Vibram FiveFingers

As a triathlete, along with swimming and biking, I’m always looking for ways to be a more efficient and faster runner. In Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run, he says, “Great athletes have known forever that the key to balance and explosive movement is having as little between your foot and planet Earth as possible.”

The barefoot revolution using “barefoot training” and “minimalist” shoes started a few years ago, but now it is becoming more and more mainstream. We’ve been seeing people running barefoot on forest trails, asphalt roads and even racing in marathons. For those who do not want to or are not ready to go barefoot, there is a minimalist in structure type of shoe called Vibram FiveFingers. After I read Born to Run, I had to buy a pair of these shoes. Originally, Vibram FiveFingers were created for sports such as climbing, sailing, and trekking, but now that they have become so popular, there are models for many different kinds of activities. They are made of a light, thin, flexible, yet strong vibram rubber sole that is shaped perfectly like a foot, including a separate compartment for each toe with fabric uppers that come in many different styles. It took me about 3 minutes to put them on the first time, but then they conformed easily to my feet. The inner foot bed is very comfortable and doesn’t chafe, and the rubber sole flexes very easily, even my toes can wiggle. I went walking and running over sand, gravel, rocks, trails, and asphalt and immediately fell in love with the feeling of freedom that wearing the FiveFingers gave me. They were designed to be a second skin that does not hinder any benefits that come with going barefoot. These shoes are a bunch of fun to wear! You can actually feel your feet actively contracting, relaxing, grasping, and maintaining balance in different places as you step on roots, rocks or other uneven terrain. Being able to feel the ground has improved my form. I’m moving more efficiently and with better body awareness.

The reason I use Vibram FiveFingers is to follow the example of the great athletes who knew that running or walking barefoot strengthens the 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 muscles, and hundreds of sensors, tendons and ligaments of your feet. This in turn increases the strength of your lower legs and even improves your posture.

The conventional running shoes nowadays tend to be too cushioned, cumbersome, and heavy. These shoes can override the hundreds of sensory receptors that are in your feet that send signals to your brain that activate the muscles of your feet, lower legs and controls your balance. Whether you are walking, running, or hiking it’s important to use healthy form (fore-foot foot strike, feet landing under the hips, slight forward lean from the ankles) that reduces impact on the knees, hips, and lower back.

Here’s an experiment for you to try: take your shoes and socks off and run for 100 yards on pavement. You will notice that you’re landing on your fore-foot even if you have been a heavy heel striker in normal shoes because the feet have their own springs and impact reducing mechanism. The Vibram FiveFingers encourage the feet to move naturally and allow the musculature of the feet to develop which strengthens the feet, ankles, calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps. This gives us improved balance, posture, and core strength as well. The FiveFingers can help people with ’’bad knees’’ too, due to the reduced impact forces acting upon the knees, and exercising all of the muscles of the lower legs increases blood flow full of nutrients to and through the knees.

I enjoy the Vibram FiveFingers for their feeling of freedom, lightness and versatility. I would wear them in races if I could get them on in under one minute! But instead, I race in thin–soled shoes and settle for casual walking around, hiking, or running on trails in the FiveFingers to keep my feet and legs strong. Training in the FiveFingers helped me change my running form and technique to be more efficient. My strides have become shorter and quicker, my feet are landing under my hips, and I also have a lot more power from landing on my fore-foot and springing immediately forward. At the same time, I am almost floating; there is no up-and-down movement, therefore no jarring shocks going through my legs and back. My running is completely different from how I ran before, with straight legs in front of me, heels landing heavily, and a lot of up-and-down movement with little forward movement! Anyone, (except for those who cannot fit their toes into the proper places) can wear the FiveFingers. Yes, even those with flat feet!

I would recommend gently easing into wearing the Vibram FiveFingers if you’ve been wearing “normal” shoes your whole life. Your bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles need to be able to adapt back to being used the way they were designed to be used. Walk in them for 5-10 minutes a day, then 10-15 minutes a day for the next week, and so on. Don’t attempt to run in them until you can easily walk for 45-60 minutes without any pain over varying terrain. Have fun, use all of your senses to explore the trails or city streets, and experience the feel of walking upon Earth and being closer than ever to nature!

