Product review

Bikes, Commentary, Product review / 29.01.2016

Few things in life inspire enthusiasm like a bicycle. Even when you reach a certain age that sense of eager anticipation is hard to deny when you start making plans for pedal-powered excursions across town as part of a daily commute or over long distances in search of adventure. So when the folks at BeachBikes offered me the opportunity to try one of their wonderful cruisers I immediately jumped at the chance to take it for a spin. In the interests of full disclosure they gave me the new...

Book Review, Fly Fishing, Life Out Loud, Outdoor Recreation, Product review / 05.06.2014

I haven’t cast a fly rod in several years.  Back then I didn’t have much luck. That is to say I had plenty, all bad. Casting lines with my friend and master fisherman Craig Amacker on the Wisconsin River I spent more time untangling my hooks from low hanging branches than actually tempting trout. With all the best equipment and under the instruction of a talented angler I had to assume that any failure I experienced that day was all due to my own lack of skill and expertise. Fishing was...

Product review / 01.09.2010

This pre-edit new gear round up by James Edward Mills was originally posted in the B.O.S.S. Report

In an industry driven for so long by innovation it’s ironic to discover that as technology changes a great many things remain the same. Equipment meant to get people outdoors aims simply to provide comfort and security while hauling supplies, creating shelter, preparing food or bedding down for the night. Of course new products introduced at the 2010 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market offered many of the technical advances one typically expects from the world’s leading gear manufacturers. But a recurring theme throughout most presentations included an apparent desire to return to the core values behind the creation backpacks, tents, cooking supplies and sleeping bags. The latest outdoor gear is getting back to the basics. [caption id="attachment_3749" align="alignleft" width="258" caption="The Jansport Versteeg"][/caption]
Product review / 20.11.2009

With five navigable lakes Madison is a perfect city for paddling. Before the ice settles in for the long winter, canoes and kayaks dot the waters on either side of the Isthmus right off the Capital Square. But lately there have been sightings of an adventurous few who have taken their paddling on to local bike paths and sidewalks. Riding skateboards instead of boats they’re trucking down the road using the Big Stick land paddle from Kahuna Creations.