Highball Blog

Kigo Shoes Review - Barefoot Lifestyle

2012-01-27T19:11:00.000+02:00

Manufacturer:	Kigo
Model:	Drive
URL:	www.kigofootwear.com
Retail Value:	USD $91.00
Weight:	+/- 4 ounces per shoe
Manufacturing Country:	Made in China

I was provided the opportunity to field test and review a unique line of barefoot lifestyle shoes made by Kigo Footwear.

Now, this recent movement of barefoot footwear has caught on to many and there has also been increasing scientific backing to show the benefits of this type of lifestyle. I finally jumped on the bandwagon and wanted to see what all the hype was about.

First the shoes arrived in a small box with no additional fluff. No stuffing paper or other packaging material that gets thrown out anyway. I knew immediately I liked this Eco-Friendly and no-nonsense approach to packaging.

When the shoes came out, I cringed when I felt the material. The texture was very similar to the neoprene braces that I had used in the past for an old knee injury (Story for another time).

Now, the reason I cringed was because whenever I think of Neoprene, the first thing that comes to mind is TOO SNUG. One thing I absolutely abhor is when a shoe is too snug. I prefer a shoe that has a little give for movement within the shoe. To my delight this was not the case. I proceeded with my examination.

Overall Aesthetics

The shoes themselves actually exude the look of the minimalist. There are no thick bottom cushions so basically you have a zero to near zero drop on the heels. This helps with overall posture helping in the prevention of additive damage to the back or shoulders over a period of time.

The front bumper contours the toe very nicely which gives the shoes a very unique rounded look. This actually piqued the interest of many who happened to glance down.

The colors are not too flashy so these could definitely become part of your every day wear.

Functionality

No shoelaces, but instead a quick tightening bungee cord with lock.
Lightweight (+/- 4oz. per shoe)
Wide Toe Housing: Now this feature allows the toes to splay out when making impact on the ground. As for individuals with hobbit feet such as myself the Drive’s became the best fitting pair of shoes I have ever owned.
Flexible: The shoes are flexible enough to be rolled up and take up minimal space in the pack. This is extremely ideal for light or ultra light backpackers. It is also perfect for wearing around camp or taking quick breaks on the trek while waiting to air out your boots and dry your socks.
Inhances proprioception

Company's Mission

Made from recycled post consumer and non-toxic material
Eco-friendly: From production to recycling of the shoe

Major Pros

The rubber soles have extremely good grip. The shoes did not slip once on any of the smooth surfaces during a rain storm.
Extremely lightweight

Major Cons

The lock on the bungee cord tends to give after long periods of extended use
The shoes took an extremely long time to dry after an hour of use in the rain.

Conclusion

The Kigo Drive are excellent shoes for the outdoors. They are extremely sturdy, roomy, and comfortable. The design meets all the requirements necessary for an avid hiker and for many other activities as well.

However, after a few more hiking trips I have come to the conclusion they are not ideal for extended hikes that cover large amounts of distance. The Drives are more fitted towards a casual short expedition, weekend hikes and camp site activities.

The shoes may seem to fall slightly on the pricier side for some, but the design, construction, and versatility of the shoe makes this an extremely good deal.

About the author: JSO is a climber and hiker fron Northern California. He's part of the group of athletes who regularly write gear reviews for Highball Blog.

11 Random Things About Me

2012-01-27T12:32:00.002+02:00

1. I usually faint at the doctor. For no particular reason. Well, it happens coz I'm utterly scared - I have a phobia. (Once I even peed myself - I was 25)

2. I got a lot hairier during the last few years - growing on the back and shoulders...ughhhh. I don't like but I have to roll with it.

3. I don't know what to do with my life. I do a few things but not sure which to pursue till rapture. However, I'm working on my Evil Plans.

4. I am married. This should have been the first in this list, right?

5. I tend to eat too much and gain weight easily which is not good for my cycling and climbing. I also visit the cake shop often. (YES, I know fruits and vegetables are a healthier option...)

Indulging in pork after a mountain biking ride

6. I'm not particularly friendly to people I don't know (anti social some may say). But when I am among friends, I'm an entertainer - which makes me wonder: should I become a comedian? (no wonder I like Seinfeld). So I thrive on a good audience - I guess this makes me an attention whore.

7. My favorite movies are Shawshank Redemption and The Edge. I had no clue who Stephen King was until recently - then I dicovered Shawsank Redemption was written by him so I became a fan of his non horror novellas. Also love his short piece "The Body". My favorite books are Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and Moby Dick by Herman Melville.

8. I preoccupy myself with the state of the world from time to time. I'd like to make it better. To contribute in some way. For instance, I'd like to invent a device that captures and distributes the natural light (I was thinking about some connected spheres made of one way mirror glass). I also fancy about perpetual motion and free sources of energy. I occasionally work in the green energy sector (punctual work gigs in western Europe).

9. I swam across the Danube river and I seem to never loose my ability to swim long distances even though I only swim a few times a year.

10. My favorite poet is Emily Dickinson and my favorite poem is Success is Counted Sweetest - I must be hungry for success. Who isn't?

11. There's nothing like a solid burp after a Coke! Makes me feel I've done something important (with my life).

Lindsay's questions:

1. You have the skills to go pro in any sport (except running/triathlons). What sport would you choose?
Wing suit base jumping.

2. What is your favorite vegetable?
Sometimes I feel like a vegetable... Other than that, I like carrots.

3. They're making a movie about your life. What actor/actress would play you?
Anthony Hopkins (am I vain or what?)

4. Last book you read?
Screw It, Let's Do It by Richard Branson.

5. Last text message you sent?
I'm coming over with a friend. He's gonna borrow the GoPro camera for a few days.

6. What is your favorite meal/recipe to cook?
I cook...salads, scrambled eggs, omelet and...tea.

7. Do you prefer dusting or vacuuming? (and when are you coming to do my house?)
Vacuuming. (I'll start looking for voluntaries right away)

8. If you could go on vacation to anywhere in the US or Canada, where would you go?
Alaska, Utah, Arizona, California and British Columbia.

9. What's something you love about where you live?
The friendly people and the landscape.

10. Something you don't love about where you live?
Lack of respect for nature and the environment. We've been under communism for 50 years; now some people feel entitled to do whatever they want. They're misinterpreting the freedom.

11. What do you do when you have trouble falling asleep?
I read.

I was involved in this game by Kovas who blogs about endurance sports and adventures in the great outdoors.

If you have blog, I invite you to write 11 random things about yourself and tag your friends or fellow bloggers asking them to join the game.

If you don't have a blog, do it on Facebook.

I believe this is an opportunity to have fun and connect on a more personal level.

Be safe!

I'm tagging: Hendrik Morkel, Brant Dempster, Jen Hamilton, Angie Miske, Charles Miske, Manny Lugo, Ryan Hamilton, Dianne San Luis, Peng Shi, Casey Fiedler, Alex Prodan.

Mountain House Dried Food Review

2012-01-23T13:22:00.000+02:00

Hello, my name is Aaron Lawrence, and I'm a climber and mountaineer from California.

I recieved a variety of flavors of Mountain House pro-packs dried food from MountainHouse.com for review on Highball Blog.

I have been enjoying outdoor activities for as long as I can remember, and I've tried every brand of freeze-dried meals on the market. Some are good and, well, some just aren't.

Good or not, most of the meals make two servings, which is fine if there are two people. I usually can't finish it alone. They also take up alot of room in your pack.

The pro-pack by Mountain House solves that problem. One large serving (about a pound) and vacuum sealed which saves big time on space.

Since the food is dehydrated you'll carry less weight in your backpack; unlike when you carry canned food (metal can + food + water = lots of weight).

Just add hot water and you've got yourself a meal that you'd normally have to cook for tens of minutes. Easy and convenient, leaving more time for you to sleep, rest, take photos or hike even further into the wild.

I have to be honest in the fact that Mountain House products have been my brand of choice for years. Flavor & deliciousness, variety of flavors, price and availability have kept them in my pack since I was in Scouts as a child.

Here's a list of online retailers where you can buy your Mountain House dried food for camping:

Conclusion

I would recommend the pro-packs to any outdoor enthusiast who wants a fast preparing delicious meal even in the most remote and harshest places.

About the author: Aaron Lawrence is a climber and mountaineer from Redlands - California who tests gear sent by outdoor companies. When he's not climbing, he writes reviews for Highball Blog.

