, though I have heard talk of "user error" playing a hand in that. (They also broke a steri-pen.) The fact remains, most of them still use a Hiker Pro. I myself have not yet managed to break one, despite my uncanny ability to break or damage almost anything, and I believe this counts for something...

I have filtered from rivers, streams, water pumps, a trickle on a rock or even a dirty puddle in a pinch (because when someone on the trip drinks half a box of wine and gets massively dehydrated halfway through the hike out, you will do most anything), and have always managed to come out with drinkable water. It works relatively quickly, and is relatively lightweight. I would say this warrants a recommendation. Though, at the advice of EB: Don't pump too hard. You might break the handle.

Notes on use: Keep the two tubes separate to avoid contamination. You don't want to defeat the purpose of using a water filter by using it incorrectly. Also, run some water through before pulling it in your water bottle/bladder each time you use it. (You will understand why when you do this.)

Grade (Taking into account the Yosemite stories): B-

good, not great, entry into the world of trekking poles

2009-11-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

I never learned to hike and backpack with trekking poles, so when my fiancé insisted I start using them I fought him pretty hard on it. Anybody who has ever seen me walk on level ground will understand why he made such a recommendation: I'm downright dangerous, especially when I'm in a hurry! I admittedly do better on uneven, rocky terrain, but the klutzy tendencies still hold pretty strong. Face plants, we go way back.

That said, I was loathe to spend any money on my entrée into Trekking Poles Land because I was sure I'd hate the whole shooting match. (And, to start, I did.) So, I picked up my first trekking poles at Target from their illustrious Eddie Bauer section. They were cheap, and that was pretty much my only requirement.

Fast forward some time later, and I'm still using them. They've survived being shipped across the country for our Yosemite trip (no snapping in half!); more importantly, they've withstood many, many, many trips, plunges, slides, and spectacular falls all over the country (because sometimes even a trekking pole can't save you). Only recently have I noticed my heavier-than-average usage starting to take its toll. Overall, they've held up beautifully. Much more beautifully than their price would imply. Additionally, I like their handles and the way they easily rock in my hands.

Some will consider these heavy, and I'm sure there are other entry-level trekking poles on the market set at a reasonable price. Still, for an entry trekking pole they are a-ok by me. I'm about to make a serious upgrade, but will certainly hang on to these as my backups. If you are curious about using trekking poles, but don't want to invest big money, take a look at these. When you're ready to upgrade, you'll have the motion down and can start to get more technical with your specs.

A quick, easy fix... (And cheap!)

2009-11-18T07:10:00.000-08:00

I hate being cold, but I love winter backpacking. How does one reconcile these two things? Gear!

Having already spoken of the miracles of the Capilene 3 Baselayer, sleeping in a coffin tent, etc., I will now switch gears and tell you about my non-essential, supplemental, juuuuuuuust-in-case method of ensuring my feet don't turn into little blocks of ice while I am snuggled up in my mummy bag on a 15 degree night in the mountains - the Mylar Blanket.

Our #1 fan/naysayer might reply with a comment about how these "blankets" (it's more like a piece of plastic with a shiny side) are not the best option, they cause a buildup of moisture, etc. This is correct. It's definitely something that can happen, though I haven't considered it bad enough to stop me... Don't get me wrong, this is no substitute for appropriate winter gear!

The mylar blanket, known most often as a "safety blanket" or "emergency blanket", or, for the nerds out there, "space blanket", is given out for free at the finish of most half marathons and marathons, or can be purchased at Walmart or Target for a whopping $1.00. It weighs almost nothing, so I say, "Why not?" I usually bring one or two of these on a trip "just in case", and I would never know it was there...

Its use? When you are curled up in your mummy bag in your coffin tent in your Capilene 3's, and your feet are still cold and your teeth are still chattering... Throw one or two of these bad boys over the sleeping bag, reflective side facing your cold body. This lightweight, free to one dollar, "blanket" will reflect your heat back on you, and the blocks of ice on the ends of your legs will thaw nicely...

So, as I repeat my disclaimer that this is no substitute for appropriate winter gear, I will also repeat my sentiment, "Why not?" This may just be something you carry that adds virtually no weight to your bag, or it might be something that you consider a life saver on that cold night when your feet just can't seem to get warm. Would you rather take the chance?

another funky name for ya

2009-11-13T06:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big fan of most sports drinks, as their sugar content often far outweighs any benefits they may hold for the average person—often, too, they have ingredients that just scare me with their names. The same holds true for any of those packets you can buy in the grocery store (Lipton, Crystal Light, etc.)...if you skip the sugar, you pick up a nice helping of aspartame or other scary artificial sweeteners (Acesulfame anyone?).

But lets face it: it can get boring just drinking water on the trail, day in and day out. When we stumbled across Nuun in a climbing store in Seattle, we thought we'd try it (especially after reassurance from my friend and the clerk).

I give it a mostly thumbs up:

The taste is pretty great for a portable tab you dump into your water bottle. They have a wide range of flavours, including banana and kona cola. I like the berry flavour, but a friend of mine hated that one enough to mail it to me (thanks M ;)

The portability is pretty awesome, too. Nuun comes in tabs in a plastic tube, so you aren't left with little packets when you use one. The tube is not large, and easy to throw in the side pocket of cargo shorts (or an outer pocket on your pack, or your bike bag, or whatever).

Nuun tabs contain electrolytes (salt), potassium, and calcium. The calcium is an added bonus over others, and something both men and women should be paying attention to. (Go Nuun!) They do not contain sugar, for those folks who need to watch that kind of thing.

Which brings me to the sugar: these guys are low-cal, which is great. But they do use sorbitol, which is apparently "naturally occurring in stone fruits" but is made artificially for food. Sorbitol is very safe and as far as I'm reading not a carcinogen; still, it's artificial. For a great comparison of the artificial sweeteners, refer to this chart. Note: sorbitol can, in very large quantities, cause *ahem* lower digestive distress; Nuun tabs don't have enough to cause problems—unless you ate several tubes at once, I'm assuming. Then you're on your own for being a weirdo.

They have something else called polyethylene glycol which adds experience (a richer feeling in your mouth), not nutrition. For the purists out there, you don't want to jump on that one and probably want to stick with water. I really dislike that they added this when it's so unnecessary.

So, negative points for the artificial stuff. Still, a good choice for mixing it up with the water. Bonus points for adding calcium.

Grade: A-

Bugaboo... Goofy name, awesome cookset

2009-11-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

I got my Bugaboo cookset for Christmas a couple of years ago from my parents, per my request. I hadn't done a lot of research, but felt in my gut that this one would be a good choice. It's turned out to be a great choice.

As you see above, it has five main components: two pans, two pots, and one handle. All of the pots and pans have a nonstick surface.

I have taken my set backpacking and car camping, and it's performed well for both. Bugaboo is much larger than your typical backpacking cookset, but I'm ok with that. When we are packing for space and need the extra few ounces, we simply take our other fancy backpacking set (which I'll review later). Total weight is 1lb 7oz, so it's not designed to appeal to the UltraLight folks out there anyway. Occasionally I leave the larger pan and pot at home to conserve space, but really they fit nicely together thanks to their "nesting" design so that gets to be nitpicky.

The main advantage of the size is the cooking area: we've made pizza, quesadillas, and bacon on the trail with relative ease. (Just remember a tupperware for the bacon grease!) We also tend to eat a lot, and the pot accommodates a hearty meal for two ravenous eaters.

The other advantage for the size: I am able to fit my stove, a small can of fuel, lighter, matches, small spoons & cooking utensils, and a small towel inside the smaller pan/pot combination. This makes it so easy to know exactly where all of my cooking "stuff" is when it's dark, I'm tired, and we're scrambling to get set up and eat.

The cleanup is easy with the nonstick surface, and there has been little need to carry oil/spray/whatever to cook with because I've taken good care of the surface. When it starts to deteriorate I'll replace it (I'm not interested in eating teflon, thanks). As the manufacturer notes: Non-stick cookware should be used with heat-proof nylon or silicone utensils to prevent damage to the non-stick surface. In other words, don't grab your metal fork to cook with (just like at home)!

The main disadvantage with Bugaboo is my unwillingness to throw it on a fire as I would with an aluminum cookset. However, I bring heavy duty foil when I anticipate cooking on the fire and don't bother with my pans. The only other issue I've noticed is really a matter of user error: occasionally I screw up with the handle and drop things. Not fun.

Overall, I give this set an A. I've been quite pleased, and perhaps more importantly we've been the envy of many on the trail with the amazing food we've been able to whip up on the trail. Bonus points for being relatively inexpensive and widely available.

One Size Doesn't Fit All, But We're Working On It!

2009-11-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

It's hard to be outdoorsy in an electronics age. Heck, it's hard to live in an electronics age, period, where you have a gadget for everything, and a different battery and charger and memory card for every gadget. It's an exhausting, expensive, and dare I say... cluttered existence.

And if you want to carry all that crap with you when you go somewhere? Forget it. Thank goodness today's designers are making electronics more universal - one device, multiple functions, yay! (Bless you, Blackberry and pals.)

I can't tell you how happy I am to finally have a phone with email and media and a really great camera function. There was a time capturing a breathtaking view I'd spent hours hiking to was worth hauling the weight of my best SLR up the trail, but no more. Since I got a phone with a decent camera feature, most of the time my heavy SLR - heck, even my pocket-sized Canon - stays at home.

My phone is lighter, and has significantly better battery life. And let's face it, I'm carrying it with me already.

Surprisingly, I'm more than happy with the quality of the the photos produced by my 2-megapixel phone. I just haven't been happy with the lengths I've had to go to to get them off my phone. Bluetoothing them over one-by-one is a pain-in-the-neck, and MMS/email isn't really an option for me, based on my data plan and the snap-happy way I approach creating a visual record of an event.

Which brings me to my latest, neatest purchase. (You knew I'd ramble there eventually.)

I bought a Duracell Micro SD Universal Bundle. For less than fifteen bucks, I got a 2GB Micro SD card I can insert in my phone, greatly expanding storage space for photos, mp3s, etc., plus three adapters: Mini SD, full-sized SD and USB. It also came with a hard plastic clamshell case just big enough to hold all three adaptors, which I've found to be suprisingly resilient, sturdy, and water-resistent. (Don't ask how I know this - I'm rough on sensitive electronic equipment.)

Moving photos now is a breeze! I just eject my Mini and slide it into whatever adaptor best suits my needs, and use the adaptor as I would a regular version of that size card. So far, I've found the USB adaptor to be the most versatile, enabling me easily connect to my PC, my laptop, my printer, and just about any photo kiosk in retaildom.

Recently, I ran out of space on the full-sized card in my good camera while at my sister's wedding. I ejected my Mini SD from my phone, plugged it into the full-sized adapter, and voila, it got me through the reception.

Fifteen bucks was a small price to pay to achieve a sort of harmony between all my gadgets and necessaries.

Now, if I could just get a universal car charger for my phone, my iPod, and my GPS...

smart to wear

2009-10-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

Reader Chris mentioned this in a post reply, and I thought it important enough to call out in a review. What you see pictured is the Road ID.

It's a pretty simple concept, really: print some basic information on a wristband and wear it when you're out running, cycling, whatever.

My father bought one for me when I was riding a lot, and I've since added it to my running repertoire. There are a few reasons I prefer this over some crap scribbled on a piece of paper and shoved in my pocket:

It doubles as a light reflector. You can see for yourself in the testimonials that this simple attribute has saved lives: when a car's lights hit the reflective material, you are more visible than you were when you weren't wearing it. You may have other reflective material on other parts of you, but if that angle doesn't hit quite right you may not be visible enough.
It is waterproof and easy to quickly put on. That scribbled note may get wet, you may not feel like writing stuff down, you may even forget to grab your id/insurance card/whatever in your haste to get on the road (if you're like me, anyway).
It is easily visible to paramedics or anyone else who may need to access that information. Admit it, you never think you're going to fall or have issues. You prepare pretty well, but you figure you won't fall on most (or any) of your outings. My father cycles quite a bit, and on one of his solo outings a couple of years ago he fell and blacked out—the folks who saw him fall were able to quickly call my mother and find out who he is without digging in his bag or pockets.

It really, truly is a cost-effective safety measure with several options for style, color, etc. If you don't want to wear it around your wrist, get it for your shoe or wear it dog-tag style. I especially like that it's not married to a particular pair of running shoes or glued to my bike.

I really recommend you nab one of these and make it a permanent part of your fitness/activity wardrobe. It just makes sense.

the quest for perfect trail coffee

2009-10-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

After our Java Juice review, Reader Cristy recommended we try the new Starbucks Via (which, coincidentally, came out the same day as the Blech review).

I have to say, it's pretty awesome stuff. I took the in-store taste-test, and could only distinguish it from the in-store "regular" brew (Pike Place) by looking closely at it and figuring instant coffee would look less...smooth (as it's coming from powder)(I was right). I tried the Colombia variety, though there is also a darker Italian Roast variety available.

I thought I'd perform my own home step-by-step comparison to a store brand of Instant Coffee singles (in this case, Kroger) as that is something that would likely end up in our packs for a backpacking trip. You can see the initial packaging side by side at the top of this post.

There are immediately advantages for the Via. I have been carrying that 3-pack around in my purse for weeks now, and have barely noticed it. The post-consumer package waste is also minimized as you are only left with the small "tube" as opposed to the exterior gold plastic wrap in addition to the tea bag-style remnant.

Then there's the taste. As you can see, the color is strikingly different.

I brewed each cup for the recommended amount of time, so I was not "shortchanging" the Kroger coffee. I didn't even have to taste them to know how they'd differ in my mouth, but WOW the difference. If you happen to like the brewed taste of Starbucks coffee, you'll LOVE Via. It's rich, flavourful, and does NOT taste like any other instant coffee I've had. That's even before creamer. Denise had to try it cold last weekend, and gave it a thumbs up as well.

The disadvantage for the Via is that each of those precious tubes is $1 (it's about $3 for the 3-pack), vs. significantly less for the Kroger baggie. And, the "medium" is really pretty dark, so I'd almost hate to see the Italian Roast.

