Hiking

The Stick Book: Loads of Things You Can Make or Do with a Stick is an utterly gorgeous book! Aimed at children and teens, the book has so many fun projects for creating toys and items out of, well, sticks and also other found nature items. If you take kids hiking with you this is THE book to read up on before hand – the kids will never be bored in camp if you give them some ideas.

From making a pond dipping net (hello tadpoles!) to a woody crown (girls and teen girls would love this one) to DIY tents, wood shelters, trekking poles and a ton of toys…you can keep them busy for a long time, a full 70 projects with gorgeous full color photos. I’ll admit I’d find most of them fun to make myself

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a copy of the book for potential review.

How closely do you time your runs?

If you’re like me, up to year and a bit ago I never timed anything. I’d run a distance I thought was close to when I should run and call it a day. I didn’t really measure much. I guess that’s why my results were less than stellar when I’d finish a race. They were respectable but certainly nothing amazing. I’ve heard the saying “What gets measures, gets improved” but never really paid it much attention. I had running to do and I wasn’t going to waste some of that time, fiddling around with numbers and times.

That changed a bit after I started reading article after article about training and how to do it properly. How do you know when you’ve reached a goal or that you are on track for a certain time. You don’t if you don’t measure anything. The only way to find out is to measure things like speed, pace and distance for running. Maybe heart rate if you’re aiming for a workout at the same time. Part of the reason I didn’t do that was I didn’t know an easy way to do it. I didn’t want to spend hours crunching numbers just to find out how I was doing.

Then I found the Garmin sports watches.

Turn it on. Run. Turn it off. Put it by your computer. Done.

That’s all you need to do to get accurate numbers and gps tracks uploaded straight to Garmin’s Connect website for you to peruse at your leisure. I can do that.

The price wasn’t exactly what I wanted to pay for what, in my mind, was just a watch. I’d never paid over 30 bucks for sports watches in the past so shelling out over $200 on one was a bit hard to take. I waited until I could get one on sale and then leapt. I was excited because it was new tech gear but I had no idea what to do with it.

What I like
Small and light. Much smaller than the older Garmin watches (but smaller screen)
Wireless track upload
Easy to use after learning (not intuitive but fairly easy interface)
Garmin Connect website displays all information well
Heart rate monitor is comfortable

What I don’t like
Bezel is very easy to touch so you have to lock it if you don’t want it to beep, even water sets it off
Battery life is short when the GPS is on ~8 hours

Ultimate Training Partner
Over the last year, I haven’t been training for much in particular. I’ve run a couple races but they’ve been more for fun than anything. I didn’t pull out a training program for them and pore over stats and my progress.

A couple weeks ago I signed up for the Vancouver Marathon. I’ve never done a marathon and 42 kilometres is not something you can just go run after sitting on the couch for a while. So I got out the Garmin Forerunner 405 and started my training.

Tapping one side of the bezel that goes around the face of the watch and you’re into training mode. If you’ve got GPS enabled it will start looking for satellites and usually finds them quickly. If you’re in dense tree cover it might take a bit. I found it finds them faster if you’re not moving much.

After it’s got a signal you’re ready to go. There’s a start button to begin recording your workout and the GPS track. While you’re running, you can see your time, you’re pace and distance travelled. There are many options and screens to go through so however you like to see your workout data as you run, you probably can. I tend to just look at the default screen that shows overall time and pace. Most of my runs right now are a set distance and a set pace so that information is all I need when I’m moving.

Sometimes I’ll run with the heart rate monitor just to see how I’m doing in that department. It’s not a huge worry for me as I’m more focused on the time and distance versus the workout I’m getting but it’s still interesting to see. Another data point to compare when you begin your training to the middle and end.

When you’re done, stop the timer and set it beside your computer. The ANT technology built into the watch wirelessly communicates with a USB attachment plugged into your computer. When it’s within range it sends the tracks to the computer which can be automatically uploaded to Garmin’s Connect website. Here’s a run I did this week for my marathon training. It shows you the GPS track if it’s available, speed, pace, elevation and heart rate information if you had a monitor on.

The Deadly Kusam

When I first got the 405 I was excited to see what it would do. I was already signed up for one of the most intense races I had ever done. It’s called the Kusam Klimb and happens every year a couple hours away from where I live. It’s a half marathon that goes up and over a mountain. As you can see from the GPS track I got from the race, it’s not flat. It goes from near sea level up to over 1400 metres in under 8 kilometres. That means steep! I had the heart rate monitor on as well. You can see that it was quite high over the whole race. I was pushing hard.

