Gear
Sierra Designs is putting on a giveaway that you’ll want to get in on, through this Thursday (Feb 24). Enter to win a Flex Capacitor 40-60 Pack and a signed copy of The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide. Enter here at SierraDesigns.com Update. This contest has closed. Congrats to the winners: Laura H. of Denver, and…
Update (Feb 26): The High Route is currently back in stock. For about a month the Sierra Designs High Route Tent has been unavailable: The gearing-up season has already started, and I’ve received a few direct inquiries about when it will become available again, which means that probably a few more people are wondering the same.…
From Lisa K.: For two reasons I wanted to share my answer to this reader question. First, I have not yet addressed the appropriateness of the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor 40-60 Pack for thru-hiking, and I probably should. Second, it gives me an opportunity to discuss the specific needs of thru-hikers in regards to backpack selection. Appropriateness for thru-hiking…
The $400 and $450 retail prices on the new Garmin inReach SE+ and Garmin inReach Explorer+ probably causes many prospective customers to balk. Like the second-generation inReach units, the inReach+ models can send and receive text messages and emergency signals even if outside of cellular range. But the inReach+ units are more than just that. They…
My earlier preview of the new Garmin inReach SE+ and Explorer+ prompted as many reader questions as it sought to answer. So I followed up with Garmin to dive deeper into technical matters, clarify product functionality, and discuss future product roll-outs. If you’re not yet familiar with the inReach+ units, read the preview first, then return…
Over at the Sierra Designs blog I just published a design history of the High Route Tent 1FL. From my initial primitive sketch, it took four major prototypes to get it right. If you are interested in shelter design or want to better understand how the High Route Tent came to be, have a read.
The second edition of The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide will be released on March 7! At a National Geographic book signing event last week, I nabbed a few extra copies for reader giveaways, which I’ll randomly hold between now and then. I wrote the Second Edition last spring. It is entirely updated, and had to be largely…
Sierra Designs will receive a new shipment of its Flex Capacitor 40-60 Pack at the end of February. The pack has been well received by customers and the media, and we’re optimistic about its future. A few changes have been made to this next round of production. I’ve mentioned these changes in several places, but figured I…
Garmin announced two new inReach devices shortly after the New Year, immediately prior to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES): inReach SE+ inReach Explorer+ Last week I was able to inspect them first-hand and discuss them with representatives at Outdoor Retailer (OR). The original manufacturer of the inReach, DeLorme, was purchased by Garmin a year ago. So the inReach+…
I generally recommend telescopic poles like the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork (long-term review) and Cascade Mountain Tech Quick Lock (long-term review) because they are: Convenient for air-travel; Easily stow-able on the outside of a backpack, for extended talus scrambles; and, Adjustable, and therefore can fit different family members, can be used for different outdoor activities (e.g.…