Category Archives: Equipment Reviews

Review: Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro Studded Winter Touring Tyres

On Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 in Equipment Reviews

At the end of January 2011 I took myself and my bicycle to Oslo, Norway. My plan was to ride 1,600km north through Eastern Norway and Swedish Lapland before popping out of the mountains at Bødo in Arctic Norway. It was a fantastic trip, and it’s almost that time of year again. This is a […]

Review: Exped DownMat 7 Pump Camping Mattress

On Monday, July 18th, 2011 in Equipment Reviews

I’ve long used the DownMat 7 mattress by Swiss company Exped. DownMats are a serious alternative to the established Therm-a-Rest, and are designed with cold-weather use in mind: the name comes from the fact that the mats have a down filling in addition to the air padding. I’ve used two DownMats since 2007, most recently […]

10+1 Adventure Gadgets I'd Buy Tomorrow (If I Could Afford It)

On Thursday, May 26th, 2011 in Equipment Reviews, General

This post is just for fun. I’m constantly overawed by what’s possible with gear on the market today (and by what might be possible tomorrow). At the same time, I hate gimmickry — gadgetry’s ability to suck time, energy and resources out of reality and into digital oblivion. Especially in adventure, there’s so much value […]

The Best Camping Stove You'll Never Buy

On Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 in Equipment Reviews, Practical Advice

Jetboil? Trangia? Primus? I laugh in your faces! The lightest, cleverest and most practical camping stove I’ve ever seen can be made by hand from a single empty drinks can.

Extrawheel Voyager Single-wheel Bike Trailer Review

On Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 in Equipment Reviews

Extrawheel’s original Classic model, with its cargo nets and canoeists’ drybags, is no longer in production. Why? Because Extrawheel, after a lot of prototype-testing and feedback by myself and other intrepid riders, have hit upon something that’s even simpler, lighter and more practical: the Voyager.