PaddlingLight

I recently saw a lightweight gear manufacturer offer an ultralight titanium pen with two refills for $20. It’s actually kind of cool, but I have a lightweight pen hack that weighs about the same and costs about $1. If you’re into fancy pens, you’d probably like the one that I saw, but if you like functional things that cost very little, then my hack is for you. I’ve been using this hack for decades. The hack is simple. You get yourself a G2 Pen Refill pack and use one of the refills. Then where you normally hold a pen, you add a tab of tape.

Today, BioLite launched the Range models of headlamps. I was lucky enough to receive a BioLite Range 400 before the launch to review. It’s one of the more exciting headlamps that I’ve been looking forward to reviewing this year, because it offers a new feature that I haven’t seen on a headlamp before: a dimmable light. What Is It? The BioLite Range 400 headlamp is a lightweight headlamp with a dimmable white spot light and red light mode. It features USB-C rapid charging that provides one hour... Читать дальше...

This summer, my 10yo took a wilderness skills class offered by the Friends of the Boundary Waters and run locally in Grand Marais by Sarah Bransford, Friends’ Northern Education and Outreach Coordinator. At the beginning and end of the course, Bransford had the kids complete an exercise designed to help the students and the instructor identify how skilled students were in important outdoor wilderness skills. This exercise could be completed by anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors. The exercise... Читать дальше...

Nothing ruins a camping trip faster than discovering your down sleeping bag has lost all its insulation. This can happen after going through the wash. You wonder if something you did during the wash cycle or while hand washing that tore open a baffle wall, causing the down to migrate throughout the bag. The good news? Whether it needs warranty repair or a DIY fix, you have options. Plus, it might not have been something you did at all. It might be the way the bag is constructed. Before you dive into a potential fix... Читать дальше...

On June 23, 2025, the USDA announced plans to dismantle the 2001 Roadless Rule, stripping protections from 58.5 million acres of National Forest roadless areas and opening them to road building and logging. For nearly a quarter of a century, the Roadless Rule has protected these ecologically diverse areas from development and extraction, and over 75% of American support the Roadless Rule, but the current administration wants to rescind it to open up these areas to the lumber barons. Because I... Читать дальше...

I recently got a Zpacks Pivot Solo to review, and I’m excited. The Zpacks Pivot Solo is an ultralight, single-wall, solo tent that with poles, eight stakes, and stuff sacks weighs 1 pound 5.5 ounces (611 grams). It’s surprisingly roomy for this style of tent, and that may mean many nights of great sleeping without carrying an additional pound of weight that carrying a freestanding or semi-freestanding tent would bring. Get it here. What is the ZPacks Pivot Solo tent? This single-wall, solo, ultralight... Читать дальше...

Herein lies the saga of obtaining a Cumulus X-LITE 200 Sleeping Bag. It is a long and tangled tail of international commerce, and the saga will enthrall you with wonder. Back in days of yore, when scribed my 2025 paddling gear update, I penned that I wasn’t going to buy any new gear this year, but I was on the lookout for a 30°F sleeping bag without a hood. I kept my eyes open for a bag that would meet my criteria, and decided that at 30°F, I’d likely just bring my Sea to Summit 15°F Spark. That meant I was looking for a bag for the summer. Читать дальше...

I think I may have found my new favorite shorts for canoeing, and they are the KÜHL Silencr Kargo Shorts. Earlier this year, KÜHL sent over a pair for review, and I’ve been using them often since then. If you are looking for the gist of this review, it’s I like them and recommend them. I’m going to dive in below for more details. The Silencr Kargo Shorts are cargo short from KÜHL’s men’s shorts category. They offer a slim fit with low-profile pockets that appear hidden but extend across the entire front of the pants. Читать дальше...

The Twin Lakes Canoe Route in northern Minnesota offers a short canoe route outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness that provides a wilderness-like experience. No permit is required. The route features four portages, five campsites, and no permit is required.

Earlier this year, Wild Rye sent over a few pieces from their new "When Wet" Collection for review. The pieces included the Parker Action Dress, Sawyer Sunshirt, and a Camp Towel. While I'm writing this review, it was my wife that tested out the gear. The impressions section will be her thoughts.