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1 week ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Nick Belcaster
I hit about mile 200 before I swallowed the bitter pill: I might not be cut out for this sleeping quilt thing. It was half a month into my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, and while the days crossing the sand-filled basins brutalized with heat, the nights along the high-rising desert ridges plunged to near freezing. I also found myself near freezing in my fancy new quilt — a backless sleeping bag that promised to do away with the frivolous extra material that sought to weigh me down.
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1 week ago | 
flipboard.com | Nick Belcaster
2 hours ago19 Pick-Up Lines that Only Work on HikersWhen it comes to dating, backpackers are a funny bunch. We tend to be pretty fit, low-maintenance, and endearingly full of useless nature facts. …4 hours agoREI Sale’s Section Is Full Of Spring Gear And Apparel At Up To 50% OffWhile REI’s Anniversary Sale has ended, the outdoor retailer is still running plenty of good deals on spring gear and apparel.
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3 weeks ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Joybeth Sullivan |Miya Tsudome |Nick Belcaster |Chris Kassar
We tested the best fanny packs from REI Co-op, Patagonia, Jansport, and more to help you find the best option for your needs and budget.
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1 month ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Steve Graepel |Nick Belcaster
We tested and reviewed the best men's flannel shirts of 2025. From wool to organic cotton, we found the perfect pick for any budget.
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1 month ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Nick LeFort |Nick Lefort |Nick Belcaster
A solid set of binoculars will drastically enhance any outdoor experience. Sure, they’re an essential piece of equipment for birders, and hunters use them daily to find game. But packing a set of binoculars on a hike, backcountry ski trip, or kayaking adventure will allow you to slow down and appreciate the wilderness around you in ways you never have before. We get it. It can be hard to slow down when you’re trying to bag your next 14er or reach the next camp on a multi-night backpacking excursion.
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1 month ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Nick Belcaster
“Whoops” is not typically the word you want to hear from your partner as he’s running a rapid. Moreso when he’s trying out the loaned packraft you’ve brought — and then plants it headlong into a wicked little boulder garden, smearing across granite the whole way. We quickly eddied out to inspect the damage. “Hear any leaks?” We splash water across the bottom, scanning for bubbles, but the new NRS Neutron Packraft has shouldered the hazing like nothing has happened.
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1 month ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Nick Belcaster
I may have been slightly dismissive of the wind before coming down here. Patagonia is known for its unsettled weather, and people who talk about Patagonia talk about the wind — frequently. Which can lead some (like myself) down the path of, well, how bad can it be? I found out just how bad. At roughly 10:30 p.m. on the first night of our 4-day Huemul trek, a tempest bleeding off the Patagonian Icefield turned its might directly down the valley.
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1 month ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Nick Belcaster
I typically know winter is here by the first fishtail my pickup truck does getting onto the highway. It’s generally early November — and raining — and for a few adrenal-squeezing moments, I recon just how long it’s been since I put on new tires. To say the new Nitto Terra Grappler G3 came at the perfect time would be an understatement.
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2 months ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Nick Belcaster
“So, is it really kayaking, then?” A small crowd had gathered around the dock to inspect the Old Town Ocean Kayak Malibu ePDL+, the first recreational kayak to incorporate an electric pedal drive. I’m not sure they were immediately sold. The neo-Luddite in me was steadfast: of course not. But, softening, I reconsidered. Yes, of course. Maybe? The Malibu is undoubtedly kayak-shaped and can be paddled with a paddle.
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2 months ago | 
gearjunkie.com | Nick LeFort |Nick Lefort |Nick Belcaster
We tested the best binoculars from NOCS Provisions, Celestron, Nikon, Maven, and more to help you find the best option for your needs and budget. There are limitless ways to enjoy the outdoor world and just as many tools to do it, but perhaps no piece of equipment is as rewarding and versatile as the best binoculars for your needs. We tapped one of our expert writers, Nick LeFort, who’s spent a lot of time looking at the world through a set of clear lenses to test an abundance of binoculars.
