FitnessTravelGear Blog

We've Moved

2011-05-19T21:49:00.001-07:00

Please visit our blog at www.fitnesstravelgear.blogspot.com.

Thanks for visiting. Check our main site for new reviews.

New This Week

2010-10-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

This week we added reviews of the Atle Stove & BBQ by Primus, the Kenosha Jacket by Sierra Designs, thermal beverage containers by Zojirushi and Thermos, and Uberlight dry sacks by Granite Gear.

Thanks for visiting. Check our site for new reviews.

Product Announcement from Magellan

2010-03-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

From Magellan:

MAGELLAN® LAUNCHES EXPLORIST® GC HANDHELD GPS DEVICE DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR GEOCACHING

Magellan Announces Exclusive Sponsorship of Geocaching.com’s 2010 Cache In Trash Out (CITO) Events

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (March 22, 2010) Magellan, a leading GPS brand, today announced the launch of the Magellan eXplorist GC, the first dedicated GPS device for geocaching that includes out-of-the-box paperless geocaching, pre-loaded with the most popular geocaches in the world, a brilliant color screen, rich graphics and an easy to use interface all packed into a rugged and waterproof device, that connects seamlessly to http://www.geocaching.com. The Magellan eXplorist GC will ship in April.

Geocaching is a high-tech version of a “treasure hunt,” where adventure seekers use GPS technology to hide and find physical objects, solve location-based puzzles, and share experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people of all ages and promotes a strong sense of community and support for the environment.

The Magellan eXplorist GC GPS receiver is made exclusively for geocaching with an intuitive interface and the ability to sort and search thousands of geocaches. The device has multiple fun and familiar graphics, such as smiley faces for logs and merit-based awards to show off your geocaching expertise.

“Magellan, a leader in GPS and navigation for more than 20 years, is pleased to introduce a dedicated GPS device for geocaching that exceeds the expectations of both novice and seasoned geocachers,” said Justin Doucette, Director, Outdoor Product Marketing for Magellan. “The Magellan eXplorist GC offers an amazing geocaching experience that includes a full end-to-end solution, from accessing geocaching.com to finding hidden treasures all around you to documenting your adventures and sharing with a growing user community of enthusiasts.”

Powered by two AA batteries, the device can provide up to 18 straight hours of outdoor adventure along with a highly-sensitive SiRFstarIII GPS chipset that provides 3-meter accuracy. Geocachers can easily mark finds and quickly add field notes. Additionally, the product comes pre-loaded with common outdoor GPS features such as waypoint creation, a worldwide basemap, active tracking and trip odometer.

The Magellan eXplorist GC GPS device will be introduced at an M.S.R.P. of $199.99. The unit will ship with a USB cable and 2 lithium disposable AA batteries. With the purchase of a Magellan eXplorist GC GPS device customers will receive a 30-day free premium membership to http://www.geocaching.com. Details and conditions of this offer are available at http://www.magellangps.com/exploristgc.

Magellan, the exclusive 2010 sponsor of Geocaching.com’s Cache In Trash Out (CITO), will host a CITO event in the San Francisco Bay Area in the month of April. CITO is an ongoing environmental initiative supported by the worldwide geocaching community, dedicated to cleaning up parks and other cache-friendly places around the world to help preserve the natural beauty of our outdoor resources. Details will be available soon at http://www.magellangps.com.

About MiTAC Digital Corporation
MiTAC Digital Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MiTAC International Corporation and promotes and sells products and services under the Magellan brand name. Magellan assists people to travel, work and play their way with leading portable navigation and positioning solutions across multiple consumer markets. Recognized as an industry innovator, the company is the producer of the award-winning Magellan RoadMate, and Maestro series portable car navigation systems, as well as the Magellan Triton outdoor handheld navigation devices. MiTAC Digital Corporation is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. For more information on Magellan, visit http://www.magellangps.com.

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Send A Kid to Camp

2010-03-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

Here's some news from Mountain Hardwear

There are just three weeks left to click & raise $40K in Mountain Hardwear’s Send a kid to Camp promotion

We are only half way to our goal.

Your click can help Send a Kid to Camp! For every click on the Send a Kid to Camp button at http://www.mountainhardwear.com/GivesBack, Mountain Hardwear will donate $1 towards this program up to a total of $40,000. Help us spread the word. Between now and April 15th, you and your friends can click to Send a Kid to Camp. Don't forget to return every day to click and show your support!

