Thursday, November 5, 2009

Contest season: What will you win?

Contest season is in full swing in the outdoors world.

While many contests are ultimately more work than others, great things usually don’t come easily.

Here are a handful of contests currently underway that you’ll need to put some effort into in order to make it worth your time:

Eastern Mountain Sports Gear 4 A Year

The only thing Eastern Mountain Sports likes better than getting outside is seeing you outside – in their gear.

In true technology-meets-the-outdoors style, to enter, you just have to submit a video by Dec. 15 showing how much you love being outdoors – in EMS gear.

EMS contest Web site
EMS contest Web site

Of course your 2-minute (or less) video can’t have other brand names noticeable or profanity or nudity or all that other potentially offensive content.

The public will judge the videos between Dec. 16 and Dec. 23 to narrow down the five finalists. Then EMS judges will pick the winner “on or about” Jan. 5 based on “creativity, originality, appeal to EMS customers and overall entertainment value.”

Oh yeah, and if you win, you’ll receive a new piece of EMS gear every month for a year.

That ranges from jackets and backpacks to sleeping bags and gloves.

What’s Your Everest

Everybody faces challenges. If you think your hardship is better (aka: worse) than everyone else, then listen up! By creating a video or writing an essay that tells the tale of your trials, you could end up with $10,000 to help achieve your goal.

Have a disability but want to climb Denali? Enter the contest. Have 10 kids and can’t get away to hike a part of the AT? Enter the contest.

Just make it fun and submit your entry before Dec. 31.

The top 100 entrants, as voted on by the public, will then be judged by Hanesbrands (the sponsor of the contest, which owns Champion). You’ll be judged on authenticity, having a clear plan for achieving your goal, creativity, having a positive outlook and how it fits with the Champion brand.

Get your Kleenex ready and submit your story (and go vote on other stories or videos).

Living the Good Life

Upload a photo of you enjoying the good life. Get friends, family and random strangers to give your photo a “thumbs up.” Get more “thumbs up” than the hundreds of other entrants. Win gear.

That’s pretty much the only thing you have to do for Gregory packs’ monthly photo contest.

Gregory Living the Good Life contest Web site
Gregory Living the Good Life contest Web site

Unlike many contests throughout your life, you won’t have to sign up for a mailing list or make an account to vote on someone’s photos – I did it in about 2 minutes after looking through all of the entries. And you can vote for more than one photo.

The person whose photo gets the most “thumbs up” during the month will win either a Gregory Z25 or women’s Jade 25 backpack. Plus, you’ll get your photo plastered all over Gregory’s Web site and anywhere else the company wants to put it.

The contest, which starts over every month, is slated to run for “the foreseeable future.”

Snow At First Sight Contest

Colorado’s trying to spread the flakey love with its new Snow at First Sight video contest.

The new contest, which runs through Nov. 9 (yes, that’s soon), is meant to make someone fall in love with snow – and Colorado – for the first time.

That means the international competition is limited to people who haven’t spent a “significant” amount of time around snow.

The three winners then spend all-expenses paid 3 months in Colorado doing everything from skiing and snowboarding to sledding, snowshoeing and partying.

To enter just shoot a video that’s less than a minute long about why you deserve to win. You then upload your video to the Snow at First Sight Web site to be judged by your peers and a panel of judges.

For more information on how to spend a full 3 months in Colorado this winter enjoying the snow, visit the contest Web site.

Petzl’s Tikka2 Contest

When it comes down to it, the bigger you are the more gear you could win. With Petzl’s Tikka2 contest, you have the chance to win your weight in Petzl gear.

Headlamps, carabiners, belay devices, ice axes, crampons, helmets, and pretty much any other Petzl gear could be yours. And that’s just the first-place winners of the photo and video contest. If you finish in 2nd through 50th place you still walk away with at least a Tikka Plus2 headlamp.

Petzl Tikka2 contest
Petzl Tikka2 contest Web site

To enter, create a photo or 2-minute video that shows “The Power of Light” or “what do you do with your headlamp.” Do what you must to spice it up because you’ll be judged by a handful of professional photographers or videographers.

But there’s a catch. If you’re one of the two grand prize winners, your schwag can’t exceed 10,000 euros (about $15,000). Regardless, wipe the drool from your chin and go shoot some spectacular video footage or photos.

More easy-to-enter contests

SmartWool Rocky Mountain Rendezvous – All you have to do is enter all your contact info (and a little more) by Nov. 30 for a chance to win transportation for two to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge or Keystone. You’ll also get two days and two nights lodging at the resort you choose, two days worth of lift tickets for both of you and a stash of SmartWool gear. And if you don’t win in this round, you can enter again between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31.

K2 Sweepstakes – Just by signing up for the Broadway Books and First Ascent e-newsletters, you get a chance to win “K2: Life and Death of the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain” by Ed Viesturs, and a host of First Ascent gear. First Ascent is a brand launched by Eddie Bauer this year designed for mountaineers – no matter your experience level. The contest runs through Nov. 30.

