Granite Gear’s undyed Virga3 brings inclusive, adaptable sizing to an ultralight package. It’s smartly designed and well-priced — with a few growing pains.
Written by Ian Graber-Stiehl
1 article
Ian Graber-Stiehl
Title: Contributing Writer
Location: Elgin, IL
Portfolio: https://muckrack.com/ian-graber-stiehl
Expertise
- Topics of Expertise: Hiking, Backpacking, Bikepacking, Bushcraft, Knives, Survival, Archery, Hunting, Fishing, Camping, Canoeing
- Years in This Expertise: 15+
- Number Of Products & Number Of Hours Expert Has Tested: 100+ products, 1,000+ hours
Experience & Certifications
- Years of Writing: 10+
- Certifications: EMT-B, United States Army Intelligence Training
- Previous Publications: Scientific American, Popular Science, Nature, and Men’s Journal
A Word from Ian Graber-Stiehl
I got into bushcraft at around 7 years of age watching Survivorman. By the time I was 9, I had gotten my first hatchet. I would make lean-tos along old logging access roads in Louisiana longleaf pine forests. In high school, I got into foraging and bass fishing. When I joined the Army, I got into camping, hiking, and mountain biking. After my exit, I got into bikepacking (before I ever knew the name for it) and backpacking. As of today, I am a backpacker, bikepacker, bushcrafter, angler (spinning and baitcasting, with some fly fishing and bowfishing experience), archer, forager, canoer, and hammock devotee. I am also a former amateur bladesmith of 2 years and have been a professional sharpener of knives, swords, axes, chainsaws, and more for nearly 10 years. I have also gone through EMT-B training, and intend to work on a Wildland Firefighter crew. I’m a gear obsessive. I spent at least 60 days afield annually, and have hiked everywhere from Sedona to the Ozarks, in Missouri, Lousiana, and Illinois.
