The first is a custom handmade walking stick. This is something that can be passed down and will last for generations. As your father uses the hiking stick the bumps and dirt will add character and history.

Another great gift is a Tarp hat from Real Deal Brazil. I have a tarp hat and love it. No one else has a hat like it and I love its durability and style.

My favorite Rokit Fuel products are the cereals and mixes. The cereals are light weight and full of goodness and the mixes are even lighter and easier to carry. I highly suggest hikers taking a few packages of the mixes with them. All the flavors I’ve tried were great, but you’ll have to try a few on your own to pick your favorites. The mixes and cereals are chock full of good things like nuts, fruits, seeds, and other natural stuff that you know is real and not mixed with who knows what.

These are energy products so in the end they have to provide you with, you know, energy. The first product I tried was just before a big paddle across Lake Lanier on a choppy day. Taking the kayak out on a lake filled with speed boats and sailboats meant I had to watch out for myself and paddle fast to avoid other crafts while navigating two to three foot swells. For this task I sucked down a package of spice cookie energy mix. Despite the long paddle and all the other obstacles I did fine on the water and had more than enough energy and strength to hold my own.

This humble hiking blog doesn’t quite pay the bills so I have to work despite my objections. Sitting all day is the worst thing you can do to your body so I take a boot camp class in the mornings. Getting up before sunrise to do push-ups, sprints, and runs isn’t easy, but a cereal before helped me through a tough morning class after a late night of working. The hearty cereal cup was as tasty as any breakfast anywhere and I knew I was eating something good instead of another greasy biscuit from the local fast food joint.

Rokit Fuel has taken a great idea – the energy bar – and improved it.   They just upped the game.  Their products will catch on and you will see this company more and more in the coming months and years. If you want to try Rokit Fuel you can order directly from their website or find a store near you with their Find a Store tool.

This is a review that hardly needs to be written because of Leatherman’s excellent reputation. The biggest question you’ll have to ask yourself is which Leatherman Multitool is right for you. This review is for the Leatherman Fuse Pocket Multitool, but I can safely say that other Leatherman multi tools are great products too.

This multitool comes folded up nicely at four inches and easily fits into your pocket. My primary purpose for this tool is outdoor activities, but because it is handy in so many situations I keep it my truck and was glad I did when I needed it at a wedding recently. My wife is a wedding photographer and sometimes I video the weddings. On a recent wedding a piece on a tripod broke and I couldn’t remove the camera from the tripod. Luckily I had the Leatherman tool in my truck and the pliers easily removed the broken screw piece.

The pliers may only be one part of the Fuse, but they are as durable and useful as any single pair of pliers I own, and thanks to the Phillips and flat head built in screwdrivers this tool removes the need to carry around a pile of screwdrivers and pliers for basic home and auto tasks.

Compact and Tough

The knife on the Leatherman Fuse is sharp and tough as the rest of the tool. As a kid I cut my fingers more than once due to knives closing while I was using them. After a few good cuts I learned the value of a locking blade, and this tool has a strong locking system that is also easy to unlock when ready so that you can close the knife or other tool. I haven’t even used all the pieces available like the can opener, wire cutters, and ruler, but it’s nice to know they are there when I need them.

I love durable equipment, and I need it when I’m outdoors. The Leatherman Fuse at first seems like too heavy a piece of equipment to take hiking, but when you consider that it takes the place of other tools it can save weight, and with all the features it may come in handy in emergency situations. The Leatherman Fuse Multitool does everything you could ever want. I got mine from OutdoorPros.com where you can get it for a very reasonable price.

I abuse my outdoor gear, but not on purpose. I try to take care of what I own. I clean gear and outdoor clothing after hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor adventures. I use whatever is suggested to protect my gear from the elements, and I follow recommended use instructions whenever possible. The problem, however, is that in the outdoors things happen. You get caught in rain storms, you run into tree limbs, you drop stuff on rocks and off ledges, and often get everything covered in dirt and mud. That’s just the way it is. If your outdoor gear and clothing can’t deal with the elements then it’s simply not worth it. I like gear that can take everything I and nature can throw at it. I also like gear that looks good, and that’s why I tested two pairs of sunglasses to see if they could withstand the outdoors while looking great at the same time.