Be Interesting and Win a Technical Outdoor Hoodie by Röjk - Gear Giveaway

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000+02:00

Update: This contest has reached it's deadline. Thank you all for entering and thank you Röjk for the opportunity!

The winners are:

Girl: Super Angie
Answer from Röjk Superwear: You have understood our mission that being outdoors does not mean you have to look boring, now you can look as supercool as us.

Man: James925
Answer from Röjk Superwear: We want to provide outstanding technical gear for active outdoor people who dare to look cool with our good looking gear. You will definitely look supercool.

--

It's time to be interesting and win an outdoor technical hoodie, a beanie and a pair of Primaloft/Merino socks from Röjk - a cool young Swedish company that's envioronmental friendly and supports ethical sportswear.

What you have to do to win all this cool stuff

It's simple.

Share this contest on Facebook and/or Twitter
Leave a comment here on the blog or on Facebook and tell us why you want the hoodie (and the rest of the items)

The most creative/interesting/crazy answer will be rewarded by Röjk with colorful, snug and warm outdoor clothing.

By the way, did you know that Röjk's Helmet Hood is the winner of Best Design and Innovation at Innovation for Extremes Award in 2007?

There are two prizes actually

One set for men and another for women.

So if you enter, invite your sweetheart to join as well. At least this way there's a better chance for the prize to land in the family. :-)

We're talking about high quality apparel, made of technical fabrics that keep you warm and dry. You can use the hoodie as an insulating base layer under your wind-stopper shell or GoreTex Jacket. I'm already in love with mine.

Who can participate

Anyone.

This giveaway is open to participants all over the world. Röjk will ship the prize to you, no matter where you live.

The deadline of this contest is 31st Jan 2012

You can submit your creative comments until 31st January 2012 but you might as well post your comment now so you won't forget about it.

Tips

If you comment on the blog, use a public profile so we can reach you via email if you win.
You must Like the Highball page before commenting on Facebook

So be creative and leave a comment.

Success!

How To Shoot Steadicam Video - Extreme Adventure Clips by Sebastien Montaz-Rosset

2012-01-20T14:12:00.000+02:00

The most entertaining way to learn how to shoot extreme sports videos is by watching the pros, right?

Manuals and books are helpful but we always need a little bit of inspiration and motivation from the big guys.

So here are a series of short video tutorials on hot to shoot steadicam videos by Sebastien Montaz-Rosset, famous for his slack line and wing-suit base jumping videos.

Steadicam video shooting tutorial

The smooth shots were taken with Glidecam HD 2000 and the premium DSLRs Canon 7D and 5D Mark II.

Notice that Seb says he had a hard time balancing the camera stabilizer at first. That's a constant issue with anyone who starts using this device.

What you have to do is understand the difference between stable equilibrium and neutral equilibrium and then set your rig somewhere between the two.

Then you also have to achieve dynamic balance which is a bit harder - you must fine tune the glidecam to a point where the gravity center of the camera is aligned with the shaft of the stabilizer.

Check out Seb's Facebook blog and Vimeo channel for more tips.

Adventure filming tutorial

Flight of the Frenchies - Trailer

I Believe I Can Fly - Behind the scenes video -

I Believe I Can Fly - Flight of the Frenchies (free segment)

Special thanks to Catalin Andrei and Catalin Pobega (fellow climber and blogger) who pointed out these videos to me.

Be safe!

How To Shoot Amazing Nature and Extreme Sports DSLR Videos - Tips from Devin Graham

2012-01-19T11:32:00.001+02:00

Would you like to learn how to shoot DSLR videos from a pro?

I know I would. So let's learn together from Devin Graham - famous for his awesome nature and extreme sports videos on YouTube (watch them below).

He's gonna release tutorials and behind the scenes videos on his new YouTube channel. So subscribe and keep yourself informed about the tricks he pulls to film and edit all his videos.

You'll learn about camera settings, video gear, shooting techniques and other stuff that goes into producing a quality web video.

Devin is so good with his camera - especially when mounted on his camera stabilizer - that was contacted by veteran directors to shoot commercials for Nike and Nokia. Check out the smooth shots in the last video below.

Waimea cliff jump - the first video from Devin that caught my attention.

If you think about it, his videos do so well on YouTube because they encompass a set of low risk ingredients: super cool action in super cool locations. Add a good filmmaker who uses pro gear and there you have it: a viral video. :-)

The more exotic and unusual the action, the more views you get.

What's cool though, is that he's very open to talk about how he does the videos and also how his YouTube career is evolving. You won't see too many top YouTubers disclosing information about how it is to be a YouTube partner.

That's to be appreciated and following his teachings would definitely make us better videographers.

He's not much of a DIY guy but when one deals with big clients using pro gear is the best way to go, right?

The smoothness of his shots are granted by the Glidecam 2000 stabilizer - Glidecam being the inexpensive premium stabilizer, cheaper than the ever original Steadicam, but not as cheap as the Flycam.

Be safe and keep your subject in focus!

Photo credit: Sam Chadwick Photography Blog

They Want Us To Shut Up. Let's Stop Internet Censorship!

2012-01-18T12:49:00.003+02:00

Hey friends!

This is an off topic post to raise awareness about what's gonna happen... If we let it happen, that is.

Basically, the entertainment businesses (Hollywood movie brands and music production companies) are trying to enforce a law that will shut down websites that offer access or information on how to access their copyrighted material.

The problem is that the government will have to power to seize your website and block your domain name just because a commentator left a link that leads to a site that shows copyrighted content. And if you embed a video on your blog that contains copyrighted footage or music (I know I did that) you're in the same bucket with big time spammers and hackers.

And since the law is formulated in broad terms, there will be enough room for them to decide what should be online and what not. So this is nothing else than the beginning of a censorship.

If they consider that what you say or show might cause revenue losses for the entertainment industry, they'll shut you down.

Websites that you enjoy and benefit from will also be affected - YouTube, Blogger, Wordpress, Tumblr, Posterous, Facebook, Twitter - all sites where users create and distribute content.

That's just for the beginning. Later on, if you get political on your website (like I am here), they can shut you down for being a threat to national security and for encouraging terrorism.

So, bye bye freedom of speech! Bye bye the possibility of raising awareness about any issue - only the mass media will be able to do that (and they said 9/11 was a terrorism attack...and here I go political again).

What we can do to stop this

First and foremost we have to let the government know that it is people who rule a country, through elected officials, not vice versa!

For important decisions/laws people must be consulted. Let us not be treated like kids - we can make a judgement and we call the shots!

Sign the petition on Google
Visit Stop American Censorship and write to your local officials as to not vote for passing the law.
Express your opinion publicly about this (even if it leads to street protests)
Support the free and accessible web knowledge sites like Wikipedia - check out their blackout website for 18 January 2012

What are the big Internet companies saying

Google, Amazon, Facebook and Wikipedia are threatening with a blackout day - that is a full day without service to raise awareness about this serious problem that is about to affect a free and democratic nation.

By the way, try to access any page on Wikipedia today (18 Jan 2012) and see what you get.

The law is supposed to be voted on 24 January 2012 so we still have time. Let's act now!

This law won't affect only USA

If this law passes, then other governments will consider adopting it since there will already be a precedent. World wide web censorship is just a few signatures away.

The internet economy is here - future jobs rely on it

Whatever business you're in, you can't survive without an internet presence. And the internet has created far more jobs and business opportunities than the entertainment industry has ever created.

Think about this - the big business (entertainment and what not) is not available to anyone. There are tons of barriers to entry any highly lucrative domain: high costs, capital, knowledge, connections, etc.

The internet, on the other hand, is a free medium where anyone can build anything - it's the perfect meritocracy environment. No entry costs, easy to access, easy to promote yourself or your services, easy to connect with others, easy to spread new ideas, etc.

So what do we really want? Gatekeepers that tell us what to do, or absolute freedom? It's up to us to decide and act now.

Read more about this on:

Even though the Hitler reaction parody series have been going on for a while, the chief editor at Copyblogger (Sonia Simone) endorses this video as it explains some important aspects of the SOPA act.

Be safe and stay free!

Nikwax Tech Wash and Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof Review

2012-01-17T10:57:00.001+02:00

Nikwax is a company the offers numerous products for cleaning, conditioning and waterproofing your outdoor gear (including leather, wool, and down). Two of their products that I had the opportunity to test out was Nikwax Tech Wash and Nikwax Tent Gear SolarProof.

Tech Wash is designed to safely clean water repellant gear while bringing water repellency back into older used gear (runs about $5-$10).

