Gear
The Greenjackets are Coming!
The river team here at Costa Rica Outward Bound recently took delivery of several shiny new Greenjackets from Astral Buoyancy. These versatile rescue jackets are made to work and offer a phenomenal array of features that any serious boater needs to have.
Danny training the Park Rangers on whitewater theory
Some of the features we like the most include the incredible range of motion and the plethora of options that are great for stowing gear, attaching tow lines/rappelling, and generally getting the job done well. Needless to say, we are extremely excited to get these versatile jackets to work on our courses and especially on the river!
Astral recently put out an awesome video explaining the features, take a look!
The MHM Pack Takes in the Sights
Since taking delivery of the MHM pack, the most difficult issue we have been dealing with is keeping everyone calm until it is their turn to use it. This was certainly the case for Communications Director Jeff, who was immediatly off to do some backpacking in Nicaragua once it was his turn in the rotation.
First off for Jeff was some beach time Chinandega. After visiting some friends of his, he made his way down to Granada for some colonial-esque city action. Following an experience remincent of the 1800′s, Jeff ’the jeffe’ hopped on a boat and made his way to the famed Ometepe Island, in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. There, Jeff took part in a wide variety of outdoor activities, before returning back to base in Costa Rica.
A shot of Volcan Concepcion from the boat to Ometepe
The Bag
The bag was actually used by Jeff’s traveling companion Violet, who utilized the bag in a variety of ways not in the initial design. Due to the hostel and couch surfing nature of the excursion, there was no need for a sleeping bag. This allowed for the lower integrated stuff sack to be easily used for a whopping 7 pairs of shoes, truly an amazing statistic. The rest of the bag performed well, especially with the easy access panels which made it particularly easy to access the entire bags contents at any moment. Equally at home in pure outdoor scenarios, this bag has also proven itself incredibly capable in the more relaxed ‘backpackers’ use seen here.
MHM also recently launched an awesome kickstarter campaign, allowing for deep discounts on their new packs.
Stay tuned for more in our continuing review!
Costa Rica OB Takes Delivery of MHM Pack
Gear is certainly on our minds, as almost any task we work to accomplish involves it. Always on the lookout for the best tools, staff and students alike are often constantly on the hunt for the best tools we can find. Once such tool we have been looking at with great interest is the product line from MHM based out of Colorado. Their bags have been pushing the limit of high quality for their entire tenure in the gear community, offering a no compromise mentality in all of their packs. Needless to say, this mentality of the best materials and the best construction has led to some amazing products, which we are now the proud owners of!
We will be running our long-term gear test of the brand’s new and rather shiny fifty-two 80 pack. This extremely versatile pack boasts a host of awesome features including a unique front and top loading system, convenient water bladder sleeve, built in stuff sack as well as a multitude of other features.
The pack ready to go, complete with obligatory machete
We have already had some hikes under the belt, and the reports from the field are very positive. Instructors Danny and Diego recently hiked out with some of the Cost Rican Park Rangers, helping out with training and education initiatives. Although only a four day hike, the pack proved itself well, particularly with its extremely comfortable suspension system built into the harness system (which is also very comfortable and adjustable). Another a great feature is how the main body of the bag is made from Cordura, which is super tough and makes the entire pack durable and resistant to the often harsh tropical environment.
Stay tuned for more reviews and info about the pack, which will be taken on course this summer by a variety of Outward Bound staff (and probably on some non-course trips too).
Danny takes a moment to ponder some deep thoughts
Gear, Gear and more Gear
Being in both the outdoor industry and having an internet connection often leads many in the marketing and programming offices to salivate over the newest and coolest outdoor gear. Today’s post is thus aimed at sharing some of the cool new toys that we are thinking can make our time here more enjoyable, as well as potentially be helpful for our students while on course. Lets get to it!
Backpacking is something we here at Costa Rica Outward Bound know and love. Whether it be a weekend excursion or day trips from the base, short trips require a smaller and more economical bag. It’s for this reason that many have been ogling the Salute from MHM gear.
Already a winner of the 2011 Gear Junkie Best In Show award, this versatile pack boasts 34 liters of storage, top and front loading systems, as well as a unique “s” style front zipper which allows the user to have unparalleled access to the internals. With the solid capacity, awesome accessibility options, as well as a multitude of technologies for sustained comfort, this pack is truly at the forefront of many outdoor related dreams.
Life on the base in San Ramon de Tres Rios is surrounded by nature. Beautiful trails and amazing views greet all those who come, particularly those who enjoy hiking up the ridge line and exploring the pristine trails of the local reserve. Many staff and students enjoy the opportunity to go for a morning run when they can, and are always looking for ways to speed up their best time.
The Brooks PureGrit trail is a minimalist trail running shoes, and probably the most comfortable running shoes that some of our staff have ever worn. Even though they are minimalist, they provide enough protection to run rocky trails and still feel comfortable.
