A little more than a month ago I walked into Burlington CoatFactory in Bangor and was greeted with the sound of Christmas music -it was a little early, I thought for "chestnuts roasting on an openfire." That was the first part of October.
I'm not one to make lots of plans, so even thinking aboutChristmas in October was more than I could wrap my mind around, butit planted a seed, I guess.
Now, close to the middle of November, I figure it isn't too earlyto be thinking about Christmas. And to that end I have a couple ofitems to start you thinking about for the outdoor person on yourlist. (See, I did start thinking Christmas early this year.)
You know I spend some time around the water, usually on top of it.For paddlers who accumulate gear, some of it electronic, there isn'tanything more critical than keeping these toys dry. We go to greatlengths to buy kayaks with watertight bulkheads and hatches. We buyexpensive clothing and spray skirts to keep the water on the outside.And we try like crazy to stow the rest of what we want to have athand in something that will keep it dry.
And then there's the other problem of protecting these trinketsfrom getting banged around and dinged up.
Something like your wallet can be stowed in a small dry-bag, andthat towel you want to use later to dry off your hands and facelikewise can be stowed in a dry bag. But your camera? I don't thinkso. Nor would you want to stow a cell phone or GPS or your MP3 playerin a dry bag. They'll likely remain dry, but there's no protectionfrom impact or crushing.
Hard-shell protection
This is a job for a hard case designed to keep the elements at bayand your valuables dry and protected. One of the brands on the marketis Otter Box. They're made from an ABS plastic that's reinforced withfiberglass. The type of plastic used to make clear Otter Boxes ishigh-impact polycarbonate.
The folks at Fort Collins, Colo., make a line of hard-shell casesthat will fit almost anything. Kristin Golliher, public relationsexecutive with the company, got in touch with me recently and askedif I'd like to try out a box or two. I told her I'd be happy to runthem through their paces.
It happened that I also have a pair of Motorola hand-held walkie-talkies to try out. They fit in one of the boxes with room to spare,so last Sunday on a cold, wet paddle at Pushaw Lake, I popped the tworadios and my cell phone into one of the boxes, clipped it to my deckbungees (using a carabineer and the lanyard that comes with theboxes) and headed out into the wind and waves.
A few weeks had passed since my last paddle and I felt a littlerusty keeping up with paddling friend Karen Francoeur, who was freshback from a 10-day outing on Lake Powell and a kayak symposium inGeorgia. As we neared Hardwood Island, I suggested we stop for aminute or two so I could stretch my legs and get the blood moving inthem - wake them up, actually.
A little walking around and they were fine. The little beach onthe southern end of the island was perfect for launching the OtterBox. I gave it a heave into the water - with a little apprehension, Imust admit. The case with the two radios and my cell phone bobbed onthe water like a cork, its bright yellow case standing out like abeacon. I pushed it under a few times and checked for leaks. None. Imight have guessed since they come with a guarantee to be dry down to100 feet. Bobbing around on the surface is child's play for theseboxes. The real beauty, though, is that the box was sitting right upthere on top of the water. Should you drop your goodies overboard,it's nice knowing they'll be sitting right there waiting for you topick them up.
Since I don't plan to be down 100 feet anytime, it gives me greatconfidence that for my purposes - floating around on the surface inall kinds of weather - these boxes will keep my valuables dry andsafe. And the full-length stainless steel hinge pin should stand upto fresh and salt water no sweat. I like having the clear covers,too; I can see immediately what's inside. Should my cell phone ring,I could see it through the cover - you can't hear the ringing unlessyou're really close because the box is airtight.
The OtterBox 3250, the larger of the two, comes with 1/8-inchfoam padding. The exterior measures 8.813 by 5.175 by 3.081 inchesand inside it is 7.884 by 3.973 by 2.546 inches and retails for$25.49.
There was enough room for two walkie-talkies and a cell phone withroom enough for a set of keys or other small items, say change andcredit cards.
The 2500 also has a clear lid. Its exterior dimensions are 6.857by 4.571 by 1.827 inches and interior dimensions are 6 by 3.374 by1.293 inches, and it sells for $17.95.
