I’m inclined to say that you’ll want a pair of external gaiters. The Arc’Teryx Alpha SL pants ($198) are great, but I’m not sure you’ll be comfortable wearing waterproof shell pants all day. Plus, they’re made of Gore Paclite, which is a wonderful material but isn’t the most durable stuff on the planet.

If I were you, I would carry the Alphas and wear some light insulated tights and shorts when it isn’t raining. You might also look into Arc’Teryx’s excellent Gamma LT pants ($169), which are made of a light softshell that is rugged, comfortable, and water repellent.

For gaiters, Outdoor Research’s Salamanders ($45) are a good choice. They’re a short gaiter made from a waterproof-breathable material, combined with Cordura in the lower section for excellent durability. When hiking off trail, the foliage is apt to be wet even if it’s not raining. That moisture can go right into your boot as you kick through shrubs.

If you expect a really wet trip, then look into a full-length gaiter, something like the Mountain Equipment Co-Op Kokanee Gaiter ($39, Canadian). They’re made with Gore-Tex uppers and tough nylon lowers—just the thing for extended hiking in wet conditions.

Have fun!

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Deet—derived as an acronym for di-ethyl-toluamide—was developed in the 1950s and remains the world’s most effective bug repellent. In most cases it’s reasonably safe, provided you don’t pickle yourself in high concentrations of the stuff. Caution is advised for children, however (10 percent dilutions or less; repellent applied to clothing rather than skin). And deet has well-documented solvent qualities that can be hard on plastics and similar materials.

Cutter Advanced

A lot of people tout alternatives based on soybeans or citrus. Some are moderately effective. But none works as well as deet nor lasts as long. Now, however, there are some effective alternatives. For years, a repellent called Picaridin (pee-CAR-ee-den) has been available in Asia and Europe. Tests show that it works more or less as well as deet (maybe even better in some cases), poses no risk to adults or children, doesn’t cause plastic to melt, and is generally much more pleasant. Picaridin was made available in the U.S. market last summer in Cutter Advanced bug juice ($6 for a six-ounce bottle; www.cutterinsectrepellent.com).

S.C. Johnson, the makers of the popular, deet-based Off! repellents, also markets a Picaridin product (which the Johnson folks call Picaridin Autan). It goes by Skintastic CleanFeel, and contains 5 percent Picaridin (the Cutter is 7 percent). Sells for $5 for a six-ounce bottle.

I’d like to hear some feedback on these things from people in bug-intensive states. At least one competitor claims Picaridin doesn’t work. And what with the threat of West Nile virus and all, bug repellents have become serious stuff, not just a way to deter a moderate nuisance.

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Well, yeah, that’s always going to be the case. I have on the Wolf range in my kitchen a set of six Griswold skillets—all vintage skillets that I got on eBay. They’re fabulous for steaks, fried chicken, all sorts of things, and distribute heat so well it’s almost impossible to burn anything. Alas, they’re cast iron. The big one—a 14-incher—weighs close to ten pounds. But it’s the heft that makes them so thermally efficient at cooking.

DuraLite

When camping/backpacking/bike touring, one doesn’t want to carry that weight. So if you want to do some skillet work—obviously, how else are you going to fix scrambled eggs and Spam?—you have to put up with something a little lighter. One good choice is GSI’s ten-inch skillet ($30; www.gsioutdoors.com), which weighs just over one pound and is made from anodized aluminum with a non-stick coating. It’s got a folding handle, and just enough heft so that a hot flame won’t immediately scorch your bacon. MSR’s DuraLite ($20; www.msrcorp.com) weighs about half as much, in part by doing without the nicety of a handle, and by thinning out the metal. Open Country’s ten-inch pan splits the difference in weight, has a folding handle, and sells for $17 (or $15 for an eight-inch model; www.opencountrycampware.com).

So those are your choices, give or take a few models that are basically the same. If you’re using a canister stove, you ought to be able to lower the flame enough so that you can do fairly delicate cooking (all the canister stoves I have allow that). One gadget that might help is the Backpacker’s Pantry Scorch Buster ($6; www.backpackerspantry.com), a disk of metal that you place atop the stove, directly under the skillet. It’s designed to capture and diffuse heat from the stove, so that the flame isn’t concentrated in one place. It weighs four ounces, which isn’t bad. And, it can be used with the Outback Oven ($68), a great thing to take on trips where weight is not absolutely critical.

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Within reason, you can take just about whatever you wish—after all, you’ll be floating down the river, not carrying a big pack. That said, there is no point in packing way more than you need. So I’d take two things: a decent three-season (or lighter) tent, and some sort of sun shade or awning.

REI Hobitat 4 Tent

REI Hobitat 4 Tent, shown with rain fly

How large is your group? If you have four, then ’s Hobitat 4 ($249) is an excellent choice in a large, cabin-style tent that’s not too big or heavy (15 pounds). Quite raft-able. Also, it has good ventilation and is rugged enough to withstand a thunderstorm.

