I used to want an iPhone. Not anymore.

I had wanted an iPhone, but as a freelance professional who relies on my handheld device to secure work and to keep up with the pace of the modern office while I’m on the move, I needed something a little less gimmicky and a little more suitable for business. Yet I still yearned for all of the fun applications that are available with the iPhone.

As do so many in sector, I work solely on a Mac. A PC almost never enters my life, so a Blackberry had always seemed relatively one-dimensional object to me. Now, the good people at Research in Motion have made a Blackberry for Mac desktop manager, making its debut this month, which enables the device to be completely compatible with Mac platforms. This means that many of the applications that iPhone users flaunt of are now fully workable on the Blackberry, even if you use a Mac system at work or in the home.

For me however, a lot of the bells-and-whistles features that are on the device, are merely icing on the cake.

The Blackberry 8900 is, to me, the perfect travel companion:

Its features include a 3.2-mega pixel camera, complete with flash, variable zoom, mechanical auto focus and image stabilization. Pictures can also be easily sent to friends or family via email or multimedia message, or posted to social networking websites including Flickr, MySpace and Facebook using the applications’ integrated photo uploaders. There is also video camera option that will shoot at 15 frames per second, a voice recorder, and a competitive media player that can view pictures, movies and play music through headphones and external speakers or through surprisingly decent built-in mini speakers.

Another fantastic feature is the built-in GPS with mapping software that can give step-by-step directions to your destination, find your exact location or identify local points of interest. The GPS can also be used with other applications or location-based services, including employee and resource tracking and social networking, for an enhanced navigation experience. Another useful feature of the GPS is Geotagging, making it possible to embed GPS coordinates into photos, then view those pictures on a map.

Best of all, the 8900 boasts an application called Documents To Go which allows you to edit and send Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents directly on the device.

To be honest, I have very little time to learn how to use things like this and a similar lack of interest. I just expect them to work, and the Blackberry Curve seems to have done just that. It was easy to use, simple to operate and painless to transfer to from a regular phone. I give it the thumbs up and am no longer envious of my iPhone-equipped friends.

DULUTH CRUISER COMBO PACK

Duluth Pack (taking it’s name from the city of Duluth, Minnesota where the company was born), has been making the world’s best portage packs since the company was founded in 1882. The portage pack is a traditional piece of luggage used in canoe travel, particularly in the Boundary Waters region of northern Minnesota and Ontario. A specialized type of backpack, made from heavy canvas and leather, that is roughly square in shape in order to fit easily into the bottom of a canoe. These packs are designed to be portaged, along with the canoe, between lakes on wilderness canoe trips, so they have to be water resistant, tough and roomy.

Although the term “Duluth pack,” has been Coke-ified over the years — becoming a common term for any portage pack — the quality of the haulers made by the original company, in my experience, far out strips any competitors.

The typical Duluth portage pack consists of a single large compartment, which is closed by straps and buckles rather than a zipper. The pack is carried by two shoulder straps, although some designs also include a waist belt, or a tump line to be placed across the forehead to balance the load. The bags are made in several sizes, traditionally referred to by numbers (#2, #3 and #4).

The Cruiser combo is my personal favourite of all of the Duluth styles because of its versatility. It comes with a tough wicker basket that helps to reduces jostling and impacts on the contents, so on a long trip so is perfect for food and other perishables. The Cruiser Combo is also equally at home on summertime picnics, and weekly trips to the local farmers market. It’s stout, hardy and provides timeless style.

My one consideration is that even the #2 (smallest in this style) is still quite large, so its not the best choice for everyday use.

The basket also comes with a webbing set up, so it can be carried separately if you run out of space.

RAB JACKET

In my opinion, Rab down clothing is simply the best down clothing on the planet. I have several friends who work in outdoor garment manufacture — and one who is in the military Special Forces –and they all contest that Rab takes the prize, hands down.

Established by Rab Carrington, a British mountaineer and climber of Everest, Rab has consistently produced the best down expedition wear. Don’t get me wrong, Rab is not a cheap option, but you pay for what you get without a doubt.

Apart from making the finest expedition down insulated gear Rab are also famed for supplying the British S.A.S with their cold weather gear, made to military specifications, and for putting out a line of exact replicas of the expedition gear used by the Hillary team, reproduced in modern materials, made to an extremely limited order. Which is to say that stuff cost an arm and a leg and a chunk of torso, and was rarer than the proverbial rocking horse manure.

