Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides
Reviews and recommendations on outdoor gear appropriate for Florida and where to find it
My primary boot for backpacking in Florida is the Keen Targhee II hiking boot. They are waterproof – which means they’re good anywhere but in a deep swamp – and provide excellent ankle support. They look sharp enough for a wedding, too.
In Florida, you need to worry about your feet getting wet when you hike. Often. My Merrell Moab Ventilator mid hiking boots are my go-to pair for whenever we are headed out on day hikes.
When we met, both of us owned Tilley hats and wore them for most of our outdoor activities. Sandy’s had the same one for years; I’ve gone through several. Here’s why.
Keeping water out also means a pack can keep water in. That’s the delightful dual purpose we discovered while testing the Outdoor Products 20L Amphibian Weather Defense™ Backpack in the Florida Keys
Testing an Outdoor Products Canyon Weather Defense™ Backpack in foul weather conditions while hiking, we find it stands up to the test of keeping your gear dry.
Testing what worked best for documenting bike trails during a ride, we found the combination of a cheap Canon PowerShot and the Versa Handlebar Strap Mount a winner for us
Can freeze-dried backpacker food make a decent meal on the trail? We try out a Mountain House gluten-free bacon & eggs for lunch on the Florida Trail to find out.
A made-in-Florida product that we first saw on the Appalachian Trail two years ago, the Sawyer Mini is a lightweight filtration option we highly recommend after our trials.
When we arrived home yesterday there was a package on our doorstep from Mountain Hardwear: a hiking kilt for John to test in the wilds of Florida.
Our Dorcy Lantern arrived the night before our Big O Hike Trip. With it being a ‘social’ hike instead of a backpacking trip we would be spending the next ten nights in Primrose, our vintage VW camper. After a long drive in the rain to Okeechobee, I needed to work on the windshield wipers twice. …
Some time ago we received a Mako 77 bike tool for review. It’s traveled along with me for many miles on three different bikes and trikes. Luckily for me it was never needed, knock on wood. One morning I decided that it was time to install all those cool accessories that I ordered when we …
My old lightweight Hi-tec boots, bought years ago, finally started to wear out. I dug them out of storage earlier this year when I started my Florida Trail trek across Seminole County along the paved bike paths. It was time to give my feet and legs a break from my heavier leather Keens. Slackpacking on …