Serengeti Presa Polar PhD sunglasses

The first pair I tested was the Serengeti Presa Polar PhD sunglasses. I like to fish for trout and nothing helps like a great pair of polarized sunglasses, and my eyes are slightly sensitive to light so a pair of glasses that I can wear in light rain and late in the day is also an asset to me. The Serengeti Presa sunglasses use a photochromic technology that adjusts to changes in light. Because this technology is engineered into the glasses at the molecular level they will never lose their photochromic properties. That’s a mouthful, but I don’t have to understand the science to know that these glasses did exactly what they were made to do and protected my eyes in varying conditions on the trail, on the river, and on the road. These glasses passed my second test of looking great when I wasn’t on the river or trail. I wore them to an outdoor wedding and they complimented my suit well. These glasses were the better of the two for fishing and water activities and in conditions that were not glaring bright, but where I still benefitted from sunlight protection.

The second pair I tested was the Bolle Rattler sunglasses. These sunglasses come in several different styles and colors, but I selected shiny black. You can even get these with prescription lenses. This pair of sunglasses was tough, stayed on my face even in the roughest conditions, and looked great. They are smaller than the Serengeti sunglasses and sport darker lenses. These sunglasses are great for mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities where you need the glasses to stay on your face, but if these glasses do fall off they’ll take it well.

Bolle Rattler sunglasses

Which pair is my favorite? That’s a tough question. I think it depends on the activity and situation. The Serengeti Presa glasses are my preference for fishing and conditions where I need to see through haze, fog, or light rain. For outdoor activities that require a lot of action I like the Bolle Rattler Sunglasses because they don’t fall off and are built for harder action. The darker lenses also make them a great choice for bright conditions. Both pairs of sunglasses looked great and I have worn them with confidence in the outdoors and with pride in my daily activities.

Real Deal Brazil Tarp Hat

I didn’t know what to expect when Real Deal Brazil sent me a tarp hat. The idea of a hat made from recycled South American tarps seemed cool from an environmental perspective, but I really didn’t know if it would make a good hat. When the hat arrived the smell of canvas reminded me of my time in the Army where many things are made of canvas so they can withstand war and time. When I put on the hat I immediately fell in love. This is the coolest hat I’ve ever owned.
Before I started testing the tarp hat I looked online for information about it and learned that it is the same hat Woody Harrelson wore in the movie Zombieland. I rented the movie that night and was pleased to see my home state of Georgia in many scenes of the film as well as my hometown of Newnan (downtown scene with tank just before they find the Hummer). Anyway, it’s fun to own a Zombieland hat, and if the world goes dystopic I have a hat to wear.

Hat Sewing in Brazil

Story Behind the Tarp Hat
I wanted to know more about the origin of the Real Deal tarp hat and learned that the company founder, Walter R. Perkins Jr., was in Brazil and found the canvas hat at a beachside market. When he learned that the hat was made from recycled truck tarps he thought folks back home might like the hat too, so he tracked down a family making the hat. The trip to the town on the equator was hot and bumpy (understatements) and dangerous, but Mr. Perkins finally arrived and arranged a business deal with the head of a family business that could adapt the hats to Mr. Perkins’ needs. Now Real Deal Brazil communicates with this family via a neighbors email (Internet service is spotty and rare) for orders and business. Real Deal Brazil is a small company and the arrangement

Appalachian Trail

with the small family business has gone well. I was personally worried about the conditions of the makers of this hat, but knowing that the production is helping a family, and a town, I can wear my hat knowing that it’s not only environmentally friendly (recycled from tarps), but is helping humans too by very likely becoming the biggest contract to ever hit this remote Brazilian town.

