Gear Patrol

We love winter and all it brings: fires, warm sweaters, skiing and flasks of Scotch. But come June, we’re ready to bust out and undertake some adventures that can only be done in the warmer months. Memorial Day is traditionally when bikes and boats and boots get dusted off and you hit the ground running until the Labor Day slow down. This summer, why not go a little further and tackle something truly epic? We’re here to help with five great summer-only adventures. There are only twelve weeks of summer, so get planning.

Eschewing the goliath, steel-toed, curb-stomp readiness of hiking boots of yore, the LiteTrace Mid Waterproof Hiker ($150) are the funked-up kick you’ve been looking to hit your next trail with. Three-ply laminated waterproof membrane, durable upper mesh and climbing rubber overlays, Pebax midsole foam for durability and comfort; and Green Rubber lug soles for outstanding…

“Open Road” is an ongoing series of dispatches written and photographed by guest correspondent, Foster Huntington, during his epic cross-country adventure for his upcoming book by Harper Collins. Foster is the creator of Arestlesstransplant and The Burning House. Check out previous parts of the series here. My alarm went off at 2:15am on Thursday, the…

This is not the KFC spork of yore, so dispel those flash backs of middle school field trips and cellophane packaged cutlery. Made entirely of titanium, the super light Triple Aught Design Titanium Folding Spork ($39) reduces arm fatigue as you stuff your face with last night’s left overs. Plus, it has a bottle cap/can…

I’ve preferred air mattresses over sleeping pads for as long as I can remember, but when it came time to buy a lightweight alternative, I immediately turned to the Z Lite by Therm-a-Rest ($30). Many folks who spend a good deal of time sleeping on the ground swear by them, so I wanted to give…

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 otherwise. In the past, though, portable options for purifying fresh water while traveling have been pretty dismal. Boiling, of course,…

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 find yourself, and, when the unexpected strikes, a man wants to be able to be decisive and take charge, knowing…

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.

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 on it, and tested it myself. So, when the Rab Microlight came my way unexpectedly, I had no idea what to…