Posted by Ryan Dionne - Outdoors Guru at 23:21:50 | Permalink | No Comments »

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Petzl headlamp uses innovative band

Petzl Zipka Plus 2

  • Pros: Retractable band holds tightly; Easily attaches to a variety of objects; White and red LED settings
  • Cons: Doesn’t tilt; Not a separate switch for red and white LED; Battery indicator light alerts too early
  • Bottom Line: While it’s more expensive than comparable headlamps on the market, there are very few, if any, that also contain a red LED and have the versatility of the Zipka Plus 2 for a similar price.
  • MSRP: $43

Petzl’s Web site

With a retractable, corded band, the Petzl Zipka Plus 2 headlamp has increased versatility that many other headlamps on the market don’t have.

Unlike a traditional elastic headlamp band, the Zipka’s band is made from a very thin Dyneema fabric that’s incredibly strong. Not only does the cord make the headlamp less bulky because you don’t have to contend with a normal band, it increases the versatility.

Whether you attach it to your head, wrist or nearly any other body part, the cord holds fast. But it can also be easily attached to handlebars, tent or trekking poles, paddles, and more.

I was pleasantly surprised when the cord didn’t loosen or move much when wearing it while running – yet it’s not uncomfortably tight either.

Petzl Zipka Plus2
Petzl Zipka Plus 2

The 2.5-ounce headlamp has a three-mode white LED – high, low and blink – to make sure you can see while moving around at night (or ensure others see you when it’s in blink mode). It also has a two-mode red LED – on and blink – to preserve night vision.

And the Zipka Plus 2 automatically turns on in the setting you used last. That’s a convenient feature but has the potential to be bad.

For instance, if you were using the white LED on high (50 lumens) last time, but next time you want it on the steady red LED to preserve night vision, you’re eyes are screwed. Any chance of preserving night vision is virtually gone as it takes 2 seconds of pushing the on/off button to switch from white to red (and vice versa).

However, that problem could be eliminated by always putting the setting back on the steady red LED when you turn it off.

Using the white LED on high, it’s said to shine up to 35 meters for up to 55 hours. That goes to 13 meters for 140 hours on low. And using the steady red LED, it’s said to last 100 hours. Plus there’s a battery indicator that alerts you when the 3 AAA batteries are 50 percent dead – which is pretty early for most uses.

My biggest gripe about the headlamp is it lacks the ability to tilt.

I found that, in most cases, the light shined too far forward for me. I could angle the entire headlamp down, but then it was slightly uncomfortable – or impossible if I was wearing a baseball cap.

It would be nice if Petzl somehow redesigned it to tilt – especially when using it inside a tent or when reading.

Posted by Ryan Dionne - Outdoors Guru at 18:43:57 | Permalink | No Comments »

Friday, January 2, 2009

e+Lite not just for emergencies


photo courtesy Petzl

Petzl e+Lite

  • Pros: Incredibly lightweight; Red setting preserves night vision; Can be attached to a baseball cap
  • Cons: Expensive batteries; Not bright enough for active pursuits; No “off” position between white and red LEDs
  • Bottom Line: Though designed for emergency use, the e+Lite is great for just about anything except fast-paced nighttime sports as you’ll overcome its output.
  • Weight: 27 grams
  • Brightness: 16 Lumens
  • Battery Life: 35-45 hours
  • MSRP: $30

Petzl’s Web site

    It’s hard to come up with many negative aspects of Petzl’s e+Lite.
    Designed as an emergency headlight and introduced in late 2006, the small light is so versatile it will beg you to buy another and put that one in your emergency kit instead.
    In fact, it’ll probably beg you to buy a few: One for your vehicle, one for your backpack, one for your hunting gear, and pretty much anywhere else.
    Its three white LED lights give you a handful of options whether you’re changing a flat tire on a dark country road, reading a book in bed at home or trying to set up camp at night.
    But when it’s important to preserve your night vision, flip on the red LED. It emits enough light to see what you’re doing, but won’t give you that semi-blind feeling when you turn off the lamp.
    The swivel head allows you to direct light in nearly any direction you can imagine.
    You can even swivel it around towards its base (the part that touches against your head) to protect the lights when you aren’t using it.
    The thin elastic headband (about the width of a shoelace) is held in place by a traditional cord lock, and after wearing it a few minutes you’ll barely notice it’s on your head.
    And it won’t slip either.
    After wearing it on a three-mile trail run at night, I was surprised.
    While it definitely didn’t light up the trail as well as some larger headlamps, it provided enough light for a relatively flat trail at a relatively slow pace.
    I wouldn’t consider it for a nighttime active pursuit such as biking or cross-country skiing though because you’ll easily overrun its luminosity.
    And, being an emergency light, Petzl, which has its American office in Utah, covered you there too.
    In addition to the high, low and red-light settings, it has a pulsing white and pulsing red position to help attract attention when you need it.
    Even if you stash it away for years in its protective case, which is about the size of two energy-gel packets, it’ll still be ready to act.
    Petzl claims the light’s two lithium batteries will stay juiced even if dormant for 10 years.

