GearFlogger

Joby Pro Sling Strap

With apologies to George Carlin, you need stuff to carry your stuff. Photographers, like climbers - and god forbid you're both - need their ridiculously expensive gear attached to their body and immediately handy. Joby has lots of options to help with that.

The Joby Pro Sling Strap is a lightweight and really well-made camera strap that secures your camera and allows for fast adjustments in size. The PSS has a two inch nylon strap for the load-bearing part that's on your body. The edges are smoothly finished so it doesn't cut into your neck, and the outside is very slick so it will rotate freely under a coat.

The SpeedCinch system is very cool, just flick open the lever and pull to adjust the length. There's even a leash included as a back-up tether to the quarter-inch camera mount. The mount itself rotates on a bearing so no twisted straps. The whole assembly is just very polished and high quality, no surprise if you've ever used one of their Gorillapods. Highly recommended for the camera slinging crowd.

$69.95 at Amazon

YMAT PRO Yoga Mat

Yoga is awesome training, either by itself or as cross-training for climbing and all other outdoor pursuits. Developing strength, flexibility and breath control combined with the beneficial aspects of moving meditation if you choose to do it that way is a powerful combination. Anyone who thinks otherwise has never tried Forrest yoga - take it from me, who used to make merciless fun of the the whole industry. In my defense, when you see yoga pants as the default wardrobe for so many people, it's kind of easy to poke fun...

You don't need much to do yoga, in fact you don't need anything, but most people do it in a class, and the room usually has hard floors, and if you're only going to own one piece of gear for yoga a mat is the ticket. T MAT PRO (yes, all caps...) is the company that makes a very cool little triathlon transition mat of the same name, and they've now got a yoga mat named - wait for it - the YMAT PRO. It's a neoprene mat, a little less than 1/8 inch thick, with a nonslip back. The YMAT PRO is 25 inches wide and available in a travel length of 48 inches and a full length of 75 inches.

The YMAT PRO is just enough cushion for most people, and it rolls up nice and tight with the included velcro strap. The neoprene absorbs water and limits slip, perfect for warm/hot yoga or the simply sweaty among us. You know who you are. The travel size will go into a roll-aboard no problem, and it rolls out nice and flat and stays in place. If you're looking for a light-is-right yoga mat take a look at the YMAT PRO.

25x48 travel size, $44.95 at Amazon
25x75 full size, $54.95 at Amazon

The Mountain: My Time on Everest, by Ed Viesturs

Ed Viesturs is, without doubt, one of the greatest mountaineers by any reckoning: the first American to climb all fourteen 8,000 meter peaks, and just the sixth to do it without an oxygen tank on his back. His most recent book The Mountain:My Time on Everest (co-authored with David Roberts) is his retrospective of his time on the highest peak on Earth, where in the course of eleven attempts including seven successful summits he has spent more than two years of his life.

I still remember watching in awe the 1998 IMAX film about the 1996 Everest disaster, when eight people died while the film crew and Viesturs were on the mountain. This film brought the accomplishments of Viesturs and the thrill and danger of climbing big mountains to a wide audience, although not necessarily for the right reasons.

In The Mountain Viesturs continues that outreach, and it's a great book for climbers and armchair adventurers alike. He doesn't devote a lot of space to the 1996 disaster, and in fact takes pains to point out that the "caricature" painted by Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air (which Viesturs does say is, from his own perspective, a largely accurate account) and other post-1996 books doesn't jibe with his own experience. Viesturs acknowledges that between his first attempt in 1987 and his last in 2009 the mountain acquired a certain "circus" atmosphere, however he says, "As far as I know no client has ever been pulled, carried or dragged by a guide or a Sherpa to the top of Everest." His revelation that the mountain was just as hard on his last trip as on his first should be taken as evidence of his sincerity, and as a warning to those who might underestimate the challenge of a high, cold place.

I found the final chapter the most interesting. Viesturs catalogues a number of unique ascents - and descents, by parasail and snowboard - and he insists that Everest is not "climbed out," that there are still adventures to be had and glory to be gained. It's easy to believe after so many find vignettes, by turns humorous, poignant and simply amazing. His final sentence is a powerful one that will resonate with anyone who has ever had a grand adventure of their own, whether it involved a mountain or not: "In old age, I'd like to be able to say, as Maurice Herzog wrote of the first ascent of Annapurna, that Everest was 'A treasure on which we should live the rest of our days.'"

The Mountain is part history book, covering a lot of the historic ascents, and part diary, with actual excerpts from Viestur's journals. The one and only drawback of the book is that it doesn't include a map, which you find yourself wanting every time a route or feature is mentioned. In the end it's a great tour of one of the most storied places on our beautiful planet, and Viesturs does those stories justice with his own.

$19.76 on Amazon

Lems Boulder Boot and Nine2five Shoe

I admit, I was suspicious of the Lems Boulder boot when I saw it online. A so-called minimalist boot sounded like a recipe for discomfort and sore feet. Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit, because these things are awesome! I'm sure there are science-y reasons for this - check out the 'foot education' section of the Lems website for more on this - but the bottom line is they feel great underfoot.

The Boulder boot is definitely minimalist, weighing in at just under ten ounces. Putting it on, the first thing you'll notice is how the toe actually matches the normal splay of your foot. Standing up, you feel rock-solid due to your feet being so close to the ground; no ankle roll here. The toe box is roomy, and where in other traditional shoes this results in a sloppy feel, the low center of gravity in the Lems just makes it feel comfortable.

The Boulder handles normal hiking terrain with no problem. The sole is like a tire tread, with good grip on slick surfaces. The upper has a DWR finish that will protect against light precipitation, but the Boulder is really a dry-weather boot, although not necessarily a warm weather one; I've been wearing it in zero-degree (F) temperatures for short jaunts and it strikes a useful balance between breathability and wind resistance. The lacing is versatile: lacing it all the way up doesn't provide any ankle support, but it does keep out debris effectively. Skip the top eyelet and it feels like a comfy moccasin.

