Some prolific posters and reviewers routinely offer sage, civil, well-measured advice to fellow members. They're trustworthy, reliable, helpful, and we're likely to value their experienced input more highly than others.

Other members are mixed bags. And a few others you may take with a grain of salt.

On the flip side, some members have low post counts, but when they do speak up it's with insightful reviews and posts chock full of helpful advice, images, and references. We wish we heard even more from them.

Is one member's two-sentence forum post really equal to another's in-depth, image- and video-laden Killer Review? Of course not.

Currently, Trailspace community members get titles (New, Junior, Full, Senior Member) based on the number of posts and reviews you've written, and how long you've been a part of the community. But those titles don't necessarily reflect the esteem of the community.

Enter reputation systems. In addition to considering post counts and longevity, a reputation system attempts to measure the value of each member's contributions as determined by community feedback. We've been collecting this type of feedback for some time — mainly through the "was this helpful? yes/no" buttons at the bottom of each review and forum post — but so far have not factored it into users' overall standings on the site.

As we consider the best ways to introduce this sort of reputation system in the Trailspace community, we want to hear from you:

• What makes you value certain members? Their content? Their experience? Their tone?
• Is there community content you value above others? Types of posts? Reviews? Images?
• Are you familiar with other web reputation systems? And if so, what do you like or dislike about how they work?

We want to recognize our members for their valuable contributions to the community and site. Share your thoughts below on how best we can do that.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

On Saturday, June 2, thousands of TRAILgating parties will spring up across the country when American Hiking Society holds its 20th annual National Trails Day, a celebration of America’s trail system and its dedicated outdoor enthusiasts.

National Trails Day events include hiking, biking, paddling, trail maintenance, bird watching, geocaching, safety demonstrations, photography, dog walking, and more. 

National Trails Day 2012 takes place nationwide on Saturday, June 2. Most events are free and open to the public.

Want to join the TRAILgating party?

Visit AmericanHiking.org/NTD/ to:

• find a National Trails Day event in your area, or
• host your own National Trails Day event. 

Visiting a fire tower watch in California's San Bernardino National Forest in 2011.

Last year, National Trails Day events were held in every state — from Hawaii to Maine. Thousands of Americans explored new trails on foot, bike, and horseback, while nearly 40,000 hard-working volunteers contributed 188,833 volunteer hours to construct and maintain 3,412 miles of trail.

This June, kick off your summer outdoors by attending a TRAILgating party on National Trails Day, June 2. Join American Hiking Society and its sponsors, The North Face, Milk-Bone Trail Mix, Adventure Medical Kits, Columbia, Merrell, and Gerber at a National Trails Day event near you.

If you or your community organization would like to host an event or find out more about National Trails Day 2012, contact John Michels, Trail Programs Manager, at jmichels@AmericanHiking.org or (800) 972-8608 x 208, or visit AmericanHiking.org/NTD.

About American Hiking Society

Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience. It is one of the outdoor and environmental non-profit organizations that Trailspace supports.

AHS is a membership organization with programs like the National Trails Fund grant program, Volunteer Vacations (week-long trail work projects), and National Trails Day (the largest trails celebration in the country). Visit www.americanhiking.org or "like" AHS on Facebook to help support its mission to protect trails.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Write your own helpful gear reviews with Trailspace's redesigned and enhanced "write a review" form, and you might be next month's most helpful reviewer.

Meet Bill S

Bill horse camping with his mother at age 6 months. (Bill Straka)

When and how did you get interested in going outside?

I’ve been in the outdoors all my life. I grew up mostly in a village on the Akimal O’Odham reservation (Sonora Desert, Central Arizona). You could walk out the door and in 15 minutes be out of sight of any houses or other signs of “civilization.”

How have you stayed active outside at such a high level for so long? Any wisdom on staying active as you age?

Since my family was very much into the outdoors, we were out camping, hunting, and fishing a lot of the time. Even after we moved in to the “Big City” and later to California, our family outings were camping, plus I was active in Boy Scouts from the time I was old enough to become a Cub.

I started technical climbing in 1953, with Mt. Whitney being my first High Point, and, a few days later, Mt. Sill being my first real climb. My father had been a founding Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 1, Universal, Pennsylvania. It’s in my blood!

Bill climbing near Chamonix. (Bill Straka)

Plus, Barb (my spouse of some 46-plus years) grew up in a family of backpackers. We met through our university climbing club, with our courtship including a 60-mile backpack through Yosemite’s backcountry. Our son was brought up in the outdoors as well. He was snow camping before he could walk. His first backpack (where he carried a bit of his own gear, including the 10 Essentials) was at age 3, in the Canadian Rockies.

Staying active at a high level? It doesn’t seem like a high level. If I had my druthers, I would be out in the hills, climbing every day. The “secret” is just get out there and do it.