Still, I have to hand it to Starbucks. The Via is definitely a WIN.

Marathon Morning Checklist - Part Two - For Those Who Travel Light

2009-10-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

Contrary to my well-prepared friend, on marathon day, I run light... However, there are still some essential items I would not leave at home...

1. Body Glide... I made the #1 mistake runner's can make on the day of my first marathon - I wore something new... due to a last minute issue with my running shorts, I was left to buy a new pair, and it didn't go well. The chafing on my legs was so terrible I had scars for 3 months, despite stopping at every first aid stand on the entire route for Vaseline. This was the single worst aspect of my first marathon. I now apply Body Glide before any run of 10+ miles, and carry the smallest size they sell, which about 1-1.5" inches in length, for any run of 15+ miles.

2. My Gizmo pirate running socks... Available at every race expo I have ever attended, these socks are specially made for running and also make me feel like a bit of a badass. These socks are moisture-wicking coolmax, though not as technical as Dusty's socks, because I don't have extensive problems with blistering when I run (this has been primarily a hiking-related issue for me)... However, absolutely, under no circumstances do I recommend running any distance over 7 - 10 miles in cotton socks. I did that once and regretted it for a week. My feet were torn to shreds.

3. The sports bra/shelf bra tank combination, both in wicking fabrics. This is less specific in brand, but its benefit is twofold. First off, I need two bras to run 10 feet. Otherwise, it just hurts. I fail to see how any female who is a C cup or higher can run without two bras. Second, the space in between the sports bra and the shelf bra provides a nifty pocket where I can store gels, body glide, keys, Advil and mini camera. My brand recommendation for both bra and tank is Champion C9, which can be purchased at Target. I recommend purchasing them tight for best results, particularly if you have more to hold in...

4. Advil. Advil and more Advil. I carry about 10 of these little orange life-savers in a little plastic baggie for any marathon or long run. I also take 2 before I start. Because long distance running hurts.

5. Snacks! Even if your body does not normally require a refueling every three to four hours, like mine, it will require at least a few snacks during a long run or marathon. While a race course will always provide plenty of water and generally 1-4 snacks, I still carry extra just in case. Jelly Belly Sports Beans, Power Bar Gel, Clif Shot Blocks and Gu are some of my main choices. I will carry one or two on a race (because some are provided), and up to four or five on a long run, depending on the distance. I also bring at least one packet of electrolyte mix which can be added to water if you feel drained or dehydrated.

6. A mini camera. Purchased at CVS for $10.00, my mini digital camera (while the link is the exact camera I have, ignore the price on the link and go to CVS) is small enough to carry in my special "pocket", and I don't care if I break it, because, hey, it's a $10.00 camera... I have carried this camera on two past races and been satisfied with the results. Though the pictures are not of the most amazing quality, they far exceeded my expectations for the price and size of the camera...

I leave my water and Ipod at home for a race (which would never happen on a long run), because I get my energy from crowd support and there are water stands every 1-2 miles in most races.

Basically, first time marathoners, you don't need an arsenal, but it does not hurt to be prepared. Your longer runs will give you an idea of what you need, and you can check the information about what is offered on the course to figure out what you need to carry and what is already provided... Knowing what you need, and making sure you have it, can make that 13.1 or 26.2 feel like a jog in the park... A long, long, long jog in the park...

Marathon Morning Checklist, Part One: The Boy Scout

2009-10-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

So, um, I’m not a minimalist. Laugh if you must, but in honor of the Marine Corps Marathon, which Denise and I will be rockin’ on Sunday (send us good vibes!) we thought we’d do a sort of comparison of our running styles – and by styles I don’t mean pronation.

Unlike Denise, who will post her own take on this very shortly, after much trial and error, I have adopted the ‘always prepared’ Boy Scout approach: I'm now of the opinion if you even think you might need it, carry it with you. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.* (Monster-blisters on three continents’ll do that to you.)

Without further ado, from head to toe:

Nike Dri-Fit Featherlight cap – It’s lightweight, machine washable with a plastic shape-retaining brim, and the underside of the brim is black, significantly cutting down on glare.
Polarized sunglasses – I like to pretend I need them to shield my eyes from the gnarly windspeed I’m creating, but really it’s just because I’m a vampire who is hyper-sensitive to the glare of the sun.
iPod – I don’t care what the race officials say. That’s right, I’m a rebel.
Garmin Forerunner and chest strap – Never mind that I like knowing how exactly fast I’m running and how fast my heart’s racing, what I really want to know is how many calories I’ve burned, so I know exactly how many I can pile back on at my post-race feast.
Nip Guards and Body Glide on all my chafe-y spots
Fuelbelt – When I’m in my winter gear and I strap this puppy on, I confess, I do sort of feel like a superhero, albeit a superhero weighted down with: 2- 8 oz. bottles of water, 2 - 8 oz. bottles of Accelerade (grapefruit flavor, how I miss you!), a phone for encouraging where-the-hell-are-you texts from my peeps at the finish line, ID/Insurance Card/Keys tucked securely in a zippered pocket, an assortment of gels, and spare socks in a ziploc bag to keep me from sweating on them before I'm ready to
Old school nylon fannypack – Stylish or not, it’s still functional as hell. Just enough space for what I need it for, which includes: Tiny baggies of Advil and electrolyte capsules, 3M MediPore tape, collapsible scissors, sterile lancets for blister-draining on the go, alcohol preps to dry out my sweaty feet before applying adhesive bandages, and blister packs of tincture of benzoin to help said adhesive bandaging stick
Drymax Maximum Protection running socks – slipped on over feet that have been pre-taped and Body Glided in an elaborate blister-prevention ritual that would meet the approval of any practicing Voodoo priestess
GymBoss Vibrating Interval Timer – My newest gadget, with which, judging by my recent successful training runs, I hope to run-walk my way to my best time ever by at least an hour. (Hey, if regular walk-breaks will do that for my time, I will feel no shame!)

Please join us again very soon when Denise will pose the question, ‘So, D, are you running this marathon, or are you going backpacking?’

*Rest assured, if it’s on this list, at some point I’ve needed it and not had it.

So what do you wear UNDER the cute hiking pants???

2009-10-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

Deep down, even us outdoorsy women, who rub mud on our cheeks in caves like it's war paint, occasionally want to feel like that delicate sweet ideal girl who never sweats and whose farts smell like roses... It's pretty much not going to happen on a 20 mile long run or an 11 hour hike in the mountains, so we settle for things like the right underwear and socks.

I had been coveting Patagonia boy shorts for months, maybe years, but could not bring myself to spend $25.00 per pair for underwear. Finally, the big Patagonia sale about two months ago lowered the price to $8.00 per pair, about $12.00 per pair with shipping when I bought two. I take it all back, I would pay the $25.00!

What makes these so wonderful as to make them worth so much, you ask? Well, I'm sure you know what the wrong underwear when working out can feel like... Cotton gets wet and stays wet, leading to chafing and just general unpleasantness. Other synthetic fabrics might dry quickly but smell bad. The Patagonia boy shorts are juuuuuust right. The material is soft and comfortable, and it dries quickly, which is useful both during wear and when you are washing them in the sink of an Alpine hut on a six day hiking trip where the drying rooms sometimes work and sometimes do not.

What else makes these wonderful for such a trip, you ask? Well, when you are sharing rooms in bunkhouses with 6 of your closest friends (who hail from both genders), modesty tends to be thrown to the wayside. As someone who generally does not like to let it all hang out in front of others, the level of coverage provided by boy shorts is a big bonus for me in a group setting. Far more territory is covered in boy shorts and a good sports bra than the average bathing suit, so I did not have to squiggle around in my sleeping bag every time I wanted to change my pants!

They have also passed the comfort test on a 20 mile long run. This is no small feat, as there is very little comfort to be found in any run over 15 miles...

And, the final bonus? They look nice! The colors and designs are cute and feminine. This is definitely one case where I say to go ahead and spend the money. Whether backpacking, running a marathon or just lounging around, you can definitely get your $25.00 worth on a pair of these...

Grade: A+

A Miracle Happened!

2009-10-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, during the last of my twenty-mile runs in preparation for the Marine Corps Marathon, I ran twenty-one miles—are you ready for this?—blister free! That’s right, people, blister free!

Never before in my life have I run that kind of distance without experiencing some sort of major foot discomfort (i.e., run myself lame) and I credit it to the following things:

First, I was running on nice, even terrain on a cool, fall morning.

Second, I remembered to pre-tape and lubricate my problem spots.

And third, I got new socks.

As our other blister-prone contributor will attest, those who suffer the curse are almost always trying out one new sock or other. Myself, I’ve run the gamut: Wrightsocks, Thorlos, REI brands, etc. None have lived up to their claims, and all have left me feeling fleeced and better off in my el cheapo rotten cotton.

Until now.

Drymax, how I love thee!

On a whim, and in a fit of desperation, I bought a pair of Drymax Maximum Protection Running v4 socks from ZombieRunner.com, a website devoted to all things ultrarunning. I figured if anybody knew anything about running blisters it’d be a bunch of crazy ultrarunners. And it didn't hurt that Runner's World Magazine rated them best blister-prevention sock in a recent poll in its May 2009 issue.

From the first moment I put them on and slipped them into my shoes, I had high hopes for these socks; it felt like I was walking on clouds. They fit slightly snugger than the Thorlos and Wrightsocks I was used to and seemed to be made of a greater percentage of synthetic fibers.

Under close observation, Drymax seems to have taken the best features from Thorlo, Wrightsock, Balega, and other brands and combined them into something undoubtedly more effective. Like Wrightsock, they have moisture-wicking dual layers; like Thorlo, they have extra padding in the footpads. Like Balega, the tops of the socks are a lighter, breatheable mesh.

The padding distinguishes itself from Thorlo, however, in that is coarser and a bit more nubby, with more space between the fibers – which actually seems to work better at wicking moisture away from the feet instead of simply absorbing it.

Usually, I change my socks at mile ten of a twenty-miler, but last Sunday I didn’t. I kept on the Drymax to see how my feet’d fare, and they worked beautifully in conjunction with my taping. I was still smiling at the end of my run, and not limping in the slightest – despite wearing the same shoes that shredded my feet two weeks before.

Really, I wouldn’t change a thing about the socks, except maybe the price. It traumatized me to pay $23.95 for a pair of socks. But given that they live up their claims, I can see myself spending another $23.95 in the very near future, maybe more – especially since they make hiking socks, too. But that’s a whole ‘nother blog.

Grade: A+

Don't spend $20+ on a pack towel. Seriously, just don't.

2009-10-05T05:34:00.000-07:00

I have a love-hate relationship with REI. They have everything I will ever need, their sales staff is helpful, courteous and knowledgeable, and they give me all kinds of advantages for being a member, including their dividends, the world's best return policy and member only discounts and sales. Sometimes, though, they just sell overpriced crap. I guess it's the same with many stores, but there are some things I just would not buy at REI.

One example: the camp towel. A friend of mine went to REI a few weeks before a long backpacking trip seeking a camp towel. The cheapest one in store was around $20.00, and the size of a small dish towel. Apparently the micro-fiber is supposed to make this a worthy purchase. It doesn't. He borrowed towels for the entire trip and plans to make the most of the return policy. My other friends are happy with their towels, but still paid $25-30 and greater to purchase them. Not me!

On a whim, while purchasing my cheaper, less essential backpacking gear about 3 years ago, I picked up a Coghlans Camp Towel for $3.00 at Dick's Sporting Goods. This towel is 12 x 30 and the "deluxe" version is 14 x 40 for about $7.00-8.00.

I have used this (extremely lightweight) towel for 3 years, and it is no worse for the wear despite its price implying that it might be somewhat disposible. Its claim that it absorbs ten times its weight in water is completely believable to me (though I have not engaged in any testing that would prove this with scientific certainty). I never would have believed, based on its size, that it would be enough towel to dry my body and hair after a shower, until I was in the situation where it was the only thing I had. While you can't wrap this towel around your body or long hair, it will dry you thoroughly. An added, and very important bonus, is that the towel itself dries significantly faster than the $30.00 microfiber towels my friends were sporting on the same trip. Yessir, mine dried, theirs didn't. $3.00. Take that, expensive outdoor gear sellers!

Grade: A-, for lack of modesty. I am guessing a larger sized version would be A+.

Guest Review: My First Vertical Gear

2009-10-02T05:57:00.000-07:00

As noted before, we will occasionally feature guest reviews by trusted friends and colleagues. Today's review comes from Cristy F.: architect, AOC member, and outdoorswoman extraordinaire.

Vertical Caving Essentials: Seat harness (A), 1/2 Moon Galvanized Carabiner (B), Croll (C), Chest Harness (D), Left Ascender (E), 7mm Oval Carabiner (F), 2 Safety Straps (G), Foot Loop (H), Double Cowstail (I), 2 Non-locking carabiners (J), Right Ascender (K), Stainless Steel 5 bar with Hyper Bar Rappel Rack (L), Screwgate Carabiners (M,N), Gloves (not pictured) and Webbing (not pictured).

Vertical caving is a specialized sport that should not be embarked upon without proper training and guidance. Please keep that in mind before dashing across the internet for awesome gear, and seek professional help before going vertical.

Vertical Gear. Once you decide to buy it, you can't wait to get on rope. However, every caver has a different opinion on what style of gear to choose, where to buy it, and once you get it, how to assemble it.

I decided to go with the "Frogging" style of gear. Frogging gear is best for shorter, beginner climbs, and in general for climbs that are gnarly and dirty (the way I like them). It also gives the beginner a chance to get used to being on rope with a system that is simple to safety check.

I am happy with my gear. I purchased everything from Gonzo Guano Gear and I feel I got the best combination of value for money. You can also purchase very reliable gear from the nice people at Inner Mountain Outfitters, and if you're in the Atlanta area or meet up with them at the Cave-In you'll have the added advantage of trying everything on before you buy it.

Much of the gear is standard component and falls in the category of "If It's Safe, It's Good". I should have purchased additional 7mm Oval Carabiners for all my strap to ascender connections. Opinions mainly vary on four items: the chest harness (go for the H type), the foot loops (with the double you can use both one foot or two), the seat harness, and the rappel rack.

