July '15 Highlight Reel
There’s still plenty of time left this summer for all sorts of outdoor fun. With this month’s Cairn, sleep soundly, stay bug-free, and enjoy delicious treats on your next adventure.
Klymit Pillow X
Most of the folks I’ve met who enjoy sleeping outside fall into one of three camps when it comes to pillows. The first camp is full of people who don’t mind catching zzz’s in the tent completely pillow-free. The second camp includes folks who use extra clothes in stuff sacks, their backpacks, essentially anything they can find to rest their head on when the sun goes down. The third? Die hard pillow lovers who won’t compromise on comfort, even if it means carrying a little extra weight.
The team at Klymit designed the Pillow X with those of us in the third camp in mind, but made it so lightweight and small that you’ll hardly notice it’s in your pack at all. It’s shaped like a standard camping pillow, but when it’s inflated, the pillow is designed to cradle your head to help you sleep comfortably. If you like thicker, puffier pillows at home, you might find yourself needing to put something under the Pillow X to prop it up slightly, but it’ll cradle your noggin and help you sleep more comfortably.
Sierra Sage Bugs Be Gone
There’s nothing worse than getting home from a picnic, a barbecue, or any outdoor adventure covered in bug bites. Spraying toxic chemicals on your skin to ward off pesky insects is far from ideal for a variety of reasons, and the chemical smell can be overpowering. Most chemicals found in bug spray can also damage your favorite outdoor apparel.
The September 2014 Cairn gave subscribers an introduction to Sierra Sage; the Green Goo and Arnica Salve were staff favorites. And now, in addition to skin-soothing balms, the team at Sierra Sage gives us a way to avoid bug bites outdoors. Bugs Be Gone spray is citronella, chemical, oil, and DEET-free. It won’t stain your clothes, smells more like a pile of herbs and flowers than bug spray, and contains essential oils along with lavender, mint, and lemongrass. Give it a try in lieu of your standard bug spray on your next adventure.
Munk Pack Blueberry Açaí Flax Oatmeal
On a backpacking trip in Northern Pennsylvania last year, a friend and I woke in a downpour eager to get on the trail. Though we’d both brought supplies for a hot breakfast, dealing with the stove, water, dishes, and everything that comes with cooking a hot meal wasn’t something either of us wanted to deal with. Sound familiar?
Whether you’re in need of a quick breakfast, a mid-workout snack, post-workout recovery food, or quick snack on the trail, Munk Pack has you covered. The folks behind Munk Pack were tired of energy bars, but still wanted a portable source of energy. Pouches are an easy way to store and carry non-perishable snacks around, and now, thanks to Munk Pack, ready-to-eat oatmeal is among the group of portable snack options. Try all three flavors.
Mountain House Neapolitan Ice Cream
Think you can’t have ice cream in the middle of a hike? Thinks again. Though it won’t taste or feel quite like the ice cream you’ll find in your freezer at home, the team at Mountain House came up with a way for us all to enjoy the next best thing on the trail.
The Mountain House Neapolitan Ice Cream pouch puts all three standard favorite flavors – chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry – together in way that makes it possible to take ice cream with you on your adventures. It has a delightfully crunchy texture while feeling creamy, melts in your mouth, and tastes pretty darn close to the real thing. Enjoy it as a snack or for dessert after a long day on the trail.
Don’t forget to look for the little envelope in your Cairn; it’s full of coupons from companies feature in this month’s mix! What are you most excited about in the July box? If you’re not a Cairn subscriber, which item would you most like to try? Leave a comment!