The USPS creed, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom…” may have been close, but they apparently weren’t referring to the Tilley LTM6, otherwise known as the Airflo Hat, when their proposition was adopted. It would have more closely resembled, “Bring on the blinding snow, drenching rain, and scorching heat…”

The USPS creed, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom…” may have been close, but they apparently weren’t referring to the Tilley LTM6, otherwise known as the Airflo Hat, when their proposition was adopted. It would have more closely resembled, “Bring on the blinding snow, drenching rain, and scorching heat…”

I’ve respectively boasted upon many hats in my day; the Tilley LTM6 Airflo Hat (Airflo) has outperformed each and every one!


Cochise Stronghold Hiking

Oak Creek Canyon, Bassett Peak Hiking


Aravaipa Canyon Backpacking


Aravaipa Canyon Backpacking

Handcrafted in Canada, with “persnicketiness”, adds Tilley, of nylon, polyester mesh and polyethylene foam, this hat is designed to perform with outstanding results, or it will be replaced, free of charge! That’s right, if you wear it out you’ll be wearing a new one, on Tilley! Don’t believe me…


The Finest in All the World! Insured Against Loss, Guaranteed for Life


Fine Workmanship and Materials


The Airflo is Easily Reshaped


Crown Pocket Demonstration, and Wind Cord Tucked into Crown


Wind Cord Reshaping Brim for Cool Weather Wearing

Consider Tilley’s warranty and guarantee for a moment. Has any other company ever made such a promise? I’m not aware of one. This is truly an investment that you will enjoy for your entire life! They want you to wear their product until you wear it out, and talk about it, such as my cheerful, unpretentious boast. And, that’s exactly why I’m boasting, because I love this hat and, when or if I wear it out, they’ll replace it, free of charge. That is incredible customer service! Without question, Tilley has virtuously won my loyalty, and it’s because they stand behind a product that performs as stated. How great is that? I’ve put this hat through it’s paces and still, I have a hat that performs today, as it did the day I received it. OK, enough celebration, but before I cease, remember the USPS creed? Tilley’s may just be, “it floats, ties on, repels rain, blocks UV rays, won’t shrink, and comes with a four-page owner’s manual”. If only it could calm a vigilant canine…

How Functional is the Airflo…

By far, this is the coolest wearing hat I’ve worn in the desert, and it has respectfully and successfully facilitated many more adventures I otherwise may not have made. Prior to this hat, I was often too hot to venture into the wilderness as temperatures approach 105ºF, regardless of sun protection. Now, I’m cooler, comfortable and able to withstand heat beyond my previous limits. My head and face are fully protected, with unrestricted vision, and the hat easily conforms, with the assistance of wind cord, to allow more air and sunlight circulate about my head, if desired.

The Airflo does not overwhelm, nor stick to my head, wearing quite comfortably without undue restriction. I’m able to wear sunglasses without discomfort, an issue I’ve had with many hats, and the chin straps keep the hat taught, on my head, in high winds. When I desire a temporary reprieve from the hat, I’ll either slide it off my head, allowing the wind cord to hang on around my neck, or I’ll take it off completely, roll it up and stuff it in a pocket. When the Airflow is once again desired, simply unroll, give it a quick stretch/reshape and it’s back on your head, like it never left.

This hat offers the benefit of warmth when it’s cool and refreshing cover when it’s hot. I find it perfectly suitable for all weather conditions, including dry heat and high humidity.

The spacious, velcro-enclosed storage pocket inside the crown is plenty large enough for my modest wallet, including contents, and a spare key.

The Airflo Takes its Fair Share of Abuse…

I’ve rolled it, folded it, crinkled it, stuffed it, tossed it, thrown it in the lake to see if it indeed floats (it did), sat on it, travelled with it, slept with it on, chased it, dropped it, loaned it, and washed it, all numerous times, which, by the way, numerous washings, in particular, are highly recommended to prevent considerable damage due to perspiration build-up. The Airflo takes it’s fair share of abuse and begs for more.


A beautiful Day in Bisbee, Arizona


Janice & David, Wilderness of Rocks


Pack-off Break in Aravaipa Canyon

It’s All About Us…

The balance between material, workmanship, care, warranty and a pleasant North American company, makes the Airflo a very desirable hat. Once they’ve finished with it, they seem to extend their deepest wishes and offer the public their finest product, to make our journey more enjoyable!

Visit Tilley here… http://www.tilley.com/LTM6-AIRFLO-Nylamtium-Hat.aspx

Airflo Features Include…

• Constructed from 100% supplex nylon and 100% polyester mesh.
• The fabric is certified to block 98% of harmful UVA/UVB radiation and deliver an ultraviolet factor (UPF) of 50+, the maximum rating given.
• Although it blocks 98% of UV rays, some rays COULD enter through ¾” mesh.
• ¾” polyester mesh permits quite a bit of air to circulate in and out of the hat.
• Hand-sewn using very strong thread; all seams are lock-stitched so they won’t unravel.
• The brass is from Britain and is the best there is.
• Dark under-brim to reduce glare from water, sand and pavement.
• Brim repels and channels water away for improved foul-weather protection.
• A layer of closed-cell foam in the crown, and in the brim, providing positive buoyancy.
• Tuck-away, adjustable, fore and aft Wind Cord, for wind protection when needed.
• After washing, smooth and reshape by hand and set it out to air dry. When the Hat is dry, simply re-stretch it.
• Will not stretch or shrink.
• Four-page owners manual.
• A Hydrofil anti-sweat band, which is wicking, soft and comfortable.
• Hidden velcro-closure pocket in the crown for concealing valuables.
• Available in thirteen sizes.
• And, according to Tilley, “those who wear the Airflo usually have innate good taste, creative minds and uncommon intelligence”.

I Prefer to Wear My Airflo…

All the time! In fact, there are very few instances, save the necessity for evaporative cooling, I may not need to wear it?

I wear this hat when I leave my home, just about every time, and I particularly prefer to hike and backpack with the Airflo. In fact, hiking and backpacking without it would be a serious misfortune. Head cover is essential in the wilderness, preventing hyperthermia and exhaustion, and the Airflo will always be THE hat I reach for to accompany me! The Airflo wears well, feels wonderful, functions by circulation air superbly, and considering the abuse this hat has endured, it continues to look fantastic. Shopping, fishing, boating, trail running, fitness walking, riding horses, etc., and for attending any local outdoor or out-of-town event, I love this hat, wear it often, and I’ve received many revering compliments.

Specifics…

I received the Airflo as a gift, following many months of whining and pining. You could, too!

The Airflo has been worn in all climates and conditions associated with Arizona, from desert, to grassland, spruce/fir forests, both rural and urban events, and throughout all five southern, Arizona seasons (some, including I, consider monsoon a season of itself in southern, Arizona).

Summary…

There’s a good possibility that the Airflo may fly off my head, when wind cord have not been engaged, and down into a canyon, lost forever. In such an event, I’m no longer warranted for loss and will, in fact, rush right out to purchase another Tilley! I have no reason to believe that another hat may serve me better, as much as I have shopped. The Tilley Airflo is, in my humble opinion, the best hat on the planet. I’ve worn the Airflo in desert extremes including heat well above 100ºF, freezing temperatures, and for protection against drenching summer monsoon. I’m more than happy to endorse a product that performs phenomenally! The Tilley Airflo is that hat, a hat for life!

Reach Your Summit!

All photos, copyright, WildDrake!

I have no, nor have I ever had any affiliation with Tilley, now or in the past.

The Injinji Performance Sport PED-Length Toe Sock, Composed of Coolmax, Nylon and Lycra, is about as Functional and Hydrodynamic as a Synthetic Sock can be… Especially so with the Laws of Nature Assisting in the Process…

The Injinji Performance Sport PED-Length Toe Sock, Composed of Coolmax, Nylon and Lycra, is about as Functional and Hydrodynamic as a Synthetic Sock can be… Especially so with the Laws of Nature Assisting in the Process…

Injinji on the Web… http://www.injinji.com/sport/sport-original-weight-ped.html/

Now You See Them, Now You Don’t…

The Injinji® performance sport PED length toesock® (PED) are structurally produced to perform with the utmost respect of functionality and with as little material as possible. These are PED length socks! This means that they are meant to be hidden below the collar of your shoes. The PED’s feature a welt that is about as flat as possible and maintains as much posture as possible. They simply do not want to be seen and are meant to be hidden from sight.

According to Injinji, These Socks Have a “Five Toe Fit System” with Benefits Including…

• Anatomical five-toe design properly aligns toes (natural toe splay)
• Seamless, five-toe-sleeve with anti-friction interface
• Elastic dual welt band with increased compression that holds sock in place
• Superior moisture management
• Prevents blisters and promotes proper posture & balance
• True L/R anatomical secure fit
• Toe mobility, which allows stronger, healthier feet
• Reinforced heel and toes to increase durability
• Better gripping and balance inside shoe
• Designed to support arch

Fabric/Composition…

Injinji combines a mixture of 75% Coolmax® performance polyester, 20% Nylon and 5% Lycra®, a conglomerate of synthetics, to produce the PED, designed for the sole (no pun intended) purpose of seizing perspiration from the surface of your feet, to the exterior of the sock, where your perspiration is exPEDiently precipitated, keeping your feet cool and dry in the warmer months, warm and dry in the cooler months.