Tent and Solarproof is spray-on water proofing for all weatherproof textiles such as tents, rucksacks, and camera bags (runs about $6-$15).

After receiving the product, I decided that I would test the Tech Wash on a raincoat that wasn’t shedding the water as it should. I also used the Nikwax Tent and Solar Proof on a rucksack that I often use backpacking and while in the military and have always wanted to be water repellent.

Before

After applying Nikwax

Pros:

Techwash effectively cleaned both raincoat and ruck
Tent and Gear SolarProof both worked as waterproofing and is said to double the life of my ruck due to UV protection
Both products very easy to apply and use
Environmentally friendly company
Online web quiz for free samples of other products

Cons:

Needed an entire bottle of Tent & Gear SolarProof for one ruck
Techwash restored water repellency but not 100%

Update

The main product for restoring waterproofing is Nikwax TX. Direct. The result: water doesn't wet the fabric and the water droplets flow away from the the material.

Conclusion

After using the products I have decided that definitely would be buying more of their products in the future. The Techwash thoroughly cleaned both my raincoat and my ruck. It also improved the water repellency of the fabric however it was not as drastic as I was hoping (but there still was a noticeable difference).

The Tent & Gear SolarProof was easy to apply and I concluded that the product worked well where it was properly applied. On the downside, I had to use the whole bottle on the ruck and afterwards I noticed spots that I had missed using the spray bottle and in these areas water could be observed soaking in. In my opinion, this was more of a mistake on my part and something that would be avoided next time.

Overall, I like the product that Nikwax produces and will be using more in the future to waterproof more bags and maintain and extend the life of my gear. ($15 to double the life of a ruck is enough to make the product worth it for me.)

Where to buy Nikwax products:

Some more info about Nikwax:

As a company, Nikwax strives to be environmentally conscious; so by making their products water based and without aerosols or propellants the company does their part to reduce global warming and ozone depletion.

Nikwax also has a unique promotion tool called the Nikwax Webquiz, to spread knowledge about their company and environmental concerns.

Every three months, customers are allowed to play the 5 question online quiz that is based on the company and environment. If you answer all the questions correctly, then you receive a free sample of a Nikwax product. Pretty cool in my opinion.

About the author: John Kirby is a Recon Marine veteran, college student majoring in Environmental Science, and a fitness enthusiast from Seattle, WA. He's a Highball Blog community member and got the product from Nikwax as a sponsorship.

How To Write Gear Reviews

2012-01-13T16:51:00.002+02:00

What's your most important duty once you get a free piece of gear to review?

You may think it's putting up a banner for the sponsor on your blog. Or maybe do an unboxing video. But the all you have to do is...

Test it. Take it out.

When a company sends you gear, they're not buying good will from you. They want real feedback as to whether the equipment meets your expectations or not.

There's another thing you must consider: your review will be read by people who are looking to buy the product. Some of those people may be your high school buddies. So, would you lie to your buddies?

Always make sure your opinion is based on real world testing not just on the first impression.

Big statements like "The best" may sound like kissing ass...

We are naturally biased to give a favorable review to a sponsor - hell, they sent us free gear, right? - but once we acknowledge that, we can hopefully be more objective.

The paradox is that you can display advertisements for your sponsor (on your blog, website, Facebook or Twitter stream) but at the same time post an article where you basically say the product sucks...

What do you then?

Nothing. You simply move on. Things have to be told just as they are. Your readers and fans - which are the only reason you got to a point where you get all that free swag - will be appreciative of you being truthful to yourself and to themselves.

OMG, but I might loose future sponsorships, you many say.

If you loose the sympathy of that particular company, it means they didn't understand what this is all about in the first place. So the problem lies in their yard, not yours. And then again, if you fear loosing the good stuff - like attention and free gear from big brands - you may be in the kiss ass mode so snap out of it. :-)

Don't do it for the free stuff. Do it to offer valuable information to your audience. That's the core of this whole web publishing thing - being in the honesty business.

So using big words like "the best" can be seen as selling. That, and also saying something is just "the best" makes no sense unless you tried everything else on the market - and that's rarely the case.

Say what you like about the item (the good), say what you don't like (the bad) and then write a conclusion. You can be subjective but don't oversell.

Smart companies know how to improve

And they appreciate negative feedback as well.

Coz when somebody talks to you about the things you're doing wrong and also gives you tips on how to improve, you should be thanking them.

And when all this is done publicly, that's a sign the company has balls and takes its customers seriously. The more willing to listen to its customers - the higher the chances of becoming a great company.

Of course there are instances when clients don't know what they want as Steve Jobs said. That's when companies innovate and release new products that nobody articulated the need for. Even then, early feedback on the product is essential.

Smart companies are those who listen and don't get mad at you for writing a negative review. They'll approach you again with their new version of the product and ask your opinion again.

When this happens...

You'll naturally became more sympathetic towards the company (so they kinda win you over)
The company, being customer oriented, is more likely to develop a good product and grow in all aspects: sales, raging fans, PR exposure, etc.

Conclusion

Join the free outdoor gear program and get your own gear to review with Highball Blog. That's the conclusion! :-)

Be safe!

Where To Buy Affordable Outdoor Technical Apparel - Lidl and Aldi Stores

2012-01-09T11:53:00.001+02:00

We all like quality affordable technical outdoor gear, don't we?

The good news is: getting a cheap base layer is more accessible than you'd think (cheap as in affordable and durable, not as in poor quality!). Just visit your local Lidl or Aldi store once a week and you're bound to find decent/excellent outdoor apparel and gear.

They usually have weekly offers and the good stuff goes out of the shelves fast so you have to hunt your bargain. I know, this sounds too much as consumerism manifesto, but the quality price ratio is worth the effort.

Men's base layer top made of polyester and elastane. Price: 13 Euro (10 Euro discounted price).

And we all know about the importance of layered clothing in winter tours, don't we? The base layer keeps us warm and dry.

Take these gloves below for instance. They sell as work gloves (in German arbeithandschuhe which can be translated as work hand shoes - how cool is that?!) but they make a decent pair of mountain bike/cycling gloves.

Made of leather (synthetic I guess), neoprene, breathable technical fabric, silicone stripes at the finger tips; the palms are padded with gel cushions - there's no reason why you could't use them as cycling gloves. Price: 7 Euro.

I got a bunch of other items from Aldi Scotland (cycling jersey, cycling wind stopper) and they are all in good shape after years of exploitation. Some have branded fabrics in their composition (CoolMax by DuPont for example, Elastane/Spandex/Lycra, etc.).

Wearing top of the line apparel from big brands is cool and we do that mostly for emotional reasons (we believe the notorious logo says something about us, we position ourselves as having a distinct set of values, etc). However, being a bit rational about this whole buying process leads us to better decisions and more cash left in our wallets.

You're not to blame for your high end gear (I'm guilty of that myself) but once you find good stuff at small prices, you'll fell awakened. :-)

There are items where you cannot compromise - like hardware gear: a bike, a pair of high altitude mountaineering shoes, an ice axe, etc. But for textiles, there's so much competition that you'll inevitably find high quality apparel at ridiculously low prices.

Just for kicks, pay a visit to your Lidl or Aldi store. You may find something cool.

Be safe!

Disclaimer: Even though I do approve sponsored posts and I endorse certain products and brands on this blog, this article is not sponsored by anyone. I genuinely like these store chains for their weekly outdoor clothing offers.

Avalanche Shovel Review - Voile USA T6 Tech

2012-01-06T11:07:00.000+02:00

I was fortunate enough to recieve the T6 tech avalanche shovel - snow saw from Voile-USA for review on Highball Blog.

So after testing it, my statement is that Voile-USA's T6 Tech series avalanche shovels are the best choice for back country skiers, mountaineers and snowmobile fans.

I was highly impressed as soon as I took it out of the box, so light weight. It's also by far the best looking shovel I've seen.

The T6 tech conveniently stows a 14"/36 cm snow saw blade inside the handle. You can easily attach the snow saw blade to the end of the shovel shaft for snow science work and winter shelter building. Want an igloo and the shovel is not enough to carve out ice blocks? There's a saw for that!

The aluminum scoop has deadman holes for use as a snow anchor or making a rescue sled and has a chip proof coating.

I took this shovel with me on a mountain trip recently and it fits perfectly in my 37 liter winter pack without much effort. And at a little over a pound, you can't tell its there.

