Prepare to be amazed by the first "full-motion" gear review on the Outlan channel in all its glory! Please be sure to go to YouTube and add your comments and suggestions!

If you're like me, you're always looking for some inspiration on outdoor experiences, tips, tricks, etc. I love the Discovery Channel for its survival and outdoor shows like "Dual Survival", "Man, Woman, Wild", "Survivorman", and, of course "Man vs. Wild". But, the format can get a bit tedious after a while. I have turned to an immeasurable resource online, and found that one of the best places for great videos is, of course, YouTube. Something I never knew the real value of until lately, however, was YouTube channels. Subscribing to these can open up a world of audio/visual inspiration for just about any topic you can think of.

Here are some of my favorite channel subscriptions so far:

CampingGearTV - These guys are not only hilarious, but perform some great gear reviews on a pretty regular basis, and they've reviewed some gear I've actually been motivated to purchase. They've had occasional bad audio in the past, but seem to have corrected this as of late. http://www.youtube.com/user/campinggeartv

Cr0cket20 - One of the best finds yet, Cr0cket posts videos almost every other day, and has some really inspriring vids on being outdoors, using gear, starting fires, survival techniques, etc. He also features some hunting-related vids (which I am not into), but generally has a good balance on outdoor activities. Since he apparently lives very close to the mountains in the West, he's always posting great shots from out there. Definitely worth subscribing to. http://www.youtube.com/user/Cr0cket20

REIFindOut - REI does a good job of posting outdoor vids of all kinds, including gear reviews and trips. They also showcase new store openings with inspiring marketing videos of the brand. This is a must for any outdoor lover and gear junkie. http://www.youtube.com/user/reifindout

CutleryLover - For the kid who likes to play with sharp things in all of us, this guy does in-depth reviews of all kinds of knives and outdoor tools. Entertaining and informative, I highly recommend this one. http://www.youtube.com/user/cutlerylover

StormDrane - Want one of those cool OD green paracord bracelets and be able to say you made it yourself? If you're the crafty type, subscribe to StormDrane's channel for instruction on making some very nice paracord creations. I've learned how to create paracord bracelets and lanyards, and have been inspired to take my knot-making ability to the next level. http://www.youtube.com/user/stormdrane

OutdoorGearLab - Nice channel on outdoor gear with detailed and professional reviews. http://www.youtube.com/user/outdoorgearlab

MarmotPro - I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a huge fan of the Marmot gear brand. I have a Marmot Precip jacket, hiking shirts, and a Limelight 3P tent, which I love. So, it's no wonder I'm subscribed to Marmot's YT channel. Especially entertaining are "Curly's Clips", where "Curly" will review a piece of Marmot gear in depth. http://www.youtube.com/user/marmotpro

A quick video showcasing some of the gear I take with me backpacking. To comment, please visit my YouTube channel.

My first video blog in a new series of video gear reviews I will be doing over the winter! Stay tuned for much more!

GearFest has really come into its own in the past couple years, growing from an extremely small event to a large-scale conference with big-name sponsors such as Subaru (the main sponsor), Yakima, Eddie Bauer, Mad River Mountain, Leinenkugel's Beer, and more. The conference includes vendor displays/stores, competitions, gear demos, live bands, and--of course--food and beer for sale.

One of the best aspects of the event includes the Yakima Beer Garden, which started last year as a Friday-only event. This year, it will be both Friday and Saturday night. Check this out for some amazing samples of Leinenkugel's, one of the best microbrews around.

There is plenty else to see an do, including gear demos and vendor displays. Each year, there are multiple vendors from local and regional state parks, reserves, climbing and hiking areas, etc. And, don't forget the free SWAG from the vendors if you like stickers, patches, pens, flashlights, 'biners, and more. Also, there are many chances to win real gear prices from such places as Great Miami Outfitters.

Additionally, this year Backpacker magazine's "Get Out More Tour" will be making an appearance both days at the event. This husband-and-wife team has been touring the country and will be presenting gear workshops and skill seminars for anyone interested in the outdoors.

The event also features free overnight camping in the Eddie Bauer Campground. This year, as opposed to previous years, I plan on pitching my tent and camping next to the Great Miami. Hopefully, the weather decides to play nice.

GearFest is located at:
Eastwood MetroPark
1385 Harshman Road
Dayton, Ohio 45431
(937) 275-PARK (7275)

The event is FREE, so if you are close to the Dayton, Ohio area there is no reason not to at least make an appearance! Get out and LIVE!

I can only count on one hand the number of "dream trips" I've had in my lifetime, but in May of this year I was able to add another to my "done it" list. I headed off to Denver, Colorado with my brother-in-law and another friend for a hiking/camping trip in the Rockies and surrounding area. Though I've been out west a number of times, seeing these mountains was like seeing them for the first time. And, since this was the first time I'd been in RMNP, it was an absolutely amazing experience all-around. It is amazing how different each western state is from another.

