So, in short, this is an amazing product.  I have now slept in it more than my tent on this current trip.  I have been in torrential rains, near freezing temps, and stuff right in the middle.  It took me a couple of times setting it up to find a 'system' and now it is just a breeze.  Sets up and takes down in minutes.  In the torrential rain, not a drop came in and due to the little overhang, I was able to keep a portion of it open to help with ventilation.  On colder nights I have it completely closed up.  You do get a little condensation on the inside, but I think that is too be expected and reasonable.  When you are able to leave things open just a little, there is good ventilation and condensation is non-existent.

A couple of things that are pointed out in other reviews that I wanted to address.  First, yes, Bibbler does recommend that you seam seal the bivy.  They  don't say you have to, but they do recommend it and provide the seam sealer to do so.  The entire product is tape sealed, so some folks have question why you would need to do this or why you would have to do this on an expensive product like the Tripod.  All I can say is that it provides just that little bit of extra protection and only takes a few minutes.  If Bibbler was saying you had to do and they did not provide the sealer, then I would have a beef.

Second, I am using the Thermarest Neo Air.  I do love this air mattress, but it is thick, and that thickness takes up some prized vertical real estate inside the bivy.  Keep this in mind  if you use the neo air.  A standard 1" pad just feels more comfortable inside the bivy, but I am just adjusting to it.

Lastly, I am about 5'7" and somewhat broad shouldered.  I can't imagine being much bigger that me and being comfortable in the bivy.  There is definitely additional foot room, but if you are proportionally bigger (broad and tall), this is going to be a snug fit.

I absolutely love the product and will try and write a full review later in the trip.  In the meantime based on my current  21 nights of sleeping in it, I highly recommend it!

I am still not overly  excited about it when paddling in very swift currents or on my Ocean beach launches, but I am continuing to refine my stroke, and see this as a problem with me and not the blade itself.  I plan to paddle the majority of this current 4000 mile trip with the Superior Kayak blade, so I should have lots more to comment on as time goes by.

In the meantime, if you are in the market for a carbon fiber Greenland Paddle, look no further than this amazing blade!!  As before, I continue to give this product my highest recommendation.

I took both a Timex Expedition  and a Casio Pathfinder on my last expedition, and they both worked amazingly well and were incredibly important to my success.  I believe that when you are out in the wild, a tough watch with the following key features:  digital timers; digital compass; digital thermometer; digital altimeter; and a solid barometer are essential to your survival. This is exactly what the Ws4 has as it's core components.

I love the Casio Pathfinder watches as they are tough as nails, have solar power, and a wealth of features.  However, that is also their curse, in that they are complicated to use and the small size of the display (necessary to display all of the data) makes them difficult to read.  I am anxious to put this Timex through it's paces and see how it performs. The G-Shock puts the bar very high for expedition watches.

I will have a full review up before I head out on the Atlantic Odyssey.  Of course, I could not resist using my beautiful Superior Kayaks carbon fibre GP as the backdrop for this high tech watch. 

The folks over at Winkpass Creations were kind enough to get  me a copy of their IPhone app, the Knot Guide for a trial run.  For those of you like me that have become addicted to having certain 'mobile' apps with you when you are out in the field, then this is a great addition.  I never have enough room to carry a knot book with me and am always loosing the little fold out Knot Guides, so I went in search of a mobile app  that would help me out.  The Knot Guide is just what I was looking for.

Analysis:

Now, I don't need a ton of knots, but instead the basic selection will do me fine.  The Knot Guide provides more than 78 knots, of which 66 are unique, broken down into 14 categories.  The categories provide a high level description and then each knot has its own detailed description.  It would be nice if this description provided a little more detail about the knot and it's properties.  That is one of the things that I really like about how the knots on The Animated Knot guide are described.  

Once you find the knot you are looking for, detailed images walk you through the process of actually tying the knot.  While I do like the animated knot tying guides found on the web, for a mobile app, this is more than sufficient.  However, were  they to add animation and more detailed descriptions, this would be a 5 star App.

I highly recommend this little app and you just can't beat the price.  This app will now be a permanent part of my Mobile App Gear.

Recommendation:

***** (out of 5)

Winkpass Creations

I started out my Greenland Paddle (GP) days with a well know wooden GP paddle.  It was a great introduction to traditional paddling, but with my upcoming expedition, I was very concerned with both the durability of a wood paddle as well as the overall swing weight.  Loving the GP style of paddling, especially for longer  days, I began the search for an alternative.  Shortly afterwards, I came across Greg Stamer's article on his trip with Freya and the carbon fiber GP paddle that he chose to take.

I was well aware of Greg's reputation and skill as a GP paddler, so I assumed this was as good a recommendation as any.  I contacted Superior Kayaks shortly after that and placed my order.  These paddles are made in small batches, so I was forced to wait a bit, but nothing that a little patience did not take care of.

Analysis:

Service was outstanding, and my paddle arrived packaged up nice and safely.  After taking it out of the industrial shipping tube, it was love at first sight.  The craftsmanship was amazing and the swing weight was just what I was looking for.  I find the balance of the Carbon Fiber paddle to be superior to that of a wooden one, but that is just my personal opinion.  The paddle is not only beautifully made, but it simply slices through the water.  Paddling is strong and firm, yet feedback remains when strokes are not done correctly.  I find it incredibly easy to roll given the  buoyancy found in the blade.