The PED is an integral part of my footwear system, and one I’d soon not go without. I’ve been wearing Vibram FiveFinger (VFF) footwear, when I wear footwear, 100% of the time since April 2013, and the PED’s have been worn along with them, each and every time. Considerable discernment has been initiated, over the years, for a sock that would function better for me than the next. With all due respect to the VFF’s, these socks are a perfect functional companion. And, with all due respect to the brand of sock, Injinji, which I’ve been wearing for many years, I probably would not have purchased the VFF’s if Injinji’s PED toe socks didn’t exist. Prior to the VFF’s, I wore a fairly strong hiker, a Kayland hiking boot to assist me in my adventures with not a single blister, in 6 years, credited entirely to Injinji brand toe socks! Prior to toe socks, in general, I suffered enough blisters to dramatically consider a change that would once and for all make a difference, including comfort and function!

Structure, Fit and Performance…

Coolmax structural properties, that is, the architectural integrity of the fiber, contains channels, micro-channels that are specially designed to extract, transport , displace and disperse your perspiration over a wide surface area, wicking perspiration while at the same time positioning the perspiration to expeditiously and precipitously expunge perspiration from the surface of your foot. This process continues efficaciously throughout the use of the product, every moment, during performance, while in use, repeating the entire process cyclically, allowing the wearer to, essentially, perform more efficiently, functionally, and comfortably, during exertion and whenever your feet require moisture control.

These PED’s hug my feet! With a very low profile and superior fit, accredited to the seamless design, these toe socks, literally, fit beyond expectation. Once they’re on, they fit me perfectly, like a glove, so to speak, with no shifting. Right out of the package, I never thought they would, just looking at them. There is no loose sock to be found nor is there excess anything. And, because they fit each toe so well, seamlessly, there’s practically zero chance of sock movement, migration and chafing that would otherwise cause blisters. In addition to being a low-profile sock, structurally these fit below or at the crest of my VFF’s, and they are a thinner sock so there’s no bulk to control or behave badly. If these socks have, at all, broken down, after all these months/years, that is, the individual fibers losing their ability to perform as expected, I have not noticed. I continue to use the same PED’s I have since their addition to my sock line-up in April 2013, in conjunction with my VFF’s, with no noticeable wear or damage, with the exception of a small insignificant hole in one single pair. I rotate, the best I can, the same three pair that were originally ordered along with my VFF’s. Quite honestly, there doesn’t seem to be much complexity to this sock, and looks are very deceiving. They are indeed thin in nature but seem to perform as if passion was guiding their way.

Performance and Temperature Regulation…

Why, you ask, if the body’s cooling mechanism is the process of perspiration, do we need a product to transport the perspiration from our body? Wouldn’t the benefit be the perspiration and cooling effect of the resulting solute(water and constituent molecules)? Great question! By transporting accumulated solute, water, sodium and other minerals, from the body, the Coolmax fabric is effectively relieving the body from an over-accumulation of solute that may lead to decreased performance, and particularly, comfort. Coolmax transports solute by-products from the skin, assists in the evaporation of water while, unfortunately but unavoidably, decreasing in performance, over time, due to build-up or accumulation of solute residue. This accumulated, abandoned residue is also the odor we smell as a result of prolonged period of wear, due in part to this accumulated residual residue once part of the solute, additional solute and, while in use, generated body heat, and added organic material kicked up while in motion. Let’s olfactive further into this…

What’s that Ungrateful Smell?…

Coolmax, like polypropylene and other natural and synthetic fibers will absorb your perspiration. Once the water is precipitously expunged and evaporated from synthetic performance fabrics you’re left with nothing but, as stated above, solute residue clinging to the garment, in this case, a sock. This resulting build-up of solute residue with the addition of more solute causes odor! Natural fibers, on the other hand, tend to retain more water, significantly diluting or dissolving the solute, preventing as much odor, in my opinion. Natural fibers are, however, by nature, more odoriferous to begin with, but their ability to retain solute is greater, causing dilution. Odor is essentially unavoidable, however, there is a bit more odor with synthetic fibers than natural, I have experienced. The good news is that I find synthetic fibered clothing to clean well, perform well for the entire length of it’s lifespan and, for that matter, survive, in tact, for many many years more than its natural fiber counterpart. The PED is no exception. The only way to avoid a savory synthetic fabric is to wash it! Thus, for example, if I’m on an extended backpacking trek, I may bring two sets of PED’s. I’ll quickly wash a pair and hang them on my pack to dry while wearing the fresh pair. Also, when you’re experiencing a soaking rainfall, a synthetic fiber performs considerably better, overall, greatly liberating the garment of excess water, far more efficiently than a natural fiber, and synthetics dry dramatically faster.

Following a single day of use, my sport PED’s seem to take on a life of their own, more closely resembling a rigid plank than the tiny ball of synthetics that was pulled from the washer and dryer. This, once again, is the residue that has accumulated in the material that cannot escape or precipitate, unless washed, asap. If worn continuously, without washing the accumulated material from the garment, the sock’s structural integrity may begin a process of severe disenchantment, inducing a conditional form of back flow that you may find closely resembling a concrete pad rather than a sock that is a PED. All of us may have experienced this a time or two, of course you have. I know I have, following a few long-distance endurance events and all-day exPEDitions.

More (or Less, Briefly, Off the Subject) on Accumulated Organic Material…

Incidentally, to sway slightly from the immediate subject, this is also why we should indeed protect our footwear, and for that matter, our clothing and gear from destruction by utilizing a protective barrier from harmfully grinding organic material that may either induce damage or cause complete breakdown of performance. For the same reason we wear a synthetic sock to protect our feet and shoes, we also need to protect our clothing fibers from incidental damage by utilizing a sit pad such as when we’re resting on the trail, please click link, https://wilddrake.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/therm-a-rests-z-seat-should-be-standard-equipment-in-your-pack-functional-as-a-protective-seat-while-resting-it-may-also-be-useful-for-several-other-innovative-means-while-on-the-trail/, and gear, such as our tent floor by incorporating a ground sheet resting directly on the ground taking the brunt of punishment rather than our expensive tent floor. Respectively, a sit pad will protect and prevent dirt from damaging the fibers of your hiking pants, and a ground sheet to protect and prevent dirt from damaging the fibers of your tent floor. In all instances, preventative measures are always an inexpensive alternative to complacent behavior and avoidably, necessary replacement! Which is why I always wear the PED’s with my VFF’s, and I’ve been asked why a number of times. I care enough to protect my gear, protect my VFF’s from over-exposure. The act of conserving may just be the ultimate in function!

Wearability…

I began wearing Injinji’s, in general, this is pre-PED, in approximately 2008, strictly for blister control (once again, I began wearing the PED length socks in April 2013). They were outstanding in performance and fit my feet well, toes well, and with little movement inside my boot, and they rarely or never caused a blister. They performed far better than every other toe-less sock, without question, and my feet couldn’t be happier, that is until the PED’s arrived in 2013. And, the PED’s are so much better… no shifting, no creasing, and, no complaining (for my part). That’s the best part!

And, according to Coolmax, the reviews were similar to mine. Wearers reported a significant degree of moisture control, performing “much better” than rival counterparts, hence, Coolmax is a “much more desirable” product. And, in regard to Coolmax, I, personally, have been using Coolmax products since its introduction in 1986, including running and cycling apparel, with a fairly good feel for the product. The transition to socks, therefore, seemed natural. I do, however, feel more comfortable in a natural wool product, in my experience, but find the quick-natured performance of the Coolmax products to keep me, as stated earlier, warm and dry during cooler months and cool and dry during the warmer months. That’s a hard act to beat.

Can You Say, “Culture Shock”…

So, as you could probably imagine the PED’s aren’t too bad as a daily sock. But, how do they perform on the trail? Well, they perform just as well on the trail as they do everywhere else! In fact, on the trail, their reduced weight helps considerably. I went from a Kayland, over-the-ankle, hiking boot, and wearing a far more substantial, above-the-ankle, Injinji sock, to VFF’s and Injinji PED’s. Can you say culture shock, or is it culture sock? What an amazing difference and transition! I was, prior to VFF’s, a firm believer in supportive over-the-ankle, backpacking boots. Now, I will not hike or backpack, with any other foot wear than the VFF’s/PED combination! They’re that comfortable for me.

And, my PED’s have performed flawlessly, with just one complaint. As form-fitting and as well-constructed as they are, at the collar, they still tend to allow the smallest bit of material in. However, these socks are well below my ankles and this must be fully expected considering the shape of our anatomy below our ankle. I can not expect the collar on the Injinji’s to fully fill these vacancies, it would simply defy all laws of dynamics. Despite this, the PED’s are the best sock I have ever worn, and I’ve experienced no other issues, whatsoever!

In the near future, I do intend on making a trail gaiter, compatible with my VFF’s to avoid all material entering through the cuffs of both the VFF’s and PED’s. This will be a fun, do-it-myself project.

Size…

My foot size is a US size 10.5, slender with a high arch! The model PED I wear is Injinji’s “OW”, Original Weight and Moderate Interface. Injinji’s medium size is reported to fit US sizes from 8 – 10.5. The medium fits me well, almost tight, with little or no room left, if my foot were slightly larger. The PED has virtually no wiggle room and, in fact, it’s designed not to. Therefore, I find the sizing chart, accurate! Injinji also claims these socks to be quite supportive, and deservingly so. They are indeed, I must admit, very supportive.

Injinji produces socks in several weights and interfaces. My initial preference was not necessarily the PED and was chosen only to correspond with my VFF’s, which seemed a plausible possible fit, coinciding together. I believe this has been a fantastic choice, to begin with, wearing PED’s with my VFF’s.

In general and specifically, for each and every functionality, I’m overly pleased with my PED’s and fully support this choice of toe sock!! You’ll love them as much as I do!

