In a sea of hundreds of available options, the Grayl Geopress filter floats to the top with high-quality water through a simple filtration process. After experimenting with many purification systems in the past, I decided to give the Grayl Geopress…
The Ultra Vesta 5.0 is one of the four tiers of hydration vests available from Ultimate Direction, sitting at two out of four on the minimalist scale (the most minimal at one). Despite its rank, I found it more than…
In March of 2020 Covid-19 began to burn its way through the United States. The stock market was crashing, people were getting laid off en masse, zoom calls were skyrocketing and people were dying. In March of 2020, I would…
Filtering water on hikes has always been a point of contention for me. I’ve gone through lifestraws, sawyers, and Katadyns trying to find a system that works. I have pretty high standards for water, and I really like the Grayl…
I’ve been testing out the Kokopelli Nirvana packraft over the past few months on the Chattahoochee River for both whitewater and flatwater paddling and it has proven to be an effective vehicle for on-water enjoyment. Features The Kokopelli Nirvana packraft…
Living in my truck during the hot Utah summers, I enjoy having minimalist gear and clothing. The Astral Loyak AC (“Air Condition”) is a great choice for a minimalist lifestyle and one who spends a lot of time around water. …
An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Rafting the Grand Canyon On March 19th, on a cold gray morning, I left the comfortable known shoreline of Lee’s Ferry and disembarked into the unknown waters of the Grand Canyon. Up until this point…
These bags were awesome at keeping snow off all my gear and I think they would work well for rafting and kayaking. Out of the box, the zippers seem durable but are still easy to zip, which, in my experience…
On more than one (non-commercial) occasion, I’ve gotten on the river, clipped two-liter water bottles to my boat, and then finished them promptly within the first hour or so on the water. Then I am a living testament to “water,…
I’m a self-proclaimed hippie and don’t care much about modesty. I’ll be naked at a trailhead or river take-out in a hot minute without thinking twice. But, sometimes there are those creepers, or I realize that not everyone wants to…