Taking the action home with you is sometimes as enjoyable as the experience itself. However with the slew of camera and video options out on the market, it’s hard to know which one to go with. Some folks here have been eyeing the offerings from Contour, which boast a very durable camera capable of surviving a number of horrific acts. Compact and waterproof down to one meter means this camera can take on everything from hikes to rivers and most likely much more.
In all, a hearty list of needs (but really wants) here. Hopefully as the year continues, the first coming of some kind of outdoor Santa Claus will make life even more enjoyable for all!
The Gear Test Continues!
The continuing gear test of our new North Tek Gear tents continues with a 3-day trip to the Rio General. Testing the tents abilities in a hot and sandy environment, the staff were excited to see how the tents would perform.
Night 1
Our first evening on the river side was a campsite mostly covered in tallish grass with a good amount of moisture on the ground. Easy tent set up was the name of the game with the painfully easy 2 pole system (and a third for stabilization). After set up the focus became food and camp site banter, but after this integral part of camping, it was all about sleeping.
One of the most enjoyable luxuries while camping certainly has to be being dry, which is certainly the strong suit of the North Tek Orion. With the robust rain shell system, everyone was dry and happy during a typical rainy Costa Rican evening. An enclosed structure also meant a little pre-sleep reading was more than possible without every bug on the riverside trying to land on your face/headlamp/illuminated reading material. The only negative to the evening was a toasty sleeping situation. This can be clearly attributed to having the robust rain shell and the door/vent being sealed up tight as it was raining (for the record, I prefer toasty more than wet).
Night 2
The second evening on the river was a campsite of more traditional beach characteristics. Setting up on the shore facing the river proved a very nice setting, complete with bonfires and all. After the requisite dining and camp fire, resigning to the tent was a welcome comfort. With no rain initially experienced, the tent’s rain shell around the entrance was left open to allow a nice breeze to enter the Orion. Additionally, the handy suspending gear net made stowing books/easy to reach items a breeze (no pun intended). With a cool evening in tow, sleep was inevitable after a hard day of paddling/falling out of the boat. After the rain started in the middle of the night, the tent was sealed up and the coveted dry sleeping situation continued straight through to the morning, where packing up and stowing of the tent was as easy as setting it up.
In all, a fantastic performance with two comfortable nights in tow!
Tents ahoy!
We will continue to update on the tent, and how it performs in the harsh reality that often is camping in Costa Rica, stay tuned!
Tent Update!
Our second installment of the North Tek Gear review is here! The group just returned from Nicaragua and had a lot of great things to say. Let’s break them out here;
Positives: The tent was very dry, even with the rainy season being in full swing. This is a good result of the rain shell being so robust. The extra rain coverage did not make the tent overly hot, with good ventilation throughout. The set up was breeze, with only two main support poles. The tent was used by two of our instructors as well as a week’s worth of equipment, which still yielded a spacious and comfortable interior. The mesh netting in the tent was great for storing extra gear, and proved a perfect spot for lights and loose articles.
Suggestions: The instructors felt that the tent might be improved with a more durable fabric for the base of the tent.
Overall feedback was resoundingly great, which is great because these tents are going to get put through some very serious tests! Stay tuned for more as our new tents experience life in Costa Rica.
Nicaraguan tent action
New Gear for Costa Rica Outward Bound!
Having good equipment is an important part of having a good time in the outdoors. Nobody wants to have a trip ruined by malfunctioning or poorly designed gear. At Costa Rica Outward Bound we are always on the hunt for tools that work well in the often extreme environment of the tropics, while also handling the abuse caused by our rigorous course schedule.
Fortunately for us, we have been afforded the opportunity to field test and use some brand new, shiny tents from North Tek Gear! This start-up outdoor gear company based out of Ohio has generously donated six 3-man Orion tents to Costa Rica Outward Bound. We sent some to Nicaragua with our Tri-Country Semester students and will report back with their feedback.
But, patience isn’t always our strong suit. The base staff couldn’t bear to leave these new additions to the Costa Rica Outward Bound arsenal in their stuff sacks! So, we set one up. Our initial thoughts:
Set-Up
The Orion is a rather unique tent in that it does not have a traditional rainfly. The two main support poles run through the fly (rather than the tent body), with the main tent body suspended within by a system of small bungee cords. The Orion’s clever design allows you to disconnect the main tent body and set up just the rainfly as a kind of canopy-shelter with a floor (similar to a footprint setup that most tents sell separately)– lending tons of ventilation here in the damp but warm climate of Costa Rica. Though, the tent itself has a solid ventilation system at the top and in the corners. The other advantage of this suspension design is the additional space between the fly and the tent, meaning less rain will find its way inside. And, set up and break down is a breeze!
