Podcast: From Ionic to Iconic- The Story of Nalgene

Science with a Twist did a great podcast about the story of Nalgene bottles. If you're a fan of these iconic water bottles that have become a staple of the outdoor community then you should probably give this a listen!

- LISTEN HERE -

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20 Uses for a Nalgene

Single-use water bottles are not only wasteful and bad for the environment, but they are also just that- single use. Recently, we asked our employees to come up with a list of uses they have for a reusable Nalgene bottle aside from just drinking out of it. We received a ton of answers and some of them were pretty out there (seriously, our employees have done some weird things with Nalgenes). Without further ado, here is our list of the 20 best uses we received.

1) First Aid Kit- Keep your medical supplies together and dry.
2) Tent Pee Bottle- When it's too cold or too much work to get out of your tent at night but you need to relieve yourself.
3) Food Container- Save a ziplock bag by storing food in your extra bottle.
4) Nails, Nuts, & Bolts Storage- We've all got those miscellaneous nuts and bolts that no longer have their original packaging but we refuse to throw them away because someday they might be exactly what is needed.
5) Message in a Bottle- Hopefully you're never stranded on a desert island and this use is just for fun with friends.
6) Fire Starter Kit- Keep various kindling dry and ready to start a fire in any conditions.
7) Rolling Pin- If your kitchen is too small to keep a big, wooden pin in it just for the occasional rolling of dough.
8) Cookie Cutter- If round cookies are all you crave then you are set.
9) Geocaching- Insert a logbook, pen, and some tchotchkes, bury it, and post the coordinates.
10) Hot Water Bottle Heater- Snuggle up with a bottle of hot water at night for radiant warmth.
11) Hammer Tent Stakes- There's not always a rock around when you're setting up camp.
12) Lantern- Wrap a headlamp so that the light points in to the bottom of your bottle.
13) Ice Pack- Fill it up with some ice and ease those injuries.
14) Muscle Roller- Roll out your muscles wherever you are.
15) Waterproof Container- It doesn't just keep water in, it also keeps it out.
16) Washing Clothes- Clean your socks and undies on the go with soapy water and some shaking.
17) Vase- Glass breaks. Give your flowers a safer home.
18) Toothbrush Holder- Keep those bristles clean.
19) Winter Car Kit- Keep some small essentials like an emergency blanket, mini flashlight, handwarmers, and more together in case of a roadside emergency.
20) Weight for Bear Bag- Tie a line to your bottle with some weight in it and chuck it over a branch for raising your food bag out of bears' reach.

What did we leave out? Let us know your alternative use for a Nalgene!

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Gear Review- Peregrine Radama Hub

I had a chance to take out the Peregrine Radama Hub 4-person tent last weekend and it was a pleasant surprise. It’s more on the heavy side for a tent, but it’s not designed to be the backpacking, lightweight variety. As primarily a car-camper, I need a tent that will last and standup to the more frequent abuse that comes with car camping. I was pleased to see that the poles on this are slightly thicker DAC poles. They were very easy to set up and incredibly sturdy once connected to the tent.
I’m no fabric expert, but I would guess the tub of the tent to be a 40 or 50D fabric. This is a rather durable thickness and middle-of-the-road industry wise, but I would still pair it with an optional footprint. The tub sides also come up a good 4 inches around the entire perimeter of the tent. Combined with the fly that extends past the top of the tub, and I wasn’t concerned at all about rain getting in. It rained both days I was out using it and the interior stayed perfectly dry. The tent fabric was much thinner and lighter, but I’m not concerned about its ability to last. My one concern would be the mesh sections, as it is with most tents. It was incredibly thin and light so you would want to keep any sharp objects like knives or tree branches far away if using without the fly. However, what I’m not concerned about is stepping on the tent door. Peregrine was genius here. Instead of the typical door that zips towards the floor, necessitating you to constantly step over or around the door to avoid damaging it, they designed the door to unzip towards the ceiling. They then integrated a pocket into the ceiling to stuff the door in. This is AMAZING! You can also unzip the entire door using one hand. Huge plus here.

The fly also has some very nice improvements to it. There are 2 ventilation areas at the top of the fly that allow all the moisture to escape while still covering the mesh ventilation at the top of the tent. No more waking up to condensation covering everything. Rain blowing sideways? Just close the ventilation openings with a Velcro clasp. The fly doors are also easy to manage with magnetic clasps where you roll the door back. Say goodbye to messing with those little toggles when setting up or when it starts to rain. Just give it a little tug and it pops off and is ready to be zip closed.

Let’s talk about the storage. This tent has tons! I counted 9 pockets including the door storage areas. There are 3 pockets that run the entire length of one side of the tent, 2 pockets in opposite corners, and 4 pockets on the ceiling. They have done away with the hanging gear loft and instead have built-in pockets. Like having a gear loft, you say? There are still 4 little loops that you can attach an optional gear loft to. There is also a hook right in the middle of the ceiling where you can hang a lantern, string lights, or finally put up that divider so your roommate doesn’t end up spooning you in the middle of the night. The fly also extends several feet past the door to give you (2) vestibules to put shoes, gear, or bags if you need a little extra floor space. They have also designed the walls of the tent together with the poles to give you more headspace. The walls are near vertical so no more dead space that is common with more angular tents.