Fit and Comfort of My Brazil Hat
My recycled canvas hat fits well and is very comfortable, but is still tough and ready for work or play. I’ve taken it in the mountains hiking and it’s kept my neck shaded and my eyes protected from the sun. I’ve worn it in my yard while working in my garden, and I’ve worn it on the lake fishing.

If you’ve been looking for a unique hat that is different from anything else out there or a hat that can withstand difficult conditions this is the hat for you.  You can buy your own hat at Amazon or at the Real Deal site.

Like I said, it’s the coolest hat I’ve ever owned.

Jim the Mountain Goat

My good friend Jim Milliken spent the summer hiking and rafting in the American West.  During that time he put his old gear, and new gear, through the ringer.  He’s a mountain goat if there ever was one and can withstand days of hiking switchbacks that would kill people a third of his age.  Being physically strong makes him also expect the most from his gear…as he should.  Below is a report from Jim on some of the items he carried and the pros and cons of each as well as issues he encountered and how he dealt with them.  He wants to be clear, however, that this is an equipment review and not an attempt to be negative toward any one gear manufacturer.  Jim wrote that “In some cases it has more to do with the application of the equipment and how to make it more effective than faulty equipment.”

Below is Jim’s gear review:
1.  Katadyn ‘Hiker’ water filter.  This pump was new on this trip and replaced the Katadyn bottle with the filter inside the bottle that I had used on previous backpack trips.  I felt that it was too slow sucking out the water from the bottle version…ok for day hikes but not when you are drinking lots of water day after day.  Anyway, it worked perfectly until the end of the fifth day.  I got to my campsite and all my water bottles (3) were empty.  I took the unit out of the top of my backpack and took the pouch to the creek with the empty bottles.  To my dismay I found that the inlet water barb to the pump had broken off into the plastic tube.  No visible damage to the case of the pump.  I tried to hold the fitting back to the pump case but it had been plastic welded in and was jagged around the edges and
would not seal.  Lucky for me I was close to the end of the hike and I met the first person I’d talked to in five days and he had a pump I could borrow.  The next day I took a chance on three refills I needed at creeks that looked like they were close to the source.

Yellow Lake of Challis National Forest

2.  Brunton Nova white gas stove.  I also bought this new last year and used it backpacking.  I’d not used it in almost a year and got it out to test it before leaving on this years hike.  Long story short the scatter shield that fits over the jet on top of the burner had come unclipped and I had it in the pouch and didn’t see it till it was too late.  Since I couldn’t get it to start I read about cleaning the parts and took it apart to clean everything.  The threads on the needle valve that is on the end of the off/on handle stripped out…they are very fine threads.  Ended up I buggered the stove to the point I had to search around for a replacement the day of the hike and ended up with a Sterno stove and the wrong size (2.6 oz cans) versus the 7.2 oz can that is supposed to go with the stove.  Adapting on the trip I put a rock in the bottom of the stove each time I used it to get the smaller cans up closer to my half liter water cup…and I had to use two cans at a time to get the heat.  Still didn’t boil water like it should but would simmer fairly easily.
On my return I called Brunton and they told me that that stove is no longer made but that they had a lot of parts for it.  If I would send it to them they would see if they could fix it for free.  Can’t beat that offer.
Hopefully by writing about my mistakes I’ll avoid breaking it next time I go to use it.

3.  Lighters.  I’d been using a Bic but found a lighter about the size of a Bic but with an extension tube that slid out about two inches.  Much better for lighting a stove and keeping your fingers away from the flames.  It worked fine the first night but the next night it was DOA.  Don’t know what happened except that the little sight glass showing the fuel has some star cracks in it.  Lucky for me I also brought along the reliable old Bic as I needed it for the next four nights.  Now I’ll just get another Bic to carry in case the first one fails or runs out of fuel.

4.  Garmin Colorado 300 GPS.  I also bought this last summer and used it extensively.  My main complaint is that it eats batteries.  I took along a set of batteries for each day as that is about how long they last…regardless of which type you use.  I tried cutting the backlight down to zero but nothing I did seemed to extend the battery life.  And I took along a manual compass just in case my electronic one in the GPS ran out of juice.