On the first day of the trip a small storm came through so we dug a snow cave in record time. The blade shovel cuts through ice and snow like butter.

If you need to pitch your tent on the snow, the shovel is the tool to have - either dig out the snow and build your tent on the ground or you can press the snow and build a wind protection wall around the tent. You don't want that blizzard spoiling your sleep.

Also, if you wanna make a fire you can dig a proper fireplace in the snow, down to the ground - this way the heat of the fire won't be lost as it would when you build the fire right on the snow.

Conclusion

The T6 tech is the perfect packable avalanche shovel, and I give it 5 stars out of 5. I can see why Voile T6 is the professionals' choice.

And being a shovel, it's very versatile - you can use it to get your car out of the snow if you're stuck; you can dig a small well when you need to gather fresh water, etc.

Where to buy the T6 snow shovel

Directly from Voile-USA
Amazon.com
Backcountry.com
Orscrosscountryskisdirect.com (T6 Mini Tele Pro - no saw)
Dogfunk.com

About the author: Aaron Lawrence is a climber and mountaineer from California who tests gear sent by sponsors. When he's not climbing, he writes reviews for Highball Blog.

How To Design and Manufacture Your Own Gore Tex Jacket

2012-01-03T23:16:00.000+02:00

Have you ever wondered how hard it is to design and manufacture your very own Gore Tex jacket?

I don't have a clear answer for this yet but I'm gonna exchange emails with a few manufacturers from Asia and I'll document the whole process here. Basically, I'm gonna update this article and let you know how complex (or easy) it is to develop from scratch a new waterproof and breathable mountain jacket - a shell prototype.

There are a few contacts in my list, including the most solicited outdoor clothing manufacturer in China - Outdoorsky - they manufacture top products for Mammut, Mountain Hardwear, Lafuma, Timberland, etc.

Update: I've spoken to a few manufactures from China and decided to continue this after the Chinese New Year (on 23rd January this year). We need to exchange lots of emails and lots of artwork (design details) so we'll start fresh after the holidays. A sales assistant literally told me that the workers are in "holiday mood" so it's not very wise to start a new project now. :-)

If you want to design your own jacket, just download these patterns in SVG format (Scalable Vector Graphics) and create your model by changing colors, adding your own logo, etc.

There's a business idea right here - to offer custom made Gore Tex outdoor wear.

Create a web interface where users could change elements of a few basic designs, upload their own logo, enter their shipping details, pay the product and Bam! - next thing you know, you have a brand new mountaineering jacket with your name on it.

Of course your friends might see you as a snob for wearing designer name apparel but don't we all like to feel important from time to time? (Not that actual snobs are actually important!) :-)

You can use Inkscape to edit vectors - it's a free piece of software. I personally edit them with Microsoft Visio but that's just because I got used to it. From what I've seen, Inkscape seems to be smarter and more powerful so learning to use it would definitively be a gain.

Download the blank contour in SVG format

Also download the Highball model - Omu - named after a peak in Bucegi Mountains:

Go outdoors, be safe and stay dry!

PS - If you like to draw or simply enjoy playing with computer graphics and also like mountain biking or cycling, you may like to learn how to design cycling jerseys.

Bear Grylls Survival Series Ultimate Fine Knife Review

2012-01-01T16:56:00.000+02:00

The Gerber Bear Grylls Survival Series Ultimate Fine Knife is the neatest knife for the outdoor enthusiast. And, as usual, you can get it at a better price from Amazon.

The knife itself is light and the blade is made from high carbon stainless steel. The knife sheath has several features built into it including a knife sharpener, a fire starter (firesteel) , and an emergency whistle.

However, the thing I like most about this knife is the dual mounting option on the sheath.

You can use the traditional vertical hang down option on your belt or you can choose to have the knife situated horizontal along your belt for better concealment.

Depending on what kind of activities you do outdoors (building shelters, cutting hard wood, etc) you can also get the serrated edge version which can be used as a robust mini saw.

On the back of the sheath is a pictorial of life saving signals. It comes with an informative survival guide that explains, amongst many things, how to use your watch as a compass.

Conclusion

All in all, this knife is well made and of high quality. Although the blade is thick and sturdy, the knife overall is light weight.

Even the plastic grip on the handle is seamless and shows no signs of separation or weakness and the whistle on the end of the handle is small and inconspicuous.

The amount of detail and consideration that went into designing this knife makes it well worth the price. The Bear Grylls Survival Series Ultimate Fine Knife is an essential tool to take with you on any hike or adventure.

About the author: Wendy Leonard is a field biologist, a runner, and blogger from San Antonio, Texas. She entered the free gear program and got the knife from Gerber as a sponsorship.

Note from Gerber - The fine edge version of the Gerber / Bear Ultimate blade is available exclusively at www.gerbergear.com. The original can be found at Amazon, but the new one is only available through the Gerber site.

PS by Constantin Gabor - A friend of mine has the Remix Serrated (see picture below) and I can honestly say I'm impressed with its quality and beauty. So while I don't actually own a Gerber knife nor do I particularly like Bear Grylls (I'm a Less Stroud fan), I give my vote for Gerber and their awesome products.

Alpine Rope Review - Edelweiss Discover 8.5 mm x 30 m

2012-01-01T16:33:00.000+02:00

Hello, my name is Aaron Lawrence and I'm reviewing the Edelweiss Discover 8.5 mm x 30 m alpine touring rope.

I got this rope - courtesy of Altrec.com and Highball Blog gear giveaway - for glacier travel and short rappels, and it is perfect.

Super light weight, strong and handles very, very well. It's treated with "super-ever-dry" so it wont soak up water when plunging up a ridge. You can also use it on technical alpine treks and mountaineering tours to secure your comrade on the most exposed passages.

My climbing partner and I like it so much that we got another, and use them as twin ropes for technical ascents.

Bottom line - a great alpine rope that is always in my winter pack.

About the author: Aaron is a climber and mountaineer from California who joined the free outdoor gear program on Highball Blog.

If you don't have a blog but want to receive free gear in exchange for your review click here and apply on Highball Blog's behalf.

Editing GoPro Tips - How To Edit HD MP4 Video with a Slow Laptop Computer

2011-11-21T22:15:00.001+02:00

There is a way for you to edit MP4 video in HD even with a slow and old laptop. This trick was given to me by a friend who's a professional filmmaker and it applies to all kinds of videos.

However, there seems to be a high interest in GoPro editing and in this tutorial I'll refer to GoPro HD footage which comes in H.264 MP4 encoding. This experiment and all my video editing, including GoPro clips, are done with Magix Edit Pro Plus. I like it for its simplicity and ease of use.

Now, if your default video editing software cannot handle this kind of videos, then you can convert MP4 to AVI with MPEG Streamclip (a free piece of software).

So you wanna edit your outdoor videos but your computer is too old and, whenever you import the HD video files to your timeline, the software stalls. Here's what you have to do:

1. Convert all your video files to a smaller resolution and bit rate

The thing to remember from the start is to use the same video format and the same aspect ratio throughout this process.

So if you convert your files to a lower resolution - either with MPEG Streamclip or with Leawo MP4 converter - make sure the extension (.avi, .mp4, .mov) will be the same in all steps of the editing work.

Example: Original MP4 file in 1280/720 pixels at 30 fps will be converted to MP4 clip in 680/384 pixels at 30 fps. The 16:9 aspect ratio is maintained.

Set a new folder destination for the new files as to keep the same file name for each video (same file name as the full resolution file). This is important!

Now that your video files are lighter and have a smaller file size, it'll be much easier for your computer to handle them.

2. Move all your media files you want to work with in the same folder

Drag all the other media files you want to use in the same folder (music, sound effects, pictures). This requires less memory and processing power when the computer compiles your edit. Less paths to remember since everything is in one place.

3. Start editing and save the project file in the same folder

Now you can edit your video. Make the cuts, add the music, the titles and transitions.

When you're done editing, save the file and close it.

4. Delete all the video files in the folder and replace them with the original HD clips

Yes, that's right. Delete all the converted clips (light files in low resolution) and replace them with their HD version. We're still using the same destination folder, right?

The name of the files must be the same. So if the name of a certain low resolution files was GOPR1808.mp4, then the high resolution clip should have the same name - GOPR1808.mp4.

5. Open the project file and export your HD video

As you open the project file, it will pull all the videos, this time in full resolution.

The original HD files are in place. The editing is done.

All you have to do now is to make sure the aspect ratio and resolution are correct before exporting your final edit - change these settings both for the project file and the export parameters.

