Gearzilla » Travel

BOB Revolution CE Stroller

nborchelt — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:00:19 +0000

I’m a big fan of the Bob Revolution CE stroller. Being a new mom, I had no idea what to buy. I just knew that I needed to get exercise after my baby was born. I was running half-marathons before I got pregnant—and was ready to get back in shape. The Bob Revolution CE is designed for urban and trail situations—with a front swiveling wheel that easily maneuvers the urban jungle, but locks into place for added stability in more unpredictable off-road conditions and faster speeds. It’s compact enough to walk up Main Street, into all the boutiques and restaurants, and durable enough to maneuver the giant city curbs and potholes. The three 12-inch wheels make for easy storage and nice agility (although they are understandably less shock-absorbing that the Bob with the 16-inch rear wheels). We have taken our newborn on walks at Crissy Field and it manages to navigate the sandy path; I don’t have to worry about all the bumps! It’s such a smooth ride that my little one falls asleep every time. The company got its start in San Luis Obispo, on the beach, and the strollers are definitely designed to be functional. We threw it in the back of the car for our last road trip and tested it out on the Laguna Beach boardwalk—where it excelled as you’d expect. Top features include a five-point, adjustable harness system; mountain bike-style tires with good tread; and a quick release front hub. There are also two interior seat pockets, with a cargo basket underneath, and a big seat back pocket. The stroller is designed for babies and toddlers up to 70 pounds…though hopefully by then my little one will be ready to run alongside me. One caveat: you can’t one-hand open the stroller from its folded position, but it folds and unfolds with little difficulty.
-Paige Townsend

OverLand Equipment Bidwell Bag

nprichard — Thu, 10 May 2012 08:00:14 +0000

www.overlandequipment.com
Can you say “organized”? Whether you’re a busy mom or an Olympic athlete (or both), the Bidwell Bag is made for an active lifestyle. Inspired by Annie Bidwell, a general’s wife who donated thousands of acres of wild land for a namesake park in Chico, California (the home of OverLand Equipment), this bag does it all. Inside the zippered main compartment are two mesh bottle pouches, and enough room for an iPad and paperback, or, as in the case of one tester, climbing shoes, chalk bag, and harness. The outside pocket, with its secure magnetic closure, encloses a leather key fob, microfleece glasses sleeve, mesh zip security pouch, and an array of compartments for pens, cards, and notebooks. A hidden sleeve on the back is ideal for maps, plane tickets, or easily access your cell phone. The sleek yet roomy satchel has wide, soft, leather strap with bronze hardware that shrieks class.

Adventure Medical Kits Family First Aid Kit

nprichard — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:00:46 +0000

www.adventuremedicalkits.com
You only realize the value of a bandage when you really need one. Your young, aspiring adventurer is bouncing along the trail, investigating the joys of nature. Then boom, a hidden tree root, and down he goes. It’s only a scraped knee, nothing life threatening, but the blood threatens to ruin his white socks and an otherwise glorious day. In the old days, you’d grab a dirty rag, and run the risk of infection. But a simple bandage takes a second to apply and saves the day. The trick? Having that bandage on hand. The First Aid Family Kit provides essential supplies for an accident-prone family of four in almost any condition, from day hiking to road tripping to overseas travel. It’s organized by injury—wound care (burns, blisters, and cuts) in one section, supplies for splints and strains in another, and a small, two ounce, pocket-sized day hike kit that has all the essentials. Bonus features include an insect repellent wipe and after-bite tube of goop that diminishes the sting. But wait, there’s more! The Caring for Children in the Outdoors pamphlet provides great common sense tips on how to cope with common childhood ailments—fever, diarrhea, colds, eye infections, and earaches. The entire package weighs just over a pound, but it’s perfect for car camping. For light and fast excursions, pack the pocket kit for emergencies. Tip: Make an effort to replace the supplies as you use them, especially bandages.

Adventure Medical Kit Smart Traveler First-Aid Kit

nborchelt — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:00:20 +0000

www.adventuremedicalkits.com, 17 ounces
Sickness and injury, two things we seldom contemplate while planning that trip of a lifetime—and two of the most common reasons a great trip goes bad. Enter the Smart Traveler. This self-contained kit comes with everything you need to survive most common ailments of the road. From dehydration to blisters, fever to stomach illness, you’re covered. The kit boasts 15 bandages (including butterfly closures and conforming gauze), seven gauze dressings, antiseptic wipe, a pharmacy’s volume of meds, a disposable thermometer, forceps, gloves, pre-cut Moleskin, and a comprehensive book on wilderness and travel medicine. Designed to support a one or two-man team on a multi-day trip, the Smart Traveler comes in a durable canvas kit that unfolds like a toiletries bag. The supplies are organized by type of injury for simple, quick access. At 17 ounces and a 7.5×5.5×1.5-inch size, it will consume some space in your pack—but it’s worth its weight in titanium as an insurance policy. If you can’t stave off the hazards of the road with this kit, find a doctor. No joke. It might save your life.

Koostik Original iPhone Speaker

nborchelt — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:47 +0000

koostik.com
Phones these days have morphed into our home office and entertainment center. They function as a camera, address book, scheduler, gaming device, web browser, music library, movie screen, and legions of other functions far beyond Alexander Graham Bell’s vision. But if you’ve ever used the iPhone’s build in speakers to add music to your personal sidecountry or backcountry paradise, you quickly realize the phone’s limitations. Koostik offers a graceful remedy to this solution. The hand-made, all-wood speaker system amplifies the iPhone’s built-in speakers without the need for any sort of electric current. The otherwise tinny music blaring out of the iPhone’s speakers suddenly takes on surprising resonance as the sounds flow through the channels carved into the speakers, doubling the overall audio output. The Koostik doesn’t go to 11—and it isn’t designed to. Instead, think of it as a graceful, aesthetically-pleasing, all-natural mood enhancer for your tent, campfire, hotel room, or backcountry yurt—one that doesn’t need batteries or an outlet. All the touch-screen controls are accessible while it’s docked, but the phone’s speaker placement on the bottom of the device means you can’t charge the iPhone while it’s cradled in the Koostik. Suddenly the iPhone’s variable battery life seems even more dubious (we recommend airport mode and the new Wilco album).
Comes in cherry, walnut, and combos of cherry, walnut, and maple.