If you have two or three people and want something more compact, then take a look at ’s Aeros 3P ($369). It’s a backpacking tent with room for three. It’s very light (six pounds) and super well-ventilated, as the entire canopy is mesh. And of course it has a full-coverage rain fly in case the skies open on you.

Or, for two people, there’s ’s Meridian 2 ($200), a nice, basic backpacker that weighs less than five pounds, has lots of ventilation, and is weathertight.

I think for meals and standing around admiring the view, a sun shade or rain shelter of some sort is in order. makes a big one called the Parawing 19 ($250) that can keep eight or nine people out of the weather. It sets up with two poles and multiple tie-downs and can be configured in a variety of different ways. Or, for something a little more compact, ’s Sunshade ($150) covers about 50 square feet—enough for a half-dozen people. It’s a popular item on Grand Canyon trips.

Sounds like fun. Send us some pictures!

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Certainly for the mountaineering part of this trip the Arctis Expe ($350) would be a good choice. They’re a warm, plastic mountaineering boot that’s perfect in cold weather and technical ice/snow. ’s AFS 8000s ($440) would work well, too.

Scarpa Summit GTX Mountaineering Boot

Scarpa Summit GTX Mountaineering Boot

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As for the trekking portion, well, I don’t know. Plastic boots have come a long way in recent years, but they’re still not the most comfortable thing to wear for long trail trips. They’re heavy and rather stiff. But then again, you don’t really want to have a pair of plastics in your pack to lug around.

So, you could buy a pair of plastics and do some hiking around New York in them to see how they feel. You might find you’re OK with using them as a hiker. Alternatively, you could buy a pair of somewhat newer-age boots that use materials that offer more comfort than plastic but have insulation and vertical-ice capability. For example, you might like the Trango Extreme EVO Light ($400). It’s an insulated, light, technical boot made with synthetic leather and other tech-y stuff to yield a boot that can handle trails, ice, rock, you name it.

’s Summit GTX ($390) is another excellent all-arounder. Maybe even better on the trail than the Trangos, with leather uppers, a Gore-Tex liner, and insulation. They are probably what I would take, if you want to know. I don’t think you’ll be doing anything super-technical. But you want a good mountaineering boot that is warm and can handle crampons well. The Summit would do the trick.

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Are you really alone? As in, is someone else apt to be forced to share your musical tastes? Because you’d be astonished at how far sound can travel on a quiet evening in the hills—particularly where there’s a lake or something that can reflect sound waves and help them on their way. So while I sympathize with your desire for music, I must preface my recommendations with a plea that you keep the noise to a minimum.

SRS-T57 speakers

But yes, there are battery-powered speakers out there. Probably the best in terms of light weight plus decent sound is the Sony SRS-T57 unit ($50 per pair; www.sony.com). They fold for compactness (slightly bigger than a pack of cards) and weigh only eight ounces without batteries. Sound is decent for tiny, battery-powered speakers—don’t expect to blast out Modest Mouse at much more than audible-from-five-feet volumes (which I suppose makes my earlier concerns superfluous). But you can hear your music while tinkering around doing camp chores, reading in the tent, stargazing…

Take a look as well at the Creative TravelSound i300 ($80, but available for $50 at several online sites; www.creative.com). They claim a little higher sound quality than the Sony speakers, due to their titanium drivers. Heavier and bulkier than the Sonys, however, at about one pound and 15 inches by six in girth. They’ll play for up to 35 hours with four AAA batteries (depending on volume), which is much better than the two or three hours you’ll get from the Sony speakers, with four heavier AA batteries.

So, rock on. Maybe if you get the Sony speakers, a solar charger is in your future as well…

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Ah, yes. Performance points—crack for cyclists. You pay that $20 initiation fee, start building up points, and before long you’re in their grip like a python holding a mouse. I was at Performance in Seattle the other day and shook them down to price-match Nashbar on a cycling computer. But it just wasn’t the same—Performance, of course, now owns Nashbar. So I wasn’t really stickin’ it to ’em.

Ksyrium Elite

Anyway, wheels. Both the Neuvation and the Mavic Ksyriums are proprietary rimspokehub systems, unlike, say, a Mavic Open Pro rim that you can match with various hub and spoke components. The advantage of a wheel “system,” in theory, is that all the components are tuned to work well together. The Neuvation and Mavic Ksyriums also feature things such as aero spokes for less wind resistance. Price for a pair of the Neuvation Aeros is $400 (although currently on sale at the Neuvation website for much less; www.neuvationcycling.com). For a pair of the Ksyrium Elites, about $550 at Performance (www.performancebike.com). So, depending on your points and other factors such as sales tax and shipping, maybe you can get out of there for under $500.


