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I have used headlamps for decades for hiking, backcountry skiing, mountain and road biking, canoeing, and camping. For biking and ski descents, I've used halogen, HID, and now high-power LED lights, otherwise I've used Petzl Tikkas & Black Diamond Spots. They are transformative for backcountry...

My quiver, right to left: Carlilse, Bending Branches Beavertail, Fishell Modified Ottertail, Fishell Ray Special, Bruce Smith Classic, Bending Branches Expedition Plus. The Ray Special and the Expedition+ have been my tripping and daily drivers, but I'm planning to add the WBS Classic into the...

Two keys to using waterproof-breathable jackets. 1) Wash them frequently. Your body oils will cause the membrane to breakdown. Using an iron after drying in a drying machine is supposed to restore the DWR (durable water repellent) coating. 2) Reapply a DWR when water no longer beads up on the...

This isn't how Gore-Tex and other similar waterproof-breathable membranes work. The waterproof membrane has tiny holes in it that are small enough to block water molecules in its liquid for and large enough for water molecules in their gaseous form to pass through. It's not an asymetric barrier...

My Fishell Ray Special on the left and my new WBS (Bruce Smith) Classic on the right.

You're supposed to stick to the same side of the river, e.g. if your first camp is on the American side, all of your successive camps should be, too. If you're an American who stays on the Canadian side, you're supposed to report to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol once you are done with your...

I concur, that the Vanceboro to Kellyland is a fun trip, though I don't know about the fishing. If you're willing to go further afield, there are some big fish in Québec's La Vérendrye Reserve and lots of quality paddling.

Why not clip the painters to the carrying straps with locking carabiners?

Now that's just silly. First, what qualifies as a nasty city? Second, where are you driving, the interstate highways, or on local streets in "high-crime" neighborhoods?

A) Trees actively remove and store carbon from the atmosphere. Wood products are simply changing the form of the already stored carbon. B) The lifespan of trees exceeds the lifespan of wood products. C) The production of wood products requires energy. Where does that energy come from...

No.

I'm only a hack at fishing, and got back into it when my son started fishing. Since we release most of the fish we catch, I de-barb all of our hooks. And I either buy single-hook lures or replace the trebles with singles.

@Erica, what an amazing trip! Thank you for sharing your adventure with us, it's full of wisdom and lessons that we can learn from. I like your rule of three sets of warm clothes. My strategy for hiking, backcountry skiing, and paddling trips has been to have a set that you wear while active...

Two weeks ago, I reserved a trip for later this summer. It will be my first visit, so I never interacted with the old administration. I had an easy time making the reservation, and the Sépaq person was helpful.

It looks like they bailed. Yes?

Thanks, @Mason, this is good to know! My brother and I have four Counter Assault Bear Kegs and a Bear Vault between us, so we'll stick with them and the multiple units method.

@Steve in Idaho, I agree with @Gamma1214. I've got the Counter Assault Bear Keg and the Bare Boxer (for 1-2 night solo trips hiking & paddling) and I plan to continue to use them. IIRC, the Garcia Backpacker's Cache—once the most popular and commonly used in rental programs—is only available...

Robin, your report is the one that pops up in searches, so thanks! In your opinion, is the route appropriate for an eleven-year old who has done a couple of trips before—ones that included multiple portages?

Background: My brother and I grew up paddling and got back into tripping in 2019, doing the Allagash (from Churchill Dam), St. Croix (Me./N.B.), Bog River-Oz Traverse (Adk.), Moose River Bow (Me.), Lake Kushaqua-Seven Carries (Adk.), Raquette River (Long Lake-Tupper Lake, Adk.). Both my brother...

In addition to the high-quality optics, the warranty is one of the other great things about Vortex's products. You shouldn't be afraid to drop them, scratch them, et cetera. https://vortexoptics.com/vip-warranty: VIP stands for a Very Important Promise to you, our customer. We will repair or...