Why were you motivated to review the CamelBak All Clear?

Seth, Trailspace’s Chief of Gear Reviews (my title for you), knew that I have long been interested in water safety and gear in general. I had seen UV as a sterilizing technique over the years and used a SteriPen for a number of years.

The CamelBak All Clear appeared to be a very promising new approach. So when Seth asked if I might be interested, I leaped at the chance. And I am glad I did! (Read Bill's All Clear review.)

What are some of your other favorite pieces of equipment?

Those pieces of gear that contribute to a safe and memorable trip:

• 
  Bill testing the All Clear. (Bill Straka)
  camera: Nikon D300s with Solmeta geotagger and Nikon 18-200 lens for most uses, Pentax W90 and GoPro Hero HD for light weight on summit day (the memories are vital);
• tent: Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1 for expeditions, Bibler Eldorado for two-person all-season, Hilleberg Soulo for solo all season;
• stove: MSR XGK for most things, Jetboil Helios for short outings, Primus 71L for sentimental;
• electronics: GPSR — Delorme PN-60w SE with inReach, weather — Kestrel 4500, fitness — Garmin G305 wrist GPSR and Polar 625X HRM;
• sleeping bag: Integral Designs Renaissance PrimaLoft for three-season, Feathered Friends Ptarmigan with four-ounce overfill for winter and expedition;
• sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest Standard ¾ or NeoAir All Season, plus ZRest Sol for high altitude expeditions.

What is one of your favorite outdoors destinations?

One? That is too limiting! Big mountains with challenging routes, the granite of the Sierra, Cascade glaciers, Alaska Range, European Alps, Peruvian and Chilean Andes, Tanzania.

Anything else you'd like to share with the Trailspace community?

Bill on the summit of Kilimanjaro. (Bill Straka)

When I was growing up, my father had a carving on the wall, quoting an old Pennsylvania Dutch saying, “Ve get too soon oldt, und too late schmart.”

Like most kids, it took me a long time to appreciate that. At some point, I realized that many people in my life had had a significant influence on me, in terms of knowledge, skills, and maybe even some wisdom. Add to that more than a few things learned the hard way. And that told me that I, in turn, have the responsibility to share some of that knowledge, skills, and maybe even some wisdom with others.

I was given a coffee mug that has this quote: “A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a youth.” That lays an important responsibility on us OGBO (old gray bearded) ones.

Hopefully, in terms of gear, we have gained some insights that help in making meaningful evaluations of all the new gear that seems to appear daily, and sort out the truly useful and genuine improvements from the things that are “just different” with no added utility or dependability. “New! Improved” often is neither.

At the same time, you have to approach gear, and life itself, with a sense of humor. As I often say, “Life is too short to take it seriously.” Hopefully, in reading my reviews and other posts, people will take the factual information seriously and be amused by the humor in the rest. 

Great job, Bill!

*Besides Trailspace glory, Bill gets a goodie pack with an Ibex Zepher Skull Cap with Trailspace logo, a Trailspace pint glass (for après-backcountry use), a SealLine iPad case, energy bars from ProBar, and Trailspace stickers.

Help recognize the best reviews on Trailspace by clicking that "Yes" button after "Was this review helpful?" whenever you read a truly helpful review. You'll not only recognize good reviewers, you'll help highlight the best reviews of products.

Wondering how you can be as lucky as Bill? Write a great gear review of your own with the redesigned and enhanced "write a review" form. Next month the Trailspace community will recognize another reviewer, and it could be you and your gear review.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

We've tallied the votes of our seven outdoor judges, and are pleased to announce the top three winners, selected from 11 community-ranked finalists. 

For their haiku on a homey tent, bear spray antics, and a save by a belayer's climbing rope, the winners receive $500 in gift certificates to Backcountry.com ($300, $150, and $50 respectively), plus Trailspace swag and poetic glory.

Let's meet our Backcountry Gear Haiku winners.

First Place: "Ode to My Tent" by doggymcnuggets (Eric Kennedy)

Dawn...woods come to life

I lie in my tent silent

Home away from home

About Eric/doggymcnuggets:

I'm 43 and I live in Bedford, Ind. I am happily married to Lori and the father of two beautiful kids, James (7) and Ellie (3), and I work as a pastor. I love the outdoors and my favorite pastimes include kayaking, fishing, kayak fishing, hiking, and camping.

These days our family frequently visits the different Indiana state parks locally, which offer great kid-friendly hiking, caving, and camping opportunities. I've been lucky enough over the years to see and explore beautiful locations including the U.S. and Canadian Rockies, Acadia NP, Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, Arches NP, Dry Tortugas NP, Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, Outer Banks, Yellowstone NP, Abergris Cay, Belize, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, and others. 

