TL;DR - This is a great tent for two or three people. Its freestanding nature makes it much more flexible than a semi-freestanding tent.
Category: Product Review
Reviews of products used, and links to those products.
TL;DR - I've always just worn my "current old pair" of tennis shoes when I'm out hiking because I never liked hiking boots. They get beat up quickly on desert trails, and so I finally bought some purpose-designed hiking shoes. Wow, what a difference!
TL;DR - Hiking poles are really helpful and make hiking easier.
July 31, 2026. It's been a couple years since my last Gear Roundup. I can make all sorts of excuses for the long delay - the Tacoma living in Las Vegas during the winter, an overall setup that works so well that there haven't been many changes, the fact that we're spending more time on trips - but we all know the real reason: laziness. Still, I think it's important to take stock now and then, both to ensure that I'm purposeful about how we're camping and to share my experience on what works and what doesn't, for those who…
14 Comments
TL;DR - The mounting bracket for Diode Dynamics SS5 pods has a design flaw, but the company did a great job standing behind their product.
There are so many things I've loved about my Tacoma since the first day I got it. Nowhere on that list has been any of the stock lighting. Over the years, I've taken care of the most prominent offenders. My first mod - back when the truck was still just a truck - was disabling the daytime running lights. Then, mostly to finish the "look" I was going for (I was explicitly trying to copy another truck I thought looked great at the time) I added Hellas to my front bumper. But it wasn't until I added fog lights -…
2 Comments
TL;DR - There's a new version - based on customer feedback - of the LutzAuto Speedo Correction device that I ran until a couple of them failed, and I'm giving it a try again.
TL;DR - I got this little inflator as a gift about a year ago, and it has exceeded all of my expectations.
TL;DR - We initially settled on Peak Refuel as the brand that seemed the best for dehydrated meals, but getting a good, dehydrated dinner when backpacking is not something you get by looking to one brand. Evaluating meals individually - and ignoring the brand of each - led to a much better experience our second time around.
Have I mentioned that I'm a terrible drone pilot? As much as I love our little buddy for all the cool angles it's able to get, I'm nervous every time it takes to the air, as I know there's a good possibility that it will be the last time it flies. I knew this would be the case when I got it, and on the recommendation of Mike @mk5, I also got the DJI Care insurance. For a mere $250 dollars, they'd give me the privilege of sending in another $99 and my broken drone - up to four times…
9 Comments
TL;DR - The Kenda's have performed VERY well in all conditions (better than the S/T Maxx) and have been a great tire. I'm trying to find a way to get lighter wheels so I can keep running them.
TL;DR - The lithium system provides so much more power than I know what to do with, that I find myself turning off the charger so that the battery has a chance to cycle below 90%. The cabinet that I built is good, but needs a few updates.
I've been using the Canon RF system for four years and in that time, I've come to enjoy shooting the full-frame mirrorless Canon R6 and Canon R5 bodies. I've also enjoyed the two lenses I picked up when I first moved into the mirrorless ecosystem, a Canon RF 24-240mm F4-F6.3 IS USM lens for most day-to-day shooting, and a Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM lens for wide angle and low-light situations. Both lenses have been fantastic, and for the most part when I'm out adventuring, have done everything I could hope. In fact, there's only been one situation…
1 Comment
TL;DR - I tried to swap back to my OEM Tacoma seats because I wanted their functionality, but it only lasted one trip; the scheel-mann are way more comfortable.
Original TL;DR - I'm swapping out my scheel-mann seats and going back to the originals. Their functionality (sliding, folding) is better, and they weren't that much less comfortable.
Nevermind.
Six years ago, when I initially installed my house battery, it allowed me an entirely new sense of calm when I was in camp at night. No longer did I need to worry about my fridge - or the other small electronics I might turn on or charge - draining my starting battery overnight, thus leaving me stranded. Plus, the whole system of linking the two Northstar AGM 24F using a Blue Sea Systems ML-ACR (automatic charging relay) meant that I could easily - either manually or automatically - link my two batteries for charging or more power, and unlink…
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TL;DR - I continue to get better gas mileage with the new 5th gear. Still collecting data.
TL;DR - We loved this water filter. It made some pretty nasty looking water look and taste like home!
TL;DR - We got the wrong tent. It has been returned.
TL;DR - Quest protein bars were a "fine" breakfast, but the Crispy Cookies and Cream were the only ones I'd buy again.
TL;DR - The Jetboil Zip was amazing. It boils water quickly and doesn't use much fuel. It is light and packs conveniently.