STM Kicker iPad 2 Case

nprichard — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:00:56 +0000

www.stmbags.com
The iEverything world is undeniably slick. But when you go to protect your sly new digital playground, Apple’s famed design gets swallowed in bulky armor-like security. The Kicker case from STM lets you retain some of that sleek aesthetic. It’s both refreshingly simple and stealthily complex. Getting the iPad in and out is the easiest we’ve experienced after testing a number of different cases, and the front cover triggers the sleep mode when closed, and wakes the device when opened. All ports are easily accessible, a micro-suede lining protects the screen and body from dings and scratches, and the textured leather-like exterior handles daily use with ease. Most importantly, the Kicker offers a variety of standing positions—two horizontal configurations (one that proves ideal for consuming media, and another, more angled position to ease strain while typing), and a horizontal configuration. You also get three slots for the kickstand itself, multiplying the choice to near-dizzying varieties.
Comes in black, brown, and maroon

Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated Bottle

nprichard — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:00:58 +0000

www.kleankanteen.com, 8.5 ounces
We consider portable hot chocolate one of the great wonders of the modern world. Imagine: high on the slopes of your favorite mountain, you reach into your pack, and, voila, a hot beverage to warm your stomach (or, more, your kids). The new Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated Bottle is genius in its simplicity. The durable, double-walled construction keeps food or drink hot (or cold) all day. Made from BPA-free, food-grade stainless steel, the bottle is amazingly light, and its rounded edges lets it slip into a pack (or cup holder for you soccer moms) with ease. Our testers love the wide 2.125-inch mouth—easy to fill, easy to pour, and perhaps even more importantly, easy to clean. We brewed tea at 7 a.m. for a summit attempt on Oregon’s South Sister in the Cascade Range. When we topped out at noon, the tea was piping hot. Hot beverages stay hot for about six hours; triple the timeframe for keeping ice cold drinks chilled. The bottles come with two caps—a standard screw on top, and a café-style top for easy sipping.
Comes in 12-ounce, 16-ounce, and 20-ounce capacity; all work with standard water filters.

Mountain Khakis Granite Creek Pants

nprichard — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:00:35 +0000

www.mountainkhakis.com
Come heat or high water, we tend to wear pants instead of shorts when traveling. Call it a desire to blend, but in all but the most tropical spots (AKA: islands and coasts), most locals around the world wear pants. Shorts are second only to fanny packs in terms of urban travel wear (meaning you’re bound to be pigeon-holed). Happily, long pants don’t have to mean hot, claustrophobic irritation. The Mountain Khaki Granite Creek Pant is made of quick-drying brushed nylon fabric, and boasts a wide variety of trail-and road-ready features like UV 50+ protection and Scotchguard treatment to repel stains. The fit is decidedly relaxed without channeling the uber-baggy world of a hip-hop producer, and they’re immensely travel-friendly, wrinkle resistant and compressing to nearly nothing. Pockets galore–including a Velcro-flap cargo pocket on the right thigh (with a separate zipper pocket inside), twin hand pockets with an additional zipper pocket on the right, and a zippered back pocket. But even with all those bells and whistles, they still look perfectly unassuming. Mountain Khakis also makes the same pants in a convertible version ($90), ideal for backcountry treks, with zips of a different color for each leg to simplify shifting from short to pants.

Arc’Teryx Beta AR Hard Shell Jacket

nborchelt — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:00:55 +0000

www.arcteryx.com, 15.3 ounces
Yes, we love gear. Most of our testers have a jacket to accommodate any condition, broken down in five-degree increments. But we also adore products that prove invaluable in all conditions—like the newly redesigned Beta AR hard shell from Arc’Teryx. It just gets everything right, from the hip-length hem for added protection to the helmet-compatible hood to generous pit zips to waterproof zip pockets high enough to accommodate a waist belt or harness. Waterproofness and breathability comes from Gore-Tex’s three-layer Pro Shell fabric treatment (the toughest they make), but the shell is near-cotton soft, with reinforced shoulders and elbows to endure countless alpine abrasions. One-hand adjustment for all draw cords make customizing a breeze, but with articulated joints and Arc’Teryx’s hard-earned rep for perfectly-fitting apparel, you’re covered the moment you first put on the jacket. The cut is generous enough to work as an outer layer in colder climes, but you won’t feel like you’re swimming in fabric if you go with just a base layer—and its packability serves day and multi-day outings with stash-it-and-forget-in ease. At $450, the price is dear, but the Beta AR jacket works in damn near any condition that requires weather protection.

Camelbak Groove Water Bottle

nborchelt — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:00:23 +0000

www.camelbak.com, 20 ounces
When this bottle design from Cambelbak first came on the market a few years back, one tester called them adult sippy cups—and damned if they didn’t become just as popular with the active set as they were with infants. But, like its toddler counterpart, the older model could become a bit…funky. With the Groove, the bottle is back in full effect. The BPA-free, spill-proof bottle now boasts a filter built into the straw to turn so-so tap water into genuinely fresh refreshment, a boon for urbanites and travelers alike. One bit of caution: the filter doesn’t remove the real nasties in untreated water, so it isn’t a replacement for your backcountry purifier.