Hip Sip

by Erik Olsen on

It’s been a little while since we posted anything
gear-wise. Now this is not a big deal. It’s just something I came across in one of the outdoor mags I read. Nalgene is
a name you probably know if you carry much liquid with you when you head out. I’ve got a pair of Nalgene water bottles
for camping and hiking.

They’re great. The plastic is durable, the seals are remarkably tight and they
carry a lot of water or gatorade or whatever. But they’re pretty big, and you can’t really get by without lugging them
wherever you go. Others must have the same issue – space and size – because Nalgene has released a cool little bottle/flask
that you can strap to your hip. It’s fit 12 ounces of liquid…and is very nicely designed.

The first thing
that came to mind was that this would be a great little flask for skiing/snowboarding. Which means, of course, I’m not
talking about using it to hold water. Well, at least Bode Miller would know what I’m talking about. Anyway, the handy
little 12 ouncer retails for about $9.

Climbing Glossary

by Erik Olsen on

Every sport and activity has its own language and set of
terms. Climbing is not different, and so unless you are a hard-core climber or know someone who is, and who loves to
blab incessantly about his/her exploits, chances are you have no idea what an abseil is, let alone a prusik, smear or
perhaps not even a top rope.

And so the folks over at Gorp have come up with a handy guide, a dictionary of sorts
for climber-speak. You can get a solid grasp of these terms and many others, including ones that may some day be useful
to you should you decide to give the sport of climbing a try. For example, it would be a good thing to know what
cerebral edema is, especially if you or someone you are with ever has it. CE is the swelling of the brain due to lack
of oxygen. A neat little guide.

The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show

by Adrienne Wilson on

Returning on March
17-19, 2006, the Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show, one of the
biggest outdoors show in Europe will be held at the NEC in Birmingham. Comprised of some really awesome specialist
shows, adventure enthusiasts can find in a fit in almost every category. Climbers can check out the BMC Climb 2006 show featuring a mountain theater packed with
inspirational stories from mountaineers and climbers and beginners can test their skills in climb zone and rock cafe.
Aside from the climbers paradise other speciality shows include the Go Diving! 2006, Canoe 2006, Adventure Travel Show,
and Adventure Sports Show. While all the shows offer fascinating trip planning tips and methods to perfect your
adventure travel hobbies one that seems highly worth making the trip to Birmingham is within the Go Diving! show.

The British Underwater Image Festival will highlight
the underwater works of professional television documentary makers to first-time photographers with a fetish for
photographing great whites, schools of fish or sea coral. 50 of the best prints will be exhibited in a special area of
the Go Diving! show and six finalists from the film categories will have their work shown over the course of Friday and
Saturday. Underwater pictures are always cool to check out, especially for the non-diver like myself who may never
experience these sea worlds.

Rheinhold Messner's Demons

by Erik Olsen on

If you’re at all into mountaineering or climbing, then you know the name Rheinhold Messner. He is one of the
biggest names in the history of the sport. And you also likely know that one a fatal expedition many years ago, Messner
lost his brother Günther who died on Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat in 1970. For years Messner has been criticized for
abandoning his brother, an accusation he denies…and has long denied. Well the story goes on, and as you can see in this fine piece in Outside,
Messner is as vigorous and defiant as ever about his own role in the tragedy and about the details of his brother’s
fate.

It is a long, detailed story, but one worth reading if just for the drama and the character study of
Messner that the story lays out.