Welcome to The Gear House! We are striving to be your only needed destination and guide for information about ultralight backpacking and camping equipment. We also will be offering different camping and backpacking equipment that we think is useful for sale.
If you like to go camping, backpacking, and being in the outdoors, then we have the opportunity for you! Like to use different gear and write about it? Then this is for you! If you like gear as much as we do, like to use it, and write about it, please contact us, we would love to have you apart of our team!
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Here is a cool little gadget for you backpackers and campers out there that like to do some cooking and want to enjoy toasted food items - the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Toaster. The toaster has a unique design that folds flat for easy packing and it is made of fine steel mesh which evenly distributes heat for easy toasting.
Weight: 5.8 ounces
Dimensions: 6.5″ x 5.5″ x 0.63″
If you want to be able to toast some bread, toast your bagel, or make a grilled cheese while out on the trail, then you should definitely check out the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Toaster. You can also pick it up on eBay from our store!
This past Sunday I got a chance to head down to Great Falls, MD to do some hiking around, take some pictures, and capture some video. This was my first time entering the Maryland area of the park - there is also a Virginia side to Great Falls as the Potomac River runs right through the middle of the area and is the border line for MD and VA.
Anyway, it was an extremely hot day out and I underestimated what I was getting into. Since I had not been hiking in the Maryland side of the park before, I just assumed that it was pretty similar to the Virginia side - fairly easy hiking trails and old canal tow paths. Although this assumption was true, there are also some different more strenuous sections of trail, such as the Billy Goat Trail which I hiked on Sunday. Speaking of which, I actually decided to get off the trail early because I literally ran out of water (in about an hour I drank a full 70 oz Camelbak). Luckily, I came across an “emergency exit” from the Billy Goat Trail that ran right to the main tow path trail. Although it was marked as for emergency exits only, there were a fair amount of people using it as a connector (it was about the half way point of the Billy Goat trail).
The trail is extremely nice, but also features a lot of boulder fields and rock scrambels that you will need to ascend. The trail takes you right along the edge of the Potomac in most places and you can enjoy the amazing views of the river as well as the rock formations and rock face on the Virginia side. Another neat thing about this park is that since Great Falls is on both sides of the river, while hiking, if you look out across the river, you will most likley see other people hiking as well. On top of the hiking the other side, Great Falls, VA offers some great climbing routes for beginners to experts. Another big attraction to the park is the kayaking in the area - kayakers were everywhere I looked along the river having an awesome time in the water and hitting some big holes and waterfalls. There was even some sort of kayaking competition going on, which I tried to show you a bit within the video.
Above is a video I put together as well as some pictures from the day. Hope you enjoy! It was a great place for a day hike and I strongly recommend you checking it out!
Just a quick note for this morning. This website, TheGearHouse, is run off of the blogging platform Wordpress. The theme that I was using was recently re-released as an updated version that offered much more usability and customization. Over the weekend I upgraded and I am working on fixing any issues and getting everything looking properly. If you happen to catch any problems, let me know!
Also, Wordpress released a new version of their blogging software this morning, version 2.6, so I will be upgrading this website as well as my others throughout the next week. This should not make any changes to what you all see, but it will affect the backend of the site and the tools I use to manage it!
You will notice that we also a lot more advertising slots on the right sidebars; if you would be interested in advertising your website or business there, please leave a comment and I will contact you!
If you are involved in any outdoor sport, whether it be soccer, rock climbing, baseball, or horseballs, you should be considering wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes. When it comes to sunglasses, there are so many different options to choose from so it really comes down to how much you are able/willing to pay and what style you are looking for. While out hiking I have seen people wearing fashion designer sunglasses, sports sunglasses, and all kinds of others.
I think it is a pretty safe assumption to say that your eyes are one of your most valuable assets that you have with your body and you need to protect them. I mean, hell, if your eyes arn’t working properly, then you most likely are not kayaking a major river, climbing Denali, or even just throwing the ball in the backyard. Yet if you protect your eyes while playing sports with good quality sports sunglasses, then you should not have any issues.