Climate…

Since my initial PED purchase back in April 2013, I’ve worn these PED’s  everyday whether I’m in the house, working, walking about town, hiking and backpacking. The climate in southern, AZ, where I live, is a hot, dry heat during the warmer months, cool and dry during the cooler months. Therefore, as much as my feet may perspire, the climate is assisting in the process of evaporation. PED’s are, therefore, not as much a requirement as they may be in a more temperate, humid environment.

My PED’s have been introduced to temperatures as low as freezing, but no less, and temperatures above 100ºF, never experiencing temperatures greater than 110ºF. During the summer months of Monsoon, my feet get wet and the PED’s assist in the process drying quickly!

I’ve hiked in rain, snow and on ice with no laborious drying-out required. These PED’s really have performed well for me!

Price…

$10.00/pair

Summary…

Thus, the Injinji Performance Sport PED Toe Sock, composed of Coolmax, Nylon and Lycra has performed well, functioned as expected and wears comfortably. The PED’s have kept my feet dry, prevented blisters and have caused no unexpected issues. They have not broken down, nor have they failed to perform. Following more than 11 months of everyday use, the PED’s will remain on my feet, weather permitting, and will continue to be an integral part of my footwear for many months/years to come.

For your convenience, I’ll continue to submit updates in regard to future experiences.

Reach Your Summit!

This is an independent review of the Injinji Performance Sport PED Toe Sock. I am not at all affiliated with Injinji nor am I affiliated with Coolmax or Lycra, or any associated entity. I paid full retail price as a consumer for this product!

All photos, copyright, Wild Drake!

Change can elicit numerous reactions when presented to the human spirit. We might respond by…

Change can elicit numerous reactions when presented to the human spirit. We might respond by firmly planting our feet and struggling against it; sometimes we may be a bit more cooperative, and it assuredly feels like we are moving in the proper direction. David and I are going through a moment of prolific growth, and experiencing a sense that we are aligning with our principles and desires, and through our expansion, goal orientation and project creativity, we are discovering our true selves.

Our recent name change is one of those realignments and becoming WildDrake was a natural and authentic transition. Additionally, we are both indulging in our personal pursuits and have decided to incorporate them into our business as a means of sharing more of ourselves, and as a method of living a holistic and synergistic life.

As demonstrated by our recent posts, David has been occupied with product reviews and this has earned him the honor of February 2014 Reviewer of the Month on @Trailspace. He thoroughly expands on his personal interactions with each product and crafts outstandingly comprehensive and honest reviews. The best part is how much he enjoys doing them and the positive feedback and comments of appreciation that he is receiving. As outdoor enthusiasts and cautious consumers, we have scoured product reviews before making a purchase, and understand the critical importance of the experiences and opinions of people who have used the products and can articulate the pros and cons. David is conscientiously devoted to offering information that is impartial and not impacted by vendors and, adequately expresses his conclusions as assistance to those considering an investment.

I love to be in the kitchen and experimenting with ingredients and while this satisfies some of my creative tendencies, it doesn’t fulfill them entirely. Healthy food is a vital centerpiece to my ideology but I also am a stalwart believer in the importance of what is applied externally as well. My background in natural medicine and years as an herbal practitioner, combined with my innate love of research, has left me with an expansive base of knowledge and resources, and a passion for developing the highest quality and most effective line of body products and teas. We knew that several of our teas would be coming to market with our foods and beverages and have decided to come forth with some additional offerings that we frequently use and believe will be enthusiastically welcomed by other travelers and trekkers. We are still finalizing our selections and trying to decide upon names but are happy to say that our WildDrake Travel Savvy™, all-purpose salve will be one of the items. The other candidates include our natural bug repellent, our Savvy Recovery™, moisturizing body butter to compensate for our exposure to the elements, and several more contenders.

David and I have decided to open our WildDrake Gallery pages, as well, and you can now see a selection of David’s photos with many more to come. Some of them will be available for purchase and he has been working on his custom framing ideas and will offer both prints and ready-to-hang options. There will be another page that is devoted to my found object/assemblage/mixed media artwork which is based on pieces that we have found during our forays and journeys. The wild variety is consistently amazing regarding the unusual objects that we can find miles away from anywhere, and my recent work towards my Master’s in anthropology enables me to view them from a perspective of both the humanistic side of what is essentially trash, to the shared geography of space through time. How did a pen labelled Anchorage Police Department get to an isolated section of the southern Arizona desert? I am fascinated by the old railroad campsites and early homesteads, which are laden with rusty metal pieces and one day, David brought home half of a corroded and partially crushed bicycle from a spot near the tracks. I like imagining the stories behind our finds and we regale each other with embellished tales of the people who left them behind. Nearly every outing provides evidence of undocumented migrants and at times we have found more than half a dozen discarded backpacks and bags.

It all really comes back around to change. People and communities are not static and even when we seem mired in inertia, there are continuous alterations going on around us. David and I tend to embrace change and find it to be somewhat exhilarating and liberating. We enjoy new adventures and the unpredictable aspects of our hiking and backpacking. David records the metamorphosis of our environment and the beauty and seasonality of our natural world through his inspired photos, and I lean towards displaying the transformation and movement of our cultures and beliefs in my art.

But not to worry, we haven’t wandered too far from our kitchen and will have the first of our edible selections available very soon! Our food is the axis of everything that we do, and by adding our other endeavors to our site, we are striving to be fully engaged in our complete lifestyle and to not have compartmentalized limits. What we do, the manner in which we choose to live, is an integral part of bringing the very best in trail and travel products to market. It is about integrity I suppose, and of living your principles and by sharing a wider vision of ourselves, we hope that you will see our inspiration and standards. We are trying to live a healthy, active, and creative life which leaves a very light footprint behind. Our name change and the evolving appearance of our blog are reflections of refining our presentation, a more adequate representation of who we are, and a demonstration of our fundamental hope that we can reach our summit in every aspect of our existence.

The “Tied” and True, Bear Discouragement, Food Containment System, the Ursack Spectra 29 (S29) AllWhite, May Very Well Be Your Best Available Option For Your Safety, Food Containment, Food Protection, and Food Safety, as Well as, Ease of Use, Weight and Volume Consideration, While On the Trail…

Ursack Spectra 29 AllWhite Bear Containment and Protection Bag

The “tied” and true, Bear discouragement, food containment system, the Ursack Spectra 29 AllWhite, may very well be your best available option for food containment, food protection, and food safety, as well as, ease of use, weight and volume consideration, while on the trail…

Pros…

Trail-Necessary Weight, 242g

Strongly Voluminous, 10.65L, with Little Mass

Compressible & Malleable

Simple to Use, Easy to Pack

Cost, Not Too Bad with a Price Tag of $67.89

Functions Well with LOKSAK’s OPSak bag

Cons…

Proprietary system… not all that bad!

For Best Results the Ursack Must Be Combined with LOKSAK’s OPSak bag

If you opt-out of using the LOKSAK OPSak bag you may very well attract vermin

If Optional Aluminum Liner is not used, Food Stands the Risk of Being Crushed

Sharp, Lengthy, Small-Diameter Teeth May Find Their Way Through the Spectra Material

Bag is not IGBC Certified, and Not Approved in Certain Wilderness Areas

Update May 13, 2014…

April 11, 2014… The IGBC test of the S29 passed.

April 18, 2014… “We are still awaiting the official certification letter and number from the IGBC, but can share some of the details. At IGBC insistence, we baited an Ursack S29 AllWhite, knotted it securely and placed it on the ground with no aluminum liner and not tied to a tree. The first two grizzlies went at it for an active 57 minutes. One of the bears was nick-named “The Destroyer,” but neither he nor his sister were able to compromise the Ursack. The Grizzly Wolf and Discovery Center rotates bears in and out at approximately one hour intervals. So the Destroyer went back to his quarters and five, count ’em, five more grizzlies came out to work on the same Ursack. The IGBC testing protocol requires a total of 60 minutes of active bear encounters, so even though we needed just a few minutes more to pass the test, there was no way to get the Ursack out until the five bears finished their shift. Not to worry. Ursack made if for another hour. A total of seven grizzly bears and two hours of active clawing, biting and scratching–yet Ursack survived. After washing the Ursack one could barely (bearly?) tell that it had been attacked.”

More information here… http://www.ursack.com/ursack-update.htm

To date, I continue to enjoy the convenience, security and functionality of the Ursack S29 to keep myself and my food safe, and my S29 has yet to be attacked by any woodland friend!

end May 13, 2014 update. More coming when available.

………………………………………………………………..

No wildlife attacks, to date, and counting…

Whether I’ve suspended this bag from a branch a couple fathoms from the ground, or a bush several feet above the ground, this bag has yet to invite a single visitor, as far as I can tell…

Finger Rock Saddle, Santa Catalina Range

Wilderness or Rocks Santa Catalina Range (S29 hung from a tree, in a wash, ~12′ from the ground).

In comparison to a canister style containment system, the Ursack Spectra 29 AllWhite (S29) has performed very well, and far exceeded my volume expectation, an innately, categorically, unpretentious concern, which incidentally is 10.65L (650 cubic inches). The S29 exhibits enough volume, I’ve found, to accommodate a considerable amount of food, for one person, for ~7 days, pushing hard and consciously eating!

The S29, purchased early April 2012, was indeed acquired based entirely on two factors… First, and specifically, Bear, particularly, but all fauna in general, population and their investigating curiosity have reportedly been getting quite comfortable with campers in Arizona. Of course, though, why else would you purchase one? In fact, I’ve spent many nights listening to wildlife rummage and/or sprint by the tent at night prompting this necessary safety assurance purchase. Second, and this one is personal, I needed an additional prop for exercising while on the trail and the Ursack is a good fit.