I tested the Microlite jacket, which is one of several very light weight down zip tops that entered the market a few years back, trail blazed by Patagonia’s Down Sweater.

As a rule I tend to be an advocate of the leader in a field, i.e.: if they came up with the concept, then they get the cookie. With the Rab Microlite I had to change my view, however.

It’s Pertex shell, it’s goose down, fill power of 650+, and it’s hand warmer pockets means it’s warmer, dryer, lighter and more comfortable than it’s mounting competitors. I rest my case!

(Truth be told, though, I don’t like the colour options much).

POST OVERALLS

Primarily a vintage work-wear replication brand, Post Overalls‘ products are well- suited to travel — they’re rugged, durable and stylish. Because of it’s vintage nature, the company’s’ garments  marry well with both a more casual and dressier wardrobes, and as a result can help to successfully tie together various different looks.

I tried out the “Traveller” vest and the “Logger” chino. I found both items to be comfortable and sturdy, but lightweight and very strong.

I liked the Traveller vest in particular and found it to be very stylish and at the same time very useful. It has plenty of deep pockets, tough stitching and a fantastic design. Basically it’s the perfect place to keep passport, phone, cash and other essentials, without raising suspicion or looking dorky.

Be aware of the sizing on these items, however. I usually fit a small in most work-wear brands, and this didn’t come close to having enough room for me.

FILSON FOOTHILLS PARKA

Filson has been making tough garments since 1897. Founded in Alaska to outfit the gold rush, Filson still makes hard-working, all natural clothing that has stood the test of time.

The foothills parka is a fantastic item. It’s tough, rugged and warm. Made from a thick, tough, oil coated canvas, this parka will keep you comfortable in the worst weather. I couldn’t use this as my main rain gear, however, as it’s more of a utility item. Blanket-lined for warmth the foothills parka has a couple of huge stow pockets on the front that fit plenty, as well as a couple of deep, lined slash cut hand warmer pockets with an inside, zippered valuables pocket.

This parka, which has plenty of room underneath for a down layer or chunky sweater, is a great piece to have in the back of the truck, or keep in the cabin for a hack through the brush.

This parka is great — but it is worth mentioning that it isn’t a lightweight item. In other words,  I’d shy away from hiking or canoeing in this parka. Also, although there are jersey-knit cuffs in the sleeves, the bottom or the coat has no draw string so on a windy day this would be a problem.

ETON SHIRT

Now, I believe the Swedish company Eton makes some of the finest shirts on the market. I am a little dubious, though, of some of the more elaborate colour schemes–that said, I’m a real fan of classic, style over modern design and Eton produces exactly this.

For the gear test I chose a plane white button-down shirt. Apart from the fantastic cut, the main selling point of an Eton shirt is the fabric from which it’s crafted from, especially since in most cases the garments boasts an ‘Iron free’ or ‘stay pressed’ quality. In other words, the shrt still looks okay even if you don’t iron it before you go out.

With this in mind I took my test shirt straight out of its packaging and shot it on our amateur model (and professionl artist) Derrick Hodgson without the ubiquitous steaming that any garment normally undergoes before being the subject of a photo shoot. I took it on a night out after it had been stuffed into a bag on the way back from the location, and after a few minutes under a jacket, all the creases had dropped out.

Then I decided to give it a particularly attention-free wash, screwed it up to dry then wore it out. Once again, after a few minutes under a jacket it was wrinkle-free.

I really like these shirts and intend on getting a few more for my wardrobe.

I do have one criticism, or maybe more of a caveat: Eton shirts look super smart all the time, so a couple of times during my trial runs I’ve felt a little over dressed. But keep it in context, and this shirt will do you well.

After some recent tempestuous times — and a buy-out from Nike — Converse are still strong style contenders with some fantastic collaborations with the likes of vintage favourites Woolrich, and the ever-trendy John Varvatos. There have also been some fantastic changes to some classic designs that are well worth a look.

These boots are a throwback to the product that Converse used to make back in 1908. I really like the styling and they work well with a trendier jeans-and-jacket combos, with a more classic-look tweed suit, or with a chinos-based outfit.

They are well made and perfect for that fall stroll in the woods or slushy winter trip into the office.

Outsider boots are available in high-top versions and come in black/milk/green, and beech. Shoes in this collection have a MSRP of $120 and are available nationwide at specialty retailers.

CONVERSE ALL STAR OUTSIDER BOOT

After some recent tempestuous times — and a buy-out from Nike — Converse are still strong style contenders with some fantastic collaborations with the likes of Canada’s D-squared, vintage favourites Woolrich, and the ever-trendy John Varvatos. There have also been some fantastic changes to some classic designs that are well worth a look.