Happy barefooting!

There are quite a few different models of Vibram FiveFingers that can be used for different activities, but they all serve the same purpose. They come in awesome varieties of color too!

Vibram Five Fingers models:

Men and women’s Classic- The most minimalist model with nylon fabric that sits low on the foot and a 3.5mm rubber sole.

Men and women’s KSO- A model that is very popular for it’s versatility. It has a 3.5mm rubber sole and a thin mesh upper with a strap to stay snug and keep stuff out.

Men and women’s KSO Trek- A more rugged model of the KSO with a kangaroo leather upper and 4mm EVA midsole with aggressive treads for traction in the outdoors.

Men and women’s Sprint– Similar to the Classic, but with top and heel straps for a snug fit.

Men and women’s TrekSport– As versatile as the KSO and KSO Trek, but more aggressive with a Coconut Active Carbon breathable upper and slightly cleated 4mm rubber sole for traction.

Men and women’s Flow– Made for colder climates or for water sports. It has a 2mm neoprene upper for insulation and razor siped rubber soles.

Men and women’s KomodoSport– A multisport designed model similar to the KSO for athletes, but with a stitch free foot bed and 4mm sole with plenty of grip and protection.

Men and women’s Bikila- This model is designed especially for running, with a padded collar, tear resistant TPU toes, Dri-Lex coated 3mm polyurethane insole, and a 4mm anatomical pod outsole
design.

Men and women’s Bikila LS- Made like the Bikila but with a speed lace upper that allows more room for people with wider feet or higher insteps.

Men and women’s Speed- Made more for casual wearing, it’s designed like the Bikila LS but styled like a vintage running shoe with a traditional lacing system.

Women’s Jaya– This is for the female fitness enthusiast, with a nylon upper, padded collar, and 5.5mm EVA sole.

Women’s Jaya LR– Designed like the original Jaya, but with cool looking leather overlays on the upper.

Women’s Performa Jane- Created and recommended for indoor use such as yoga or pilates, with a kangaroo leather upper, top strap, and seven part rubber sole for increased flexibility.

Kid’s KSO– A smaller version of the KSO made specifically for kids.

-Caution: When you go to buy a pair of Vibram FiveFingers, please buy only from authorized Vibram FiveFingers retailers so you get what you pay for. Due to the popularity of these shoes, counterfeiters have produced fake FiveFingers that are of poor quality.

-Expires: 05/31/2011

Headlamp

This is an item that I think any outdoor enthusiast should have in their backpack.   A headlamp comes in handy in and around your campground at night, like reading in your tent or walking to and from the restroom.   I have used mine to run and ski in the dark winter months, and on day hikes that extended past sunset. 

There are many headlamps out there to choose from but some things you want to look for is how many lumens the headlamp has, the higher the lumens the brighter the light.  A red LED light is nice because it doesn’t mess up your night vision.   The last headlamp I purchased was the Petzl E99 PG Tikka XP2 and I love it!  At 60 lumens it is bright and it has the red LED light.  But whatever headlamp you choose, I don’t think you will be sorry. 

This makes a great gift idea for friends and family who enjoy the outdoors and photography buffs will also find this a very useful tool in their camera bag!   Heck I have used the headlamp to give me light when working on house projects where I needed both of my hands and there wasn’t a good alternate light source.

hard-shell vs soft-shell

Heading out for a quick afternoon hike in cloudy and cool conditions, with just the lightest of drizzles in the forecast? Your soft-shell jacket could be the perfect choice. On the other hand, for that weeklong backpacking trip next month, you might do better to bring your favorite hard shell jacket. Why the difference? Well, let’s examine a few of the differences between the old hard-shells and the newer much lauded soft-shells. This review isn’t meant to discuss all your options, but is simply an overview to get you started. As you’ll see, there is simply such an overwhelming array of models, styles and designs of both soft-shells and hard-shells that you’ll need to narrow it down further for your specific needs; hopefully this review will help get you started.