I purchased the Gonzo Guano Gear (GGG) Caver Seat Harness and have sat in it for a few trips. It is not a maserati harness! It is the simplest harness you can buy assembled and ready to go. I have learned to have clothing between my upper waist and my harness to avoid little rub/cuts on the sides of my stomach. Smaller people have problems with the leg loops falling down. Men have issues with the leg loops and what is between their legs. At this point I am not a pit bouncer, spending all day on rope. I like to drop the pit and explore the cave so the slightly lower comfort level is not a problem. If I start spending days at a time on rope I will spring for a cushier harness, but at this point I am happy with my simple, cost effective, safe harness (B- on this one).

On the other hand, the SMC Stainless Steel 5 bar rack with BMS Hyper Bar is one of my favorite pieces of gear. It looks rather odd and is all metal and clanky so you feel like you are about to do something fun when you pick it up. Whenever it is attached to my harness I know an adrenaline rush is on its way, and I know that my life depends on it. Many people recommended mini-racks and others asked why I wanted 5 bars and a hyperbar. This rappel rack is special. It is a solid piece of safety equipment; I can lock myself off so completely that nothing could budge me, which makes me happy. Since it is friction-friendly stainless steel and not aluminum it is an appropriate rack for the long rope drops of the future while still being perfectly acceptable for short ones. People might laugh at you, but insist upon it, 5 bars AND a hyperbar, in Stainless Steel. Some assembly is required (A++).

Overall I give the whole gear package an A!

The hiking sock experiment...

2009-10-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

My previous blogs have given you some idea of my past blister experiences, if you are a regular reader. If not, read me. An unfortunate fact about my favorite socks is that they no longer make them in my size. What's a girl to do?

I got my perfect setting for a hiking sock experiment in what was also a potential blister disaster: a 6 day hiking trip in the German and Austrian Alps, where our typical hiking day ranged from 6 to 11 hours and the terrain was...well, Alps! There were some feet on that trip that were not for the faint of heart, but not mine, thanks to the strict regimen of very tight socks and slightly tight boots I have followed ever since my nightmarish experience on Cumberland Island in 2008, where every step I took was like walking on razorblades.

A week before the trip I went to the mothership to purchase my socks (a lot of the smaller stores we shop at don't carry children's sizes, which is pretty much where you have to go if you want to wear tight socks on a size 6.5-7.0 woman's foot - I typically go with a children's medium, but I suggest trying them on). I bought three different socks to test in addition to those I already own and like, all of which have corresponding socks in the adult section for those with bigger feet. Two of the three get a thumbs up, I am happy to report!

For days 1 and 2, I went with the Wigwam Hiking/Outdoor Pro Socks. The cost is $9.50 per pair for kids, $12.00 for adults. We hiked for about 5 hours the first day, very much of which was uphill, and 6-7 hours the second day. Both days I did not experience a lot of wetness in my socks, and, more importantly, both days I went completely blister-free! Grade: A.

For day 4, the "long" day (which it certainly was), I went with Smart Wool Hiking Socks, as they are the most expensive which in some circles means the best. These socks are $10.95 for kids, and cost a good bit more in the adult version - $17.95. They stood up to the blister test, I must admit, which is impressive for the length and difficulty of the hike on this day. We even hiked in the rain for two hours, adding an extra degree of challenge. However, though I did not experience significant foot wetness (prior to the rain), it was more than the Wigwams. A- (docking points for price)

On day 6, the easiest day of the trip, I wore my REI Merino Wool Hiking Socks. At $8.00 a pair for kids and $12.50 for adults, it is a more economical option than some brands, and they were also on sale that day. I decided to buy one pair and give them one last chance, cautiously, and only picking the thickest pair in the bunch. I have learned from this experience that I still hate REI socks. I wear them at camp but I will not hike in them. I may have been on the trail 20 minutes before my feet felt wet from sweat. I had a tiny blister on my toe at the end of this day. C-

The winner: Wigwam! While these socks were not substantially better than the SmartWool, they were substantially cheaper, particularly in the adult version, where the markup is astounding on the SmartWool. Truthfully, I would buy either on sale. The real lesson to be learned is one I have repeated over time, which is not to go "store brand" on the socks. They are just too important to your comfort as a hiker.

BLECH!!!

2009-09-29T06:51:00.001-07:00

I'm not one to post many reviews of stuff I DON'T like, but in the interest of saving people from certain distress I feel I must post this.

My fiancé is quite the coffee addict, springing for a cup first thing in the morning every day he can manage to get it. I go in cycles of addiction to caffeine, where I am hooked for awhile then I break the habit in favour of things like peppermint tea and lemon water...then I'm right back on the crack again.

Needless to say, we've done a little experimentation in the field when it comes to feeding the addiction.

J has used Java Juice for a few trips now, and likes to say he's a fan. He adds cold water and sucks it down like it's any regular cup of coffee. I ran out of my (preferred) PG Tips on a recent trip of ours, so I thought I'd try this "magic" stuff.

HOLY MOLY. I couldn't do it. I could not even fake it in the name of addiction. I know I've had more bitter liquids in my mouth, but the only thing springing to mind is a bitter liqueur I once tried in San Francisco…and I will still say the Fernet tasted better.

For the record, I tried the "French Vanilla" flavoured juice, and did not have the luxury of creamer. Maybe if I dosed it with a lot of milk product it would begin to taste more palatable to me? Not sure I'm willing to try…Folgers makes some instant coffee singles that I've heard are pretty good. In the meantime, I'll better plan my tea rations!

Please note: I do like coffee, just not this stuff!

hello, autumn!

2009-09-23T05:20:00.000-07:00

We're now officially into Fall, which puts us into my favourite time of year to be backpacking. There's something so magical about the amalgam of colours, temperature and smells of this time of year; I can't wait to get out there on the trail.

There are many pieces of gear you will find yourself with on any trek, but most will agree there are some basics you don't really want to go without. My sleeping bag is definitely one of those basics. I'll go tent-less before I'll go bag-less, for sure!

That said, I love my Big Agnes Crater bag and pad system. They don't appear to be *making* this particular bag anymore, so this is a more general review of the bag and its sleeping pad system; as you see I've linked to the google shopping options (outlet and others seem to still have it).

The Crater is a 15 degree, down-filled mummy bag—I've found that for most cases 15 is perfect in the Southeast. When it's hot outside, I simply leave it unzipped. When it's cold, I cinch it tight and happily roast the night away; I haven't found any drafts or leaky spots after a year of using it. When I'm traveling with my fiancé, we zip our bags together and I leech off of his heat. This bag is a win-win on the temperature for me.

As far as the pad is concerned, the Big Agnes is different from all of the other sleep systems I've owned. Namely, it doesn't have a bottom! You must purchase a separate pad that you inflate then slide into the underside sleeve of the bag. I've heard this isn't quite the best for *super* cold conditions, but I've yet to find myself winter mountaineering. (When I do, I'll consider my options.)

The pros for this bag and sleeping pad system are simple:

You save on weight in the pad by having an inflatable pad.

The inflatable pad is way more comfortable, to me, than my other sleeping pads.

You save on weight in the bag by basically having half a bag (the upper portion).

You potentially save on space with the option to keep the pad inside your bag when you pack it up for the day, plus bag and pad compress nicely.

Best of all, you don't roll off of your pad in the middle of the night!

The cons:

When I've been hiking all day, sometimes I really, really don't feel like blowing up my sleeping pad.

You can't get too close to the fire. Not that I make a habit of sleeping close to fires, but some folks take these pads and insert them into fancy contraptions to make chairs out of them. Pop! goes a little piece of spark and pop! goes your sleeping pad.

See aforementioned cold weather conditions (sleeping on snow) that I've heard about but not experienced with this bag/pad.

There are other sleep systems I look forward to trying, but for now I'm hanging on tight to my Crater bag.

rain, rain go away

2009-09-21T08:52:00.001-07:00

In light of the recent downpour the Atlanta area has been receiving, I thought it fitting to review my new favourite anorak by Turfer.

I found this beauty on Amazon.com just before a backpacking trip up to Grandfather Mountain and figured I'd give it a shot because, frankly, it is so cheap.

I wanted something that was breathable, budget-conscious, wind and water resistant, and (I'll be honest) a fun colour. I read a few of the reviews and felt it might very well fit the bill; I have not been disappointed.

--> It doesn't have fancy Gore-tex claims to fame, nor did I bother spraying it down with waterproofing stuff. I figure there's a point where you're just gonna be wet if you're in a downpour in the woods, at which point you need to embrace the wet or climb in a shelter. Up to that point, this jacket has done a great job in light drizzle and when I need a layer of protection from the wind. It breathes, too, so I don't end up suffocating in *ahem* perspiration.

--> It is compact, and if you're easily amused like me you'll love that it folds up into itself (the front pocket doubles as a pouch). It is lightweight, and not something I'm going to think twice about shoving into my pack at the last minute. I have a fancy Helly Hansen rain jacket, but I actually prefer this anorak for its compact size/weight.

--> It is cheap. I had a friend who recently needed to ramp up on gear for hiking in the Adirondacks but was dealing with that whole "money is finite, yay budgets" thing. She was pleased with the price and ultimately with its performance on her trip.

There are fancier rain jackets on the market, and better wind jackets I'm sure, but for $20 this will get you covered quickly and lightly.

Be warned, the amazon reviews are correct: it is quite largely sized so you might order on the smaller side.

Oooo, shiny! - Aesthetic Beauty and Functionality

2009-09-18T01:06:00.000-07:00

I have decided, that if I were loaded (that’s rich-loaded, not drunk-loaded) I could easily become a gram weenie and let fractions of an ounce hold great power over me in my traipses across backpackerdom.

I have also decided that I’m just not a spork kind of girl. When I want a fork, I want something I can spear things with; when I want a spoon, I don’t want mini-tines poking me in the lip or causing soup to dribble onto my fleece.

My husband once bought me this plastic, all-in-one, knife-fork-spoon contraption, and in my quest to pack more efficiently I tried in vain to like it. But it was not to be. The spoon was both too shallow and too wide for my mouth; I kept slicing the corners of my mouth with the serrated ‘knife’ they slapped onto the outer edges of one of the tines of the fork, seemingly as an afterthought. I don’t care how light it is, or how many pretty colors it comes in - It stays home in a drawer now.

In a moment of splurging during a seasonal sale with a dividend check burning a hole in my pocket (cuz let’s face it, who’s gonna pay twenty bucks for weekend silverware, really?) I treated myself to a set of Brunton My-Ti silverware.

Yeah, yeah. I know it’s kinda pricey if you don’t get it on sale. And there are similar slightly less-expensive products on the market made of aluminum alloy, but I like it. For some reason, to me, silverware is as much about aesthetic beauty as functionality, hence the twelve bazillion patterns of Oneida gracing the shelves of Tarzhay. And with this set, I am in love with its form as well as its function.

I love that it is slightly smaller than similar products on the market and fits nicely into my petite hands. Though the handles are textured, the business-ends of each utensil have been polished to a smooth, stainless-esque finish. Unlike my horrible spork, there are no sharp edges on the fork or spoon with which to unexpectedly injure myself in some tragic mastication accident - yet, the knife's serrations are toothy enough to slice even the stubbornest of camp food.

Coming in at a mere 1.7 ounces (48.2 grams, hehe) Brunton’s My-Ti is built of durable titanium that supposedly, under normal conditions, will not rust or melt (not that I’ve left it in the rain or the campfire to test either claim). The three-piece set stacks and packs nicely and is joined together by a locking miniature carabiner.

I’ve found it both durable and pleasantly lightweight. It’s comfortable in my hands and easy to clean. Depending on what I’ve packed to eat, if I don’t need all three pieces, I’m free to leave those deemed unnecessary at home.

Grade: A+

no priming necessary

2009-09-11T04:14:00.000-07:00

I learned to backpack with the WhisperLite International, and while it's generally recognized as a stellar backpacking stove for a variety of reasons...simply put, I hated that thing.

You had to prime it just right, the wind screen was a pain, it liked to clog up, and the whole thing was fairly daunting for a newbie backpacker. I recognize that there are many reasons one would want one of these, but when I went to buy my own stove many years later I looked at other options.

I went with the Primus Classic Trail stove and have been quite pleased. I realize there are other stoves that are lighter, better, or as fast as a jet engine (*cough*)—I still love and recommend my stove for several reasons:

It's cheaper than the competition. At roughly $25 it's a veritable bargain. The pocket rocket weighs 5 oz less but is $15 more and is one of the "next cheapest" options. For someone trying to build a kit from zero gear that $15 can make a difference. Or you can jump up to $60 for a 2oz stove but then you're paying more than double and for a beginner that can be tough to swallow.

It's so darned easy to use. Seriously, screw it onto the fuel canister, turn the fuel on, light it and go. No priming and no fooling around to figure out how to put it together.

It's super stable. You simply screw it onto the top of your fuel canister and you've got a nice platform for your pot, assuming you haven't placed it teeter-tottering on a wonky surface. I usually dig it into the dirt just a little or find a nice flat rock as a platform. Sometimes I have wide pots with me and I've never worried about them tipping off (or worse, setting myself/others on fire as any klutz will tell you is easier than it sounds! :)

It has a lot of power if you want it, and has a great way to control the temperature if you don't. We made pizza on the trail last year and were able to turn the temperature way down so that we could avoid burning the bottom in the initial heat-up stage.

I have not used it in extreme conditions (yet), such as extreme cold or extreme wind, but that's not the kind of backpacking we're typically doing in the Southeast on a casual weekend. I love my stove and I'll continue to point folks to it as budget-conscious, easy to use, and reliable.

Speaking of chocolate fixes...

2009-09-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

Many people who are shorter distance runners would not even think of snacking on the run, but longer distance runners know that without the calories you get from your crackers, gel, etc., it is simply not a pleasant experience to try and complete a 12+ mile long run. When your muscles run out of fuel, they weaken, and every stride becomes labored. This is when you need to figure out what you can eat without upsetting your stomach so you can make it through those 20 mile training runs for the upcoming marathon...