Hit the export button and go on vacation for a week. :-) This is what my friend actually told me.

And it's understandable. A slow computer with little video memory (or no dedicated graphics card at all), little RAM and little processing power can take more than an hour to compile a 5 minute edit, especially if you made many cuts and color corrected the scenes.

Other tips to follow when editing videos with an old laptop

Close all other applications and programs, including the WiFi (switch). You want to dedicate all hardware resources to your extreme sports video edit.

Make sure there's no blanket of dust stuck in the air vent of your laptop. Search on Google or on YouTube the name and model of your machine along with the words remove dust. Dust and poor ventilation causes overheating which leads to poor performance and forced automatic shut down.

Use a laptop cooler. The performance of my laptop improved significantly after I removed the dust and started using a cooler. I use a Canyon.

Magix Edit Pro allows you to set a lower resolution display when working on your video. This makes the program run faster (faster preview and playback). Look for a similar option in your current video editing software.

Conclusion

Having to do all sorts of tricks to get the job done can be frustrating. But until you get a new, more powerful computer, you can actually edit your GoPro HD videos by following a few simple steps as the ones above.

Have you shot any cliff jumping videos yet? :-)

Rock Climbing Shirt Vector Design - Use Long Quickdraws

2011-11-16T22:07:00.001+02:00

Download this vector drawing for your climbing shirt in:

SVG format
High resolution PNG image (with transparent background)

Don't you just hate it when the crux of a route is nothing else than a long reach to... the bolt or the quickdraw?!

And then you wonder:

1. Do we climb to clip the rope?

Shit, I'm scared and I'm high above my last bolt. I gotta clip this one. It's right here. If only I could reach it... Oh... If I fall now I'm gonna blow it so hard... I'm also getting pumped...

2. Or maybe climbing itself should be the only focus?

Totally! It's all about the movement and the flow. You're one with the rock. You don't care about clipping your rope, you just wanna climb higher and higher. You're in control. Nature favors you and you're enjoying it. You pull the rope to secure your high-up position. You stretch your arm towards the carabiner and then you go like:

Shit, I'm scared and I'm high above my last bolt. I gotta clip this one. It's right here. If only I could reach it...

Original artwork made by Gabriel Raileanu. Ask him to draw a custom design for you.

GoPro HD 2 in Europe - List of Retailers

2011-11-01T13:07:00.000+02:00

People are excited about the new GoPro HD 2 camera which was released by the small, yet amazing GoPro company.

I once read an article that said (hope I remember well) the company grows 300% per year, which is outstanding! And this with just a cool product that appeals to all kinds of people: extreme sports enthusiasts, filmmakers, photographers, scientists (a woman I know uses this camera to research volcano activity), etc.

So, since I shot most of my videos with the Hero HD, I get emails that ask me

Where to buy the GoPro HD 2 in Europe

First, let me tell you that from my experience, it was cheaper to buy the GoPro HD directly from the GoPro store and then pay some custom tax here in Europe. But of course, this depends on the country you live in, each having their own taxes.

In my case, I paid the $24 for shipping (from USA to Romania) and then paid the VAT tax (19% at that time). All calculations being made, there was no better deal in Europe (Jan 2010).

However, if the import taxes or VAT are too high in your country and if you don't want to complicate your life by filling forms at the custom office, you can get the new HD Hero 2 at these online stores:

ActionCameras.co.uk - if you're from UK, this is for you
Amazon.co.uk - for United Kingdom (usually prices are smaller than with the other retailers)
Amazon.de - for Germany
ActionCameras.fr - for France
HDcam.ch - for Switzerland
X-TremeVideo.com - the exclusive distributor of GoPro in France (not sure if they sell directly). I wrote an email to them and asked for a complete list of online retailers for France. I'll update the post if they reply.

Anyway, most of these stores ship internationally within Europe (even to non EU countries) so you can figure out which is the best combination of price & shipping for you.

But how to get the cheapest GoPro?

As a rule of thumb, Amazon will offer the best price sooner or later. This happens all the time with any kind of product. They sell large amounts of stuff so they get discounts as a worthy retailer. Be sure to check out your country's Amazon site regularly.

If you don't see the item's price listed on Amazon, there's a button/link that says: See price in shopping cart. When this happens, you know that's a discounted price, smaller than any other retailer can offer (including the GoPro store).

All you have to do is wait and see the price drop on Amazon, whereas the rest of the retailers will sell the camera for the standard price.

At the time of release, you're also paying for the novelty, not just for the product. So if no big video projects are ahead, waiting for a better deal is the right thing to do. There's a flood in the market with the first HD Hero (which is now cheaper in the official store) and it's likely the GoPro 2 HD will create another flood and a price drop.

Wait a while, and you'll be able to get yourself a cheap GoPro Hero 2.

Further reading

Here's a list of related articles & tutorials you might find useful:

GoPro Steadicam - learn how to build your camera stabilizer for smooth video.
How to edit GoPro HD videos - a complete workflow, from shooting to exporting and compressing for online upload.
How to charge your GoPro camera in the wild - charge your camera with a small portable solar panel.

Most of the shots in the clip above were shot with the Sony HX9V, which is a cool complementary camera for outdoor video sooting.

Be safe and shoot your outdoor adventures!

Outdoor Gear Coupon Giveaway by Altrec - Win Anything You Want within $110

2011-10-30T20:28:00.002+02:00

Update: This giveaway has reched its deadline.

The winner is Mill Creek Mountaineers and they said:

We are a bunch of poor mountaineers, barely keep our families fed... We need alpine rope :)

Thank you all for entering!

Would you like to win free outdoor gear?

Altrec.com is offering a $110 coupon for you to spend in their online store.

Now, there will be more gear giveaways on this blog. So you may wanna subscribe to be notified each time a new contest is up.

How to enter the contest

It's easy. All you have to do is "Like" the Altrec Facebook page and leave a comment either:

here on Highball Blog
or here on Facebook (you'll have to "Like" the Highball page beforehand)

and tell us what piece of gear do you need and why you deserve it.

If your comment is most original/crazy/funny, you'll be rewarded with a $110 coupon for you to spend on outdoor gear at Altrec.com.

By the way, did you know that Altrec offers 100% guarantee lifetime returns? No questions asked.

Who can participate

Anyone. No matter where you live in the world, you can enter this contest just by leaving a comment on Facebook.

There's also no age limit.

The deadline is 5 Nov 2011

Leave a comment until 5 Nov 2011 and you're in the game.

Use a public profile when commenting on the blog or make sure there is a way for us to contact you if you win (email address, Facebook profile link, Twitter profile, etc.).

So put your thinking cap on and leave a comment. Success!

PS - I posted this giveaway on my personal Facebook profile as well so those comments will also be taken into account. However, all participants have equal chances of winning. Be as creative as you can be and leave an original comment.

See The Best The World Has To Offer - Travel to New Zealand

2011-10-30T20:28:00.001+02:00

Everyone loves to travel, but if you have never had the pleasure of exploring New Zealand, you do not know what you are missing.

Both the north and south islands have plenty of activities for you and your family and friends to enjoy. Even if you do not have a traveling partner, you will still be awestruck by the beauty of the rocky coastline, the beautiful sandy beaches, and the majestic forests.

During the warmer months you can enjoy beautiful hikes in the rugged mountains and subtropical woodlands. If you are on the north Island, hire a car and travel to Rotorua where you will see geysers, mud pools, and hot springs. Book a hotel and experience an authentic hangi feast which is when the food is cooked in the ground.

Set out on foot and tour a Maori village, or pamper yourself with a spa. Try skydiving, or grab your pole and catch some trout. With so much to see and do, you will want to spend a couple of days in this fascinating city.

And let's not forget about Queenstown, which is considered the world's capital of extreme sports.

Before you head to the south island, drive to the Waitakere Ranges. This regional park is full of rivers, and beaches. Step out of the car and continue on foot to enjoy one of the most beautiful hikes in New Zealand. Take the walkway through the tops of the trees where you will see stunning views of the lakes and beyond. You will definitely want to be equipped with some quality Timberland hiking boots and tough clothing for this exotic trek.

The southern part of the country is just as beautiful. The mountainous landscape is full of dense rainforest and gorgeous rivers, and there are plenty of adventurous activities for the entire family. Go white water rafting during the warmer months or strap on your skis in the winter. Go bushwalking and see the magnificent landscape at your own pace.

