Monthly Archives: March 2012

Atlas 1025 Snowshoes

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Got these back in November 2011…Finally got a chance to test them out.

The size of these snowshoes is fantastic – nice and compact without sacrificing performace. Relatively easy to pack, lightweight, and as far as I can tell, quite robust. The 1025’s also feature a system that make them extremely simple to put on, cinch tight, and remove – all while wearing winter mitts/gloves.

While trekking I found these snowshoes to be very comfortable and worked well in different depths and textures of snow. The All-Trac™ Toe Crampon really does help with traction and the dexterity and control on uneven terrain is awesome. The Heel Lift Bar is a great feature and is a tremendous help when moving uphill. Running with these snowshoes actually wasn’t too bad at all…pleasantly surprised – great general purpose snowshoes. One thing I did notice: Every now and then, this model has a tendency to kick up snow behind you (so wear the right type of water-repellent gear).

In a survival situation, hold the snowshoe like a shovel and the end portion of these snowshoes can be used as an improvised snow tool with which to help construct a snow shelter. Flipping up the Heel Lift Bar really helps with upward shovelling.

Overall I’m very pleased with these snowshoes. Although the 1025’s can easily accommodate a wide range of winter footwear, I find the Bogs® Classic Mid boot work very well with these snowshoes as they are a very clean boot with nothing to snag or get tangled up.

If you are in the market for quality all around snowshoes, consider the Atlas 1025.

Cost: Around CDN $190

www.atlassnowshoe.com

From Atlas Snowshoe’s website:

“Atlas snowshoes are the choice of professional guides, elite athletes, the US Military Special Operations Forces and wilderness expeditions.”

Discover winter in the mountains with the rugged, Atlas 10 Series and Spring-Loaded™ Suspension. When the terrain gets more demanding, the 10 Series delivers with a climbing bar to ease calf strain and SLS for classic Atlas maneuverability and articulation. The addition of the new Wrapp™ Swift binding blends technical fit with the comfort and ease of use provided by a positive toe locator, warm EVA padding, and straps that cinch and release like a breeze. The tempered steel All-Trac™ toe crampon and Traverse Trac™ rails add sidehill control and confident strides. With dedicated men’s geometry for the proprietary Atlas 6061 aluminum V-frame, you’ll feel content hiking all day long.

V-Frames
V-Frames
A proprietary Atlas shape, our sturdy aluminum V-Frames are the key to an efficient, natural stride. The V shape tracks straight in deep snow, and the tapered tail pulls less snow as you step forward, saving your energy. The turned-up tail of the V-frame rolls easily into each step for a natural gait. Built with lightweight, durable 6000- and 7000-series aluminum, the V-frames are used on all Atlas snowshoes, including our new Youth Series.
Spring-Loaded™ Suspension
Spring-Loaded™ Suspension
An Atlas tenet from the beginning, Atlas’ patented Spring-Loaded™ Suspension (SLS) keeps the snowshoe close underfoot for easy maneuvering and suspends your foot so it can move freely with its intended articulation. The suspension absorbs impact and lets your foot flex naturally side-to-side for a comfortable, stable position on traverses and uneven terrain. SLS enhances traction control too, as the flex provides deeper crampon penetration into the slope, especially on steep or off-angle terrain.
Heel Lift Bar
Heel Lift Bar
On steep climbs, calf muscles tire quickly and traction decreases when your foot matches the slope angle. The heel lift bar eases fatigue and ties directly into Advanced Aft Traction for grip.
Nytex Decking
Nytex Decking
Flexible Nytex decking is forgiving and quiet when hiking in the cold, providing durability without the weight.
All-Trac™ Toe Crampon
All-Trac™ Toe Crampon
The time-tested geometry of our All-Trac™ toe crampon provides traction in all directions. Wider traction tabs on the sides and corners complement sharp front and rear points for confident hiking.
Traverse Trac™ Rails
Traverse Trac™ Rails
The sharp ridges of our side rails augment the downhill function of the heel cleat, running parallel to the snowshoe frame for solid footing, even on firm sidehill terrain.
Wrapp™ Swift Binding
Wrapp™ Swift Binding
Built on the renowned fit and arch support of the Wrapp™ platform, the Wrapp™ Swift binding blends technical fit with great comfort and ease of use from the positive toe locator, warm EVA padding, and straps that cinch and release like a breeze.