There are a few tried and true running snacks I will bring on a marathon training run, such as fruit snacks, Jelly Belly Sport Beans, Clif Shot Blocks, Sharkies and Power Bar gels... A lot of the other running snacks I train with are samples I picked up at races and race expos. I had attempted to eat an Apple Pie Clif Gel on a long run a few weeks ago, and found it to be too heavy and very sticky. I would have given up on Clif Gels, but I am glad I didn't.

I am a big eater, as many people could tell you. I have been known to eat an entire grocery store pizza on the morning of a 14 mile afternoon long run. On my 18 mile marathon training run, I consumed a total of 4 snacks, about 1 per hour on average. I was approaching mile 15 and my last snack of the run, and my muscles were done. Not to mention the pain... (I later remarked to my friends that if a mountain lion had emerged from the woods to chase me at that moment, I would have let it eat me...) I was expecting the last snack to help me stay moving, but I was not expecting the sheer joy I experienced when the Chocolate Clif Shot Gel entered my mouth... It was the flavor and texture of hot fudge! And at about 100 calories of organic ingredients, you really cannot go wrong on this one.

(Side note: Dusty and I discovered on a trek in Argentina last year, when served pastries in a mountain hut with no icing or sauce, that Chocolate Outrage flavored Gu gels serve as an ideal icing for a bare pastry. Based on my experience with the Gu, I would expect that this Clif Gel would also serve as the perfect highlight for your backpacking dessert!)

Gels are my number one energy booster for the final miles of a long run, hands down. The fast energy they deliver is without compare, and they are so easy to eat that you barely have to slow down. Now that I have an option that has the added bonus of tasting like hot fudge, I think I am set!

Grade: A+

Man's Best Friend Needs Protective Footwear, Too

2009-09-08T01:04:00.000-07:00

My dog and I are definitely cut from the same cloth. She likes to play, and she likes to play hard. If left to her own devices, she’ll run till she’s foamy-mouthed and heaving, barely able to walk. She plays so hard that when we board her at her favorite kennel, where she gets to run amok and rip and snort with a huge pack all day, she comes home and has to sleep it off and tiptoe around gingerly for a few days.

Is it any wonder I love that dog?

Since I have so much trouble with my own feet, I recently bought Sillah her own hiking boots. Ruff Wear advertises their new Grip Trex series as being all-terrain, all weather, and so far, I have to agree. They’re built of a breathable mesh upper and have a grippy Vibram sole that rivals the treads on my own boots. She’s able to barrel through streams in true waterdog style and rock hop back up the bank like nobody’s business. We can hike farther now together, and I no longer have to worry about her picking up shards of glass or thorns between her pads. I can slip them on her whenever we're in the city in a sea of hot pavement, or whenever we visit someone with shiny, easily scratchable hardwood floors. And though we haven't tried out their cold-weather functionality yet, I can see where they're going to make next winter much more pleasant for her.

The first time I put them on her, she did a little get-these-flippin’-things-offa-me dance and tried to remove them herself with her mouth, until I distracted her with a game of fetch with her favorite plushy. But these days, when she sees me break them out of the gear closet, she just does a happy-dance because she knows she’s going with me somewhere cool.

I would not recommend having your dog wear them on the trail right away; take them to the dog park and let them run around for a few days first to see if they’re going to be prone to developing any chafing or hotspots.

Like any new human footwear, they require a break-in period, and you should be careful to buy the correct size to ensure a proper fit. (They have detailed instructions and a sizing chart on their website, but I opted to take my dog to my local outfitter and try them on.)

The boots are held in place with cinch-style Velcro straps, which allows for a great fit, but also can lead to chafing around the ‘ankle’. To combat this issue, the good folks at Ruff Wear have designed liners which reduce the chafing issue around the ankle and also help cushion your dog’s nails so they don't press up against the toe of the boot. (Anyone who’s ever had a black toenail knows how painful that can be!) I highly recommend purchasing the optional liners, and I highly recommend keeping your dog’s nails closely trimmed (whether you ‘boot’ them or not) and also that you stop every little while on the trail and make sure no debris has found its way into the boots. Your dog will thank you!

I do like that the boots and liners are machine washable, and I really like that after a day on a muddy trail, I can slip them off – ta daaa! – before allowing my dog into my vehicle, thereby greatly reducing the amount of mud that makes its way onto my upholstery. I also like that you can purchase replacement boots in singles! (I know a kayaker or two that might wish some human shoe companies would adopt the same policy, hehe.)

It remains to be seen as to how durable those mesh uppers are going to be (I have my doubts) but so far, with the moderate mileage Sillah and I’ve logged, we’re both pretty happy with them.

Grade: B+

Budget caving for beginners - Headlamps!

2009-09-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a hobby becomes a way of life, like when running a couple miles a week turns into training for marathons. Then, you want top of the line gear.

Other times, a hobby is just a hobby. That is how I feel about caving. Don't get me wrong, crawling through dark holes and rolling in mud are wonderful and fill my soul with joy. And, as noted in an earlier post, I would never skimp on my vertical gear, which holds my life in its hands when I dangle, petrified, over a 150' pit. I would also not cave in a bike helmet, similar to my earlier kayaking story. However, when it comes to issues that don't affect my safety and comfort...well, let's just say I am not going to be buying a $100.00 headlamp anytime soon.

For all you novice cavers out there who are not planning to head underground every weekend, there is an easy solution to your gear woes. Walmart and Target both sell LED headlamps in the $10.00-$20.00 range. I have spent a combined total of $25.00 on two of these budget headlamps. For camping I use one, rather than rely on the light of the moon to stumble to the nearest bathroom or hole in the ground, and for caving I use two and carry a hand flashlight as my backup light source.

Another bonus to the cheap headlamp option is batteries. They take AA or AAA, depending which you get, while I had a recent experience where we had to search more than one store in a rural area to find the less common batteries required for a friend's headlamp.

All in all, I have been caving up to 4-5 times a year with one to two (two is recommended) budget headlamps since 2006, and I really can't think of anything bad to say about them. While your local grotto members may all be wearing their $60.00+ Petzl and Black Diamond headlamps with batteries that cannot be purchased at your local gas station on the way to the cave, you will not be catching me in one anytime soon...

Grade: A (note: this is with two. Depending on which lamp you purchase, having only one may limit how far you can see ahead of you, in which case I downgrade to B-).

Note: There are budget versions of the name brands at REI as well, if you want to sport the lifetime guarantee on your headlamp...

sometimes you want to indulge without breaking the bank

2009-08-31T03:49:00.000-07:00

A food review seems slightly off topic, but hear me out...

Most of us active types find ourselves consuming quite a few energy bars and gels. Sometimes I make mine, sometimes I get a little more creative with my snacks and go the non-bar route, and sometimes I just want to grab a bar and go.

Then there are the days when I just want (need?) some chocolate.

That's when I'm super thankful of my discovery of the Clif Bar Z-bar in the chocolate brownie flavor. Yeah, they're technically targeted at kids. That generally doesn't stop me, and certainly doesn't here.

With 120 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 12g of sugar they don't break the caloric bank. Compare that to a Snicker's bar which packs 266 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 28 grams of sugar. To compare to something similar, one of the Luna bar chocolate flavors has 180 calories and 6 grams of fat. Plus they're made of organic ingredients, don't have any high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils, and etc. Seriously good stuff!

More importantly, they TASTE good. They satisfy the chocolate craving without being overly sweet, but are sweet enough to pack a chocolate punch. One afternoon I thought I'd push my limits and eat two in a row and it was actually too much!

I might try the other flavors at some point, but for now I'm just going to hoard the good stuff.

Editor's note: They do make an adult-sized chocolate brownie flavor, but it does not taste the same!

not so funny

2009-08-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

I used to make fun of convertible pants. They were, to my eyes, unfashionable and downright dorky. "You'll never catch me wearing something like that," I smugly told myself.

Then one day, I rediscovered what I love most (spending as much time as possible in the dirt, or anywhere but inside a formal building). I quickly found my wardrobe shifting from "That is weekday and this is definitely only weekend wear" to "Wow my weekend garb is so comfy (and just as expensive as those fancy jeans!), maybe I can just wear it Mondays and Fridays...you know, Transition Days" to "You mean I have to take them off? But I don't wanna take 'em off until I'm throwing them in the washer!"

I thank the folks at prAna for the abnormally rapid transition.

I bought their convertible pants in an army green and honestly didn't look back. They are, for one, so incredibly durable. I proved this with much butt-sliding on rocks, and a few head-first tumbles, on our Smokies trip. A klutz like me NEEDS durable.

They also zip to a nice "knicker" length, which for me hits just below my knees. I'm not really a fan of shorts unless I have to wear them for practical purposes, so this gives me cool summer ventilation without sacrificing too much on that front. They boast a very flattering fit in the pants or knickers length: a lot harder to achieve than I initially thought! I tried on many, many pairs before deciding these were perfect. If I'm going to wear them that frequently I want them to look good.

And unlike my North Face convertibles the bottom portions actually fit over my boots when I decide I want to take them off in the middle of a hike. (Those North Face do not, so you have to decide pre-boots if you're going long or short. For me, anyway.)

And finally, the cargo pockets are spacious and forgiving. I often cheat on my backpack weight by shoving last-minute items in my pants. I often push the limit of what they can hold, and so far so good with that strategy!

I've given my prAnas some pretty heavy wear and they're holding up beautifully.

Grade: A+++

How'd I Ever Live Without It?

2009-08-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

I stumbled onto the most versatile piece of my first-aid kit quite by accident: It came home with me after surgery. Though I used very little of it for my surgical aftercare, after seeing the wonder the leftovers did for blisters and hotspots, I have a roll of 3M MediPore tape in every first aid kit I own.

3M MediPore tape comes in ten-yard rolls of varying widths. I like the two-inch width because it’s wide enough to wrap completely around the biggest of toes yet narrow enough not to have to spend a lot of time cutting it down to size. It’s perforated for easy tearing every two inches.

It’s porous and stretchy and magically adhesive, even through days of trail grime and boot sweat. Properly applied to a clean, dry skin surface, it will last the duration of an entire full marathon. Best of all, it's somehow achieved perfection in design, in that it's gentle enough to do no harm yet strong enough to stay firmly in place. Plus, it’s easily removable in a warm shower without further damaging injured skin or leaving a nasty sticky residue like duct-tape or those super-expensive advanced healing blister repair pads.

I don’t hike without it. I carry it with me in a Ziploc during long races. Before strenuous treks or runs I use it to pre-tape places where I have a propensity to develop blisters and hotspots – especially toes prone to chafing and toes already without nails.

It’s a sin that it’s not readily available at your local Walgreen’s. Though I’ve had some limited success finding in specialty medical supply stores, and it’s available on the internet for a slightly more exhorbitant price, sometimes I have had to resort to bribing my friends in the medical industry to get me some to replenish the Blister Queen Stockpile. But it’s worth the search and the expense, as it’s saved me on numerous occasions.

I got some big, honkin’ blisters on the first day of a four-day snow trek in the Andes last year that if I hadn’t treated with tincture of benzoin, applied an adhesive foam corn cushion, and then covered it with 3M, I’d have never completed the hike. And let’s not even start talking about what happened to my feet around Mile 20 of the Disney Marathon--Denise and EB'll tell you: It wasn’t pretty.

I don’t know why adventure travelers, marathoners, backcountry medics, and first responders haven’t latched onto the miracle of 3M MediPore tape and made it a household name. 3M is missing a golden niche marketing opportunity, seriously.

Grade: A+^Infinity

Don't Be Caught Running On Empty

2009-08-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

As Denise mentioned in her previous post, there are two of us currently in training for a full marathon this fall, so I hope you’ll forgive us as we barrage you with the failures and successes of our training.

Speaking of successes, I think I finally got this whole hydration thing down-pat. Or rather, Fuelbelt did, and I’ve latched onto ‘em.

I used to depend solely on the foresight of race officials to anticipate my water needs, but as my distance increased, so did my desire to drink whatever the heck I wanted to, whenever the heck I wanted to, not just at every other mile marker.

So I purchased the Fuelbelt Helium 4. I would like to say I did it after extensive research, but hey, in reality I picked it because it had my one requirement – it had four bottles - and it was blue. (Granted, the constant shifting and chafing of the small Camelbak I was using helped fuel this decision, as did a particular nasty bout of an intestinal bug I seemed to have acquired from a waterstop during the Atlanta Half a couple years back.)

In retrospect, after casing other waists at the starting line, I don’t think I could have done much better. The belt is comfortable; it neither chafes nor bites into my tech apparel, and it stays put. With the exception of a slight stretch, in the couple years I’ve had it, the elastic has so far withstood the test of time, as has the generous amounts of reflective piping around all the edges.

The belt is fitted with a small removable neoprene pocket big enough for a few gels or a spare key, and each bottle slides into a stationary elastic harness, which allows the bottle to bounce a little (reducing annoying slosh) while keeping it securely fastened. However, when I sit down while wearing my belt, say, at the starting line, I have a problem with the two front bottles hitting the tops of my thighs and popping out. I actually lost a bottle this way while making an off-trail pit-stop during an XTERRA. With all the adrenaline, I never noticed it was gone, till I reached down for it in thirst.

There are replacement bottles available if you misplace one, though, or if you unscrew a cap and find it irreparably corroded with mildew because you stored it while it was still damp. Not that I would ever do such a thing! ;-)

Though they aren’t advertised as being so, I’ve found the bottles are top-rack dishwasher safe, which is a big plus given the mildew issue.

Though Fuelbelt advertises its bottles as being ‘leak-free’ I have discovered that if I turn them upside down for longer than a few seconds, they tend to drip, and taking sips on the run is often a sloppy endeavor. Not so bad if you’re drinking SmartWater, but possibly worse if you’re slamming a cherry-red sports beverage while running in a white tank. And yes, I made this discovery before ever dishwashing them.

After using a Fuelbelt, I don’t ever see myself not carrying my own water for anything longer than a 10K. Carrying my own hydration has allowed me to tailor my own hydration needs and keep it consistent from my first training run to my race, whereas before, I was dependent on whoever the race directors partnered with for sponsorship, or whatever was left on the table by the front of the pack. (Not being a front-of-the-pack runner, I have often seen races run out of fuel before the last runners have had the opportunity to partake.)

