Some of those criteria conflict with each other. Fast charging, for example, reduces usable battery capacity. Newer power banks like the FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank offer lower-power efficiency modes that trade charging speed for longer runtime and broader device compatibility. This gives the user options.

Get it: Direct from FLEXTAIL, Amazon

What is the FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank?

The Zero Power Bank is marketed as the world’s lightest and thinnest 10,000mAh power bank.

The bank itself weighs 143 grams (5.04 ounces) on my scale. The included USB-C cord weighs 7 grams (0.25 ounces). It also ships with a lanyard, which weighs 5 grams (0.18 ounces). Together they weigh 155 grams (5.47 ounces) on my scale.

The lanyard cable is a USB-C cord that doubles as a lanyard. The connecting piece docks the ends of the cord and protects it.

Battery Capacity

The battery capacity is 10,000mAh, but the usable capacity varies by the mode: 7,000mAh in Efficiency Mode (5V-1A) and 5,200mAh in Fast Charge Mode (12V-1.67A). Input is 18W max (5V/9V/12V), and output is 22.5W max.

Some of the competition claims that they can get more juice out of a battery in a fast charge mode. One direct competitor claims 6,800mAh while fast charging.

Two Charging Modes

A single press of the button activates the Fast Charge (22.5W, green LED), which FLEXTAIL claims can bring an iPhone 15Pro (3274mAh battery) to 50% in 26 minutes. On my Pixel 6 (4614mAh battery), it took 27 minutes to go from 10% to 50%, and 105 minutes to 100%. A double-press activates Smart Efficiency Mode (orange LED), which runs at a lower wattage but delivers 30% more usable power. Another double-press switches the bank back to Fast Charge.

Battery Indicator

The battery indicator has four LED lights: first light = 0–10%, second = 10–50%, third = 50–75%, fourth = 75–100%. During testing, these didn’t seem to be exact. For example, after charging my Pixel 6 it still showed three bars. I drained my Pixel 6 again and tried charging it a second time, the bank died before fully charging the Pixel 6 a second time.

Materials & Durability

The cover is forged carbon fiber that is compression molded from shorter fibers. FLEXTAIL claims the forged carbon fiber shell improves strength while keeping weight low, though like any lightweight power bank, it still deserves careful handling.

It has a IPX4 water resistance rating. That means that it can withstand splashes, a little light rain, but it isn’t waterproof.

Emergency Reserve Feature

An auto-stop feature locks the last 10% of battery as reserve. FLEXTAIL claims that charges a phone to about 30% capacity or enough for an emergency call, GPS fix, or to charge a headlamp.

FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank in Use

I’ve used the FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank over the last five months to charge my various pieces of gear. One instance that stands out is when it saved my tablet during a visit to have maintenance done on my car. My tablet had completely drained, and I forgot the charger at home. I was able to charge the tablet while watching videos for a course that I’m taking.

Other than that it has charged all my devices. I had some concerns about older devices that use the USB mini connector, like my Garmin bike radar taillight. I have a converter that plugs into the end of a USB-C cable and converts it to a Micro-USB. When using the Micro-USB connection in this way, the devices won’t communicate to each other. The power bank should fall back to the lowest charge rate, but I didn’t want to risk it. So, I only used the Efficiency Mode when charging the radar. This is something to consider if you have older devices.

Passthrough Charging

I did try passthrough charging, and it appears to work. My phone charged at the “slowly charging” rate instead of fast charging while the bank was connected to power. While it works, it’d likely be faster charging both devices separately. When paddling this isn’t likely to be an issue unless you’re resupplying in town and trying to charge devices quickly. I think it’s better to pack a charger with two ports instead.

With a Solar Panel

Lastly, I tried charging it with my old Kickr IV solar panel. The Kickr IV is a 6W, 5V regulated panel, so at peak output it runs at about 1.2A. While older by modern standards, the panel still represents the kind of small solar charger many paddlers already own. It charged the battery. I didn’t do a full charge, but in direct sunlight with the panel flat on the ground, it slowly charged the FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank. In normal conditions that one might face in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, it might take all day to charge that bank using my panel. I don’t use solar anymore for my trips. I just carry extra batteries. If you do, the FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank accepted trickle charging from an old panel, so it would likely do much better with a modern 10-15W USB-C panel.

FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank Conclusion

During my testing, the FLEXTAIL Zero Power Bank seemed to perform well. It’s a nice power bank and one of the lightest on the market. The Smart Efficiency Mode gets a lot of power out of the battery, which appeals to me. Compared to typical 10,000mAh power banks that weigh 6–8 ounces, the FLEXTAIL Zero is unusually light.

Pros

• Extremely lightweight for a 10,000mAh bank
• Efficiency mode improves usable capacity
• USB-C and passthrough charging
• Accepts low-current solar charging
• Compact form factor

Cons

• Fast charging significantly reduces usable capacity
• LED battery indicator lacks precision
• IPX4 is splash resistant, not waterproof
• Premium pricing compared to conventional banks

Get it: Direct from FLEXTAIL, Amazon

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What are the XTRATUF Hightides

The Hightides are an injection-molded, ankle-high shoe made with an EVA foam called BioLite. If you haven’t seen these before, think of a similar material to what Crocs use. They have a textured footbed to help prevent your foot from sliding around when wet and have slip-resistant outsoles. The Hightides come in full sizes from 7 to 14, and they come in three colors. I tested the Deep Storm color.

One size 12 boot weighed 9.2 oz (261 g) on my scale.

The XTRATUF Hightide Boots In Use

Here’s what I look for in summer paddling footwear, and here’s where the Hightide fits in that spectrum.

• Sticky soles that wouldn’t slip getting into the canoe or kayak.
• Supportive enough for portage trails with a sole that protects from rocks.
• Small enough to fit under a seat for kneeling.

I found that the XTRATUF Hightide boots were comfortable for walking around and wearing around town and on short hikes on local trails. I live near the Boundary Waters, so the trails I hike are similar to portage trails. They were fairly grippy on wet rocks, although I only had limited testing while walking next to a river one day. I’d like to test this in more detail to see how they compare to other paddling boots that I’ve tested such as the LaCrosse Grange Boots. If you need more ankle support for portaging than I do (I find portaging in sandals or tennis shoes fine), you may want a more supportive boot.

They do fit under a seat for kneeling.

Sizing is worth thinking through before you order. The Hightides come in full sizes only, and XTRATUF recommends sizing up. I’m typically a US 11 or 11.5 and went with a 12 — they fit, but run a touch long. In hindsight I’d try an 11 first for a snugger fit. If you’re wearing them over drysuit socks, though, the extra room works in your favor.

My one criticism is that they are harder than I’d like to pull on. I wish there was a pull loop to help.

Wrapping Up

After a month of testing, the XTRATUF Hightides have earned a permanent spot by my door. They’re not a cold-water boot, but for warm-water paddling days and drysuit trips, they’re hard to beat for the weight and price. I’ll update this review after more time on the water. In the meantime, you can get them at Amazon or direct from XTRATUF.

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On April 16, 2026, Republicans sold out the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), one of my favorite places in the world, as a gift to a foreign mining company, and as Senator Martin Heinrich, one of the Senators who fought to keep the protections, said on the Senate floor, “to pad the pockets of the President’s buddy from Chile.” The extracted minerals from this Chilean mine would be sent to China.

Before the Republicans voted to strip protections from the Boundary Waters, the forest and waters surrounding the BWCAW were protected from copper-sulfide mining. Despite bipartisan opposition, and undivided opposition from Minnesota’s Senate delegation, and 70% opposition from the people of Minnesota, Republicans went forward with it using a tactic that bypassed the filibuster and that had never been used before to remove protections from our public land in this way.

Republicans used the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows congress to object to a federal agency rule within 60 days. If an objection passes, and the president signs it, then the rule doesn’t go into effect and the federal agency can never propose a similar rule. A public land order, which is a power that Congress granted the executive, is not a rule. The current executive administration changed the definition of a public land order so that this public land order that protected the BWCAW would be considered a rule—whether or not this was legal is unknown.

In this case, the CRA was used against Public Land Order 7917, which is a 20-year withdrawal of land from copper-sulfide mining based on two years of studying the issue. The order was signed on January 26, 2023. That’s 3 years, 2 months, and 21 days after the order went into effect and before the CRA was used and well outside the 60 days limit imposed by the CRA. According to the CRA rules are required to be submitted to Congress, so Congress can decide if they want to use the CRA. Because public land orders are not rules, they were never submitted to Congress in the way required by the CRA, but they were submitted as required and according to law when first ordered. After the current executive administration declared this public land order a rule, they then submitted it to Congress as a rule. Whether or not this was legal is unknown, but unless there’s a lawsuit the effect is the same as being legal.