Storage
We love the healthy-sized vestibule for shoes or other gear needing a dry home (outside!). Inside, there is good storage space in corner pockets and mesh netting at the top – useful for placing a headlamp to brighten the interior.
Size/Weight
The single door and 2+ tent pole setup keep the weight low. And, the unit comes with a nice compression sack.
All in all, the staff here is eager to grab a pack and test Orion’s unique design features in one Costa Rica’s more remote locales! Over the coming months, we will be checking in with updates, adding to what will be a long-term review of North Tek’s Orion tent. Stay tuned for more about the Orion!
The Orion 3 man
The gap between the rainfly and tent can be seen here, as well as the great side vents
The good sized vestibule is perfect for stowing gear
We Recycle!
Costa Rica Outward Bound has a lot of awesome equipment that we use throughout the year. These tools of the trade include backpacks, tents, surfboards, rafts, kayaks and much more. You name it, we probably have it! The thing is our various types of gear often have hard lives and eventually find themselves no longer in use. However operations manager Sam Schlesinger and some other OB staff got a little bit tired of our equipment being so lazy and decided to put them back to work.
Surf boards are a great thing, especially in the water. But what to do with them when they no longer serve their water-oriented purposes? Well, turning them into a couple of nice benches seems like a good idea to us!
Surf board chairs for all!
Kayaks are also great in the water. But what happens when the whole floating thing doesn’t work out so well? Did somebody say new tables for everyone??
Best work space ever!
Que lindo!
Base transportation for all!
Geeking Out on Gear
As some might already be aware, Outdoor Retailer recently hosted its 2011 Summer Market event featuring sneak peeks of some of the best outdoor gear in the industry, open air demos and over 1,000 retailers in attendance. There are a couple of us here at Costa Rica Outward Bound that can get rather excited for this type of event, and by a rather excited we mean full on “geeking out” on sweet new gear. It’s more than likely that we won’t be able own this gear, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fawn over some of the coolest and most advanced equipment available. Some of favorite picks from this year’s show include the following:
Head lamps are in many respects one of the most important pieces of equipment when embarking on an outdoor expedition. Their practicality and necessity are immediately realized when you don’t have one, and when you do, the night no longer inhibits your every move. Cooking, eating, packing, playing cards, and doing basically anything that involves two hands without having to carry a flashlight, is made easily possible. Due to the fact that Costa Rica’s sun leaves the sky at about 6:00 pm, there’s still a lot of day left that requires some good light. The reasons are bright and clear – head lamps are good!
One headlamp at this year’s Summer Market which spiked interest was Snow Peak’s Snow Miner, which takes its simple and clean mantra into the head lamp arena. The Snow Miner is a basic lamp that boasts 140 hours of battery life on low and 55 hours on high, and it is water resistant (which is certainly good for wet conditions in Costa Rica). It weighs 87 grams/2.9 ounces, which is light enough so that it won’t be noticed, until you need it!
Once you use head lamps, you know how important they are
Now with any luck, the folks at Snow Peak read this and send one for us to test!
Top 5 sites for discounted outdoor gear
Every so often we get phone calls or emails from students and parents looking for suggestions about where to buy outdoor gear before arriving in Costa Rica. As an organization that lives and works in the outdoors, we too like to find good deals on new equipment, which is why we often direct people to the same places we’re looking at for fair prices.
We figured it’s about time to compile a list of websites and resources that just might help you save a little bit of money. As always, feel free to share your own thoughts about those nuggets of gold buried deep inside the Internet that you’ve dug up yourself. The comments section awaits you…
That being said, here’s our list of the Top 5 sites for discounted outdoor gear:
1) Steep and Cheap – A very popular One Deal at a Time site, Steep and Cheap offers some pretty awesome deals on a lot of the same gear you might need in Costa Rica. Once the item sells out, they move onto a new one.
2) REI Outlet – REI Outlet sells a ton of gear for much cheaper than the regular site. What’s great is that you can search for specific items, too. Need some sweat-wicking articles of clothing or hiking pants for backpacking during the land phase of a course? Then take advantage of the almighty REI Outlet deals.
3) Sierra Trading Post – Many of our students have told us that they saved a considerable amount of money (especially on hiking shoes, which you’ll definitely want for just about any of our courses) thanks to this great discount outlet store.
4) Camping Gear TV – This entertaining duo of outdoor enthusiasts will straight up GIVE you cool new gear, provided you simply comment on their web episodes via any one of their social media platforms. Regular gear giveaways make this a worthwhile stop for sure.
5) Whiskey Militia – A sibling of Steep and Cheap, WhiskeyMalitia.com primarily offers deals on snowboarding and skateboarding stuff. However, keep your eyes peeled because you’ll likely find an awesome deal on new board shorts and other surf-related gear for your surf course.
Whether you’re just getting ready to head outside as the weather gets warmer, or you’re considering one of our Summer Courses, hopefully this list will help get you ready with new, cheap gear.