Sunglasses these days come in so many styles and colors that you should be able to find something. Whether it is polarized sunglasses for fishing, tight fitting pair for water activities, or tinted goggles for snowboarding. Heck, if you wanted you could even get multiple pairs in different colors and styles so that no matter what the occasion is, you have the right pair and are prepared. The key to keeping your eyes working for you is to be prepared, take preventative measures, and enjoy yourself.
A great website for sports sunglasses as well as many other styles would be the Sunglasses Warehouse and you can find plenty more by doing a search for them and even on eBay. Of course, you could always head to your local Wal-Mart or Oakley store if you wanted to either be cheap or really expensive.
As a part of my effort to expand the number of products and variety of products that TheGearHouse sells, I have partnered with GSI Outdoors to sell some of the most popular and innovative camping and backpacking equipment around. One of the items that I just got in stock recently is the GSI Outdoors Ultralight Dualist cookset.
For a closer look, here is a review of the cook system that was posted on YouTube.
Crushproof lid made of Lexan® resin prevents deformation of your pot/lid and includes an integrated strainer.
Convenient folding handle locks into place for cooking and secures entire set for transport, eliminating the need for a stuff sack.
Unique bowl + mug solution with low center of gravity and Sip-It virtually eliminates spills while the integrated insulating sleeve keeps your drinks hot.
Ingenious, welded stuff sack holds set while traveling and doubles as a sink or wash basin in camp.
Weight: 1.169 pounds
Includes: 1.8 L Pot, Strainer Lid, 2 20 fl. oz. insulated cups, 2 20 fl. oz. bowls, 2 Sip-It tops, Stove Bag
To purchase the GSI Outdoors Ultralight Dualist Cook System, purchase it from our store and save off the retail price!
Outdoor Research gave their Men’s Specter Pullover Fleece a nylon face fabric to stand up to the abuse of hard days in the mountains. You won’t have to worry about a two-mile North Cascades bushwack because of the durable, tightly-knit face fabric. The Specter Pullover’s micro-polyester interior is incredibly soft and wicks away moisture, so you don’t feel clammy. Use this Outdoor Research fleece pullover as a layering piece or wear it alone—it’s happy as long as it’s in the outdoors.
Material: Motion fleece (nylon face with micro-polyester backing) Weight: 14.9oz Fleece Weight: Midweight Windproof: No Pockets: 1 Chest Recommended Use: Hiking, climbing, backpacking, skiing
Sizing Information for XXL outerwear:
Chest - 49 inchs; Waist - 41 inch; Hip - 48 inchs; Inseam - 35 inch
Sorry for the slow posting the last couple weeks - I have been busy working on some other projects and taking some time off.
Last weekend (not July 4th weekend), I spent with my fiance and that Saturday we were at Lake Anna, VA all day riding jet skis and having a good time. Then this past weekend she came up here for the weekend and we enjoyed the long July 4th weekend together. I managed to get some work done on my other blog and on my ebay business; but didn’t make it to TheGearHouse. I’ll be doing some updating on Friday so look out!
When dealing with a backpacking stove or camping stove, there are a lot of different things that could go wrong or be a problem. It is important to keep in mind a lot of differnet things when using the stoves to make sure that you are operating them safely. Here are a list of Do’s and Don’ts to help you keep your stove running season after season without any problems.
Do’s
Do carry fuel only in recommended/approved containers - Volatiles are best transported in aluminum liter bottles or in their original steel can.
Do frequently check the temperature of your stove’s fuel tank by feeiling it with your hand. If the tank is too hot to hold, reduce the stove’s heat and or pour cold water on the tank.
Do carr extra stove parts and tools - An extra pressure cap and leather pump washer are usually enough. Bring a small screwdriver and pliers.
Do empty the fuel in your stove at the end of each season - Impurities in fuel left in stoves can cause malfunctions. This is the most common cause of long term stove failure.
Don’ts
Don’t loosen or remove the filler cap of a gasoline stove when the stove is burning. This could result in an explosion
Don’t refuel a hot stove. There may be sufficient heat still available to ignite he gas fumes.