You cannot leave until you take a trip to the Orana Wildlife Park. This open range zoo is just a short drive from Christchurch and is set on 80 hectares. Orana is one of the only endangered animal open range sanctuaries in the world.

Every species lives in an enclosure that is almost exactly like their natural habitat. The park uses streams, banks, and moats as barriers giving you the opportunity to see giraffes, elephants, rhinoceroses, zebras, tigers, and much more. Stroll through the lion habitat, or take a walk through the kea aviary where you can visit with tuatara, kiwi, and other native reptiles and birds.

Both the north and south islands have plenty of tours that you can partake in, but if you want to holiday at your own leisure, rent a car or motor home and see what the islands are really all about. You can chat with the locals and indulge in some amazing local cuisine. Book your tickets today and start planning the trip of a lifetime.

Guest post by the same team who offered to do this cool outdoor gear giveaway. Say hi to them on Twitter.

Photo credit: National Geographic

Mountain Bike Hoodie Vector Design - What's Up Dawg?

2011-10-26T18:18:00.000+03:00

Download this vector design for your MTB shirt or hoodie in:

SVG format
High resolution PNG image (with transparent background)

Get this vector print design for your mountain biking T shirt in:

SVG format
High resolution PNG image (with transparent background)

You can modify the colors of this drawing in Inkscape. Download the SVG files and follow this tutorial to learn how to edit vectors: How To Design Cycling Jerseys or T shirts.

Here's a funny piece from the Scrubs TV series - What's up dog? :-)

Keep doing those bike stunts!

GoPro HD 2 Released - See What's New - Video

2011-10-24T18:19:00.003+03:00

GoPro, the famous action sports camera manufacturer released the new GoPro HD 2.

The original GoPro Hero HD already made history so it was time for an update. And what a cool update this is!

What's also cool, is the price of the previous camera model being lowered. You can now get the GoPro HD, much cheaper, directly on the GoPro online store.

What's new in GoPro HD Hero 2

The best thing (in my opinion), is the ability to shoot video in 120 fps in WGA resolution (480/848 pixels).

This means you get super-duper slow motion action footage, twice as slow than with the first HD Hero. All this without any plugin for your video editor (such as Twixtor which allows you to render in extremely slow motion regardless of the original fps of the video - works only with Adobe After Effects, Sony Vegas and Final Cut Pro)

Check out the side by side video comparison between GoPro HD and GoPro HD 2 from Olivia (she's hot isn't she?).

Notice the smoothness of the video in the second part of the clip - that was shot either with a camera stabilizer or the cams were mounted on a car. Here's a version of a GoPro steadicam that you may like.

What else?

The way the put it - Twice more powerful in every way:

Professional 11MP Sensor
2x Faster Image Processor
2X Sharper Glass Lens
Professional Low Light Performance
Full 170º, Medium 127º, Narrow 90º FOV in 1080p and 720p Video
120 fps WVGA, 60 fps 720p, 48 fps 960p, 30 fps 1080p Video
Full 170º and Medium 127º FOV Photos
10 11MP Photos Per Second Burst
1 11MP Photo Every 0.5 Sec Timelapse Mode
3.5mm External Stereo Microphone Input
Simple Language-based User Interface
Wi-Fi BacPac™ and Wi-Fi Remote™ Compatible (coming soon)
Long Range Remote Control of up to 50 GoPro Cameras
Wi-Fi Video/Photo Preview + Playback + Control via GoPro App
Live Streaming Video and Photos to the Web

GoPro HERO2 HD Hands On Review

I've seen this video shot with the new camera and I can't say I'm particularly impressed. Maybe coz the TechCrunch video player doesn't allow you to switch to a higher resolution, as YouTube does.

Anyway, the official GoPro HD Hero 2 video looks much better:

A red LED on each face (front, back, top) allows you to actually see if your cam is recording, no matter where you are. No more sticking your face in the lens to see what's going on. That's neat!

Knowing exactly how much time you battery will last is also another cool new benefit. This allows you to plan your shooting much better, especially if you try to produce videos where every aspect counts:

particular natural lighting in a particular part of the day
events that develop in a limited time frame
doing long time lapse takes
etc.

Anyway, if you ran out of battery power, you can charge your GoPro with this small portable solar panel. It will take about 5 hours in a sunny day.

11 fps burst photo mode, at 11 MP is more than most DSLR's can do. Sony HX9V takes only 10 pics per burst. This is impressive! And you'll be able to do some nice sequences with those pics when you'll edit GoPro HD clips - cool overlays and what not.

The microphone input allows you to shoot scenes with much better audio which means you can use the footage even for TV shows where properly captured voice sound is important.

A friend of mine uses the footage we shoot in our cliff jumping trips for a short TV show but he never uses the original sound where we ask participants question like Why do you come here? Why do you like climbing? etc.

The sound in Hero HD just wasn't good for broadcasting footage with voice, especially when it was recorded holding the camera in the case. Now, this problem looks like it's solved. All you need is a good microphone with a good wind muffler.

Plug the mike and shoot that interview!

A remote and a Wi-Fi sender/receiver by which you can control up to 50 HD Hero 2 cameras (to be released later). You'll be able to control your camera with your smartphone/tablet as well - you just install a free app - that's cool.

This means a lot for the serious video producer, who has lots of cameras deployed in the field.

But it can be quite useful even when you're wearing your cam on your helmet. Instead of taking the helmet down to check the status, you just look at your remote display (or your iPhone). Then you can switch between shooting modes, start recording, stop recording, shut down camera - all without actually touching the cam.

Conclusion

The improved sensor promises better image in low light and that's another exciting thing about this new cam.

I'm curious if the sensor itself is actually bigger than the first version or it has the same size and they somehow crammed more mega pixels and extra sensibility there...?! Can anyone tell me?

Underwater video, multitude of mounts, fish eye lens, compact and solid.

Will I buy it? Hell yeah!!! :-)

Nomad 7 Camping Solar Panel Review or How To Charge Your GoPro HD Camera in the Wild

2011-10-22T01:58:00.000+03:00

If you love outdoors, the wild and the unexplored harsh terrains of the world, then there's a chance you also carry some electric or electronic gadgets in your trips. At least that's how most of us outdoor freaks travel today - we must have a gadget of some sort.

Maybe it's a GPS, maybe it's an iPhone (since smartphones can replace GPS devices now), maybe it's a GoPro camera, maybe it's an MP3 player, maybe it's a walkie-talkie, etc. No matter what you carry, each of these gadgets will eventually loose their battery power.

So what do you do you do when you're powerless?

You take charge!

How? With a portable solar panel by Goal Zero.

Nomad 7 is an ultra compact solar panel that will power all your gadgets

Small, light, versatile and incredibly useful. That's how I would describe the Nomad 7 camping solar panel.

Think about having the independence of roaming the wild as much as you want, without worrying that you'll run out of power! Indeed, this small folding solar panel brings power to you. Anywhere.

It doesn't have to be sunny. As long as you have daylight, you have power.

Now, if you're environmental friendly, you can use the Nomad 7 to charge small portable electronic devices even when you're at home. I definitely do that with the Nomad and with the larger solar kits (GoalZero is a generous company and the people working there are very friendly).

I love to read at night using the flood light from Estrella and I also love to have it in those cliff jumping trips where we drink beer and eat sunflower seeds in the evenings - either in a cave or simply outside, without a tent. It's a good source of light to share it with the rest of the camp as well, especially when cooking together with your fellow climbers or mountaineers.

You get three cables with the panel:

A universal USB cable (small plug at one end, regular plug at the other end)
A car-like plug - if you have car adapter cables for your portables you can use them with this plug
A cable with thin plugs at the end for the Guide 10 outlet

Let's get technical (like I know what I'm talking about...)

The panels themselves use mono crystalline solar technology and the Volts and Watts are as follows:

USB output: 5V (5 Watt max)
12V output: 13-15V (4 Watt max)
Guide 10 output: 6-6.5V (7 Watt max)

It takes about 5 hours, exposing the panel in a bright sunny autumn day, to charge your GoPro HD camera from empty to full. This is amazing in my opinion! It's only double the time that it normally takes to charge it at your computer through an USB connection. In this case though, you get free energy from the sun! :-)

The charging time of any gadget can vary depending on the power of the sun (winter vs summer), the angle at which the sun beams hit the panel (try to maintain a 90 degree angle if you can) and the clearness of the air. The higher you go on the mountain, the clearer the air, the brighter the sun.

