by Katharine Erwin If you love Britain’s Top Gear and you like racing, The GGTR (Gentlemen’s Guide to Racing) may be your new favorite TV show. Helping to bring back chivalry in racing—or at least inject…
Continue Reading…
Non sans rappeler le projet Mila’s Daydreams d’Adele Enersen, le directeur artistique d’origine tchèque Marek Farkas a transposé cette idée à l’univers des animaux de compagnie à l’occasion d’une campagne « Life is Adventure » pour la marque Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Des clichés originaux à découvrir dans la suite.
Setting sail from Asheville, NC, Land Rover Expedition America (LREA) held a single goal: to reach the Pacific Ocean by way of dirt, rock and gravel roads. Avoiding pavement wherever possible, the caravan of stock LR4s—save…
Continue Reading…
Adventure, exploration and open spaces are of interest to photographer Justin Parkhurst and that’s reflected in his bi-annual photo magazine,”Punch The Camera.” More like a miniature coffee-table book than a glossy journal, the newly-released Issue…
Continue Reading…
Our interview with Jordan Hufnagel on building camping supplies and the story behind his new brand
There comes a time in many peoples’ lives when things just seem to be moving too fast, and there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done. This overwhelmed feeling spurred Portland-based bicycle builder Jordan Hufnagel and motorcycle maker James Crowe to start the adventure outfitter brand West America. A passion project for the two, West America makes handmade camping supplies and apparel capturing the free spirit that brought the brand to life.
While the product line itself is fairly basic, the story behind West America is a rich one filled with countless stories of friendship and travel with a genuine, pioneering spirit. To learn more about the young brand, we recently caught up with Hufnagel before his upcoming motorcycle trip for which the brand was formed.
West America is about that constant evolution that we all go through, and being true to ourselves. It’s about not being scared of the changes you want in your life and working hard to make them happen. A couple years ago James and I found ourselves buried in a mountain of work that only seemed to keep growing, while not getting us any closer to the lives we really wanted. After some big challenges were overcome and some rough conversations between the two of us, we committed to making those changes and somewhere along the line we thought up West America.
West America makes whatever James and I are stoked on at the time—currently that means a small line of camping gear, and paraphernalia—while simultaneously creating an outlet for James and me to document our work, good times and travels.
We both make the camping gear. James and I really yin each other’s yang here in the shop, so working together designing and making things works out great.
It all happens very naturally around here. Having a full metal shop, we have the privilege to make the things we want exactly how we want them. We are going to be on the road a long time, camping most of the nights. So we wanted gear that was going to pack easy in our limited space, but also create comfort. After bouncing around some ideas of what we wanted to make, we landed on these items to start.
At this point we’re just scratching some sketches out as ideas pop in our heads and showing them to each other to get feedback and make refinements to the plan. Then one of us will make a prototype that we can beat up and get a feel for. Sometimes one prototype is all that happens and the product gets dumped. But, if we’re happy with what we’ve come up with we’ll make some final repeatable plans, order materials and will work together producing a limited run.
We started planning this motorcycle trip to South America a couple years ago when we made that commitment to change and started thinking up West America. Like I said earlier, we had found ourselves buried in work. Me with bicycle orders and James with three different and very important full-time gigs. I was spending every waking hour at the shop and going a little crazy. I felt like I’d been stripped of the privilege to act on my spontaneous nature, and also had this huge drive to be doing more than one thing with my life. At the same time, James was being pulled in every direction too. Between our shop, a hot rod shop he worked at that was sponsoring his green card application, and having to be in school full time to maintain a visa here in the US (he’s Canadian) he had no time to do anything besides work. Only sleeping a couple hours a night, things came to a tipping point.
At the time, I wanted to move away from Portland. The only thing keeping me here was sharing a shop with James. He’s my best friend and ultimate shop partner. But life here was beating him down pretty hard and it looked like a move back to Canada was just around the corner, so I also felt like there was no reason to stay. It honestly was a pretty crazy emotional time. Then real late one night at the shop, we just broke it all down and committed to making this trip happen. Leaving all the stress behind and going off to have the awesome journey. You know, just hit the reset button and find out who we really are with out all the expectations and stress again. Now here we are a couple months from going. It’s a crazy feeling, knowing that it’s happening so soon.