Soft-shell (also written as soft shell and softshell) is more of an idea than a category of clothing; it’s essentially a concept. Typically, the clothes labeled soft-shells are not waterproof, as they contain no waterproof barrier; instead they offer varying degrees of water and wind resistance, and a high level of breathability. They tend to be more abrasion resistant than comparable hard-shells, but also heavier and more expensive. Most people seem to prefer the feel and style of a soft-shell jacket; they’re more comfortable and quieter than a crinkly waterproof hardshell jacket. The soft-shell materials are generally stretchy, and this makes them a great choice for active outdoor recreation; climbing, skiing, etc.

Note, some of the newer soft-shells are waterproof, such as the Mountain Hardwear Synchro jacket (I don’t really see the point of this technology at this point – particularly one with no hood. For a waterproof jacket, I can get a lighter and cheaper hard-shell jacket). Most soft-shells keep you dry via your own body heat – the wicking shell material shunts moisture to the outside where it spreads out and evaporates. The lack of a waterproof membrane allows for faster wicking and is an efficient mechanism for keeping you dry when you’re working up a sweat, and is great for light and brief drizzle, or for snow. It doesn’t, however, work so well in a downpour.

The choice between hard-shell and soft-shell materials is perhaps only a general starting point for your decisions. For example, not all soft-shells are the same; the different fabrics vary widely in their intended performance. Schoeller Dryskin, for example, is a durable material, while Montbell’s Stretch Ballistic is a lightweight choice. Other materials include Marmot’s Dryclime, Pertex, Powershield (and Powershield Lightweight), and there are many more; each designed for its own set of circumstances. One could easily write an entire article just on the latest materials for soft-shells, how they perform, and what their optimum uses might be.

I see soft-shells as a wide range of jackets intended for very different purposes and conditions. Arcteryx Gamma MX Hoody is a great jacket, expensive and heavy, offering great weather resistance. On the other hand, Patagonia’s Ascensionist is a lighter, less windproof but very breathable jacket; I’d rather the Ascensionist for something like a XC ski outing in milder temperatures (10-40deg F). The Arcteryx jacket is a little heavier, warmer, more windproof and less breathable. I’d prefer this jacket for situations where I needed more weatherproofing and less breathability – snowshoeing in the cold, downhill skiing or snowboarding, etc.

Hard-shells are more effective at keeping wind and particularly water outside; they’re waterproof and windproof gear intended to keep you dry. They’re not a great choice for a wide variety of conditions; they’re designed as weatherproof shells during precipitation. If it’s not raining, a variety of better options (mostly soft-shell) exist for both jackets and pants.

I tend to see all hard-shells as serving, more or less, the same purpose; a waterproof outer layer. They tend to all be windproof outer shells, and the variability comes primarily in the form of weight; for money you get a lighter weight jacket. Pay even more money and it might be more durable, or more breathable (newer fabrics like Event get rave reviews), but the intended purpose remains the same – i.e., to keep you dry.

Soft-shells seem to be designed more broadly; they’ll keep you dry-ish, they’ll protect you from some wind, they’ll breathe well, and they’ll resist a beating, some are even waterproof. One particular model might be intended for a completely different use than another.

I typically don’t carry a soft-shell jacket as a part of my 3-season backpacking setup. On a backpacking trip, I want a waterproof jacket for those days of downpour; dry is the key to warmth, and there are no soft-shells that keep rainfall outside as well as a good hard-shell jacket. The lighter weight of the hard-shells is also critical, for me.

My preference is for soft-shells in winter where I’m not likely to see rain and drizzle, but plenty of snow and cold. For mountaineering, skiing, day hikes, biking, snowshoeing and winter backpacking I think soft-shells are the best choice. For around town, where comfort and/or style might be your primary concerns, soft-shells are great. The better durability and abrasion resistance of the soft-shells are another reason they’re a great choice for sports like climbing and skiing.