7 Hours of Running

A friend and I ran the Juan De Fuca Trail in 2010 which is 47km of far too many peaks and valleys of ocean-side trail near Victoria. We had planned for about 10 hours of running but it ended up only taking 7 hours. I wanted to get the entire run on the watch so I could see the pace and elevation of it all. I missed the first section down to the water from the parking lot because the 405 couldn’t get a signal through the trees. Near the end of the trail, 38 kilometers from where we started, the battery died and it stopped collection any more information. I’m glad it saved what it did. I thought if it died as it was recording, I wouldn’t get any information from the track. Apparently those guys at Garmin are smarter than I thought.

Incessant Beeping
For how much my 405 gets bumped around when I’m running, I’m surprised it still works. It’s still going strong. I have had one issue with it.

Last winter I was ski touring and had it on to track our time and gps track. Near the end of the tour about 3 hours in it started restarting constantly and beeping every time I did it. I couldn’t do anything to stop it. The racket it was making only stopped when the battery died and luckily that wasn’t soon after the beeping started. Every time I started it after that and went into training mode, it would start restarting and beep like crazy. I talked to Garmin and they suggested updating the firmware on it as there was an updated version and then sending it in if that didn’t work. I really liked the watched and used it a lot so I didn’t want to be without one for too long so I tried the firmware update right away. Since then I haven’t had any issues with it. No more beeping!

Recommendations
I definitely recommend the 405 to those that are looking for a powerful training watch for running or riding. You can get all sorts of accessories for it like the heart rate monitor or a food pod to record other information while you exercise. The screen isn’t as large as some of the other Garmin watches so if you need to see more information on the fly, that might be a factor in your decision. I liked the smaller size of the 405 that didn’t look like I had a computer strapped to my arm and the lower weight that goes along with that form factor.

**

Do you have a training or GPS watch? What do you use it for and how do you like it?

**

Other Reviews of the Garmin Forerunner 405

Review on RunColo

Review on RunTheLine

Review on RunToTri

Buy a Garmin Forerunner 405

Buy from Garmin

Buy at Amazon

Buy at GpsCity

I really enjoy the intense flavor of sun-dried tomatoes in backpacking recipes. A little goes a long way and brings a freshness to even boxed meals (for all you Lipton and Knorr eaters out there!) One of my go-to brands for a long time has been Bella Sun Luci, a family owned company out of California. I find them in the produce department, often hidden up high. It is worth looking for, they are soft (fair warning they do use sulfites for this) and don’t need rehydrating time – you can eat them right out of the bag even (perfect for lunch wraps!). But what I like most is the “julienne-cut” they sell. Pre-Cut and ready to go!

The choices include: Halves, Julienne-cut with Italian Basil (so good!), regular Julienne-cut and Julienne-cut with zesty peppers (perfect for spicy pasta!).

The 3.5 ounce bags are about $3 retail – but will last a long time. You don’t need a lot of tomatoes for great taste (a couple Tablespoons is plenty).

Need some recipe ideas? Here are a couple from Trailcooking!

Thai Tomato Soup

Veghead Couscous Pilaf

Herbed Tomato Rice

Harvest Pasta

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received products for potential review.

I’ve been enjoying a few days this week around Isenau above Les Diablerets. It’s a small ski area which may close this year if funds aren’t found to renew the access lift. But, I’ve not been using the lift. It’s possible to park at the col du Pillon and snowshoe from there. Initially it’s prepared [...]

Recent find at Costco – 2 lb containers of Johnny’s All Natural Creamy Potato Soup mix:

Even comes with recipe ideas

Nutritional stats:

Costco is selling it for $7.79. The tub is 24 servings. The soup mix is trans-fat free, no MSG and gluten free but does contain chicken (so not vegetarian friendly). While it could be used to make soup, what it works great in is using the dry mix to flavor meals – such as with instant rice and instant mashed potatoes. 2 Tbsp (half a serving) adds plenty of creamy flavor and only a couple hundred milligrams of sodium. It is also a great addition to long term storage for emergencies if left unopened (Ours is good for a year from now).

~Sarah

Everyone has a different opinion about what an adventure mobile should be like. Some like them small so they can get in out of tight places and don’t require much gas to do it. Some like them big and comfortable so longer trips are much nicer and you can fit more friends and gear. I think there’s a place for all different kinds. Most trips I’ll take my Toyota 4Runner because it’s got more space for gear and people. If I’m just going to explore an area or am going with other riders, I’ll head out on my 2007 Saga GY-250 enduro motorcycle.

What I like
Lightweight
Cheap on gas
Inexpensive
Very easy to manoeuvre in the woods
Tall for good clearance
Fun to ride.