Our 10 partner camps for 2010:

Big City Mountaineers – Denver, Colorado
City Wild – Denver, Colorado
Girl Ventures – San Francisco, California
Kismet Rock Foundation - North Conway, New Hampshire
Outdoor Outreach - San Diego, California
Sierra Club Inner City Outings - San Jose, California
Sierra Club Inner City Outings - St. Louis, Missouri
SOS Outreach - Avon, Colorado
Summer Search - New York, New York
Youth Enrichment Strategies (YES) - Richmond, California

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Purple Passion

2009-02-22T01:08:00.001-08:00

Purple is the best color. It represents healing, it's magical, and it's just so groovy. This spring there's all sorts of cool street and trail gear in purple. In April, we'll be featuring some sweet titanium eyeglass frames from ProDesign. Buff Headwear, a company we've loved for a long time, now has some soothing purple patterned Buffs in their "originals" collection, Contourwear has a plum tunic top we love, Texture has purple knitmitts, Champion has sports bras and workout wear in various shades of purple, and this is just off the top of my head. Check out this purple gear, and write us and tell us about your favorite purple apparel for trail, gym, travel, or street.

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Wallaroo Hats

2009-02-05T16:09:00.000-08:00

Hello, I know many of you are still living winter...but some people either live on the other side of the globe or plan mid-winter getaways to exotic, sunny destinations. So, these lucky people need protection from the sun.

A reader contacted us, wanting to know where to purchase a Wallaroo hat she saw on tv. Well, we don't know which hat that was, but here are links to two online retailers, Luggage Online and Sierra Trading Post, who sell Wallaroo hats:

Luggage Online - For all your travel needs.

Save big on Sierra Trading Post clearance items!

If you still can't find the hat you want, try the manufacturer's site, www.wallaroohats.com

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How to Buy Snowshoes

2008-08-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

Learn How to Use Trekking Poles

2008-08-03T01:11:00.001-07:00

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Learn Orienteering Basics

2008-07-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is a very charming demonstration of orienteering made my a young boy in Britain. Complete with U2 music during the end credits....check it out.

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Travel Essay Contest

2008-07-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

Are you a green traveler? Do you have a favorite eco resort? What's your favorite hiking trail? Write an essay about your outdoor and travel experiences and win lots of nice prizes from fancy outdoor companies.

See details at: FitnessTravelGear.com

Deadline -- August 15th. subscribe to our feed

Blind Mountain Climber

2008-07-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

First, a blooper, next, a conversation about climbing Everest.....

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Step It Up

2008-07-13T23:56:00.001-07:00

This video has nothing to do with the outdoors, fitness, or travel, but it cracks me up.

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Postcards from California

2008-07-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

Check out these awesome hiking spots, then visit Best California Hikes for details.
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A New National Park

2008-07-13T23:47:00.001-07:00

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Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down

2008-07-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

A boy scout is always prepared. You should be, too. Watch this video and learn about 7 essential knots for outdoorsy folks. Then visit Animated Knots by Grog for all the uses of various knots.

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When Push Comes to Shove

2008-07-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

I worry a lot about what could happen to me while walking down the street, riding in a cab, wandering around in the woods, driving over bridges. So much could go wrong, and I haven't yet figured out how to respond to every possibility. It helps, of course, to consult The Worst Case Scenario Handbook, which I keep in my night table.

The authors have consulted the experts and have created step-by-step lists of how to survive a variety of dangers, such as piranhas, brush fires, tornadoes, muggers, quicksand, and my personal favorite - how to escape from the trunk of a car. Yea, the book's been around forever, but it's never a bad idea to refresh your memory on some essential survival skills.
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My Dogs are Barkin'

2008-07-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

After a long day, your feet deserve some lovin's. Try this soothing foot soak from The Little Foot Care Book to put the spring back in your step.

1. If your feet are swollen, first soak in cold, icy water for 20 minutes.
2. Refill the basin with warm water (as warm as you can handle, but not hot), then add 2-3 Tbsp of Dead Sea salt (or epsom salt), 1 drop of tea tree oil, 2 drops of lavender oil, and 2 drops of rosemary oil. Soak for 15-20 min.

(Best to use therapeutic grade essential oils. If you have any medical conditions, check with your doctor before using essential oils.)

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Sock it To Me, Baby

2008-07-13T02:13:00.000-07:00

If you don't want stinky feet, wear merino wool socks.

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Prevent a Blister, Mister

2008-07-13T00:27:00.000-07:00

You think a blister is not so bad .... until you're 5 miles down the trail. Watch this blister prevention vid from Backpacker Mag to learn basic blister prevention strategies:

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Survive A Grizzly Attack

2008-07-13T00:23:00.000-07:00

When hiking and camping, you want to avoid bears, especially big bad grizzly bears.

Here's a good survival video I found on YouTube (looks like someone ripped it off from National Geographic):

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The Ten Essentials

2008-07-13T00:18:00.000-07:00

Play it safe. The Mountaineers recommends carrying the following ten essentials when you venture into the woods:

1. Navigation (map and compass)
2. Sun protection
3. Insulation (extra clothing)
4. Illumination (flashlight/headlamp)
5. First-aid supplies
6. Fire
7. Repair kit and tools
8. Nutrition (extra food)
9. Hydration (extra water)
10. Emergency shelter

www.mountaineers.org

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How to Find the Right Hiking Boot

2008-07-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more important than finding the right hiking boot. Check out this instructional video from Backpacker Magazine.

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