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Home »Posts tagged  gear review

Tag: gear review

One Year Review – OYGSieg Sun Hoodie

Posted onFebruary 23, 2026February 23, 2026AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at some effective sun hoodies for cool to cold weather use. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbackpacking, budget gear, clothing, gear, gear review, hiking, shirt, sun protection

Gear Review – Nalgene Ultralite Wide-Mouth Bottle

Posted onJanuary 8, 2026January 8, 2026AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at the Nalgene UL widemouthed bottle that has a place in our cold weather kit. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear, gear review, water containers, winter

The Quiver – Top Shelters of all time!

Posted onDecember 5, 2025December 6, 2025AuthorPaul Mags17 Comments

What began as a parody of “top ten” gear lists has grown into a reflection on how real shelter choices evolve with trips, partners, seasons, and the simple goal of sleeping well and walking on. Updated 2025. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagscar camping, gear review, shelters, tents, the quiver, winter

Gear Review – Gossamer Gear Mariposa 2025

Posted onAugust 28, 2025September 4, 2025AuthorJoanLeave a comment

Joan looks at 2025 Gossamer Gear Mariposa. It’s a pack she’s used for a while in both the 2014 and 2016 iterations and she compares and contrasts the various iterations. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear review, Gossamer Gear, Joan West, packs

Eight-year review – Stanley Adventure Cook set

Posted onAugust 8, 2025August 8, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

An eight year review of the Stanley Adventure Cook set. A humble piece of kit we probably have used hundreds of times at this point, Read More …

CategoriesGearTagscooking, gear review

Gear Review: UCO Utility Spork 3-in-1 Combo Spoon-Fork-Knife

Posted onJuly 12, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

The UCO Utility Spork 3-in-1 Combo Spoon-Fork-Knife from is a modest item that Joan and I use all the time since 2019. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagscooking, gear review, stoves

Gear Review – Gossamer Gear Loris 25 daypack

Posted onJuly 6, 2025December 3, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at the Gossamer Gear Loris 25 daypack that’s a worthy successor to the Type II utility packs we we wore out. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear review, Joan West, packs

First impressons – Gossamer Gear “The Two”

Posted onJune 30, 2025December 3, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

An initial overlook at The Gossamer Gear “The Two” that Joan and I have used the past couple of months. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear review, shelters

Gear Review – Squak Camp Dress

Posted onJune 27, 2025July 3, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Joan looks at her new favorite car camping staples these past few months – The Squak Camp Dress. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, fleece, gear review, Joan West

Long term review – 2010 ~50 liter Igloo cooler

Posted onJune 4, 2025June 4, 2025AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

A long tern review of the decidely un-hip Costco Igloo cooler from 2010. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear review, stoves

Two+ Year review – LightHeart Gear Fleece Hoodie

Posted onMarch 4, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A longer term review of the LightHeart Gear micogrid fleece hoodie. Made in the USA, readily avialable, warm and fuzzy, but best for people who run cold or static use. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsclothing, fleece, gear review, Joan West

An overlook -Alpha Squak V2

Posted onJanuary 24, 2025February 4, 2026AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

A look at the Alpha Squak V2. The TL;DR – I like the garment itself but I still find Alpha fleece a niche use for my needs. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsclothing, fleece, gear review

Gear review -Zengjo grid fleece hoodie

Posted onNovember 30, 2024December 1, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A $20 grid fleece hoodie that’s not as well made as others ones, but a good price for a no-frills piece of kit. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbudget, clothing, fleece, gear, gear review

Gear review – Coghlan’s Map Compass

Posted onNovember 22, 2024November 22, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A basic compass at $8 from Coghlan’s but made for them by a navigation company with over 40 years experience. Good quality at a good price! Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsbudget gear, gear, gear review, tools

Gear review – Laek Adventure Towels

Posted onNovember 19, 2024June 21, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at the laek adventure towels – simple, sturdy, quick drying, and absorbent. Awesome for our extended camping trips and times in between backpacking. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagscar camping, clothing, gear review

Gear Review – Salomon X Ultra Pioneer hiking shoes

Posted onSeptember 20, 2024September 20, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at the Salomon X Ultra Pioneer hiking shoes, Call them the “Subaru Outback of hiking shoes.” Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsfootwear, gear, gear review

Gear review – Cyansky L2 Rechargeable Lightweight Headlamp

Posted onSeptember 5, 2024September 5, 2024AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A look at the Cyansky L2 Rechargeable Lightweight Headlamp that fits a more robust niche than general backpacking. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsgear, gear review, lights

Gear review: Topo Terraventure 4 Trail-Running Shoes

Posted onJune 4, 2024June 6, 2024AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

I loved the Ultraventure 3s and now I love the Terraventure 4s even more. An excellent “do it all” shoe for many different conditions. Read More …

CategoriesGearTagsfootwear, gear, gear review, review

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A Quick Guide to Moab

The Squak – A readily available, $60, active-focused grid fleece hoodie from a Utah-based company. Read the review.

Women’s | Men’s | Children’s   

The Squak Camp Dress 

One of Joan’s favorites!

The Squak Alpha Fleece 

                                                                    

– 15% off coupon = PMAGS-SQUAK                                                                                                      

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Some local hiking this weekend. I scouted a route for a possible packrafting trip later this month, and on Sunday, @ramblinghemlock and I meandered through a canyon we’ve been curious about for a while.
I can’t imagine this landscape with a wall.
Two years inside the Park Service, trying to balance trade and calling. I left in fall 2025, and I’m still making sense of it - part grief, part gratitude, and part closure.
With a brief but noticeable bit of winter this past week, we opted not to travel the muddy, snowy roads into more remote areas. Instead, we tackled some home projects on Saturday and spent Sunday revisiting a place we hadn’t seen in a while. Red rock, canyon wrens, images, and late winter desert light accompanied the day.
@ramblinghemlock and I pivoted from an original trip after much-needed rain on Friday. On Saturday, we avoided muddy roads that would have derailed our original plan and spent two nights poking around a place we could reach only because of temporary, water-filled potholes and a handy Ziploc bag that made it possible. We also revisited sights we hadn’t seen in a while. Red rock, grand views, and old images marked the unofficial long weekend kickoff of spring around Moab.
@ramblinghemlock and I finally felt better and took a long-overdue trip into the backcountry. We slept outside and enjoyed the peace of the wild places. Canyon wrens filled the canyon with song during the day, and owl calls echoed off the walls at night. We returned to places we had not seen in a while and saw places new to us. The land endures.

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