Rain Mitt #3 – Biohazard mitts UPDATE OCT 2026
Update Oct 2025 – These biohazard trigger mittens are inexpensive, waterproof, and light at 1 oz a pair. Over time, I found they work surprisingly well for rain. Read More …
Tag: gear review
White Box Alcohol Stove: An 18-Year-Overdue Review
A look at nearly twenty years of use with the White Box alcohol stove, even as alcohol stoves faded from the mainstream and my own regular use.
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Hilltop Packs Custom Printed Dry Bags
Lightweight, durable, and personalized with photos from our trips. We’ve been using Hilltop Packs custom dry bags as an alternative to the humble trash compactor bag. Here’s how they’ve worked for us. Read More …
Squak Woolie Merino Hoodie – One Year Later
Joan shares her thoughts on the Squak Woolie Merino Hoodie after a year of use for hiking, backpacking, travel, and cold winter nights in the backcountry. Read More …
Gear Review – Generic $10 canister stove
A $10 canister stove I’ve recommended for years received some extended field use this past year. It’s not perfect, but it’s light, functional, and surprisingly capable for the price. Read More …
Gear Review – Squak Alpha Fleece Beanie
The Squak Alpha Fleece Beanie is absurdly light, breathable, and low bulk. I’m still not enamored with Alpha fleece for active use, but for static insulation, this $20 beanie fits nicely into my cold-weather system. Read More …
Gear Review – Hywell Merino Wool Socks 2.0
My review on an updated version of the Hywell merino wool socks. Read More …
Budget overlook – 32 Degree Heat light puffy
An inexpensive, functional puffy jacket for outdoor work, go bags, day hikes, and starter backpacking kit. Not fancy, but useful. Read More …
Gear Review – Hywell Merino Wool Boot Socks
An alternative sock to Darn Tough that does not quite work well for trail runners. Read More …
One Year Review – OYGSieg Sun Hoodie
A look at some effective sun hoodies for cool to cold weather use. Read More …
Gear Review – Nalgene Ultralite Wide-Mouth Bottle
A look at the Nalgene UL widemouthed bottle that has a place in our cold weather kit. Read More …
The Quiver – Top Shelters of all time!
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 …
Gear Review – Gossamer Gear Mariposa 2025
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 …
Eight-year review – Stanley Adventure Cook set
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 …
Gear Review: UCO Utility Spork 3-in-1 Combo Spoon-Fork-Knife
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 …
Gear Review – Gossamer Gear Loris 25 daypack
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 …
First impressons – Gossamer Gear “The Two”
An initial overlook at The Gossamer Gear “The Two” that Joan and I have used the past couple of months. Read More …
Gear Review – Squak Camp Dress
Joan looks at her new favorite car camping staples these past few months – The Squak Camp Dress. Read More …