Raw or Cooked…

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In a survival situation it is essential not only to conserve calories, but to replace them efficiently (not eating something that requires your body to use more resources than it will get back) and recognize the importance of maximizing nutrients.

In many cases, it likely makes more sense to consume a food raw, as cooking often reduces the nutritional value of a food. Some foods however, must be cooked in order to be safely consumed.

Examples: Bird species and eels.

 

Patagonia Better Sweater Jacket

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Bought the Patagonia Better Sweater™ last November and I’ve been wearing it pretty much every day since – I absolutely love it. Very cozy, simple and functional. No unnecessary pockets or accessories. Well made and works great as a mid-layer.

In a survival situation, shelter and protection from the elements is critical. Don’t forget that your clothing is your primary shelter and clothing should therefore be well thought out.

Shelters are effectively micro-climates which allow us not only to survive, but to live and settle in environments that would otherwise be quite inhospitable. Proper clothing is what allows us to leave our shelters (homes, buildings, vehicles etc.) and move around. Therefore it is essential to think of our clothing as a shelter… After all, our clothing does in fact protect us from the sun, wind, rain, snow etc…

From Patagonia’s website:

Product Information
Central California’s dedicated surf community is very rarely afforded the luxury of conducting dawn-patrol surf checks in shorts and a T-shirt. We created the Better Sweater™ Jacket for just those mornings. It’s made of polyester fleece that has a sweater-knit face and a fleece interior for warmth, cozy zippered pockets to keep your fingers toasty, a stand-up collar with a zipper garage so your neck stays comfortable and soft microfleece trim at the collar, cuffs and hem.

Details

  • Fabric has a sweater-knit face, fleece interior and heathered yarns
  • Full-zip jacket with zip-through, stand-up collar and zipper garage
  • Raglan sleeves for pack-wearing comfort
  • Two zippered handwarmer pockets
  • Micropolyester jersey trim on cuffs, hem and back of neck
  • Can be worn with layers as outerwear or as a midlayer under a shell
  • Hip length
  • 9.5-oz 100% polyester with a sweater-knit exterior and fleece interior
  • 464 g (16.4 oz)
  • Made in Thailand.

Cost: Around CDN $130

www.patagonia.com

Helly Hansen HH Dry Revolution Baselayer

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Bought two Helly Hansen Dry Revolution Long Sleeve Baselayers last week and tested one of them on a hike in North Vancouver, B.C.

Over the baselayer, I wore a Patagonia Better Sweater™ as a midlayer, and a North Face Venture jacket as a wind/rain shell.

After roughly 40 minutes into my ascent I was expecting my baselayer to be at least somewhat damp, but was surprised to find it basically dry to the touch.

On a cool day (which it was) the HH Dry Revolution is warm without being too warm – just enough to take away the chill. During the decent, I packed away my midlayer and was perfectly comfortable with only the baselayer and my shell.

The fit of this particular baselayer by Helly Hansen is “skintight” without feeling like you’re suffocating or being constricted. This is a good thing since your baselayer should be worn close to the skin so the fabric can properly capture perspiration and wick it away from you. The fabric is ultra soft, stretchy, and has no seams, so it’s very cozy.

Overall I am pretty happy with the HH Dry Revolution LS baselayer. It’s lightweight, packable, very comfortable, and effectively wicks away moisture.

In a survival situation, shelter and protection from the elements is critical. Don’t forget that your clothing is your primary shelter and clothing should therefore be well thought out.

