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Having a baby has had some challenges for outdoorsy people like us. Usually, fall is when we kick it into high gear with backpacking and hiking. A standard week for us held at least three evening hikes, and usually a couple backpacking trips per month....
Obviously, with a 4 month old, you can't operate on that sort of schedule. Naps, feeding, overstimulation, etc.... the list goes on, and nobody likes an unhappy baby; even if she is gorgeous. This has forced us to get creative in our outdoor endeavors, which has led to discovering some new (at least to us) areas to hike in! If you haven't heard of Xero Shoes by this point, we aren't quite sure where you've been. They shook up the sandal game with the huarache style barefoot sandals. Next they introduced they Z Trek sandals which took on styles like Chaco and Teva (and quite well I might add).
They've gone the next step (pun intended!) and added a closed toe casual kick to their lineup... Bob's Adventure Blog seems to get lots of hammocks to review. And truthfully we love it! We've had a better nights rest in a hammock than we've (almost) had in any tent! Hammocks are versatile, lightweight, and fun.
Most hammocks are quite similar... fairly lightweight, two piece design, some sort of daisy chain hanging system... the list goes on! If you look on Amazon these days, you can find every kind of hammock... single, double, triple, camping, backpacking, nylon, ripstop, etc, etc... This makes it hard to stand out in the hammock world... For a long time, I've been using the Grand Trunk Nano 7 hammock in my backpack, and I love it! In steps Geaux Hammocks... A complete hammock system... 1.9oz Ripstop Nylon (a single piece too), double stuff sack, AND a cinch buckle hanging stystem! I've always had a love/hate relationship with Chacos. Being from Colorado, it's almost in my blood to love them, but they have traditionally been stiff and have caused insane blisters...
I've had a few pairs and probably would still have my first ones had I not been frustrated with their overall comfort and tried other sandals. For some reason I kept coming back to Chaco... Their durability is unmatched and as a company, they strive to be much more eco-conscious than most other footwear companies, which means a lot in today's disposable world. Let's be honest... nobody gets too excited when talking about laundry detergent... as long as it smells good, and cleans my clothes I'm pretty happy. Oh, and it can't cost a fortune...
The problem comes in when I wash my quick dry shirt or other backpacking gear that gets stinky or sweaty and while it comes out "mostly" clean, there is always some sort of strange ghost odor lingering... UPDATE: About a week after this review was posted, this headlamp bit the dust. It ate through batteries in less than a day... I tried to troubleshoot the headlamp some, but to no avail.... I would have to say that for long term use, save your cash and look some other brands. We aren't the only ones who've had this problem either. I guess the adage that "you get what you pay for" rings true!
Headlamps are probably one of the most under rated pieces of equipment that a person can carry while backpacking or hiking. Whether you are night hiking, spelunking, or just lost a headlamp can really save you in a lot of ways. Today we take a look at the Foxelli 165L Lightweight Headlamp. Here are some of the specs from their website: |