In the way the CRA was used, because it changed the definition of what a rule is, it not only puts other public land orders in jeopardy, it also puts in jeopardy logging projects, mining projects, and potentially any action taken by any federal agency taken in the last 30 years (and maybe longer). A future administration could change the definition of a rule based on precedent set by this administration. On the Senate floor, Minnesota Senator Tina Smith warned, “What goes around comes around.”

During debate on the bill, none of those who voted to strip the protections from the BWCAW listened to those Senators who debated in favor of keeping the Boundary Waters protected. When Senator Tina Smith from Minnesota, who spoke in favor of the protections, explained the science behind why the public land was protected, the opposition senators weren’t even in their senate seats to listen. They were missing.

Smith explained how the proposed mine in this area would only operate for a decade or maybe two but would create centuries of pollution. When the sulfide containing rock that the copper is contained within, in miniscule amounts, is dug up, pulverized, and exposed to water and air, it creates sulfuric acid, a highly corrosive acid. That eventually creates something called acid mine drainage, which is what happens when the acid leeches other toxic metals, such as arsenic and mercury, out of the waste rock. It devastates ecosystems, kills aquatic life, and contaminates water for centuries.

As Smith explained, in other water-rich areas where these mines have been allowed, the acid mine drainage has been shown to have traveled at least 100 miles through waterways. The proposed mine, in this case, would be under a popular lake just outside the Boundary Waters and across from family cabins. The waste rock would be pilled next to the popular lake. The water from that lake flows into the Boundary Waters, up to the international border, to Voyageurs National Park, into Canada and eventually to Hudson Bay. As the water takes the toxic mine drainage with it, it will irreparably harm the Boundary Waters and other waterways.

The drainage itself could last longer than the United States of America has been a country.

This pollution is what the Republican voted for.

We know it wasn’t the economy that they voted for, because an independent and peer reviewed study from Harvard showed that “more jobs and more income in the region are generated by protecting public lands near the Boundary Waters than by sulfide-ore copper mining.” ¹

After the vote, Senator Smith said, “Republicans privately told me that they knew this was wrong, and I wish they had voted with their conscience.”

What’s next?

If you’re wonder what’s next, you aren’t alone. While this is a devastating loss of protection for the Boundary Waters, it isn’t the end of the fight. There are many other paths to continue to fight against polluting the Boundary Waters. The goal is permanent protection. I’d suggest through a state constitutional amendment.

As a photographer, I’m going to continue sharing my images and working to get those images to organizations fighting for clean water and permanent protection of the Boundary Waters. I also feel that it is important to speak out about protecting public lands (see: Should Nature Photographers Speak Out?). I recently spoke about how Ansel Adams and other photographers used their images to help get places protected. You can listen to my conversation with Staci L Drouillard on WTIP’s Boundary Waters Podcast.

If you want to keep informed and be part of the community working to protect the Boundary Waters, you can join both the Friends of the Boundary Waters and Save the Boundary Waters.

Both do slightly different work. Friend of the Boundary Waters, now 50 years old, has been working to not only protect the Boundary Waters from copper-sulfide mining and other forms of pollution or issues, but also to help educate the public about the Boundary Waters. They have outdoor educators working in the gateway communities of Ely and Grand Marais. My son has taken courses from their outdoor educator here in Grand Marais. They also offer trip planning and route resources on their website, and they have a great podcast that covers a wide range of recreational topics. Save the Boundary Waters focuses specifically on fighting the copper-sulfide mining issue and protecting the Boundary Waters from the pollution the proposed mine would cause.

My photography business is part of both of their business coalitions, and I donate to both. If you feel as passionate about our outdoor public spaces as I do, you can join either group as an individual or as a business.

I think that it’s important for outdoor photography to testify, and be used as a prophet to help protect what we have, and if what we have is lost, to show the future what was taken away from them and who did it. As Toni Morrison said, all art is political, and to pretend otherwise is to defend the status quo. I hope that you will start to see your photography in the same way.

Future generations depend on it.

Originally published on More or Less About the Photo and used with permission.

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Wear Your Life Vest

Last year’s Life Jacket Wear Rate Observation Study using data from 1999 to 2024, showed that 80% of youth wore life vests while paddling, but only 56% of adults were wearing vests. The gap between youth and adults shows up in the fatality data, too, with adults accounting for 83% of the paddlesport fatalities. If there’s one statistic that every paddler should internalize, it is this: approximately 80% of those who died in confirmable paddlesport accidents were not wearing a life vest (PFD). The data is starker for canoe accidents: 100% of victims were found without a life vest.