You'll love the fact that your items are being charged while you walk. Strap the lower part of the panel with the waist belt of your backpack for a firm and compact setup.

The Sony HX9V is also compatible with this solar panel. However, for larger cameras (DSLRs for instance) that take longer to charge, carry an extra battery and a charger so you can actually shoot with the camera while the spare battery is being charged.

Conclusion

A smart thing to carry in the field, not only for leisure but also for work (if your work involves small electronics or gadgets).

Can be easily tucked in your backpack, between your clothes. It's light. Can be carried on the backpack. It's just neat!

I also think it can be a life saver in survival situations: charging that GPS or phone so you can find your way back, making that call to the rescue service because you were able to charge the walkie-talkie, etc.

I would definitely buy one (I got it as a sponsorship).

If your friend's birthday is approaching, this could make a great gift. I'm just sayin'...

Take charge and be safe outdoors. Cheers!

How This Blog Makes Money

2011-10-17T00:11:00.000+03:00

I've been asked this a lot. By friends, readers, people.

How does a blog make money? How do you make money with your blog?

Money is a byproduct of being helpful

I'm not kissing my own ass here. This is something I really believe in and it seems this blog has been more or less helpful to a certain group of people.

Most of what is written here is a solution to a problem. If it's not a solution, then maybe it's just some advice - bad, good? - you tell me. If it's neither, then it's just personal stuff and I am to blame for stealing your time. Or...am I?

(Take this very post here for instance - it's fluff - since money is not a topic for this blog, right?).

Don't blog for money

Now I'm trying to spin this article and give it some useful flavor (so you won't think it's fluff or bragging) but don't be fooled. Click away.

Still here? Let me go on:

If you blog for money, you may find yourself later in a situation where you're making too little money to keep you excited.

I started online projects just for the sake of money and they failed gloriously. Actually, I failed. Don't go that route.

Start a blog around topics you naturally love. You won't get burned out. You'll write better. Your creativity will bloom.

For me, lately, my obsession was (still is) stuff related to video shooting and editing. And I blend this new passion into my other passions: climbing, mountain biking, mountaineering, cliff jumping and outdoorsy stuff in general.

I shoot action sports videos as best as I can with my modest gear. Sometimes I'm inspired, sometimes I'm not. I keep doing it. Your passion will nurture your work. So start an online project around something you're passionate about. Blog, YouTube channel, podcast, whatever - build it around stuff that thrills you.

At some point I said Hey, I could do gear giveaways - why not give give a chance to other people to be sponsored by outdoor brands? BTW, stay tuned for that. I have an experiment prepared to get you free outdoor gear. Subscribe to be notified.

Ignore money. Be useful, entertaining or both. If money starts rolling in, it's a sign you're doing something right. Keep ignoring money when it comes. That will enable you to focus on your readers, viewers, listeners.

Okay. Tell us how this blog makes money already!!!

Right.

1. VigLink - my favorite of the bunch. You copy and paste a piece of code into your website or blog and it automatically affiliates all links on your website.

This is affiliate marketing and VigLink is a new and cool platform. I think it will overthrow CJ.com, but more on that later.

How it works - Let's say you blog about fishing and recommend a certain fishing rod, linking out to a certain online store. When people click on that link and buy the product, you get a commission on the sale.

I only recommend products I used or tested and you should do the same. Don't bullshit! Writing a review should be like talking to your best friend. Do you try to push-sell stuff to your friends? If you do, you're not the best friend. Reconsider.

Thank you for supporting this blog through your purchases! I'll do my best to keep things useful and interesting for you!

2. AdSense - a classic (and lame, I agree) website monetization tool from Google. These are the ads that you see all over the internet (Google ads).

How it works - You drop a piece of code into a certain area of your website, choosing prior what ads you want to be shown (image, text, or both). The ads tend to be relevant to the content of your website. Again, if you blog about fishing, the ads will be more or less about fishing, boats, fishing destinations and so on.

Sometimes you'll see ads that are totally irrelevant to the page. You may see an ad to a burger on a page that's about healthy food & sports nutrition. That's what's lame about it and the fact that they're somewhat annoying.

This is my little form of prostitution. Coz I don't live in fairy tale. And if you work in a media firm, publishing house, etc. - and throw rocks at me for doing this - remember that your company is able to pay you because they sell and display ads (of all forms, in all mediums).

3. InfoLinks - a combination of VigLink (you drop a piece of code and the effect is deployed throughout your website) and AdSense (there's some randomness about it).

How it works - InfoLinks transforms some of your written words into links. Each time someone clicks on one link, you get paid a few cents.

Just as Google ads, this is called PPC - pay per click. Affiliate marketing is also called PPA - pay per action (action = sale/lead/subscriber etc.).

4. Mountain bike T-shirts and climbing shirts in my Spreadshirt shop.

How it works - You create the designs (make sure you have the copyright), you upload them to Spreadshirt, you add them on shirts. Spreadhsirt handles the production and shipping. You get a commission on each sale.

You decide how high your commission will be but that adds to the final price.

Manny from Video Trail Reviews has this to say about this particular MTB hoodie:

The fabric mix is 50% cotton and 50% poly and manufactured by Hanes. It feels soft to the touch and fits well.

The quality of the printed design is what I expected (silk screen) not (pressed sticker). No smears and no ink smell. The logo was what I ordered and is centered on both the front and back of the hoodie. The size (XL) and color(Ash) of the hoodie sent is correct.

Overall, I am very happy with not just the hoodie itself, but also with the design and the fast order process. My wife loves it and my son wants one so I will be placing an order this Thur. to get him a hoodie. You should feel good about the product you offer and confident with your delivery method.

That's it Constantin, this is my honest option and I hope it helps. Thanks, Manny

5. CJ.com (Commission Junction) - the best known and perhaps the biggest affiliate network for physical products out there.

How it works - You manually apply for each advertiser. They check your site and then they either approve you or not. If they approve you as an affiliate publisher, you then get access to HTML banners and links to place on your blog or website.

Don't like them that much because:

They work with checks even though they're an internet company. Checks take about one month to cash in where I live (they come in my mail inbox from Germany; I take them to the bank; then they fly back to the bank that issued them - Bank of America; after one month I go and pick up the cash minus a commission of 1% but no less than 5 Euro/$9)
If you don't gather commissions above the payout threshold (60 Euro) for a certain period of time (6 months I think), they simply delete your earnings... Now this is bullshit business practice! It happened to me when I first started using them and I got pissed.
Update - Commission Junction now offers direct deposit payments and they reduced the minimum payout amount for this option to 25 Euro. They also pay with direct deposit in the national currency for a few countries: Czech Koruna (CZK), Danish Krone (DKK), Polish Zloty (PLN), Indian Rupees (INR), Mexican Peso (MXN), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) and Singapore Dollar (SGD). They're improving the service.

VigLink, on the other hand, pays out monthly commissions via PayPal no matter how small the amount. From PayPal, you simply withdraw the sum to your debit card or bank account. Oh, the sheer beauty of internet business! :-)

That's why, I believe at some point I'm gonna ditch CJ.com and stick with VigLink, which currently brings in more than CJ. VigLink can also override CJ links with just a click of a mouse. That's NEAT!

6. Gear sponsorships from outdoor equipment brands - it's not actually money but it's a form of money.

Winter sleeping bag, hydration pack, climbing rope, etc. The companies or their PR firms contact me by email and offer free gear in exchange for a review.

Since I don't need all the gear I am offered, I'll try out a system so you can get outdoor equipment even if you don't have blog (if you have one, it's even better). Subscribe to be part of the Free Gear Team.

7. Direct advertising - media companies and brands of all kinds want to be featured on this blog through a banner ad space or a sponsored guest post. I get lots of requests but I decline most of them since what they want to promote has nothing to do with what you and me care about.

Some of them are the same guys who try to leave spam comments.

Now tell us how much money you make

I'm afraid this is classified information. Or, how my american friend says when we're on instant messenger: I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you! :-)

All the information I gave you, up to this point, is far more important than the actual figure I normally make with Highball Blog.

In other words, if you can keep working on your thing without knowing the potential average financial outcome, you have higher chances of doing a great work.

Am I getting rich? No way!

Your turn now

Do you have a blog? What's it about? Do you make videos?
Would you like to make money online? If so, how would you see your daily work routine?
Have a question or remark? Leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

PS - At some point I may drop some of these methods and try new ones. It's an ongoing experiment.