Totally. For the trip south our only plan is going, and letting the rest just take shape on its own. West America is the same. We just want it to be whatever we are into at that time, or whatever we want to make. Right now, it’s camping and motorcycles. At some point we both want to build homes and I can totally see us making house wares as we want them, or bike stuff, or backpacking gear. You know, whatever is rocking us at the time. Also, I think it’s important to keep in mind here that destinations are just a part of a journey, not the reason for them.
We have a few other things in the works, but we also have tons of work to finish up before we take off so we’ll see what happens!
Keep an eye on West America to stay up with the product development and the eventual documentation of Hufnagel and Crowe’s South American adventure.
Three ultralight accessories for improving life on the trail
When trekking hundreds of miles even the slightest reduction in carry weight can increase efficiency and longevity on the trail. In the ongoing effort to minimize pack impact many companies have begun experimenting with new materials unconventional to the outdoor industry. From fibers stronger than steel to space-grade titanium, the following three items innovate ultra-lightweight construction guaranteed to ease your load.
As the name implies, Hyperlite Mountain Gear makes tents and gear bags that are lighter than anything else on the market. Much like Outlier‘s Minimal Backpack released last winter, the Summit Pack from HMG is constructed entirely of a cuben fiber—a flexible non-woven laminate made from a super tough polyethylene that’s up to 15 times stronger than steel and up to 40% stronger than kevlar—and polyester blend. To improve on the ultra sleek design, HMG added two daisy chains and an adjustable bungie cord for attaching more gear. Almost entirely waterproof, sturdy enough for an overnight trek and weighing an unreal 10.7oz, the Summit Pack sells directly from HMG for $148.
Similarly constructed with cuben fiber, the two-person Mojo UFO tent weighs in at just under two pounds and reportedly can be pitched in a matter of minutes. As an update on the nylon Mojo 2 tent, this space-age structure relies on just three carbon fiber poles to hold it up and off the ground. The rain fly is also built in to even further reduce weight. While the technology is undeniable, the element-resistant cuben fiber fabric comes at a hefty price. Sierra Designs expects to sell the Mojo UFO for roughy $1,800 next season.
With a design inspired by old time flat-pack balsa wood airplanes, The Summit collapsible grill can be constructed with just four sides and a handful of slats that double as cooking skewers. Precision-laser-cut from single sheets of titanium and hard-anodized to add strength and durability, the American-made grill measures just 9″ x 9″ x 4″ when constructed—not bad for a fully functioning cooking surface that packs down to just over a few inches in profile. Visit Slat Grills online where the titanium Summit sells for $214.
A limited-edition backpack benefiting the Million Trees NYC initiative
With a solid repertoire of collaborations and accessories under his belt, designer Matt Singer is now using his creativity for good. For his latest venture, he has teamed up with the recently revived Rivendell Mountain Works on a limited-edition backpack benefitting the Million Trees NYC initiative.
Handmade at the foothills of the Washington Cascades, the durable Cordura nylon bag sports a custom Million Trees patch, and thoughtful features like an adjustable sternum strap and padded shoulder straps help it withstand any number of daily outings.
As an urban dweller, Singer was motivated by the impact of nature on the quality of a city’s atmosphere, and plans to donate a portion of the bag’s proceeds to support the non-profit organization’s citywide mission to plant and care for one million trees in all five boroughs. The backpack is now available in limited numbers exclusively through Matt Singer’s online shop for $225.
The innovative snowboard gear start-up uses natural coconut fiber tech for better breathability
Developed, designed and tested in the Pacific Northwest, Homeschool outerwear makes high performance garments built to handle even the most adverse elements the NW has to offer. To achieve this, Homeschool uses Cocona technology, a natural element created from discarded coconut shells to sustainably produce highly breathable snowboard gear.
During a long day on hill or in the backcountry the breathability of your garments is often more important than any waterproof rating—as Homeschool sales and marketing director Jevan Lautz explains, “a trash bag is completely waterproof, but since there are no breathability properties you’ll be soaked on the inside.” As a solution, Cocona tech infuses activated carbon particles created from coconut shells into the fabric fibers to improve moister evaporation, thus boosting baselayer breathability and dry time to 500x faster—and outerwear 40% more breathable—than anything else on the market. Plus it’s naturally oder resistant.