While drowning remains the primary cause of death, the report makes it clear that having a life vest on board isn’t enough; you have to be wearing it. Most of the incidents involved a sudden capsize during which the paddler wouldn’t have had a chance to reach the vest let alone put it on.

When Flotation Isn’t Enough

The data also offers another warning: a life vest is a tool, but doesn’t make a paddler invincible. A significant subset of paddlers drowned while wearing life vests. These fatalities were almost always linked to “Hazardous Waters,” such as low-head dams or rapids, or sudden environmental changes, including, as an example, one case where 15-year-old Minnesota boy drowned after capsizing due to unexpected weather.

There’s also a secondary killer in paddlesports: Hypothermia. The recent report includes multiple instances where the paddlers were recovered wearing a life vest, but died from cold-water immersion. While a life vest can provide enough floatation to prevent drowning, it doesn’t prevent heat loss. When paddling cold water (see: The Risks of Cold Water Paddling), usually defined as under 60°F to 70°F (15°C to 21°C), paddlers need to dress for immersion.

Inexperience as a Factor

The profile of paddlesport victims often includes a lack of formal training. A significant number of accidents involved paddlers with “Under 10 hours” of experience or “No education.” Inexperienced paddlers often lack the skills to re-enter after a capsize, leading to prolonged immersion and subsequent drowning or hypothermia.

Human Factors

Alcohol use remains a shadow over paddlesports safety. High blood alcohol levels are seen in many kayak and canoe accidents and fatalities. It’s often cited alongside “Operator Inattention” and “Improper Loading” as factors contributing to capsizes.

Males account for the vast majority of paddlesport accidents and fatalities. A broader outdoor recreation pattern may point to risk tolerance and bravado as contributing factors, and the disparity is consistent across every segment of the data.

Takeaway

The data suggests four areas that paddlers should pay attention to:

1. Wearing a life vest: Life vests must be worn and not just carried.
2. Environmental awareness: Paddlers should watch the water temperatures, pay attention to the wind, weather, and wave forecasts, know where low-head dams are on the river and how to portage them, and understand the dangers of whitewater.
3. Education and self-rescue: Get paddlesports education. The American Canoe Association, Paddle Canada, or the British Canoe Union offer instructional programs for all levels of paddlers. Learn and practice self-rescue techniques for your craft. For canoeists, that means solo reentry, assisted reentry, and canoe-over-canoe rescue; for kayakers, the paddle float rescue, T-rescue, cowboy scramble, and reenter-and-roll.
4. Stay sober: Paddlesports requires fine motor skills and balance and alcohol diminishes those abilities.

Also, see: He Was an Expert Kayaker: How Reporters Get Paddling Fatalities Wrong

The post Why Paddlers Die: Life Vest Use and the Boating Accident Data appeared first on PaddlingLight.com. You can leave a comment by clicking here: Why Paddlers Die: Life Vest Use and the Boating Accident Data.

What Is Magnetic Deviation?

When localized magnetic forces influence your compass, they cause what’s called magnetic deviation. These forces pull the needle away from its correct bearing and create an inaccurate reading, i.e. deviate from the reading.

What Causes Compass Deviation in the Boundary Waters?

Most cases of magnetic deviation come from your own gear. Anything with metal or a magnetic component, especially when kept close to your compass, can throw off the needle.

Where Magnetic Anomalies Actually Occur

There are a few places in and near the Boundary Waters that can cause compass deviation, but you have to be very close to them to notice any effect. The most well-known is Magnetic Rock on the Gunflint Trail. Hold a compass right next to the rock and you’ll see the needle drift. Step back a few yards, and the effect disappears.

Other localized spots exist, such as a few rocks on an island on Iron Lake or cliffs on Snowbank on the hiking trail, but again, the range is limited. If you step away, the effect disappears. If you’re on the water and away from these rocky areas, you likely won’t see the effects at all.

More commonly, your gear will cause problems. For example, a camera or GPS unit stored in your life vest can cause deviation. I’ve also seen non-stainless screws used in a canoe cause minor deviation. It’s rare, but I’ve seen it.

How We Actually Navigate in the BWCA

For everyday travel in the Boundary Waters, magnetic anomalies won’t affect your compass or navigation. Most of the time, we navigate using something called piloting. That is navigating by visible landmarks like campsites, portages, islands, or other prominent features, and referencing them to the map. A compass often sits unused for this style of navigation.

