Trek The High Country – 2018 Fall Gear Review
Hikers can enjoy treks in any size of mountain range; you don’t necessarily have to trek the exclusive Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) in Nepal. Trekkers base camp at Makalu Base Camp at 4870m/15,977ft, along the seven-stage, 152-day journey along the world’s tallest mountain range. (Opening photo courtesy of World Expeditions. Trek worldwide at http://www.worldexpeditions.com/
Indeed, I am personally am more of a base camp soloist; I never had my own private Sherpa to pack the load, but I have discover Sherpa Adventure Gear.
In my home town mountain the highest peak is about 6,000 feet, but it gets plenty blustery on Crow Peak where Sioux warriors raided a Crow Indian hunting party in 1822, according toe winter long count. My mountains are in the Guinness World Book of Records for the quickest temperature change, of about 50 degrees in two minutes due to warm Chinook winds. so I have to be prepared for fire and ice at any time.
Sherpa Adventure Gear – Mirik Shorts
In Chinook weather the Sherpa Adventure Gear Mirik shorts are the perfect hiking apparel across the quartz studded mountain. The shorts come in men’s or women’s styles; I picked the desert tan (Thaali) color. The shorts come with a custom woven cloth like belt made in Nepal, that threads through two cinch rings to tauten them up. I found the belt tended to twist and bunch up, making them hard to get into and out of, so I changed out the belt with a cow hide.
The shorts are as soft as stone washed jeans with the flexibility of nylon and stretch of spandex. I could dance in them in the wilderness. The fabric is touch and water repellant. I could hike or bike in them. The gusseted crotch made them a pleasure to walk in without developing a heat rash, and the side entry pockets and zippered thigh pocket were a big plus. The Mirik Shorts have a 9-inch inseam and have an UPF 50+ rating; the fabric is bluesign approved.
Mirik is a picturesque town nestled in the serene hills of Darjeeling district in West Bengal, India. The Dalai Lama lives in the district and I make a Tibetan bet that he hikes in Mirik Shorts. There is also a Mirik Pants line from Sherpa Adventure Gear. Find out more about the Mirik Shorts.
Sherpa Adventure Gear Jannu Pants
The company also manufactures men’s and women’s Jannu Pants. I suggest getting one size larger than you normally wear because they hug the body like a glove.
I now keep a pair of Jannu Pants in my pack for mixed climbs to multi-day treks. The Jannu pant stands up to any conditions due to its abrasion-resistant double weave fabric and DWR coating, four-way stretch, a gusseted crotch and articulated knees let you move in any direction. Three zippered pockets keep your necessities safe and close and built-in ankle gussets make it easy to fit over boots keeping debris out. I especially like these pants when metal detecting for gold in my mountains because I twist and turn my torso as is practicing yoga.
Jannu Pants have an UPF 50+ rating and the fabric is also bluesign approved. The double weave has four way stretch fabric made of 56% nylon, 34% polyester, 10% spandex with a DWR finish. Hand pockets set off of the hips to avoid chaffing under a harness and pack belt.
Mount Jannu is the 32nd highest mountain in the world. In the Limbu language it is called Phoktanglungma, which translates to “mountain with shoulders.”
If the sudden mountain temperature changes in my area I was glad to slip on the Sherpa Adventure Gear’s Tsepun Zip Tee with a partial throat and zip but they also make women’s and men’s full zip jackets. The tee is billed as an under layer but I found it serves just fine as an outer layer. Find out more about Jannu Pants.
Sherpa Adventure Gear – Tsepun Collection
Tsepun is a Tibetan word for “long life.” It’s a common name for males in Nepal and the Khumbu. This streamlined, midweight thermal layer has an incredibly speedy moisture wicking ability and dries ultra fast if it gets wet.
Made of Sherpa Adventure Gear’s own state-of-the-art Dry Zone® fabric, featuring a smooth interior for easy on/off over base layers, and a soft outer layer which increases thermal qualities when worn in a layering system. Bottom line: you stay warm and dry as you move, so it makes a fantastic non-bulky layering piece for hiking, biking and running or trekking.
The Tsepun Collection is made in Nepal and the fabric is woven with antibacterial silver ions to minimize odors. The tees have an UPF rating of 50+ and OEKO-TEX approved fabric. No more bulky Goretex for me.