What I don’t like
Not comfortable at speed
Hard to find parts
Not the quality of big brands

Pro: Lightweight
You can’t get much more lightweight than this motorcycle is. You could use a bicycle but you total distance covered drops dramatically as soon as you go human-powered. It does have space for one person on the back but if I’m carrying a backpack that doesn’t work so it’s really only a one-person vehicle. That doesn’t work for a lot of people. The size and weight comes in when you are exploring. With a bike this size you can get almost anywhere. You can slide it under downed logs, ride it through single track trails and on roads, be it dirt roads or paved.

Pro: Cheap on Gas
Aside from scooters, which might have a tough time off-road, $8 to fill the tank is about as cheap as you can get for a vehicle. With new electric and hybrid vehicles coming out, driving will get less and less expensive but it’s hard to argue with a couple hundred kilometres on $8.

Pro: Inexpensive
I picked this bike up when it was a year old for only $1600. Models from other brands were going for at least $5000. The price was most of what sold it for me. I’ve had great luck with it so far and not had any problems. I do make sure that I’m with other people when I ride further into the woods. That might just be common sense when exploring places hours away from civilization. No matter what the brand of bike you have, there’s still a chance you could crash or something could break and you’ll be walking home.

Pro: Easy to manoeuvre
The dirtbike style of the bike and the tall frame makes it very easy to get over or around anything in the woods. If I get stuck I can pretty much just pick the bike up or work it up over the obstacle while I’m on the ground. Try some gnarly single track trail on a big adventure bike and you’ll be sticking to the dirt roads in no time. I’ve got the back spring lowered a bit so I can actually touch the ground on the road as I’m not very tall. The height of it does make it nicer for clearing obstacles in the backcountry. On a lower bike, you’d be scraping the frame on rocks and logs but I can roll right over them in the GY-250. But with all vehicles, there’s always a limit to how how you can go.

Pro: Fun to ride
The GY-250 isn’t very hard to ride at all and because it’s so small and light, I can just hop on and go through any kind of trail or dirt road. It’s nice to ride on the road at slow speeds as well so as soon as the weather is decent, I spend most of my driving time on the bike instead of the 4Runner.

Con: Not comfortable at speed
That same nimble lightness I talked about above makes it a bit of a pain to ride at highway speeds. It’s doable but it’s certainly not comfortable like a bigger bike would be. There’s not much weight to throw around so it’s unstable in the wind and doesn’t have a ferring up front to protect you from the air hitting your chest and face.

When I bought the bike, it was geared quite low. I could get up to about 80 km/h but that was about the top of it’s comfortable riding speed. I had a cog with fewer teeth put on it recently to lower the gear which brought the top speed up to about 100-110 km/h. It’s not incredible comfortable but I can make it all over Vancouver Island instead of just being stuck in town here.

Con: Hard to find parts
Initially I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find any replacement parts. Saga isn’t a mainstream brand and the closest location was a few hours away that might have what I needed. Initially, I got the few parts that I needed by matching them up with other brands. I bent my clutch handle and broke a chain so those needed to be replaced. Last year a new bike and scooter shop opened up where I live and just happened to carry Saga scooters and could get the parts of the bikes as well. I was definitely lucky with that one. I went from hardly being able to find parts to having a shop within walking distance of my house. Maybe someone was listening when I was thinking about a new bike shop!

Con: Not the quality of big brands
This con is more from what I’ve heard about Saga bikes compared to other ones. There is usually a reason they are cheaper than the other big brands of motorcycles. When I heard people talk about them initially, I was worried I had bought some second-rate piece of junk. So far everything has run very smoothly and I’ve been very happy with the bike and the cost to maintain it. If everything keeps going this smoothly, I’ll be very happy with the fact that the bike was a quarter of the price of similar models.

There have only been a couple issues with it and nothing major. The pegs that hold the headlight assembly in have broken. They were brittle plastic that couldn’t stand all the bumps of riding off road. I could just get a new assembly to replace it but it was easier and probably stronger just to wire it in myself. A few of the plastic covers on the sides and the front fork have cracks in them after I’ve run into things. The plastic isn’t quite as strong as it should be. Again, I could replace these with new higher quality parts but they’re just plastic and don’t serve an purpose when I’m riding so I’m going to leave them for now.

2 other pieces I’ve replaced have been the clutch handle and the chain. I bent the clutch handle falling over one day so that was my fault. I believe the chain breaking was also my fault after putting it on wrong when it slipped off. I was on a steep hill and all that torque applied to a chain that wasn’t lined up properly broke one of the links. Luckily I was travelling with another truck that day and just threw it in the back and drove back home.

Recommendations
Just the fact that the Saga GY-250 was a quarter of the price of other similar bikes is enough to make me love it. I’ve had no major problems with it (knock on wood) and it continues to be an awesome way to get around during the drier weather. I don’t have any thick waterproof gear with armor for riding yet so I’ve been hesitant to ride in terrible weather. Once I get a jacket, pants and boots, I’ll be set for riding all year!