I never cease to be amazed by the beauty all around us and given the chance I want to see it firsthand!

I've been a member of Trailspace for about three years, since discovering it while gear shopping and looking for reviews. It is a wealth of information and I visit the site almost daily. I plan to use my haiku prize money to buy rappelling gear (my latest interest), so I'll be studying up on Trailspace in the meantime before jumping off of our local Indiana limestone bluffs!

Thanks to everyone who liked the haiku and to the judges who chose it — I feel totally unworthy, but totally grateful!

Congratulations, Eric! You win $300 to Backcountry.com.

Second Place: "Deadly Encounter" by Westbrook0 (Grant)

Footsteps crashing down

Bear spray whipped out from my pack

Squirrel makes me clown

About Grant/Westbrook0: 

I am actually a couple of weeks away from moving to the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. I'm going to be living in a cabin there at the base of the mountains — a dream come true for anyone who loves the outdoors. I can't wait to start exploring! 

I love all the stereotypical or iconic national parks, but my favorite places to go are beautiful parks that are a bit lesser known. Places like Buffalo National River in Arkansas, Pecos Wilderness in New Mexico and Dixie National Forest in Utah. They are every bit as beautiful but you can still find places all to yourself.

I love any and every type of gear: Marmot, Patagonia, North Face, etc. But if I had to choose just one item as my favorite it would be Osprey packs. They are built really well, tough and comfortable. I found Trailspace on Facebook and I'm excited to get into it more in-depth — it seems like a great community. If anyone knows of any excellent hikes in the White Mountain National Forest area I would love to hear about them.

I'm really excited now. I can't wait to get on Backcountry.com and start browsing through things I might want. I do that all the time anyway, but now I have a more legitimate reason.

Third Place: "I love belayers" by iClimb (Rick)

Falling through nothing

Memories and Regrets now

SNAP breathe Welcome Back

Meet Rick/iClimb: 

I have been hiking, camping, and active in the outdoors since childhood. I took a hiatus from my outdoor activity for a few years at the end of high school and during my undergraduate college years as I focused on competitive basketball and academics. 

I have been back into my hiking lifestyle for about three years, and have also started my love affair with mountaineering. I have taken courses in basic mountaineering and Mt. Rainier prep, and I'm currently training and learning to improve my rock climbing abilities. I also plan to take an ice climbing course this coming winter to square away a solid overall education that will allow me to be an independent climber without the need of guide services.

My father-in-law has taught me a great deal due to his 30+ years of experience, and we have a three-year plan together to climb Mt. Denali, route not yet chosen.

My current playground is the White Mountains of New Hampshire, which has trained some incredible, professional climbers to climb all over the world. Minus the altitude, the Whites can prepare you for anywhere in the world with its technical climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and weather. I'm hoping it does the same for me.

I am definitely a gear head, but also a bargain shopper. I love finding products that have low prices that can do as good of a job as their counterparts that cost much much more. This requires a fair amount of testing my gear, and sometimes my nerve.

I love to share what knowledge I do have in order to help others, and I'm always amazed by the vast amount of knowledge that users have here at Trailspace. It's a great community!

Congratulations, Rick! You win $50 to Backcountry.com.

 

Thanks also to our other haiku judges: Bob Abbey, director of the Bureau of Land Management; Trail Runner editor Michael Benge, Backpacker senior editor Shannon Davis, National Geographic online editor Mary Anne Potts, Rocky Thompson from Backcountry's The Goat, and Gear Junkie's Stephen Regenold, plus, Backcountry.com for supporting the contest.

Lastly, thanks to everyone who participated, whether entering a haiku, voting on your favorites, or just enjoying our fellow members' creativity.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Or just wanted to comment on a stellar, helpful review? Great job! Thanks for the sizing info.

Now you can leave comments on any Trailspace gear review.

To comment on a review:

Look for the "Comments" link at the bottom of every review.

Click on "Comments" to read other members' comments. Add your own in the dialog box that says "Write a comment..." at the bottom of each review.

(Don't forget to also click "Yes" on those super helpful gear reviews, so we can recognize the best reviews and their authors in our outdoor gear community.)

Comments on your reviews:

If you've written product reviews already, thanks for sharing your experiences with the community! We'll let you know when somebody comments on one of your reviews. (Manage subscription frequency in your account.)

Since you can edit and update your reviews forever, feel free to incorporate additional comments and questions into your published reviews, to make them even stronger and more complete.

For those of you who've been sharing these types of product and review comments via private message or in the forums, adding comments on reviews is an opportunity to bring more attention to the valuable gear reviews on our site and to bring product discussions into context, in a place where the entire community can benefit from your insights.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

No need to wait till the 2013 launch of NEMO's inaugural sleeping bag line. Starting this fall, side sleepers can stretch, turn, and try their own Spoon Shape sleeping bags on for size.