Paddlers also use dead reckoning: estimating your location from a last know location by using your speed, time traveled, and direction. While a compass can help, most of the time canoeists follow a shoreline or clear path down a lake, so a compass isn’t always essential.

On larger lakes with complex island groups or when in the fog, compasses become more handy. Even then, the localized magnetic anomalies in the Boundary Waters aren’t strong enough or widespread enough to create significant navigation errors.

Should You Worry About Compass Errors?

In practical terms, no. It’s extremely unlikely that you’ll experience a naturally occurring magnetic anomaly large enough to impact your navigation on any Boundary Waters trip. Many maps or guidebooks mark any significant spots, and even those require very close proximity to matter. For fun, you might wander around a campsite looking to see if you can find rocks that cause a compass needle to move.

Magnetic Deviation vs. Magnetic Declination in the BWCA

Magnetic deviation comes from localized forces, like gear or magnetic rocks, but magnetic declination is different. Magnetic declination is the angle between true north and magnetic north. In the Boundary Waters, it ranges from about 1°W at Crane Lake to around 3° W at South Fowl. It’s small enough to ignore for many trips, but I personally set my compass to account for it. Even a simple compass, such as Bruton’s TruArc 3, has an adjustment for declination.

Practical Tips to Keep Your Compass Accurate

• Keep electronics away from your compass.
• Avoid storing your compass near metal objects.
• Set your declination (optional but good practice).
• Trust piloting first. Landmarks are your best friend.

Author’s Takeaway

In nearly thirty years of paddling and guiding in and around the Boundary Waters, and more than two decades living in Grand Marais, I’ve never experienced a magnetic anomaly that affected real-world navigation. If your compass suddenly points somewhere strange, the culprit is almost always the gear sitting too close to it.

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The photo above shows a collection of four camping spoons. From left to right: Light My Fire Spork, a birch spoon I carved myself, a standard kitchen spoon, and a Hilltops Pack Long Handled Titanium spoon. Each has its place, the DIY spoon is the lightest and the best.

For the curious: the Light My Fire weighs 0.4 ounces (11 grams), the DIY comes in at 0.2 ounces (5.6 grams), the kitchen spoon weighs 1 ounce (28 grams), and the long-handled spoon lands at 0.7 ounces (20 grams).

Weight is only part of the story. The DIY spoon is custom made to the shape that I wanted, using birch harvested off a dying tree, finished with walnut oil, and made with my hands — a far better way to spend an evening than doomscrolling. And, because I carved it myself, I feel a connection to it that doesn’t exist with a random plastic spoon bought from an online store.

Carving a DIY camping spoon

To carve a camping spoon, you first need to learn how. I took a bowl carving class where we used axes, adzes, draw knives and gouges to shape a birch round into a usable bowl. During the class, instructor Jon Strom demonstrated how to carve a spoon. Compared to carving a bowl, it seemed simple. I watched a few YouTube videos, bought Spoon: A Guide to Spoon Carving and the New Wood Culture by Barn the Spoon, and I was off to the races.

Since then, I’ve carved maybe a dozen or so spoons. I still I like my early spoons, but my latest feels like it’s the closest to “good.” It takes me about two hours now to carve a spoon, which is much slower than the 15 to 20 minutes that my instructor needed. But I’m getting faster! The hardest part for me is sharpening my hook knife, but with practice I’ve gotten better. A razor sharp knife is key to a smooth spoon without resorting to sandpaper.

Spoon-carving equipment

You don’t need much to start. I had an axe, which wasn’t the perfect carving axe (Gränsfors Bruks Mini Belt Hatchet), but it was just fine. I had a knife, too. I was only missing a hook knife to carve the spoon’s bowl. I bought BeaverCraft’s S01 Wood Spoon Carving Knives Set for around $20. It included a knife, hook knife, polishing compound and a leather strop. The latter two items are used for sharpening. I also picked up a better sharpening stone than I had.

I also found a big round cut from a big pine tree at the local wood-pile dumping area and turned it into a chopping block using diamond willow legs that I harvested myself.

Here’s what I have now:

• Mora Wood Carving Knife 120
• Morakniv Wood Carving Hook Knife 164
• Gränsfors Bruks Mini Belt Hatchet

What does the act of making shape in us?

Part of camping and wilderness travel is skill. The more skills we carry, the more capable we become. Out in the woods, what we know matters far more than what we own.

