GEAR, Words by Kaydi Pyette • Photos by Alex Cousins
There’s nothing like the smell of summer in the air to whip a backcountry paddler into a gear frenzy. What needs repair and what needs replacing? This season’s crop of new outdoor toys and tools are guaranteed to enhance your camping experience. There are revolutionary ideas, advancements and clever innovations that make must-have items smarter, more comfortable and easier to use. The following pages bring you the best of what’s new in camp gear, gadgets and gizmos.
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[3] Vipukirves Lever Axe
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What the Lever Axe lacks in beauty it makes up for in strength and power—this axe will have you winning strongman competitions in no time. The revolutionary redesign comes from Heikki Kärnä in Finland. The widened blade creates a lever effect, forcing the wood to split, and keeps the axe blade from getting stuck. We were impressed with its efficiency. The Lever Axe is no lightweight—at four pounds it’s only appropriate for base campers and the cottage’s wood lot.
www.vipukirves.fi | $260
48 | Canoeroots
TOOL TIME
[1] Zippo 4-in-1 Woodsman
TECH& TOOLS
The coolest new objects of desire
Bring the 4-in-1 Woodsman and have a mallet, stake puller, 15-inch bow saw and hatchet all in one package. Two saw blades nestle inside the handle of the tool and set up is simple after you know how everything is put together. The hatchet offers a nice heft for splitting wood. Though it’ll add about three pounds to your camp kit, the Woodsman is far lighter than bringing the four items separately.
www.zippo.com | $79.95
[2] Optimus Burny Torch
Don’t fuss with matches and puny lighters, the Optimus Burny is the ultimate all-weather torch designed to light a stove or campfire fast. Ergonomic and sleek, the Burny weighs not much more than a Bic, but is far more trustworthy during inclement weather. Features an adjustable flame and large fill level window. Refill with butane or propane.
www.optimusstoves.com | $23
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