By Ben BowerscloseAuthor: Ben Bowers Name: Ben Bowers
Email: bbowers@gearpatrol.com
Site: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/author/bbowers/
About: See Authors Posts (206) on Friday, 19 Jun, 2009 – 13:44 | 3 Comments

Clean, drinkable water is critical to life on this planet and is a resource that those of us in first world countries often take for granted. That is, unless you’ve traveled far enough to know …

Man make fire. Gwaarrrg!

By Dusty OverbycloseAuthor: Dusty Overby Name: Dusty Overby
Email: doverby@gearpatrol.com
Site: http://www.gearpatrol.com
About: Gents… my name is Dusty. To date, I have been resident amongst the masses of Gear Patrol devotees. Now, I have received a different calling. My charge is to shrug off the casual and carefree life of one who solely reads; I am to eschew the selfish pleasures man-info consumption, and to, instead, contribute mighty works of journalistic prowess suitable for the enlightenment of the Gear Patrol audience. I’m sure that we would all agree that Gear Patrol shines as a bright beacon in the world of Men’s Lifestyle and Leisure. With numerous other sites and magazines vying for your attention, you read Gear Patrol because it cuts through the worthless flotsam and jetsam the other sites and blogs rehash day in and day out, bringing you a unique perspective on the latest gizmos and whatnots that matter to you. Well, it just so happens that I majored in gizmos and minored in whatnots. Hopefully, my background and experiences will allow me to deliver piping-hot and tasty content direct to you from my areas of expertise. I was schooled in the beautiful Southeastern U.S. of A. There I spent only a modicum of time in actual class; instead wisely opting to hone other skills such as video game dominance (Ed: Dusty’s GoldenEye skills were unparalleled - full stop), media and entertainment studies, and indulging my competitive nature. Post graduation, I sojourned for three years in southern Germany. There, I garnered a great appreciation for European culture as well as their longstanding brewing traditions/skills. Needless to say, travel is up there on my list of personal passions. Now I am back in the States where, by day, I work in sales and marketing in the construction industry. Also, I’m an on-again, off-again runner who enjoys many outdoor activities, preeminent among them being a fanatical, though rarely fantastical, golfer. That being said, you may have to indulge some of my written idiosyncrasies. If my posts get too wacky, surely someone will let me know (Eric?). I plan to bring a bit of wit and wisdom to a community that clearly already has them in spades. Fellow readers, I shall do you proud by helping advance Gear Patrol in advancing you. After all, it’s a good bet that at least some of what entertains me just might entertain you too. Dusty can be reached for question or comments via e-mail at doverby@gearpatrol.com.See Authors Posts (129) on Friday, 8 May, 2009 – 12:56 | 9 Comments

You might call us latter day Boy Scouts, but we at Gear Patrol have been riffing on a certain theme of late: Be Prepared. It’s just that you never know in what situation you might …

Every Man Needs A Rain Jacket. Else, Be Wet.

By Dusty OverbycloseAuthor: Dusty Overby Name: Dusty Overby
Email: doverby@gearpatrol.com
Site: http://www.gearpatrol.com
About: Gents… my name is Dusty. To date, I have been resident amongst the masses of Gear Patrol devotees. Now, I have received a different calling. My charge is to shrug off the casual and carefree life of one who solely reads; I am to eschew the selfish pleasures man-info consumption, and to, instead, contribute mighty works of journalistic prowess suitable for the enlightenment of the Gear Patrol audience. I’m sure that we would all agree that Gear Patrol shines as a bright beacon in the world of Men’s Lifestyle and Leisure. With numerous other sites and magazines vying for your attention, you read Gear Patrol because it cuts through the worthless flotsam and jetsam the other sites and blogs rehash day in and day out, bringing you a unique perspective on the latest gizmos and whatnots that matter to you. Well, it just so happens that I majored in gizmos and minored in whatnots. Hopefully, my background and experiences will allow me to deliver piping-hot and tasty content direct to you from my areas of expertise. I was schooled in the beautiful Southeastern U.S. of A. There I spent only a modicum of time in actual class; instead wisely opting to hone other skills such as video game dominance (Ed: Dusty’s GoldenEye skills were unparalleled - full stop), media and entertainment studies, and indulging my competitive nature. Post graduation, I sojourned for three years in southern Germany. There, I garnered a great appreciation for European culture as well as their longstanding brewing traditions/skills. Needless to say, travel is up there on my list of personal passions. Now I am back in the States where, by day, I work in sales and marketing in the construction industry. Also, I’m an on-again, off-again runner who enjoys many outdoor activities, preeminent among them being a fanatical, though rarely fantastical, golfer. That being said, you may have to indulge some of my written idiosyncrasies. If my posts get too wacky, surely someone will let me know (Eric?). I plan to bring a bit of wit and wisdom to a community that clearly already has them in spades. Fellow readers, I shall do you proud by helping advance Gear Patrol in advancing you. After all, it’s a good bet that at least some of what entertains me just might entertain you too. Dusty can be reached for question or comments via e-mail at doverby@gearpatrol.com.See Authors Posts (129) on Tuesday, 5 May, 2009 – 14:00 | 7 Comments

The Marmot Essence Jacket is just that - the essence of what you need in a rain jacket and nothing more. It keeps you dry, is light and breathable, and you’ll find it eminently packable. The Essence gets a sound GP recommendation in the rain jacket department.

Microlight Feels Like An Understatement

By Jon GaffneycloseAuthor: Jon Gaffney Name: Jon Gaffney
Email: jgaffney@gearpatrol.com
Site: http://www.gearpatrol.com
About: I joined Gear Patrol because I love searching for gear in my free time, and I felt the need to pass on my knowledge. As an avid reader of everything online, my bookmark list is about as bloated as George Costanza’s wallet; needless to say, my tastes are eclectic. So, readers, prepare yourselves for variety. That said, I know that you work hard for your disposable income, so if I recommend something you can be sure I’ve done the research to know that it’s worth your while. Outside of the gear, I am a born and bred New Englander who recently completed a 2 year stint below the Mason-Dixon Line, and I’m glad to have the Sox and Pats on local programming again (Please refrain from any TB Rays or NY Giants jokes). I’m also a Social Media dork so feel free to hit me up on Twitter @jongaffney. I graduated not too long ago with a BS in Marketing and, according to my friends, an MS in the History Channel. As a collegiate athlete, my interest and passion for sports and fitness has carried with me. I’m always up for an adrenaline fix whether it’s from the gym, from skydiving, or from an intense game of ultimate. That’s me in a nutshell, and if any one has suggestions, comments, disagreements, or something you think I should review just shoot me an email. Slainte!See Authors Posts (61) on Monday, 27 Apr, 2009 – 11:54 | Comment Now

It’s not often I find myself very surprised by a product. Well before my review of any product is published on Gear Patrol, I have researched it extensively, read other people’s comments and reviews …