Possibly the company can make alpine blankets from the same material. Find out more about The Tsepun Collection.
Sherpa Adventure Gear – Yatra Pack Collection
I have so many day hike packs that hang off me like a bag of cement, so it was a pleasure to check out the Yatra Adventure Pack — from the company’s Yatra Pack Collection, consisting of four high-quality Cordura made packs, fit for every journey — the Yatra Adventure Pack, the Yatra Everyday Pack, the Yatra Travel Kit and the Yatra Tote.
The One Thing You’ve Got to Know About Each of These Packs.
Yatra Adventure Pack: The roll top closure is the perfect for size adaptability — carrying all your groceries back from the store on your bike, including that chilled bottle of rose in the water bottle holder.
Yatra Everyday Pack: Fits a 15” Mac notebook in the laptop sleeve, without feeling too big or bulky — a nice and subtle pack for your daily office commute and happy hours on the brewery patio next door.
Yatra Travel Kit: Includes a double zipper opening and external pocket, for easy access to essentials — because no one wants to be caught in the dark, fumbling for their toothbrush, after a long drive to that prime camp spot.
Yatra Tote: Solid CORDURA® fabric, a DWR finish and a removable shoulder strap makes it versatile and just the right size for toting those tomatoes and greens back from the farmers’ market this weekend.
Yatra is the Nepali word for ‘journey’ and the Yatra Collection provides functional and practical pieces designed to be great companions as you travel. The Yatra Adventure Pack is made of durable DWR Cordura. It has a roll top closure, and a padded, fleece lined laptop sleeve, with side entry zipper for easy access. For every bag you buy, one book will be donated to a Nepali school child.
Cordura is tear, scuff and abrasion resistance with a DWR (durable water-repellent) finish. There is a unique roll top closure for the extra items you may collect along the way. The pack has a Himalayan inspired printed taffeta liner and trims. The two nifty large external pockets snap shut for easy access to charging cords or other essentials. There are also two large side external water bottle pockets for extra storage. The Ventilating AirMesh inside adjustable shoulder straps pack back provides coolness and comfort next to the skin. Main Fabric: 305 D Cordura 100% polyester with DWR (durable water-repellent) finish | Lining: 200 D 100% polyester. Find out more about the Yatra Packs Collection.
About Sherpa Adventure Gear
In the highest reaches of the Himalayas, the Sherpa people lead the world in mountaineering with warmth, grace and good humor.
Tashi Sherpa—upon discovering that his uncle was on Sir Edmund Hillary’s celebrated 1953 expedition to the summit of Everest—founded Sherpa Adventure Gear in 2003 in this spirit, to honor his people by creating the best quality outdoor and lifestyle apparel and accessories that fully represent the region and the heritage found there. The company employs hundreds of individuals in Nepal, creating safe and sustainable employment opportunities for its people. A portion of every sale benefits the empowerment and education of children throughout the region through the Sherpa Adventure Gear Fund. Sherpa Adventure Gear based in Modesto, CA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Innov8 Partners, LLC and distributes its products through specialty outdoor retailers worldwide. For more information, visit sherpaadventuregear.com
Meanwhile, Back At Base Camp.
myCharge – HubPlus and Adventure Jump Start
There are no wall sockets in a wall tent at any base camp. Enjoy your trek without interruptions and leave the cords at home with myCharge’s HubPlus. The high-quality portable battery offers up to 4x extra battery life and features built-in micro-USB and Apple Lightening cables along with wall prongs to directly recharge the unit at the next village that has power. Trekkers can simply slip the HubPlus in the luggage, carry-on bag or purse and have instant power on-the-go.
When you arrive back to the trailhead and find you left the Jeep headlights on no worries. myCharge makes the Portable Charger that can jump start a vehicle. The 6600 mAh Adventure Jump Start works on cars, trucks, boats and ATVs, even snowmobiles.
According to AAA, dead batteries are one of the top reasons American drivers place a call for roadside assistance. The automotive association also says that 4 out of 10 drivers are not prepared for a roadside emergency and don’t carry an emergency kit containing items like a phone charger and jumper cables. The new myCharge Adventure Jump Start makes it easy to remember both of these essential tools by combining them into one glove box sized package. It can even re charge your smartphone. The myCharge Adventure Jump Start has a sustained jump start current of 200A and a peak jump start current of 400A. The included smart jump start cables provide LED feedback for safe use.