If I were asked to redesign the Helium 4, I would include a larger pocket, big enough for a cell phone, and maybe a small tube of Bodyglide. And I would incorporate snaps normally seen on triathletes’ race belts, so that I could attach a race number without poking holes in it with safety pins, thus shortening the life of the elastic. (For now, I just wear my race belt underneath, and I’ve added a cell phone case to the belt.)

Four 8 – oz. bottles seems just about perfect for a 20-26 mile run. Despite the thickness of the belt, it’s still somewhat breatheable, and the stretchiness of the belt paired with its Velcro closure ensures I get a solid fit every run.

All in all, a worthwhile investment.

Grade: A-

simple and effective

2009-08-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

We were in Seattle recently and stopped in at a local climbing/mountaineering store to check out what they had to offer. On my way out the door I spied a couple of variations on stretchy headbands, offered by prAna, and decided to snag two: a plain olive green one (much like what you see pictured above, except, you know, olive green) and a reversible one.

I promptly lost the reversible one, because I'm smart like that. However, the green one has barely left my sight since its purchase and I've since added a red one to my collection. (They come in several awesome colors, by the way.)

This headband is made of organic, lightweight, SUPER soft cotton and it is a pleasure to wear. I've had problems in the past with headgear that is either too tight or so loose it does not stay in place. Not so with this band: it stays neatly in place for as long as I want it to.

I already (immediately) knew it is awesome at holding my bangs back when I just don't want to deal with them. I hadn't yet realized how efficiently it catches perspiration until I did a little climbing last week without it and got sunscreen in my eye via a little profuse sweat action. Bleh!

Bonus points, they make a men's version too (in nicely muted colors). You can find them at our local toy store or, better yet, ATLiens can stop by our friends at High Country Outfitters to snag the highly attractive reversible version.

Grade: A+

Because running hurts...

2009-08-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

In case you have not figured it out yet from the abundance of running-related posts, two of the three Adventure Women are currently training for a fall marathon. I have been lucky this time around. With only 69 days remaining until race day, I am not yet hobbling around like an 80 year old woman without her walker from my training runs. Whether this is the surfaces I have been running on, my body's ability to adapt or sheer luck, I couldn't say. However, there was a time when I was not so lucky, training for my first marathon last fall...

Training for Marathon #1 was agony. For two months I had shin splints and walked around my office with ice packs tied to my legs under my pants (if you think I'm joking, it's only because you don't know me); then came the muscle tear in my calf after running the Silver Comet Half Marathon. For two months I continued to do training runs though my leg would occasionally buckle over and I was always in some pain. Let's just say I was not missing this race!

For awhile I ran with a brace over my calf when I could. Then a friend suggested the Stabilyx running tights from CW-X. They weren't the cheapest, about $80 on Zappos, but at this point I was willing to try anything to prevent falling on my face from my muscle's inability to support me as I ran (this happened a couple of times). (Caveat: Don't be an idiot. If you are injured, rest and let yourself heal. However, if, like me, you just plain are an idiot and you can't curb your running addiction to let a muscle tear heal properly, try these.)

Pros:

1. They provide excellent support for key running muscles, knees, etc., so as to reduce the potential for injury and shorten overall recovery time. (See product description for specifics.) I did a couple of very long training runs (18 and 20 miles) with these on and experienced no new injuries and little soreness on a relative scale.
2. They act as a brace for your already mildly injured muscles. Simply put, they helped support the calf that was ailing me. They were not a perfect fix, but they helped.
3. They support abdominal muscles. This can reduce cramping, in my experience.
4. They are warm. These are great for cold weather running.

Cons:

1. They are tight. I mean TIGHT. They are hard to put on. Out of the package, they look like they would fit an 8 year old. A small 8 year old. You also have to position them correctly to avoid reduced blood flow, which in my case caused mild ankle pain while running on some occasions. This pain was reduced/eliminated by adjusting the pants.
2. Attractiveness. Again, they are TIGHT. Muffin top is a possibility. Wearing shorts or a running skirt over them makes them less ugly. I advise it.
3. They are warm. I can't wear them for training runs in the summer.

All in all, while they have their cons and I can live without them, I like these tights. They helped me through a rough patch, they kept me warm on some really cold long runs and they may have even prevented some injuries (though who's to say). If you are training in colder months, wrestle with frequent leg muscle or knee issues or are just afraid of being derailed by such things in the future, I recommend these tights.

Grade: B

weighing the pros and cons

2009-08-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, I learned to backpack with a Kelty external frame pack. I was envious of my fellow backpackers with their internal frame packs, so at the end of my course I bought a used Dana Overkill from one of my instructors. Fast forward, witness a few technology changes, and you find me trekking out to the toy store to see what's happened in the past 10 years in anticipation of 10 days in Yosemite and the High Sierras.

I tried on a variety of packs, weighted them heavily, tromped around the store for a few hours and ultimately settled on a Gregory Deva 60. Of the various brands and styles I tried on, this one felt the most balanced to me.

As it was explained to me, there are folks who want to go as light as possible. Then there are folks who want some extra cushion and suspension, and get a heavier pack for those creature comforts. That's where my Gregory comes in.

It weighs in at a hefty 5lb 6oz, which is a LOT for a petite woman's pack. (The REI Flash 65 is 3lb 2oz for comparison.) That means I've sacrificed luxuries like my good camera on more than one occasion to make room for other things like, you know, FOOD. This is my most hated part of the pack, honestly. It makes me work hard to hit my appropriate weight limit, which is fine if you're used to it but really challenging if you aren't. If you have the benefit of a travel partner who can take a bit more weight when you have a longer trek it works out even better.

Side note: I have always been and will always be a proponent of group packing.

The weight factor aside…I love my pack. I love the squishy way it hugs me like a good friend; it really moves with me on the trail and that is HUGE. One of the competing packs was actually pulling me backward as I walked or stood!

I love the durability of the fabric and the zippers. I love the arrangement of the pockets, and find it holds just enough stuff for a several days on the trail. It even has 2 fantastic pockets on the front of my waist belt that neatly hold my smaller camera and snacks.

I also love that this particular pack was designed for a woman, including the pivoting of the waist belt to angle just right for my hips. That kind of design tells me they're really thinking about their customers, and was a selling point for me. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to other super-petite women, since the weight can be such a factor and every ounce counts—I still say check it out with that in mind.

Grade: B-
(docking points for weight)

like a second skin...

2009-08-06T10:00:00.001-07:00

In my quest for warm layers for our wet caving adventures, I spoke to many folks who suggested I check into wetsuit and scuba gear. The way it works, so I've been told, is the horrifically freezing cold water gets into the suit...and then warms up and stays warm thanks to good old-fashioned body heat turning it all into an insulating layer.

I set out to my trusty toy store to see what they had available, and as luck would have it they were running a sale. Most of the stuff in my size was full price (boo), save for a lone pair of NRS Hydroskin Capris. I tend toward the shorter end of the spectrum—rather, I sit pretty firmly entrenched at the bottom of it with my staggering 63" of might—so capris suited me just fine.

They've turned out to be pretty perfect for caving AND kayaking, and something akin to "yoga pants for Other activities." The NRS specs say they've got a .5mm neoprene core with a 4-way stretch PowerSpan™ outer layer and some other fancy stuff (coating, lining, the works to ensure you have a quality pair of stretchy pants).

That puts them at just the right thickness to layer under other clothing so I don't ruin them in a cave when I drag my rear end across a breakdown pile, as well as perfect for layering under my shortie or just wearing over my bathing suit on a sunny day.

I LOVE THESE PANTS. They are comfortable, they are stretchy so I don't lose any range of motion, and they are pretty cute for neoprene pants—probably because they are capris. If you can nab them on sale, even better. I bet they'll last me for quite awhile, too. They really *are* like a second skin :-)

Another well-done product from NRS.

Grade: A+++++

We all need a little stability in our lives...

2009-08-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

...I get mine from my boat.

The kayaking bug bit me on Memorial Day weekend. On Tuesday I was on Craigslist searching for a used boat. I found one a little under two weeks later, a gently used Wavesport Diesel 65 for $500.00. Other than some minor, primarily cosmetic scratches and the mild stink of sitting in a garage for awhile after my seller broke up with the ex he had purchased it for, it may as well have been a new boat.

When I say the kayaking bug bit me, I am not kidding around. I try to go every weekend, if not every other weekend, and when I can go both days, I do. Exhaustion, hangovers, neither are a factor. If I can go kayaking, you can be sure I will. The Diesel has seen the Upper, Middle and Metro Chattahoochee, the Cartecay, the Nantahala and the Tuckaseegee, some more than once, in the two months and four days I have owned it.

I am no expert, folks. I have run my share of Class II rapids, and a couple of Class III's, and I typically do not run them in the ideal way. But my boat has almost without fail refused to flip. I can be completely sideways in a rapid (or flat water, mind you, when I am goofing off or caught by a current), with my head under the water, and the Diesel will recover and put me back into an upright position. If you have read any of my previous posts, you know I am a complete disaster when it comes to coordination, so, really, it must be the boat. More experienced kayakers I have met have described the Diesel as "stable but fun", "forgiving", "a great beginner's boat" and fairly easy to roll, though I have not tested that final feature to date.

My advice to the many beginners I know who are thinking about buying a boat and feel like stability is an important feature, I highly recommend taking a test run in a Diesel. It has all the stability of a bigger boat, while still being small enough to maneuver and get the full effect of the rapid.

Fun, stable and forgiving are fine qualities. Now, if only Wavesport made men...

Not the greatest bargain

2009-08-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

From time to time we will offer guest reviews from trusted folks. We're proud and pleased to present our first, from AOC trip leader Pam W. on her experience with the 2-3 person Greatland tent from Target...Survey says, not worth the bargain price :-)

I enthusiastically bought my tent at Target on the advice of my car camping friends. Their cheapie Target tents made it through many car camping trips unscathed, so I figured I’d be fine. I plunked down my $30 for my nice roomy tent and set off for a 3 day canoe camping trip. The tent was easy to set up, and the rainfly worked well. I got a little nervous in the middle of the night for a bathroom break when I had to struggle with the door zippers, but all in all, night one was good.

Night two. As I set up my tent in our new spot, I noticed the poles had a little more flexibility than they had previously. I remember thinking “That’s odd,” as I moved the poles into position. When I bent the pole to attach to the little metal foot thingy, I really bent the pole. I mean, it just made this slow snapping noise, and then… I got to see what was inside one of those poles. Nothing! Just this weird, fibrous plastic that seemed to weaken or dissolve in rain. Major design flaw. Luckily, I was camping with experienced campers who a) brought duct tape and b) knew how to use a twig to brace a broken tent pole.

I returned it to Target the next week. The twig was still attached. The clerk asked “Was it defective?” Oh yeah.

2009-08-01T01:36:00.000-07:00

I have a huge J-shaped scar on my foot to remind me not to be an idiot by going barefoot in water, whether it be a muddy pond, a raging river, or a tiny trickle along the trail.

When I was a wee lass of nine or ten, my cousins and I, bored with our family picnic at a local park, went swimming in Lake Lanier in an area frequented more by picnickers and fishermen than swimmers.

Ah, youth.

My cousin carried me out of the water while I was screaming bloody murder, a trail of watery blood trickling out of a very deep gash in my instep. Somewhere between all the laughter and splashing and the joy of feeling the red mud squishing between my toes, I’d managed to find what were probably the remnants of a broken beer bottle in the murky depths.

I felt horrible: I blamed myself for ruining the family gathering, I had to get a tetanus shot, and I got to listen to the ER doc cuss under his breath about the toughness of my tomboy feet while he broke a few needles sewing me up.

Since then, I have worn some type of footwear while in the water, without fail, whether that be a pair of ratty sneakers, or thin, made-in-Asia watershoes of the WallyWorld variety.

Several years ago, while learning to kayak in NOC’s Rapid Progressions Program, someone handed me a pair of NRS Kicker Wetshoes, and I fell in love.

Whoever designed the NRS Kicker Wetshoe was most certainly a whitewater enthusiast who took great pride in developing an all-around water shoe adaptive to most any condition. I’ve worn mine canoeing, kayaking, hiking, tubing the ‘Hooch—heck, even fishing.

With an adjustable locking drawstring around the ankle and a sturdy Velcro strap around the midfoot, unlike the cheap made-in-Asias, they don’t fall off. In fact, they hug the foot. But because they are made of neoprene, which when wet is both insulating and pliable, they don’t blister or chafe. Also, thanks to the neoprene, unlike the times I wore my ratty old sneakers, my feet never get cold.

Because the shoe encapsulates the whole foot, I never have to worry about stubbing my toe on a rock or getting sand or other debris in the shoe, leading to discomfort. (I’m looking at you, Keen.)

The soles are made of a thick, grippy rubber (sort of like climbing shoes, but with tread) and provide great traction on a variety of surfaces – in your kayak preventing foot fatigue while bracing, on slippery rocks (both on the bank and underwater), on trail. The soles also wrap up around the toe and sides of the foot, providing both traction and protection for the tenderest parts of my feet. I have never loved my NRSes as much as when I’ve gotten my foot wedged between two river rocks, though I admit, on occasion, I’ve wished for more ankle protection.

I find them comfortable enough to wear all day, multiple days in a row. I recently took them on a four-day canoe trip down the Alapaha River, and while I brought other shoes with me, I never wore anything besides my NRSes.

Though they’re not that expensive to begin with at around $36 a pair, I am pretty tickled to tell you that I am still wearing the same pair I bought used for twelve bucks at an NOC gear sale almost ten years ago.

That they are still making them, with few discernible updates in design, is a testament to the shoe. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. (Seriously, NRS, don't go messin' with a good thing!)

Comfort, functionality, and durability - it doesn’t get much better than that, folks.

Grade: A+++++

Stop! In the Name of Blood(y Nips)

2009-07-29T00:48:00.000-07:00

Despite my habit of forking out money for the techiest of tech apparel, as a curvy female, I often find myself chafing in places that should not chafe. When hiking or biking, slathering some Bodyglide or Vaseline onto the chafe-prone areas prior to the activity usually does the trick, but when I’m running, mmmmnot so much – not in one very specific area, anyway.

