The collection of publishers of bushwalking guide books in Australia is quite a narrow and select club. Historically, there’s folk like John Chapman or John & Lyn Daly who spread their net far and wide to cover a variety of different states and national parks. Sure, there are people renowned for a particular regions, like Ron Doughton’s Budawangs books, but in recent years, Woodslane Press … [Read more...]
How to choose Gaiters for Hiking & Outdoor Adventure
With summer racing towards us in Australia and the springtime sexual exploits of snakes making their presence known as they emerge from their winter snooze, it's a perfect time to talk about gaiters. In particular, how to choose the right pair of gaiters for hiking, bushwalking and general outdoors adventure. If you were to ask me if gaiters are an essential, a luxury or a paranoid … [Read more...]
Cheap Hiking Cooking Set & Stoves – A comparison
One of the best things about hiking, is that it costs nothing... sort of. Sure, putting one foot in front of the other on a bush track doesn't cost a thing, but the shoe and sock on our foot, the pack on our back and all the goodies inside can add up to a pretty penny. And if you're just starting out and building a kit from scratch, it doesn't take long to realise that nothing in life is … [Read more...]
1 simple thing that could save your life when hiking
Let’s get philosophical for a minute. Where are you going and how are you going to get there? It’s a foundational question for the bigger picture of our lives, but it’s also a critical foundation for our outdoors adventures as well. I know it sounds kind of basic, like hiking 101, and some of you might be forgiven for thinking that it’s something you can skip or don’t need to worry about … [Read more...]
Best Apps for Australian Hiking
With smartphone technology being as it is, by taking our mobiles out into the bush, we have the ability to take a whole range of helpful resources to add to our experiences in the wild*. I recently found myself sorting through and tidying up my apps and realised I needed a whole folder just for hiking apps. There are some I use more than others, but here's my collection of best apps for Australian … [Read more...]
Beer in the Bush
Roadtest: Pat's Backcountry Beverages How many times have you finished a tough day's hiking (or bushwalking!), pitched your tent, put the billy on and thought... 'Geez, I wish I had a cold beer.'? If only I could brew a beer in the bush or that fairly normal looking Blue Gum suddenly became the Magic Faraway Tree and Enid Blytoned me a nice, cold Little Creatures or 4 Pines... or two. Well, … [Read more...]
Rab Women’s Neo Rain Jacket Review
When I got approached by Cotswold Outdoor last year to do a gear review for them I was a bit curious, because as an Aussie, I was wondering why they'd want me to take a look at a product from the UK. https://youtu.be/-JFu6zcQm0Y Well, as everyone knows, the old Interweb and FaceTube not only makes the world a very small place, but opens up our eyes and wallets to markets and products that we … [Read more...]
Macpac Sololight Tent Gear Review
I can vividly remember the first meeting I had with the boss of Macpac as I signed on to become one of their brand ambassadors. As I casually dropped into the conversation that, 'not all of my gear is Macpac', he quickly responded with, "Why not?" https://youtu.be/PX4IbvcVWHY That conversation was over 18 months ago now, but I still remember explaining to him that although their Microlight … [Read more...]
Australian Defence Force Ratpack MRE – Taste Test
A little while back, I did a product review on the Strive Foods 24hr Ration Pack and after reading it, a wonderful member of the Lotsafreshair community, aka 'Secret Squirrel', sent me an Australian Defence Force Ratpack MRE (type C) to also try out. This was an insight into a part of the world that I've never really had anything to do with - the military - well, except that one time I flew … [Read more...]
Yellowbrick Satellite Tracking Device Road Test
This is a sponsored Post. What does that mean? Essentially, select organisations can buy my time to test and share my opinion... but they can't buy my opinion! It's inevitable, when looking at safety devices for outdoor adventures to compare the various options available, of which there are several on the market. Personally, I've always carried a PLB (GME 406MHZ), but with the advances in … [Read more...]
5 Bits of Hiking Gear That Make Life Easier
Hiking Gear Tip# 5 - Lightweight Stowable Day Pack It's been a massive Easter/Anzac Day hiking period for me. Over the last 10 days, I've spent 7 in the great Aussie bush, firstly in Morton National Park and then Kanangra-Boyd National Park. After these (almost) back to back trips, I've come to appreciate a few key bits of hiking gear in my kit that I describe as my little … [Read more...]
Gear Review – Macpac Tasman 45
Manufacturer: Macpac Product: Macpac Tasman 45 Link: Macpac Product Info Empty Weight: 1.1kg (size 2) RRP: AUD$299 Test Packed Weight: 13kgs (incl 2 litres water) Test Date: 4-6 October 2013 Location: Ettrema Wilderness, Morton National Park, NSW, Australia Terrain: Everything! Firetrail, tracks, off-track scrub (light to extreme including Hakea and Banksia) rock … [Read more...]