The last thing I’ll add is the value of soft-shell pants. I find them great for backpacking trips, because they replace another piece of gear, rather than being one more thing to carry. I prefer the slightly heavier soft-shell pants to nylon pants for their comfort and durability, a good balance of wind and water resistance. The trade-offs are weight and price, and possibly a slight decrease in breathability. I rarely wear my nylon pants now, as the soft-shells have replaced them for virtually every scenario. I still carry hard -shell pants for the rain. And in the winter, as with the jackets, soft-shell pants are a great choice.

As you delve into gear, you find a system is a better perspective than simply ‘this over that’. What other pieces of gear do you have, etc, will affect your decisions and is critical to consider. Both hard-shells and soft-shells have their place, and both designs can be a part of your system. And when you dive into the world of soft-shell jackets, you’ll see a real myriad of choices and decisions to make. The materials are constantly evolving, and the best choice today might well not be the best choice next year. Do your research carefully and scope widely; then start to narrow it down as you get a better handle on what you need. Then, do your shopping and head outside.

Camping along the White Rim Trail, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

A trip to the White Rim Trail is sure to be an experience of a lifetime and one you will not soon forget.   Planning a trip on the White Rim Trail can be intimidating, there is lots to know, and being prepared is the first step to having a successful trip.  This is a remote back-country experience and one needs to be fully self-sufficient for the entire length of the trip, this includes food, water, emergency supplies, etc.  There are no facilities along the trail.   Do your homework, be prepared, and you are guaranteed to have an amazing experience.  Let’s see if we can’t help take some of the mystery out of planning your White Rim trail trip.

The White Rim Trail is located in Canyonlands National Park within the Island in the Sky District.   The Colorado and Green Rivers come together within the park dividing it into four districts:  Island in the Sky, Maze, Needles, and the rivers themselves.

There are two preferred methods of transportation on the 72 mile White Rim Trail, 4 x 4 Jeeps and bikes.  If you are planning to bike the White Rim Trail it is highly recommended that you have a 4×4 support vehicle accompany your group to carry gear, food and supplies.  There are many Jeep rental outfits as well as bike tour companies in Moab.

For the most part the White Rim Trail is pretty tame in good weather and considered moderately difficult, but there are a couple of sections that can be challenging even in good weather.  I strongly recommend a high clearance 4 x 4, your SUV or mini-van is just not going to cut it on this trail.

I recommend planning your trip 1 year in advance.  There are limited backcountry sites and they fill quickly.  You will need to obtain camping permits and make reservations, and the earlier you apply the better your chances of getting the campsites and dates you want.  The earliest you may apply is the 2nd Monday in July for the following calendar year,  more on this later.

First step in planning is determining when you want to go and  trip length.  I would plan on a minimum trip length of 3 days and 2 nights if driving and 4 days 3 nights if biking.

Next you will want to determine which end of the trail you would like to start at and what campsites you want to stay in.  Have a second choice in mind as your first choice may not be available, especially in the spring and fall when demand is highest.  All bicyclists and four-wheel drivers must stay in designated campsites, maximum stay is 3 consecutive nights per area.  Campsites are primitive; basically flat open areas marked with 4 posts in each corner.  There are no picnic tables or benches so bring chairs.  There are no fire pits and wood fires are prohibited.   Each area has a vault toilet, there is no potable water available on the trail.  Each campsite will accommodate up to 15 people and 3 vehicles.  In areas where there are more than one campsite they are generally positioned to be out of earshot, and as much as possible, out of sight of each other.    Here are photos and a breakdown of campgrounds traveling clockwise along the White Rim Trail.  Click on the small photo to see a larger version.

Shafer – 7 miles from Visitor Center and 1 campsite.

Airport Campground, site C

Airport – 19 miles from Visitor Center and  4 campsites.

Gooseberry campground off in the distance.

Gooseberry – 30 miles from Visitor Center and 2 campsites.

White Crack – 39 miles from Visitor Center and 1 campsite. Offers incredible panoramic views of the Maze and Needles districts.   This is the most sought after campsite along the White Rim Trail.