Only that particular breed of masochist known as the long-distance runner will empathize with me. It wasn’t till I crossed the finish line of my first marathon, sweat drenched, chest heaving…

Wait, scratch that.

It wasn’t until I jumped in the shower after my first marathon and screamed bloody murder when the water hit my skin that I understood the agony that accompanies chafed nipples. And I vowed to never, ever experience it again.

Now, I am the first to admit that this is normally more of a guy problem than a girl problem (as jog bras usually prevent the problem in smaller-breasted women). I’d seen guys at the finish line with bloody lines extending down from each nipple, guys with band-aids, guys who’d lost their band-aids to sweat and friction, and guys with these weird octagonal-shaped nipples protruding from their Coolmax.

After experimenting with sports lubricants such as Bodyglide, Sportslick, and Hydropel to no avail – and being quite confident it had nothing to do with the level of support I was getting from my jog bra – I stumbled onto a product called NipGuards at a race expo. Basically, NipGuards are small octagonal pieces of foam with a strong adhesive on one side, which you stick overtop your nipples. The outside of the foam is friction-resistant, allowing whatever fabric that would normally rub up against your skin to move with ease.

I had my doubts that the adhesive would hold for that many miles, but I was willing to give it a shot. I was a little worried about looking silly, but I figured octagon-nipples (at approximately $0.90 a pair) were a small price to pay for a chafe-free marathon.

To my great surprise, the product worked like a charm – no chafing, no movement. The adhesive was strong enough to survive 26 miles and buckets of sweat and rain. They didn’t come off till I peeled them off in my post-race scream-free shower.

I will never run a distance over thirteen miles without them again.

Grade: A+++++++

cold gear...i'll never leave home without it

2009-07-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

Anyone who's been caving with me knows that I have a very difficult time staying warm when I'm not actively moving around. I'm the kinda girl that wears Cap3 on a cool summer evening. This cold is not limited to caving, mind you, as I've frozen my butt off in my fair share of grocery stores, movie theatres, restaurants, and countless other exotic locales. My awesome superpower best shows itself underground and in water, though.

After one particularly frigid trip last year to Limrock Blowing Cave, managed by our friends over at SCCi, wherein particularly hilarious video footage was shot of me dancing to get warm (cue up Poison's "Talk Dirty to Me" in your preferred music player; they've disabled sound)...I resolved to get a better handle on the situation.

I bought any number of base layers to test them in the miserable conditions that caves present: a steady temperature of 56F with even colder water that you often get to swim and crawl through (goodie!) and zero sun to add warmth (because, you know, there's no sun in caves). The key is to be fully flexible, not overheated when I'm moving around, and warm when I'm stationary or swimming. This is harder to achieve than one might initially think. But, yesterday, one particular set of layers fit the bill and proved to be way more valuable than gold.

We ventured out to Steward Springs Cave, and spent most of the time partially immersed in water, or so it seemed. I started with one set of base layers, and about halfway through finally decided I'd had enough chattering of my teeth and tough-gal efforts so I switched to my magic layers: Coldgear Compression (under my wet clothes).

I immediately felt the difference. I don't know what took me so long, honestly. I never overheated, and I was not cold for the rest of the cave.

They can be pricey for a budget shopper, but I swear it's some of the best money I've spent on gear. Coldgear is a flexible base layer with some kind of magic membrane that keeps you warm but not too warm. I know there are some cheap knockoffs at places like Cabelas that you might check out (my fiancé swears by them) if you don't want to spring for the $50. They claim the wicking will keep you dry, but obviously that's fairly null and void when you're swimming.

Seriously though, I'm in lurv.

My Home Away From Home...

2009-07-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

...This is how I referred to my Eureka Solitaire backpacking tent, my loyal friend and companion for two years and close to 20 backpacking trips.

It took me almost a year to accumulate a good set of backpacking gear. Being lightweight can be expensive! This particular purchase encompassed weeks of searching catalogs, websites, etc. to find something that would be light enough for someone as small as myself while still falling within an appropriate price range. While I love REI with all my heart, they have neither when it comes to backpacking tents. Their tents are not light and they are quite pricey. I had seen the Solitaire in my Campmor catalog and on a few websites, and, at $80.00 and 2.5 lbs, it seemed about as close as I would get. They had it in Dick's Sporting Goods, so I went to the store and crawled in. Satisfied, I went home and did what I always do first with big purchases: entered the name of the product into such websites as Froogle and Pricegrabber. Finally, at $64.00, including shipping, from some outdoor store I had never heard of and couldn't tell you to this day, my tent was on its way!

Cons: Tall people beware! This is not the tent for you. However, as I myself am a whopping 5'4", it was the tent for me. The Solitaire is what is referred to in the backpacking world as a "coffin". It's tiny. You have to change your clothes laying on the ground. Gear can be a tight squeeze. Sometimes, when someone on the trip has a big tent for one person, I will coax them into keeping my pack in their tent.

In addition, it's not the easiest to put up. There are two poles which bend into half circles, and it will not stand without the stakes. Once you get the hang of it, it's not that bad, but I have to admit, I yelled at it on more than one occasion and every so often I pinched my finger between the stake and the hook.

Pros: Well, first of all, it's light and cheap. You are not going to find many tents out there in this price range that don't weigh 3-5 lbs. The last I checked, REI didn't carry a single backpacking tent under 3 lbs, even the $300.00 models! They also do not carry anything under $100.00. This rule typically applies even with sale items on their website...

The small size isn't just good for lightening your load on those long hikes. It keeps you warm when it's cold! I have slept comfortably in this tent on more than one 15-20 degree night in the winter. There is also a zipper underneath the built-in rain fly to keep you cooler when it's hot.

If you think the low price tag means low quality, think again! This tent is extremely durable, and, unlike, the Walmart tent, it kept me dry without seam sealer. (Caveat: I have found the one thing this tent cannot survive: ME! Just as the North Face pants cannot stay fully intact in the knee when I do a triple somersault onto a rock while hiking, the Eureka Solitaire tent poles cannot survive being beaten repeatedly by a trekking pole to remove ice from the outside of the tent after a night of freezing rain. Who knew?!)

All in all, I think this is a fantastic tent for a small person on a budget. For several months, I spent every weekend in this tent, and never wished for anything more. While the REI Crysalis (Price tag $50 higher, even on clearance, weight 8 oz. heavier) has been purchased as a replacement and is next in line to vie for my affections, I will miss my old friend and starter tent.

Grade: B+

i've turned into a hipster

2009-07-20T04:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've got a confession to make. Remember when I blogged about how much I loved my Chacos and how they had a tendency to clamp but I was still on the fence about taking them back because I loved the rest of them so much? Yeah, well. Pretty much the next day I decided I'd had enough of dead toes syndrome. So, I took them back (thank you REI for your generous return policy).

After my speedy return, I walked straightaway to the shoes to buy a pair of Hipthongs (what IS it with their naming conventions?) and have NOT looked back. They are everything I thought the Zongs could and should be.

I don't have any clamping problems, they slip on easily in the morning, and they have the great arch support that sold me on Chacos in the first place. I love them so much I considered wearing them to a cocktail affair on Friday evening--proper cocktail fashion won, but I missed them all night and thought several times about sneaking out to the car to switch out.

I'd probably sleep in them if that wouldn't be totally, utterly silly. (I bet I'd sleep better!!)

Rating: A+++++

Editor's Note: I would take a look at the Unaweeps if you're looking for water sports. Without a back, I don't know that they'd stay on! Just don't get the kind that wrap around your big toe...

reduce, reuse, recycle...revival in atlanta

2009-07-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

I will always be a devoted fan of REI, aka The Big Kids Toystore, but when I get the opportunity I like to support independent retailers. I recently heard of The Gear Revival, and took a moment to pop my head in.

I'll admit I was expecting a tiny hole of a store based on their "Atlanta Store" photo, and I was pleasantly surprised to find quite the contrary: it's no REI mothership, but still nicely sized. Big enough, not overwhelming.

The Gear Revival "buys, sells, and trades new and gently used gear for outdoor adventures." ... When I want to finally sell some of my extra gear, I have a great and easy way to go about selling it. And I'm totally ok with buying used gear and clothing, plus whatever new stuff I find there. They were not pushy as I nosed around, but not absent if I needed help.

I took a quick peak at their backpacking packs, and was happy to see that (at first glance) they appear to be selective about the gear they take in. The packs appeared to be in great condition with a range of options. The other used products I browsed were also in good to great condition, with equally good pricing. I found some pants for $10, and our favourite backpacking cook set for $20. New pricing seemed to be right in line with competition, if not slightly lower.

They do not offer the extremely generous return policy that REI does, which could be seen as a drawback by many, but I honestly wouldn't expect them to offer that. Their return policy strikes me as perfectly reasonable:

NEW, unused products may be returned to us within 15 calendar days of receipt for a refund if not satisfied. Contact us for a return authorization number...With all of that said, if you are ever unsatisfied with a purchase from us, pleaes contact a manager and he or she will make sure you are taken care of. Your complete satisfaction is our goal.

I give them an A for offering an alternative and for being an independent retailer in a sea of chains. I'm still pretty devoted to the other big folks, but will happily support these guys when I can.

PS. For those not in ATL, they have an ebay store and sell some products online.

How low can you go? Budget backpacking, Walmart style...Tents and pads.

2009-07-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have told me they would love to get into backpacking, but they need time to buy all the gear. I understand this sentiment. It took me 8 or 9 months to accumulate the gear to go on my first trip, and that was with a budget. However, time and experience has taught me that, while you really do want to get that nice, expensive gear for the perfect lightweight experience, there are some corners that can be cut if you want to go now instead of waiting until next March.

Last fall, while packing our gear after car camping in Northwest Georgia at a caving weekend, one of the people in our group came over to a few of us and told us to feel his tent. It seemed like an odd request, but I picked it up and it felt lighter than my backpacking tent. "Walmart, $20.00," he said. I was intrigued, and, incidentally, at Walmart the next day after work purchasing the Junior Dome Tent from Ozark Trail.

This led to a battery of tests which concluded this weekend on a car camping trip in Bryson City, NC. How can a seasoned backpacker trust a $20.00 backpacking tent?

First, the weight test. It felt light in the store, but what would it be next to my $70.00 coffin of a backpacking tent? The Eureka Solitaire is approximately a 2lb, 9oz tent, both lighter and cheaper than anything I have seen at REI in recent days. I went through a very scientific process while comparing the weight of the two tents: I picked them up. The Walmart tent felt lighter. Grade: A+

Second, the space test. The Solitaire, while awesome in many ways which will be described in a subsequent post, is small. I refer to it as my coffin tent because you can't really sit up in it. It's that small. The Junior Dome Tent is 6' x 5'. I pitched it in my living room and laid inside this tent, which I should mention was recommended by a man who is 6'1" tall. It was like my own little backpacking condo. I could sit, stand (hunched over, anyway), hang out... The recommended way of sleeping in this tent, if used solo, is diagonally, however. It's a tad short otherwise. Beyond that, huge. Bonus: If you don't want to carry the stakes, the tent stays up fine without them, and you can save a few more ounces on the weight. Grade: A-

Finally, the weather test. This was where I was concerned. A thin-materialed $20.00 tent that weighs less than the majority of high rated backpacking tents I have researched? You can be sure I would not take it out in the winter. I won't lie about that. However, I decided to take it out this weekend for the final test, in a situation where I could just throw my stuff in the car if the tent was too leaky. I got my test yesterday morning, when it poured down rain on us for a solid 4-5 hours. I was not surprised to find that the tent leaked at the seams after 3-4 hours of heavy rain. What I was surprised by was how little it leaked relative to the amount of rain we actually got (and it should be noted that several others on the trip commented that their other tents leaked at the seams as well). The troubleshooting guide on the inside of the tent recommends seam sealer, which I purchased at the Nantahala Outdoor Center for $4.50. So, yeah, you get what you pay for, to an extent. My stuff was not completely dry. But it was dry enough that I would definitely use the tent again, on a real backpacking trip. Would I check the weather when choosing between that and one of my more expensive, slightly heavier tents? Probably, but if it were the only tent I owned, I don't think I would really hesitate. Grade: B-. Grade post seam sealer: TBD.

Budget option #2: The pad. While laying in my living room on my roommate's foam exercise pad (Walmart, approx $18, see example), it occurred to me that it was quite comfortable and might do as another budget backpacking option, so I brought it out with the tent for the second element of my experiment. I was not wrong. While it hasn't passed the winter test yet, the foam exercise pad was as soft as my thermarest with less slipping and sliding off the pad. It is also as light or lighter in weight than my Thermarest. Added bonus: no inflation and deflation! Any good backpacker knows how tedious the process of blowing up and deflating your pad can be. Grade: A.

For the beginner backpacker who is ready to let their cheap and lazy side shine through, this tent and pad option is a must-buy. The tent can be put up with two poles and no stakes, and the pad requires no inflation and deflation. The total cost is under $40.00, perhaps just over $40.00 with the seam sealer and optional water-proofing spray to protect the dryness of your gear in a torrential downpour.

'Tis the season...

2009-07-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

...For running. Ok, actually, it's totally not, but this is the weekend of the Peachtree Road Race, the world's largest and most popular road race for reasons entirely beyond my comprehension, so I figured, why not write a review about running shoes and how to shop for them.

I learned the hard way that you don't just show up at the sporting goods store and buy the high-rated, expensive shoe. In January 2008, while training for my first big race, I decided that I would buy some "serious" running shoes. I promptly made my way to Dick's Sporting Goods, where I picked up a pair of $130.00 Saucony shoes that were heaven on my feet. (Of course, they were last year's model, and marked down to about half off. I may be an impulse buyer, but I am still cheap.) Runner's World loved these shoes and had them listed as one of the best of 2007. These shoes were so soft on the inside I wore them everywhere just so my feet could be in them. Totally jazzed about the new investment, I ran two 7 milers on a week when my long run was only supposed to be 5 miles. I thought I was unstoppable.

