Survival Star Bear Grylls stamps endorsement on Tiny GPS Device
British survival star Bear Grylls has leant his brand and endorsement to a pair of Bushnell GPS trackers. Will he use the products on his upcoming TV show, “Get Out Alive”?
Adventures in Eating: Foraging in an Australian Mangrove Swamp
Iron-tipped bamboo spears and a sense of adventure were required on a recent crab hunting trip in tropical Queensland. Our correspondent wrote on the day-long trip (and the meal that followed).
GPS Device: Now with WiFi, Android OS (same as a smartphone)
It costs more than many tablet or notebook computers. But for $649 Garmin thinks it has “taken the outdoor GPS to a whole new level.”
Flip-Flops offer ‘Sleeping Pad Comfort’ in Every Step
Casual footwear company Freewaters teamed up with Therm-a-Rest to create a flip-flop that employs sleeping pad technology to achieve big time comfort and solid everyday functionality.
How To: Dress for a Desert Trek in Jordan
Long-sleeve shirts and pants might seem strange when the temp is pushing 100 degrees. But our editor swears covering up from the sun keeps you cooler in the end.
Into the Depths… ‘Wadi Ghwayr’ Canyon Trek in Jordan
A GearJunkie editor explored a remote canyon in the country of Jordan last week. This is his report from the Dana Biosphere Reserve, a craggy wilderness near the Dead Sea.
Hiking Petra: Desert Heights, Archaeological Sites
You can’t help but feel a little “Indiana Jones” when hiking into Petra. This week, a GearJunkie editor explored the world-class Jordanian site.
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Photo of the Day: Strong Wind on Angel’s Landing
Reader Chris Mullenberg battles high winds hiking up Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. “The view was worth the effort!”
Hatchet, Paracord knife in new Bear Grylls line from Gerber
Gerber and Bear Grylls are at it again, this spring releasing a hatchet, two knives and a flashlight. We got a sneak peek.
Walking 350 miles on snow: ‘Iditarod Invitational’ finisher John Storkamp
John Storkamp is no stranger to moving long distances over snow. During the coldest months the 33-year-old Minnesotan is often found pulling a sled full of survival gear across a frozen wilderness. Last month, he did it for 350 miles in Alaska.
Really? ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ backpack Kit
We are unclear about the fascination with the walking dead and the end of the world. Either way, this week there debuts yet another “Zombie Apocalypse”-branded product, and this time the product is nearly as strange as the trend itself.
Fix a Zipper, Make a ‘Beer Can’ hat. Follow these Tips.
Want to learn how to make a hat out of duct tape and a beer can? How about replace a sleeping bag zipper? In this post, author Kristin Hostetter shares a few tips from her book, The Complete Guide to Outdoor Gear Maintenance and Repair.
‘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.
Top 10 ‘Weekend Warrior’ Photos
From ice caves to Grand Teton National Park, here are the Top 10 reader photo submissions for this week’s installment of our “Weekend Warrior” feature.
Destination: Conundrum Hot Springs
Hot springs of the American West range from the pristine to the skeezy. Happy to report our recent trip to popular Conundrum Springs near Aspen leaned to the former, despite the dead cow bones and ample exposed human flesh.
Hiking Boots go Minimal, Get Weird
The trend of minimal footwear is not lost on hiking boot manufacturers. After years of boots getting lighter and more flexible, a few companies are now going to the extreme.
‘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.
‘Barefoot Boots’ new Trend at Merrell
The barefoot craze has made its way to hiking boots. Merrell will offer multiple “barefoot-influenced” boot models with lighter weights and low-drop, flexible builds beginning in 2013.
Kayaks, Waterfalls, Fjords: A Norway Pictorial
Think of any cliché of wilderness beauty and it’s nearly certain to fit in with the fjord region of Norway. Last month, our writer took a week to tour part of the region. Here’s a peek at what he saw along the way.
Iceland and ECCO Shoes: High-Latitude Trip
Iceland! This week, a GearJunkie editor jetted to Reykjavík for some high-latitude adventure + to see the debut of a new footwear line from Danish shoemaker ECCO. Here are a few images from the action so far. . .
Grand Canyoneering: First Descents Into Uncharted Slots
“Out of the bright light and into the dark — once we pulled the rope we were committed to going down.” That’s a snippet from this adventure tale, where GearJunkie contributor Ryan Stuart explores an uncharted set of slots off the Grand Canyon.
Father of GearJunkie, Age 63, Treks 96 miles Thru Badlands
This week, Chuck Regenold, age 63 and the father of GearJunkie editor Stephen Regenold, hiked the 96-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail in western North Dakota’s Badlands. He went solo and carried all food and water for the trek, battling blisters, vague trail spurs, and free-range steer not happy to see him along the route.
Into the Depths: Canyoneering ‘Gravel Canyon’
A three-day canyon descent in Utah provided an optimal gear test venue for our writer, who shouldered a 50-pound pack to climb down, crawl, stem, rappel, and otherwise scramble into the depths on a famous desert route.
Launch! ‘Off The Map’ Video Series
The adventure is on! This year, the GearJunkie crew heads “off the map” to iconic outdoor destinations around North America. Follow us on an exclusive five-part video series that starts today.
GearJunkie Crew Back From ‘Lost Coast’
Sore, soggy, and a bit wind-burnt in the face from constant north-blowing gales, the GearJunkie team is back from California and an adventure on the state’s infamous Lost Coast.
GearJunkie Off-Grid on ‘Lost Coast’
GearJunkie is going off the grid. This week, to film the first episode of a new video series, a few of us here at GearJunkie will be trekking a lonesome and infamous shoreline route in northern California on a backpacking trip.
Ersatz Outdoors: Hike National Parks on Your Computer Screen
A website unveiled this week at the South by Southwest Interactive Conference lets you “hike” more than 300 miles of trails on your computer screen. Explore Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains and Yellowstone with the click of a mouse.
Hydration Hack: Converter Turns Disposable Bottles into ‘Bladders’
Screw on your Coke bottle and hook up the hose. The JetFlow is a simple threaded converter that comes with three feet of hose and can work in a backpack with a disposable bottle to make an ad hoc hydration system.
Rare Handcrafted Pocketknife is Sleek, Not Cheap
No type-o, this pocketknife, sold on boutique Kaufmann Mercantile, costs an astonishing $330! But for that cost you get a rare handmade piece in an era where cheap goods and mass production are the norm.
Intelligent Illumination? Headlamp ‘Self-Adjusts’ its Beam
The Petzl NAO, a new headlamp, uses sensors to adjust its beam “instantly and automatically” depending on what you’re looking at. GearJunkie got a sneak peek at the potentially game-changing technology.
Push Button and Go! No-Fuss GPS Tracker
As GPS devices come, we’ve not found a simpler or less expensive product than the AMOD Data Logger. Made originally for photographers looking to track where pictures were taken, the AMOD has outdoors applications for anyone in need of a no-fuss GPS tracking device.
