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!
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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!
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!
I just finished watching the final episode of The Alaska Experiment on the Discovery Channel and was thinking about the different gear that you have with you when backpacking that can help make you warm. The main challenge that one of the groups faced while hiking out to the rendezvous point with a pilot was that they could not keep warm in the -20 degree temperatures. Although they were hiking as much as they could, they still needed to stop a few times to try to warm up their bodies, especially their fingers, so not to get frostbite.
The main technique that they used was building a fire to use for warm, however, here are some other different options based on the gear that you may have with you on a normal backpacking trip to help you get warm and stay comfortable! (more…)
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:
Not sure what to take when you go on your canoeing trip? Perhaps this will answer your questions.
Boat Items
Maps and map case with tiedowns
Compass
GPS (optional)
Bow and stern ropes
Carabiners to attach bow/stern ropes
Bailer(s) with attachment clips
Throwbag(s)
Paddles and spare or alternative paddles
Ties for spare paddles
Tiedown rope or straps for gear
Knee pads, installed or separate
Seat pads (optional)
Spraycover (optional)
Flotation bags (optional)
I am sure many of you watch the show Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls. But, I am not sure how many of you are visitors to College Humor. As a college student, I still check out the site everyone in a while or my friends send me links to funny videos at the site. My roommate sent me this link yesterday to the video produced by College Humor that is “Man vs. Girls Gone WIld“. Obviously, it takes the survivalist mode of Bear and his skills and mixes it with the craziness of Girls Gone Wild and college parties.
Many times people want to take a backpacking trip with friends or are just getting into the activity and are not sure how to pack their backpack so that they are comfortable and can enjoy the trip. So, here are a bunch of links to outside resources which provide all the information you would ever need to know to pack your backpack properly.
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.