About 3 days after the second of these 7 mile runs, as I was running an easy 2-3 miles on the treadmill after work, I was in agony. That night my ankle was so swollen I could barely stand on it. I ended up with an overuse injury that put me out of the sport of running (and just about everything else) for about a month. Every day as I drove home from work and watched the runners in my neighborhood, I cringed because I could not join them. It was mental agony until early March. Was I able to run the half marathon in April? Yes, with Advil and effort, and everything was killing me when I did it. In May of 2008, a debilitating ankle injury and some nasty shin splints later, I finally cracked under the pressure and decided it was time for a stride test.

I made my way over to the Big Peach Running Company in Decatur expecting to break the bank. This was a specialty store where they would test my stride and tell me the only way I could ever successfully continue my running career would be to buy their $300.00 shoe with $150.00 inserts. My palms were sweating around my credit card, but I was determined. I had signed up for a marathon and I was going to run it.

What I experienced was unlike what I had imagined. Two salespeople measured my arch and put me on a treadmill, where I ran for several minutes in all of about 12 pairs of shoes while at least one other person and I watched the way my legs moved and discussed the effectiveness of each shoe. Now I was expecting to spend $800.00. Forty-five minutes of personal attention later, I settled on a shoe I loved - the Mizuno Wave Rider, which offered some support for a mild overpronation, but not so much that I would underpronate. Or something. Who understands that stuff? I closed my eyes and asked the price hesitantly. The guy said to me "$200.00." I said "Ok." Not so bad. "I'm just kidding, they're $97.00."

Forty-five minutes of personal attention, help from two salespeople, two different types of testing, and I spent less than $100.00 on my shoes?!?!?! Yes, this really happened. And I have been satisfied with the result. Of course, I have had injuries since then. I didn't stop running. Shoes are just shoes, not the miracle cure-all for your feet and legs. However, I could feel the difference in my runs, and I wasn't getting hurt every time I hit the pavement. I love this store so much, I will not buy my shoes anywhere else, even if I find them for a better price. I tell everyone I know to go there. If you are not lucky enough to live in Atlanta and have a Big Peach of your own, by all means, go to another store, but make sure you get the stride test if you want to be serious about running, and hopefully you will find a place that is comparable.

Grade: This store gets a resounding A+ rating from me. When I was at the Atlanta Thanksgiving Half Marathon Expo last fall and saw a pair of my shoes for $80.00, I wasn't going to buy them, until I realized the stand was run by Big Peach.

Tip for the Peachtree Road Race: Bring snacks and money for more snacks. Unlike every other road race I have ever run and despite extensive sponsorship, they do not feed you at the end of the Peachtree. Your muscles need calories to recover, so be prepared by carrying a post-run snack or some cash to grab one at the Park Tavern.

who's your daddy??

2009-06-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Denise and I are very much alike in our cheapitude...which is to say, I'd rather buy something at a thrift store or dig it out of my poppins-esque closets and make it work than go nuts spending money on gear when I could be spending that money on food, plane tickets, and my house. For quite some time, I went for the $4 Wallyworld volleyball kneepad specials...and for just as long I complained about pain behind my knees where the pads always pinched. Then there were the perma-bruises and inevitable aches and pains after every trip, ensuring my absolutely stunning attractiveness in a swimsuit.

That is, until I met the Crawldaddies found at Inner Mountain Outfitters. Holy molé batman, worth every hard-earned penny and then some.

Finally a pad that stays put! Made from tough ballistic nylon, Crawldaddies are designed to withstand the harshest cave environments while staying exactly where they belong. The Gravel Guard keeps those pesky pebbles from creeping in the top, while a breathable neoprene backing and inner padding also insulate and provide flotation in stream crawls.

The comfort factor took about 3 trips to break in the knee-pads and then I was good as gold. The crawl-daddies are great for long and short crawls, vertical caving, banging into rocks as I boulder and climb breakdown piles, and anything else I've encountered underground. I'm extremely klutzy, and they hold up well to the many bangs and bashes I give my body. They stay in place, and I no longer feel that unfortunate pinching behind my knees. Plus, they have lots of surface area for those times you need extra friction on your side.

They work so well that I've seriously considered using them in my daily life (I often walk better on uneven ground than even, so you can imagine my typical day :-) Tell Nina at IMO that I sent you...you'll be so happy you upgraded!

PS. They also carry LongDaddies for those who want even more coverage!

Capilene 3 Baselayer.... It's not just for winter anymore...

2009-06-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

From the first moment I wore my Patagonia Capilene 3 long underwear, I knew they were the most wonderful thing to ever happen to winter. This was in the heart of my incurable backpacking addiction, the fall/winter (November 2007-February 2008) where I slept in my backpacking tent more often than my bed. It was my first true winter trip, and I had made the splurge of all splurges by buying these for $44.00 per piece ($88.00 total). I justified this by telling myself REI's generous return policy would come into play if I didn't love them on our November trip to the Shining Rock Wilderness that weekend.

Their first test was the infamous 15 degree backpacking trip. The night the water in our Nalgenes froze solid even right next to the fire, the night more than one couple attempted to turn a one person sleeping bag into a two person sleeping bag...That was cold. When we got to camp, my hands were too frozen to help put up the tent. Considering the circulation problems in my fingers and toes, I can't say why winter backpacking became my sport of choice...it did, nonetheless. I gathered firewood obligingly and moved my fingers as much as possible until my tent was up, then went in to change into the baselayer that, at the time, I thought should have been made of gold for the price.

No one believes the next part of this story, but I will swear on it until my dying day. I put the Capilene 3's on my legs and my arms got warmer. Nowhere to lie. I felt almost instantly better. I was still cold outside of the tent. I mean, the water was freezing next to the fire. I gave away my wine because I didn't want to have to pull down my pants to pee. It was THAT cold. But the Capilene 3 baselayer made it bearable. At times, I could even feel my fingers and toes. For some, that was the last trip of the winter. For me, the first of four out of five consecutive weekends (it would have been five out of five but the other weekend was spent canoeing the Santa Fe River in Florida) of backpacking. Thank you, Patagonia! Best $88.00 I ever spent.

One would think though, that something that warm and delightful would not be useful in June, on a 100+ degree week, in the Southeast. That person would be wrong, folks!

Perhaps some of you have heard about the Nantahala River. The dam-released water is notorious for its coldness, staying at about 40 degrees F all the damn time. And the water is wild in a kayak, with its almost endless Class II wave trains. It is impossible to be on this river for five minutes without soaking your upper torso with water that would be bone-chillingly cold without a wetsuit. We had wetsuits, but the top of the wetsuit I was using was sleeveless. As an unusually cold person, I decided to wear my Capilene 3 top under the wetsuit.

While I did not flip on this run, the wave trains soaked my upper torso immediately. Each time I was immersed, I would be cold for all of five seconds. Why? Because Capilene 3 is awesome. The water soaked the baselayer but it refused to stay cold. Never during the entire 8 miles on the river was I given the opportunity to be uncomfortable. Yes, folks, it's that good.

As a final (unintentional) test of its fortitude, I stood by the highway in only my bathing suit and the Capilene 3 top in the cold, pouring rain for a solid 20 minutes. (As demonstrated last summer, yes, folks, hypothermia in June in North Carolina is possible in such rain.) Drowned rat I may have been, but cold? Hardly. Again, thank you, Patagonia. Yes, your prices are sometimes startingly high, but the quality of your products makes me think twice before throwing away your catalogs.

Final Rating: A resounding A+ on two of my favorite activities. These will definitely be seeing the inside of a wet cave in the future for their final test.

head and shoulders, knees and TOES

2009-06-21T16:54:00.001-07:00

I decided to treat myself to a new pair of sandals this year. After wearing cheapie flip-flops for years, I wanted something more substantial that I couldn't rip the thong out of. With the arrival of my REI dividend, I ventured out to my local toy store to take a look at my options.

My mom has already been a fan of the Chaco brand for years, so they were top of my list to explore. I settled on the Chaco Zong for the backless entry (in my mind, that was going to be easy like my clogs) and the minimal style. I already have a pair of Keen watershoes, so I was not concerned about keeping them on my feet on any rafting expeditions. The "shoe guy" at REI told me they had a high arch (BONUS) so I was pretty sold.

In all fairness, my shoe guy did warn me about their tendency to clamp down on your big toe like a vice grip after a few hours of walking. Boy howdy, he wasn't kidding. They clamp down in the first 20 minutes, actually. You see, the straps on the Chacos (at least this style) are actually one big strap that weaves in and out of the footbed to let you adjust your sandals for perfection. I'm constantly re-adjusting them on one foot to give my big toe its circulation back, while amazingly the other foot stays pretty steady with the pressure distribution.

That said, I'm still on the fence about whether or not I'll take advantage of REI's generous return policy...they're easily my favourite sandals now, though I think my next Chaco purchase will be a pair that doesn't wrap around the big toe. That seems to be the only sticking point on them, as otherwise I totally love them for daily use.

Overall: I am happy with the arch support, not so happy with the tendency of the straps to move after I've tweaked them to perfection. I give the a B- ... Extra points for having a totally weird name!

PS. Not so easy in the slip-em-on category...the straps sort of prevent that. Oh well!

Whitewater helmets - Because the mind is a terrible thing to waste...or splatter on a rock in a rapid...Part 1: What NOT to wear.

2009-06-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

As most of my friends are aware, I have recently developed a mild obsession with whitewater kayaking...and by mild I mean I went on a 3 day trip and about a week later dropped $500.00 on a used Wavesport Diesel 65. This is no small thing for one who will often live on Ramen noodles and canned tuna for a month just to afford the next trip to Central America while still making timely payments on the student loans...If anyone wonders what has put that new twinkle in my eye and bounce in my step, it's the Diesel, folks...

At any rate, as stated above, I have student loans. I have invested well over $100,000.00 cramming knowledge into my brain, most of it legal knowledge. I am not about to let that investment leak into the river because I flip my boat and my skull becomes intimate with some rocks on a Class III rapid.

As for most of my kayak gear, I am still in the borrowing stage, so I have more insight on what not to use than what to use. My friends and I learned a valuable lesson while paddling the Cartecay on Memorial Day - bicycle helmets are a big FAIL in whitewater. It is not my own experience I speak from, as I was lazily sitting in a beached boat watching the boys surf a rapid (or attempt to surf a rapid, depending on how you choose to look at it), when one of them flipped HARD into the rapid. He stood up, disoriented, and watched the others retrieve his boat for about a minute before the dazed look left his eyes. As for the helmet? Destroyed. Shredded on the outside and the inside didn't fare all that much better. Apparently, bike helmets are designed for single impact. Whitewater kayaking is not a single impact sport. You still have to make it to the takeout.

Now, I have been borrowing a whitewater helmet for a few weeks, but I know that I have to get my own. Some options I have been looking at are the bargain version at REI, the Pro-Tec Ace, which provides pretty comprehensive head coverage for a whopping $45.00, and the WRSI Current. The current is a very well-acclaimed helmet because it was designed to offer maximum protection at cost so as to promote safety for as many people as possible, in honor of a young man who died in a whitewater accident. The Current is an $80.00 helmet. See the history of this helmet here. Oh yeah, and it's also significantly cuter than the Pro-Tec, if that's a factor.

Now, what have we learned here, folks?

1. Never paddle without a helmet, unless you want grey matter from your own head leaking onto a rock. It might not happen, but it COULD. Hell, I almost hit my head falling into a Class I on the Hiwassee, where I was foolish enough on the first day (not the second day) not to wear a helmet at all.
2. A bike helmet is not a suitable replacement for a whitewater helmet. I have watched this in action, folks. Not a good thing.
3. We haven't seen a mishap with the caving and rock climbing helmets yet, but I am still wary. They just don't protect quite enough of the head to make me feel comfortable with my "investment".

Check back often for updates on what to wear. I will probably be trying out the WRSI in the near future, so stay tuned!

i've got insteps higher than the st. louis arch...no, really!

2009-06-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

I have pretty high arches that have this annoying tendency to collapse on me at inopportune times (is there ever an opportune time?)…like in Paris, after a night of clubbing, on our way back to the hotel. Or, on our week-long trek in Yosemite and the High Sierras last fall. It's fairly well crippling, actually. And when your feet are your transportation…well, you get the picture!

When I set out to buy new hiking boots last summer, I told the guys at REI that I have high arches. They put me in the Montrail Blue Ridge boots, with the advice to sub out the inserts with SuperFeet Greens, and sent me on my way. I broke them in as much as I could before our trek out West, and figured they were holding up pretty well, so off I went.

After a few days of trekking with a full pack, with full days of climbing up and down that wonderfully rugged landscape, my arches started to rebel and crash like an unstable operating system. Not really a good thing when you've got many more miles to go, but not a whole lot you can do about it in the backcountry.

Fast forward to training for my first half marathon, and I found myself getting properly fitted for running shoes at Big Peach. You see, they have this nifty device you step on that *shows* you your arch profile. As I suspected, my arches are pretty darned high. So high that the left one doesn't touch the ground. At all.

Shortly thereafter I had an a-ha! moment and asked Big Peach if they had anything better than the Greens, since they'd fairly well failed my delicate feet so far. They recommended the Lynco L400 Sports Orthotic - Neutral Heel, Aetrex Insoles for being higher, stable, and super wonderful. Boy were they right.

I popped those suckers into my Montrails and *immediately* felt the difference in the support. I mean, clichéd night and day difference! Yowzas. The Amazon description sure isn't kidding:

Designed to provide maximum foot comfort and protection…cushions the foot and absorbs shock forces…anti-odor and anti-bacterial to help keep your feet in a healthy, clean environment. Lynco casual orthotics are light-weight, resilient and provide unmatched support and stability. These unique orthotics cushion the foot, absorb shock and fit comfortably in most footwear styles.

So guys and gals, if you likewise have high arches, I suggest these as a nice alternative to the costly option of custom orthotics. There are exercises I continue to do to strengthen my arches, but in the meantime I'm pretty pleased with my Lyncos.

...what's that smell?

2009-06-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

While odors are pretty unpleasant (ok, stinky!) to think about, they nonetheless happen to trail-tested clothing (read: multi days in one shirt). Unless you're one of those rare ladies who perspire instead of sweat...but we all know real women sweat :-) Especially when we're doing cool stuff out in the woods.