Propositioned with the decision that I must now research and purchase a bear-proof food protection and containment system, the S29 kept rising to the top of my analytical discussion and benefit spreadsheet. These were my concerns… and, for further analyzation, “bear” with me while I discuss each of these criterion in greater detail…

• Volume Control and Capacity for ~7 days… check
  • Sporting a volume greater than 10L, I felt the S29 would serve me well for better than ~97% of my backpacking expeditions. Even on a thru-hike, I may be able to compensate with hermetically sealed packaged goods, before they’ve been opened, by storing them in my pack overnight. This allow’s me to use the S29 for hanging food that has only been opened and in danger of attracting wildlife. By these means, I may be able to thru-hike consistently and conservatively using nothing but the substantial volume of the S29 and whatever available space I have in balance, in my pack.
• Soft-Sided, Malleable S29 vs. Leading Rigid Brand Containment… check
  • The S29 can be stuffed, rolled, compressed, dropped, washed and converted into anything else (if need be, to your imagination). Try doing all that with a rigid canister.
• Closure Comfort and Security… check
  • “Tied” and true! Tied well, and to a tree, a bear may submit to defeat before he makes a meal of your meal. Who knows where your can of food, if utilizing a rigid container, may be after the bear is done playing with it (may I suggest GPS).
  • The Included LOKSAK OPSak Odor-Proof bag (further discussed below) closes tightly and securely with care. I have yet to have a problem with Ravens or rodents damaging this system, or for that matter, even discovering/recognizing it as a source of potential food.
• Ease of Use… check
  • The S29 is easy to carry, adds relatively little bulk, concedes forgiveness inside your pack in consideration of other gear, lightweight enough at 207g, molds to the volume of food within it and compresses and/or molds in any position you need it when not in use, is not at all easily damaged, and the knotting/securing procedure is… easy! Ursack makes it even easier, offering knotting guides and instructions on their website. And, I really like this… you may purchase the S29, online, directly from Ursack without going through a retailer (however, you’ll probably not get a sale price)… easy!
• Weight vs. Volume vs. Compression vs. Malleability… check
  • In lieu of all benefits discussed above, highlighting is necessary without repeating.
• Ease of Carry… check
  • Compared to a rigid containment container, the S29 may be you best option considering all cited benefits.
• Strength/Weight Ratio… check
  • Ursack uses a Spectra material to create the S29. Spectra, similar to Dyneema, is a thermoplastic polyethylene, specifically, an ultra high-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), also known as high-performance polyethylene (HPPE) and high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE), which evidently claims to boast the highest strength-to-weight ratio, 8 to 15 times higher than steel, than any other thermoplastic. Has anyone informed their resident wildlife of this unbeatable fabric?
  • The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) is currently testing this theory at the time I’m posting this review… so, keep yourselves informed. Ursack has a news link on their site (link below).
• Damage Control… check
  • How easy is it for vermin to make a meal of your meal? Not likely, considering the information offered above.
• IGBC Approved… negative
  • According to Ursack, the IGBC is currently re-evaluating the S29 due to previous ambiguous information, and may be releasing their findings as early as April 2014.
• Approved for Additional Use or Actions… check
  • Yes, although this one is personal. I use the bag as a fitness training tool while out on the trail and it works perfectly for me! I carry three gallon size ziploc bags, fill them with sand or stones, place them in the S29 and I’m ready to go. I’ve noted no profound damage, whatsoever, from using the S29 in my fitness routine.
• Options… check
  • The S29 features the LOKSAK OPSak Odor-Proof bag, a 35g, 12.25″ x 20.75″ odor barrier bag, locking similar to a Ziploc, that LOKSAK claims is 17,000 times more odor resistant than HDPE and, is 100% water and air tight (when correctly closed, LOKSAK adds), preventing curious olfactories from discovering your stash. A 3-pack from Ursack sells for $13.99. One OPSak bag, not a 3-pack, is included with the sale of the S29.
  • Purchased separately, I love that fact that if I needed further critter protection I can purchase Ursack’s aluminum liner, a 306g addition, also adding some degree of crush resistance to the S29.

Prior to my S29 purchase, I foolishly kept my, although packaged well, food inside my tent. Finally, after hearing too many stories of bears attacking tents, I knew a containment system was next in line for gear necessity. In fact, I had the oh-so-foolish attitude that if I package it well enough it won’t attract wildlife. Once again, I have never experienced any problems regarding wildlife and food, but further risk was not my best option, nor was this a position I decided to chance. Besides, our primary objective is to explore our wonderful woodlands, deserts, waterways, flora and fauna, and without capriciously becoming a victim, an attitude that will eventually fail if well exploited.

The S29 is a system, a good system! I have not employed the use of Ursack’s aluminum liner and have not needed to. If I’m heading into wilderness that may require or suggest a need to do so, or the IGBC reports otherwise, I may or may not make the purchase, considering my particular experience, and further discussion and contemplation. With that said, you could heed any safety warning and dependably warrant, if geographically permissible, an OPSak with your S29, and I truly believe it would behoove you to do so, if at all you’ve decided the Ursack is a good choice, but ziploc’s are efficient enough. I have, fortuitously, not recognized any sign of attack upon the S29 and believe it may be because of the performance of the OPSak; I have moved to completely trust LOKSAK Sak’s! Ursack has indeed produced quite a significant food containment, protection and safety system and I’m proud to carry it! As an added bonus, Ursack is “1% for the planet”!

Finally, the Ursack, made in the USA of Spectra “bullet-proof” fabric, and a clear, considerable alternative to rigid containment, remains, to this day, a choice I would not hesitate to competitively conceive again.

Colossal Cave Mt. Park. First Night During a Four Day Section-Backpacking Adventure on the Arizona Trail (AZT).

Rincon Mt. Range, Quilter Trail. Second Night on the AZT. Rincon Peak in the Background.

Ursack S29 AllWhite; Resting on the S29 is the 650ml Capacity Vargo Ti Water bottle with Ti Lid (http://wilddrake.com/2014/02/08/one-bottle-to-rule-them-all/).

Ursack… “Don’t keep food in your tent, store food near your tent or cook where you camp. If you do, you’ll have company.”

OPSak Odor Barrier Bag – Incorporated to be Used, as a Team, in Conjunction with the S29.

Dimensionally, the S29 is 13″ x 8″, with a Capacity of ~650 Cubic Inches. It Will Fold Down to This Impressive Size, However, Folding the S29 in This Manner May Damage the OPSak inside. I Recommend Folding Only Once In-Half with the OPSak Inside.

S29 Exhibiting Their Optional Aluminum Liner. Photo Courtesy, Ursack! I Do Not Personally Use the Aluminum Liner!

Reach Your Summit!

A Few Important Links from Ursack…

http://www.ursack.com/ursack-catalog.htm

http://www.ursack.com/product8.html

http://www.ursack.com/ursack-faq.htm

Interesting News and Updates You May Wish to Consider Before Purchasing…

http://www.ursack.com/ursack-update.htm

S29 Recommended Closure Knot and Hanging Technique…

http://www.ursack.com/ursack-knots.htm

http://www.ursack.com/proper-hang.htm

Ursack recommends a figure 8 knot around a branch because it is easy to untie even after S29 has been pulled on by a 500 pound bear. At this time, I am unsure of the exact tensile strength of the rope, however, I’m sure it yields the maximum strength-to-weight ratio, and most likely in the thousands of lbs. range. I’ll bet the rope withstands a Bear far sooner than the damage a Bear may cause the branch I’ve tied it to. The rope is easily replaceable if needed!

The LOKSAK OPSak Odor-Proof Barrier Bag is an Integral Component of the Ursack…

http://www.loksak.com/products/opsak

OPSak Specifications…

• Certified waterproof to 60 meters / 200 feet
• Tested and approved by Scuba Schools International (SSI)
• Safe. Our medical grade film is FDA approved
• Temperature rated -40F to 170F
• Ecologically smart. Highly reusable and 100% made of recyclable Polyethylene.

http://www.loksak.com/about-loksak/performance-test-certifications

Click to access MarketingSheets_2013%5Benglish%5D.pdf

Interesting Facts…

Spectra 29 (S29) contains 29 yarns per inch!

LOKSAK claims food may be rehydrated, using boiling water, in the OPSak bag, however, they also state the bags cannot withstand temperatures above 170º… thus, I phoned LOKSAK customer service… LOKSAK informed me the inside temperatures of the 5ml OPSak bag will, indeed, handle temperatures of 212º for rehydrating food. Of course the temperature begins to drop rapidly following initial introduction of boiling water to food. They also informed me that it is the exterior layer of the 5ml, five thousandths of an inch, OPSak bag that cannot handle temperatures above 170º. In regard to the exact type of polyethylene film, when asked, LOKSAK customer service had, no idea, he “didn’t know”! Now, 5ml would imply a measure of length so I’m not positively sure if he meant there are 5 layers, or the bag is in fact 5ml, considering his answer regarding the “outer layer”. In any case, the bag is meant to and has been tested to boiling temperatures. Whether it is safe to do so, avoiding chemical leaching, at this time, I don’t know either, considering his answer. I’m not holding this against Ursack, as it is LOKSAK customer service that I spoke to. I, unequivocally, will never be rehydrating food in any polyethylene bag, for safety reasons, unless I have no other choice!

Ziploc bags, if you’re still considering using these because they’re cheaper than the OPSak, and they indeed are, are composed of a mixture of low-density and linear-low-density polyethylene (LDPE), plastic grade/recycle code 4. The OPSak, according to LOKSAK, can be used to rehydrate food with boiling water. I would NEVER do this with a Ziploc! Not only are Ziploc’s not designed to withstand boiling temperature but you will emphatically run the risk of harmful chemicals leaching into your food.