Lems has a cool, quirky website with a ton of offerings. You can even get the Boulder in a stylish all-black vegan model, as well as a lighter 'gravel' color. I also tried their Nine2five leather shoes, which are lighter than the Boulder at under nine ounces and make a perfect travel shoe.

Both sets of Lems shoes are constructed extremely well, and they've obviously put a lot of thought into the craftsmanship of their product. Beyond that, they've thought seriously about the nature of their business, as evidenced by the fact they track their carbon footprint. So if you're looking for kicks that make you feel good both physically and meta-physically, try Lems.

Nine2five $125.00 at Lems
Boulder $115.00 at Lems

Clif Bar seasonals

OK, it's thanksgiving week, so roll out the seasonal stuff! Top of the list: Clif Bar seasonal flavors, this year's threesome being Iced Gingerbread, Pecan Pie and Spiced Pumpkin Pie.

We usually cringe around here when oddly flavored food arrives in the mail, but last year the Clif seasonals were muy delicioso so were stoked for the new ones. Once again, all three of these Clif Bars taste great. The names accurately describe the flavoring for all of them, so if it sounds like something you'd like we think you can trust it. In other words, it's all good, although full disclosure: none will knock off our current absolute favorite, Coconut Chocolate Chip.

The Pecan Pie was our favorite this year because... well, Pecan Pie! The Gingerbread throws in some tasty molasses, and the Pumpkin Pie has raisins, actual pumpkin and apples. Good stuff all of it, and it's all in the normal range for Clif nutrition, e.g. 24g sugar, 9g protein, 4.5 to 6g fat. Go nuts, and stock up if you like 'em before the holidays end.

$0.89 (on sale from $1.25) at REI

Outdoor Research Sensor glove

A fact of life in this digital age is that we are almost always connected. Smartphones in particular are constant companions for better and for worse. Outdoor Research recognizes the utility of the touchscreen and supports it with their Sensor glove, now slightly updated from the original and still great.

The Sensor features TouchTec leather on the fingers and palms, allowing you to operate a touchscreen without taking your gloves off. This features works as advertised, and it's a novel feeling to be able to zip around your apps fully gloved. The tips of the fingers are tailored in such a way that accuracy is not a problem, and you quickly forget you're not using your bare finger.

The Sensor is not a one trick pony however. The glove is well-constructed, with a minimum of cold-leaking seams and nice trim fit that feels true to size. The soft shell material is very wind resistant and provides decent water resistance, and the inside has a brushed tricot on the palm side that feels warm and plush.

The elastic cuff slides over your hand easily and fits nicely into your sleeves. The thin leather provides a solid grip, with good tactile feedback and a solid but not sticky contact, great for driving as well. One feature that is greatly appreciated is that the Sensor folds fairly flat to stow easily in a jacket pocket. Overall the Sensor is a great daily-wear glove for light duty or as a liner under a heavy mitten, and the touchscreen compatibility is something you'll appreciate every day as well.

$69.00 at REI

Cricket 5-Minute Firestarter

I love me a good firestarter, and while there are more ways to start a fire than to skin the proverbial cat, convenience is always appreciated. Cricket's 5-Minute Firestarter is a great little solution to light it and forget it.

5-Minute Firestarter is packaged in medium-sized package, about 1x2x5 inches, and contains 20 individual firestarters that look like jumbo matches. Just build your fuel pile like normal, break one of the matches off, strike it on the strip on the side of the box, and light 'er up.

The matches are very stable, wood-based with perchlorate, and they don't seem to want to strike on anything but the included strip so don't think you're going to use a zipper or rock. Each match burns for about five minutes and is hot enough to start small, dry kindling on its own, although it's always a good idea to be conservative and use something like dryer lint, shredded paper or the like underneath the kindling.

Keep the box in a ziplock baggie and you'll always have a reliable source of fire. For us minimalist types, cut out the striking strip and keep it with four of the matches in a ziplock and it will disappear into your survival pouch. An ounce of prevention and you're good to go.

MSRP $5.19, more info at Cricketusa.net

Sierra Designs Super Stratus down jacket

Sierra Designs has been a Gearflogger fave for years. Our first experience with DriDown was their Gnar Lite jacket, which has been first in rotation when Fall weather hits. Now the choice is tougher with the new Super Stratus DriDown jacket, SD's warmest backcountry piece. DriDown, in case you've been on a desert island, is a treated down that resists moisture longer, dries faster and insulates better when damp. And oh yeah does it work as advertised.

The SS is basically is the Gnar Lite on steroids, but in a good way (don't do drugs kids!). The SS runs true to size and has a more generous cut, more poofy-goodness 800 fill DriDown, and a drop hood. The single-cinch-cord hood is fully helmet compatible, even with the higher volume models out there - yeah, I'm looking at you Petzl Meteor.

The hem has adjustable cords in each pocket and has a longer drop as well, which combined with the two-way zipper makes the Super Stratus a killer belay parka. The sleeves have a little extra length and elastic cuffs with thumb-holes that are helpful in belay-slave mode too, providing a little extra warmth over your hands while you wait for Hangdog Harold to GTFO the rope.

Pockets are standard: inside zipped chest with cord port and two exterior zipped hand warmer pockets. On the inside are also two big open dump pockets with a a little secret: a fabric loop that you can use to clip hats and gloves and stuff in if you're really worried about losing it. If you're looking for an over-jacket for belay duty or any cold weather application, the Super Stratus is a fantastic jacket at a great price.

$279.00 at REI