Ever wanted to get you hands on some free gear and then take it for a test run in the mountains? Well, Backpacker Magazine is looking for 80 gear testers to try out boots, tents, sleeping backs and a variety of other backpacking equipment over the summer.
Click here to apply. With questions about “foot length” and “torso size” it will be the strangest job application you ever fill out. Just hope you’re not selected to try out the snake bite kit.
Looking for a great place to hke this weekend? Look no further than the trail database at traildatabase.org. You can pretty much find any where in the US to ramble and get some nice exercise. Now get out and do it!
I’ve got a rather serious addiction, probably the most common addiction in the world. I LOVE coffee. Not only do I drink a cup most everyday before and during and sometimes after work, I also LOVE a good cup of Java when I’m outdoors. There’s nothing quite as sweet as waking up and having a fresh cup of Joe right there waiting for you…OK, molasses covered sugar cubes are more sweet, but you get the point.
Anyway, for all those out there who shake in this luscious addiction, I want to point you to this rather handy gadget. Nothing too extraordinary here, but the Press-Bot is a kind of take-along coffee press that beats the heck out of Nescafe. One of the great things…OK, two great things…about this sleek gizmo is that it provides the kind of high-quality French-press effect you might find in someone’s home on the Upper East Side, while also working with just about wide-mouth Nalgene bottle. Now THAT’s cool. Never mind that all your water afterward will taste like coffee. You might just have to get used to that. But in the end ,it means no carrying along some big, clumsy container, AND you get some excellent coffee beneath the trees.
One of the biggest hassles of camping is setting up that tricky tent–especially after a long day of backpacking and it happens to be windy or raining. Adding to the frustration are complicated set-ups that are time consuming and, frankly, difficult to understand. Sometimes I wish I could throw the whole contraption in the air and it would magical set up on its own. Well, now it’s possible.
The 2Second Tent, by Quechua does just that. Throw it in the air and it assembles itself before hitting the ground. The tent just won a Gold Medal at the 2006 Industrial Design Excellence Awards, so I’m not the only one impressed with it. This baby is an engineering marvel. Or, as a buddy so eloquently put it, the tent is “the Viagra of camping gear . . . it erects itself and stays up all night.” Remind me never to go camping with him again…
The only downside of the tent appears to be its inability to fold down small enough to be practical for a backpacking trip. In addition, the manufacture claims that folding it back up is a 15 second task. I’ll bet it’s far more complicated than that. Probably more like folding up a road map in the wind.
Nonetheless, very, very cool. The cost is only £50 for a two-man tent (about $100) and £65 for three-man tent (which takes an additional one second to unfold). Shipping to the United States is a £55-£65.
It’s Friday and that means show and tell time here at Gadling. Ultimately we show you what you may have missed and you tell us what you like. Here we go.
5. Unique Hotels:
It wasn’t until last year sometime when it really started to dawn on me how much of an experience a hotel can provide. Before coming across some really cool spots to crash and lounge around I would just sleep, eat, and hit the road. So now, when I go to book hotels, before I grab the best deal, I look for other special qualities and what makes the place unique. In this blurb Neil describes places online that make it easier for travelers seeking similar hotel unique experiences. (I know I sounded a bit like an infomercial, but seriously check it out!)
4. Afghan Wildlife Reserves:
Erik is right – not many folks will bother going to Afghanistan let alone a wildlife reserve there should they every come to reality, but I felt it was a fine post and deserves another looksie. If we can’t go by foot, plane or train we may as well use our minds and travel with our imaginations.
3. Suspect Waters:
Hardcore, summertime, backing packing through the woods has never really been my thing and I can also tell you one other thing that hasn’t been my cup of tea on any trip of any kind. Um, diarrhea. Yeah, it sucks. In this post Neil directs us to the LA Times for a piece on some of the challenges faced by backpackers on their weekend escapes.
2. Mexico By Train… With Money:
Here’s an easy one… Ever been to Mexico by train? Got a little cash to blow this summer on your lavish vaca? Then drop a little money on a Mexican train excursion. Oh, and take me too!
1. Balkan Odyssey Part 1: Getting to Albania:
Did you know there was an airport actually named after Mother Teresa? I didn’t – until now. Neil’s back from his journey with plenty of tales to share. Go take a peek at his first installment to what looks like a very promising trip report to the Balkans.