Significant Analytical Data:

1 cubic inch = 16.38ml

1 ounce ≈ 28g

650 cubic inches = 2.4gal (dry) = 2.8gal (liquid) = 10.65L = 360oz

 

Purchased April 2, 2012 for  $67.89 + shipping! I’ve utilized the Ursack only in the State of Arizona at temperatures ranging between freezing and the high 80’s, ºF; and elevations ranging from ~2500′ through 9000″.

 

All photos, with exception of one noted, copyright WildDrake!

 

This is an Independent Gear Review of the Ursack S29 AllWhite. I paid full retail price for this product as a consumer and, I am not affiliated, whatsoever, with Ursack, LOKSAK or Ziploc, or affiliates!

Meet David Drake, Trailspace Reviewer of the Month!

Meet David Drake, Trailspace Reviewer of the Month!

Meet David Drake, Trailspace’s Reviewer of the Month

by Seth Levy 
posted Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at 8:30 am

David hiking in Arizona’s Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains, Coronado National Forest.

Congratulations to David Drake, Trailspace’s newest Reviewer of the Month!

Each month we recognize and get to know a different member of the Trailspace community. This month it’s Arizona backpacker and multi-sport enthusiast David.

Congratulations, David, and thanks for sharing your experience and helpful gear reviews with us. 

You win this month’s featured Reviewer of the Month prize, a pair of Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras ($69.99 value). Plus, you get a goodie pack from A3, Clif, Innate, Kind, NiteIze, and Trailspace.*

Join the Trailspace community in recognizing other helpful reviewers by voting up the reviews you find most useful. Write your ownhelpful gear reviews and you could be our next Reviewer of the Month.

 

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How did you get started exploring outdoors? Any favorite stories, memories?

David having fun on a day hike in Arizona’s Santa Catalina Mountains.

 

I grew up in New York, and vacationing in New Hampshire. The contrast between the concrete hustle and bustle of the suburbs of New York, and the forests, mountains, lakes, and rivers of New Hampshire provided a palatable backdrop, a setting so inherently determining that an acknowledgeable character based on enthusiasm and exploitation began to unfold.

An introduction to the Boy Scouts created a deep-seated life of imagination and love for our amazing wilderness. As a young man, my father introduced me to the Boy Scouts, as his father introduced him. Scouting became an integral part of my life, at that time, and with so many exhilarating experiences, I continue to covet each and every one, dearly, every day. I consider myself most fortunate for the exposure.

These experiences, memories, in addition to every moment on the trail, each and every time I embrace a new trailhead, the magnanimous note of love and life, enthusiastically explodes harmoniously in euphoria.

I have not one single moment that stands out as any better than the next, as there are literally hundreds, although I feel like the most fortunate person alive each and every time my feet cross the threshold into wilderness.

What do you enjoy doing outdoors? Favorite activities?

In addition to hiking, backpacking, and camping, I have enjoyed triathlon, biathlon, marathon, and all related specialties. Each one of these activities has engaged my valor and perceptibly added strength and endurance to the love I have for the outdoors.

Describe your ideal day outside.

Wildly, exuberantly ready to offer my greetings to the trailhead before day break, solo or with friends, now knowing that today is going to be another perfect day, I’m hiking with no particular direction or destination in mind, enjoying the moment, snapping photos, stopping for a quick hot beverage or meal, going for a quick swim, ascending further in altitude until the sun’s position reminds me I must either set up camp or about-face. Could there be anything better than that?

Describe your happiest moment outdoors. And/or proudest? Hardest?

After 10 years of hiking and backpacking the Sonoran Desert, in June 2013, on a short backpacking trek into the Santa Catalina mountain range, one of the Sky Island ranges of southern Arizona, I finally came in contact with the elusive mountain lion. Two of them, in fact, both cubs and both jumped up onto the rock, one at a time, that I was standing on to greet me.

The first cub may have been too skittish to remain and unfortunately I was not quick enough to capture her on film, but the second one proved to be everything I hoped for. She was gorgeous; they were both gorgeous! We stood and looked at each other for a moment before she exited the rock; I was slowly walking backwards knowing mom may have been nearby. In addition to the myriad of wonderful moments I’ve enjoyed outdoors, this one may have been the most exciting.

My proudest and or hardest moments are equally as exciting. Some hikes may be more difficult than others and I have a tendency to hike off trail and ridge lines, leaving the trail earlier than later. Hiking southern Arizona offers the amazing benefit of being able to observe my exact location in respect to any known point below me, beside me, and above me.

In other words, there are no trees, with the exception of higher elevations and generally then, above 7,000 feet, adding to the excitement of hiking without the need for route-finding devices. Even above 7,000 feet the trees may be dispersed enough to forgo the compass. There have been many moments when I’ve decided to traverse the unconfirmed ground before me.

Several of these moments have left me precariously positioned to make decisions that may not have been the best, such as, on one off-trail, ridge-line day hike, late in the day, I found myself sliding 40 feet down a rocky wash that could have ended with more damage than torn shorts, but what a ride! Not necessarily difficult nor hard, but those situations are wisely held in general contempt, and remain the road not traveled for obvious reasons.

Any outdoor regrets?

Absolutely! I don’t get out enough in the rain! The average precipitation here in southern Arizona is 16 inches depending on your location with just 60 days of rainfall. Our monsoon season, July through September, often brings torrential, horizontal gusts of wind and rain, and as long as no additional objects are included, it’s a very nice day to be outside!

Any outdoor plans/trips/goals you want to share?

Yes, I plan on making a sincere attempt to describe each and every future trek on my website with as much detail as possible. Some of them are short, off-trail day hikes and are simply not worthy enough of posting, but may be enormously exciting for me as a quick hike. Other ventures are longer and greatly more exciting and deserve such recognition. My biggest obstacle is that I use a Delorme PN-60 w SE that is not compatible with my Apple computer.

I enjoy a trip to the Grand Canyon each year. Typically, I’ll camp on the South Rim for a week and go wander around in the big hole for a couple of days. I also do my best to collect a T-shirt each year, T-shirts that are exclusive to the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. This year, I’m going to attempt a rim-to-rim-to-rim hike (I need the T-shirt and can’t wear one unless I do the hike), a 46-mile hike that I’m sure will be quite an amazing experience.

Tell us about your favorite outdoor places.

I relocated to southern Arizona almost 11 years ago specifically to increase the amount of hiking and backpacking I desired to do. I believe it was a great choice. For all reasons stated above, I have found tranquility in all of southern Arizona.

What’s your favorite outdoor gear? Why?

I consider my comprehensive gear package as a whole to be favorite over any single entity. Indeed, each piece comprises the whole, yet as the years pass and new and highly sophisticated gear is becoming available, designed for lighter weight, more comfort, more weather proof, optimal experience, etc., I’m enjoying the whole more than the individual parts. Each piece has its place among the others and each piece contributes to an alluring trek.

As time progresses, so does equipment and, in conjunction with Trailspace reviews, I’m able to determine a possible part that may make the whole a more functional unit.

Got any good, bad, funny, epic gear experiences?

The Good… I was recently working on a review for a water purification filter I’ve had since 2008 (Katadyn Pocket). In this instance, a bad situation forced me off the trail but the warranty pushed me back up the mountain rather quickly.

The Funny… I’m thinking of purchasing stock options in silicone Bite Valve development. I use a bladder hydration system that includes a drink tube that generally bounces around outside my pack. As a result of this bouncing (the owner never seems to tack it down to a shoulder strap when not in use), the bite valve, often enough, stealthily catches on shrubbery and dislodges itself from the drink tube, falling into trail abyss. I’m convinced the bite valve purposely does this in spite of me biting it; it’s getting back.

What happens next is an absolute miracle. The moment the bite valve escapes, and before I realized the bite valve had escaped the first time, water is suddenly raining down upon me with not a single cloud in the sky. That first time, I’m whirling in circles, my girlfriend dying in laughter, making a sincere attempt to find the source of the water and, once I do, giving my very best to one-handedly capture the now defunct bite valve that is no longer there. Upon realizing the bite valve had thought better than to be a bite valve, I’m now focusing on preventing any more water from projecting from the drink tube, which is steadily flowing.

Whew, now that I’ve got a finger on the end of the drink tube, both my girlfriend and I are searching the ground for the escapee, with no luck. Fortunately for us, we were day hiking and no real harm was caused. We never found the bite valve that day and I retained the balance of the water in the bladder, which was not much, by pressing my finger against the end of the tube. What a day, but did we laugh. Now, I have a backup to my backup bite valve in case this happens again.

Not necessarily Bad, more Accurate… I have a tendency to carry more than one stove, and I enjoy using different items simply to have fun, but this was over the edge… if, and only if, you could have seen my girlfriend’s expression as she stated, “One? Try five!” in response to my statement, “I seem to have brought more than one stove with us today.” This is a bit of an exaggeration on her part, but, for the most part, she’s right, or very close. I had carried five eating utensils, but only four stoves. She was close.

No joke, without spending much time packing, one particular trip, I opened my kitchen gear bag (I generally store everything together then subtract for a trip) to reveal that I had not fully evaluated the contents before leaving. I had with me three titanium sporks, one long and two short, one polycarbonate spoon, and one titanium chopstick set. The stoves consisted of one titanium alcohol stove, two smaller aluminum alcohol stoves, and one canister micro-stove that was not accompanied by an isobutane canister. My girlfriend truly believes I meant to do that.

What’s in your pack right now?

Besides thorns? OK, seriously… the contents of my pack, of which I own five, greatly depends on whether or not I’m day hiking or backpacking, solo or with a group (two or more), conditions, weather report, terrain, season, distance, expectation of finding water or not, altitude gain/loss, day and night time temperatures, and performance expectations.

