Know How
[ iN the paCk ]
Retail Roundup
G R A N I T E G E A R
Nimbus Great Northern Remember those old canvas packs that closed with two leather straps? Now forget them. The Nimbus Great Northern employs no fewer than 60 plastic D-rings, tension buckles and snap-clip pieces to bring some order and adjustability to its wealth of nylon straps. Whether you need four compression straps up each side of a pack is de- batable. What isn’t debatable is the comfort that comes with the padded and semi-rigid shoulder and belt harness that adjusts for different torso lengths. A zippered lid pocket and convenient
sleeve pocket top capacity out at 98 litres. $367 Cdn, $319 US
granitegear.com
B R U N T O N
Lite Tech Monocular Those who like to look at distant things but think binoculars are too heavy and fragile for a canoe trip can stop squinting. This monocular from Brunton is just nine centimetres long and weighs less than 100 grams. Being compact and waterproof, it is easy to keep it ready in a pocket for moments when you would like to be eight
times closer to something. $27 US
brunton.com
P E N T A X
Optio W60 Gone are the days when you needed a bomb- proof Pelican case to cart around a 10-megapixel camera. Barely larger than an audio cassette (Google it, kids), the Optio W60 is waterproof so it need not be tucked out of harm’s way. With its 5x optical zoom inside the camera, there are few- er exterior moving parts to break or drain power. It’s a durable snapshot machine, with enough resolution for enlargements for when you get
lucky or close crops when you don’t. $299 Cdn
pentaximaging.com
F L I P V I D E O
Ultra Even technophobes will quickly master this video camera’s simple controls. Its two gigabytes of sol- id-state memory store 60 minutes of video until you download straight to a computer via built-in software; no tapes, no discs. It measures an easy- to-pack 10 centimetres tall and is powered by two AA batteries, making reinforcing the power sup- ply on long trips simple. Shortcomings include an unprotected lens, the absence of an auto-off timer and a mic that struggles to pick up distant voices. But as a simple, inexpensive and hassle-free cam-
corder, the Ultra ably argues that less is more. $159 Cdn
www.theflip.com
E N D F O O T W E A R
Wow Could this be the shoe that makes portaging and lining more enjoyable than paddling? A flexible sole of deep lugs and soft rubber grips wet rocks as though they were coated in coarse-grit sand- paper. Up top, the breathable mesh fabric is light, drains well, dries quickly and won’t bind uncom- fortably on your toes. End (which stands for En- vironmentally Neutral Design) builds shoes with sustainability in mind by using recycled materials and less energy in production. Sustainable might also be a good term to describe the satisfaction
you’ll feel with these shoes. $95 Cdn
endfootwear.com
—I.M.
www.canoerootsmag.com 23
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