How To Build a DIY Steadicam - Simple DIY Gimbal Design

2011-10-12T17:33:00.000+03:00

Here is a sleeker design of what can be your universal DIY camera stabilizer.

You can mount any type of camera as long as it's not too large or too heavy. While it's also a DIY DSLR steadicam, I would't recommend using cameras heavier than 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) on this particular rig.

If you necessarily need smooth video with heavier cameras, you can build a more solid version with a thicker threaded rod as a shaft and a sturdier gimbal with larger bearings.

What I did here is I tried to imitate the exact concept in the original Steadicam and that means having a 3 axis DIY ball bearing gimbal. Basically, you isolate the movement of your hand from the camera. The rotation on each axis is done smoothly on bearings.

The gimbal has two bearings on the main shaft which is an advantage compared to my first version (one bearing and PVC pipe rings gimbal). If for some reason, you don't want the shaft to spin too freely around its axis, you can tighten the nuts, that hold the gimbal on the shaft, against each other and adjust the amount of spin.

My bike stunts video - shot with GoPro HD on DIY Stabilizer

A cross element of polypropylene pipe fitting, machine worked to fit the bearings perfectly, a 90 degree piece, an omega cable holder, nuts, bolts and a mountain bike handle grip - the best looking DIY gimbal. :-)

The camera plate can hold any type of camera that has a tripod mount possibility. The GoPro you see here is fixed with a custom mount.

How to shoot video with a DIY glidecam

If there's one thing you should know about shooting video with a camera stabilizer then here it is: you need to train in order to get those smooth shots.

You actually have to work with your steadicam. It's not like it's gonna do the job for you. That's why Garret Brown does those workshops teaching people how to shoot video with his invention. And that's the very same reason highly skilled cameramans and steadicam operators are sought after.

Some words on dynamic balance

This is perhaps the biggest headache for people trying to balance a steadicam. If you get the right droptime (1.5 to 3 seconds) and the upright position of the main shaft this means you've only accomplished static balance.

For dynamic balance you have to adjust the weights and the camera until the main shaft remains vertical even when you're spinning it. In other words, you need to align the center of gravity of the camera right above the shaft.

See the video below for more details - the video starts with dynamic balance explanation at 6:39 min.

If you want to get as close as possible to getting the dynamic balance right, follow these steps:

hold the steadicam by the gimbal and keep the shaft in horizontal position
adjust the camera and/or the camera plate until you perfectly align the CG (center of gravity) of the camera with the glidecam shaft
you need to achieve a neutral state (neutral equilibrium); no matter how you rotate the camera plate, it will remain in the same position (see the video below, that's how I do it)

This grants smooth footage when flying your camera with the stabilizer.

A trick on how to balance your camera stabilizer

If you wanna take out a variable when it comes to balancing your glidecam, you can add washers as weights on the shaft. So you eliminate the long bottom weight plate and only adjust the camera and the camera plate when balancing the steadicam.

However, for fast movements, this setup tends to pendulum as there's a high concentration of mass in the lower part of the shaft. I personally prefer the weight plate.

What materials you need to build this stabilizer and what is the exact dimension of each piece in the puzzle

Bert asked me (down in the comments) about the specific dimensions of this rig. The truth is, there is no standard as far as I know.

Imagine that even the Steadicam Pilot or the Glidecam 2000 have a telescopic tube as a shaft, thus variable dimensions. Each model comes with weights which you can add in case you place a heavier camera on the top plate. So for any given setup (camera, display, microphone, batteries) the dimensions will be adjusted.

With this DIY stabilizer design, you cannot make the shaft longer so you you raise or lower the CG (center of gravity) by loosening the wing nuts and sliding the weight plates higher or lower. Or by adding and taking weights.

List of materials:

50 cm long, 8 mm thick threaded shaft
5 ball bearings, 8 mm inner diameter, 22 mm outer diameter
1 cross pipe fitting (polypropylene with 3 mm thick wall)
1 90° angle piece for the gimbal handle
8 mm self locking nuts (5 pieces)
8 mm wing nuts (4 pieces)
8 mm inner diameter washers (outer diameter may vary, get a lot of these)
8 mm split washers - these act as a spring (2 or 4 pieces)
8 mm bolts, 4 cm long (3 pieces)
weight plate
camera mount made of two plates (see picture below)
4 bolts, 6 cm long, 6 mm diameter
12 self locking nuts of 6 mm inner diameter (these and the 4 bolts will hold the two plates for the camera)
a piece of pipe that goes into the 90 degree piece to form the handle
a bike handlebar grip to cover the pipe/handle (we care about ergonomics, don't we?)
10 mm thick bolts as weights (2 pieces), longer or shorter depending on the weight of your camera; buy a few pairs of different lengths
10 mm washers (to be used on the 10 mm bolts), buy lots of these if you're planing to use a DSLR with your DIY steadicam
an omega cable holder to be used as a frame that connects the gimbal to the handle

Please note that as long as you respect the design and the symmetry, you can work with any type of bolts, bearings and so on. Any other design will work fine if it's well built and well balanced (once it has a camera on it).

Also download these drawings in:

CAD format (.dxf file - CAD Interchange)
CAD format (.dwg CAD file)
SVG format

The CAD files might be right format to send out to your local milling and cutting shop.

Print the image with the plates and show it to your local CNC machinery shop. If you can get these pieces machine worked, they'll look better.

More about the plates here: DIY camera plate

Want smooth video?

If you're a filmmaker and don't have the time or materials to build one of these, you can buy one. I've been getting requests via email, on YouTube and Vimeo and thus I'd like to help you. This is a sexy new design and I'm not embarrassed with it as I was with my first version. :-)

So if you don't want shaky videos and want to impress your friends and audience with awesome footage, click the button below and get your stabilizer now (worldwide shipping).

Note that the plates and the gimbal are machine worked.

Drop me an email if you're interested and post a comment below for any other technical questions regarding this particular stabilizer or video shooting and editing in general.

Cheers!

PS - Here's my first video I shot with this stabilizer. Some shots were taken with a DIY slider as well - camera used: Sony HX9V.

Locking Your Bike - Extra Security Tips To Discourage Thieves from Stealing Your Bicycle

2011-10-03T22:53:00.002+03:00

This is an update of the previously published article on how to protect your bike from theft without a lock.

However, no method delivers a guarantee against theft as long as you leave your bike in a public space. Thieves are fast, smart, they carry good tools and people, who could presumably stop the thieves, don't care much about your bike.

Two of my friends had their bikes stolen recently so this is the real reason this post came out. I use these tips myself and I believe they might be useful for you too.

The economy is bad so you gotta hold on to your assets. Coz that's what it is, really. A bicycle is a good asset to own as it saves you commuting money and it keeps you in good shape. Health and savings, that's a good deal.

So you cannot stop the thieves altogether but you can give them some extra work if your bike is their target.

Cause them delay and play with their minds

This sounds so wickedly evil, doesn't it?

But this is your play against them so you might as well have some fun.

1. Disconnect the V brakes

The very first thigh you should do is to lock your bike with at least one strong and certified lock - I'm not the best example - in a circulated area.

But then you should do the extras.

If you disconnect the V brakes, the guy will have no braking possibility. And even though he may be on the run, he'll still need to brake and slow down in order to make it around the corner.

So, since he's smart, he'll either abandon the project or he'll take time to put on at least the rear wheel brake - which by the way will buy you some time to catch him and will cause him some delay.

Take the cables out of the V brake sockets on the handlebar. You're creating more stuff for them to deal with so why not do it, right?

Go even further and take the cable stoppers out altogether. There's no way for the thief to get a functional brake at this point.

2. Deflate the tires

Many bikers carry a pump with their puncture kit so deflating the tires is not a tragedy.

If you know you're gonna leave your bike out there for a long time this is a smart move. There are little chances thieves will carry a pump.

Even if you don't carry a pump you can still deflate the tires and go to that gas station nearby and inflate them afterwards.

3. Take off the chain

This is a classic but it serves the same purpose - to surprise the perpetrator and hopefully he will abandon his plan or maybe he'll get caught as the operation takes longer than he expected. He'll also get more nervous having to undo all your tricks.

Drop the chain off the chainring and switch the shifter to the highest gear.

So there you have it. It's nothing special but they all add up and make a difference. Outsmart the thieves by keeping them busy and exposed for a longer period of time.

Check out the video below for some tips on how to lock your bike.

Wear your helmet and be safe!

Photo credit