Murphy Hogback Camground, Site A

Murphy Hogback – 45 miles from Visitor Center and 3 campsites.   This area also offers great views into Canyonlands basin.

Candlestick Campground

Candlestick – 55 miles from Visitor Center and 1 campsites.

Potato Bottom Campground, Site A

Potato Bottom Campground, Site B

Potato Bottom – 66 miles from Visitor Center and 3 campsites.

Hardscrabble Bottom – 70 miles from Visitor Center and 3 campsites.

Labyrinth Campround, Site A

Labyrinth Campground, site B

Labyrinth – 72 miles from Visitor Center and 2 campsites.  These sites both have views of the Green River, Site B is closer to the river than A.

Taylor – 77 miles from Visitor Center and 1 campsite.

Now you are ready to make your reservations.   Again, the earlier you do this the better, especially if you are looking for spring or fall dates.   The earliest you may apply for a reservation is the 2nd Monday in July for the following calendar year and the latest you may apply for a reservation is two weeks in advance.    If you do not want to make a reservation in advance you can always walk into any Districts  Visitor Center and see what is available, any campsites or permits that were not reserved in advance are available on a first come first serve basis.

Reservations must be made in writing.  You can find fees and application here:    http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/reservations.htm

Traveling with a pet?  Pets are not allowed in the back-country, you will need to leave your furry friend at home or board them at one of several kennels in the Moab area.

Be sure and follow “Leave no Trace” practices.  Pack out all your garbage.  Not only is this the courteous thing to do it is a park rule.

Permits are required for all overnight trips.

Wood fires are prohibited.  Charcoal fires are allowed at designated vehicle campsites provided you use a fire pan and you must remove unburned charcoal and fire debris.

Weapons are prohibited.

Disturbing, entering or camping within 300 feet of an archeological or historical site is not permitted.

Collecting artifacts is prohibited.

Camping outside the established campsite boundary at a designated campsite is prohibited.

Disturbing  or collecting natural features is prohibited.

ATV’s are not permitted.

Possession or operation of a bicycle or motor vehicle off a designated road is prohibited

Some extra things you will want to pack to help make your trip more enjoyable:

• Flashlight
• Chair
• Water – lots of it.  Because there is no potable water found along the trail you need to bring in enough water for everyone in your party for the entire length of the trip.  Plan on a minimum of 1 gallon of water per person, per day; more if you will be active.
• Shelter  – There is little to no shade along the trail so a tarp or some type of shelter might be nice.
• Spare Tire -  Expect towing charges to run in excess of $1,000.00
• Checklist – Make a check list of all the gear and food you will need for your trip and double check it before leaving.

Here are more photos of Canyonlands National Park.

What is Geocaching?

Geocaching – The High-Tech Treasure Hunt

Geocaching (pronounced geo-cashing) is a relatively new form of outdoor adventure that combines treasure hunting, hiking and navigation. The name is a combination of the prefix “geo,” short for geography, and “caching,” which means to hide something away. Geocaching relies on handheld GPS (Global Positioning System) devices and on a network of geocachers who hide small treasures (known as caches) for others to find. The coordinates of hidden caches are posted on the Internet and anyone armed with a GPS can navigate their way to find them.

Origin of Geocaching

The rise in popularity of geocaching can be traced back to 2000, when the U.S. Department of Defense stopped scrambling the signals from its global system of 24 navigational satellites. This allowed anyone to use the satellite signals to determine the longitude and latitude of any location, something that previously could only be done with a compass and topographical map. Suddenly GPS receiving devices could be much more accurate, making them a far more useful device for hikers.

To test the accuracy of GPS devices, many hikers began to leave things in the wilderness and then post the coordinates of the items online. Searching for hidden items using GPS coordinates became a popular activity for hikers. Fast forward to 2010 and there are now almost a million registered caches hidden in more than 200 countries around the world.

