Video: TravelSmith Travel Tips #1 - Avoiding Traveler's Tummy

The start of the new year also marks the start of a new series of travel videos from our friend Richard Bangs. He has just launched the first of a weekly set of clips that will offer tips on how to travel smarter and more safely in the year ahead. In this video, he tells us how to avoid the dreaded traveler's tummy, something that most of us have probably had the misfortune of experiencing at some point in our wanderings. He also shares a story of how he got hit with giardia while paddling the Colorado River, which resulted in him having to be airlifted to safety. There is a good lesson for us all here.

Antarctica 2016: Mike Horn Completes Longest Kite Ski Expedition Ever

As reported a few days back, Mike Horn has completed his traverse of the Antarctic continent by kite ski, and is now waiting for pick-up by his ship the Pangaea. It has been a very long couple of months out on the ice, but the first leg of his epic Pole 2 Pole expedition is done, although he is not safely off the frozen continent just yet, and it is unclear as to when exactly he'll be able to depart.

According to ExWeb, Mike covered approximately 5100 km (3168 miles) over the course of his 57 day journey. Of that, 2215 km (1376 miles) were just spent reaching the South Pole, while the other 2885 km (1792 miles) were covered continuing on to the far coast. If those distances are accurate – and there is no reason to believe they aren't – Horn's expedition will mark the longest kite ski journey across the Antarctic ever. ExWeb does point out however that Mike received some meals while at the South Pole, so his journey isn't considered solo or unassisted, even though both legs coming and going from the Pole fall into those categories.

The final few days of the journey were not easy ones. Whiteout conditions persisted throughout and massive sastrugi – hard ridges on the ice – made it tough to make progress. At times, Mike's kite would pull him along at a rapid pace, but his sled would get caught on the sastrugi, creating a tug-of-war situation with Horn in the middle. There were also points where his kite would suddenly come to a stop, and the heavy sled would barrel into the back of the skier, knocking him to the ground. Those must have been very frustrating moments to say the least.

Now, Mike is believed to be at Dumon d'Urville, a French science station along the coast. He is waiting for Pangaea to pick him up, but at this point it is unclear as to when that will happen. As reported earlier in the week, the ship experienced electrical failure and was forced to set sail for Tasmania for repairs. There is no word yet on when those repairs will be completed and how long it will take to return to get Horn. One thing is for certain however, the austral winter is on its way, and it will become much more challenging to come and go from the Antarctic in the days ahead.

Once he is retrieved from the ice, the original plan was to sail to Australia and New Zealand for some exploration and adventures there before turning north to the Arctic and the second phase of the Pole 2 Pole expedition. That will involve a crossing of the Arctic Icecap in much the same fashion as the Antarctic. We'll have to wait to see if those plans change in any way, but the Arctic season will be up on us soon enough, and that season has already gotten shorter and more dangerous than years past.

I'll post more updates when we have further news of the Pangaea and Mike's situation.

Video: When We Were Knights - A Story of Friendship, Love, and Wingsuits

Last summer, Base Jumper and wingsuit pilot Ian Flanders died while jumping in Turkey. When he passed, he left behind a letter to his friend Matt Blank expressing his love for the life they lived and the adventure they had together. This video is a visual translation of that letter that includes some incredible footage of the two men jumping and flying together. It is a reminder to do the things we love and pursue our passions, but also let those around us know just how much they mean to us too.

Video: Under an Arctic Sky - Surfing Iceland in Winter

When you think of great surf spots, Iceland is not a place that typically comes to mind. But, when a team of adventurers – led by photographer Chris Burkard and filmmaker Ben Weiland – traveled to that beautiful and wild country, they discovered that there was indeed some terrific waves to ride along the north coast. This was especially true when one of the most brutal storms of the past 25 years made landfall there, creating a surreal environment for an arctic adventure. As you'll see in this video, they got everything they were looking for, and more.

Under An Arctic Sky - Official Trailer #1 from Chris Burkard on Vimeo.

Gear Closet: Big Agnes Meaden Down Jacket

When you travel to a cold weather destination you quickly learn the value of having good gear. Recently, while visiting Quebec, Canada, the temperatures dipped well below -20ºF/-28ºC, with windchills as low as -45ºF/-42ºC. That's cold, but with the right gear and a good layering system, it is surprisingly easy to not just survive in those conditions, but enjoy yourself too.

To get along in temps that cold, you need warm baselayers, a wind and waterproof shell, and of course a good insulating later in-between. Usually that insulating layer is either a fleece jacket or in colder conditions a down jacket, which provides the best weight to warmth ratio imaginable. On my recent Canadian adventure I took the new Meaden Jacket from Big Agnes, which exceeded my expectations in terms of comfort, warmth, and fit.

In terms of insulation, the Meaden Jacket features 850 fill down from Downtek, which means it is water resistant, virtually eliminating the one fault with using it in an active jacket. In the past, when down got went, it lost its loft, clumped together, and became almost useless. This issue was only exasperated when the down would freeze in cold conditions.

But with hydrophobic down produced by Downtek, this is not an issue. That means the Meaden will continue to perform well, even when it gets wet, which is something that helps to separate it from other jackets that don't bother using water resistant down, and quite frankly if you're in the market for jacket of this type, it is silly to consider anything else these days. Usually it doesn't add much to the cost of the jacket, and what you gain in performance is easily worth the extra money.


The surprising thing about this particular jacket isn't that it is warm, but just how warm it is for the weight. Big Agnes has created an article of clothing that performs incredibly well, and weighs next to nothing. The large version of the Meaden tips the scales at just 11.5 oz. (326 grams), which is incredibly lightweight for jacket that offers this level of performance.