And, the act of making something with our hands is intrinsically good. Carving a simple wooden spoon teaches real wilderness skills: safe axe handling, precise knife work, patience, attention, and presence. Even if I don’t carry an axe on my trips, the habits of thinking about safety formed while carving translate directly to moving safely through the woods.

Beyond that, making things builds self-reliance. It reminds us that we don’t have to depend on whatever the outdoor industry sells this season. We can shape our own tools, and sometimes those tools will be better, lighter, and always more meaningful.

When outside and surrounded by the water and wind on a remote lake miles from the nearest road, the tools that we make with our own hands feel different. They feel steadier. They feel our own. These tools, even a simple wooden camping spoon, are not better because they save weight or money. They’re better because they shape us while we shape them.

That’s what makes a simple wooden DIY camping spoon the best.

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This update follows a year of delay after the EXPLORE Act passed. Last year, I reported on the EXPLORE Act and how the delay in implementation of the law across U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) lands was impacting small-scale creators, especially on lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), such as on the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota and within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The New Rules

These new rules align with the EXPLORE Act, which passed over a year ago. The goal of the filming provisions in the EXPLORE Act was to update the law to account for modern media devices, such as cell phones, action cameras, and portable video cameras. The old laws were primarily written to regulate motion pictures and large productions before the Internet and social media existed. The old law and rules created a fee structure and complex permitting system that was difficult to navigate.

There were optional provisions in the EXPLORE Act that agencies weren’t required to adopt and one confusing one (see the Wilderness Loophole below). The USDA implemented even the optional rules. The new USFS rules create four tiers for content creation (filming, photography and audio recording) regardless of whether or not it is commercial or noncommercial.

1. Groups of one to five people, assuming that the group meets all of the various conditions, don’t need a permit.
2. Groups of six to eight people need a free De Minimis Use Authorization. The law requires a website be built to handle these requests, which are automatically issued. Applications can also be submitted in person at a field office, according to the law, and the authorization must be issued immediately. Until the website is up, this group will need to apply at a field office.
3. Groups engaged in activities or events that are permitted or allowed, regardless of the size, in which the content creation is incidental to, or documenting that activity do not need a permit.
4. Groups with nine or more people or groups unable to meet the required conditions need a permit.

Here is the list of the conditions that content creators must follow:

• Occurs in areas open to the public;
• Uses hand-carried equipment only;
• Does not require exclusive use of a site;
• Does not adversely impact forest/grasslands resources, values, or other visitors; and
• Activity is not likely to result in additional administrative costs for the Forest Service.

Hand-carried equipment, per the law, includes “equipment (such as a tripod, monopod, and handheld lighting equipment).”

The biggest change for commercial creators is that they’ll no longer pay a daily fee as long as their group stays under five people, or six to eight with a free De Minimis authorization. The other significant change is that content creators documenting a permitted activity don’t need a separate permit regardless of group size. This is a welcome shift for photographers covering events such as adventure races, fastest known time attempts, and weddings.

Noncommercial creators in groups of five or fewer will find little change; no permit is required as long as they meet the conditions. Those traveling in larger groups, however, will now need either a free De Minimis authorization or a full permit depending on size, which may be new for some.

The rules appear on the USFS main website, though some individual unit websites haven’t been updated yet. Check the main USFS site for the current rules.

The Wilderness Loophole – Is Filming Allowed in Wilderness Areas?

The Wilderness Loophole is back (I covered this in more depth in my last article). USDA and the USFS have decided to invoke the Wilderness Loophole provision of the law, and from their website it isn’t exactly clear what content creation type will be allowed.

The USFS website says that “Proposals to create content in designated Wilderness areas require additional information and undergo an additional level of screening. If you propose to film in designated Wilderness, contact the local Forest Service office.” The emphasis on “create content” is mine, because the law defines “Content Creation” in a specific way:

Content creation.—Regardless of distribution platform, any video, still photograph, or audio recording for commercial or noncommercial content creation in a System unit shall be considered to be a filming or still photography activity under this subsection.

So, if you want to film yourself with a GoPro canoeing in the Boundary Waters or any other wilderness area under USFS management, you’re going to need to contact the local Forest Service office. It’s also unclear whether the additional screening applies only to video or to photography and audio as well. Regardless, it applies to everyone, not just commercial creators.

Note the guidance on Wilderness Areas changed after I reached out the the USFS for clarification. With the updated language, the USFS now says that it only applies to “commercial content.” That seems to be in conflict with the definition of “content creation” within the EXPLORE Act.