I’ve been using a Marmot Limelight for years and the Radama Hub had all the same features plus more. When packed down, the 4p Radama was just barely bigger than my Limelight 3p. I will definitely be replacing the Marmot and using the Radama Hub as my primary car camping tent.

by Steve Wise-
Steve is what you would call a "Jack of all trades." Whether it’s scaling a rock face, dropping in a couloir, or chilling on the back nine, you will typically find him outside. Adrenaline activities such as downhill mountain biking and jumping off a 400 ft canyon are some of his favorites, with the addition of whitewater paddleboarding the past few seasons. He’s no stranger to the leisure life though, as he recently took 2nd place in a local pickleball tournament. He has a passion for sharing his love of the outdoors with others and has pursued opportunities in both sales and marketing for the outdoor industry. His most rewarding endeavor was teaching kids how to ski and snowboard for 3 years in Park City, UT. He recognizes that none of this would have been possible without excellent gear to make it happen and is on a constant hunt to find that next piece.

Photos by: Adam Kittell

Learn more about the Peregrine Radama Hub at www.PeregineEquipment.com
Also available for retailers through Liberty Mountain.

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Red Castle Lake Trip Report

Fourth of July weekend (or in this case, the weekend immediately following the fourth since the holiday was on a Thursday this year) is often spent at a lake, barbecuing, drinking, and watching fireworks. Some people like to do things a bit differently though and backpack up to an alpine lake!

One of our employees, Jake Hirschi, and his son, Isaac decided the latter was more their style. They set out on a 24 mile overnight trip in search of big trout, and their timing could not have been better.

Red Castle Lake, in Utah's Uinta Mountains, is still 95% frozen. But the 5% that is open water is full of hungry monster trout. It is the deepest lake up there and doesn’t winter-kill. These fish have been under ice for 9 months!! If you get there first, prepare for the best fishing day of your life.

They brought along a Peregrine Kestrel UL to sleep in since they expected mosquitoes, but Jake says, "There were plenty on the hike in, covering everything if we stopped, but zero above 10,500 feet.

Isaac found a cached 4 man raft, paddles, 2 life jackets and an air pump under a cave at 11,300 feet. Unfortunately, the marmots had done their work turning someones treasure into trash. Being Boy Scouts, they decided to leave no trace and carried it all out. Over 30 lbs of trash between them no doubt made the return trip a bit more of a workout than planned.

Liberty Mountain Distributes the following gear used on their journey-

Peregrine:
Kestrel UL 2 Tent - 5 stars
Uinta Carbon Trekking Poles - 5 stars
Aerie UL Primaloft Sleeping Pad - 5 stars

Liberty Mountain does not distribute-

Trash:
Raft and accessories - 0 stars


Photos and writeup by Jake Hirschi.
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Peregrine Ditty Bags and Stuff Sacks - Keep Gear Organized and Dry

Benjamin Eaton introduces the new Peregrine ditty bags and stuff sacks from Peregrine Camping Equipment.

Gear Review: Peregrine Radama 1 Tent

Liberty Mountain employee, John Edmondson gives his first-hand review of the new Peregrine Radama 1 tent.

Smallest and Lightest Backpacking Stove - Olicamp Ion

With spring just around the corner, I keep stalking the newsstands for the latest Spring Gear Guides from magazines like Backpacker Magazine and Men’s Journal. Amongst all the great gear coming out for 2014, the Olicamp Ion Micro Titanium stove is making headlines for being the smallest, lightest, and most compact canister stove on the market.

Men’s Journal included the Olicamp Ion in their list of The Best New Spring Gear of 2014.

Backpacker Magazine gave a great review about the Ion, saying:

“Our New Mexico tester boiled water in temps down to 25º F, and was able to simmer soup and vegetables on low heat with no burning or sticking, even in a titanium pot.”

Readers' Choice Award Given to the Vaude Cheyenne 500

Backpacker Magazine honored the Vaude Cheyenne 500 sleeping bag with a Readers' Choice Award in its January 2014 issue.

Now In Stock: Peregrine Sleeping Bags

Peregrine Camping Equipment has released two new lines of sleeping bags. The Saker series and the Contour series. These warm, comfortable, and well-designed sleeping bags are great options for low-key and extreme styles of camping.

Lightest & Smallest Butane Backpacking Stove Hits the Market

One of the major perks of going out camping and backpacking is being able to eat like a nomad king. While some campers prefer to gnaw on sticks and dandelion leafs, most of us prefer dehydrated meals, tin-foil dinners, and even Dutch oven cooking. However, cooking in the backcountry can be a bit tricky, especially when campfires aren’t allowed.

