Wild Northerner Magazine Spring 2017 | Page 9

Taking another look

Hand-held thermal imagining is going to change a lot for people who love the outdoors. Seek Thermal has a range of cameras - hand-held units and units for Android and iphone devices - to give outdoors people a unique aspect to the wilderness before them, day and night. The Reveal XR has a distance range of 900-feet and a 20-degree field of view. The Reveal Pro has a distance range of 1,800-feet and a 32-degree field of view. The Compact series turns hand-held cell devices into thermal cameras with amazing clarity and range. The Compact has a distance range of 1,000-feet, while the XR has a range of 1,800-feet.

“These cameras are great for a variety of stuff done outdoors,” Ramakko’s sales consultant Brent Xilon said. “It’s great for hunting and tracking a downed animal or if you loose a buddy or you need to see something at night around your camp.”

Thirsty for more

The MSR TrailShot is a pocket-sized water filter system and gives big performance in a small package. It weighs about five ounces and filters up to one-litre of water per minute via a squeeze bulb system. It meets United States EPA drinking water standards and NSF protocol P231 for removal of bacteria (99.9999%), protozoa (99.9%), and particulates. It allows the user to drink right from the source, along a trail or while paddling.

“I tried it at an outdoors buyer show and it is easy to squeeze and comfortable,” McDonald said.

Gaining an edge

A knife is an indispensable tool when going into the bush. If you’re looking for a knife for under $100 that comes complete with a few extra features for survival, The Buck Selkirk is a good place to start. This multifunctional knife has a 11.9-cm long, drop point blade with 420HC steel. The handle is Micarta and removable so the knife can be utilized as a spearhead, with a hammering point on the butt. The heavy-duty nylon sheath can be attached in a variety of ways to belts and packs to suit any user. The knife also comes with a fire starter and safety whistle.

“You can do everything with this knife,” Xilon said.

Carrying the load

Osprey Packs has set a high bar with their new Anti-Gravity Technology incorporated into their Aether and Ariel series. Hikers and backcountry lovers will love the extensive features on this series, which includes a custom-fit hip belt, a continuous, suspended panel of lightweight mesh extending from the upper torso through the lumbar area of the pack and wraps the user in supreme comfort and convertible 20-litre top lid day pack. These key attributes allow the Aether and Ariel to be a capable and comfortable pack for long-haul trips or multi-day excursions.

“This pack gives the user a lot of versatility and I think it will be popular,” McDonald said.