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Royal Robbins Shadowquilt Jacket
OK, it's still summer and still hot as snot – that would be 98 degrees, we think? – all over, so maybe it's a little early to be thinking about insulation layers. Here in Alaska, however, the saying is, "if you don't like the weather, just wait 20 minutes." A recent 90-minute hike in the…
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Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th Edition
If you could only have one book on mountaineering, it's an easy choice: Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills (2017) has been the go-to reference for generations of aspiring and practicing mountaineers since 1960. It has its own Wikipedia page,and the organization that started the book is even older: the Seattle Mountaineers date their founding to…
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Thermapen ONE Instant Read Thermometer
When you start using a grill to cook your meat, you quickly run into the question of doneness. At that point someone will tell you that thing about how if you press on different parts of your hand the resistance is the same as different grades of doneness; the soft web between thumb and index…
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Sharkbanz 2 Shark Deterrent Band
There is really only one question you need to answer: did you see Jaws as a child? If the answer is yes, then you will want to get yourself a Sharkbanz shark deterrent band. It's that or a bigger boat. Now we are fully aware that sharks, like bears or any other apex predator, deserve respect and…
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Royal Robbins Comino Short Sleeve Shirt
Royal Robbins is a great maker to check out when you're looking for activewear that looks as good as it performs. If you think your next trip will combine active travel with business, that's even better. The Comino shirt is a perfect example of a shirt that will sweat it out with you in the…
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Mystery Ranch Big Bop Shoulder Bag
These days you can find a bag for anything. We know this because we saw a bag recently with large printing on the front: "Might be makeup, might be sex toys." That pretty much covers it. But what if you want to take your makeup and personal massage device(s) into harm's way? Well, then you…
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RNR Lava Infinity Wiregate Carabiner
We think carabiners are sexy, and we know you do too, which is why we're always excited to see a new biner on the market. Rock-N-Rescue hooked us up with their fresh-off-the-forge Lava Infinity wiregate, and it's a case of beauty going all the way to the bone. Or the hot-forged aluminum, in this case.…
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Razor Dirt Quad SX McGrath
We generally prefer to get our backcountry adventures through human-powered means, but being true Alaskans we are not averse to firing up our mechanical friends on occasion. With our nine-year-old Littleflogger tagging along, we were looking for a way to safely introduce him to power toys, and the Razor Dirt Quad SX McGrath was just…
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Costa OCEARCH Spearo Polarized Sunglasses
We hesitate to contradict the bards of ZZ Top, and don't get us wrong, we do love us a pair of cheap sunglasses, especially when we know they are likely to get scratched, lost or broken. But there are also times where we're going to be on water, snow or ice and we want the…
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Kodiak McKinney Composite Toe Boot
As an Alaska-based reviewer we will freely admit to having a bias for anything named after Kodiak, the second-biggest island in these United States behind the big island of Hawaii. Kodiak is known for big-ass bears that are definitely tougher than you are, and Kodiak boots gives a solid nod to our ursine friends with…
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