Gear Reviews

The Gear We Need on the Road

For Humans

For Vans

Goal Zero Yeti 400

Goal Zero Boulder 30

 The solar set-up in Silas is amazing.  We have two Goal Zero Boulder 30 panels permanently mounted on the roof with a sweet system my brother designed and built that allows the panels to be tilted towards the sun while we are not driving.  Fortunately, this did not seem to affect our gas mileage- at all.  Inside the van resides the Yeti 400- silent, swift, and super powerful.  This generator is capable of powering the lights in the van, the Fantastic, and charges my computer, cameras, and cell phone.  It has a bunch of different ports to charge different devices, a display that shows you how much power you are gaining from the panels, and how much you are using currently.  It can be charged by plugging it into the wall or into the cigarette lighter in your van, as well as with the solar panels as we have it set up.  Most of the power we draw is at night (lights, charging, etc.) and the generator then has all day to charge back up while we are climbing.  Each time I've gotten back to the van after climbing, the generator has been full- amazing!  In addition to these products being fantastic, the customer service at Goal Zero blew my mind.  Hands down, one of the best experiences I've ever had with a company.     

For Dogs

I'll be the first to admit that my dogs are spoiled.  But I love gear, I love my dogs, and I love buying gear for my dogs.  To simplify things, I could just say buy everything that Ruffwear makes, because I love it all, but I do want to highlight a few of my favorite doggy products.  

Ruffwear Track Jacket
Maybe this seems silly at first glance, but let me tell you, this has come to be one of my most essential pieces of dog gear.  The Track Jacket is not only super bright (my dogs have yellow ones) but it is also reflective, making dogs noticeable in both dark and low visibility conditions.  I've been in Minnesota during deer season, trail running in the dark of a desert night, camped close to a road, and hiked in dense forest, and had piece of mind that others (as well as me) were able to see my dogs.

Ruffwear Singletrak Pack
This pack is amazing.  Both Titan and Star have one and they wear them almost ever time we are out climbing.  It's good for your dog when you give them a job, and it's good for you too when their job is to carry their own water.  These packs easily fit .5L on each side, and if you really want, I've been able to squash 1L on each side (my dogs are big, so this amount of water is no problem for them to carry).  There is a smaller pocket on each side as well, where I usually keep a few spare poop bags, a packable water dish, and a few benadryls in case one of the dogs gets stung by a bee or has an allergic reaction.  This pack is also built on a great harness frame, so you can grab the big handle on top and assist your dog over rough terrain if you need to.  Like all of Ruffwear's products, there is reflective piping along the sides for visibility at night.  I like the larger Approach pack for longer trips when my dogs need to carry food, but for every day use this is ideal due to the slim profile (my dogs have sideswiped many a tree in the larger pack and ripped off the saddle bags).  My dogs like to explore, rub against rocks, roll around in the dirt, splash in the water and squeeze through bushes and this pack has held up to all that abuse.