Official Geocaching Website

The website Geocaching.com is the official site of geocaching. It provides instructions on how to get started with geocaching. Once you’ve registered on the website, you can search for geocaches by zip code, state or country, specifying a search radius. Before searching for a geocache, decide what kind of adventure you’re looking for. You can embark on a challenging trek into the wilderness in search of a cache or you can look for one during a walk in your local community.

When you’ve looked over the list of available caches in your area of interest and found a cache that sounds interesting, you can retrieve the coordinates and enter them into your GPS device. After you find the geocache, you can return to Geocaching.com and log your find. You can also share stories and post photos related to geocaching.

Registering on Geocaching.com also allows you to hide your own caches and register them for others to find. A basic membership on Geocaching.com is free. A premium membership is $30 a year and provides additional features such as the ability to automatically transfer geocache coordinates into your GPS.

What’s in a Typical Cache?

A typical cache consists of a small waterproof box, a log book, and one or more small items (such as toys, trinkets or souvenirs). The common practice when you find a cache is to sign the log and return the cache to its original location. If you take one of the items, you should leave something in its place. Some small caches contain only a log. The real treasure to be found while geocaching is the satisfaction of navigating your way to the cache’s hidden location.

There are several variations on the basic cache. Some caches are based on a theme, such as a popular movie or book. Other caches are multi-part, with each cache containing a clue to the next. There are also caches that involve a puzzle that must be solved in order to find out the coordinates. See the Geocache.com website for more variations on the basic geocache.

The Challenge of Geocaching

It may sound like finding a geocache is a simple matter, given the coordinates of the cache and a GPS device. It’s actually more challenging than it sounds. If the cache is located in the wild, there may be many obstacles such as mountains and rivers between you and the cache. It pays to plan ahead and find out about the route to the cache, just as you would for any backcountry trek.

Geocaching.com encourages everyone to respect the environment while geocaching and to practice the principles of Leave no Trace. A worldwide initiative called Cache In Trash Out fosters geocaching combined with cleaning up parks and other outdoor spaces. Geocachers bring trash bags and pick up refuse that they find along the way.

GPS Devices for Geocaching

There are a wide variety of GPS devices available and most of them are suitable for geocaching. When shopping for a GPS for geocaching, look for a highly visible screen, good satellite reception and easy-to-use controls. A GPS that is rugged and waterproof with a long battery life is the best choice for hiking. The top GPS brands for geocaching include Garmin and Magellan. Groundspeak, the company behind Geocaching.com, has also developed an iPhone geocaching app that taps into the GPS capabilities of the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The app provides direct access to Geocaching.com’s data base of worldwide geocache locations.

The Benefits of Geocaching

Geocaching is a fun activity that encourages people to get outdoors, exercise and discover new places. It’s a great way to get together with friends and to meet new people. It can be challenging and educational. With all these benefits, it’s not surprising that the popularity of geocaching has exploded in the past decade.

Compass vs GPS, Which is best?

Which is Better – Compass or GPS?

The compass is a simple but effective navigational tool that has been in use for centuries.  Countless explorers and adventurers have relied on the compass for directions.  Now it seems that new technology in the form of the GPS device is replacing this humble tool.  Millions of portable GPS units have been sold for car and boat navigation and many cell phones now include a GPS capability.   GPS devices are quickly becoming the new universal tool for navigation.

Is a GPS device a good replacement for a map and compass when hiking and backpacking?  It pays to do a head-to-head comparison before abandoning your compass.

Compass Pros and Cons

A compass is a light, portable tool that accomplishes one function – it indicates the direction of magnetic north.  It’s inexpensive (a compass in a sturdy case can be purchased for less than $20) and doesn’t require a power source.  A compass is not difficult to use, though some training and practice are required.  With a map and a little skill, a compass is perfect for back country orientation.

How can a compass help you if you’re lost?  If you’re completely disoriented and without a map, a compass can’t do much more than tell you which way is north.  A compass is useful only when you’re prepared to use it correctly.  It’s most useful when used with a topographical map.