Tiny, functional and lightweight – the TerraLUX LightStar80 flashlight is that. 5 hours run time on 2 AAA batteries, it produces a focused 80 Lumens of brightness. The light comes packaged with batteries, just add and use. It features a rubber end that can be used to bite on, with an easy tap button on the end to tun on/off. It is also water resistant as well.

As a backup flashlight in the pack (to go with your headlamp) or kept in your vehicle, it works great. Just enough to do what you need, without a lot of weight from batteries.

The light can also be found on Amazon below retail: Terralux TLF-802AAA-BK Grey LED Pen Light.

~Sarah

Very European is the elegant new cookbook Cook Wild: Year-Round Cooking on an Open Fire, which is being released this spring in the US. The book is an English version of her current book, which is in German.  Covering the basics of making fire, types of wood, how to cook over an open fire and more intriguing – the many ways to cook meals – from clay pots to skewers to rocks and so on. The author’s specialty is wild plants and she showcases it with a lovely section on wild plants – from seasoning to berries to nuts and even making herbal teas. Then the book gets into luscious recipes that go by season – spring, summer, fall and winter.

Is it backpacking food? Not necessarily, but for camping it would be wonderful. Even great in the backyard on a summer evening! Although many of the recipes can be adapted – for example a recipe for Acorn Flatbread with a Wild Berry Puree? It sounds wonderful! The recipe for Nettle Chips is one I will be trying out this coming spring (pack gloves and a large Ziploc© gallon bag!). The Pizza Calzones on page 49 would impress nearly everyone when car camping!

The majority of the book is the recipes and every recipe is accompanied by lush photography. It is a lovely book I am happily adding to out extensive Trail & Outdoor Library.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy.

If you’re in the UK you might have caught the section about the Grand-Saint-Bernard Hospice on BBC Ski Sunday yesterday. It’s available on iPlayer for people in the UK : Ski Sunday I’ve been offering a journey on snowshoes to spend a night in the hostel to private groups who are looking for something a [...]

The predicted cold weather has arrived here in Leysin and we’ve had temperatures down to -21ºC in the village. There’s been a little wind as well so it’s moving the snow around that’s fallen during the week, that wasn’t a lot of snow but the wind is picking enough up to build some slabs on [...]

The Jif To Go tubs have been around for a number of years, they recently added a couple of new flavors – so they have the regular, Chocolate PB and their Natural:

8 tubs to a box, each tub is 1.5 ounces, giving a generous serving of peanut butter. Personally I would avoid the chocolate as it contains fully hydrogenated fat, the Natural though gives an alternative to the expensive pouches of PB on the market (and honestly the tubs are easier to get all the butter out of!).

Find in grocery stores and big box stores for $2 to 3 a pack.

~Sarah

While this isn’t a shelf stable food, for first day out or dayhiking, Sabra Single Serving Hummus Packs are perfect for tucking in. I picked up the Roasted Red Pepper for trying out:

It is two sealed packs inside – one is the hummus, the other is crunch pretzel chips:

The kit weighs 4.56 ounces and the plastic containers are very rugged (recyclable as well – #5). Normally I shy from lumpy containers (since you have to pack it out empty and/or crush it first) but what occurred to me is the pretzel half is a perfect drinking cup! Or rehydration vessel…..the two pieces snap together tightly. I wouldn’t use it for hot drinks but for cold, go for it! As well, if you need a cup for dunking it is small and easy to grab (great for filling hydration bladders). And when you get home? Recycle it! PS: If you have little ones, it would also make a great “leaf-rock-twig” holder!

Now onto the food in said cups – Sabra has long been my favorite hummus to buy. It is creamy and tasty. The red pepper one is my favorite of their varieties (it comes in 3 choices for the To Go Packs). If you are the type who has never cared for hummus – too much garlic, too sour, too whatever, give Sabra a try…it might change your view! I found it was the right amount for a snack.

I found the packs in the ready to grab section of the deli at my local Safeway – I would suggest looking around that area of your grocery store!

~Sarah

The latest recipes from our column, “Trail Eats” In Washington Trails Magazine (the January/February 2012 issue).

The theme was warm and nourishing soups, perfect for cold weather hiking/backpacking/snowshoeing trips.