Backcountry couples also will be able to cozy up in a two-person, 3-pound, down sleep system. Ultralighters and fastpackers can try out a 1-pound-2-ounce down quilt. And down-phobes can stay drier in water-repellent DownTek insulation.

This summer, NEMO is sewing about 600 limited edition sleeping bags from its forthcoming product line. Reserve one now, and you'll get it September 2012, in advance of NEMO'S spring 2013 product line launch. Every limited edition bag will come hand-numbered, with a limited edition label, and a signed letter from the NEMO team. 

NEMO's 2013 sleeping bag line, its first, includes:

• four models of Spoon Shape bags with PrimaLoft Synergy insulation: men's Rhythm 25° and 40° and women's Harmony 25° and 40° ($229.95-$269.95);
• four models of Spoon Shape bags with 700 fill down insulation: men's Nocturne 15° and 30° and women's Rhapsody 15° and 30° ($349.95-$419.95);
• Muse 40° two-in-one duvet system with 700 fill ($249.95);
• Strato Loft 25° roomy, rectangular bag with 700 fill ($369.95);
• Tango Duo 30° two-person, 700 fill, backless sleep system that pairs with Nemo's Cosmo inflatable pads ($449.95);
• lightweight Siren 30° for fastpackers and ultralighters with 850 down fill (1 lb 2 oz, $349.95);
• Canon -40° with 850 fill down, center zip, and Stove Pipe for high altitude use (available 2013 only, price TBD).

The 2012 limited edition bags are the same NEMO bags at the same price, as the full 2013 line.

"We've done extensive testing on these designs and have made many changes along the way from tester and lab feedback. We don't envision making changes unless we encounter a major issue," said Kate Ketschek, NEMO's Director of Public Relations.

The Spoon Shape bags are designed wider at the shoulders and knees to allow for natural bending and shifting.

All of the 700 down fill bags will use water-repellent DownTek nanotechnology insulation.

And, each limited edition bag includes a special kit of materials curated during the design and production process.

"Being a new product line for us, it's also a good way to test the market," said Ketschek of the advance products. "We can determine which designs are popular and in turn help retailers when they place their orders. We're taking the risk and guesswork out of it for them, which I imagine will be appreciated."

Ketschek also sees it as a customer relations program. "We were so pleased with the Adventure Product Testers — the customers who entered our gear tester contest, along with retail partners and our usual testers — that we wanted a way to thank them for all of their hard work," said Ketschek.

"And we have such a core following of customers who have supported us over the years that giving them the opportunity to get in on this new product line ahead of the full launch, just seemed like the perfect way to do it. We are really proud of this latest endeavor and are excited to complete the NEMO sleep system."

You can reserve your own NEMO sleeping bag on a first come, first-served basis at www.nemosleepingbags.com. Or just see how many are available in each model (only eight Sirens left, as of today). 

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

I personally enjoyed reading all of your outdoor gear haiku entries and hope you had fun participating. We have some thoughtful, witty, reflective members in our community. Thanks for sharing your talents and diverse voices!

Community voting ended last week, and our seven outdoor judges now are voting on their personal favorites from the community's top picks. (I eagerly submitted my own votes this morning and can't wait to see how the other judges vote.)

Below are the top 11 finalists (we had a 10th place tie) in alphabetical order by haiku title. Three poetic people in this list will win $300, $150, and $50 to Backcountry.com.

Congratulations, Backcountry Gear Haiku Finalists! Stay tuned for the overall winners.

Backcountry Gear Haiku Finalists

All that glitters by Grady Says

Lighter load I thought

Bright skies sneer at waterproofs

What a fool I drip

Deadly Encounter by Westbrook0

Footsteps crashing down

Bear spray whipped out from my pack

Squirrel makes me a clown

I love belayers. by iClimb

Falling through nothing

Memories and Regrets now

SNAP breathe Welcome Back

It might be the map... by overmywaders

This bog is all wrong,

the map has it a mile west.

Conclusion: bad map.

The Kelty Baby Carrier by leadbelly2550

Sweaty forehead kiss

On my sunburned neck tells me

My boy is asleep.

Mammut Skywalker by FromSagetoSnow

I got five stitches.

A rock hit me in the head.

Helmets are cheaper.

me & my kayak by outdoor librarian

Kayak here's the deal

Shelter my possessions please

I will guide you home

Ode to My Tent by doggymcnuggets

Dawn...woods come to life

I lie in my tent silent

Home away from home

Sacred Support by naturedeb1

Held in special way

Live to tell another day

Thanks to the belay

Torture device by another name by whomeworry

Flutter, flap, and warp.

My tent and wind conspire

To steal all my sleep.

