This is probably at least the fourth time I’m going to extol the virtues of Smartwool socks in this blog. However, it would seem that many people still haven’t joined me on my quest to do away with cotton socks so here I go again hopping on my pulpit and preaching to my congregation about the virtues of wool socks.
People seem to think that wool socks are only good for winter and that they’re itchy.
Wrong and wrong!
With Smartwool, nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, these are the most comfortable socks you’ll ever wear. I remember the first time I tried a pair on, I didn’t want to take them off – they were seriously that comfortable – three months later I threw away all my cotton socks and stuck exclusively with wool socks (Smartwool are actually a wool blend – 72% wool, 27% nylon, 1% elastic.
They are warm in the winter as I’m sure you expected but they’re also cool in the summer. That’s due to the fact that they wick away moisture (sweat) from your feet which keeps them dryer and more comfortable than if you wear their cotton counterparts.
I’ve tried a few different brands of wool socks and while they’re all more comfortable than cotton, I haven’t found anything better than Smartwool. Give ‘em a try and you’ll never want to go back to cotton. (I will say that cashmere socks are nice but are far more expensive and not nearly as durable – a pair of wool socks will typically last 3 years when worn on a regular basis).
Hammacher Schlemmer Aviator Sunglasses
I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a sunglasses snob – heck, for several years sunglasses were my business so excuse me if I’m a bit picky about the optics I use for eye protection. Heck, if it didn’t make me look like a tremendous tool, I would wear my sunglasses at night when I go out to the bars.
However, when you’re out hiking it’s easy to go from high light to low light (like in heavily wooded areas) frequently making you constantly put on or remove your sunglasses. Fortunately Hammacher Schlemmer has come up with a solution such annoyances with their Aviator sunglasses. As light conditions change so does the tint of these sunglasses, getting darker in high light and lighter in low light.
And if you need goggles for your snowboarding or skiing needs they have electronic tint goggles that use air force technology to go from light tint to dark tint instantly with the push of a button.
We sure have come a long way since the days of using torches to light our way in the dark. However, with recent advances in luminescence technology, using your old incandescent light bulb flashlight or kerosene lantern is just as barbaric.
If you haven’t taken the time to upgrade your arsenal of portable lights to light emitting diode (LED) technology, then consider this your presidential order to do so.
LED bulbs last thousands of hours (some as much as 11 years if lit continuously) and they stay cool to the touch (i.e. they won’t burn your finger if you touch them), and they use substantially less power to produce light.
Essential Tip: Once you get to the campground, I recommend you carry a pocketknife and flashlight with you at all times. On the last trip I failed to take my own advice on carrying a flashlight with me and went out for a late afternoon hike sans flashlight. I managed to get myself lost (a common event) with light quickly fading. I eventually happened upon a trail map but by that time it was too dark to read it and I was unsure which direction I needed to go so I proceeded to run on a dark trail hoping I was headed in the right direction… I wasn’t.
Fortunately, I eventually remembered that my iPod Nano would kick out a little light if I held it up close to the trail map, but if I would just have taken my own advice and carried a flashlight in the first place, those several minutes of near panic of being lost in the woods for the evening wouldn’t have happened.
[hops off soapbox]
Here are my top picks for LED flashlights and lanterns to upgrade your outdated flashlights and lanterns. (I’ve even got one that straps to your head for hands free lighting).
