Source 'Ultimate Hydration System'

By: Stephen Regenold

Grab a hose, bite, sip, and then drink — hydration reservoirs are the modern day canteen, a water-toting vessel so useful and mandatory that I would never think of heading outdoors without one in my pack.

So it was with interest that I tested a product this month, the self-proclaimed “Ultimate Hydration System” from Source. The Israel-based brand ships worldwide and sells the kit for $54 at SourceOutdoor.com.

The complete “Ultimate Hydration System” kit

Over a month I have hiked, biked, and ran with the system. It offers no huge diversion from existing reservoir designs, but the Source package has won me on a couple fronts.

First, the reservoir itself is made of a thin and semi-rigid polyethylene film. Water tastes clean from the reservoir, which is anti-microbial and so smooth that the company advertises it as “glass-like” in function and to the touch.

Reservoir made of polyethylene film

For filling it up with water, the Source reservoir opens wide on top to let you pour in H20. It seals closed with a simple plastic clamp that slides into place. (It didn’t leak a drop in my test.)

The hose has a woven nylon covering. This was made ostensibly to protect from errant sharp edges. UV light is blocked out, too, keeping liquid in the hose cooler if you’re hiking in the sun.

Hose has light nylon cover

Snap-on connectors allow you to detach the hose for fill-ups. The mouthpiece, a silicone bite-valve, twists to open and close. It comes off for cleaning.

The company includes a neat add-on called the Universal Tube Adapter (UTA) that clicks in place where the mouthpiece goes.

Wide top to fill

The UTA can hook to a water bottle or a sink faucet. This lets you add water to the reservoir from the drinking end, eliminating the need to take the whole unit out of your pack.

Finally, the Ultimate Hydration System ships with a magnet clip. Attach it to a backpack strap and your bite-valve can click onto it instead of flopping around as you hike. (Just watch compass needles around strong magnets when trying to navigate on a trail!)

Universal Tube Adapter

In the end, the Ultimate Hydration System is a solid kit for the experienced outdoors-person with miles under their boots and beginner hikers alike.

It’s more expensive than some of the competition. But in my use the product worked well and held up to abuse, all while keeping me hydrated in the woods. —Stephen Regenold

source: http://gearjunkie.com/

'Crossbow' Is One Tent For All Seasons

By: Steve Greapel

The to-be-released CrossBow 2 (available spring 2015) uses the WebTruss system into a tent design that can be used for everything from steamy summer nights to snowy winter mountains. We haven’t tested the design yet, but it’s intriguing insomuch as this singular design is extremely versatile.

Two important caveats: it is expensive and on the heavier side of summer hiking tents.

The WebTruss is bomber and drove the company’s direction towards alpine and big expedition style tents. But this year at the Outdoor Retailer industry trade show, SlingFin showed us this lighter take on the design.

One of three tent bodies can be slung inside the truss: a bathtub bottom (no walls), a mesh body, or a ripstop body. A full coverage fly comes with each configuration. Additional tent bodies are sold separately.

To use the four-Season mountaineering tent for summer camping, you can pitch the tent in StormPak configuration with only the fly, leaving the body at home, or purchase a separate mesh tent body.

All configurations are two person, have two doors (each with their own vestibule), and use propped trekking poles for stability.

The CrossBow 2 will be available in three base options:

— StormPak (flyweight). $395. WebTruss, tub footprint, fly. 3 lbs., 2oz

— 3-Season (backpacking). $460. WebTruss, mesh tent body, fly. 3 lbs. 14oz

— 4-Season (mountaineering). $580. WebTruss, ripstop tent body, fly. 4 lbs. 6oz

We wish the 4-season setup also included the mesh body for insect protection, especially at nearly $600. But for a bomber winter mountaineering tent that can also be used for summer backpacking (although it is a slightly heavy setup even in StormPak configuration), the design is noteworthy.

While it is definitely an upscale model at a high price point, the ability to use the single tent for a wide range of applications makes it appealing for those whose adventures cover all the seasons. We look forward to putting it to the test.

source: http://gearjunkie.com/

Everyday Survival: My Survival Kit

By Laurence Gonzales

My survival kit philosophy is this: Confident, not comfortable. Take care of your basic needs. Attract attention. Forget the Four Seasons. And don’t wait until you need your survival gear to use it. Go in the backyard and test it.

1. Shelter

I routinely carry 25 feet of parachute cord, a plastic drop cloth, and six titanium tent stakes (you can carve your own wooden tent stakes if you like). Stretch the cord between two trees, drape the plastic over it, and stake it down. Instant tent. Use slipknots that are easily untied when wet.

2. Fire

Fire may not be absolutely necessary, but for more than a million years of human history, it sure has been useful. Fuel + air + heat is the formula for fire. Any petroleum product will do for a starting fuel. Knead Vaseline into cotton balls and pull the fibers apart to let air in. Burns like a blowtorch. My theory of fire lighting is to start with flint and steel and work up to matches and lighters. I carry a BIC lighter, and I waterproof wooden strike-anywhere kitchen matches by dipping them in paraffin.

3. Water

I carry a plastic trowel for digging in places where water will collect beneath the surface, such as dry streambeds that show green plant life. Plastic sheeting can be used to line a hole to collect rainwater. An ordinary plastic grocery bag tied around a leafy branch will gather the moisture given off by the plant. Birds and animals can also be used to find water. Animals such as deer will make trails that converge near water. Birds whose diet consists of grains will skim along in a straight line at a low altitude when heading for water.

4. Food

In theory, food is not necessary. In practice, it’s awfully nice to have. Honey can be crystallized, gives instant energy, and will not spoil. I also carry tea bags (with caffeine), dried cocoa mix, and a powdered electrolyte replacement. But remember: Insects are probably the most reliable form of sustenance in a survival situation.

5. Must-Haves

- Bandages

- Blaze orange surveyor’s tape (marking trail, attracting attention)

- Compass

- Fishing hooks and line

- Folding knife

- LED headlamp

- Neosporin

- Painkillers

- Police whistle

- Scalpel blades (X-Acto knife blades will do)

- Sewing needles and thread

- Small notebook and pencil (keep a diary)

- Space blanket

- Water-purification tablets

source: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/

Portable Treehouse, New Suspended 'Tentsile'

By: Sean McCoy

You likely have seen the original Tentsile Stingray, a suspended tent that, while expensive, is a lust object for many lovers of the outdoors.

The company has given its original design a makeover. The second product by Tentsile, theConnect, is now on the market with its own set of lust-worthy traits.

The Connect is a 2-person suspended tent that can be used with a full rain cover, mesh alone or without covering as a uniquely shaped hammock. It can be attached to other Connects, creating an Ewok-worthy sky community of mini tents.

An additional rain cover can be used to waterproof the space between tents for a huge group camping cover.

The Connect is lighter than the Stingray, with a single two-person tent weighing in at a still-heavy 16.1 pounds. It is also $150 less expensive than the Stingray at $600.

It includes a ratchet and straps, poles, mesh body, fly and floor. The Connect can hold up to 880 pounds.

The company claims that the Connect’s shape makes it easier to find the appropriate arrangement of trees than the original Stingray.

So if you’re looking for a tree house to take on vacation and a fun car camping option, check out the Tentsile Connect. It’s a pricey, but very cool suspended tent that’ll have you sleeping a little closer to the clouds.

source: http://gearjunkie.com/