Wilderness rewards by gregseitz

the day's travels done

dishes washed, campfire stoked

pass that Nalgene flask

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

And, if you haven't already, start voting now for your favorites to determine the top ten community finalists. 

We're giving away $500 to Backcountry.com, but you're only in the running if you enter your haiku by April 25. Your outdoor gear haiku may be transcendent, poignant, and sidesplitting, but if you enter it after Wednesday, forget it.

Also, it needs to be about or reference outdoor gear and in haiku format (5-7-5 syllables).

Whether or not you've entered a haiku (or ten) in the contest, help determine the top ten haiku we send on to our panel of outdoor judges. Now through Friday, April 27, at noon (EST) look through the haiku entries (more than 360!) and give a thumbs-up to your favorites. 

Which haiku from the Trailspace community do you think deserves to be read by: Bob Abbey, director of the Bureau of Land Management; Trail Runner editor Michael Benge, Backpacker senior editor Shannon Davis, National Geographic online editor Mary Anne Potts, Rocky Thompson from Backcountry's The Goat, and Gear Junkie's Stephen Regenold?

Whose gear haiku should be in the running for $300, $150, or $50 to Backcountry.com, plus Trailspace swag? You, our community members, decide which backcountry gear haiku move on to the final judging round. Vote now!

Again:

• Enter your final backcountry gear haiku today or tomorrow, April 25.
• Vote now through Friday, April 27, at noon (EST) for your favorites with a thumbs-up. 
• After noon on Friday, we'll send the top ten haiku (only one eligible per person) to the judges for their final votes to determine the top three winners.

I'm off to vote on my own haiku favorites from the community now...

Full contest rules here.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Write your own helpful gear reviews with Trailspace's redesigned and enhanced "write a review" form, and you might be next month's most helpful reviewer.

Meet Erich

When and how did you get interested in going outside?

I got started hiking with my parents about the age of 5 or 6. These were day hikes: at the beach in Washington, on the Oregon Coast, in the Cascades. By the time I was 8, I had my first backpack (a Kelty B4, which I still have) and went on my first overnight. My father’s idea of a vacation wasn’t fancy, just going out with the family on a weekend hike or driving north into Canada.

You identify yourself as a "canoeist." When and why did this become your outdoor identity?

Actually canoeing is just one of the things I like to do. Although I do a lot of canoeing, I would say that I am more like some of the old explorers like Lewis and Clark, who were canoeists, snowshoers, and horse packers. Each was used as a means of efficiently traveling through natural lands.

I use a lot of means of transportation, I’ve even horse packed when it was appropriate. I often choose a canoe because they hold a lot of supplies on extended journeys. Unless it's frozen, a canoe is the best to explore the vastness of the Barren Lands.

I first started canoeing when I was 16. I was doing some whitewater kayaking then, and I had heard about the Bowron Lakes canoe route in B.C. A school chum and I went and had a decent experience overall, but had to deal with some pretty poor gear choices. This was 1971, and dome tents were just coming out. Eddie Bauer had one, made both in coated nylon and Egyptian cotton versions. I had chosen the cotton because we didn’t need light weight, and for canoeing, cotton tents were still pretty common.

However it was a horrible tent. First off, the poles were not shock corded, so sections would fall apart as you were erecting the tent. Then once the fly was wet, it had shrunk so you couldn’t stretch it across the poles. We ended up just laying it over the top of the tent most of the trip. We knew nothing about Duluth packs or tump lines then, being West Coast boys, and so we took external frame packs. What a mistake that was.

After that trip, I couldn’t find any others out here who were interested in canoeing into the remote places of Canada. Remember, recreational canoeing expeditions in Northern Canada were new then. I continued to climb, ski, and hike for many years, until I got back into canoeing about ten years ago.

Why were you motivated to review your Optimus Svea 123?

When I first started backpacking with my parents, we had those little Bluet canister stoves, which worked OK. But when I started climbing in the late sixties, a friend of mine had a little Optimus, a 00, which burned kerosene and was a really cool with all the polished brass. I ended up with the SVEA 123R and have never regretted it.

There are a lot of other stoves out there, most with separate fuel bottles. They have their advantages, and I’ve used a friend’s XGK since the early '80s, but they are what I like to call “erector set” stoves, with some assembly required and some parts to lose and break. The 123R only has two moving parts and, as a testament to its reliability, there are a lot that are still going strong after 50 years and with no new parts.

What are some of your other favorite pieces of equipment?

Erich indulges his climbing passion.

I have a lot of gear that many would consider old, but still continues to function. I’ve got an Optimus 111C that I like, but I’d love to find a 111T or B. Because I’m out for more than a month at a time on my canoe trips, I like gear that doesn’t require much (if any) maintenance, and is bomb proof.

