outdoorhacks.com

Thanks to Two-Heel Drive, I just found out about Jason Klass’s Homemade Backpacking Gear site. His Gear Laboratory features articles and experiments on making your own hiking gear at home. He’s got some nice links for building alcohol stoves, but I really enjoyed the Kitchenware section. This part of the site has some great ideas, such as the Heinekin Pot Grip.

I highly recommend you check out the site. Jason provides some useful tips and is obviously dedicated to making his own gear.

GorillaPod is a really cool product that allows you to stabilize your camera nearly anywhere. Its flexible, but still as tough as nails. Its a little expensive at just over 20 bucks, but its a high quality item so you can justify the cost. There is now an SLR version too, which is nice since the original GorillaPod would be overwhelmed by heavier cameras.

GorillaPod link at Amazon

What could possibly be better on the trail then trail mix? Here is a contender for the best trail mix recipe ever. This tasty little treat can be found on All Recipes, which is a damn good recipe site.

The Trail Mix recipe was apparently submitted by USA WEEKEND columnist Jean Carper.

Do you have any good outdoor snacks to share?

Here are some quick instructions for whipping up a bottle of dog repellent. Use a 3% or less solution of ammonia and dilute with water if its too strong. Add the ammonia to a squirt bottle and you’ve now created your own homebrew dog repellent.

The solution works, when sprayed at the attacking dog’s nose, by overwhelming the dog’s olfactory nerves.

Courtesy of Cool Tools

So small, yet so hot. Somehow this little butane burner has the ability to pump out over 7000 BTU. It also features automatic ignition, aluminum and steel Construction, and it comes with its own carrying case. It runs off a small butane canister inside the stove so its perfect for camping and backpacking. Only $18 at Amazon.

Post from Cool Tools

Addicted to Coffee? Check.

Own a Nalgene? Check.

Will Palmer provides some information on a great product for you coffee drinkers. The Press-Bot turns your Nalgene into a French Press. How perfect is that for your backcountry caffeine fix?
Press-Bot Coffee Filter

Two-Heel Drive provides a nice tip for hikers:

“Check out www.minimus.biz — which sells single-serving condiments, drinks (coffee!) and other travel-size goodies.”

Can’t you just see someone ruining your hike when they cruise by on this thing? Dvorak Uncenscored dicusses the latest model from Segway.

I’m addicted to coffee, but that instant stuff is horrible - until now. National Parks Traveler discusses Java Juice:

At last week’s Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City I ran into the folks behind Java Juice, which essentially is a pure coffee extract that turns into a bonafide cup of 100 percent organic, and certified Kosher, Arabica coffee when mixed with either hot or cold water.

The stuff goes for about $1.50 per packet, but is well worth the price if it brings a drinkable liquid to your cup.

National Parks Traveler via Two-Heel Drive