It doesn’t take long to learn how to use a compass.  There are good websites that walk you through it, including Kjetil Kjernsmo’s Illustrated Guide on How to use a Compass and several Boy Scouts of America guides such as this one on How to Use a Compass.

GPS Pros and Cons

A GPS device is a receiver for the Global Positioning System, a network of two dozen satellites that orbit the earth.  The system was originally developed for use by the U.S. military but is now available to everyone.  A GPS receiver use signals from this satellite network to compute its own location.  In addition to telling you where you are in terms of longitude, latitude and altitude, a GPS device can track your movement.  A GPS device can store a large number of maps and show you your position in real time on a map.

The GPS’s ability to show your path on a map is the electronic equivalent of a map and compass.   You also have to learn how to use a GPS device, but once you do it is superior in many ways to a traditional compass.  The electronic compass that’s built into a GPS is easier to use and can be consulted as you walk.

Are there any disadvantages to a GPS?  In order for it to work, it has to be able to pick up a satellite signal.  Trees and even clouds can block a signal, rendering the GPS inoperable.  Another disadvantage is that a GPS is an electronic device that requires batteries to work and can malfunction.  When you use it in the wild you have to be careful not to drop it or let it get wet.  Finally, GPS devices are expensive and are not accessible to everyone.

And the Winner Is…

There’s no doubt that a GPS loaded with a good topographical map is easier and faster to use than an old-fashioned compass.  A GPS can provide vital information when you’re traveling through the backcountry, telling you where you’ve been, where you are and where you’re going.  But the disadvantages of the GPS device are serious ones.  The chances of it losing its signal, breaking or running out of power are so great that you should not use it as your sole means of orientation.  When your survival is at stake, a map and compass are indispensable.  These two items should be part of the essential items that every backpacker or hiker brings on every outing.  Each member of a backcountry hiking party should know how to orient with map and compass.

The bottom line is that a GPS device is great for driving navigation and is a fun gadget to bring along on a hike or backpack — but it must be backed up by a map and compass.  Before going on a trek in the backcountry, get a topographical map, study it and brush up on your compass skills.  Then you can still bring a GPS and enjoy all its great features.  There are many types of GPS devices on the market with specific uses, including driving, boating, cycling and hiking.  If you plan to use a GPS for hiking, make sure your unit works with standard USGS Topographic Maps.

A Patagonia Houdini Jacket over a base layer - perfect for a late winter run on the Lost Lake Trail, Chugach National Forest, Alaska.

When unexpected weather hits, the best jacket is the one you have with you!  I don’t know how many times I have leaned this lesson while running in the mountains near my coastal Alaska town – a sunny day can sure turn cold, windy and wet in a hurry!

This is why I love my Patagonia Houdini Jacket – at 3.7 oz, it effectively weighs nothing – I don’t hesitate to have it with me.  I can stuff it in my water bottle holder pouch, my camera bag, there really isn’t any excuse for me not to have this moderate protection with me.

I say moderate protection because it isn’t going to replace a rain jacket or heavy wind proof shell, but I am always surprised at how much protection this light weight jacket does provide.  Just blocking the wind can be a big help in most situations, and the Deluge DWR (Durable water repellent) fabric will help keep you dry at least for awhile in the rain.  And on top of that, it is very breathable.

Durability?  This was my biggest concern with such a lightweight jacket, but after two years of regular use, it has held up perfectly – no tears, seams still intact, looks almost as good as new and I run in mine a lot.  Ironically, it has held up far better then my heavier, more expensive Patagonia jackets like the Rain Shadow which I think is a piece of junk.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love the company and for what they stand for, and think 90% of their gear is awesome like their guide pants, base layers and fleece, I’m just not a fan of the lack of beatheability and durability of their shells that I have tried – but then again, I live in an extreme environment on the Alaska coast.  The little, tiny light weight Houdini is certainly an exception!

My only complaint with my Houdini was the lack of a little pocket, maybe a stuff-able one – and you know what, I see the new versions now even have a stuff-able pocket!  So with the Houdini, there is no excuse for not having a jacket with you!