First Look: Bear Grylls unveils line of Camping gear
The British survival celebrity makes a comeback to TV this summer and simultaneously stamps his name on a full line of camping gear. Last week, GearJunkie got a sneak peek.
Waterproof Adventure Duffel put to Test
Our writer tests the waterproof and rugged SealLine Duffel on an adventure trip through the wilds of Alaska. It has a drysuit zipper and fits 75 liters’ worth of gear, enough for a weeklong trip.
‘Faster, Lighter’ Mountainsmith Pack for 2013
A fair deal at $129, this to-be-released backpacking model from Mountainsmith promises to catch attention for next season. We got a first look at the 50-liter pack last week.
Dragged behind a Truck? ‘Honey Badger’ backpack Don’t Care.
A backpack that’s durable? Sure. A pannier that can withstand the elements? Definitely. But what about a pack that does both. . . and can survive a truck-drag durability test?
‘Bells and Whistles’ Backpack Humps a Large Load
Uber-engineered the German way, the AirContact packs from Deuter GmbH have all the features you need to haul gear on big trips into the wilds, and then some. Straps, pockets, and touches like an air-channel back panel and “pivoting hip fins” set the lux pack apart.
Hard-Side Suitcase Keeps Gear Safe for Travel
A polycarbonate shell that zips closed keeps equipment safe inside this $125 case. Our writer rolls the Spinner model from eBags on a few trips to test it out.
Burliest Backpack ever Built? (Hard-Side Case Inside)
Pelican is known for its watertight, crush-proof cases. This month, the company’s Pelican ProGear division releases a series of backpacks that integrate hard-side cases into a pack frame.
Best OfView All
Backpack, Messenger Bag made of ‘Upcycled’ Auto Airbags
A new venture this year by footwear giant Keen will see the company employing leftover automobile airbags to turn them into backpacks, totes, messenger bags, and wallets. We got a pre-release pack to sling on for a test.
Monster ‘Roll-Top’ Messenger Bag from Chrome
Chrome’s new beast of a messenger bag packs up to 26 liters’ worth of goods inside. It’s waterproof and 21 inches wide, guaranteeing substantial sweat spots while pedaling in the summertime.
Micro-Backpack Folds Up, Fits In Pocket
Weighing in at just 3 ounces — but touted to be able to carry more than 30 pounds — the just-announced PackBack from Trek Light Gear is a featherweight of a day pack with hidden strength.
Chrome ‘Collabs’ on Beer-Branded Messenger Bag
Hipster marketing run amok or beer drinkers’ delight? Chrome teams up with the “Champagne of Beers” for a co-branded collection, including a Miller Highlife-emblazoned messenger bag.
‘Space Age’ Look for Super-Light Pack
Space-age design meets wilderness utility in an upcoming backpack line from Terra Nova Equipment. The U.K. company’s to-be-released Quasar series packs employ a crinkly polyethylene material usually used in yacht sails.
Urban Hipster Adventure Pack
Made of a sleek Dyneema fabric, the Minimal Backpack from New York City-based Outlier is marketed as an urban day-pack that is “backcountry tough.”
‘Fast & Light’ Backpacking Gear put to Test
Gear Junkie editor Stephen Regenold breaks down the equipment he used on a recent “fast and light” hike in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Carbon trekking poles, arms warmers, and a “bottom-less” sleeping bag were among the items in his kit.
Large and Light: Granite Gear ‘Crown’ Pack
Lightweight yet rugged and large, the to-be-released Crown 60 is set for fully-geared weekend backpacking trips or minimalists who are loaded with the bulk of food to trek long and far.
Easy Access: Pockets and Pouches for Backpacking
Writes Gear Junkie, “In the gear-that’s-changed-my-life category, the line item of ‘small accessible pockets on backpacks’ may seem odd.” This post details a half-dozen products that offer a simple upgrade in backpack accessibility to keep gear always at the ready on the go outside.
Test: Kid-Size Backpacking Gear
Quality, kid-size backpacking and camping gear from Deuter makes it easier to get the little ones outdoors. Our writer and his two sons, ages seven and 10, give the gear a test.
Stingrays and Pixie Dust: Columbia Sportswear 2012 Product Peek
Last night, at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, amid dinosaur bones and live stingrays undulating in a shallow pool, Columbia Sportswear previewed its spring 2012 product line. Gear Junkie gives a run-down of the ceremonies and the company’s unique new wares.
F-Stop: Adventure Camera Backpack
Founded by a group of working adventure-photographers, F-Stop is a pack company that markets to photojournalists as well as serious amateur shooters. Our resident adventure photog, T.C. Worley, gives an F-Stop pack a full field test.
What the F^$# is GORUCK?
Combine facets from Green Beret training camp, adventure racing, and a macho, male-bounding weekend, and you get the GORUCK Challenge, a boot-camp-style overnight feat. Our writer participated in a GORUCK event last month.
Review: Micro Waterproof Pack, Ultra-Sil Dry Day Pack
It packs into a hand-size pouch and weighs scant ounces. But unfurl this pack and you have a roll-top closure waterproof bag complete with shoulder straps. GearJunkie reviews Sea to Summit day pack.
Timbuk2 ‘Denim’ Messenger Bag
Classic Messenger bag style from San Francisco-based Timbuk2 now includes option of pseudo-denim fabric for its outside panel face.
Review: Osprey Bike Pack
Osprey aims to make bicycle commuting easier with its Momentum pack. Writer T.C. Worley hits the streets to give it a test.
Outside ‘Gear of the Year’
In its next issue, due on newsstands at the end of this month, Outside magazine will announce the Summer 2011 winners of its Gear of the Year awards. Here’s a sneak peek. . .
Review: Nimbus Trace 62
It’s built to carry loads of 40 pounds or more. A strange, gill-like panel was made to “fit the topography of your back.” Our writer tests the burly new Nimbus Trace 62 from Granite Gear.
Timbuk2 Bike Backpack
The Lightbrite Swig is made with a thick waterproof nylon fabric and has a simple, streamlined design. Gear Junkie gave it a three-month test.
Ultimate AR Backpack
Mike Kloser, a god in the sport of adventure racing, has founded a new company and designed a backpack. Gear Junkie got an exclusive first look.
Airline Carry-On Suitcases
Maximize your carry-on allowance with a suitcase built for that exact job. After a year of travel, Gear Junkie reviews a spread of overhead-compartment-compliant suitcases.
Water-Carrying ‘Vest’ Pack
Need to run or hike fast with water and little else? A hydration vest is a good option. In this column, Gear Junkie tests the new E-LITE vest from Hydrapak.
‘Top 10’ Gear of 2010
Drum roll. . . GearJunkie’s annual ‘Top 10’ Gear picks award the best of the best outdoors equipment after a year of use and abuse around the world. Congrats to Rab, Inov-8 Ltd., Icebug, Garmin, Ibex, Suunto. . .
Fjallraven Old-School Gear
Swedish company prides itself on classic design and a vintage look that could’ve been pulled from an LL Bean catalog page from decades back.