Day 1: We left Dayton on Frontier Airlines Friday morning, May 27th. It was a beautiful day, and the flight was perfect. After landing in Denver, we did our typical housekeeping activities at the airport and then header over to the REI downtown Denver flagship store. Imagine one store having everything you could ever want or need for camping/hiking/backpacking, etc.! We spent at least two hours in the store, checking out equipment and drooling over gear we couldn't afford. It was a blast! While there, an REI employee informed us many of the trails in the high country were closed due to snow, and that this was the most snow they'd seen in a very long time this late in the year. We knew we'd have to alter our hiking plans to lower elevations for this trip. Finally, we picked up our rental Kingdom 6 and Coleman propane stove for the campsite. REI is like a playground for any outdoor enthusiast--but bring your pocketbook. You won't leave the store without buying something!

After spending half the day in Denver, we headed to Boulder and then on to Estes Park. We got into Moraine Park campground by late-afternoon, and set up camp. I was amazed at the shift in temperatures. We went from 70's and sunny to 50's and rain at the campground. Still, it was beautiful. Herds of Elk were everywhere in the park--grazing within feet of our campsite. Even after being at Yosemite and Zion in the past, I had never seen so much wildlife in a national park before, and having these large animals up close and personal was almost like our own personal (non) petting zoo. Just over the hill behind our camp was a gorgeous view of Long's Peak, covered in feet and feet of snow. I whipped out my DSLR and started snapping feverishly.

Day 2: The next morning, we decided to head into Boulder and do a lower-elevation hike to acclimate a little. Our first hike of the trip was to Royal Arch in the "Flatirons" region of the Front Range. Now, I'm going to state for the record that "day hikes" in Colorado are a lot different than day hikes in Ohio, and the people of Colorado are a different breed. The hike to Royal Arch was, in my opinion, a strenuous one, gaining several hundred feet in a relatively short distance. The trail is steep, rocky, and an un-acclimated soul (like myself) might consider the pinnacle height of nearly 7,000 feet a little exhausting. Still, it wasn't anything a normal person in relatively good shape couldn't do. Dressed in full hiking gear and pack, I almost felt silly compared to the families with young children and dogs walking, jumping, skipping, and literally running up the trail. It was everything for me to manage my breathing and not pass out, while others had no problem going up this trail. The view at the top, though, was worth every step. From Royal Arch, one can view the entire town of Boulder and far beyond. It's a sight that can only be experienced and not relived through photos.

Later that day, we went on to "Dinosaur Ridge", near Golden, to see some fossils and dino tracks. This "touristy" site ended up being one of the coolest places we saw. The walk up a former road (now just used as a footpath) yielded some awesome red rock views on the other side of the hill we were on. From there, we checked out the "Triceratops Trail", a small--and almost hidden--little area about 20 feet down in a ravine. Here we saw Triceratops footprints, as well as fossilized plants.

After all that walking, we were parched, so we went on to Golden for dinner, where we got to see the Coor's brewery and partook in some fresh Coor's brew at a local establishment. It was a great night.

Day 3: Day three was our longest venture, with a total mileage of somewhere around 14 miles from Moraine Park, up to Fern Falls, on to Cub Lake, and back down through the Moraine Park Meadow and back to the campsite. We hiked from Moraine Park campground up to "The Pool", a cool and inviting rapid of gorgeous snowmelt. From there, the hike got...interesting. We had decided to make the hike up to Fern Lake, because of all the great things we'd heard about it. Because of all the remaining snow cover, there was still anywhere from one to eight feet of snow in the higher elevation. As we trekked up the mountainside, the snow got deeper, the air got thinner, and the hike was rough on this Ohio boy's body. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for hiking, though, with a clear blue sky and temps in the 60's. Fern Falls was rushing with ice water as it came down the mountain. We hiked further up, and it was a rough go slogging through the melting (but still deep) snow. Finally, we made it to Fern Lake, still frozen over. What a gorgeous sight! Still, what would have been a merely "moderate" RMNP hike was, for me, an exhausting one, and I soon learned what it was like to have acute mountain sickness. This was a not a good feeling, but it quickly went away as we came down in elevation. We decided to press on to Cub Lake (well worth it), getting some great shots and playing in the snow along the way. Finally, we came back down to "The Meadow"--an amazing hike with unprecedented views of the Rockies. We saw moose, elk, and other great wildlife as well.

Day 4: On day four, we decided to take it easy on our aching bodies and explore more of Boulder. We headed back down to the "Big Blue Stem" trail--a four miler in relatively flat terrain, just outside the Flatirons. Along this scenic, almost desert-like environment I was reminded I was in the West, and was waiting for a cowboy to come riding out on a horse at any moment. Along the trail we walked right over a local snake, grabbed his picture and just kept going. After the day before, even four miles felt like ten.

From there, we came back and decided to take a drive as far up Trail Ridge Road as we could. We got up pretty far, but then ran into a "road closed" sign. The snow drifts alongside the road were 23 feet high in places. I hadn't seen this much snow since I was in Utah a few years ago. The wind was blowing and it was only in the 30's--it was incredibly cold. It was a good thing we had hats and gloves, even here in June. The western U.S. is definitely a wild and awe-inspiring place.