Some folks may be wealthy enough to wear a new shirt every time they go outdoors, but I'm not one of them! That said, here's a simple trick to remove unpleasant odors from well-worn articles of clothing: Vinegar. Yup: straight-up, ordinary white vinegar. You can get 2 gallons for less than $4 at Sam's Club.

Vinegar is eco-friendly, time-tested, inexpensive, and easy. Simply add a cup of it to your pre-wash/soak cycle, then wash with your favourite detergent as you normally do. The smellier the stuff, the longer you need to let it soak. If your delicate nose is sensitive, play with the vinegar-to-water ratio until you find what works for you. Or, go for a soak cycle with the detergent after you're done with round 1.

Voila! Your gramma will be proud!

The quest for a blister-free existence. Part 2: The perfect sock.

2009-06-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

If you've read Part 1, you know the horrors my feet experienced at the hands of REI socks and liners. There is a light at the end of this tunnel (though harder to find when REI stops carrying a product).

I bought my Dahlgren Alpaca Light Hiking Socks on clearance for $4, which is almost miraculous since they retail for closer to $20. This was around the time I discovered a new love: running.

The decision to train for a half marathon was very spur of the moment for me. I hadn't run in about 4-5 years, and I had no desire to start doing so anytime soon. However, my friends were going to Nashville to run a half marathon. I had never been to Nashville, and wanted to go. I was going to be their cheerleader. Then, one random Wednesday in January 2008, it occurred to me: I could actually run the half! What a novel concept! I ran 1.5 miles in my first attempt, and by the end of the week I was running 5, the equivalent of the longest I had ever run. I am now training for my second marathon and have never looked back.

What on earth does all this have to do with hiking socks? Well, I was blistering on my long runs while training for the half, until I started to wear the Dahlgren socks. They became the only thing I would wear on a run of over 7 miles. I wore them in all my Half Marathons and 10ks until I discovered the wonderful technical socks they sell at race expos (hell, I just didn't do laundry often enough to keep wearing my one pair of Dahlgren socks every time I did a 7+ run once I was training for a full marathon in the fall). Once I had found suitable running socks, the Dahlgrens became my perfect hiking sock.

I have purchased several pairs of hiking socks since then. I get them in kids' sizes now, since REI doesn't sell adult socks small enough to be tight on my feet in-store. (Note: Even if you are not someone who can successfully wear smaller boots to prevent blistering because your feet swell when you hike long distances, I still stand vehemently behind my position on wearing tight socks. The less your socks rub, the less you will blister.) I have not found this perfection with any other sock, and am devastated if I forget to wash my single pair of Dahlgrens before a trip. I say single pair because these exact socks are almost impossible to find in a XS/S.

The moral of this story is not only to buy these magnificent socks if you see them, but to tell me where they are selling! I just can't find anything else that quite compares. These socks are an A+.

The quest for a blister-free existence. Part 1: Boots.

2009-06-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

Flashback to Easter weekend, 2008, Cumberland Island, Georgia. I am wearing my trusty Timberland boots and REI wool socks with REI sock liners. I have been wearing Timberlands since I started hiking again in the Fall of 2005. This is my second pair, and they are perhaps not quite as snug as the previous pair. At this point I think blisters are part of life. I have survived many long and excruciating hiking and backpacking trips with at least 1-2 blisters. In the months prior to March I had been backpacking between 2 and 4 weekends each month. Typically, blisters were involved, but nothing horrifying. Until Cumberland Island.

Now, don't get me wrong, it was a beautiful and glorious 50-ish miles in 4 days over completely flat, sandy terrain (my body and feet are used to mountains, this was actually hell)... Nevermind the gnats that were so thick in the air I could not eat my meal without swallowing about 100 of them... or the bug bites that formed a belt around my waist where my backpack strap sits... this is about feet...

Day 1 was about a 14-15 mile hike to camp. My feet were torn but it wasn't the worst they have experienced. Day 2 is when it got nasty. About 2-3 miles in to our 16 mile hike I had to stop and cover my feet with a layer of gauze and duct tape. Nowhere to lie, there was nothing that was going to work at this point short of duct tape. Imagine the shape of an Ace Bandage over each foot, only completely made of duct tape. This was me. I was holding on my toenails with the stuff.

The next 3 days my feet felt like they were walking on razorblades every time I took a step. I could hear voices in my head from people telling me over the last couple months that sock liners would solve all my problems. I wanted to spit on them. I used all the gauze and duct tape in about three people's first aid kits trying to make my feet suitable to walk on. When we returned from the trip, I had to wear my Merrell clogs to work for a week because my feet were too swollen for shoes.

The post-traumatic stress had a significant effect on my hiking life. I didn't backpack for two months, and when I started back up, I would only wear running shoes, which offered limited ankle support. I immediately gave my hiking boots to my mother so I would never have to look at them again (original, snugger pair of Timberland boots was graduated to caving boots, which are still in use). I didn't even think to put boots on my feet again until around September, when I was starting to put together gear for my November trek in the Andes.

It was on a chance trip to REI to pick up something or other that I had ordered for the Andes trip that I happened to venture into footwear and see some Keens (Women's Targhee) on sale for $70. I tried them on in 6.5 and 7.0 (Note: everyone SAYS to buy hiking boots in a larger size than your normal shoes. I think this was my fatal mistake. Now I buy my hiking boots 1/2 size BELOW my normal size to prevent friction). I opted for the smaller size. They are Gore-Tex, they are cute, and they are literally the most wonderful thing I have ever put on my feet for hiking. I have done hikes ranging from 3-17 miles in these things with nary a blister, aside from the occasional tiny one on the toe that has no real effect on my hiking or running ability.

Lessons learned:

1. Sock liners suck for blistering. Two pairs of socks just means more friction. Wear one pair that is wool or Smartwool and as tight as humanly possible. I buy kids' socks now. I do not buy REI socks anymore. I love you REI, but I hate your socks with a passion that engulfs my soul.
2. Wear EVERYTHING a little tight, but not so tight it makes you lose a toenail. Small socks, in my case children's sized or extra small. (My normal shoe size is a 7 but hiking socks that say they are for 7 are usually too big.) About 1/2 size smaller on shoes/boots. Tight = Less Friction = NO BLISTERS!!!!
3. If my formula doesn't work for you, you'll just have to figure it out on your own. I took advice from EVERYONE before just deciding not to listen to anyone. If you buy shoes from REI, you can return them if you blister like a madwoman (or madman).

hello, old friend

2009-06-04T06:35:00.001-07:00

I was going to write a bonafide love sonnet to my Kelty, but Keats and Shakespeare were not around to edit my clumsiness so I thought it best to stick with prose. That said…

I learned to backpack at NOLS with a Kelty external frame pack for a number of reasons. As they will tell you, it is "the perfect transitional pack when junior sizes are too small and adult sizes are still too large" (read: I'm kinda petite). Plus internal frame packs were still heavier than the traditional externals, and I needed all of the weight help I could get!

I trekked with that thing for weeks, averaging 10-15 miles per day up and down rocky, Southwestern terrain. I was new to all of it, so I learned to hold the weight steady and rock scramble in a very quick timeframe. When I left NOLS I sadly turned the pack in and went for an internal frame pack, perceiving them as better "because everyone else had one." Durrrr…I've had smarter moments :-)

--

Last Fall, a friend of mine moved to Tucson and wanted to give me some of her camping equipment that had gathered dust. In the pile was a Kelty Yukon, which even happened to be blue (just as my original pack). I was ecstatic!! I felt like I'd been re-united with my first love, and indeed I had. Spend that much time with a pack and you'd be misty eyed too :-) These days I've got a fantastic internal frame pack, so I've designated my "new" Kelty to cart caving gear to the various pits that we drop.

However, I am seriously considering using it on "regular" backpacking trips too. It sits so beautifully on my hips, and the weight balances really nicely on a woman if you know how to pack it. Externals are said to pose problems for balance if you are rock scrambling, but I managed scree slopes and tough terrain with no issues in the Gila and Galiuros.

Bonus points:

My back is nicely ventilated
They are often much cheaper to purchase new
The frame can be stripped in times of emergency to haul someone out of the backcountry. Not that we ever want to use our Woofer training, but it does happen.

For those of us with weight considerations, take a look at the Kelty Yukon. There are internal frame packs that weigh less now that the technology has improved, but I still stand by Ol' Blue [Eyes] as a nice option not to be sneered at. Read more about external vs internal packs here.

Because at some point you realize you want to look cute even while hiking...

2009-06-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

I think anyone can tell you I am not particularly girly. In fact, the last time I went into a cave, one of the first things I did was paint my face in mud, and later I rolled around in a mud puddle, all just for the sake of being dirty. However, I am still a girl, one who likes boys, and more particularly, one who likes boys who hike. So why, then, did I continue to wear ugly, non-form-fitting hiking pants from the sale rack at REI? This is the exact question I asked myself last summer...

The solution was not the cheapest, but after trying on every single pair of pants in the entire Atlanta REI store, I had found my solution: the North Face Paramount Pant. Full price these are $65, and they are cute enough to be worth it. I currently own them in 2 colors, and would buy about 5 more.

As for durability, I give them an A-. One of my pairs currently has a tear in the knee, but it's a small one. Considering I tripped on a rock and somersaulted about three times before landing on my knee while hiking downhill on the AT Approach trail, I don't think I will blame that one on the pants...

So, in short, while I would still rather paint my face in mud than Maybelline, I have surrendered to the outdoor fashion gods on this one, and I'm not looking back...

Facebook Fan Page

2009-06-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Check out our Facebook Fan Page and join other fans of this blog. We publish status updates when we post a fresh blog!

In pursuit of great caving shoes, Part 2

2009-06-02T11:43:00.001-07:00

J and I were en route from Indianapolis and thought we'd try our luck at the outlet mall for trail shoes or caving boots. We hit the jackpot! At the Columbia outlet they happened to have a new batch of Montrail Torre boots on the table. I'm already familiar with the brand as I wear the Blue Ridge line for my backpacking. I quickly googled the Torre to find reviews for its performance with wet rock, and was happy to find corroborating reviews for Montrail's claims that they are perfect for "challenging terrain [and] trekking across snow fields."

Snow fields and mud in caves often demand the same kind of performance, so that was good enough for us. Montrail also says:

Non-loading lugged Vibram Super Trek rubber outsole for great traction and durability.
Rubber reinforced heel and toe for exceptional durability.
Premium leather upper with suspended tongue construction and bootie lining keeps feet dry and comfortable in a variety of conditions.
Injected lasting board with steel shank provides great support and comfortable flex while carrying heavy loads.

All that tells me they will hold up through many caves without shredding on the exterior, while protecting my feet in tough conditions. I am happy to report that I wore my new Torres in Cemetery Pit last weekend and they delivered as promised. I did not slip, I was comfortable all day, and I felt very much in control of what my feet were doing. I will follow up with a second review after I've gotten some good use out of them to see if the initial assessment holds. In the meantime…Yessssss!

Pros: Cheap at the outlet; Great for wet, icky conditions; durable to withstand lots of abuse

Cons: Expensive if not found on super sale

Score: A-

Knee pads are a caver-girl's best friend...except when they're not...

2009-06-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

I must admit, I am a budget caver. I wear a $30 rock climbing helmet with two $10 headlamps from Walmart and Target. I carry a Target bookbag as my gear bag and wear either worn out hiking pants or, at times, jeans, to explore a cave. After all, you're just going to destroy it all with mud, right?

[Caveat: vertical gear. If that is budget, I might fall into a 100'+ pit. Kind of a no-brainer.]

Then there's knee pads. After about 30-60 minutes worth of straight up crawling in Howard's Waterfall cave on Sunday afternoon, I must say I am about ready to retire the $5 Wilson volleyball knee pads and upgrade to some real caving pads. The reason for this decision (which will be postponed until I have recovered from the colossal expenses of purchasing a kayak and hiking in Germany) is threefold:

1. They bunch. They bunch bad. And it makes you sore in the back of the knee if you don't adjust them every 5 minutes while caving.

2. They offer no shin protection. After dropping and climbing out of a 90' pit in Alabama last fall, I ran into the wall so many times my shins looked like a leopard print. A week later I had to attend a wedding, in a knee-length dress. It was NOT pretty.

3. KNEE BLISTERS! I didn't know this could even happen before Howard's Waterfall. I got a giant blister on my left knee, which conveniently popped during work. I bled all over the knee of my $90 dress pants. Think of all the money I will be saving on dry-cleaning if I just buy the expensive pads!!!

As for gear recommendations, stay tuned!

In pursuit of great caving shoes, Part 1

2009-05-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

Long ago, I learned to cave in a pair of well-worn Doc Marten boots. Stylish and comfortable, they offered enough flexibility and grip for me to move easily in this new-to-me underground sport.

With the opportunity to cave again many years later, I invested in a pair of Hi-Tech boots from REI's outlet online, after a few desperate attempts to find cheap, yet sturdy, boots at my local Wal-Mart. My women's size 8 puts me below the bottom rung of men's work boots available at Wallyworld, and their women's department would lead one to believe that women do not hold tough jobs in this world beyond nursing! Boooo.

Ultimately the Hi-Tech boots have served me well, but it's time for a new pair. So, my fiancé found a pair of combat-SWAT-training Converse high-top sneakerish shoes for me. If police officers are using these in tough situations, surely they would be great for caving, right?

They looked good at home…the tread looked ok and deep enough for cave conditions, but I was unable to test them until we got into a very wet Ellison's cave on Saturday. They were a nightmare! I was slipping on the trail before we got into the cave, and continued to slip at every opportunity once inside. Thankfully Ellison's was the perfect testing spot, with no precarious positions to speak of...just a few rocks to bang into.

Needless to say, I give them an F for caving.

Pros: 75% off of 75$ = super cheap.

Cons: the lace setup was poorly structured for the shoe to evenly cushion my foot, leaving me with a tight, thin grab around my ankle (Ouch!) but still no ankle support; the performance on wet surfaces would have put me in danger in any other cave.

Overall: Next!

To be continued…