GearFlogger

Kelty Aqua Porter canteen

W.C. Fields famously said, "I never drink water because of the disgusting things fish do in it." Of course, his liver was the size of his thorax and a vibrant shade of blue, but you have to admire the man's commitment.

For us less-committed but probably healthier people, getting a bunch of water down our pieholes when we're engaged in high-perspiration activities is a priority. Kelty is here to help: their Aqua Porter is a portable canteen that fills the niche between Camelbaks and Lister bags. The 8.5L Nalgene is handy for car and basecamp, but it's packable too if you're going somewhere a filter won't work. A little metric reminder: 1L of water weighs 1Kg or 2.2lb, so you're looking at 8.5*2.2=18.7lb plus one for the carrier, about 20lb packed.

The carrier is solidly built a la all Kelty gear, and the twist faucet never leaked on us. The handles are beefy and there are d-rings for a (not included) shoulder strap. The zipper slash pocket has a cord that can go through a roll of paper towels if you want to set it up as a wash station. All in all it's a great size for weekend warriors or a day at the crags in the hot season. The alternative is one of those monster square things, which are cheaper but a lot more difficult to move around.

$40.00 at REI

Climbing: Training for Peak Performance

Clyde Soles has written a number of excellent climbing books including another Mountaineers Outdoor Expert series title, Expedition Planning. The 2008 second edition of Climbing: Training for Peak Performance updates his 2002 effort with "30% more content." Sounds like a breakfast cereal ad, but have no fear, this is much more substantial.

TfPP bills itself as "a book for climbers with limited time, pre-existing injuries, or - you know - a life." The book covers a dizzying array of topics: nutrition, physical conditioning, mental preparation, flexibility, recovery and even specific routines for specific pursuits. A particularly helpful chapter is Climbing at Altitude, which includes quick hits on various supplements and drugs, worthwhile and not.

Evidently Clyde has nothing better to do than read through tons of reports and studies and synthesize them for our benefit. He does a good job of sticking with advice that is scientifically grounded and rarely if ever ventures onto evidence-scarce ground. He takes pains to point out common myths and misconceptions in sections with titles like "Diet Chicanery," "Dubious Supplements," and "Resistance Training Myths." There are even anatomical charts. Overall, TfPP is a valuable synthesis of state-of-the-art advice across all the important areas of athletic training related to climbing and other outdoor pursuits.

$12.89 at Amazon

Brunton Gannett Grill

Brunton has a great tagline: "Why buy Brunton? No suits or ties were worn by anyone involved in the design, development or production of our products." Brunton makes a lot of reasonably-priced stuff, and a necessary decision in being a price leader is deciding where to put limits on features, quality or both.

The propane-fired Gannett grill is a perfect example. It does what a grill needs to do, which is cook, very well. It feeds gas and gets plenty hot. It has some added advantages in that it's light at 11lb and compact, about the size of a thick briefcase. The legs fold up and over the lid for portability. Some assembly is required, but the included instructions are good.

You'll notice putting it together that the metal is thin, some edges are sharp and the whole unit feels far from burly. The manual Piezo ignition on our unit generated a feeble spark yet never did ignite the gas, but using a long-neck fireplace lighter quickly fired it up, and once hot you're good to go. Bottom line: if you want small and light for a decent price, don't mind manually lighting it and treat it gently, the Gannett will pump out the brats and burgers to fuel your road trip.

$107.95 at Backcountry

Columbia Riptide sport sandals

Sandals are McLovin' for ya feet! Normally I'm pretty easy on my equipment, if you know what I mean, but for some reason I just tear sport sandals up. Maybe because I live in them, maybe because I have to put my foot up my climbing partners chute so often, I don't know.

Anyway, I found myself needing a new pair and when I saw a pair of Columbia Riptides on sale I grabbed them and wore them out of the store. What appealed to me so much was their understated look: no neon chameleon-striped bad-LSD trip look here, just low-toned brown. These are a great travel sandal, with a conservative look and weatherproof performance.

The spandex/neoprene construction of the Riptides is light and plenty comfy, with a quick-adjust two-strap design and a grippy mid-traction sole. It's not lugged for hiking like my last pair, but they're great on the wet stuff. I was a little worried about the two-piece front strap, having read some reviews that complained it was abrasive. I've had no problems myself, and I think most people won't because the straps are so soft. Nice find, nice price.

$39.99 at Shoes.com

Big Agnes Cyclone chair kit

If you're confined to camp for any length of time, which is pretty much guaranteed on a big mountain, you're either sitting down or standing around. For the sitting portion of the event we recommend you take a load off in the Big Agnes Cyclone chair.