For a two-day, single-night backpacking trek, during the winter season, clear skies, in southern Arizona, a typical temperature range between 30 and 70 degrees, the possibility of finding a water source, and with an elevation gain/loss of 6,000 feet: I’m most likely hiking fast if I’m heading out for a single overnight, translating to a fast and light backpack. In this case, only absolutely necessary equipment makes it into the pack.

What motivated you to share your outdoor gear reviews with the Trailspace community?

There’s a fine line between posting a review and posting a beneficial review. My objective with Trailspace is to inform the community, to the best of my ability, of my confidence and adequacy relevant to the equipment I’m reviewing. In other words, I care only to post helpful, considerate, and expressly accurate information based on my thorough experience with the product.

It is this kind of integrity that I wish to pass on to the community and potential consumers, who may greatly desire to discuss their personal interests with someone whom has had considerable experience with aforementioned reviewed product (see more in my About section).

Where does your username come from?

It’s my actual name, given to me at birth! By the way, I’m still overwhelmed with joy, Mom and Dad, considering you named your fist son, Donald, and that I could possibly have been, following that pattern, Daffy Drake.

What would Trailspace members be surprised to learn about you?

In 1994 I competed in and finished the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii. Not well enough, however, I was seeking a paycheck that day. Also, I was a vegetarian for 10 years, eight months of which I was a strict raw-food vegan.

Anything else you’d like to share with the Trailspace community?

I’m sincerely pleased to be here and find it an honor to be able to share my experiences and discussions with all of you!!

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Featured Reviewer Prize: 
David wins a pair of Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras, plus a Trailspace trail runner cap, an assortment of energy bars, and other goodies.

Great job, David!

*Besides Trailspace appreciation, David wins a goodie pack with a pair of Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras; plus a variety of A3, Clif, and Kindbars; an Innate Motus 3 water bottle, a NiteIze BugLit light, and aTrailspace Trail Runner Cap and stickers.

Wondering how you can be as lucky as David? Write some great gear reviews of your own. Next month we’ll recognize another reviewer (who’ll win a great prize), and it could be you!

Help recognize the best reviews on Trailspace by clicking that up arrow whenever you read a truly helpful review. You’ll not only recognize good reviewers, you’ll help highlight the best reviews
of products for other members looking for outdoor equipment.

 

Full width picture captions above: 1) Backpacking in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness in Arizona; 2) Backpacking in the Santa Catalina Mountains in Arizona; 3) On top of Thimble Peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains with Tucson in the background.

 
Filed under: Reviewer of the Month

With more thought than I ever imagined, I cast my Katadyn Pocket’s intake hose into the most vile, disgusting, putrescent, foulness I could possibly imagine…

With more thought than I ever imagined, I cast my Katadyn Pocket’s intake hose into the most vile, disgusting, putrescent, foulness I could possibly imagine…

Pros…

• Filters microorganisms larger than 0.2µ
• Silver impregnated ceramic element is effective against bacteria and protozoa
• Filter reportedly filters up to 50,000L; 13,000gal
• 20 year warranty period
• Cost… Priceless!

Cons…

• Filter and “trail-necessary” equipment weighs 590g; 21oz
• Carrying Case, if carried and I do, weighs 73g
• Fairly large with dimensions of (cm): 24 x 6; (in): 10 x 2.4
• Price… but well worth every penny!

Water: a transparent, tasteless, odorless liquid!? Hmmm, think again. I, once, with little choice, filtered water from an abandoned cow trough full of the most nauseating putrescence I’ve ever encountered, the only possible water source available!

With more thought than I ever imagined, I cast my Katadyn Pocket intake hose into the most vile, disgusting, putrescent, foulness I could possibly imagine. A horrid faction of life defying blight (in retrospect, it may not have been that bad, but at that time…). There was no way I’d find anything more, here, than imagination. Imagination, however, is what I found! Water! Clean, refreshing, unsurmountable life-giving water!

That was, in all due respect, not the most unfavorable scenario, involving water or lack thereof, I’ve ever been in. Fortunately, for me, that time, my Katadyn Pocket performed flawlessly. The worst scenario, by far, has been the few occasions I’ve not been able to find water, at all. The Katadyn Pocket, at this point, becomes an outrageous burden considering it’s lofty packed weight of 590g, which includes my 40g personal hydration accessory kit (pictured below) that always accompanies my filter. There have also been many instances I have decided to abandon my Katadyn Pocket at home, regarding the terrain and the lack of known springs, thinking I’d never find water. Most times, I was correct. There were a couple times it could have been an unwavering benefit.

Now, considering the numerous filtering, detoxifying, disinfecting and purifying systems on the market, a water filter may be the most likely, yet cumbersome of them all. First of all, not all filters are created equal. All of them filter using various standards of capability. The Katadyn Pocket claims to be among the best, filtering all microorganisms larger than 0.2 microns (µ) and, for a warranty period of 20 years. The Pocket is Katadyn’s most “rugged” filter and the only one in their line-up embracing a 20 year warranty.

Prior to purchasing this filter, I read a multitude of reviews of as many filter brands as I needed to read; the Pocket received raved reviews! Thus, the Pocket’s reputation has remarkably preceded it. This purchase was indeed, all things considered, an investment!

February 2010; beginning a backpacking trek in southern AZ, my pack contents included the Pocket, a 6L water bladder and a 1L water bottle. I began, heading up the trail towards a seasonal creek, 6 miles from the trailhead that I knew would contain water. Here, I expected to use my Pocket to filter 6L of water for the balance of the hiking day, until I arrived at camp, an additional 6 miles ahead, which would have been an overall elevation gain of approximately 6500′ and 12 miles for the day. The creek had indeed contained water. I remember thinking, “thank goodness”, due to the fact that I hiked the first 6 miles carrying only ~1L of water, there was the chance the creek would be dry. Since I knew there would be a very good chance of finding water in this creek, following a rainfall, I decided to keep my overall pack weight as light as possible, only sipping water throughout these first 6 miles. Once I arrived at the creek, I swallowed my last drop of water, knowing the balance of my trip would now be well hydrated. I had arrived, however, very thirsty. ~1L proved to be too little water for these first 6 miles. No big deal. I figured I would filter ~7L of water, plus whatever it was I would consume at that moment, rest a half-hour and continue on to camp. I still had most of this glorious day ahead of me; beginning my trek before daybreak. Anticipating, and looking forward to an amazing day, I cast my intake line into the creek, pumped and nothing… my Pocket would not work. For the better part of an hour I sat there disassembling, cleaning, assembling and repeating this process numerous times and, nothing. I was then, mentally exhausted and physically beyond thirsty. With no water I knew what I had to do… head back down the mountain and unfortunately cut my trek short. I, very unfortunately, carried no other water purification method to fall back on.

Katadyn’s warranty proved its worth… Upon returning home and speaking with the retailer, they asked me to send the entire unit in and they’ll take care of it. Quickly, I had another arrive in the mail. I have had no issues, whatsoever, with this new filter. I have originally owned and operated my Pocket filter since October 2008. Another warranty success story!

In lieu of above story, I would like to share my impressions of what I, retrospectively, could have done, and in recognition of this disaster, what I currently do to prevent this unfortunate incident from ever happening again. In order to minimize as much risk as possible, I conscientiously and proportionately clean the filter and pre-filter while on the trail, depending on the quality of the water (I’ve filtered from both clear and slovenly water). I also test, clean and dry the filter prior to and following each trek. In addition, I now carry a few packages of Katadyn’s Micropur purification tablets if the filter should fail to perform anytime in the future. I’m also considering a UV source of purifying, however, I have not secured a positive thought on one, at this time. [I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences, if you own and have extensive experience with one].

My immediate impression, upon pondering the scope of my respondent actions, are efficacious enough, I feel, to feature…

• Proportionately clean your filter following each use… If the water is conspicuously filthy, your filter may need a thorough cleaning immediately following use, whereas, if the water seemed rather unadulterated your filter may only need a light cleaning.
• Test, clean and dry your filter prior to and following each trek.
• Bring a backup… I carry Katadyn’s Micropur water purifier tablets. Whatever brand you choose to carry, these tablets could be a life-saver. Be aware of their expiration date!  Mine reads, 05/2014 visibly (without opening package) on the instruction sheet and 0514 on the foil packages. I’ll need to replace mine soon.
• You may choose a number of ways to supplement your filter or personal method of filtering water. Whatever your primary method may be, strategize a back-up plan. I have read many reviews and discussions in regard to the efficacy of all sorts of equipment, whether it be, micro-filters, tablets, UV, boiling, filtering, etc.; your plan is your plan. Before you head out… Have a plan, make sure it performs well for you, test it immediately before heading out, carry extra supplies and/or batteries if need be, check expiration dates, then, once all is well, relax and go have a wonderful time!
• Carry and store your equipment with the utmost of care. Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you!
• Most imperatively, know your equipment and its capability. If you’ve tested your equipment, you’ve probably read the manual and you’re probably aware of how it performs under controlled circumstances. The wilderness is not a controlled environment! Be prepared for the worst! Consider your next outing and perform every precautionary step to alleviate any problem you may conceivably have. The more you know what you’re getting in to, or heading in to, the safer and more prepared you will be.