5.  Keen river sandals.  Bought these new just before the hike.  Used them for hot springs soaks and several creek crossings…and even hiked a mile between crossings with them on.  Awesome grip on slippery river rocks and comfortable to walk in.  They have elastic in the webbing and an adjustment string slide so you can set the fit to your foot.  A bit pricey at 89 bucks but they give great grip in swift water.

6.  Osprey Aether 70 backpack.  This was the first time I’d used this backpack.  It has a waist band that is heat molded to your body shape.  It is supposed to make it more comfortable to carry the weight on your hips…it works and works well.  The shoulder straps are also easily adjustable so you can change the balance of the load between the shoulders and your waist…this in conjunction with the adjustable cross tie between the shoulder straps in front made for maximum comfort.  My middle back is my main stress area and when it would start to hurt I’d just adjust the straps until I felt the stress release…very effective.  Another feature I found I loved was the sleeping bag access compartment.  It made packing a long easier…just unzip the bottom of the backpack and slip the sleeping in and zip it back up….makes it easier to pack up most of your stuff without having to get out of the tent in the mornings.
It also has a very well designed top pouch which is large enough to hold all of your small items so only the big things have to go inside the main backpack.  This is a convenience when on the trail as almost anything you might need short of setting up camp is in this pouch.  All in all a very well designed and comfortable backpack.

7.  Kelty sleeping bag.  When I bought this bag I was trying to find a balance between bulk/weight and warmth.  So I figured a 20 degree sleeping bag should be just fine.  I’ve used it on two backpacks at between 9-11,000 feet in the summer and do not believe that it was ever 20 degrees at night.  However I’ve needed long underwear plus on both hikes to stay comfortable.  From now on I take fleece bottoms and long underwear tops plus wear my hiking socks as a minimum.  This trip I was so cold I wore my hiking clothes plus pulled long underwear over them and wore my Mountain Hardwear fleece and still had to wrap my thighs with my long underwear tops to keep warm.  Don’t know where the 20 degree rating comes from but I’m not impressed….but the sleeping bag is well made and super comfortable.

Kelty Teton 2 Tent

8.  Kelty Teton 2 tent.  I really like this tent…easy to set up, good zipper system, nice fly, strong suspension poles.  My suggestions for improvement come from my experience on this last hike.  I set up in a meadow and the wind came up and stayed up all night long.  The fly tensioners at the corners of the tent are straps that you just pull to the desired tension and they are supposed to hold.  I got up once as I couldn’t sleep from the slapping noise of the fly against the tent and retensioned the straps.  Came right loose again.  The next night I tried tying a knot in the loose end of the strap to keep it from going slack in wind.  Need a better designed or stronger gripping tensioner on the fly corners.  Another issue with those tension straps is that they have a very small sewn tab on the end to grab onto.  It takes two hands to push enough strap through so you can get your fingers onto that little tab so you can pull the strap tight.  One other item is the Velcro tabs on the fly that go around the poles on the four corners.  You can’t open them with one hand either as there are no tabs on them to grip to open them…pain in the butt.  All in all, however, it is an awesome tent…just not quite as user friendly as it could be.

Now you can own your own pair of hiking boots from Hi-Tec (see review).  These durable and comfortable backpacking boots can be yours if you win.  Just follow the rules below to be entered into the contest.   

1. Follow on Twitter @HikingGuide and @HiTecUSA, tweet this giveaway using “Tweet to win Hi-Tec Cascadia Backpacking Boots! | Giveaway from @HiTecUSA and @HikingGuide http://bit.ly/bIBRyp”
or
2. Blog about this giveaway and send the link to your post to @HiTecUSA

Contest Rules:  Contest is open to those living in the U.S. and Canada.  The hiking boot contest starts March 24, 2010 and ends midnight April 20, 2010.  One entry per person.  If the winner’s size is out of stock, Hi-Tec will replace with another style of equal of lesser value.