Don’t set oversize pots on stoves that have integral fuel tanks. Large pots reflect excessive heat back to the fuel tank, which may cause overheating of the stove. Run stoves at three-fourths of maximum heat output if you use oversize pots.
Don’t use automotive gasoline in a stove designed to burn white gas.
Don’t state a stove inside a tent or confined area; the resulting flare up could be dangerous.
Don’t operate any stove without suffieient ventilation. A closed tent is not sufficently ventilated.
Don’t set stoves on sleeping bags or tent floors. There’s enough heat generated at the base of the stove to melt or warp these items.
Don’t run stoves that have integral fuel tanks at full power for extended periods of time. The tank may overheat and cause the safety valve to blow. Stoves with seperate fuel tanks that are connected with an armored fuel line can be run on fuel power indefinitely.
Don’t enclose a stove with aluminum foil to increase the heat output. The stove may overheat and explode.
Don’t fill gasoline or kerosene stoves more than three-fourths full. Fuel won’t vaporize if there’s insufficient room for it to expand.
When you are deciding what kind of stove you want to purchase for your backpacking or camping trips, there are a ton of different features and different types to consider. Today, I’m writing about a few of the different features that you should look at when you are deciding on a stove for backpacking or camping. they can be expensive purchases, so you want to make sure you get the right thing!
Stability - There is nothing more frustrating than simmering a big pot of spaghetti on a precarious little ebast that wobbles with every stir of the spoon. Remember that just because it looks great in the store, the stove could tip over in the field.
Ease of starting - Butane and propane stoves start instantly. Gasoline and kerosene models reqire priming. Some models flare violentl until warmed so be careful! Fast, easy ignition is a plus for any stove.
Susceptibiltiy to wind - The firs time you have to build a rock wall around your stove to keep it perking you’ll undersand the value of a good windscreen. Avoid stoves with thin aluminum windscreens that burn up, or detachable ones that can be lost.
Adjustable Flame - If ou intend to fry pancakes or simmer stew, you will want an infinitely adjustable flame - a feature most compact trail stoves don’t have. The Coleman twin burner camp stoves probably offer the best adjustability, however, many backpacking stoves can offer you a great range of flame heights.
Plastic parts - Plastic is bad for stove parts. Plastic hardens with heat and age and will eventually break. If there is a stove flare up, plastic will melt and burn. Also, stay away from any stoev that does not have a flameproof armored fuel line.
In our next post, we will point out some of the do’s and don’ts for operating your stove and keeping it running as it should!
I was just thinking about what I could do with all of my supposedly toxic Nalgenes. I have about 7 total and 3 of them are the “bad” ones. So, what are you doing with yours? Did you just throw them out? Recycle them somehow? Use them for something else?
I would imagine that I will keep them and continue to use them as I do not use them on a constant daily basis but mostly just when I am on a trip. Even then, I take my newer ones with me (which are good ones) and leave the older ones home. I do this mainly because my older ones were used on trips such as going to Philmont Scout Ranch and had all kinds of nasty water in them which we had to purify, so they are pretty skanky.
I did just sit one aside and threw all of my loose change in it. I usually just leave it on my dresser or throw it in some sort of other container, so I figured that it may be a good use for one of my Nalgenes. Another option, for cavers, would be to use one as a bathroom bottle for when in caves. The wide mouth should be good enough for anyone to pee or poop in. With things such as the Sani-Fem funnel, it should be easy for everyone! Just make sure not to empty it after a trip and then use it as a water bottle again….bad move.
But, the question becomes - what are you doing with your “bad” water bottles?
Here is a cool little gadget for you backpackers and campers out there that like to do some cooking and want to enjoy toasted food items - the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Toaster. The toaster has a unique design that folds flat for easy packing and it is made of fine steel mesh which evenly distributes heat for easy toasting.
As a part of my effort to expand the number of products and variety of products that TheGearHouse sells, I have partnered with GSI Outdoors to sell some of the most popular and innovative camping and backpacking equipment around. One of the items that I just got in stock recently is the GSI Outdoors Ultralight Dualist cookset.