In today’s outdoor market, a lot of gear is made quite light and functions well within fairly narrow parameters. I’ve got some gear like that, but the tradeoff is that it often won’t last as long or needs more care.

Another favorite, which I sold about ten years ago, was my Bibler Impotent. I knew Todd and his then wife Becky through a good friend that I climbed with. At the time, Todd was sewing his tents in the living room of his apartment. It was a great little tent and I used it a lot. Finally, the coating on the floor died.

What is one of your favorite outdoors destinations?

There are so many great places, but one really unique place is the Spatsizi Widerness of Northwestern B.C. It is a truly special place with an intact ecosystem. Biologist David Suzuki has called it “North America’s Serengheti.” Unfortunately, Shell Oil wants to drill coal bed methane wells in the area.

I have photographed and written about the Spatsizi for various publications. I was fortunate to paddle with Ali Howard, who swam the Skeena River from its headwaters in the Spatsizi to the Pacific Ocean. She did it to protest the resource development planned by Shell and others.

Photo: Erich and son Ned scout Oregon's Rogue River in 2010. Erich's grandfather was the first to paddle the Rogue in a canoe in the 1920s. Erich and Ned recreated that journey in a small tandem wood/canvas canoe, seen in photo above. (All photos Erich Volkstorf)

Anything else you'd like to share with the Trailspace community?

There are a couple of things that I would like to share. Although a lot of us are gear heads, and I know I fall into that category, I think it is important to remember that the gear is just a tool for us to use to enjoy the natural places. We shouldn’t focus too much on the gear and forget that we are there to experience those wonderful surroundings. Often, I think gadgets can separate us from common sense.

On an expedition I was guiding in the Yukon, I took a hike with a couple from Ontario who were on the trip. He had a brand new GPS, and had noted campsites on our trip, all very useful. However, on this one short hike of less than a mile, we had the river to our left about 300 meters, and a cut bank on our right about 200 meters, both clearly visible through the sparse forest of aspen and spruce. And yet, he had to stop every 100 meters or so to get coordinates to find our way back to camp. He lacked the common sense to take his gaze from the gadget and look at his surroundings and know where he was. 

The other thing I might share, is that I think it is so important to get people of all ages to experience the outdoors, especially young children. I was fortunate that my parents took me out when I was young. I spelunked and hiked with my son when he was 5 and when he was 7 we took our first canoe trip together for ten days. He is now seventeen and a counselor at a camp in Northern Ontario this summer.

If we don’t expose our kids to these places, they won’t know anything about them and won’t miss them when they’re gone, or feel the need to protect them.

Great job, Erich!

*Besides Trailspace glory, Erich gets a goodie pack with an Ibex Zepher Skull Cap with Trailspace logo, a Trailspace Trail Runner Cap, a Trailspace pint glass (for après-backcountry use), stickers, an array of energy bars from Clif, ProBar, and Olympia Granola, and a Nalgene water bottle, tastefully adorned with a Trailspace sticker.

Help recognize the best reviews on Trailspace by clicking that "Yes" button after "Was this review helpful?" whenever you read a truly helpful review. You'll not only recognize good reviewers, you'll help highlight the best reviews.

Wondering how you can be as lucky as Erich? Write a great gear review of your own with Trailspace's redesigned and enhanced "write a review" form. Next month someone else will be recognized by the community, and it could be you and your review.

View comments or add a comment

© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

mud, stones stuck between boot lugs

April on the trail

Ever wanted an editor at a major outdoor publication to read your own ode to outdoor gear? Or a government higher-up to be moved by your haiku to climbing helmets?

We’re celebrating National Poetry Month with a Backcountry Gear Haiku contest. Not only are we giving away $500, thanks to Backcountry.com, but we've also rounded up seven top outdoor editors, bloggers, and even a government official as judges to read your poetic gear greatness.

The contest is simple and fun. And with editors from Backpacker, National Geographic, The Goat, Trail Runner, Gear Junkie, and the director of the Bureau of Land Management judging, we are in lofty company. More than 130 haiku are entered already.

Join in!

1. Enter
   It's easy. Write a haiku (that's a three-line poem with 5-7-5 syllables each) about outdoor gear in our contest forum, now through April 25. Enter as many as you like, but only one haiku per individual is eligible for the top ten.
2. Tell your friends
   Share contest details or a link to your haiku on Trailspace with friends on your favorite social networking sites. ("Check out my Backcountry Gear Haiku on @Trailspace...") Or challenge your friends or fans to a backcountry gear haiku slam in our contest forum.
3. Vote
   Whether you enter or not, scroll through the haiku entries and give a thumbs-up to your favorites, now through April 26. The top ten haiku, by community feedback, go on to the final judging round. Whether pensive, funny, awe-inspiring, or nostalgic, let's give these outdoor judges some great gear haiku to ponder.
4. Win
   Once community voting ends, our panel of seven stellar outdoor judges will vote on their favorites from the top ten to determine the top three haiku overall. Top three win $300, $150, or $50 to Backcountry.com, plus Trailspace swag.

