If you are like me, you’ll often want to be wearing a simple, light approach shoe for a lot of your hiking instead of always using a heavy boot. In that case you should take a serious look at the Hanwag Drifter, a lightweight cross between a boot and a shoe that seems really suited […]
MSR Whisperlite Review: A Great All-Round Stove
I’m ashamed that it has taken me this long to finally getting around to writing an MSR Whisperlite Review. I should have done it ages ago because it is not just one of the best liquid-fuel stoves out there, it is also by far one of the most popular. A quick description The Whisperlite is […]
Death of a "Tragically Unprepared" Hiker
I recently came across a really tragic story in the New Zealand press about the death of a hiker who had fallen and died after trying to cross a snowy pass without crampons or an ice axe. You can read more about it here. The basic facts seem to be that the 23-year-old German, who was […]
Vango Banshee 200
The Vango Banshee 200 is a pretty darned light tent that doesn’t cost too much either and that makes a great light (if slightly crowded) backpacking tent for 2 or, if you’re prepared to carry a bit more weight, a roomy tent for 1. It is compact and stable and should stand up reasonably well […]
The MSR Hubba Hubba Review
MSR is a great company with an excellent reputation so it is not surprising that their tents are such best sellers. They have a full range that extends all the way from skimpy little shelters that weight hardly anything all the way up to some pretty serious expedition and mountaineering tents. One of their more […]