Teva Illums: Flashlights for your feet
Teva Illum flip-flops
- Pros: Very comfortable; Light shines where needed; Light is waterproof
- Cons: Don’t illuminate much in grass; Light frequently turns on accidentally; Replacement cap pointless
- Bottom Line: Teva’s Illum flip-flops win big in the innovation and comfort categories, but the foot flashlight doesn’t stand a chance against a headlamp when it comes to showing the way.
- MSRP: $60 leather, $50 nonleather
From the beginning I vowed not to test them.
In fact, I was completely honest with Teva the first time they showed me the Illum flip-flops at a tradeshow in January: Despite the cool innovation and the “wow factor,” the Illums were pretty impractical.
But the company sent me a pair to wear anyway. Then why the change of heart?
It comes down to the fact that they’re the most comfortable flip-flops I’ve ever worn.
Since flip-flops typically rub the skin between my big toe and what I call my pointer toe, I started wearing them a few months ago to get my toes in shape for flip-flop season.
After a full day of walking around, that area of skin wasn’t even red. So I kept wearing them.
But it wasn’t until last month that I legitimately used the small 10-lumen LED flashlight that’s strategically placed near the big-toe strap.
While in Vail, Colo. for the Teva Mountain Games, I was taking the dog out before bed. It turns out it was pitch black where I was going and I had to navigate a series of various-sized rocks and avoid other dogs’ business.
Teva Illum flip-flops
I clicked on the lights and voila!
I could navigate the rocks and dodge doggy doo.
But in thick grass, the Illums didn’t illuminate much. I could see enough not to stub my toes, but it created big shadows in front of my feet. On flat ground, though, they do a better job of lighting the terrain.
Designed for surfers who head out before the sun comes up, Teva made the small, removable flashlights waterproof up to three feet.
And if you don’t want the light, it easily twists on and off the footwear and could be attached to a keychain – though there’s little point to buying flashlight flip-flops if you take off the light. But, if that’s the case, when removed, a cap fits in its place.
My biggest gripe, though, is that the lights often turn on when I don’t know it.
To click them on, you merely press the top of the light (which happens to be the top of the flip-flop). So when I cross my feet, sit on my knees, bump it the wrong way or do nearly anything else that touches the light, it’s like Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber slicing a path in front of me.
I definitely turn some heads and get some weird looks from people who find out I have flashlights on my feet, so Teva wins big in the innovation category. But for $50-60 depending on the exact model, I’d rather get a good headlamp or risk stubbing my toes – unless you’re going strictly for comfort.
Dog pack has room for day, longer hikes
Mountainsmith Dog Pack
- Pros: Side compression straps; Mesh pocket provides easy access to poop bags; Large capacity
- Cons: No drain hole at bottom of big pockets; Buckles harder to reach than other packs; Slides around more than others
- Bottom Line: Though it has its fair share of cons, the Mountainsmith Dog Pack is perfect for backpacking adventures where you (or your dog) need more gear on the trail.
- MSRP: $45-55
Making your pooch carry its own gear is good for both you and it.
It makes, in my case, her feel like she’s working, gets her tired and, of course, limits the amount of her gear I have to carry.
One pack that I (or Lulu rather) have been testing for the last few months is the Mountainsmith Dog Pack.
Though capacity varies amongst the three sizes, Lulu’s small will hold 610-cubic-inches (10 liters) of gear.
Mountainsmith Dog Pack on Lulu
It hugs her via two fleece-lined underbelly straps and a fleece-lined chest strap that are easy to adjust and clip.
I did find, though, that the clips are awkwardly positioned slightly under her instead of on the side making them harder to reach.
We also found that the long harness straps fell out of the fleece liner allowing them to flop around as she walked.
Besides the one large pocket on either side of the pack, the Mountainsmith has compression straps to help keep dog food, bowls, treats and whatever else you throw in it close to your dog’s body. That’s great as it helps stabilize the pack when your dog walks.
I found that the Dog Pack tended to slide more than an REI pack I tested (review to come soon). It didn’t seem to hug Lulu’s body as well and wobbled more as she walked. Perhaps that’s because the pack pockets are bigger.
Mountainsmith Dog Pack
A bungee on top, a small mesh poop-bag (or leash) pocket that has a Velcro-type closure, ample reflective surfaces, a durable ballistic nylon construction, and a D-ring and handle on top round out the pack’s features.
It also has a padded, mesh-lined top that sits against the dog’s back. It likely breathes, but, based on touch in very comparable situations, it seemed to make Lulu’s back slightly hotter than a comparable pack – though that’s obviously subjective as she couldn’t really tell us how she felt.