Here's your chance to give your trusty skis, hiking boots, kayak, or climbing rope their poetic due, and some outdoor acclaim.

Enter your haiku.

Full contest rules here.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

These seven, talented, outdoorsy people know the backcountry, outdoor recreation, gear, and words. And all have volunteered to help select the best Backcountry Gear Haiku from the contest submissions.

At the end of April, after the community has voted to determine the top ten haiku, each outdoor judge will select his or her personal favorites from the top ten to help determine the overall haiku winners, and the recipients of $500 in gift certificates from Backcountry.com, plus Trailspace swag.

Meet the seven judges in Trailspace's Backcountry Gear Haiku contest. We're honored to have them on board.

Bob Abbey, BLM Bob Abbey is director of the Bureau of Land Management, which manages activities on public lands. As BLM director, since 2009, Abbey oversees the National Landscape Conservation System, which includes 27 million acres of National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails. Abbey is a native of Clarksdale, Miss., and a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. You can follow him on Twitter.
Michael Benge, Trail Runner Michael Benge of Carbondale, Colo., is the editor of Trail Runner magazine and former editor of Climbing magazine, and, according to his wife, is a "gearhead," a title that he proudly acknowledges. His basement storage room is overflowing with packs, sleeping bags, backpacking stoves, tents, and trekking poles. Currently, he is in the process of testing apparel and equipment for Trail Runner's 2012 Spring Gear Guide. A fastpacking aficionado, Michael geeks out on the latest in super-light trail gear, and keeps a digital scale handy on his desk.
Shannon Davis, Backpacker Shannon Davis is senior editor at Backpacker magazine, which boasts 0 percent poetry in every issue. In his college poetry classes, Shannon wrote exclusively about chewing tobacco and mountain bikes. He isn’t certain but thinks he might have gotten a B-. In other words, he is one of our most highly qualified judges. He lives in Boulder, Colo.
Mary Anne Potts, National Geographic Mary Anne Potts is online editor at National Geographic and previously was online editor at National Geographic Adventure magazine. She's also a graduate of DePauw University. You can find Mary Anne's outdoor adventure and gear posts at Beyond the Edge, the National Geographic Adventure Blog.
Stephen Regenold, Gear Junkie Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of GearJunkie.com. As a journalist and a former writer for the New York Times, Stephen created "The Gear Junkie" in 2002 as a nationally-syndicated newspaper column. Today, he lives in Minnesota and travels to test gear, climb, bike, and adventure race around the planet.
Rocky Thompson, The Goat Rocky Thompson is an elite editor at The Goat, Backcountry.com's premier blog. Motivated by spite and irony, he treasures simple pleasures: an open pow run or free drink in front of him. He suffers at every trade show to bring the latest news in the Outdoor Industry. Rocky is also the man behind Steep and Cheap’s rambling Daily Dose emails. Backcountry is sponsoring the contest, providing $300, $150, and $50 gift certificates to the top three winners.
Alicia MacLeay, Trailspace In addition to being co-founder and editor of Trailspace, our own Alicia MacLeay boasts that she was editor of her high school literary magazine, Reflections, for two years running and an honors creative writing student in college (which may or may not be remotely relevant here). When she's not running Trailspace, Alicia runs, hikes, and skis, keeping track of her miles, summits, and goals in various lists.

To earn the attention of these outdoors folks, enter the Backcountry Gear Haiku contest today.

Write and submit your best backcountry gear haiku in our contest forum now though Wednesday, April 25. You can enter more than once, though only your top rated haiku is eligible to be a top ten finalist.

Then tell your friends about your haiku and vote on your own favorites. The top ten haiku with the most positive votes go on to the judging finals.

Read the full Backcountry Gear Haiku contest details and rules.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Here's how Gamme introduces the clip:

This is day 86 on my full return South Pole Expedition 2011/2012. I'm quite hungry and about to pick up my last cache by my second pulk which I left on the way in. As a part of my motivational plan I have on purpose not made notes on what goodies I have left behind in the cache... and on this last one, I didn't expect very much...

Boy was he surprised.

Nothing else tastes like a double pack of Cheez Doodles after nearly three months solo in Antarctica.

via The Adventure Blog

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

If you've been on any of our social media sites today, you may have noticed a new look for Trailspace:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+
• YouTube

If you haven't already, go take a peek and let us know what you think.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Do your skis, trail runners, or trekking poles ever move you to poetry? Well, brush off your thesaurus. We're giving away $500 in gift certificates thanks to Backcountry.com in our Backcountry Gear Haiku Contest.

