Gear and Clothing

The folks over at 5.11 Gear are holding an Outdoor Adventure Contest. Simply write a blog post detailing an outdoor adventure, and if you win, you get some cool outdoor schwag. Rules and requirements are here. I entered my post Winter Wings in the contest. I'd sure appreciate it if y'all would click on the link, read it if you ...

One of the biggest challenges for me in participating in Kilted to Kick Cancer was, well, coming up with a kilt to wear in the first place. While campaign sponsors Alt.Kilt offered discounts for KTKC participants and even offered a $100 gift certificate as part of the prize package for the top fundraisers, I simply wasn't willing to shell out ...

Last month, when I won the Black Diamond Boots 2011 EMS Blog of the Year contest hosted by Fire Critic, I anxiously awaited the spoils of my victory. Unfortunately, I apparently misread the contest rules, because my prize was not a date with one of the Black Diamond Boots babes, but a pair of their X2 fire boots.   Unfortunately, ...

Since all the other cool kids are doing it, here’s mine: Truck keys, with attached CPR barrier device Smith & Wesson LED flashlight Alaska Knives Bird and Trout model folding knife, a Christmas gift from a good friend Pocket change Carmex lip balm Wallet (in Mossy Oak camo, should I ever feel the need to phone in a credit card ...

Well, I’ve worn them for a week now, and I think I’m ready to render a final verdict: Comfort/Wearability: B. My normal boots are a leather/Cordura upper, and require very little break-in. The Elite Force boots, with their full leather (or reasonable facsimile) upper, took a week to begin wearing comfortably. Initially, the left boot rubbed my outer ankle quite ...

My first two years as an EMT, I was a cheapskate when it came to footwear. I wore whatever was 1) black and 2) cheap, which usually meant I picked up a pair of Brahmas, or whatever Wal Mart had in stock. And I spent that two years hobbling around, footsore, buying new boots every six months. I eventually figured ...