Trekking Pole or no trekking pole?

Trekking poles are coming popular with hikers all over the world. Not only are they offer stability and shock absorbent, they also have many second uses that come in handy once you get into camp. I am going to tell you what i have experienced with different brands of trekking poles and how they held up under the extreme conditions of they Yukon's Coast mountains.

Swiss Gear
           Swiss gear has one of the most inexpensive trekking poles on the market. They hold up good in grassy Teriann but once you get up high where there are boulders and smaller rocks  they have a tendency of getting stuck, and this means bending and crippling the pole. This then makes if an inconvenience to carry around because it will no longer fold in on it self. They had a nice strong grip but the support straps were not built for long expeditions. If you are looking for a nice affordable trekking pole that you can use on day packs into the woods then this is for you.

• Durability     (D)    broke within a week of continuous use in the mountains.
• Affordability (A+)  is the cheapest trekking pole on the market and a bang for the buck, if you don't need a pole for rigorous use.
• Pack ability  (C)   Isn't the lightest weight trekking pole on the market but for the price its worth the extra weight. If comes with end covers so the sharp gripers on the end of the poles do not pierce you backpack.
• Dependability (D) do to the tendency this product had to break i didn't find that i could depend on it when i needed it the most.
• Tough Gear Grade (C)

 Black Diamond          
               Black Diamond offers a numerous amount of styles for what ever kind of outdoor adventuring you are into! Hiking, mountaineering, ext. These are the top of the line products on the market. They are more expensive but you will be getting your moneys worth. They are tough and dependable. You can throw your weight on them, catch your self falling, use them as posts for your wind tarp, over and over again and they will keep on proforming like their brand new.  If you are the person who is going on a long trek in the mountains in which you need a reliable trekking pole that will be worth its weight in gold then these are for you. 

• Durability (A+) I put my full weight on the poles multiple times when i was descending a 7000 ft peak and they preformed flawless. Used as wind tarp poles, and first hand used them to cross a river. After a months use they held up to extreme physical and environmental conditions.
• Affordability (B) They are more expensive than the cheaper brands but you also get what you pay for.
• Pack ability (A) Were very convenient and folded up to a size that could easily fit right into the side of your pack or on a strap in the back.
• Dependability (A+) I found that i didn't hesitate to put weight on these poles even under risky circumstances. I could always count on them standing strong when i needed them and not once over a two week period even after rigorous use did they fail me.

   Tough Gear Grade (A)

                  Contemplating on buying a pair of trekking poles?
       If you are thinking about buying a pair of trekking poles i suggest that you write down a list of things that you want to get out of them. Also think about what you are going to need them for. Do you want affordable or durable? Are you going to use them on a small hike in the hills or be using them consistently for a long period of time under stressful conditions? You can look on the web at reviews and find good deals on eBay. They make a really nice addition to the equipment pile and come in handy when your least expecting it. But remember its your body and your trip. Buy them for you and get what you need to be comfortable.Some times spending a little extra in the front country will save your life in the back country.  So i hope this will help any one and let me know if you have any other brands that you have personal experience with. Thanks                                          

                                            
                                                                                              

Jet Boil Is it worth the money?

The Jet Boil is an excellent way to get hot water fast and with little hassle. It is only $99.99 and available from most equipment companies and gear shops. With my personal experience I have found that when on the river or up in the mountains the Jet Boil holds up good and performs each time with the same productive out put. It can make a boil in as little as 2 minutes. Now that you have heard my take i want to dissect the workings and tell you what i experienced with the Jet Boil in the Back country for a month. One of my friends who was on the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) trip with me had one of these and it made for a quick hot meal during the worst of weather!

Endurance....Holds up good in sandy and dirty conditions and is extremely easy to clean.
Convince factor..... It all collapses into itself and does not take up very much space in the backpack and is extremely light weight. The fuel is enclosed in cans so you don't have to worry about a leak in your pack.
Affordability.... It is priced competitively and is extremely efficient when it comes to using fuel can get a lot of boils out of one can and a consistent 90 minutes. But i have found that at higher altitude and colder temps it does consume more fuel so be expecting that.

Pros... Light weight, compact, efficient, fast clean-up, fast boil, electric start, great for freeze dried meals!!

Cons.... If you are still looking at buying a stove to cook meals on the jet boil might not be for you. It does an extremely well job at boiling water but may only be that extra item in your backpack that adds weight if you are going to end up buying a stove. If you are like me and enjoys freeze dried food that you can add water and eat it is a priceless addition to your gear.

If you are in the market for a fast, fuel efficient, power house that can have your water ready in a flash for a hot drink, meal in the back country or when ever you are on the go this is for you.

Jet boil does however offer a new cooking system that is quick and efficient. Its called the Helios Guide! The also have a 1.5 liter one for smaller groups. Have not used this one yet but if you give it a try let me know how it works out.
Here's a link to the product!
http://shop.jetboil.com/index.php/helios-guide.html
 P.S. Just remember not to add your co-co powder to the water until it is done boiling or it will explode my buddy found this out the hard way but no one got burned thankfully.


I would like to here what anyone has to say about the Jet Boil thanks

Tough Gear Rating of an A-

Here is a link to the Jet boil website
http://www.jetboil.com/

Mountian Equipment Co-Op Sleeping Pad

The Sleeping pad made by Mountain Equipment Co-op is a nice affordable inflatable sleeping pad. It is comfortable and is light weight. The only down fall is the air nozzle! After 30 days in the rugged Yukon mountains the nozzle jams and is really hard to open and close.

There are more inflatable sleeping pads on the market but also a thing to consider is just a foam pad that you can roll up. These are cheap but will not have the packability that the inflatables offer. If you do go with a foam pad then you should bring a protective sleive to protect it in brush and while bushwacking.