Olicamp is a company that helps make cooking in the backcountry easy, affordable, and efficient. Traditionally known for its Space Saver Mug, Olicamp carries a vast line of backpacking cookware and stoves. From aluminum cups and flasks to hard-anodized pots and mess kits as well as compact butane stoves made of aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium, Olicamp produces everything that a backpacking-foodie needs to cook up a killer dish.

Peregrine Radama Tent - SBM’s Favorite Piece of Gear

The Peregrine Radama tent was listed as one of Seattle Backpackers Magazine’s favorite pieces of gear. Elijah Davidson said, “the Peregrine Radama 2 is a home that can stand up to the strongest storms.” Read about it here.

Olicamp XTS Pot Reduces Boil Time & Gas Consumption

ProLite Gear decided to do a thorough test with the Olicamp XTS Pot to determine its boiling time and gas consumption. Their conclusion was that the Xcelerator Transfer System made water boil quicker while using a lot less gas than a conventional pot. Watch the video above.

Peregrine Radama Featured on Outdoor Gear TV

The Peregrine Radama 3 tent was featured on OutdoorGearTV.com where they commended the tent for being so simple and quick to set up and take down. Watch their video review above and then head over to their website to read what they wrote about it. 

Olicamp Kinetic Stove Ranks #1

The folks over at GearInstitute.com recently took the Olicamp Kinetic Ultra Titanium stove out for a rigorous walk where they tested its burning times and gas consumption in various different scenarios. The results? GearInstitute.com gave the Olicamp Kinetic a GI Rating of 87, putting this stove in the highest rated slot. Read their full review here: http://www.gearinstitute.com/hiking/category/stoves

12 Essential Items For July 4th

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, we want to make sure that everyone is outfitted for the holiday. Our nation’s independence day has evolved to where we now celebrate our freedom by getting outside to play in the park, barbeque, camp, hike, and watch fireworks. We’ve put together a list of FUN-damental items that will help in making this year’s Fourth of July a fun and memorable one:

Fun in the Park:

Lasso Golf Game - The Lasso Golf Game is a classic yard game that is a distant relative to Horse Shoes. Toss the two golf balls connected by rope towards the target ladder to score points based off of what rung you hit. The game comes with 2 sets of target ladders, 6 sets of PVC lasso golf balls, built-in scoring, steel ground stakes for backyard play, and a carry bag.

Gear Review: Beal Tiger 10MM Unicore

The Beal Tiger 10mm Unicore climbing rope was recently featured in the Climbing Magazine 2013 Spring Gear Guide. Praised for being the “Best In Class,” the gear testers and editors at Climbing Magazine loved the Tiger for its innovative rope protection from the use of Unicore; a method of permanently bonding the sheath of the rope to the core that eliminates sheath slippage. “I had no worries of this thing cutting and exposing the core if I blew it,” said one gear tester after using the Tiger on his climb up Tiger Balm Arete (5.11R) in Eldorado Canyon, CO.

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New Backpack – Vaude Brenta

The Vaude Brenta 35 backpack was recently featured in the 2013 Backpacker Magazine Gear Guide. The Brenta was spotlighted for being a quality pack at such a competitively low price, i.e., a “Killer Deal.” The gear testers had many great things to say about the pack, including: "This pack wins the price-to-performance contest by a long shot." – "This is a day-hiking machine." - "The foam-and-mesh shoulder straps and lightly cushioned hipbelt received high marks for comfort and stability."

New Climbing Helmet - Singing Rock Kappa

The Singing Rock Kappa helmet was recently featured in the 2013 Climbing Magazine Gear Guide. Praised for being a “highly adjustable all-arounder,” the Kappa amazed the gear testers with its superior ventilation and stability. They raved about the Kappa’s ability to comfortably fit any head, no matter the shape and size.

The Kappa is a lightweight and low profile climbing helmet from Singing Rock. Its sleek design features a durable ABS injection molded shell for long lasting protection along with an EPS inner foam liner for comfort and shock absorption. The Kappa weighs only 330 grams with a size range of 20.8” to 24.4”.

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Backpacking Stove: Olicamp Vector

The Olicamp Vector +XTS Stove Combo was recently featured in the 2013 Backpacker Magazine Gear Guide. For being a “Killer Deal,” the Vector stove and XTS pot were recognized as a “bargain cook system for two.”

The Olicamp Vector is an ideal stove for any backcountry pursuit. The stove’s fold-away pot supports and stainless-steel construction makes it a sturdy and light stove that packs up small when not in use. The Vector weighs only 3 ounces and measures at 2.75” x 3.8”. The stove comes with its own plastic storage case for convenient packing and protection.

Backpacker Mag Features Grivel Gamba - Vaude Brenta - Olicamp Vector

It's always a delight to get the latest issue of your favorite outdoor magazine in the mail, lean back on your comfy throne, and indulge in a bit of adventure reading. We were honored to see three of our favorite products published in Backpacker Magazine's April 2013 Gear Guide.