Clam and Bacon Chowder

In a sandwich bag:
1 cup instant plain mashed potatoes
¼ cup shelf stable bacon
4 tsp low sodium chicken bouillon
1 tsp dill weed
¼ tsp granulated garlic
¼ tsp black pepper

In a second bag:
¼ cup dry milk
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Also take:
1 Tbsp or 1 packet olive oil
6.5 ounce can minced clams
¼ cup shelf stable Parmesan cheese with 1 tsp dried chives mixed in

Add 1 cup cold water to the milk bag, seal tightly and shake up till dissolved.
Add 3 cups water, oil and contents of potato bag to your pot. Bring to a boil and stir the milk mixture into the soup. Bring back to a gentle bubble and let thicken.
Turn to a low flame and add in the clams with broth and cheese, let heat through but don’t boil.

Impress your eating partner tips: Sprinkle the top of the soup with additional bacon and dill weed, pick up 2 sourdough “bread bowls” at the bakery on the way out of town. Carve and serve the soup in them.

Serves 2

Notes: Oysters (smoked or not) can be used instead. Find lightweight tins in the canned fish aisle. Find olive oil packets at www.minimus.biz

Chicken Stew & Dumplings

In a sandwich bag:
1 cup biscuit mix
1 Tbsp dry milk
1 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley

Mark on bag “Add 1/3 cup water”.

In a sandwich bag:
3/4 cup freeze-dried vegetable mix
1 Tbsp diced dried onion flakes
1 Tbsp diced instant hash-browns

In a small bag:
4 tsp low sodium chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp diced dried garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste

Also take:
7 ounce pouch of chicken

Cover the vegetables with cold water and let soak for 5 minutes in a 2 Liter pot (or bigger).
Add 4 cups water, both the broth and vegetable bags and the chicken with any broth to your pot. Bring to a boil, taste the broth and salt to taste. Lower the heat a bit on your stove and keep simmering at a low boil. Meanwhile mix up the biscuit mix in its bag. Add the water, push out any air, seal the bag and knead till mixed. Snip a corner on the bag and start squeezing out dumplings. Let them simmer on the soup, with lid on for 5 minutes or till the dumplings are steamed and done (poke a spoon in one to check for being doughy), lowering the flame as needed to prevent boil-overs.

Serves 2 large bowls or 3 small bowls.

Notes: Instant hash browns are sold with the instant mashed potatoes and Costco. Look for Just Veggies brand dried veggies at Whole Foods, REI and other stores. Dried onions find in the spice aisle and Costco.

Slide Mt. Bean Chowder

In a quart freezer bag:
1/2 cup instant rice
1/3 cup instant black refried beans
1/4 cup freeze-dried corn
1 Tbsp shelf stable Parmesan cheese
1 tsp diced dried bell peppers
2 Tbsp dried salsa

Freezer Bag method (FBC): Add 2 cups near boiling water. Stir well, seal tightly and put in a cozy for 15 minutes. Stir again well.

Mug method: Add 2 cups boiling water to the dry ingredients in a large mug. Stir well, cover tightly and let sit for 15 minutes.

One pot method: Bring 2 cups water to a boil in your pot. Add in the dry ingredients; stir well and let sit for 15 minutes tightly covered, in cold weather wrap your pot in a pot cozy to retain heat.

Serves 1 as a meal, 2 as a side cup of soup

Notes: Instant black refried beans are sold in natural food sections of grocery stores, look for bulk or Fantastic Foods brand or use black bean dry soup mix. Freeze-dried corn is sold at many natural food stores and REI, look for Just Veggies brand. Find dried bell peppers in bulk sections of natural food stores. On cold weather trips carry fresh salsa in a tightly sealed snack bag instead of drying it. Salsa is easily dried at home, for more info check our dehydrating pages out. To add more calories in winter add a stick of Pepper-jack cheese diced up (find with the string cheese) at the end.

Want more recipes for hiking? Check out our website, Trailcooking!

~Sarah

Two years has slowly went by. It felt odd this morning realizing that so much time had gone since we lost our friend and hiking partner Jeremy.

You are missed, Jer.

~Sarah

I’ve never really been a photographer. I’m still not actually but I’m working on getting there. Before digital cameras I had one film camera that was a gift to me. I think I used up a couple rolls of film with it while it was still a novelty and then I decided I couldn’t be bothered. Then came the digital camera. The first one my family had was a tiny Sony that took a couple megapixel photos. My phone is better than that now. It was nothing great but it was much smaller than anything we had ever used or even seen. I took it to Australia the first time I went. The only reason I used it so much was that it was so small.

Since then I’ve had a couple of small Canon point and shoots that have been used extensively. The one I still use, the SD1100 has been a great little camera and goes nearly everywhere with me. I spent some time after my last big trip to Australia and New Zealand looking through photos of New Zealand. What I remember was absolutely incredible. Soaring mountains, crystal water. These prehistoric-looking places with very interesting history and culture. What I brought back as photos didn’t exactly fit what I remembered. I didn’t want to go on another trip without being able to capture it with more skill and a better camera. It was time to upgrade.

