Have you ever been to the desert, if so then you will know that water is everything. Carry enough water for a fulls day’s hike can be challenging at best and since you’ll need at least a gallon a day in the warm months, more at the height of summer, planning a backpacking trip in the desert revolves around the quantity of water that you can reasonably carry and the likely hood of finding additional sources along your route. Don’t count on water being available just because the map shows a spring. You can probably trust people who have actually been there – so long as they were there yesterday, not the week or month before. Even in that case, bring along some extra water.

In an emergency, your map, your eyes are your best ways for finding water. Examine the map not only for springs and streams, but also for man-made structures like wells, cattle tanks and windmills. When you are hiking keep an eye out for bright green vegetation. There may be a spring nearby. Keep an eye out for cottonwoods, sycamores and seep willows growing in dry stream beds. They too may mean water is close at hand. If you find damp sand, dig downwards as may find water further down. Search out places in canyons where flash-flood waters have scoured away the sand and gravel, exposing bedrock. Shallow depressions in the bedrock, called tinajas, may have trapped pools of rainwater.

MSR SweetWater Microfilter Water FilterLightweight and compact, the SweetWater Microfilter makes water filtration fast and easy.

If you’re hiking the ridges in hilly terrain, examine the canyon floors for the bright flash of sunlight reflecting in a water-filled pothole. Lava and limestone are porous rocks that often contain springs and a cave neaby. Look for the dark stains and green moss that mark seeps in sandstone cliffs.

In the high desert in the winter months, examine the shady north sides of cliffs where the sun never shines. Lingering snow patches may provide a source of water. Whatever the source, an easily cleaned water filter will not only remove whatever critters may exist, but also the inevitable sand and silt. If you carry a Strei Pen which is a water purifier just carry a coffee filter for cleaning out silt, will save you weight.

The Marmot Couloir Sleeping bag is a Marmot classic. Marmot started out making high quality sleeping bags in Santa Rosa, CA and have carried on with that tradition with the Couloir sleeping bag. Insulated with high quality 800+ down a pertex outer shell, the Couloir was a must in the Himayalas. When I woke in the morning the outer shell of the bag was wet but I was nice and cozy in my bag. The hood of the Couloir has a Nautilus 6-Baffle Hood that wraps around your head without you feeling confined. The foot area of the Couloir uses a traditional Trapezoidal Foot Box that gives you more room and more warmth.

The Zipper down baffle and the hood baffles are amazing and keep out any draft. All in all a sleeping bag that will last you and a bag you can rely on in weather conditions that you need.

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[review pros="pros" cons="cons" score=85]

MSR’s Denali snowshoes’ groundbreaking modular design makes them extremely versatile. Simply attach the optional Denali Classic and Ascent 4 in. Snowshoe Tails for additional flotation in soft snow or when carrying a heavy pack. This quick adjustment-easy to do in the field-allows one pair of shoes to adapt to a wide range of loads and snow conditions. The 4″ and 8″ models are compatible with the Denali and Denali Ascent snowshoes, while the 6″ model is compatible with the Denali Evo and Denali Evo Ascent snowshoes.

Snowshoeing is a great way to exercise during the winter and is easy to do. Buying snowshoes is also a lot easier than buying a pair of ski’s or a snowboard. There are quite a few snowshoe models on the market from MSR snowshoes, Atlas snowshoes, Cresent Moon snowshoes that will have all the different bells and whistles but with the same basic principle that snowshoes are made to float on the snow rather than sink.

When choosing a snowshoe the most important thing to decide for yourself is what you want to do and what type of terrain you plan on snowshoeing on. For example are you going to stay on trails, snowshoe in the park or heading off trail with long accents and descents in the Backcountry.

Helping select the right snowshoe:

Flotation:
Snowshoes come in different sizes that are based on your weight so that you can find the perfect balance of flotation and maneuverability. If you plan to carry a backpack that is also considered part of the weight you carry on the snowshoes. The heavier a person is the bigger the snowshoe needs to be so that the snowshoes have a wider surface to float on the surface of the snow.

MSR Denali Classic and Ascent 4 in. Snowshoe Tails Price: $29.95

If you find that you are between sizes because you are carrying a backpack then on some snowshoes you can add a flotation tail so that you get the surface area needed without going up an extra size.
Materials

Most snowshoes have a aluminum frame with a waterproof decking. There are a couple of snowshoe manufactures like MSR that use plastic as the overall material of the snowshoe. A aluminum frame with a waterproof decking is lighter weight than plastic and generally get a wider surface area for flotation. Plastic snowshoes last longer and have a less chance of breaking on the trail.

Binding:

The binding on a snowshoe is important for toe to heel support so that you get a combination of comfort and control. On the MSR Denali Evo Ascent Snowshoe for instance let’s you fit a ski boot so that you can get into the backcountry and don’t want to skin up on skis. If you plan on staying on the trails you will find with most snowshoes intended for trail use that it will be a fixed binding with an easy adjust to get in and out of the binding. For off trail use the binding generally will be a binding that rotates with your boot so that you get the control descending steep terrain and save energy. Off trail bindings will also have a heel lift to reduce fatigue on long ascents and makes climbing easier and more efficient.

Crampons:

Traction is really important on any snowshoe, especially when you are on steep ascents. Most snowshoes have some sort of crampon for extra traction and support on steep and icy conditions. With on trail snowshoes the crampons are generally fixed and placed under the foot for maximum grip throughout the stride. With off trail snowshoes the crampons will pivot with your foot and dig into the snow or ice as you descent or ascent.

Your Activity:

Trail Adventure:

Primarily packed snow, gently rolling terrain. This is the snowshoer who wants to go on local trails or the park. Snowshoes like the Crescent Moon Silver 9 Snowshoe and the Atlas 930 9 Series snowshoe are made for packed trails and all round trail use.

Day Hiking:

Packed and powder snow conditions with moderate to steep terrain. The snowshoes are designed with a more beefy binding and crampons like the MSR Denali Ascent snowshoe and the Atlas 1025 10 snowshoe than can handle both on and off the trail terrain.

Backcountry:

These snowshoes are designed for deep powder, untracked snow and steep terrain. The materials are made to take the conditions they are going into and will have more micro adjustments for more control on steep terrain. The MSR Lightning Ascent 30 Snowshoe and the Atlas 1230 12 snowshoe is a lightweight backcountry snowshoe but also ideal for everyday trail adventures.

Osprey have gone ahead and vamped their travel luggage line to include the new Sapce station line. These wheeled haulers are large enough for everything from expedition use to family ski or scuba vacations. The extra wide base and wheels, along with a superlight frame allow for easy manuevering on a variety of terrain from airport hauling to world travel.

The SpaceStation’s light weight with both model of Space Station less than 10 lbs that ensures that you’ll pay to haul your gear and not the pack. Grab it and go with six oversize loop handles.

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