G E A R B a G
Go hard, Go Further
POWER GRAZING FROM THE FRESH GEAR PANTRY By Virginia Marshall
element expeditionS Suunto
paddle waX X10
Paddlewax.com suunto.com
$9 us $550 us
It used to be, when you wanted The Suunto X10 may look like a
to add a little grip to your shaft, regular watch on steroids; but
you scrounged some Mr. Zog’s the techno-junkie Survivorman
Sex Wax from the local surf shop. It was cheap and it got the job done. who just parted with five bills
Now, however, a paddle-specific wax is available from Elements Expedi- knows it is one of the world’s smallest water resistant (to
tions in special warm and cold-water formulas. Super-tacky on your shaft 100 metres) wristop computers with GPS. Packed with fea-
and in your hand, the 100 per cent natural wax won’t rub off on or stain tures like an altimeter, compass, barometer (with weather
your gear. According to the makers, “The large, 70-gram tin provides tracking and storm alarm) and thermometer, the X10 also
even the most prolific users with a full season of repeat applications.” stores up to 500 waypoints and 50 routes and comes with
It might cost sextuple the price of Mr. Zog’s, but we have to give them software to upload your journey to Google Earth. Improve-
credit for not making any salacious references. ments over last year’s X9i include faster, stronger GPS fixes
and a longer lasting battery so all this technology may ac-
tually get you out of the bush before you start checking
under rocks for dinner. Take that, Les Stroud.
teva
p-2
teva.com
$110 CDN
Remember when sexy, ankle-baring socks made chunky tube socks a fashion faux
pas? Well, the world of river booties can now enjoy that same style and comfort revolu-
tion thanks to the eye-catching new Teva P-2. For style, look no further than the neon
orange accents and split toe. For sheer comfort, the P-2s are second to none. Super
soft, flexible fabric fits snugly over your ankle and a nifty padded medallion cushions
your outer ankle bone against bumps or abrasion. Function is not forgotten, as Teva’s
Spider Rubber outsole is similar to the rubber found on climbing shoes, giving you
gecko traction on slippery river rocks.
nemo
GoGo
Nemoequipment.com
$279 us
What do you get when an industrial designer with MIT and
NASA on his résumé and the Stockholm Millennium Arches
for his inspiration turns his attention to outdoor equipment?
The answer is a New Hampshire-based company with a
funky name and even funkier designs. Nemo’s Gogo
one-person bivy is a single-wall shelter that uses
an Airbeam—an integrated tube that inflates in
15 seconds with three or four big breaths—in-
stead of traditional poles. No rigid poles
means the entire shelter packs down
into a melon-sized, 1.9-pound pack-
age that fits easily behind the seat
of a whitewater kayak. Roomy for
a bivy, the Gogo gets bonus
points for its vestibule and
27-inch ceiling height.
0 Rapid summer/fall 2009
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