Earlier, I mentioned a pre-filter. The Pocket’s pre-filter construction builds upon a small, screened pre-filter, enveloped, embellished by an ornate hollowed, porous ball (strainer), guised as a weight, each development performing together to prevent larger material from entering the pre-filter; preventing larger material from entering the filter. The pre-filter is designed to filter microorganisms no larger than 130µ. I generally take precautionary measures to go a step further to prevent larger material from clogging the pre-filter by one of two methods. Katadyn, along with most manufacturers and end-users suggest a paper coffee filter held on by a rubber or hair band (hair bands last longer!). I’ve tried using a coffee filter many times with reasonable success. I prefer to use a small piece of reusable women’s stockings (tights), even cheese cloth to pre filter. For that matter, I’ve even experimented with tights to pre-filter water before pre-filtering. In other words, I’ve collected water and drained it through the tights before placing the pre-filter into the water. The water initially contained quite a bit of plant growth and I did not want this material clogging up the pre-filter. Regardless of the method or device I use to prevent the pre-filter from clogging, I always need to constantly clean, replace and/or reposition this pre-filtering (coffee filter, tights) precautionary measure.

Now that were on the subject of pre-filtering, I’d also like to share an experience with you that I tried years ago. I read that a non-lubricated condom works well for carrying water and it indeed does. I didn’t need to carry water but thought I’d give it a try to see how well this system would work, if needed. Surprisingly, a condom will accommodate quite a bit of water, a couple liters. Thus, I always carry a “non-lubricated” condom in the event that I’ve exhausted, or in the event of loss, all other methods of carrying or pre-filtering water. I honestly don’t believe I’ll ever use it but I keep it as part of my hydration kit as a back-up. I imagine using it in conjunction with the tights, scooping up water and running it through the tights into a bottle to prepare, as close to possible, sediment-free pre-filtering. Incidentally, once the contents of the bottle is filtered a tablet or UV form of purification would come in handy. Both the condom and tights, together, weigh only a few grams, grams I feel are essential and a must-have, in any event, in my personal hydration kit.

The Katadyn Pocket arrives as a kit. The kit contains the filter, pre-filter, intake and outtake hoses, quick fill hydration adapter, a manual, cleaning supplies, a tube of silicone to grease, additional o-rings, and bottle clips (that I do not use and, thus, have no idea where they are).

Katadyn Pocket with exterior shroud, filter (inside), intake hose (output hose not installed), strainer/pre-filter apparatus and adjustable float; photo courtesy, Katadyn!

One-half (male end) of the Quick-Fill hydration adapter attaches to the output hose on the filter, or the portion of my drink tube containing the bite valve.

The female (blue component) end of the Quick-Fill hydration adapter kit, attached to my water bladder drink tube, accepts the male-end of the adapter, which is attached to the water filter.

My Bite Valve/Quick-Fill (male end) hydration adapter kit attached to a very small portion of silicone tubing.

I use Katadyn’s Quick-Fill hydration adapter on a regular basis! Each time I filter water, I’ll filter directly into my water bladder, still contained inside my pack via the Quick-Fill hydration adapter, and/or directly into my water bottle. Despite the fact that I always use a convenient hydration bladder system for water containment and consumption, I always carry one water bottle. I find a water bottle extremely beneficial, and if you’ve seen an earlier review I’ve posted, review is here… http://www.trailspace.com/gear/vargo/titanium-water-bottle/review/30549/, you know how much I appreciate having a water bottle with me.

Katadyn’s Quick-Fill Hydration Adapter Kit…

http://shop.katadyn.com/product/153549/8014399/_/Quick_Fill_Hydration_Adaptor_Kit

Before we go any further, this may be a good time to post additional personal photos of my Pocket, features and accessories…

Katadyn Pocket Filters, hoses and carry case.

“Important Field Tips” nylon label sewn in carry case makes this case quite valuable on the trail… incidentally it weighs 73g (2.5oz).

I’m considering cutting the label from this case and employing a lighter case for storage and transport, possibly using a cuben fiber case?

Via the Quick-Fill adapter kit, I’m ready to filter water directly into my hydration bladder containment system without having to remove the bladder from my pack.

Note: Be sure to loosen pack tensioning straps and/or leave enough room in your pack for expansion inside bladder/pack.

My hydration accessory kit, including precautionary, emergency and necessary tools.

(Note: The pico-sized o-ring found it’s way in but I have no idea where, why and what it came from. So, there it remains, in case I figure it out.)

Pictured above, clockwise beginning top left…

• Two pairs of tights, one khaki the second black, used to pre-filter water. As stated above, I wrap, tighter the better, these around the pre-filter as an alternative to using a coffee filter. I carry two in the event that one becomes too dirty or damaged. I find the use of coffee filters and tights both very difficult to draw water through, but when you’re facing especially mucky water these are your better options than taking a chance of thoroughly clogging your filters.
  • The two tights have additional uses! They may be used as an emergency liner hat, socks or gloves in the event unexpected freezing temperatures set in, which is also why I carry two. They may also be used as a tourniquet in such an emergency or as a compress to prevent the flow of blood.
• Coffee Filters. The larger coffee filters, 12-cup size, will work best! I carry two filters for every day I expect to be on the trail… i.e., 3 days/6 filters.
• Hair Tie. These work more efficiently and have a longer life-span than a regular rubber band.
• Non-lubricated Condom. Be sure it’s the non-lubricated type.
• Katadyn’s Micropur water purifier tablets. These compliment my Pocket as my back-up plan.
• Abrasive Pad. Used to clean the ceramic filter. The pad pictured is new; I cut these in half, or quarter, for on-trail use.
• Bite Valve. I’ve lost bite valves while on the trail. I, now, carry at least one extra.
• O-Rings. I do not remember how many rings initially came with the filter, however, I carry these three with me at all times, and replenish from the local hardware store.
• 3g Silicone lubricant for lubricating O-rings and filter maintenance.
• Male end of Quick-Fill hydration adapter. Yet another piece of gear I carry as a precautionary measure (female-end, mate, is already attached to gear).

Katadyn (Endurance Series) Pocket…

http://www.katadyn.com/deen/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-wasserfilter-endurance-series-produkte/katadyn-pocket/

http://shop.katadyn.com/product/153548/8013618/_/Katadyn_Pocket

Katadyn Pocket Fact Sheet…

Click to access Factsheet_Pocket_EN.pdf

Katadyn Pocket Manual…

Click to access Manual_Katadyn_PocketUSA.pdf

Katadyn Pocket Specifications…

• Capacity: 50,000L ; 13,000gal
• Dimensions (cm): 24 x 6; (in): 10 x 2.4
• Output (L): ~1L/min; (gal): ~ 1 quart/min (I personally find this to be accurate)
• Technology: Pre-filter: 130µ; Filter: 0.2µ ceramic depth filter (cleanable)
• Weight: 550g; 20oz.

The Katadyn Pocket micro-filter meets industry standards for reduction of bacteria (99.9999% Klebsiella terrigena) and protozoan cysts (99.9% Giardia and Cryptosporidium).

Katadyn Ceramic filters have a micro porous structure with impregnated silver which delays the growth of bacteria. The pore size of Katadyn ceramic filters is 0.2 micron (0.0002 mm). Bacteria range in size from 0.2  to 5 micron and like protozoa (1 – 15 micron), are efficiently filtered out. Ceramic filters can be mechanically regenerated and the filter capacity is measurable.

Quality of Water, Ceramic Capacity and Pocket Replacement Cartridge…

Ceramic capacity depends on water quality. The dirtier the water the more often you will have to clean the element. This reduces the capacity of approx. 50,000L (13,000gal). The quality of your filtered water makes a difference… Katadyn initially filters micro organisms larger than 130µ, ultimately filtering all organisms larger than 0.2µ. This means that the quality of the water you’ve filtered will be competently potable and delicious.

The Katadyn Pocket arrives with a Measuring Gauge…

Measuring Gauge (blue), photo courtesy, Katadyn!

Simple, If the gap of the measuring gauge fits over the ceramic it is time to replace the filter element! A replacement element, however, is not this simple, regarding price (continue reading), although the performance and 20-year warranty may better ease your mind.

Note: Use your better judgement when measuring. I have not had an issue with mine, but considering the gauge is made of plastic and may deform, be careful how you measure. Also, if you have used your filter extensively then you know when it needs to be replaced.

Inspecting the ceramic for cracks while cleaning is an important preliminary step prior to each use, for example, dropped filters or exposure to freezing temperatures may, according to the manufacturer, damage the ceramic filter. If the filter element contains cracks it will no longer protect you from microorganisms and must be replaced! A new filter is a pricey $200.00.

Katadyn Pocket Replacement Element… and if you’re at all inclined to carry a back-up filter, she alone weighs ~288g (my filter weighed following several years of use)…

http://shop.katadyn.com/product/153549/8013619/_/Katadyn_Pocket_Replacement_Element_Ceramic

Katadyn Pocket Replacement Ceramic Element Filter.

Katadyn Pocket, Limited Warranty Information…

The Pocket is Katadyn’s most rugged filter and comes with a lifetime warranty from the date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship… manufacturers statement… “Should your Katadyn Pocket prove defective within that period from the date of purchase, return it to the Katadyn retailer from whom it was purchased. Katadyn, at its discretion, will replace or repair the damaged item. Please retain your purchase receipt as proof of date purchased.”

According to Katadyn, Professionals trust the Pocket‘s longevity and the filter is ideal for 1-4 persons while trekking, on journeys and on expeditions. This would equate to 12,500L of filtered water for 4 persons… that’s a lot of life-giving water! On average, an adult living in a temperate environment, according to experts, should consume approximately 3L of water/day. If 3L of water were consumed per day, over the course of 20 years… 3L water/day x 365 days/year x 20 years =  21,900L water consumed. That’s roughly 57% of the 20 year warranty period, meaning, you can essentially use Katadyn’s Pocket filter, comfortably, everyday, for well over 10 years! Not too bad!