There are a lot of chair kits out there of the "just add pad" variety. What sets the Cyclone apart is that it weighs just 6oz. It's basically a very thin piece of Cordura with some aluminum stays and a couple of nylon straps for adjustment. It'll fit a 20" wide pad up to 78" long, doubled over at the southern point of contact. The Cyclone feels just a tad less supportive than some of the beefier kits, but it's still plenty comfortable when stuffed with a 2.5" thick inflatable pad. It'll work well with a mummy design but not so much with closed cell pads, which don't provide enough stiffness.

The instructions say "requires extra care" due to the vapor-thin construction and that's certainly a caveat for those who tend to be a little rough on their gear. If you use it on a hard surface be careful of not only abrasion but loading it too quickly, which will stress the stays and possibly cause them to erupt like little metal aliens from the fabric. Not for everyone or every situation, but if you're looking to cut every extra ounce and can put your ass gently into that good seat, sir, then you're good to go. For those who instill fear with their rear, consider a heavier but sturdier model like the Therm-a-Rest Trekker.

$39.95 at REI

Planet Bike Flipper rear fender

Everybody hates a skid mark. Well, almost everybody. I had this roommate in college, right? But he was a pig. Anyway, if your idea of a blissful day is squirting down muddy singletrack as fast as you can before the inevitable head plant, you'll appreciate Planet Bike having your back with the Flipper fender.

I've never been able to make those single adjustment point models work for me, and I also don't like the ones that are really narrow towards the seat post. The flipper has two adjustment points so it'll get right down where you want it, and it's plenty fat with a deep side-to-side concavity for maximum coverage.

The best part is the tool-free installation. Just adjust the camming buckle thingie, snap it on and you're good to go. OK, maybe that's not the absolute best part: that would be the reasonable price for an item that by design is at high risk of getting replaced if you're riding as hard as you should be. I use it with my Novara Expanding Wedge seat bag, which has a strap that I can loop around the Flipper to keep it attached should it spontaneously seek its freedom on the trail

$16.00 at REI

Black Diamond Ascension Custom STS climbing skins

It's not long til ski season, and for some of you it's time to get some new skin in the game since your old ratty ones look like that holey old t-shirt the SheFlogger never lets you wear in public. Black Diamond's Ascension Custom STS skins are often the first choice for skiiers who live in the backcountry; these are the only ones with both their STS tail and a sewn-in tip loop.

The Custom is sold in increments of 7cm, and all you have to do is cut the sides with the included tool. If you're a first-timer, just follow the instructions and in 30 minutes you'll have a complete setup. The STS tail will give you about 10cm of adjustment, so you might be able to use one set of skins for multiple skis: I can fit both my Atomic Chugach 170s and my K2 Shuksan 174s with the 167-174cm skin.

All BD skins climb great, and the Custom is no exception. Getting it on is quick, and getting it off is easy since there's a glueless strip down the middle lengthwise. The Customs are as bomber as they come, so unlike that t-shirt it'll be a long time before you get the evil eye from the SheFlogger.

$121.95 to $154.45 at Backcountry

Adventure Medical Kits Thermo-Lite 2.0 bivvy sack

Someone once said that adventures are nothing more than bad planning. By definition, no one ever intends an emergency bivy. But you can plan for it, and the Thermo-Lite 2.0 bivvy sack by Adventure Medical Kits is seven ounces of prevention that can last a lifetime.

The sack, as I shall call it, doesn't take up much space: it's smaller than a quart bottle in the stuff sack. There's enough room to stow a few more essentials in with it, maybe your entire survival kit if you pack efficiently. The bag itself is a basically a 36"x84" weatherproof space blanket with a few trick features. The side opens halfway with Velcro tabs, and the footbox opens as well. This helps manage the inevitable condensation that builds up in what is basically a vapor barrier liner.

It's definitely easy enough to get into and out of, just be careful you don't reef on it. The sack is really meant to be an emergency item and repeated use will tear it up unless you're abnormally careful. It says it can reflect up to 80% of your body heat, and that sounds about right. If you bring an ultralight pad, even a 3/4 length, you'll vastly improve your comfort and heat retention. The Thermo-Lite 2.0 is a nice, inexpensive piece of kit that can epic-proof your outings.

$33.00 at REI

Seattle Sports Pocket Bucket

Shortest. Review. Ever.

This is a bucket. It weighs 2.7oz and holds 12L of water. It tips easily when full but can be hung from strap. It folds up small and is durable.

Very useful to haul and store water, as a sink or to isolate wet gear. Nuff said.

$16.50 at REI