Summer Essentials: 7 New Items Sure to Amp-Up Your Season



This summer won’t look like last. But there are still loads of opportunities to get outside and explore—whether that means the trails within walking distance of your house, or a regional road trip.

And no matter what you tackle this season, you’ll need the apparel, safety equipment, snacks—and yes, hand sanitizer (you’ll love our pick)—to do it as best you can.

Read on for our picks of this summer’s best:

Arc’teryx Fraser Jacket

($550; arcteryx.com)

Part of the apparel-maker’s Lifestyle collection, this stylish three-layer jacket uses Gore-Tex C Knit, which offers all the weatherproofing you’d expect from a technical hard-shell in a softer, more supple package. Unlike a lot of three-layers, the Fraser breathes so well you can wear it during summer.

Tribal Outdoor Gear Nomad

($1,950; tribaloutdoorgear.com)

Long-distance walking anyone? Enter a four-season hiking trailer that will revolutionize the way you trek. This self-balancing all-terrain hauler turns 25 kilograms of gear into just eight kilograms of load on your back. Plus, it transforms into a sled via the quick-release wheel for winter camping too.

XPAND Laces

($15; xpandlaces.com)

I love turning my shoes into slip- ons, but I didn’t care for the look of no-tie laces—until now. Enter XPAND, a no-tie system that uses conventional flat laces so your shoes don’t look like they’re strung with a bungee.

SPOT X with Bluetooth

($350; findmespot.com)

I’ve used the SPOT X two-way satellite messenger for years, and loved the piece-of-mind it provides. This new Bluetooth-enabled unit ups the ante. Now I can connect my smartphone to the unit (if I choose) and communicate with my contacts, or emergency services, with ease—anywhere, on-grid or off.

Mustang Survival Khimera Dual Flotation PFD

($250; mustangsurvival.ca)

I love that Mustang’s new slim-line, active-paddling PFD combines the secure flotation of foam with a boost of CO2, which adds an additional 13 pounds of buoyancy at the pull of a cord (20.5 total). No-chafe material with wide arm-slots make all-day wear a breeze, and deflation and re-arm is easy: simply squeeze out the air and recharge the cartridge.

PURICA Hand Sanitizer

($6.50; purica.com)

We know you want this—PURICA teamed up with Campbell River, British Columbia-based Shelter Point Distillery to produce this Health Canada approved, 75 per cent alcohol hand sanitizer. I love that two Vancouver Island-based companies joined forces to brew this much-needed tincture!

Trail Truffles

($6.50; trailtruffles.com)

This snack offers a complete, plant-based protein without GMOs, gluten, soy, preservatives or refined sugars. The ingredients read like a grocery list—you’ll recognize them all. Tasty and packable, I can’t get enough. Four flavours.

PS. Did this gear inspire you to get outside and explore more?

For the ultimate adventure inspiration, join explore magazine’s “Live the Adventure” Club.

With thousands of dollars’ worth in gear, prizes, exclusive interviews with experts, outdoors advice and a private Facebook community to share all your adventures, it’s no wonder explore’s LTA Club has over 2,000 subscribers across North America.

Click here to learn more.

 

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