The pack definitely has its trade offs, but the size and a handful of the features set it apart from others on the market.
Send text messages without cell service
The Spot/DeLorme lovechild that is the “DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w with Spot Satellite Communicator” won’t be out until next month, but at the Teva Games earlier this month, I was one of the first people to give the unit a trial run.
As the story goes, DeLorme, known for its GPS units, partnered with Spot, a company that makes satellite communications devices, to couple technologies and create a hybrid unit that can send satellite text messages with typical GPS functions. It’s touted as the “first handheld GPS navigation device capable of sending customized text messages.”
Spot DeLorme GPS messenger
In my two days using the units at the Teva Games, both were easy to operate and very intuitive. DeLorme’s PN-60w handheld GPS device allows users to send 40-character geotagged messages to anyone via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail or text message via the Spot unit’s satellite connection.
Throughout my time at the games, I sent regular tweets in and around Vail. [Examples: “About to walk part of the mtb course,” and “Heading to bouldering finals.” (Disregard who's name is on the GPS map link as the name associated with the test device I used in Vail regularly changes)] Each tweet had either a link to a map or my GPS coordinates to show my exact location.
And during my mountain bike race, I had the DeLorme unit track me in real time. Besides mapping my location, it gave elevation gain, average and max speed, ride time and more data from the race.
Mountain bike race course (Click to enlarge)
To make sure a message is sent, the system transmits each message three times – each time about seven minutes apart. While the message is only sent once to your friends or your account, the other two are backups to make sure the message is communicated.
One gripe: For messages, 40 characters — the max allowed per message — isn’t much. This is especially true considering most people are accustomed to longer text messages or 140-character Tweets.
Spot communicator screen
But be prepared to drop some serious cash for the Spot/DeLorme duo. When it comes out, the combined price tag will start at $550 for the devices plus $100 per year for the Spot service plan. On top of that, to send 100 messages, it’ll cost $30. Up that to 500 messages, and you’ll pay $50. The other option is to pay 50 cents per message.
Price will make this combo unrealistic for many adventurers, but I could see it being great for someone who spends tons of time on expeditions or long wilderness trips. Messages from the backcountry give loved ones peace of mind when you’re in areas that cell signals don’t reach – but Spot’s satellite network does.
Pure Bar offers healthy option while retaining flavor
As a certified organic and gluten-free “granola” bar, I expected Pure Bars to taste like mush with blender-like consistency.
But I was pleasantly surprised.
Each of the six bars I tried, were better than other organic, gluten-free bars I’ve tasted. Much better.
Though I try to eat healthy, I’m not an organic seeker, and I don’t believe in the gluten-free craze hitting the nation. So Pure Bar wasn’t on my radar until recently.
Pure Bar Chocolate Brownie
The company, which was founded in 2006 by Veronica Bosgraaf when her 6-year-old daughter decided to become a vegetarian, is all about sustainability – even the company’s cocoa and cocao nibs are fair trade.
The company also has a “buy three, plant a tree” campaign that does just what it implies: When customers fill out the required form and show proof of buying three bars, the company will plant a tree.
Though I’m no nutritionist, each bar has similar stats to comparable bars (such as Larabar) in categories like calories, fat, sugar and sodium.
And the flavor is quite good.
I tried the apple cinnamon, cherry cashew, trail mix, wild blueberry, cranberry orange and chocolate brownie.
Each one tastes like the name implies. My favorite and, what I found to be the most refreshing, was the cranberry orange followed closely by the apple cinnamon (which had a very strong taste of both main ingredients).
Pure Bar Cranberry Orange
Unlike many energy-type bars that necessitate gulping water to wash them down, I didn’t find that with most of the Pure Bars.
The only one that I thought was slightly that way was the pretty thick chocolate brownie – though it was still tasty especially if you have a sweet tooth.
With a suggested retail price of $1.99 apiece, Pure Bars are slightly more expensive than other bars in their category.
Though I likely won’t seek out Pure Bar and pay more for its bars than others on the market (ie: Clif, HoneyStinger, PowerBar, etc.), if you’re on a gluten-free diet or crave something certified organic, give the company a shot.
Q&A: Alan Carpenter – long-distance hiker
Alan Carpenter, a nearly 64-year-young (as he puts it) Boulder, Colo. resident who, in June/July 2009, through hiked the lesser-known Colorado Trail that runs from Denver to Durango.
As an ecologist, the hike was just as much about looking at the plants and flowers along the way as it was proving to himself that he could hike the 483-mile trail, which has a peak elevation of 13,334 feet above sea level.
Like many boys, Carpenter’s first foray into backpacking was at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico when he was 15 years old.
