Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides
Unbiased reviews of hiking gear that we’ve either purchased ourselves or had sent to us for testing in Florida’s unique outdoor conditions.
Testing and reviews of gear for hikers
John trail-tests the Columbia Omni-Freeze Zero T-shirt after being introduced to the new fabric by a Columbia rep at the grand opening of REI Jacksonville.
If it’s tick season, or if it’s going to be wet and muddy, we break out our Dirty Girl Gaiters. Here’s why we don’t leave home with this piece of gear.
This question keeps popping up: what are the best hiking boots? John explains how, through trial by trail, he figured out what works for him. His advice? Keep trying.
Hydrapak has served us well as an extremely compact day pack and hydration for both hiking and bicycle rides. Whenever one of us wants to “go light,” we pull the Hydrapak from our wall of packs and go.
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.
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 …
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.
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.
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.
