WALKABOUT WITH WILDSIDE

We are happy to announce that we are joining forces with Walkabout Outfitter as our very own outfitter!  Walkabout Outfitter has two stores, one in Roanoke, Virginia and another in Lexington, Virginia and they will be working with our participants to get you outfitted, whatever your needs are, and more importantly, at a discount!  I know that those of you who live in Minnesota or Texas, or anywhere other than these two cities are thinking – OK – that’s great, but it’s not cost effective for me to hop a plane to the east coast to buy gear, and of course, you’re right.  Kirk, the owner of Walkabout, will offer his expert advice, via phone or email, and you can order gear or clothing as you would from any other mail order company.  It doesn’t matter if he has it in stock or not – if you want it, he’ll get it for you and at a 10% discount. In the spring, his website will have all of their products available on-line, but remember, you’re not limited to just those items.  Also, you will be updated on a monthly basis on any in-store sales he might be having. 

Here are a few of the products that Walkabout has to offer:

Walkabout Outfitter 15 W. Washington St., Lexington, VA 24450,  540-464-HIKE (4453)

                                   307 Market St., Roanoke, VA  24011, 540 777-2727

ALSO -

Look for special promotions re: gear, etc. from Outdoor Divas -

 www.outdoorDIVAS.com. 

(They are west coast based, and we are excited to be working with them as well!)

While we are on the topic of gear, which just happens to be one of our favorite topics, another new addition to this page is information on Gear We’ve Tried.  This will include everything from backpacks to blister treatments and anything else we think you would be interested in knowing about in order to make your outdoor pursuits a little more enjoyable.  This page will be updated periodically so check back from time to time to see what’s new.  If you have a tried and true piece of equipment, clothing, etc., please feel free to send it to us and we are happy to add it to the website. 

COLD HANDS AND FEET?

Many of us at Wildside are in constant pursuit of mittens/gloves that will keep our trusty digits warm while we are outside playing.  After years of “testing” we think we have found the ultimate in keeping our fingers warm and toasty.  Here is the information from the company Swany that manufactures ski clothing.  The X-Therm II Mitt description is below as well as some information on the company itself.  If you search the internet you will be able to find a store on-line you can order from.  They retail for about $80.  www.swanyamerica.com

X-THERM II MITT

Thermatron heat reflective shell is ready for cold days.  Mitt has a great grip and finger channels.

SHELL:  Thermotron heat reflective fabric with honeycomb rip, grain LeatherShield with digitized leather reinforcement.

INSULATION:  Tri-plex +, Dyna-Therm with Primaloft & Comformax Radiant Shield, Hipora waterproof breathable insert.

FEATURES:  Precurved construction, Uni-pull cuff, AquaGuard lock-down zipper, utility pocket, quick release strap.

Swany has developed the first closed loop recyclable glove. The eco-circle glove starts with a shell fabric made from recycled material. They then use recyclable insulation as well as recyclable waterproof inserts making the glove shell 100% recyclable. They use a digitized polyurethane material for the palm, which is removed in the US before the shell is shipped overseas to Teijins recycling plant in Japan; the palm material is recycled here in the U.S.

Here is how the Eco-circle works:

While recycling the fabric the process will reduce CO2 emissions by 77% and requires 84% less energy than producing the polyester material from virgin materials. Once the recycling process is complete and the recycled yarn is woven back into polyester fabric, the recycled polyester fabric will be made into a glove and process starts all over again.. The amazing part is, there is no limit to the number of times the polyester glove can be recycled, you could be wearing the same glove recycled 6 or 7 times. Swany Eco gloves are forever.

SealSkinz has completely waterproof gloves and socks to keep your feet dry and warm.  Melody has tested the gloves and can vouch for the fact that they will keep your hands bone dry in a downpour and for the most part her hands stay somewhat warm.  The circulation in her hands is not all that great so it’s difficult to find anything to keep them warm, but for the average person she is confident that your hands would stay warm.  The gloves have a gripping pattern on the palm to keep a good grip on your trekking poles.  They do make the same glove with an insulated liner made of expedition-weight double velour fleece.  We haven’t tested the socks, but we’re pretty sure that they are constructed in the same manner as the gloves so should work equally as well.  www.danalco.com

Want toasty feet without buying the above mentioned socks?  Then try insoles made from an advanced aerogel insulation developed by NASA for space suits.  These insoles are incredibly light and thin and testers have stood on dry ice, with a surface temperature of –106 degrees, while their feet stayed at  +72 degrees.  We haven’t put these to the test yet, but we will as soon as the mail person delivers them.  You can find these toasty feet at www.sahalie.com.

BLISTER PRONE?

Then you need to try the magic of Body Glide.  This anti-friction skin formula helps prevent blister and chafing and has vitamin e and aloe.  There’s no mess to it and it glides on like a solid anti-perspirant applicator.  Apply to your feet before you start hiking and again during the day if you need to.  We can attest to how well it works as many Wildside participants who have had ongoing problems with blisters suddenly found themselves blister-free after using it.  You can find it in most discount stores or drug stores. 

DEHYDRATE EASILY?

Originally formulated for triathletes, Nuun (pronounced “noon”) is a sweet new way to turn your water into a sports drink.  It works by replacing the electrolytes you lose on sweaty summer treks.  These tablets are added to 16 oz. of water and have a bubbly taste and come in four flavors.  Also, CamelBak has its own sugar-free electrolyte tablet called Elixir.  It works the same as Nuun and the taste is a little sweeter and tarter than Nuun’s subtle flavors.  You can find the tablets in most outfitters stores.

GREEN SCENE TIP

If you use the ever-popular fuel canisters but don’t know what to do with them when they are empty – you can recycle them. Most fuel canisters are steel and can be recycled along with your empty soda cans.   Just burn off any residual fuel and puncture empty canisters before recycling.   To make certain about rules in your area, you may want to call your local Public Works Department.

RENT GEAR FOR YOUR FIRST BACKPACKING TRIP
Check out lowergear.com.  It’s like Netflix for backpacking equipment.  For instance – if you want a Garmin GPS to download a hike for an upcoming trip, for $9 a week, you get the GPS and a self-addressed label to ship it back after you return home.  Lowergear.com also rents new models of tents, bags, packs, bear canisters, cookware, and headlamps.  Also, this is a great way to test a piece of equipment before you buy it.