Posted by Ryan Dionne - Outdoors Guru at 03:30:36 | Permalink | No Comments »

Monday, December 15, 2008

Holiday gifts for the adventurer

It’s hard to escape the holiday season, and if you haven’t started shopping yet, you’re not alone.
If you’re like me, there’s always one person on your gift-buying list for whom it’s nearly impossible to find the right present.
You may not know what she already has or needs.
But no matter who’s on your list, here are a handful of lesser-known outdoors gifts – listed in order of price – that won’t break your bank. Keep in mind you can often find these products on the Internet for cheaper than the reported MSRP.

Hydrapak Gel-Bot
MSRP: $15

For many athletes carrying an energy-gel flask is cumbersome, while for others keeping track of individual gel packets is a messy chore.
Not only do you want to have that extra energy burst readily available, usually you want to either chase it with water or simply have some available.
Whether you’re a hiker, biker, runner or any other athlete that typically carries a water bottle in addition to gel, Hydrapak LLC. has your back.
The Oakland, Calif.-based hydration company produced the Gel-Bot to keep gel and water at the ready for when you need an extra kick.
The Gel-Bot looks like a normal water bottle from the outside, but has a separate gel flask inside that hangs from the cap.
The BPA-free bottle holds 24 ounces of water and 3.2 ounces of gel.
Pull the spout and water comes out. Push the spout in and suck on it to get the gel.
The company has a bike bottle that easily fits in a bottle cage, and an ergonomically shaped running bottle complete with a hand strap.

Inka Stainless Steel pen
MSRP: $20

If you’ve ever written with a pen when it’s cold outside, you’ll know it doesn’t work well.
The same thing happens if you’re writing upside down or when the paper or pen is wet.
None of those weather conditions matter to the Inka pen that is said to write anywhere.
Stick it in the freezer for an hour, and it’ll still write. Write upside down with it, and it won’t fade like the pen you snagged from the grocery store.
It’s even said to write underwater. I didn’t have any waterproof paper, but it’ll lay down some ink on foil and my hand while both are submerged.
The entire pen pulls apart to make a roughly 3-inch pen that you can screw onto the base for a full-length writing utensil.
The abundance of pieces and steps to get the full-length pen is annoying, but for short notes in any weather, it’ll do the trick.

BELA-Olhao sardines
MSRP: $30 for case of 12 ($42 for case of boneless/skinless)

It’s a little strange popping open a small tin filled with oily fish that still have the bones and scales intact.
Sure the heads and tails are missing, but the potent stench of fish billows from the small metal container as soon as you open it.
If that’s not too much for you, then you’ve picked the right nutrient-rich trail snack.
BELA-Olhao sardines are reportedly packed fresh within 8 hours after they were caught off the coast of Portugal.
Not only are they a great source of calcium, but they also contain Omega 3 fatty acids – which are said to improve circulation – and Q-10, which helps give you energy.
BELA sardines come in four reasonable varieties: In lemon- or cayenne-flavored extra virgin olive oil, in regular olive oil and in tomato sauce.
The company also sells a much more expensive boneless and skinless variety that I didn’t try.
The reportedly pesticide-free fish make a good stocking stuffer for your outdoor adventurer who isn’t afraid to try something fishy.

Julbo Looping 3 kids sunglasses
MSRP: $30

It’s hard to find a quality pair of sunglasses for kids that will protect your child from harmful UV light.
Sure you can buy a cheap $5 pair at Target with little pink flowers or blue bears, but they don’t do much other than look cute.
And because many kids spend a lot of time outside in the sun, Vermont-based Julbo Inc. created an entire line of “baby” sunglasses.
The company’s “baby” line, dubbed the Looping series, is a great choice for small kids from newborn to four years old.
Not only do they look sporty, come with a lens cleaning case and in a variety of colors and sizes, they’re also extremely durable, don’t have an “upside down,” and, most importantly, block 100 percent of UVA, UVB and UVC rays. And the lenses are the darkest Julbo offers ensuring your child is safe from bright sun.
The Looping 3, which is made for kids 2-4 years old, is new for 2008.
While the lack of hinges prevents you from folding them up, it makes for a more flexible and nearly indestructible set of shades.

Petzl e+Lite
MSRP: $30

Designed as an emergency headlight, Petzl’s e+Lite is so small and versatile it shouldn’t stay in your emergency kit – though you can keep one there too.
Put one in your vehicle, in your backpack or with your hunting gear, and put one anywhere else you may need to shed some light on a task.
Its three white LED lights give you a handful of options whether you’re changing a flat tire on a dark country road, reading a book in bed or trying to set up camp at night.
But when it’s important to preserve your night vision, flip on the red LED that emits enough light to see what you’re doing, but won’t give you that semi-blind feeling when you turn off the lamp.
The swivel head allows you to direct the light in nearly any direction you can imagine.
And, being an emergency light, Petzl covered you there too.
It has a pulsing white and pulsing red position to, among other things, help attract attention when you need it.

Posted by Ryan Dionne - Outdoors Guru at 19:49:41 | Permalink | No Comments »