I have always liked the Canon’s so I took a look at their lineup. With a combination of features and price that suited my needs, I brought home a Canon T1i digital SLR. For those that don’t know what the SLR stands for, it means single lens reflex and refers to how the camera takes a picture. Sometimes there’s a “D” on the front like DSLR that stands for Digital. When you look through the viewfinder, you’re looking through the lens using a mirror. When you take the photo, the mirror moves and it captures the picture on the “film” or sensor. Looking through the lens instead of on top of the lens like the small point and shoot viewfinders do, captures a more accurate photograph of what you’re seeing in the viewfinder.

It’s interesting to get a full SLR camera after you’re used to a small point and shoot that you hold far away from your face. The DSLRs go back to the traditional style of using a viewfinder to frame your photo. The T1i does have a live view mode that you can see what’s on the LCD but it’s a bit clunky to use and I prefer just to use the viewfinder when I can. There are some situations like awkward positions or low to the ground where it’s nice to just look at the screen instead of the viewfinder.

It comes with an 18-55mm lens on it that is an ok lens but that’s about all I can say. The 18-55mm means it can zoom from 18mm to 55mm. 18mm is close to real life size on the T1i. You can then zoom in slightly if you want. The pictures from the lens were slightly better than my point and shoot. It was ok to start with but I upgraded to something larger right away. I’ve got the 18-200mm for most of my shooting now. I’ve also got the small 50mm because it was so cheap. I picked up it up for $129 just before I went to France. The 18-200 is still not the expensive L series that all Canon photographers lust for but it’s getting closer. The large range it has extending from 18mm to 200mm makes it a good choice for when you only want to carry one lens.

Travelling with the T1i
Earlier in 2011, I took the T1i to France with the 18-200mm and 50mm lenses. The 18-200mm was on the camera most of the time. I didn’t have a small bag for the 50mm lens so I just stored it in 2 socks while I wasn’t using it. They were clean socks.

I wasn’t sure how much of an issue having the bigger camera was going to be. The last big trip I did in 2009 was to Australia and New Zealand and I only had the small SD1100 with me. The small camera worked very well in Australia when I as moving around a lot. I wasn’t moving nearly as much in France so it a good intro to carrying a bigger camera around. I used a shoulder strap to carry around the camera most of the time. This kept it close at hand and easy to use but not strapped too close that it was annoying. There were times when I would’ve rather not have had the camera with me so I could just experience where I was it was hard to do that. I put it in a shoulder bag when I didn’t want to have it out on my side and look like a tourist.

When I was out doing touristy stuff and shooting photos to show what we had done, I had the 18-200mm on. When I had a bit of time and already had taken regular photos of somewhere we’d already been, I’d head out with the 50mm and see what else I could find. I ended up with more narrow depth of field, close up shots and some of them turned out really good. It was hard to use as a multi-purpose lens because it didn’t zoom. It’s a great portrait lens but it’s hard to use it as a general purpose travel lens. I’m not yet to the point where I’d rather travel with a set of primes rather than a zoom (primes are just one focal length like 24mm or 50mm, they don’t zoom at all), so the large zoom is still my preference when on the road.

Video with the T1i
The T1i was the second Canon camera to get a video mode. It’s not much to shake a stick at but video was on of my requirements when I got the camera so it suited me just fine. For my next camera, the video will be an even bigger deal but for now it’s just a nice little bonus. The T1i does 1080p at 20fps and 720p at 30fps. For the small number of short videos I’ve shot already, it’s a little clunky to use but not bad. I wouldn’t go with a T1i if video was my main reason for using it but, again, it’s a nice feature to have on the side.

Adventuring with the T1i
Since buying the T1i, I’ve been taking it with me for everything I’ve been doing. I probably don’t need to for every single trip. In fact it’s just been extra weight for some but if I got it and didn’t start using it right away on my trips then I would never take it.

On the first few hikes I went on I didn’t use it that much. I had it tucked away in my Talon 33 backpack and it was more work to get it out. If I was using hiking poles at the time then I couldn’t carry it in my hands and I’d have to keep it in my bag. Getting a bag that strapped to my chest partially solved this problem.

The bag is basically just a camera pouch that fits the camera with a good size lens on it. The 18-200mm that I usually have on the camera is about 4 inches long. That will the camera body fills up the small pouch I’ve got. There’s a small compartment on the front for a rain cover and a couple extra SD cards but that’s all it fits. The key part to the whole set up is the straps that go around my shoulders, under my arms and connect back to the pouch.