As of March 31, 2026, the USFS’s website now reads, “Filming or still photography proposals intended to produce commercial content within congressionally designated wilderness areas require an additional level of review to determine whether the activity constitutes a commercial enterprise or commercial service under The Wilderness Act of 1964. If you plan to film in a congressionally designated wilderness area, please contact your local Forest Service office for guidance.” 

Are There Still Mixed Messages?

One of the ideas behind the Film Act provision in EXPLORE Act was to standardize the rules across all public lands, but we still have different implementations of the law, due to the ability of agencies to determine if they want to require De Minimis Use Authorizations and due to the Wilderness Loophole.

The USFS opted to require the optional De Minimis Use Authorizations for groups of six to eight people. The National Park Service (NPS) and other Department of Interior (DOI) agencies did not. This requires groups of six to eight people to file a permit application that is immediately and automatically approved — adding paperwork steps for both creators and already-strapped local offices for no practical outcome. On NPS and other DOI lands, groups of six to eight do not need to file paperwork or get a De Minimis Use Authorization.

The Wilderness Loophole – Many Mixed Messages

Rules for Wilderness Areas still give us mixed messages. NPS (and DOI agencies) opted to treat Wilderness Areas the same as other public areas, but the USFS is treating them separately and is requiring additional information from the content creator and requiring an additional level of screening.

To treat wilderness the same as other public areas, NPS determined that the term commercial enterprise or commercial service does not include commercial filming or photography. They define commercial enterprise and commercial service in the REFERENCE MANUAL 41: WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP NPS Wilderness Definitions, and specially say that either “does not include commercial filming or photography.”

As of April 9, 2026, according to the USFS national press office, “…the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service does not currently have any national policy that establishes an agency interpretation of how to evaluate filming proposals in wilderness following the passage of the EXPLORE Act. As a result, a local unit wilderness specialist should be consulted to help determine whether each filming proposal in wilderness triggers requirements under the wilderness related to ‘commercial enterprise,’ ‘commercial services,’ or other considerations relevant to the agency’s responsibilities to preserve wilderness character. Specific project inquiries of this nature should be requested and coordinated through the local unit public affairs offices.”

It seems to apply to everyone, including a random grandma who wants to film or photograph her grandson while on a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and post those videos on social media, which would potentially run ads on that content. In the past, even posting a video to YouTube was considered commercial.

Because of the vagueness of the USFS policy, still photography or filming might be allowed on one USFS Wilderness Area and not another.

What’s Next

The USFS still hasn’t published the criteria it will use to screen content creation requests in Wilderness Areas, which means local offices could apply different standards depending on where you are. That’s a problem worth watching. Paddlers and hikers have always documented their trips, and it’s not clear yet whether the new rules will create a bureaucratic problem they need to manage or if the USFS will apply it to only some types of content creators. I’ve reached out to the Superior National Forest for clarification and will update this story when I hear back.

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What is the Alpacka Raft Caribou?

The Caribou is a lightweight, multi-purpose packraft designed for flat water and light water (Class I–II). It’s built to be stable and capable of carrying loads like bikes and backpacks. It’s 94.5 inches long (240 cm) and 37.5 inches wide (95.25 cm).

I ordered the LW 210d fabric in a custom color combo, with a custom backband and side handles. Those additions added a little weight, but it still comes in at 5.9 pounds for the Open model with a Cargo Fly. The listed weight is 5.5 pounds without those extras.

The Cargo Fly is a zipper that opens into the interior of the raft, allowing you to store gear inside the tubes while on the water.

To inflate the Caribou, you fill a large fabric bag with air and then squeeze that air into the boat.

Packrafting

The idea of a packraft is simple: a small, lightweight, collapsible boat that you can carry in a backpack or on a bike, then deploy when you reach water. I picked this one specifically for bikepacking trips.

There are models designed for everything from whitewater to more traditional touring. Some have self-bailing floors, some have spray decks, and others—like this one—are open, more like a canoe in that any water that gets in stays there until you bail it out.

If you want to learn more, The Packraft Handbook is an excellent resource.

First Look at the Caribou

Since this was my first real time in a packraft (other than a Klymit LiteWater Dinghy), I wasn’t sure what to expect. I left my main camera at home and immediately regretted it once I saw the conditions.

The first step was inflation. I had practiced twice at home, but on the beach the raft kept deflating. After a little frustration, I realized I was turning the valve the wrong direction, which let air escape when the cap wasn’t closed. Once I fixed that, inflation went smoothly. I may mark the raft with an arrow showing which way to turn the valve to open and close, so I don’t mess up again.

