"Do you suppose they will choose to make war against lean, solid dogs rather than against fat and tender sheep?"
Backpacking brings to life a lot of dead metaphors. When someone drives past you on a dry dirt road, you literally eat their dust, and on day two of a long hike, you really do have to tighten your belt. But “jackboots?” To me, “jackboot” is just a metonymy for fascists, as in “jackbooted thugs”... Continue Reading →
What is archaic, rustic, cheap ... and Russian? It's a trick question! The answer is, "Whatever it may be, you know damn well that now Jason will insist on trying it!" Today it's portyanki, the traditional Russian foot wrap that some hunters still prefer with heavy boots instead of socks. In fact, the Russian army only phased... Continue Reading →
At last, my beautiful, homely boots are resoled. I doubt whether I’ll outlive these tough old oaks (but I’ll do my best). Our town’s cobbler is a master craftsman and a study in paradox: a stone-cold, tie-dyed hippie, he also has in him something of a Teddy Roosevelt or Friedrich Nietzsche, condemning successive generations’ preference... Continue Reading →
If you were ever hectored about your posture, you were probably told to "stand up straight" and maybe to turn your chest out or pull your shoulders back. Those are good cues, but nobody mentions the most important thing: "elbow pits forward." Jerry shirt, jerry can To stand up straight up with your chest out,... Continue Reading →
I'm outgrowing my love of cheap Communist Bloc stuff as I prepare for the looooooooong all-night ruck in Carson City. I don't want to get halfway through the event only to drop out just because the last of my skin has been rubbed off by smelly Czechoslovak canvas. So today I surrendered, embraced the capitalist... Continue Reading →
Old Soviet gear is often ugly, heavy, and uncomfortable. What can make it a winner is that it streamlines your life. You may get bored or sore, but you will get a lot done. As an example, my friend and I both love exercise, but we have totally different setups. He has a membership to... Continue Reading →
Americans are (in)famously gadgety. When faced with a problem, our preferred move is to upgrade our equipment. A friend epitomized this when he told me his Golden Rule of Home Improvement: “When you start a project, either commit to getting exactly the right tools for the job or don’t do it at all. If you... Continue Reading →
http://www.varusteleka.comva Strong, cheap, unattractive, and indestructible. That's how you know it's Russian. It’s the “veshmeshok,” a primitive canvas knapsack. I used to think of it as a crappy, “last-ditch” item, but now it’s my first choice. When traveling with one Huge Freaking Backpack, I still need a small daypack, unless I want to empty out... Continue Reading →
A whole new twist to weighted carries: when the terrain rolls and footing is unpredictable, it introduces a whole new level of evil. This walk was lighter than usual and much shorter, but by the end I was cooked.