This paddle accompanied me on my 1700 mile expedition through the rugged Pacific North West and Alaska waters, and was brilliant not only in its performance but also it's durability.  Having multiple encounters with submerged rocks and shells as well as unforgiving glaciers, the paddle came through without hardly a scratch on it.  In addition, it performs flawlessy as a support for setting up a tarp; an added bonus at best.  In fact, Superior Kayak offers a tarp made specifically for use with their paddles.

Of late I have had the opportunity to paddle with other carbon fiber paddles and must say, I am extremely happy with my Superior Kayak paddle.  So, are their any issues with this beautiful paddle.  No, not issues, but certainly things you should be aware of.  First, the loom on this paddle is definitely on the large size from a diameter perspective.  I am told this is because of the molds, but for people with incredibly small hands this could be an issue.  In addition, the width of the blades is on the larger size as well, possibly making extended braces and rolls somewhat of a 'grip' problem.   I would encourage you to speak with them regarding your hand size to make sure you will not have a problem.

Lastly, if you are going to travel, I would suggest the two piece version of the paddle.  I found travelling across country with this paddle to be somewhat problematic.  You can read about Greg's use of the two piece version on his site and see that he has no issues with it's performance at all.

Recommendation:

***** (out of 5)

Superior Kayaks

Nothing is more important in a cold and wet environment than keeping your head dry and warm.  Outdoor Research (O/R), makes some of the best outdoor gear and hats on the market.  For the Inside Passage, I chose their Gore Tex, Seattle Sombrero hat for it's reputation as a bomber piece of gear.

Analysis:

I paddled over 1700 miles through some of the narliest paddling conditions in the world, the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and South East Alaska.  This was a cold and wet climate, and often very stormy.  The Sombrero hat is made of Gore-Tex fabric to keep you dry and a brushed tricot lined interior to keep you warm.  The sides fold up and attach with Velcro to minimize the foot print of the hat when you don't need complete coverage.  All I can say is the hat was amazing. It worked perfectly, 100% of the time.  My head not only stayed dry, but on day where there was no moisture, it kept me warm without over heating.  On stormy days, the chin cord keeps everything attached to your head. The folds of the bill work perfectly to drain water off to the sides and away from your face.

Recommendation:

***** (out of 5)

Outdoor Research

Rite in the Rain makes a wide selection of writing products for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals.  This review is of the four items that I have used extensively, three of which are found in the 180-Journal Kit:

• No. C980 Cordura Cover (Kit)
• No. 180 Journal (Kit)
• No. 97 All Weather Pen (Kit)
• No. 146 All Weather Notebook

Analysis:

For my solo expedition, I very much wanted to journal and document the trip the entire time.  As such, I began researching papers that would stand up to the wet and humid environment of British Columbia and SE Alaska.  After much research it was clear that Rite in the Rain products were the best ones available. 

For my trip, I purchased the 180 Kit and one extra 180 Journal.  This kit proved to be absolutely perfect for my needs.  The cordura jacket  provides room for your journal, pens, and documents.  The pen worked absolutely perfect and after 160 days of use is still going strong on the first cartridge.  Towards month 5 I had filled up my two No. 180 journals so I acquired a No. 146 notebook at a marine store.  This and the No. 180 journals worked flawlessly.  The paper is easy to write on, resists water and humidity and is incredibly durable.  When I look at my 3 journals, it is hard to believe that they were on such a long and complex trip.  They show virtually no signs of wear or tear.

You can buy these directly from Rite in the Rain or you can help support us by purchasing through Amazon by following the links in the Expedition Gear box found on the right hand side of the review.

I recently found another great review of this product and wanted to share: The Little Black Book

Recommendation:

***** (out of 5)

Rite in the Rain

Analyis:

The Peak Adventure PFD performed exactly as advertised.  On my solo Inside Passage this was my PFD of choice (not sponsorship).  The design makes it easy to get on and off, with plenty of room for your gear.  In/on my vest I was able to carry all of the following gear:

• ICOMM VHF M88 Radio (main front pocket)
• Brunton Monocular (main front pocket)
• Laser signal device (main front pocket)
• Cliff Bars (side pocket)
• Lotion and lip gel (side pocket)
• Whistle and signal mirror (internal side pocket)
• Platypus Big Zip hydration bladder (hydration pocket)
• Benchmade River Knife (attached to left shoulder strap)
• Spot Messenger (clipped to d-ring on right shoulder strap)
• Strobe  (lashed to back of left shoulder harness)

For my trip, I was able to carry everything that I needed.  In my case, the vest worked fabulously. During immersion practice, I felt very comfortable both rolling the boat and wet exiting.  Floating in the water was comfortable with little to no riding up of the vest. 

My only issues with the vest are small.  First, the hydration bladder that comes with the vest is not worthy of an expedition quality PFD.  It is very flimsy, small, and seems very cheap.  I substituted the Platypus bladder and would do so again.  Second, there is no attachment point on the vest for a knife or strobe.  For a vest intended for touring and or expeditions, I find this unacceptable.  Lastly, I would like to see the front pockets either slightly more expandable or spread out across the vest.  They work as is, but could be much better.

The choice of using a pull over vest is a personal decision.  The tradeoffs are not always obvious.  I believe if you are going be wearing a dry suit or other thick immersion type clothing, you will be more comfortable using their front zip version versus the pullover model.

Recommendation:

**** (out of 5)

Peak UK USA Site