Why DownTek is Game-Changing

What happens when you take the equivalent of kryptonite for down, and effectively drop it into Mount Doom? We use this down treatment on our Nocturne and Rhapsody Spoon Shaped sleeping bags.



In case you were wondering—yes, this is a big deal.

Camping with Kids (and living through it)

We like any book that has the words "down and dirty" in the title. 

There has been a huge movement towards scaling back family vacations, and camping is undoubtedly one of the best ways to get bang for your buck. After all, it is 2012, not 2001. But there are fundamental differences between resort-y vacations where you go to escape your kids, and camping—where connecting with your kids AND nature can be amazing and disastrous, all at the same.

We prefer amazing over disaster, and that usually comes with experience. Take a look at Helen Olsson's guide to camping with kids. With three children under the age of nine, she's llama-trekked in Colorado's backcountry, canoe-and-kayaked in the Niobrara River Valley of Nebraska. So yes, it CAN be done.

Seen at Trail Days 2012

Signs of the AT from afar—on the trail in the Grayson Highlands.

Thirsty dogs found a water source at the NEMO booth.

For those of you that have hiked the AT, this t-shirt answers it all.

Crowds gathering for the Obi 2P raffle at the NEMO booth...

... and the big winner is King of the Hill. Always great to see gear go to the thru-hikers.

We helped out with wallet replacements. Backstreet Boys no more.

Always great to see Sheri and Randy Propster of Backpacker's Get Out More tour.

Their ride is hard to miss on the road!

 -Connie

Dogs of Trail Days

Some of our favorites that we met this year at Trail Days in Damascus, VA. The photo style is no Bill Cunningham, but you get the idea of how many dogs were around at the festival.

A Delicious Wood Sandwich

Check out Tom Sachs' ode to the indispensable plywood:

We love plywood, too.

NEMO Lunchbreak at the Range

There was a break in the clouds last Thursday between the rainshowers so we jumped at the chance to play a little disc golf at lunch.

There were some water hazards,

and player hazards (watch out for the late release).

There's nothing like some time outside the office to appreciate the folks we work with and some of the natural beauty that's right outside our door.

-Connie

On the way to work.

There is no better way to start the week than seeing some wildlife enjoying the sun. I spotted this red fox hunting a small field along the side of the road on my way into NEMO today. I spun my truck around first chance I got and watched it for about 5 minutes. It pays to have a camera with you at all times!

-Bill

Why I Love the Outdoors

One of the best things about spending time in the outdoors is that it is one of the more humanizing and connect-y activities I can think of. In a world otherwise where avoidance of eye contact is the norm, I have had more experiences sharing trail conditions, wave reports, snacks, shade from the sun, cover from the rain, and equipment advice with strangers than I can remember. This REI ad from last year is spot-on.



A couple weekends ago, Suz and I took a short backcountry trip to Little Harbor, Catalina Island. We offered to take a group's picture at a scenic point in the hike, and they mentioned that the other half of their party, a fishing boat, was meeting them at their campsite. There was talk of feasts of fresh fish, sashimi, stews— and somewhere tucked between there was an invitation to dinner.

After setting up camp, exploring the land, we decided to say hi to the folks we had met earlier.  

I believe this is a pictorial definition of the word feast:

Clearly this hiking/backpacking group from SoCal has their priorities straight. I can't say that I've ever eaten so well in the backcountry. Instant friends? Felt more like instant family.

-Connie

For Your Friday Viewing Pleasure

We like Curbsyde Productions' latest endeavor, a film following husband and wife Joe & Flora Lloyd, as they journey across the US on their BMW dualsport bikes. In this latest preview they are crossing Death Valley, Mojave, Joshua Tree and Anza-Borrego, joining the largest deserts together, for one grand adventure. Taking as many back roads as possible, the Lloyd's test their skills and truly embody the Adventure Anywhere spirit.

Photos by Jon Beck.

~Kate

A Lot of Awesome

Sanuk's Tumblr is a whole lot of awesome. We've almost worn out our index fingers scrolling through the site. Here are some of our favorites.

-Connie