Sierra Designs Gear – Palmetto T and Panama shirt

The Palmetto T tops were definitely soft and light. The light and breathable fabric was a relief while kayaking South Florida’s Great Calusa Blueway in mid 80 temps. Unlike the clinging from most poly-blend fabrics the Palmetto T did not stick to my body. The fabric was quick to dry after having experienced a couple of quick rolls. Can’t beat the natural and environmentally safe fabric… a definite plus. This is my kind of active wear for summer adventure.

I couldn’t believe the Panama shirt was lighter than the T… and breathable. We wore this while offshore fishing in Miami even during a few afternoon showers. Being active and in a rainstorm, you don’t want to compromise the adventure due to excessive perspiration. The breathable shirt drys quickly in the Miami heat and is woven with 40 + UPF and allows one to shorten the sleeves for added comfortability. Check out more of this gear at www.sierradesigns.com

Princeton Tec- Eos and APE Headlamps

We tested the Eos on a night safari and camping adventure at Big Cypress in Florida. Trying to catch a glimpse of a passing puma and other wild animals on the preserve at night was a bit easier with the long beam of light displaced by the Eos. The mosquitoes enjoyed the light as well. The Eos was very lightweight and had more than enough burn time… we could have probably done a dozen trips. The Eos is so light it appears to be more fragile than it really is.

The Apex was tested on one of my many surf-fishing trips to Assateague Island. The Apex comes equipped with some really cool lighting features from the single beam to the four light short-range mode. The modes are easy to access in the dark. But after hiking for a period of time to different destinations on the beach, the battery pack became a bit more weighty. The blinking function came in handy as I used it to rendezvous with a few more fishing buddies. Check out more on this gadget at www.princetontec.com

GoPro Digital Hero -3 Camera

Man you can put this camera anywhere! Mounting it to my head as a head cam while kayaking, the Hero-3 lived up to the name… adaptable, lightweight and sleek. True detail was placed into ergonomics and making this piece of equipment user friendly without taking too much time from the adventure to set up. Equipped with a waterproof housing, the Hero 3 was able to capture sufficient video for the site and was easy to assemble, mount and adjust. The Hero – 3 comes with accessories to mount to any outdoor equipment… kayaks, surf-boards, motorcycles. The only need… a display monitor for immediate playback and initial setup.

Osprey Packs- Talon 22 and 44

Aside from the cool designs and unique melding of the torso, these bags were very durable, flexible and well balanced for load control. Camping, hiking and surf fishing Assateague Island National Seashore was the perfect place for the Talon 44 and 22. The 44 multi-day pack was able to accommodate all the necessities for a weekend trip down the shore including tent, sleeping bag, and sufficient camping supplies. With their stretch woven nylon with Lycra, both packs could be stuffed beyond its anticipated capacity. I enjoyed the multi use stretch side and front pockets plus the accessible hydration compartment on the 44, well needed for the 10 plus mile hike. The airscape mesh on the back panel allowed ample ventilation and the side retention straps were perfect to hold two surf rods… gotta improvise. The 22 was able to carry moderate changes of clothes, a modest size sleeping bag and just enough pocket space to tote needed small camping necessities. Form fitted, the pack was extremely lightweight and made hiking almost a walk in the park.

All products were field tested by BOM staff.