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If you are looking for a great name brand pack, then the Kelty Illusion backpack is a great option. The features are plentiful and the space is great. Here is a quick run down of the features/details of the pack:
Twin LightBeam™ aluminum stays are strong, lightweight, and shaped for comfort; HDPE (high-density polyurethane) frame sheet
Spacermesh™ breathable two-layer padded waistbelt, backpanel, and padded shoulder straps
Sternum strap for extra stabilization; load-lifter straps; belt stabilizers; daisy chain for external storage; ice axe loops
Hydration compatible; shovel pocket; four mesh side pockets (two with draw-cord closure); security pocket
Scherer™ cinch works similar to a pulley system for easy adjustment and tightening of waistbelt
Spindrift collar for expandable loading; side compression straps; lash tabs
I have had the chance to use this pack about 6 times since I purchased it about 8 months ago. It started out as an item that I scooped up for an incredibly reasonable price (about 50% of retail) and was going to resell it, however, I was looking for a new pack and thought that this would be a good new pack.
I have taken it out on a couple short backpacking trips (3 days) and have had great success with it. All of the pockets and the different access points to them allow for you to get into the pack easily and without much fuss. If you are one to pack a lot of gear, sometimes I like to take extra gear to test it out, then there is plenty of room in the pack for it.
The pack also features a great system of adjustable straps to help you adjust and fit it to your body, including adjusting the height of the back pads and the shoulder straps, as well as load adjusters to bring the pack closer to your back and take some of the weight off of your shoulders.
Overall, I have had great experiences with the pack so far and will continue to use this internal frame backpack until a problem arises. Having this pack in my closet, brings my pack count up to 4 different packs for different uses.
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!
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.
Today I did some testing with the MSR WindPro Backpacking Canister Fuel Stove. I have had the stove for a couple months but this was actually the first time I used it. I just wanted to give it a quick test to see how easy it was to set up, how quick it was with boiling water, and the overall use of it.
If you are looking for a great canister fuel stove that is compact and easy to use, the WindPro is a great option. MSR also makes the Pocket Rocket which is a nice stove if you are looking to cut down on weight, but the WindPro really provides a lot more stability then the Pocket Rocket does.
Weighing in at only 6.8 ounces this little bugger will boil a litter of water in 4.25 minutes and 2 cups of water in about 2 - 3 minutes. Not too shabby, eh?
Some of the other great features I noticed:
The burner is extremely stable
This stove is safer then others because the fuel canister is separated from the stove and the flame adjuster is on the canister as opposed to underneath the pot.
The coils and burner cool off very quickly so by the time you are finished eating, it is ready to pack up.
Package includes 1 large windshield and a ground reflector/cover.
Instruction manual comes in LOTS of different languages.
Whole package is very lightweight!
Here are the specifications from Backcountry.com for this product:
Difficulty: Medium/Intermediate
Length: ~2 miles
Features: Outstanding views of Salt Pond Mt. and the New River Valley
Description
This medium difficulty hike is a great hike if you only have a few hours. It is a steady uphill in the beginning, but then flattens to a ridge approach of the Knob. The Knob provides a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains along with Blacksburg VA, and Virginia Tech’s campus. It is the closest AT access point from Blacksburg, and is well worth the effort. There is also places to camp as well along the way up.
The beginning section of the trail is the hardest and steepest. After you reach the top of the steady incline, things start to level out and then you will follow the ridge until you reach a side trail on the right for Kelly’s Knob. The trail leads less than 120 yards off to the knob. Pay attention as you are hiking because it is easy to miss the sign! Total hiking time is about 2-3 hours depending on your speed and the amount of time you spend at the Knob.
Directions to the Hike
From Blacksburg, head west on 460. Turn right onto Route 42 at the gas station and mini mart. Drive for about 1.5 miles and take a left on 601 or Clover Hill Rd. Drive for about 6 miles and a Road will T into 601, go straight on 601 and it will turn to gravel - it will look like you are on someones driveway, just keep going past the houses and it will start to climb the mountain and as soon as you see the “Welcome to Giles County” sign, park. There should be a small spot for maybe 2 or 3 cars on the left side of the road, the AT intersects at the Giles County sign.
Hiking up to Kelly’s Knob will allow you the opportunity to get some great pictures of the valleys below and the surrounding mountains. Here are a few from my most recent trip up there.
Besides being just a day hike, Kelly’s Knob is a great spot to camp out at if you have the time. You can either camp at the Knob (there is a campsite and fire pit) or you could continue hiking along the Appalachian Trail to find another spot. If you take the side trail from the Knob back to the AT, you can continue to the right and will be heading towards Sinking Creek Mountain. Continue hiking in this direction and you will find some other areas to camp. After your night in the woods continue hiking along the AT and you will reach Route 42 again in the town of Huffman. The AT crosses Route 42 and can be reached via 460 West like the directions above; just follow Rt. 42 instead of turning onto VA 601, continue 6-7 miles and when you pass the Level Green Church, you will be about a 1/2 mile away from the trail crossing. Keep your eyes open for the signs. To the left the trail takes you towards Kelly’s Knob and to the right takes you up Sinking Creek Mountain.
For clearer directions and visualization, get the AT map for the area and you will be able to easily follow the driving directions!
Looking to pick up some great gear at a ridiculous price? Then you need to start checking out SteepAndCheap.com daily. SteepAndCheap (SAC) is a site that is run by the great folks at Backcountry.com and provides great deals on gear all day everyday.
Basically, SAC offers an item at more than 40% off the retail price until they sell out of the quantity that is listed. Then, another item is displayed and that one stays up until it sells out. SAC is an ever evolving site and one that you really do need to be constantly watching to find the best deals. Sometimes there are items where there are only 5 or so of an item and then there are some times that there will be 100+ of an item; so the time it takes for something to sell can vary but it happens quickly.
You can get an add-on for Internet Explorer or FireFox that pops a box up everytime the gear changes, this popup box shows the item, a picture of it, the price, and the discount.
