The chill in the air means pumpkins on the dashboard and cider in our fridge. We’ve been on the road for seven months, adventured in over 10 states, and hiked thousands of miles. Our tour comes to an end at the end of this month but we still have plenty of exploring left to do! Let’s pull on those headlamps, puffy jackets and gloves, there’s still fun yet to be had. However, it does mean that this is our final Gear On The Go of the 2018 season. We’ve made it a good one!
Nite Ize Dual CamJam Tie Down System
Being able to secure things both inside and outside of the van is extremely important to us. Nite Ize created this complete tie-down system that’s saved the day more times than we can count. It’s intuitive, useful and you can use the full length of the strap. We’ll never be able to use a regular cam strap again.
The system comes in either 12 or 18 feet of durable 1″ nylon webbing with an integrated loop on the end. The durable zinc alloy Dual CamJam buckle features two separate cam locking mechanisms allowing you to slide the buckle and position it just about anywhere in your configuration. The proprietary design creates the ability to tighten the webbing strap in either a straight line or looped configuration. The ability to use the straight line configuration has been perfect for strapping down our boats to the roof of the van. These extra durable straps have a working load limit of 400lbs and a full break strength of 1200 lbs. $20-$24
Sea To Summit UtlraLight Insulated Mat
This easy-to-pack pad has been an absolute workhorse for us for two years now. We’ve used it on countless backpacking trips and it has yet to let us down. Sea To Summit’s Air Sprung Cell technology keeps us warm and comfortable no matter what surface we’re sleeping on. Usually, ultralight sleeping systems are meant for warm summer nights, but with an R-value of 3.3 we’ve used this mat well into the fall and it’s never let us down.
Sea to Summit’s Air Sprung Cell technology is what makes these sleeping mats so comfortable. Rather than feeling like you are sleeping on an air-filled sleeping mat, the Air Sprung Cells create stability and give you the feeling that you are actually sleeping on a real bed. Sea to Summit also utilizes the strongest face fabric and laminate material available in a backpacking air-mat. This mat also comes with a high-quality stuff sack that doubles as a pump, a repair kit, and a spare one-way valve insert. Perhaps our favorite feature of all Sea To Summit’s inflatable products is the two-way valve that allows for easy inflation, deflation, and adjusting how much air is inside. It’s available in four sizes, to fit your specific needs. $119.95-$149.95
Old Town Castine Kayak
We’ve been using our Castine for a little over seven months now and we’re still impressed. This day-touring-style kayak provides sunup to sundown comfort. It’s available in three sizes so finding the right fit is easier than ever. It also offers plenty of storage, and we’ve even used ours to paddle into some of our favorite campsites.
All three models feature the all-new Slide-Away Day Hatch, adjustable thigh braces, and with the ACS2 Seat, you’ll feel like you’re floating on a cloud all day long. We’ve been in a lot of kayaks throughout the years that are just plain uncomfortable. The Castine line of kayaks is the perfect blend of comfort and performance. We’ve paddled these kayaks into fairly strong headwinds and there’s something about the way they are designed that makes paddling these boats just feel easier. Old Town is a name you can trust. They have been in the business since 1898 and you can’t make it that long unless you make rock-solid products. $1,300-$1,400
Wenzel Shenanigan 8
Having shelter you can put up quickly saves more time for adventuring, partying, and relaxing. This eight-person tent is perfect for your next festival weekend, car camping gathering, or play pretend afternoon. It uses a one pole system, so once you hammer down the stakes around the corners, you javelin into the empty tent with the single pole and now you have a living area. It has multiple vents so when the festival gets hot, your tent will stay breezy. There are organizational pockets on the sides to keep your phone separate from your blanket fort. With roll-up windows, you have the chance to let the sunlight in or make friends with your tent neighbors. The best part of this tent is being able to put on your festival outfits without crouching on the ground. The 94-inch center height turns your tent into a professional dressing room. This simple design is perfect for a weekend away, be it to listen to tunes, or enjoy the sounds of nature. With 127 square feet of livable space, there’s room for the whole family.
There is one way for this tour to be a reality, our sponsors! Sending a thank you shout out to our title sponsor Nite Ize, and all of our other awesome sponsors that make this happen: Crazy Creek, National Geographic, Sea to Summit, Mountain House, Lowe Alpine, Old Town, Leki, HydraPak, UCO Gear and Wenzel. If you like the gear that keeps us groovin’ click here to enter for a chance to win