I have not ridden the Neuvation wheels, although they are well-regarded. They’re a little on the heavy side (1,720 grams) but roll well. One complaint I’ve come across is that it’s difficult to get a tire on and off without a tool. But you’d be happy with them, I’m sure. I ride a pair of the Ksyrium SSCs, which are a little pricier and lighter than the Elites. I like them fine after about three years of use (about 100 to 150 miles a week from June through October; rain bikes take the abuse during the winter). They spin fast and look great, and I haven’t run into the durability problems that some riders complain about.


For both models, replacing rims or spokes can be expensive and a hassle. For that reason I also still like a pair of good ol’ Open Pro CDs ($75 per rim) built up with a nice pair of hubs such as Shimano Dura-Ace ($300 for a pair) and double-butted spokes. That’s nearly a lifetime wheelset.


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That sounds like great fun, Connie. Zion National Park is beautiful, and the trek up the Virgin River—deep in a slot canyon—is a classic, albeit a wet one. You’ll be chest-high in water for long stretches. On the other hand, it’s apt to be hot during your trip, and hot/wet beats cold/wet. So think lightweight, and think synthetic. Cotton, wool—both fabrics have their place, but neither dries very well.

Salomon Techamphibian

And I mean all-synthetic, undergarments included. Patagonia’s seamless Capilene Briefs ($18; www.patagonia.com) and Capilene Mesh Bra ($35) would be a good start. Over those, a warm-weather T-shirt such as REI’s MTS Lightweight Crew ($24; www.rei.com) has polyester fabric that dries very fast. This will be comfortable across a wide temperature range so makes a good base layer if it’s chilly, plus will work fine by itself when very warm. I’m not a huge fan of “convertible” pants, but Ex Officio’s Buzz Off Convertible Pant ($79; www.exofficio.com) offers good sun protection, a bug-repelling fabric finish, and that option of shorts or long pants. And they’re made of a light nylon that dries quickly.

Layer over that a light fleece jacket such as Marmot’s Reactor Full Zip Jacket ($75; www.marmot.com). And a rain shell of some sort; REI’s Taku ($189; www.rei.com) is one fantastic option in this department.

For footwear, you’ll clearly want some sort of aqua-ready shoe, such as the Salomon Techamphibian ($80; www.salomonoutdoor.com), which has high-traction outsoles, fast-drying uppers, and drain holes to let water escape quickly. Better, I think, than a sandal-type shoe, as sand can get under the sandal straps and quickly chafe. I’d pack some inexpensive tennis shoes to wear around camp in the evening.

Read Away.com’s for more gear to carry you safely through the slots.

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I think you’re after two different things here, John. Maybe three. For a triathlon, I wouldn’t think you’d want anything more than a lightweight, compact hydration pack—something such as ’s Rogue Hydration Pack ($58). It’s just big enough to hold two liters of fluid, plus a few energy gels or arm warmers. And its streamlined shape is ideal for cycling. But really, unless you’re doing something more than Olympic distance (40-kilometer ride), I’d get by with bottles. I just don’t think a pack is necessary.

The Rogue

The Rogue

Besides, for snowboarding or camping you’d need a much bigger back than would be remotely useful on a bicycle. For that, you’d need something such as the Blade pack ($135). It’s purpose-built for snow sports, and can carry a snowboard or a pair of skis. Plus it holds tools such as shovels, poles, and extra food or clothing. It has 1,800 cubic inches of capacity, which qualifies as a mid-sized daypack. Too big to put on your back and take biking—it weighs four pounds, for one thing. Plus it’s fairly bulky and non-aero. ’s Quiver pack ($65) is a little smaller (1,500 cubic inches), holds skis or snowboards, and has a little more “urban” look than the Dakine.

By “camping,” do you mean “backpacking?” If so, then that is a third kind of pack. Here’s you’re looking at something such as the Aether 85 ($289), a full-featured backpack that can handle loads for close to a week of hiking. Or, for a good day-hiking pack, go for something such as the Lookout 40 ($90), a comfortable, nicely detailed daypack with lots of pockets for organizing stuff and enough capacity (2,440 cubic inches) to take a full day’s worth of gear.

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Yeah, I think we can make some progress, Jodi. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is make a repair yourself with one of several patch materials out there. One good choice is ‘s Tenacious Tape ($4.50). It’s a tough but lightweight material with a super-sticky adhesive backing that can fix holes and tears in nearly any material. It comes in a variety of colors, so you probably can match the bag’s color pretty closely. Or, use the clear version, which has a low-shine finish so it blends nicely into the existing color. Tenacious Tape is flexible, so can take the abuse of being stuffed into a stuff sack. And it will ensure that the tear won’t spread.

Tenacious Tape

Tenacious Tape

You also could ship the bag to a repair facility. For a bit more money, they could do a repair to restore the bag to like-new condition. I’ve long used , based near me in Seattle. I’ve gotten stuff back from them in BETTER than new condition—the repair sometimes cures a design flaw in the original item. Not really the case here, but they can sure fix the problem. You can e-mail them and get a rough estimate (maybe send a picture of the tear) of the repair cost. Then ship the bag to them and you’ll have it back in probably two weeks.

Of course, there’s always duct tape!

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