These boots are a throwback to the product that Converse used to make back in 1908. I really like the styling and they work well with a trendier jeans-and-jacket combos, with a more classic-look tweed suit, or with a chinos-based outfit.

They are well made and perfect for that fall stroll in the woods or slushy winter trip into the office.

Outsider boots are available in high-top versions and come in black/milk/green, and beech. Shoes in this collection have a MSRP of $120 and are available nationwide at specialty retailers.

RED WING 877 BOOT

The 877 boot is a signature boot for Red Wing. Featuring russet oil-finished leather and it’s distinctive crepe sole, the 877 was originally made without a heel to aid the balance of steelworkers, working on high beams when building skyscrapers in the 30’s.

To me the 877 is the perfect boot. It’s a classic style icon that has been revisited time and time again; Steven Stills, Neil Young and Eric Clapton considered the 877s their boot of choice. More recently the workers from television’s Lost all sported this classic boot as part of their Dharma Initiative outfit.

The 877 has long been a staple with vintage geeks in London, Paris and Tokyo, and the boot is making a resurgence this side of the pond with J Crew boasting a special edition 877 and Red Wing themselves creating a ‘Lifestyle’ line so that we no longer have to trawl through dusty old hard wear stores to find the right pair.

To me, the 877s are the quintessential travel companion. It can be worn on the work site by and be dusted off and worn with a pair of khakis and a dress shirt to take grandma out for dinner.

These boots are tough and will last you a lifetime if you treat them right. I’ve been wearing them for 11 years, and for 10 of those had the same pair. I wore them on job sites, photo shoots, and they have circumnavigated the globe at least four times. When they started to get a little tight last year I sold them on eBay — for a profit. You can’t ask for more than that from a trusty pair of boots.

SEBAGO DOCKSIDE BOAT SHOE

Sebago’s  ‘Dockside’ is the original boat shoe, and I personally think it’s a fantastic piece of footwear. My current pair are really starting to come into their own, both comfort and style-wise, and I’ve had them since 2004, though I loved them from day one.

These shoes really are a must-have. There are now a lot of boat shoes on the market from various companies, but in my book none come close to the style or quality of the Dockside.

They are also incredibly versatile, look-wise. They can be worn with shorts and a tee, beaten up old jeans and an old sweater, chinos and a blazer, even a summer suit.

One word though, by them now and start wearing them in for next year. These shoes are as hard-wearing as work boots.

What would camping be without camp food? Fun I hear you say?

MSR Quick Cook 2 System

I took my girlfriend along on this gear test so freeze dried wasn’t really an option and I have to say, I found this to be a great little cooking system. It’s really light, weighing in at 1 lbs 12 oz / 795.6 g and consists of: (1) 1.5L non-stick DuraLite™ DX pot, (1) 2.5L hard-anodized pot, (1) strainer lid, (2) DeepDish™ plates, (2) insulated stainless steel mugs, and (1) Talon™ pot handle.

The design on this pan set is second to none. It all nests into one lightweight system, the components of which compliment each other perfectly. The two pans are non-stick DuraLite,™ which can handle even the stickiest of camp foods. At first I was put off by the plastic plates, until I realised that they act as an insulating layer to stop the DuraLite™ from scratching when the set is in the nest mode. Last but not least, the ergonomically-designed mugs are insulated in plastic, again protecting the pan while preserving the temperature of the beverage inside — and best of all the spill proof lids make them perfect for a cheeky beer while the park rangers around.

Titan Kettle

We teamed this with the titanium kettle which boils almost a litre of water (.85l) very quickly, and is also very light and super versatile. It has a great design that allows a standard-size gas canister to fit snugly inside. On a solo trek it can also be used as a bowl, mug, or pot, and this kettle is said to be the preferred cooking vessel of the SAS while on training on the ‘dragons back’ in northern Wales.

I’m a big fan of using the hiking boot, worn correctly, as a part of a stylishly casual look for fall or winter (please nothing too sporty, though).

The Zamberlan Vioz gt are falling dangerously close to this easthetic for me, although I do wear the Zamberlan Trail lite and find its classic style a perfect match for a khaki or hunting pant. This said, I think the performance of the Vioz gt wins me over, and I will happily add them to my standard winter look.

