During the first four years of my blog, I would post my favorite gear of the year. I haven’t published a favorite gear list in 10 years, the last being in 2015. This was mostly because I rarely buy new backpacking equipment.
I thought it might be interesting to create a 2025 version and compare it to 2015, to see what has changed.
Back in 2008 I bought these two garments. A Montbell EX Light Down Jacket and a Montbell EX Light Down Vest. They are identical pieces although one has sleeves and the other doesn’t.
At the time they were probably the lightest down garments on the planet — truly minimalist — all of which doesn’t tell us much at all.
Today, 18 years later, the Montbell jacket is still my “go to” insulation for most backpacking trips, followed by the vest. Neither item is still sold by Montbell. In this article I will explain why these pieces of gear have remained my favorites and also share similar garments that Montbell sells today.
Continue reading Montbell EX Light Down Jacket & Vest: Long Term Review
For all of my adult life I have owned telescopes and enjoyed astronomy as a hobby. Five years ago, with the advent of affordable specialized astrophotography cameras, I began taking pictures of deep sky objects. I now have hundreds of completed images.
When I share these pictures with friends and family, a very common response is, I should start selling my pictures. That is, I should turn my hobby into a part-time business.
Is this a good idea? I’ll share my thoughts on this.
Continue reading Should You Turn Your Hobby Into a Side Business?
Joyce bought me a Six Moon Designs Deschutes Silpoly shelter for my birthday.
The Deschutes is, in my opinion, the best buy on the market for a ultralight one person shelter.
After several days of rain, I finally got the chance to set up the shelter to seal the seams. While doing this I took a few pictures.
Continue reading Six Moon Designs Deschutes Silpoly — A Best Buy
Yesterday I wrote about turning 75 and shared some of my thoughts on aging.
This morning when I opened my email there were two messages from bloggers who also just posted articles about aging. As it is often said, things seem to come in “threes.”