Since then, he’s hiked the John Muir Trail, backpacked throughout the Wind River Range in Wyoming (his favorite place to hike), the Colorado Trail, and, someday, the Pacific Crest Trail.
I caught up with Carpenter to chat about his Colorado Trail experience.
Carpenter hiking segment 9 of the Colorado Trail
Why did you hike the trail in the first place?
Carpenter: I hiked the John Muir Trail in 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience – except for the plantar fasciitis that I acquired during the last part of the hike. When I finished the hike, I could barely walk. But later that year the memory of my foot pain was gone, and I started thinking about a longer hike. My wife suggested that I hike the Colorado Trail because of the logistical simplicity of hiking closer to home.
Why the Colorado Trail instead of the Appalachian Trail or any other long trail?
Carpenter: I had mental and life blocks that prevented me from hiking the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. I was not sure if I could through hike these trails that are nearly 10 times longer than the John Muir Trail. I was not sure if I wanted to be gone from home, my wife, and children for 4.5 to 5 months either. I had business interests that I needed to attend to as well.
What did you do to mentally and physically prepare for the trip?
Carpenter: I did a lot of research on the trail and hikers who through-hiked it. I got to the point where I convinced myself that I could hike 16 miles a day for 30 days to through hike the trail. It seemed that successful through hikers were not perfect physical specimens or more energetic than I was, so that helped put me at ease.
Besides lifting weights and hitting the treadmill, I followed the Fat –X exercise routine for about two months before my hike. During those months, I walked around Boulder in the late evening wearing my pack with four days of food and two liters of water to simulate the weight I would carry on the trail. About a month before I started the hike, I also did an 8.5-mile and a 17-mile day hike in Boulder open space.
Colorado Trail map
How much weight did you carry the entire time? What did you do to cut weight?
Carpenter: The most weight I carried was about 30 pounds including food and water. This was a comfortable weight for me. I did a lot of research on how to reduce my pack weight. The book, Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardine’s Guide to Lightweight Hiking, gave me lots of ideas for going lighter without sacrificing comfort or safety.
I replaced my ancient Wilderness Experience frame pack (5.5 pounds) with a GoLite Pinnacle Pack (about 2.0 pounds). In the same vein, I replaced my stove, fuel, and water filter, and reduced the amount of clothing I carried. I did not scrimp on food, but I still lost 8 pounds on the trip.
How did you carry enough stuff for the entire trip? Did you drop food/supplies along the way?
Carpenter: I had food drops at various post offices and campgrounds. My wife met me with food at Copper Mountain and we hiked together to Buena Vista. I resupplied again at Buena Vista from food that we had left in our car as well as some fresh food we bought at a grocery store there. The resupplies worked very well.
What was your go-to gear while hiking the Colorado Trail?
Carpenter: Maybe it was my alcohol stove. This simple contraption that I made from empty tuna fish and cat food cans worked flawlessly. When I wanted to eat dinner (my one hot meal of the day), I would pour 1.5 ounces of denatured alcohol in to the stove, light it, pour the requisite amount of water and food into my pot, set it on the stand and rig the windscreen.
I did not have to stir my food or otherwise tend my dinner as it cooked. Thus, I could spend the time while my food was cooking doctoring my feet, taking a dip in the nearest stream or lake, or just sitting around enjoying the view. After about 8 minutes, the alcohol would burn out and the food would continue to cook. I now have a better alcohol stove made from several Heineken beer cans. I can’t wait to use it this summer on my second John Muir Trail hike.
Colorado Trail near Molas Pass
What did you learn about yourself along the way?
Carpenter: My mental block about hiking long distances greatly diminished. I found that I had the physical wherewithal to do the hike. After planning for 16-mile days, I ended up hiking 20-mile days.
I also found that I enjoyed immensely the company of other hikers I met along the way such that I ended up hiking with someone about three-fourths of the time I was on the trail. Finally, the experience reinforced my budding desire to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, which I hope to do next year.
What advice would you give someone who’s thinking about through hiking a similar trail?
Carpenter: Do it! Most people probably have mental blocks about hiking the Colorado Trail or any other long distance, but most people can hike long distances if they have the desire to do so.
Learn about long-distance hiking by reading books and online accounts from other hikers. I have written and illustrated the journal I kept during the hike. The journal is available on my website. It provides a sense of what hiking the trail is like, at least for me. It also has 104 questions and answers about various aspects of the trail for people who want more details about gear, wildlife, weather, resupply options and more.
Dog beds designed for different uses
We, as camping humans, often spend hundreds on sleeping pads that both keep us comfortable and insulated from the ground.