Shelters are effectively micro-climates which allow us not only to survive, but to live and settle in environments that would otherwise be quite inhospitable. Proper clothing is what allows us to leave our shelters (homes, buildings, vehicles etc.) and move around. Therefore it is essential to think of our clothing as a shelter… After all, our clothing does in fact protect us from the sun, wind, rain, snow etc…

From Helly Hansen’s website:

HH DRY REVOLUTION LS

With long sleeves for warmth and all-over wicking power, this baselayer has everything you need for maximum comfort. The HH® Dry Revolution fabric is made from new Lifa® fibres that are even softer and more effective at drawing excess heat and sweat away from your skin, allowing you to maintain an optimum body temperature throughout your activities. It has a minimum of seams, sewn with flatlock stitching for a smooth look and feel, inside and out. Lifa® stripes add a splash of colour to the lower sleeves.

HH®Dry™ Your second skin and the heart of our effective 3-Layer System™. It is a moisture super highway creating a dry layer next to the skin, keeping you comfortable during highly aerobic activities in a wide range of conditions.

Cost: Around CDN $70

www.hellyhansen.com

 

Suunto A-30 Recreational Compass

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If you’re not a fan of the MCA sighting compass we previously reviewed, consider the A-30 Compass from Suunto. The A-30 is very affordable and offers exceptional value. Although it’s labeled a “recreational compass” it could quite easily be the only compass you’ll ever need (unless you’re traveling in a hemisphere it’s not calibrated for).

This particular model features a luminescent bezel and directional arrow, which helps not only with functionality at night, but also with general visibility of the compass itself in low light conditions. The A-30 also features a magnified glass, which can be used to start fires by concentrating sunlight. Though the MCA has a sighting mirror which can be used as a heliograph in a survival situation, it doesn’t have a magnified glass or luminescent properties for nighttime visibility.

It can certainly be argued that the luminescent features of the A-30 are frivolous as most people don’t tend to wander around at night with a map and compass (if you do, please pack a head-lamp and/or flashlight). Nonetheless, the bright yellow glow helps your compass stick out in the dark, reducing the chances of it getting lost, stepped on, damaged etc.

Like the MCA, the bezel is easy to grip and turn, but not so loose that it will turn on its own. The design of the A-30 is a very simple yet highly functional which will serve most of your navigational needs quite sufficiently without breaking the bank.

As with the MCA sighting compass, the red string that the A-30 came with was too small to serve as a proper lanyard. Instead, swap it for some Mil-spec 550 Paracord.

If you’re looking for a simple, functional, affordable and reliable compass – consider the A30 Recreational Compass from SUUNTO.

Extremely Lightweight and Thin

Sufficiently Durable

Simple and Easy to Read

Luminescent Bezel

Magnified Glass

Very affordable

——————

Made in Finland

Cost: Around CDN $20

www.suunto.com

2012 Spring Wilderness Survival Course

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Saturday April 14th, 2012

10:00 am to 5:30 pm

Course Description

Increase your survival knowledge and confidence whilst exploring the natural world by attending the 2012 Spring Wilderness Survival & Bushcraft Course hosted by Trail Dreams and instructed by Maple Leaf Survival.

This indoor/outdoor clinic will give you an opportunity to learn basic survival concepts and techniques, which are essential to being prepared while enjoying the great outdoors.

The course will cover the following topics:

1. Shelter

2. Water

3. Fire

4. Food

A. Knife Skills*

B. Primitive Navigation

C. Essential Kit

 

Course Fee Includes:

Cost: $75/person (Lunch and Snacks included) Minimum age requirement 12 years old. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Participants will receive a voucher for 20% off Trail Dream purchases.

Participants will receive a code for 10% off BushcraftCanada.com purchases.

Course equipment supplied by BushcraftCanada.com

 

Course Location and Contact Details:

Trail Dreams Clothing & Gear

(204) 415-1892 12-1500 Dakota Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba

R2N 3Y7 Canada

www.trail-dreams.ca

 

Edible Plant Tip:

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Plant identification is a daunting proposition. If you plan on integrating plant identification into your arsenal of survival knowledge but want to keep things simple, try using the following philosophy:

Learn a few basic, easy to identify, edible plants, which are abundant to the area in question, learn them well…and forget everything else. If you only know poisonous plants – you won’t eat.