For Pocket Maintenance and Replacement Parts, visit Katadyn for their Small Parts Kit…

http://shop.katadyn.com/product/153549/20648/_/Pocket_Filter_Small_Parts_Kit

Katadyn Pocket Filter Small Parts Kit; photo courtesy, Katadyn!

Here’s a Neat Feature and an Available Option… Bottle Adapter with Activated Carbon… I do not use this but believe it’s a nice option…

http://shop.katadyn.com/product/153549/8013450/_/Bottle_Adapter_with_Activated_Carbon

Bottle Adapter with Activated Carbon; photo courtesy, Katadyn!

Ultimately, I’ve been very pleased with the Katadyn Pocket’s performance, with the exception of weight. Despite these 663g (filter, supplies and case), I plan on always hauling the Pocket with me on each and every trek. I’ve used the Pocket for close to each and every backpacking trek, primarily in the southern, AZ area, I’ve been on and, with the one exception, it has performed flawlessly! I would estimate the number of liters produced from the second filter, I received in 2010, at ~ 300L.

I most likely would have used the filter more often if it wasn’t for the fact that I, now, always begin my adventure’s with a full complement of water, regardless of the size of the hydration bladder (6L or 10L for backpacking; 6L for hiking) I entertain for each trip.

The Pocket has proved itself to be a most valuable component and it will indeed remain a part of my comprehensive backpacking / hiking gear for many years to come.

Reach Your Summit!

All photo’s, with the exception of those courtesy of Katadyn, copyright, David Drake!

This is an independent gear review! I am not affiliated with Katadyn or any other manufacturing, retail or business entity associated with Katadyn.

Independent Review of Fiskars Loop Handle Bypass Pruner with Carabiner Clip by David Drake

Fiskars Loop Handle Bypass Pruner with Carabiner Clip, item: 9111

Purchased April 7, 2012, for $13.99

An inordinate item on its own; incorporated with my gear, this pruner has permanently become a significant part of my comprehensive backpacking inventory.

Clipped to my hip-belt tensioning strap, conveniently accessible, I’ve developed a routine of pruning overgrown flora from the trail as I hike. This may be especially relieving in the desert, my stumbling battle field, as the majority of overgrown flora has one desire, and that is to prick, prod, poke and otherwise substantially annoy me, throughout my day. These particular flora specimens happen to be the most common, amassed mundane of the bunch. I live in the desert by choice and love every bit of it. The flora here is indeed amazing and, much of it, I wouldn’t ever consider pruning. With that said, however, throughout the years, hiking the Sonoran desert, the local less-than-benevolent flora has provoked me more than I can tell you… I’m now fighting back, and have been since April 2012!

Here are the stats, in italics, straight from the manufacturer…

Description

Carabiner clip attaches to belt loop for easy access. Corrosion resistant, non-stick blade coating reduces friction to make cutting easier. Just like scissors, the lower loop handle provides the perfect balance of comfort and control. FiberComp® handle – reinforced fiberglass composite provides strength and durability while reducing weight. Right or left-handed use. 1.59 cm (5/8 in) cutting capacity.

Features

• Carabiner clip attaches to belt loop for easy access
• Loop handle design prevents slipping and protects fingers
• Sharp, precision-ground blade edge
• Fully hardened blade holds sharp edge longer
• Corrosion resistant, non-stick blade coating reduces friction to make cutting easier
• FiberComp® handle – reinforced fiberglass composite materials provide strength and durability
• Right or left-handed use
• Bypass blade – for clean cuts of green, living growth
• Easy-opening thumb lock
• Cutting capacity – 1.59 cm (5/8 in)
• Lifetime warranty

On average, I have returned home from a hike thoroughly pricked, prodded, poked and transpierced, and extensively transposed from the preened manner in which I began. I also have a tendency to trek off-trail, which translates to… I don’t stand a chance of returning home without donating some part of my anatomy (special mention: as a rule, I generally do not prune when off-trail. I search for an easier passage if possible).

Additional benefits of wielding a pruner include the excitement of knowing you’re performing a task that others behind you will most certainly appreciate. Fine human nature is a quality most of us already possess simply for our appreciation of the outdoors. Trail maintenance is generally painless and is synonymous with conduct becoming a fine humanist. Maintaining our trails is indeed a prodigious function and represents a great example for those following in our footsteps.

Unfortunately, this is a single-purpose device, all the same, a safety pruner. The lower functioning flange is edgeless and extrudes beyond the upper cutting blade to prevent injury. And, I find it tremendously easier to grab-n-prune with the pruner than to actuate a chance of injury using a knife. Although, of course, I would agree a knife could be employed, and for additional purposes, there exists a recognizable danger that can be carefully avoided by using this pruner.

The carabiner feature is fabulous for quick-draw pruning then returning home to my hip belt strap. I have, fortunately, been able to avoid and otherwise defend myself quite a bit from overgrown thorn flora that has, in the past, lacerated my clothing and clawed my gear. I find the pruner expressly necessary, as my gear gets lighter, for the simple fact that we’re appreciably backpacking these days equationally and, as our gear becomes more expensive, lighter, and thus more equitable, we need to consciously, increasingly, care for our investment.

For these reasons, if you’re backpacking and hiking in a region of the country that requires some simple trail maintenance, this pruner is an effective way to fundamentally maintain the trail and your equipment.

Bottom line, when the local flora is determined to bite, bite back!

I highly recommend this pruner!

Reach Your Summit!

If you’re interested in Fiskars Loop Handle Bypass Pruner, please visit Fiskars at…

http://www.fiskars.ca/Products/Yard-and-Garden/Pruners/Standard-Pivot/Loop-Handle-Bypass-Pruner-w-Carabiner-Clip

Note: I snapped a couple of photos, one with the pruner on my scale and another with the pruner hanging on my hip belt tensioning strap, where I keep it at all times. When I have the opportunity I’ll snap a photo of the pruner, in use, while I’m in the wilderness and edit my review with the new photos.

This is an independent review! I paid full retail price as a consumer. I am not at all affiliated with Fiskars or any associated entity.

First-Aid Kit Contents and Precautionary Measures One Should Consider Before Heading Out on the Trail…

First-Aid kit contents and Precautionary measures one should consider before heading out on the trail…

My lovely girlfriend informed me, to begin the discussion, she always carries an antihistamine as part of her first-aid kit because she’s allergic to bees and whatever else she may be allergic to. As a result, I may need to do this as well. Africanized bees, here in the South West, are particularly dangerous. They’ve flown over head in the thousands and I’ve escaped without injury many times before but others have not been so lucky. There only needs to be one single bee to begin the onslaught. Precautionary measures such as cleansing with natural products, clothes too, that do not contain perfumes begins the process of escaping this menace. Other precautionary measures may include having a rain coat handy to slip on quickly if you should be attacked.

Other over-the-counter items may include the usual… ibuprofen (aka vitamin I), aspirin, band-aids of various sizes, gauze, eye drops and eye patch, antibiotic ointment, a bandana that may be used as a tourniquet, a hemostat agent called… http://www.quikclot.com/QuikClot-Products/QuikClot®-Sport™.aspx, and some even carry a suture kit… all great items to consider for your kit. Of course, you’ll need to tailor your kit to your particular surroundings, environment, weather conditions, etc.

While thinking of the bees I’ve been thinking of additional dangers that exist in the desert…

Here, in southern, AZ, we have many Black Diamond Rattlesnakes, among other poisonous critters… my plan (more of a rule or decree)… once I’ve stepped over the third it’s time to head back home :)

We also have, in the Sonoran desert, the only venomous lizard found in the United States, the Gila Monster. My best suggestion is to view these beautiful lizards from a distance rather than resorting to the need for first-aid in an unfortunate encounter. You may find more information regarding Gila Monsters… http://wilddrake.com/2014/05/14/gila-monster-heloderma-suspectum/

Once, and only once, have I run into a Black Bear, within maybe 30′, and thankfully, the Bear ran the opposite direction of me. I have never seen an animal move so quickly. Within seconds she was literally a quarter mile away. As a result I sometimes, not always, carry Bear spray.

My Bear encounter…

Black Bear

I have also, many, many times, hiked into large herds of peccaries and they have always run the opposite direction. However, I spoke to someone several years ago whom, fortunately escaped without harm, was surrounded, and with her hiking poles, fought back keeping them at bay for over a half hour. Must have been peccary infants, which by the way are the cutest little things, about. In any case, now, when I run into them I always hop up onto the nearest, tallest rock I could find until they’ve dispersed.

Javelina

Javelina

These young Bucks followed me, quite close, along a stream bed in the Rincon mountain range after leaving camp, walking along with me, for at least a half mile. They could present a danger if one is not too careful…

Arizona Coues (pronounced “cows”) Deer

Yes, they were that close for over a half mile. Spectacular hiking companions!…

Arizona Coues Deer

Arizona Coues Deer

Catalina (yes, I’ve named her), the Mountain Lion, my most prized wildlife encounter…

Mountain Lion (that is the shadow of my head in the foreground).

This prepubescent Horned Toad lizard presented the most danger…

Horned Toad Lizard

“That’s it, as soon as you put me down I’m going to…”

He’ll eventually look like this…

Horned Toad Lizard

And, Mort, the keeper of the mountain…

Mort

Thus, there are many potential dangers (I like to think of them as friendly, fortuitous encounters) in the wilds and we need to take heed or call to their attention. Wildlife is no exception. Precautionary measures may include antihistamines and Bear spray among others, backing up slowly from a Mountain Lion is a good idea, that may be an asset as part of your first-aid/precautionary kit.

If you carry additional items that have not been discussed, please feel free to share your ideas… all are welcome and encouraged.

Reach Your Summit!

All photos copyright, WildDrake, and may be used only with permission.