I recently began geocaching. It’s a lot of fun, keeps me out of the house, and I’ve been places I’d never have seen without it.

To do geocaching, you just need a GPS device and a coordinate. The GPS device I started with was my cell phone but I wanted something durable that I didn’t need to worry about dropping. My phone wouldn’t survive a drop from 4 feet, The Apisphere Geomate.jr sure will.

Over 250,000 caches, 2 aaa batteries last 12-hours. The accuracy is as good (if not better than), my phone. The build quality of the Geomate Jr is impressive. Simple, shock resistant, and very smooth. Best of all, Made in the USA.

Happy Geocaching.

Tags: electronics made in the usa, geocaching, geomate, geomate jr, gps, hiking, made in the usa, Outdoors

I checked out a Pelican case at a local Outdoors store (Alpine Shop).  The Pelican cases are very well built and have some great features. For example The Pelican i1010 Waterproof Case for an iPod has the usual crushproof and water resistant case with a headphone jack built in. So you may listen to your tunes while in a kayak or hiking, without worry.
They also carry a full line of cases for anything you could imagine (within reason). I have a DSLR Camera I’d like to take with me on a trip to Japan. The Pelican 1300-000-110 Small DSLR Camera Case ought to work perfect.

Another great selling point, everything is backed by Pelican’s Legendary Lifetime Guarantee of Excellence, “You break it, we replace it…forever.”™

Pelican Products are made in Torrance, California.

Buy Pelican on Amazon

∞Pelican

(more…)

Tags: california, case, cases, Outdoors, Travel

I’ve been looking for a new sleeping bag for a few months. My current bag(eggplant) is from when I was like 10 and going to summer camp. Eggplant protects to temperatures down to 65 degrees. Enough about this, Let’s talk about Equinox.

So, I ran across Equinox on the PennPortal blog, Equinox makes Hiking/Day bags, cargo bags, Sleeping bags, many other outdoor living accessories. They are made in Williamsport Pennsylvania, for over 20 years.

I’m going to go with the Forest Green Koala camp bag. (I’ll skip the Eggplant this time)

Equinox Outdoor gear found via PennPortal

Tags: camping, cargo bag, day bag, equinox, Outdoors, PENNSYLVANIA, sleeping bag

Finally broke down and bought a 38-qt Igloo Wheeled Cooler.  I had some stuff in it and lifted it right out of my car with the handle.

Very durrable, I need to fill it up now. I can’t wait to put “Food” it it and go camping.

∞Igloo Coolers

Tags: camping, cooler, Outdoors, stuff I own

Found some Great things this week. I was gearing up for the year outside, I needed some supplies.

Hit a couple stores and this is what was found.

• Suncast Hose Reel – View Suncast on Amazon – I bought a SHA150, sub $30, It’s fair quality but I hardly use the hose through out the year so it will hold up fine.  If you use your hose much, Pickup one of their heavier duty models. They are built much stronger and will run you between $50-100.
• Flexon Hose -View Flexon on Amazon – Nice hose, My current hoses were just too weather damaged. Picked this up at Big Lots for a steal, $15 bucks for 50 ft. The connector is great, easy to attach to the spigot.
• Anchor Hocking Co – Glassware – $5 bucks for a pitcher, another Big Lots score. I’m getting things together to brew beer. This may come in handy when I experiment with keging my beer.  Visit Anchor Hocking on Amazon

My Dad is in the market for some new summer work boots. While we were out we hit a local “Chain”, they have two stores. Chuck’s boots, has an awe inspiring selection of boots(seriously we were there for at least an hour and didn’t make it through Everything). Everything made in the USA is marked with a US flag.

• Chippewa boots – Most everything I saw of this brand was made in the USA. Check your labels though.
• Thourogood
• Rocky Uniform
• Danner - Portland Oregon
• Justin boots
• Carolina Boots
• Corcoran and Matterhorn
• Double H
• Tony Lama

Post a comment if you have used any of these Products. We would all love to hear your experience.

Tags: boots, found this week, garden, glass, Outdoors, Shoes

Looks like they are back. Nice looking ones too.  I had something similar to this when I was a kid.

From what I remember, they were a blast. Running around, being all covert in the woods and shooting each other.  Great fun. I guess it has transitioned to kids playing video games….

∞Wild West Toys

On a side note, I placed an order for a Real Gun recently. It’s a Henry Lever Carbine .22, Just a little more umph than a cap gun. Thanks for the nudge AmericanPriceAmericanProducts.  I will surely have a review on the site once I get and use it.

Tags: Cap Guns, guns, Outdoors, Toy Guns, Toys

Reader suggested (I have also been looking around at this stuff  for a while), Thanks John Schwartzlose:

By far, the most impressive underclothing store I’ve seen has to be Wickers. They have an amazing selection of underclothing. Mostly designed for sport and the outdoors/work-men/-women use.  I’m for sure picking up some of their biking shorts for the coming year (sorry to give you that visual).

Campbellsville Apparel Company, I’m told they do sell White underclothes at some points throughout the year.  The Moisture wicking Polyester comes in handy here in the mid-west during the summer. (Suggested by John. Thanks again.)

City Boxers, They have a very impressive line up of… you guessed it, boxers. Made in Maine.

Union label seems to have a good selection of Undergarments.

American Apparel does also Cary Mens and Womens “Intimates”, oh and don’t forget the kids briefs.

Womens Organics at BlueCanoe.

Skiviez has some mens briefs.

Please mention USA Made to your friends and family. As always, if you have any thing to say, Please do put your thoughts in the comments.

∞Ryan

Tags: Maine, Outdoors, panties, skivvies, Underwear, unmentionables, work clothes

Hello, My name is Ryan, and I’m addicted to Atwood’s pocket tools.

Seriously, is there a support group out there for this? I have only a few of these.   Peter’s tools are so popular he had to start a lottery to purchase one, to be fair to everyone. On the First go at the lottery guess who wins?  Yes I did.  If you are interested in getting one, Watch his Blog for announcements on items for sale or lottery. 

G4 Prybaby, TiBottleBug, TiBaby, and a PryBaby that I carry with me everywhere.

If you are lucky enough to get your hands on one, they are all designed to be multifunctional. I regularly use my PryBaby(Bottom) to open boxes, Schlafly Beer, take out nails or pushpins, or anything else that needs prying, screwing, or scraping.  I have attacked some serious tasks with it, and won.  

I lust after a SOPThing… Preferably a black one with the v-notch… Maybe one day.

Thanks for what you do Peter.

∞Atwood Knives

Tags: art, atwood, Knives, multi-tool, Outdoors, peter atwood, pocket tools, Prybaby, SOPThing, stuff I own, TiBaby, TiBottleBug

Who doesn’t love playing Horseshoes? Here is a great set, Official size and weight, and Made in the USA for over 75 years.

• St. Pierre Royal Classic Championship Series Horseshoes Set

∞St. Pierre USA

Tags: camping, games, Horseshoes, Outdoors