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  •  GEARJUNKIE: As a world-traveling adventurer and journalist, Stephen Regenold is the Gear Junkie.

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February 01, 2011 » Blogs

Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race 2011
by: Stephen Regenold

WPER 1Photo: (c) T.C. Worley
Trekking in the 2010 race

My gear is packed. My flight leaves in 48 hours. I'm headed back to Chile and the insanity of the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race, a weeklong adventure race near the tip of South America.

This will be my second trip to Chile to do the WPER. I've assembled the same team as last year, including Jason Magness, Chelsey Gribbon, and Daniel Staudigel -- all members of the YogaSlackers group. We know better what's coming this year. We're nervous, but we're ready for it!

WPER 2Photo: (c) T.C. Worley
Kayaking in the Beagle Channel

In the Wenger Patagonian Race, which has been held since 2004, you traverse the wilds with a map and compass in hand, no GPS allowed. The goal is to find checkpoint flags hidden miles apart that lead, after days on the move, to a finish line hundreds of miles away.

Instead of Tierra del Fuego like in 2010, this year the race moves north in Patagonia to the area around Chile's Southern Continental Ice Field. Disciplines will again include kayaking, mountain biking, trekking, navigation, and ropework in the mountains that spike and interrupt the land.

WPER 3Photo: (c) T.C. Worley
Bike leg in Tierra del FuegoMy team -- Team GearJunkie.com -- knows the game at WPER, and we're ready to get on with the race! If we eat right, stay warm, keep hydrated, and keep our heads right, we might just pass the test. Our goal is a finish line in the remotest Patagonia. Wish us luck if you can. We're going to need it!

--Follow Team GearJunkie live during the race at http://gearjunkie.com/patagonian-race.

January 27, 2011 » Blogs

Interview with a Speed Freak
by: Stephen Regenold

When it comes to big mountains and fast ascents, Swiss climber Ueli Steck is one of the speediest alpine technicians on the planet. He trains like a madman -- strength and aerobic -- and has for years embodied alpine climbing's "fast and light" mantra like few others. Steck's records are many, including speed ascents on the Matterhorn, the Eiger, Grandes Jorasses, and other stout peaks in the Alps and beyond.

STECK ON CLIMBPhoto: (c) www.uelisteck.ch
The Matterhorn and Steck on the ascent

Like any elite athlete, the right gear is crucial to Steck's success. But in the realm of solo climbing, your life is literally in your own hands -- often via the grip of an ice ax handle. Gear takes on a new dimension altogether. For Steck, ice tools swing like extensions of his own arms. His crampon-equipped boots allow him to run up low-angle slopes (literally run) and then Spiderman it on a steep face.

This winter, Steck unveiled a custom piece of gear with Wenger. He worked with the company to create a knife made for climbers. The namesake Ueli Steck Special Edition Swiss Army Knife is a serious tool and a piece of equipment that Steck now carries on every climb. It has a large blade with bolt-head wrenches to tighten an ice pick, titanium handles for light weight and strength, and a file that unfolds to hone an ice tool razor sharp.

I caught up with Steck on a phone call last week to get the low down on the new knife and some insight into his world as an elite climber in need of speed.

Gear Junkie: What is the allure of speed climbing?

Steck: I need to have challenge in my life. For me, climbing is that personal challenge. I eased into speed climbing over the years. Really, the "speed" part of it was never what it was about. I just got faster as I got better at climbing. Now, I climb fast because it is a challenge and a personal thing.

STECK PHOTOPhoto: (c) www.uelisteck.ch
Kick and swing!

What speed ascent stands out? What are you most proud of?

I think my climb on the Grandes Jorasses. It was an onsite climb. [He had not attempted it before.] I used my technique learned from the Eiger.

About the Wenger knife, how did you come up with the implements to include?

We did a bunch of prototypes. About 10 or so I think. I talked to Peter Hug [CEO of Wenger] and said the knife had to be simple but with all the tools I need. We focused on weight, too. At first it was too heavy. We got it down to very light. [Editor's note: The final knife weighs about 100 grams.]

WENGERPhoto: (c) Wenger
Ueli Steck Special Edition Swiss Army Knife

Where do you store it when you climb?

In a jacket pocket or on my harness. Some climbs I never use it. But it's always there. It has what I need. It is a safety tool.

What's next for you on the climbing front?

More climbs! I like to push my gear to the limit just like I push myself!

--Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com. VentureThere.com is a member of USA TODAY's Travel Alliance, covering adventure sports, travel and the outdoor lifestyle.

January 13, 2011 » Photo

\'Tunnel Vision\' Climb

'Tunnel Vision' Climb

by: Stephen Regenold

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is "a barren, craggy park 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip." Since the 1970's, when climbers first came to the area, more than 2,000 rock climbing routes have been pioneered on the area's tall cliffs and sandstone domes, around which "mountain peaks rise thousands of feet off the desert floor, petroglyphs bake in the sun, and wild burros and desert tortoises track the park's coarse sand."