Write a great haiku about your hardshell in April (it's National Poetry Month) and you could be buying yourself a new sleeping bag at Backcountry.com in May.

It's simple to enter. Just write a haiku (that's a three-line poem with 5-7-5 syllables each) about outdoor gear. Submit it in a new thread in our contest forum. You could win a $300, $150, or $50 gift certificate to Backcountry, plus Trailspace swag.

All community members can vote on their favorites (via "Yes," next to "Was this helpful?"). The top 10 haiku will then be voted on by a field of outdoor judges to determine the final three winners at the end of the month.

Enter

Now though Wednesday, April 25, write and submit your best backcountry gear haiku in our contest forum. You can enter more than once, though only your top rated haiku is eligible to be a finalist.

Haven't written a haiku since grade school? It's easy. A haiku has three lines: the first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, the third line has 5 syllables (5-7-5). Your haiku must be about backcountry gear, but it can be as creative, funny, or serious as you like.

Vote

Now though Thursday, April 26, vote for your favorite haiku by giving a thumbs-up to any and all haiku you like in the Gear Haiku Contest forum. The 10 haiku with the most "Yes" votes will be the finalists.

A panel of outdoor judges — including Bob Abbey, director of the Bureau of Land Management; Trail Runner editor Michael Benge, Backpacker senior editor Shannon Davis, National Geographic online editor Mary Anne Potts, Rocky Thompson from Backcountry's The Goat, Gear Junkie's Stephen Regenold, and our own editor Alicia MacLeay — will vote for their favorites.

We'll announce the top three winners at the end of the month.

Win Prizes

The First Place outdoor poet wins a $300 gift certificate to Backcountry.com; Second Place wins a $150 gift certificate; Third Place wins a $50 gift certificate. Thanks, Backcountry!

Plus, all three poets win a Trailspace goodie pack with an Ibex Zepher Skull Cap with Trailspace logo, a Trailspace Trail Runner Cap, stickers, and an array of energy bars from Clif, ProBar, and Olympia Granola.

Enter the Trailspace Backcountry Gear Haiku Contest now.

Rules

• Any Trailspace member, with the exception of Trailspace employees and their immediate family members, may enter the Backcountry Gear Haiku Contest.
• Each person may enter as many haiku as they like, but only the top-rated haiku of any one individual is permitted to enter the finalist round.
• Each haiku must adhere to the contest’s Backcountry Gear Haiku theme.
• A haiku is a three-line poem, with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, and 5 syllables in the third (and last) line. Want to read more about haiku? See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku
• Haiku must be submitted by the original author (you). Do not submit a haiku written by anyone but yourself.
• You must be the sole owner of the haiku’s copyright. This is the case if you are the sole author. Haiku may not infringe any other person's or entity's rights, including, without limitation, contractual rights, rights of publicity and privacy, trademark, copyright, and patent rights.
• Haiku must adhere to Trailspace's Community Rules and Guidelines and Terms of Service.
• Haiku submitted must be appropriate for Trailspace's family-friendly audience. Haiku may not contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content. Trailspace retains sole discretion as to what constitutes inappropriate content.
• By entering the contest, authors agree to have their haiku featured on Trailspace.com and partner sites without any fee or other form of compensation. Trailspace may publish submitted haiku on its website or use them to publicize the contest.
• No purchase or payment is necessary to enter or win.
• In the case of a tie, the winning haiku will be selected by a runoff vote.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

In an attempt to meet a $20-million budget shortfall, the National Park Service will offer animal-human interactive experiences for the 2012 spring and summer tourist season, reports the Department of the Interior today, April 1.

States an April 1st NPS announcement:

Our national parks and educational rangers have always provided opportunities for hikers, campers, and other outdoor explorers to experience the wonders of the natural world firsthand. Now, we've taken it to the next level with full-on interactive animal-human experiences.

“We expect Yellowstone National Park to be a big draw with its program,” says one Yellowstone park ranger. “Yellowstone has bison and bears, both black and grizzly, which are pretty photogenic. So we're quite lucky there. Not like the Everglades, which has to figure out what to do with those ugly alligators. Gross.”

“In Yellowstone people already are creating their own interactive photo opps anyway,” said Ranger Smith. “Every season we have families approaching the animals, putting their kids on a bison for a photo opp, or picking up a cute little bear cub to play patty cake and hold a jar of honey. So we figured, why fight it? Now we charge them a hundred bucks a pop and have them sign a liability waiver.”

For $200 a person you can hold an adorably anthropomorphic bear cub with his own stolen pic-a-nic basket while standing on top of Old Faithful. For an extra $50, you and the bear can be chased by Ranger Smith.

Budget analysts estimate the $20-million NPS shortfall will be met by fall.

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© Copyright 2012 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.