After a few test runs we can confirm the increased breathability claim. Wearing the midlayer over the baselayer kept us warm in both Vermont’s dry cold and Whistler’s wetter coastal climate. For outerwear, the Night Witch Pullover did its job as well. As part of the liberally fitting Baker series, the fully taped 3.5-layer anorak style jacket uses 100% recycled polyester fabric and, like all Homeschool outerwear, features RECCO advanced avalanche tech.
As the only outerwear brand introducing Cocona from top to bottom, Homeschool supports a more breathable and more sustainable life in the outdoors. You can find all Homeschool products through their online store as well as from Evo.
The latest offering from the Four Seasons Maui takes activity planning to a new level
Surrounded by volcanic terrain, white beaches, and crystalline waters teeming with aquatic wildlife, there is little left to want for at the Four Seasons Resort Maui. The resort is ideally set up for lazy vacations lounging in the sand, at the swim-up poolside bar or in one of the spa’s thirteen treatment rooms. With a host of options to relax, revive, and recline in Maui, one wonders if there is reason to do much of anything during your stay.
However tempting that mode of vacationing is to some, the Four Seasons’ Unforgettable Events Calendar offers an array of activities for the sporty traveler looking for a focused exploration of the island while retaining the Four Seasons’ signature services. Past events include an ashtanga yoga retreat, a wine dinner hosted by napa valley vineyard Opus One, and a Stars Under the Stars event at the Maui Film Festival. Guests who opt for the package enjoy all of the resort’s extensive offerings in addition to the individualized perks of the event.
Upcoming events include the Tennis Fantasy Camp, which runs from November 16-20 and is led by tennis legends Tom Gullikson, Jose Higueras, Corina Morariu, Tracy Austin, Taylor Dent and David Nainkin. This five-day course is designed for recreational to tournament-level players looking to hone their skills with instruction from the best in the business. Pricing for the package begins at $3,195 for individuals and $2,995 for couples.
Cycling Camp Maui runs from 2-10 December 2011 and is led by legend in the field Ryder Hesjedal, who competed in both the Tour de France and the Olympics, where he represented Canada. Riders of various skill and fitness levels will be joined by Go Cycling Maui as they tour the island’s pristine and challenging terrain. After a day-long tour, riders will return to the resort, where they have full access to amenities, including the spa’s lomi pohaku or hot stone massage. Rates start at $12,500 for solo participants.
Perhaps the most enticing package on the Unforgettable Events Calendar is the one led by big wave surfer and Hawaiian native Dave Kalama. His December Surf Camp takes guests through for days of surfing and varieties including wave paddle surfing, canoe surfing, long boarding and windsurfing. Intermediate and advanced surfers will benefit from learning in one of the best pacific surf spots and from Kalama’s lifetime of experience in surfing and water sports. Participants in the December program not only benefit from escaping the cold weather, but may also have the opportunity to witness whale migration, which begins in December and runs through April. Pricing begins at $5,000.
If a sporting vacation isn’t your thing, the Four Seasons Resort Maui is worth a trip on its own accord. The seemingly endless list of amenities includes the adult-only Serenity Pool Terrace with both ocean and mountain views, underwater music and bubble loungers. Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Restaurant and Duo Restaurant are at your disposal along with Maui’s own extensive dining scene. Spa services take the form of Hawaiian, Thai, cranioacral or ayurvedic massages, and you can even enjoy something truly unique in the resort’s aquacranial massage.
Take Nikon’s newest compact camera on an underwater adventure
Nikon has not released a compact waterproof camera since stopping production of their popular Jacques Cousteau-approved Nikonos camera in 2001. Launching today for the consumer market is their answer to the modern adventure seeker’s needs—a durable, waterproof, freeze-proof and shockproof Coolpix camera called the AW100.
With an internal GPS system and full HD 1080p recording capability, the camera is ideal for documenting off-the-map escapades. The camera’s macro close-up mode is great for scuba diving, capturing intricate underwater fauna just one centimeter away with total precision, and its overall weight—6.3 ounces—makes it perfect for surfers who want to secure it in a zippered pocket while not in action or hikers concerned with every ounce of gear on their backs.
The Coolpix AW100 will sell for $380 in black, blue or orange from Nikon retailers worldwide.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