Day 5: Day five, our last day in RMNP before heading to Denver, we decided to do some driving and exploring around the area, and drove up to Bear Lake. Normally, there is a 1-mile paved trail around the lake which would be considered "easy". But, on this day it was covered in about six feet of snow. Without crampons or snowshoes, the slick, icy snow was treacherous to walk on. I opted to not even attempt it, while my counterparts took off and made a natural snow slide down a mountainside. I continued to capture amazing still shots of the surrounding mountains. From there, we went to Sprague Lake and captured even more amazing photos as we headed out of the park and down to Denver.

I literally could have spent another two weeks in Colorado with no problem, but my wife (and bank account) would have definitely disagreed. I have a secret love affair with the western United States.

While it is a good lamp, there might be better alternatives such as the Black Diamond Byte, or even an Energizer lamp. In fact, Outside Magazine's "Gear of the Year" did not even mention Petzl in their headlamp lineup at all.

Still, the two times I have used this it has served me well. I have used it for both camping in the Rockies and early morning fishing in Tennessee. The four different light modes are nice, but in pitch dark I generally keep it on the brightest setting. For night fishing, I used the red "night" light to be able to see and not scare the fish away. This worked well--I caught several fish.

The light housing seemed to resist water well while tromping through the rain from my tent to the latrine in Colorado. However, cold air killed my batteries fast. This isn't so much a fault of the lamp as it was my batteries. My biggest gripe is the "low battery indicator", that essentially warned me the batteries were low right before they stopped working altogether. Not very useful.

The Tikka Plus 2 is a good lamp and serves its purpose well. But, there might be better, cheaper alternatives on the market that outshine this popular item.

Pros: Lightweight and bright.

Cons: Heavy with regular AAA batteries. Beam is very focused to one point. Low battery indicator didn't give much warning.

Price Paid: $30 USD (Normally $40)

UPDATE: Our first-ever new family tradition went well, but the weather was less than favorable. No rain, but temps WAY below normal for late June (lows in the 50's) forced us to move the tent indoors. The boys and I still had a great time, and they slept like champs after finally getting settled down (and realizing they weren't in a bouncy house!). I think next year is going to be absolutely awesome! I can't wait!

Next weekend, my boys and I will be participating in the Great American Backyard Campout. This is our chance to not only have fun as a family, but also address the problems of America's indoor childhood.

We'll raise awareness about the health impact of an indoor childhood and raise funds for vital NWF programs like Green Hour, Nature Find, Trees for the 21st Century, Certified Wildlife Habitat and Schoolyard Habitats that help get kids back outside. Our funds are used to establish and maintain programs to make outdoor time a priority for our children.

I am really looking forward to the boys' first opportunity to "camp" in a tent--even if it is just in the back yard. After all, you have to start small when the kids are small! I think we're going to have a great time sleeping under the stars!

The Kestrel 48 is a versatile and lightweight pack that can be used for a day hike or a multiple overnighter. When I strapped this thing on for the first time, I was amazed how comfortable it was. Despite weighing three pounds alone without any gear, it felt as light as a feather. Even with the pack full of 30+ pounds of gear, it still felt light and airy.

The pack can surprisingly hold a lot of gear, which can also make it deceptively easy to overpack. I've had a tendency to put way too much into the pack for short overnight trips, because I have the space and feel like I can keep going.

The Kestrel has many amenity features, including lots of convenient pockets and extra little things to hold gear. The trekking pole bungees are extremely useful, and I've actually used them while on the trail. I have also used the built-in rain cover, which was an absolute lifesaver when hiking in a steady rain for over three hours. The hip belt pockets are great for a digital camera, and I found myself using them a lot for quick and easy access when it was time to take a shot.

There are about a million and one ways to adjust the pack and dial it in to your liking. I found tightening the sternum strap, making the hip belt as tight as possible, and using the load lifters really helps get the pack the way I want. Still, all these straps come with a price--if you're one of those people who don't like a lot of dangling straps, you might not like this pack.

All in all, the Kestrel 48 is a pack that really can't be beat. The quality construction will last for years, and it will quickly become your "favorite pack" for all its cool features and custom adjustability. A world-class product.

http://www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/KestrelSeriesBackpackingandDayHikingTorsoAdjustable/Kestrel48/

Pros: Extremely high quality construction, with lots of "little extras". There are multiple ways to cinch and tighten the pack to adjust it to the perfect fit, and it's quite possibly one of the most comfortable packs around. The thin sheet of aluminum and the mesh "Air Scape" backpanel keeps you dry and comfortable even after a long day of miles of hiking. When packed correctly, weight is distributed down to the hip belt, which can keep you going for miles and miles.

Cons: Hydration port is not very accommodating. Only the flattest hydration bladders (like Osprey's, of course, or Camelbak) will properly fit in the pocket without deforming the shape of the pack. Top lid is fixed and not removable. Color choices could be better.

Price: $150 USD