Fully lined in Gore-tex, these boots provide not only maximum comfort but heaps of ankle support, traction and breathability. The tough sole lasts and does well on dirt, deep mud and wet rock, so I might just suggest it as a one-stop-shop for climbers who want to find a shoe/hike boot combo.

Another point I like going back to is aesthetic: these boots are available in black leather, something I have never seen in a ‘off the peg’ hiking boot before. My verdict is a skyrocketing thumbs up.

Zamberlan

Soldier knife

Victorinox has had the contract to supply the Switzerland’s military for over 100 years; the official knife of the Swiss army has just changed it’s basic design for the first time since the 60’s – and this is it.

The new model features: a half serrated half straight blade, wood saw, can opener with screwdriver (3mm), cap lifter with screwdriver (7mm lockable) and wire stripper, the Philips screwdriver and the reamer and punch tool.  It also has a rubbery handle which aids grip and a single thumb opening system for the large blade.

This is a compact, stylish-looking -yet-tough-feeling  knife, which is a must for die hard Victorinox/Swiss Army fans. It feels good in the hand and pocket, but if I’m honest, it’s not my favorite product in the line. Those I will be reviewing in later installments.

You can take a gander here.

ST-5000 with PATHFINDER

Water resistant to 50m, this timepiece of beautiful design might not at once appeal to the bling-oriented wearer, but in the woods it comes into its own.

The tough titanium shell houses a Swiss-made analogue digital quartz movement and a capable compass, and the watch includes an assortment of easy-to-use settings that ensure your safety in the woods. Well, your position at least. Luminous hands and numbers allow you to see  the time in the dark. I really liked this watch and it came into it’s own on a foggy sea-kayaking trip in Maine, although it has proved very useful several times trying to navigate the bustling streets on Manhattan.

You can see more specs here.

Myth or miracle? I was introduced to Noni juice by a friend, and I thought I’d add it to the gear test because there is a lot of controversy surrounding this product’s ability to fulfil its claims.

I was intrigued because I have it on “good authority” that Noni juice makes you feel great, can heal skin problems and gives the drinker extreme amounts of energy.

Although Noni has a very strong fruity pallet, there is a pungently cheesy undertone that puts a lot of people off on their first try. I stuck with it and found it to be very much an acquired taste.

The other reviews I have read range from the devoted to the purely sceptical. I found that, placebo effect or not, the beverage seemed to give me an ongoing supply of energy over a gruelling shoot (see Lydia Hearst in the Hot Issue) and then on a ten day camping trip in the rain. I’m a fan, but you yourself must decide if it’s sacred fruit or snake oil.

Now Go-lite is an interesting little company. First brought to my attention a couple of years ago by a writer at GQ in London, Go-lite was founded in Colorado circa 1999 by Kim and Demetri “Coup” Coupounas.

After several gruelling trips, most notably the summating of Mt. McKinley in 1997, where they hauled 60lb packs on their backs and 100lb sleds behind them, the couple decided to fabricate a solution to the burden of hauling overweight equipment on expeditions.

Starting out with an integrated system of 12 ultra-lite backpacking products, Go–lite now produces a full range of clothing, equipment, and footwear for adventure racers, backpackers, hikers, trail runners, back- and cross-country skiers, snowshoers, cyclists, alpinists, and even elite military personnel.

Valhalla 2+

I have camped with the two-part ‘Shangrila 3’ for the past three years and have found it a great choice so I was eager to try out the recently developed one-piece Valhalla 2+.

She weighs in at 5 lbs, 2 oz./2.32 kg and sleeps two comfortably; three at a push.

All in all I was very impressed. It is very simple to erect, even single handed. It is roomy and has entry points either side as well as sizable porches to store excess gear, boots etc. and a full wall bug net if you like to sleep under the stars.

Unfortunately for me (but great for the test), the entire gear test took place over several days of torrential rain and the Valhalla stood up well. There was very slight leaking, so I’d advise (as do Go-lite) to use a seam sealer if you plan to make prolonged trips in damp climates.

Adrenaline 0°

The sleeping bag I opted for on this excursion was the Adrenaline 0°, an 800-fill goose down sleeping bag weighing in at 2 lbs, 12 oz./1.25 kg with a rating of –17C or 0 F. This trimmer mummy bag boasts waterproof Pertex® Endurance surrounding the head and foot that protects against condensation in critical areas.

My favourite part of this bag — and to be honest, what I think sets it apart from other bags I have used in the past — is it’s central zipper that is designed to provide an efficient solution to core temperature regulation, that in my opinion provides for a comfier sleep if, like me, you like to sleep on your side.