Despite its low weight however, Big Agnes didn't compromise on a durability. The jacket is designed with the active crowd in mind, and so it is built to survive our adventures in harsh conditions. The lightweight ripstop fabrics used on the Meaden are tough, abrasion resistant, and made to last. My test model was used extensively throughout my travels in Canada, and it looks completely brand new.

One of my favorite features of this jacket is its straight, athletic cut. Clearly the designers at Big Agnes know their customers, most of whom are very active in the outdoors. The design of the Meaden is meant to not impede movement in any way, even while serving as part of a much larger layering system. When that design is paired with the lightweight of the jacket, you end up with a garment that you can pull on, feel warm, and forget that you are even wearing it. That's a powerful combination to find in any piece of performance gear.

Big Agnes didn't skimp on the pockets on Meaden either. In addition to two hand-warming pockets on the exterior of the jacket, there is a larger interior mesh pocket as well. This came in handy when trying to keep camera and smartphone batteries warm in the cold conditions, which can zap them of power very quickly. A second interior pocket, located on the chest, is great for stashing small items too, and cleverly converts into a stuff sack for packing the jacket when traveling as well.

The Meaden has a number of other nice features that seem small at first, but add up to make it an exceptional piece of gear. For instance, it has thumb holes that add warmth to the hands and wrists, but also ensure that your sleeves fully extend when donning an outer shell. The main zipper also includes a no-draft flap to help keep the cold winds out, and an adjustable drawcord on the hem helps to lock in warmth too.

With a price tag of $380, the Meaden Jacket is a bit pricier than similar jackets from the competition. But, it also comes with Big Agnes' trademark high quality. To me, that makes the cost of this jacket well worth the price. It is a great combination of thoughtful design, high quality materials, and fantastic performance. That is a rare thing to find in any product, let alone a piece of outdoor gear.

If you're in the market for a new high-performance down jacket, the Big Agnes Meaden is a fantastic choice. it is a bit on the pricer side, but what it delivers makes it well worth the cost. This is a jacket that will be with you for years, and continue provide warmth on even the coldest of adventures.

Video: Scenes From Patagonia

We all know that Patagonia is one of the most spectacularly beautiful places in the entire world. But, this video remind us of that by taking us back to that iconic destination to share some wonderful scenes of life and landscapes of southern Chile and Argentina. Truly one of the great wilderness destinations on the planet.

Moments from Patagonia from Ivana Varesko on Vimeo.

Nat Geo Tells Us Where to Backpack in 2016

2016 is just a month old, but if you haven't started planning your travel yet, you're probably missing out on precious time. Thankfully, National Geographic is here to lend us a helping hand with some great suggestions of where to go backpacking in 2016.

The complete list contains ten total designations, ranging from Argentina and Patagonia in South America, to Zimbabwe in Africa, to Vietnam in Asia, with plenty of other options inbetween. In fact, every continent is represented on the list with the exception of Antarctica, which means just about no matter where you go, there will be some exceptional hiking spots nearby.

Beyond just creating a list of excellent backpacking places, Nat Geo also offers some great travel advice for those visiting these places. For instance, they'll tell you how to get there, how to travel around once you arrive, and just where to stay too. The various write-ups for each destination also include tips on what to eat, when to go, and what activities you absolutely should not miss out on.

All in all, this is a fairly comprehensive travel piece with some good suggestions on where to go backpacking this year. While the individual articles do a good job of setting you on the path to going to that particular place, they also leave plenty of room for you to explore and plan your own excursions and activities too. Think of it as helpful advice from those who have been there before, with just enough information to get you intrigued and started with your planning.

Find out what other destinations made the list by reading the entire article here.

Video: The Pacific Northwest in Timelapse

We'll wrap up the week with this fantastic five minute video that takes us to the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. for some stunning timelapse images of the landscapes found there. It took two years, and more than 10,000 photos to create this stunningly beautiful clip, but it is a great reminder of just how amazing our world truly is.

Pacific Northwest Timelapse // GENESIS from andrewcox1 on Vimeo.

Video: Moments in the Italian Dolomites

This video takes us to the Italian Dolomites with professional photographer Gürel Sahin as he captures some of the beautiful landscapes that exist in that place. Over the course of the clip, he shares with us his love for nature and passion for photography, two things that come together to create lasting memories of the places he visits in his journeys. Those are the moments that stay with us for the rest of our lives, and are captured in the images that he takes. He finds plenty of them in these mountains.

MOMENTS with Gürel Sahin - Dolomites, Italy from Palatina Media Group on Vimeo.

Video: The 17-Million Year Old Grand Canyon is Still Teaching Us New Things

In this video, we join 17-year old Katie Winkelman as she takes part in a youth group that is exploring the Grand Canyon on foot and by raft. While in the Canyon, she learns a lot more about how it was formed and its continued importance in the lives of more than 40 million people who depend upon the Colorado River – which carved the dramatic landscapes there – for fresh water. The health of this place, and the waters that pass through it, are incredibly important, which is why we must continue to strive to protect it.

Video: Riding the King Kong Mountain Bike Trail in Utah

Don't have time or the weather isn't right for a mountain bike ride today? Than why not join pro rider Andreu Lacondeguy as he takes on the King Kong trail in Utah, courtesy of GoPro. Andreu recently took on this amazing trail while wearing a Hero action camera on his chest. The result is a first person view of his ride that is amazing to watch. Check it out below.