Having the pouch there make it easier to access for taking photos. You don’t have to stop, take your backpack off, pull the pouch out, open the pouch, pull the camera out and take a photo. It’s already on your chest so you simply open the top and pull the camera out. It’s similar to having a point and shoot camera in your front pocket compared to buried in your bag. It’s not going to get used when it’s deep in your bag.

The chest-pouch setup has worked well on a bunch of hikes, ski tours and snowshoe trips. If I’m working really hard with it on it does get quite warm under the pouch so that could be an issue that’s addressed in a future model. Something with some venting or mesh would be much more comfortable to wear.

The next step in the evolution of the perfect camera carrier is the Cotton Carrier I got for Christmas. The straps are similar to the pouch I’ve been using but instead of a pouch with a lid to store the camera it’s got a clip that attaches to the bottom of the camera. Clip it on and your camera hangs tightly against your chest. Unclip it and it’s ready to use and there isn’t a big pouch still hanging off your chest. Less pouch means less weight to carry and less fabric covering your chest when it’s warm. I’m anxious to try it out on a good day hike. The only downside to it is that if you get muddy or weight, there’s nothing covering your camera. I think it might be a fair weather piece of gear only. There are two covers that come with it for the camera body and lens so we’ll see how those work. If it’s a hassle to get the cover on the camera and lens every time you clip it back on I don’t think I’ll be using them. We’ve written more about carrying your camera on adventures if you want to know more.

The lesson is that the easier your camera is to access the more you will use it. Have it out and ready and you’ll take many more photos than if it takes 20 minutes to get your camera out and a photo taken. And what’s the point of having your camera with you on a trip and not using it!

Conclusion
Unfortunately, I don’t have experience with any other DSLR camera right now to compare it to. When I start to look for a camera upgrade to the T1i, I’ll post some comparisons to this one to see how they stack up.

For anyone looking for a basic DSLR to get into photography and see what it’s all about, I highly recommend something like the T1i. It’s smaller, lighter, and less expensive that most of the other DSLR’s but still gives you most of the options. The lenses are compatible with more expensive cameras as well so the option is there to upgrade the body later on and keep all the lenses you’ve bought. One of the most important things I’ve learned getting into photography is that a lot of the money is in the lenses. It’s also a very large part of a good, clear photo. A really nice lens on a low-end camera will get you a better photo than a terrible lens on an amazing camera. That said, cameras are just tools. How you, the photographer, use them is the most important part!

What cameras do you use? Does it suit your purpose or are you thinking of upgrading to something different?

-

Next week we’re going to get into the details of a very lightweight adventure mobile.

-

Other reviews of the Canon T1i
As always DP Reviews has a great in depth review of the T1i

Review on Digital Camera Review

Review on Digital Review

Buy a Canon T1i
Buy at Amazon

It’s possible to visit Les Fers restaurant at night and have a meal. It’s about 1hr 30min walk up at relaxed pace and around 1hr back down. It was a reasonable evening yesterday, the moon wasn’t full but the sky was clear and we could see a lot of stars. A layer of cloud and [...]

Snowshoeing is one of the easiest sports to get into. All you need are some snowshoes and to go walk in the snow. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

Snowshoes range in price from $50 to $300 can you can buy them at almost any outdoor store.

A couple years ago, a few friends said they were going snowshoeing and I wanted to join so picked up a pair of the Mountain 12 Series snowshoes’s from Atlas.

The 12 Series I have are 25 inches long which is in the middle of size ranges. There are shorter lengths available and longer ones as well. I wasn’t sure what kind of conditions I would be getting into on my snowshoe trips so I decided to go in the middle.

They are a tubular design, with a round metal frame running around the snowshoe. Flat plastic fills out the middle and provides a platform to stand on. The binding for your foot is near the front and has a fabric strap that goes over the top of your foot. there is also a plastic strap that goes around the back of your foot to keep it snug in the binding. You can adjust the 3 adjustments on the binding to be looser or tighter depending on where you want your foot to be in the binding.

The bindings are very easy to get one and the fastest of any bindings I’ve tried. All you do is slide your foot in and pull the one binding strap that tightens at two points. Throw on the strap around the back of your foot and you’re ready to go. Getting out of the binding is a little more work as you need to open pull the clips and either push the binding over to loosen it or pull the strap through the other direction. The other issue I have with the binding is that they don’t fold flat very well. Other styles of snowshoes like the MSR Lightnight Ascents can stack flat because there isn’t much binding, only straps, and they fold down flat.

