Print Custom, Waterproof Maps with Adventure Paper

by Justin Glow on

National Geographic has a product called Adventure Paper that lets you print your own custom, waterproof maps on a regular old inkjet printer. They claim it “will withstand the rigors of the outdoors, and is durable enough to last you through your entire backcountry adventure.” Waterproof, foldable, and temperature and tear-resistant, Adventure Paper looks like the perfect tool for trail hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities and adventure sports. The reviews seem good too.

Dave Anderson writes, “I have tested the Adventure Paper in rain and I have also exposed it to salt water while sea kayaking. It appears to be unaffected in either case. I have also subjected it to hamburger grease, mustard, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, pizza grease, barbeque potato chips and various sorts of less tasty goo while in the field. These all washed off with at the worst, minor stains, and most of them wiped off completely.”

Inkjet printers are best, and they discourage printing onto Adventure Paper with a laser printer. $19.95 for 25 8.5″x11″ sheets.

Modern Yurts: The Nomad

by Justin Glow on

The traditional yurt — first used in the nomadic cultures of Central Asia — is being modernized and marketed towards the rich glampers of today. Leading this trend is the Nomad (above) yurt by Ecoshack. For a cool $6,800 USD you get a kit containing everything you need to construct the most advanced yurt currently available — complete with a “beautifully sealed and sanded platform floor surface.” An extra $1,500 will get you a WeatherMax cover to keep the rain out.

Cool, but expensive. If you’re looking to build your own yurt, there are plenty of resources online to make a cheaper version of the Nomad. Start with Dan Kuehn’s Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably. [via]

WoodGas Camp Stove: Smaller, Lighter, More Efficient

by Willy Volk on

The WoodGas Camp Stove is more clever than its name suggests. A revolution in outdoor cooking, this tough stove starts quickly and easily; weighs only 2 pounds; uses 90% less fuel than ordinary stoves; and burns almost any plant-based fuel. You can even burn wet plant material.

Using a small (battery- or solar-powered) fan to draw fresh air into the unit’s dual stage combustion chamber, the WoodGas stove effectively burns fuel twice — allowing for a cleaner, hotter, more efficient stove.

Developed by a scientist with more than 30 years experience in biomass energy, the compact Stove is perfect for backpacking, hiking, camping, tailgating, hurricane preparedness, or making s’mores in the backyard. Get yours for $50. Bearded, woodsy, avuncular man not included.

Ursack’s Bear Resistant Food Bags

by Willy Volk on

With a sense of smell 7 times more powerful than a bloodhound, bears can sniff out your Trail Mix from miles away. Therefore, when hiking and camping in bear country, it’s advisable to carry your food in “bear proof” containers.

Ursack makes bear and critter resistant food bags from flexible, “bullet proof” fabric — the same fabric used by the military. Ideal for backpackers, kayakers and other wilderness users, the Ursack S29 has an optional foil liner to further protect your food. Boasting 650 cubic inches of pack space, the bag weighs a feathery 8 ounces and comes in that familiar faded military green color.

When tied properly, the Ursack actually becomes more bear-resistant the longer a bear tugs: the toothy mammal actually cinches the rope tighter with each additional pull. Check out the video to see a bear foiled at his attempt to get a snack.

FindMeATent Helps You Pitch That Tent

by Willy Volk on

If you’ve ever gone to a sporting goods store and browsed the tent aisles, you know what a tricky task it can be. Most stores only have a few brands in stock — and only a portion of them are set up for viewing. Even then, browsing tents erected in a building, on fireproof carpet, under fluorescent lights is akin to having a blind date in a noisy bar: you really can’t learn anything substantive from the experience.

If you’re looking for unbiased reviews of tents, check out FindMeATent. Allowing users to compare 800+ tents and to read 400+ personal reviews, FindMeATent can help make pitching your tent all the more enjoyable.