The wonderful new toys of the year...how to use them, when to use them, and just plain making a reason to use them. We all have at least one of these new toys, whether it was received from Santa or from the clearance rack at your local outdoor store matters not. What matters is finding a way to use the new toy, or toys, but in a safe and proper manner. My new toys for this season are my new, high powered binoculars and a fancy set of micro spikes. I'm not sure which one I am more excited about; being able to see wildlife and scenery from afar more vividly or not falling on my behind in mud, wet leaves, or snow covered trails.
The micro spikes work pretty awesome. Kahtoola (http://www.kahtoola.com/microspikes.php) makes a great one size fits all product that is easy to put on and does not add much weight to your pack. These make for a great way to gain traction in almost any hiking environment. You may be saying to yourself that your balance and footing are impeccable, but it only takes one slight slip to turn an ankle, and turn a hike into a medical emergency. Sure footed, or not so sure, these make all the difference in the world.
My fancy new set of Bushnell's (http://bushnell.premiumstore.com/details/8140/bushnell-17-5010.html) give me an amazing, clear view of most anything I look at. The only bad thing I can really say about this pair is that they are somewhat fuzzy at close range, which for me is not a big deal, but for those of your with poor eyesight, this may be a consideration.
What sort of toys have you to try out? Email me and I'll post my favorite answers.
The micro spikes work pretty awesome. Kahtoola (http://www.kahtoola.com/microspikes.php) makes a great one size fits all product that is easy to put on and does not add much weight to your pack. These make for a great way to gain traction in almost any hiking environment. You may be saying to yourself that your balance and footing are impeccable, but it only takes one slight slip to turn an ankle, and turn a hike into a medical emergency. Sure footed, or not so sure, these make all the difference in the world.
My fancy new set of Bushnell's (http://bushnell.premiumstore.com/details/8140/bushnell-17-5010.html) give me an amazing, clear view of most anything I look at. The only bad thing I can really say about this pair is that they are somewhat fuzzy at close range, which for me is not a big deal, but for those of your with poor eyesight, this may be a consideration.
What sort of toys have you to try out? Email me and I'll post my favorite answers.