Most instructions recommend tempering the boat after inflation. That means putting it in cold water so the air inside cools and pressure drops, then topping it off again. Because the air and water were both cold, I didn’t notice much pressure change after a minute in the water.

Once I got on the water, my feet reached the front of the boat with the backband tensioned, which worked well for bracing. I didn’t get custom thigh straps, but with my knees against the tubes and my feet forward, I felt connected to the raft and in control. It also felt comfortable for my two-hour paddle.

After posting a few photos online, I got the question of how it compares to a canoe or kayak. It doesn’t really feel like either. If anything, it reminds me of a short, very stable whitewater kayak on flat water; it’s quick to respond, but always needing input to stay on track or prevent spinning.

So, what’s it like to paddle?

It’s somewhat slow, which I expected from a boat under 9 feet long. Paddling forward, it didn’t wander as much as I thought it might. That’s probably because I used a high-angle stroke with a 210 cm Werner Cyprus.

When I stopped paddling, it tended to spin. In 5 to 7 knot winds, it was easily pushed around. Most of the East Bay was calm, but once I paddled out from behind the point, I found 1-foot waves. The raft followed the shape of the waves and rode over them easily. It felt exactly like what I expected I’d be paddling.

And it was a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to getting it on moving water.

Conclusion

I can’t wait to spend more time with this raft and see where it takes me. What excites me most isn’t just the boat, but what it opens up. It means I don’t have to be without a boat when I travel.

I keep thinking about past trips and times when I wished I had something like this. Having it with me in the car would have allowed a quick paddle on the Snake River in the Tetons, a lake in the Black Hills, or the Little Missouri in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The potential of places I’ve already been now feels different, because they could include easily included an adventure on the water.

There are a lot of possibilities, and I’m excited to explore them.

If you’re interested in checking out an Alpacka Raft Caribou, here’s the link.

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What is the HikeLight Dyneema stuff sack?

The HikeLight Dyneema stuff sack is a stuff sack — what more can I say? They make multiple different versions of Dyneema stuff sacks. I purchased the round bottom version. They also offer different fabric weights. I picked the 0.67 ounce weight fabric, which was the lightest option.

While they offer sizes from 0.5 liters to 18 liters, I thought the 2.5 liter version would work best. The 2.5 liter stuff sack measures 4.25 inches in diameter and 11 inches high.

Mine weighs in at 0.3 ounces.

First Impression

It’s always a risk to order from Etsy, because you never know the quality from small sellers until you get the item. In this case, the company did a great job. It’s excellent quality. I’m not sure if they are made to order, but it arrived quickly for a small brand.

For my purposes, it works about as well as it could based on the size. I wanted just a little extra room, but it’s close enough. I may order a second to replace the stuff sack of my air mattress. It would save me a fraction of an ounce in weight, but it looks so much cooler, especially in purple!

She also offers other Dyneema products including a nice first aid bag. My current bag is just a little too small for our family trips. HikeLight offers several sizes at a reasonable price for Dyneema. If I had unlimited money, I’d grab a Dyneema bucket.

Anyway, this stuff sack is well made and works well for me. If you’re in the market for an ultralight stuff sack, HIkeLight is worth exploring.

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What is the Zpacks Comfy Camp Pillow?

The Zpacks Comfy Camp Pillow is a 2.3-ounce (65 grams) lightweight pillow that features a fleece cover on one side. It’s stuffed with lightweight insulation and has a zipper so you can add more.

On the bottom, there’s an elastic band that allows you to attach a puffy jacket or vest to increase loft. There’s also a shock cord that secures the pillow to your pad. It’s available in multiple colors, and the claimed dimensions are 12″ x 9.5″ x 3″.

Note: my pillow weighs less that the claimed weight of 3.2 ounces (92 g) listed on Zpacks website. I’m not sure why mine is almost a full ounce lighter — maybe it was under-stuffed.

First Look

In general, I like a thinner pillow, but I also have a hard time finding one that works for me. I probably went through seven or eight different pillows at home before finding one that finally worked, and it turned out to be a pillow from IKEA that cost less than $10.

When I saw this option, I figured it was worth a try.

Having tried this out at home both on my bed and briefly on an air mattress, I’m impressed. It’s comfortable for me, especially when a sleeping bag’s hood is on the top of the pillow. That provides about the right amount of height and support for what works for me.

I’m looking forward to putting this pillow to use on camping trips this year.

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