But many hikers and campers leave their pooch to sleep on the cold tent floor or even the ground.
A foam pad, unused clothes or a section of your sleeping bag are a few alternatives, but REI and Ruff Wear are amongst two companies that make an actual dog bed ideal for man’s best friend.
I (or my dog Lulu rather) have been testing both the REI Adventure Dog Dream Bed and the Ruff Wear Highlands Bed for the last few months in a variety of situations from lounging around the house, to hanging out in the park and camping.
Both are feasible options with two clearly different purposes.
REI Adventure Dog Dream Bed, $50-75
REI Adventure Dog Dream Bed
Clearly made for car camping or any adventure where you don’t have to lug it too far, the REI Adventure Dog Dream Bed is a dog’s air mattress.
Blowing up to 1.75-inches thick, the air mattress zips into a shell that’s fleece on top and a super durable nylon on bottom. It also has a stuff sack – which is more of a nylon case – where you can store it.
But, with the medium (which is comparable in surface area to the Highlands Bed) weighing in at 2 pounds, 7 ounces and rolling to 8×18 inches, it’s more suitable for car camping and around-the-house use than backpacking.
It’s not something that’ll fit into most dog packs – though you could, of course, carry your dog’s gear in addition to your own.
While the company doesn’t calculate an R value (its insulation rating), it likely provides more insulation from the ground than other dog beds – including the Highlands Bed – because it inflates.
But it’s pretty stiff.
Most dogs I know like to “make a bed” and scrunch up towels, blankets or pliable beds or whatever else they sleep on. Lulu is no exception.
That’s why, while she liked the puffiness of the Dream Bed, she preferred the flexibility of the Highlands Bed.
To no avail, she repeatedly tried to scratch at the Dream Bed in hopes of conforming it to whatever position she wanted – proving that it’s durable enough to withstand incessant scratching.
Ruff Wear Highlands Bed, $75
Ruff Wear Highlands Bed
Made for backcountry camping because of its size and weight, the Ruff Wear Highlands Bed is a versatile pad.
The 14-ounce bed resembles a synthetic sleeping bag in that it’s relatively thin and flexible.
New in spring, the Highlands Bed stuffs to a respectable 5×12 inches via its own sack – but it’s not a tight fit, so the stuff sack could definitely be smaller to save space.
In fact, Ruff Wear made the bed one-size-fits-most in order to accommodate a variety of dogs and keep it small enough to fit in a dog pack.
Both dog packs Lulu’s testing had enough space for the Highlands Bed in one side – and both packs are size small.
Filled with Thermore synthetic insulation, the shell is made of, primarily, polyester and, on the underside, has a loop at each corner to stake it down if needed – and, as I found out on a windy day, it’s needed.
But the lightness and flexibility made it a dog favorite.
Lulu and a friend’s dog chose it over the Dream Bed – likely because dogs can bunch it up, move it around and tailor it to what they want.
Like REI, Ruff Wear doesn’t assign an R value to its dog beds.
Though it’s likely not as insulated as the Dream Bed, it’s definitely better than sleeping on the tent floor, and it’s a good mix of size/weight and insulating ability.
Win gear code in honor of Sierra Designs’ new packs
To fill a void in the market that Sierra Designs sees, the company is launching a new line of backpacks that’ll hit shelves in January. And in honor of that, I’m giving away more than a dozen pro deal codes so you can get hooked up with (super) cheap gear this year.
But back to the packs.
Instead of flat aluminum stays that give the pack support, the SD packs are built with a spine-like stay that runs up the center of the pack and mimics the human backbone twisting as you move.
Backpack frame showing spine-like stay
And each side of the formed hip belt pivots up and down at the center to help give a custom fit even if hiking off camber.
The company also touts its superior ventilation system – which looks, as many packs do until you get them on, to provide ample air circulation and hold the pack off your back.
Ranging in size from 30 liters to 65 liters and coming in men’s and women’s specific versions (and colors), Sierra Designs’ new line will be available in January for between $160 and $240.
Get Sierra Designs gear for cheap
Though they expire at the end of this year, I’m giving away more than a dozen Sierra Designs pro deal codes that the CEO of the company gave me directly.
All you have to do to get one is send me a picture of your most battered, rundown, ugliest-looking piece of gear via Twitter or e-mail.
Sierra Designs Revival 55
If I deem it used and abused enough, I’ll hook you up with a code – until they’re gone of course.
***(As a heads up: You’ll likely read something similar to this when you sign up with the code, but the gear you purchase via this program is for you only and can neither be exchanged for a different size/color nor returned. Make sure you know exactly what you want before you place your order. And remember, these new backpacks aren’t available until early next year.)
