Articles

Breathability of outdoor fabrics can refer to two different things: Air permeability, or the rate at which air flows through a fabricWater vapor permeability, or the rate at which water vapor flows through a fabric, also known as the moisture vapor transmission rate or MVTR Water vapor permeability is typically discussed in the context of waterproof-breathable (WPB) rain gear whereas air permeability is applied to most other types of gear, particularly wind shirts. Air permeability is measured as the volume of air that can pass through a fabric and a common choice of units is cubic feet per minute or [...]

Blisters form when "shearing forces" (also known as friction or rubbing) cause layers of skin to separate. This article will cover a number of techniques for preventing blisters on your feet in the outdoors. For the most authoritative source on the subject refer to the bible of footcare, Fixing Your Feet. Dry Feet The first and arguably most important way to reduce friction is to keep your feet dry - think about how difficult it is to put socks on wet versus dry feet. Keeping your feet dry doesn't just mean not stepping in puddles or staying out of the [...]

Summary: A Vecto/Sawyer gravity filter setup is half the weight and cost of an MSR Autoflow. The Sawyer Micro Squeeze is 33% slower than the regular Squeeze The Six Moon Designs December newsletter featured an article about how to turn a CNOC Vecto water container and a Sawyer Squeeze water filter into a gravity filter. I usually carry an MSR Autoflow gravity filter when I'm in a group and a Sawyer Squeeze otherwise so I was curious about whether this would be an option to either cut weight or increase convenience (or both). To mix things up a bit I [...]