Adidas Hydroterra Shandal Water Shoe Is the Best Water Shoe Ever Made [Man Makes Fire]

Adidas Hydroterra Shandal Water Shoe Is the Best Water Shoe Ever Made [Man Makes Fire]

by | Adventure

It’s not often that I buy and re-buy the exact same model of a product, but I’ve had three pairs of the Adidas Hydroterra Shandal Water Shoe and they’ve all taken a serious beating. Mud, rain, rivers, lakes, epic squirt gun fights, barbecue sauce, backpacking day hikes, and more. I use them as adventure shoes and often as slippers around the house. Heck, during one year I played in the Spokane Hoopfest in pouring down rain on asphalt, I used them instead of my basketball shoes and got better traction. The Adidas Hydroterra Shandal shoe is insanely great. And the thing is, it’s unclear if Adidas is still manufacturing them — or for how long. So get yourself a pair now while you still can. Seriously. There’s a link to them on Amazon on my original review on Man Makes Fire. Go there now, then get a pair for...
How to Choose a Backpacking Tent [Man Makes Fire]

How to Choose a Backpacking Tent [Man Makes Fire]

by | Adventure

One of the toughest challenges for new backpackers is choosing their first backpacking tent. Sometimes they pack a cheap 10-pound tent and pay for it with sore backs. Another big mistake is buying a two-man tent and realizing — too late — that it’s too short for a guy taller than 6’2″, never mind that most two-man tents are only suitable for small guys or a guy and a girlfriend who doesn’t mind an arm crowding into her space. The point? The footprint length and width is a key criteria because who cares if you have a super-light tent that’s too small? In any event, check out the guide to buying a backpacking tent on Man Makes...
Must-Have Gear: Waterproof Case for Your iPhone or Smartphone [Man Makes Fire]

Must-Have Gear: Waterproof Case for Your iPhone or Smartphone [Man Makes Fire]

by | Adventure

iPhones are going on rugged adventures, no doubt about it, and even if your version of rugged is a trip to the beach or aquatic center, you need a waterproof iPhone case. The risk of a drop and dunk are just too high to ignore. More importantly, having a decent waterproof case means you can wade out into the water and take a photo or video without fear of fumble fingers. It means you have a chance to capture more of your life’s great moments. You can take your iPhone motorcycle riding on dusty roads. You can take video of an epic backyard water fight without fear. Waterproof iPhone cases. Check out these three great case options at Man Makes...
Top 8 Waterproof Cameras for Wet and Rugged Adventure [Man Makes Fire]

Top 8 Waterproof Cameras for Wet and Rugged Adventure [Man Makes Fire]

by | Adventure

Even though I take the majority of my photos and video with my iPhone 5, I’ve realized that I’m missing out: I’m missing a lot of rugged outdoor adventure shots and video. Why? I’m afraid that I’ll drop my iPhone in a river or that my snowstorm video is going to let snow into my iPhone and fizzle it out, taking my cool new footage with it. Not to mention hundreds of dollars in smartphone replacement costs. So I researched this year’s lineup of new ruggedized waterproof cameras. Of course, the loss of a device that costs hundreds of dollars isn’t whole point: I could lose an important communication device while off the beaten path. Instead of a faster rescue, I could lose precious hours finding a phone or pavement in the event of an injury. There’s a downside to all-in-one devices, and most of the reason why I pack my iPhone with me on the trail is for those just-in-case emergencies. And for the maps. Topo Maps as well as Apple’s built-in Maps app. But with a dedicated waterproof camera, you not only get a bigger lens and sensor to capture light, you get a device that can take a serious beating. You can dive with it underwater, let it freeze down to 14 degrees, and take video in the pouring rain. The average price these days is around $250 . . . but you can get some excellent previous generation models like the Panasonic LUMIX TS25 for as low $129. That’s an insanely great price for something that will lock in (shareable) memories for years to come....
Close Encounters

Close Encounters

by | Adventure

KODIAK, ALASKA The fish — pink and coho salmon — are everywhere, and the Kodiak brown bears are here to feed. Carcasses litter the banks where the bears have left them, filets torn free and half eaten, skeletons scattered along the shore. In the first seven photos, I’m standing in the prime spot this bear wants, and while he’s fishing his way toward me, he’s paying attention, eyeing me, and since I’m holding my fly rod in one hand, fighting my first coho ever, I’ve got a choice to make — if he keeps coming, 40 feet and closing . . . do I ditch the rod or ditch the camera as I go for my piddling little can of bear spray?...