MSR's Lightning Snowshoes: a favorite of those we've tested.
Anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors is bound to have their favorite products. These are products that you’d not only buy again, they’re products that have somehow forged an emotional connection—you can hardly imagine appropriate adventures without them. Maybe they’ve never failed to keep you warm in freezing weather or have steadfastly kept you dry in pounding rains. Maybe they’ve kept you from falling off a rock wall, or kept you from falling behind on a ski tour. For whatever reason, these are your all-stars… your MVPs. You might not even think of these widgets as gizmos anymore--they’re more like friends.
We want to know about these products. If they’ve pleased you so well, others sharing your passions are likely to like them too. Use a ‘Comment’ field (below), to write about a few products you’ve used hard and that you wouldn’t want to be without. Be specific: what’s the model name and manufacturer of the product, how long have you used it, why is it so good, where all have you used the product…
To help get things rolling, we’ve listed a few products we’ve been using at WenatcheeOutdoors that have earned our devotion. Some of these products we’ve raved about before, in which case we’ll give you a recap and a link to more information.
Topo! CD Map Sets (Washington State)
It’s hard to fully appreciate how great this product is until you’ve used it. Once you start using this CD map set, which gives you every 7.5-minute USGS topographic map in the state, you’ll never go back to doing maps the old way. On a computer you can seamlessly stitch together the edges of the different maps you need for a route and then print your custom map on one sheet of paper. You can also add all types of useful navigation information to the maps you print-- the software can label bearings along your route, add the coordinates of useful waypoint, tell you the distance of a plotted route, or give you the exact elevation of any point on the map. Naturally you can save the maps you’ve worked on and reprint them later or send them along to a friend interested in a route. And rarely does a product deliver such value: The map set for Washington, costs $99, but gives you 1,300 maps that would cost over $7,000 if purchased the old way. Exponentially more functionality at an exponentially lower cost – what’s not to like about that?
Two years of abuse (right) vs. 2 months of abuse for the ‘Smart’ sock (left).
Bridgedale’s Wool-Fusion Socks
If you think there isn’t much difference between outdoor socks, think again. We’ve been particularly impressed with the socks in Bridgedale’s WoolFusion series (there are many styles and thicknesses of socks in this line) because they are warm and environmentally friendly. The yarns in these WoolFusion socks are made by wrapping nylon around merino wool. The wool delivers one quiver of benefits: cushioning, warmth, moisture control, and odor control. The nylon makes the socks super durable. Durable enough that these puppies are guaranteed to deliver at least three years of hard use. This isn’t just hype. We’ve put several pairs through the woods, wash, and wringer. We’ve also worn them daily around the office as slippers. Two pairs of Smart Wool socks we tested in the same way sprouted holes within months, but the Bridgedale socks have remained plump in the heels and under the toes after two years of rugged use. The Smart Wool socks made us feel guilty for landfilling them so quickly while the WoolFusion socks (costing $15 to $20, depending on the model) helped us appreciate the economics and environmental benefits of durable products. Every time we slip them on (almost daily) we’re reminded that big differences stem from little choices.
Your turn. Tell us about products you’ve used hard and that have earned your admiration.