Gear Patrol

The outdoorsman on your list is easily identifiable: he’s rarely home and smells faintly of man sweat and wood smoke when you do catch him between excursions. His particular passion falls within an extensive of range possible pursuits (noodling for catfish, anyone?), but one thing is for certain — he does them outside. His look…

The latest in automotive headlight technology is downright impressive. Adaptive headlights turn with the steering wheel, high-beams deactivate when oncoming traffic approaches and self-leveling low beams move when the road angle changes. Why can’t headlamps follow suit? No more complaining: the Petzl NAO ($175), an adaptive and rechargable headlamp, seems to work in conjunction with…

Should you ever be in the unfortunate situation of being stranded in the winter, most survivalists advise that you stay in your vehicle and wait for help. This, of course, is the wisest course of action. Should you find it absolutely necessary to leave your vehicle to get help (for a loved one in medical…

I recently decided to ditch the use of flashlights entirely in my life, in favor of a solid headlamp. After all, what can a flashlight do that a headlamp can’t (aside from not sticking tenaciously to your noggin, of course)? After researching the best model for my need, which include camping, hiking, and late night…

Head lamps have come a long way since we were on our last scouting trip. No longer do you need to have a glorified Mag Lite strapped to your head, bobbing around and weighing your head down. Petzl’s new Tikka Plus 2 has opened our eyes and become quite a convenient piece of gear to…