Designed for compact portability, the Adventure Jump Start measures 75 x 3 x 5.75 inches and weighs 1.2 pounds. It has one USB-A port with 2.4A maximum output and comes with a recharging cable. An integrated LED flashlight with SOS function to further enhances the safety features of the device.
Now available at www.mycharge.com and Best Buy , the myCharge Adventure Jump Start retails for $99.99.
Recharging a smartphone usually requires travelers to go on a search for the nearest wall outlet as well as spend time untangling the charging cords. Enjoy trips without interruptions and leave the cords at home with myCharge’s HubPlus. The high-quality portable battery offers up to 4x extra battery life and features built-in micro-USB and Apple Lightening cables along with wall prongs to directly recharge the unit. Travelers can simply slip the HubPlus in their luggage, carry-on bag or purse and have instant power on-the-go.
Zendure Passport Pro Adapter
What electrical current do you find back at the village?
No more guessing with Zendure Passport Pro Universal Travel Adaptor with Ground Connection and Push-Button Resetting Fuse.
I don’t quite know what all that means, except my laptop won’t blow out like a circuit breaker with this device. which features simple one-handed operation, four USB outputs, a multi-region AC outlet, and ground connection. Passport Pro is 16% smaller than its predecessor, Passport, and includes a reusable fuse that can reset with the press of a button.
“Like other travel adaptors, Passport Pro is designed to protect itself and the user from drawing too much current,” said Zendure CEO Bryan Liu. “But while most products on the market achieve this with a single-use fuse that has to be replaced, Passport Pro is back in action as soon as the user presses the reset button. It’s one less thing to worry about when traveling.”
One of Passport Pro’s four USB power outputs has a USB-C connector that works with Power Delivery (PD) technology, which can charge many latest-generation electronics substantially more quickly than a typical USB output. With PD, Passport Pro can charge an iPhone X from zero to 50% in just 30 minutes.
The new travel adaptor uses press-and-slide connector controls for simple one-handed operation, and can work seamlessly in over 200 countries and regions around the world.
Passport Pro also utilizes a power outlet’s ground connection, an important safety feature that is vital to many electronic devices, especially those with metal bodies.
Another key safety feature is Passport Pro’s baby-proof connector shield, which is designed to prevent foreign objects from being inserted into the AC output.
Tiki Tunes
The new Tiki Tunes from Limitless Innovations is a portable Bluetooth speaker that allows anyone to enjoy music in style, featuring a connectivity of up to 30 feet and a unique tiki torch design; the loudspeaker is the ultimate essential.
Dimensions: 6.5” x 4”
Special Features:
Dual Sync capabilities to pair multiple speakers for the ultimate “surround sound” experience
Connect from a maximum distance of 30 feet
2000 mAh battery for up to 6 hours of play time
5-Watt Speaker
LED Atmospheric, Flickering Flame light effect
Threaded insert for accessory attachment
MSRP $39.99
Available at www.limitlessinnovations.com
There are four Communist countries in the world: China, Laos, Vietnam, and Fidel’s fiefdom, Cuba.
The Cuba resolution was launched from Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, and one night at a bar in Merida a seedy character say down to me and spoke in Spanish about how the pistoleros took over the Cuban nation. But then again, there was a rich history before the revolt.
In a new coffee table tom from Monacelli Press is the vintage photographic remembrance of Cuba Then.
Cuban Then is an ephemera from the collection of Ramiro A. Fernandez, the most extensive archive of Cuban photography outside of the island nation. Much of this collection is little seen and never published, presenting a rich spectrum of personalities spanning more than a century: aristocratic race-car drivers, movie actors and showgirls, magicians, and spies; from Fidel Castro drinking a Coca-Cola on a public bus to celebrities like Celia Cruz, Winston Churchill, and Maria Felix. This new edition contains thirty new pages and more than 100 newly selected photographs.
Cuba Then: Revised and Expanded by Ramiro A. Fernandez, published by The Monacelli Press 2018, $40 Hardcover, 320 pages, ISBN 9781580935104
Feature by Kriss Hammond, Editor, Jetsetters Magazine. Read the Jetsetters Magazine Fall 2017 Gear Review for more Hiking Helpers.