The quote marks denote words taken from an article I wrote on Red Rock for the New York Times --

January 13, 2011 » Blogs

Review: Chinatown 30 Messenger Pack
by: Stephen Regenold

"Made and designed in Seattle, Wash., where it rains a lot." That's a tagline for the Chinatown 30 Messenger Pack, a new biking backpack from Velo Transit. This large and stout -- and highly water-resistant! -- backpack is something of a consummate commuter bag. It has a hip belt, a sternum strap, a comfortable fit, and so many pockets that you'll never run out of room.

Bike PackPhoto: (C) Velo Transit
Chinatown 30

At 30 liters of capacity, the Chinatown will be too big for most commuters. It is at the large end of the scale for backpacks made for bikers and weighs nearly 4 pounds when empty. It measures (in size large) at about 22 inches long. I am 6'1'', and the pack covers almost my entire back, length- and width-wise.

Velo Transit (www.velotransit.com) is a new company. But the founder, Paul Larson, has roots in backpack design that go back almost two decades. He formerly designed backpacks for name-brand outdoors companies.

Some of these "outdoorsy" features come through to the company's line. Most noticeably, the Chinatown's harness, back panel, and internal frame -- which together offer a ton of comfort and support -- are reminiscent of a backpack you might otherwise find on a mountain climb or on the Pacific Crest Trail.

For features, the Chinatown is not lacking. There are six pockets, a huge main compartment, a laptop sleeve, and a flap to seal it up. Three small zipper pockets under the flap offer mucho space for stowing and organizing small items. For bikers, there are the requisite reflective stripes and a blinker mount. A pocket on back accommodates a U-lock for easy access.

Bike Pack 2Photo: (C) Velo Transit
Back Panel

Velo Transit has a premium product with its Chinatown 30. It is made of tough ballistic nylon and includes a radio-frequency-welded waterproof liner to keep your goods dry. At $189.95, the Chinatown also comes with a premium price tag.

The company sells this pack in various sizes and with back panel and harness systems made specifically for men and women. If you need a plush backpack for commuting -- and need to haul a lot of books, computer accessories, or gear -- the Chinatown is a great pick. It has the stout design and the right materials to stay on the road and keep rolling with you for years.

--Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com.

January 06, 2011 » Blogs

CES Trade Show
by: Stephen Regenold

I am in Las Vegas this week at the International CES trade show, the world's largest gathering of consumer-technology companies. But in addition to geeks and technophiles, there are a few outdoors types roaming around. Here are four new products that caught my eye so far, all four image-capturing devices made for the adventure set to get better images in the great outdoors.

VIOPhoto: (C) VIO
POV HD Camera

HD Helmet Cam -- The POV.HD video camera from V.I.O. is touted as the "most flexible, rugged and easy-to-use" HD video system on the market. At $599.95, it's also among the most pricey. But the camera package -- which includes a small camera head on a cable (mountable on helmets, ski goggles, etc.); a remote control; and a recording unit with a two-inch LCD screen for playback -- can record 1080p H.264 video and can store five hours of footage. It is a rugged unit touted as dust-, water- and shock-proof.

KodakPhoto: (C) Kodak
PlaySport Camera

KODAK Moment -- Waterproof up to 10 feet under, and made with a drop-resistant case, the latest KODAK PlaySport camera is a pocket-size video camera built for the outdoors. It costs $179 and records 1080 HD video or 5-megapixel still shots. There's a two-inch LCD screen on back. Kodak includes a "one-button upload" feature to let you e-mail footage or upload shots to social-media websites like Facebook right from the camera with little fuss.

ContourPhoto: (C) Contour
Helmet Cam + Bluetooth!

Bluetooth Helmet Cam -- Contour will debut a major feature upgrade at CES. The company is adding Bluetooth wireless capability to its ContourGPS video camera, and the connection will enable a smartphone to serve as a "live viewfinder" for the camera. (You can see what your camera sees on your phone's screen!) Further, the wireless feature will let Contour users configure settings or preview just-shot footage on their phones. A mobile application was built to work with Android or Apple iOS phones. The Bluetooth feature is available to all current ContourGPS camera owners via a firmware upgrade from the company's website.

OlympusPhoto: (C) Olympus
Olympus' 'Tough' Camera

'Tough' Shooters -- Freeze-proof. Shock-proof. Waterproof. Those are the traits that make Olympus' Tough series of digital cameras earn the fancy term of "ruggedized." At CES, the company will add two outdoors-friendly shooters to its Tough collection. The TG-610 and TG-310 offer 14-megapixel photos, high-definition video, and the "toughness" to go up to 16 feet underwater or be dropped onto solid rock from five feet high. Caveat: By "freeze-proof," the company cites 14 degrees F as the lower temp limit. (That's a WARM winter day where I come from!) The cameras will be available in February for $199.99 (TG-310) and $299.99 (TG-610). They are similar products but vary in lens type and zoom.


--Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of www.gearjunkie.com.

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