On the bottom of your shoe right under the binding where your foot will go, are a bunch of metal teeth for grip. When you’re on a bit of an icy slope or the trail has been heavily travelled on that it’s a bit hard, these big teeth will come in handy. Old snowshoes didn’t have any teeth and were fine for travelling on flat ground but if you got into technical terrain on a slope, you would be sliding all over the place. The big teeth on the bottom of the Atlas snowshoes act like crampons and keep you steady and travelling where you want to go, not falling down the hill.

Connecting the binding to the snowshoe frame are 2 stretchy plastic straps. They hold the binding nicely and put a little spring in your step when you use them. The only downside is that sometimes they cause the back of the snowshoe to flick up and throw some snow. When you’re moving quickly this can be a lot of snow so make sure you are wearing waterproof clothes. Other styles of snowshoes don’t have this elastic system and don’t flick as much so look out for those when you’re buying.

The only major issue I had with the 12 Series was one of the heel risers breaking twice. Heel risers are short metal bars that you can raise and clip into place to set your heel on when you are walking uphill. Instead of setting your heel down flat on the snowshoe, you stand on the heel riser making less work for your calves as you climb up hills. Obviously these need to be sturdy because they’re going to take a beating from people standing on them repeatedly. The pair I have aren’t quite as strong as they need to be.

Aside from the heel riser issue the Atlas Mountain 25 Snowshoes are a great choice for a pair of snowshoes. The elastic attachment to the binding and the light tube frame make it an excellent snowshoe for cruising around on the trails and through light snow. If you’re looking for something for gnarly, icy conditions, and need traction more than anything. I’d opt for the MSR Lightning Ascents instead.

Other Reviews of the Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes

Reviews on Trailspace

Review on Backpacker.com

Review on Highball Blog

Buy a pair Atlas Series 12 Snowshoes
Buy at Amazon

Buy at Mountain Equipment Co-op

 

We’re a good way into the 2011-2012 winter season now and although the snow came slightly late it came in large quantities and we’ve been enjoying some great conditions for snowshoeing and skiing around the region. The small bridge that Julie is stood on is actually just in the forest near the ice rink here [...]

When I first found the Julbo Nomad sunglasses I was a little skeptical. They were from a french company that I had never heard of, they were expensive, and they were a little different style than I was used to wearing. I was actually looking for some big white sunglasses at the time, so I ended up with the complete opposite.

The Nomad’s are a sleek pair of sunglasses from french eyewear producer, Julbo. They’re designed for mountaineering and other sports where you’d need dark lenses and lots of light coverage. They also stick to your head like glue. No amount of moving around are going to pull these off your noggin.

Quick and Dirty about the Nomads

What I like

Fits closely to my head and almost never comes off

Photochromatic lenses get darker in brighter light

Polarized lenses reduce glare off snow or water

Additional side widgets reduce the amount of light coming in around the sides if you’re in a really bright place

What I don’t like

They fit so close to my face that if I’m sweating a lot, they touch my face and get sweat on them

Too dark for some places

The ends of the arms are quite pointy and I have to be careful if I don’t want to stab myself in the face

The price

The Details

The Nomad’s are awesome sunglasses. They fit close to your face and don’t let much light in. When you’ve got the side covers on, even less light gets in. If you’re out on the water or a glacier on a wicked sunny day, you’ll appreciate the covers. They are like the new age explorer goggles that had the leather covers on the side. The downside to them being so close to my face is that when I’m sweating buckets in the sun, drips of sweat get onto the glasses and smear them up good. They do have an anti-fog coating on them which works well against fogging up but not against drops of sweat.

The Nomad’s that I have from a few years ago use the Julbo Camel lens that are polarized and photochromatic. The polorization reduces the glare from water or snow and has helped me a lot when I’m out on the water sailing. The few times I’ve been out on the snow with them, they’ve worked wonders as well. No more squinting in the snow with crappy sunglasses on.  The photochromatic part changes the darkness of the lens from category 3 in lower light to category 4. They’re quite dark to start with and get even darker when the sun comes out. Julbo recommends that you don’t drive with them because they’re so dark. On the Julbo website there are images of using the category 3 lenses in the woods. I found they were too dark for mountain biking. You could use them hiking if you were moving a bit slower and were moving in and out of the trees into bright places. The new Nomad’s use the Zebra lens which transitions from category 2 to 4.

The Verdict

I’d highly recommend the Nomad’s to anyone. They’re aren’t the perfect fit for highly active sports with a lot of sweat or in the dark trees but for bright days sailing, climbing in the mountains or skiing they fit the bill perfectly. Just don’t go try tumbling down a hill to see if they’ll stay on your head. They probably will.

Something of a day off after a busy Christmas and New Year, we did have guests in the B&B and arrivals tonight but we had time to get over to the Col des Mosses and do some nordic skiing in perfect conditions. We parked at the far end of the loops in La Lécherette and [...]