This case was just a tad too short overall to hold the walkie-talkies (their antennas make them 6.75 inches tall), but the cellphone fit nicely and I could put a pair of glasses or sun glassesinside along with a digital camera or my ancient little Olympus 35 mmXA camera. (This camera was a tad too tall for the 3250 box.) Thedigital camera and cell phone, both with soft cases, fit with roomfor keys, some change or bills, and a few credit cards.
Without going into all the possible uses for this line of boxes,here are some of the items the company says are perfect fits: cigars(several different sizes and capacities), pager, film and batteries,MP3 player, Gameboy, handheld PC, ski goggles, etc. And there areother models that will protect items up to the size of a tablet PC.Check out the company's Web site at www.otterbox.com.
Otter Boxes come with an unconditional lifetime warranty. Thecompany stands behind its products with a "No questions. No hassles"policy.
If you value your gadgets (or your fine cigars), you owe it toyourself to check out these rugged boxes. I predict you'll find themjust what the doctor ordered.
Hand-held radios
I haven't had a chance yet to give the Motorola two-way radios agood workout. You probably know more than I do about the GeneralMobile Radio Service units. (You're supposed to license them with theFederal Communications Commission.)
This type of two-way radio has been around for years. What'schanging is the range they'll transmit under ideal situations andtheir compact size (see photo).
The SX800 has 22 channels and a selection of 38 standardinterference eliminator codes plus 83 additional (up to 121 total)codes for superior interference protection. You may also tune intothe NOAA weather channels for current weather information. Otherfeatures include a selection of tones to use for calling differentunits in your group and the ability to talk hands-free with voiceactuation transmission. You can scan the frequencies to monitor otherradio traffic as well. You can even plug in an earphone. The unitscome with rechargeable batteries and a re-charger and a belt clip.
Transmission is pretty clear within a mile or so of each other.Here's where my scientific testing began to break down. I handed oneof the units to my wife, who was doing chores around the house, whileI took the other one and headed for the car. I drove here and thereand attempted to reach her from various locations.
We don't have "ideal" conditions in our neighborhood. If you'refamiliar with Bangor, you know the water tower on Thomas Hill is alandmark. You also know it sits on the highest point in town. We livejust down the hill and over a few streets, which translates to beingon one side of the hill.
As long as I was either on top of Thomas Hill or on the side wherewe live, I could raise my wife on the radio. But once I drove underthe lip, so to speak, of the hill, I was incommunicado. I drovearound the "West Side" of the city and had limited luck within a mileor two of the house. But the rub, I think, was that my wife was inthe house and I was outside.
The SX800 series units Motorola sent me are supposed to be able totransmit and receive more than 8 miles away under "ideal"circumstances. I didn't have that experience on my initial outing,but I'm going to try again and see just how far I can go betweenunits and still talk.
I know from experience that they'll do pretty well on water - saya couple or three miles. But when I'm on the ocean, I'm using a VHFhand-held unit (5 watts-plus of output and the ability to talk to anyboat on the water and the emergency frequencies are monitored by theCoast Guard). But I have used two-way radios on the Family RadioService frequency before when a large group of us was on a trip, andit worked well. We were able to stay in touch and not tie up the VHFchannels. We had VHF available for emergencies.
For a family on an outing or camping, for example, these two-wayradios are ideal. They allow each family member to be in touch witheach other and not run up a cell phone bill in the process. Thelimitation seems to be hills. Stay tuned, however. I intend to getthem outside again. I really like the idea of not having to dial anumber to reach someone. You just push the PTT button and talk. Whenyou're done talking, release the button and listen.
Simple as that!
Jeff Strout's column on outdoor recreation is published eachSaturday. He can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail atjstrout@bangordailynews.net.
Two gift ideas could benefit outdoor quests Phones, cameras will stay dry
A little more than a month ago I walked into Burlington CoatFactory in Bangor and was greeted with the sound of Christmas music -it was a little early, I thought for "chestnuts roasting on an openfire." That was the first part of October.
I'm not one to make lots of plans, so even thinking aboutChristmas in October was more than I could wrap my mind around, butit planted a seed, I guess.
Now, close to the middle of November, I figure it isn't too earlyto be thinking about Christmas. And to that end I have a couple ofitems to start you thinking about for the outdoor person on yourlist. (See, I did start thinking Christmas early this year.)
You know I spend some time around the water, usually on top of it.For paddlers who accumulate gear, some of it electronic, there isn'tanything more critical than keeping these toys dry. We go to greatlengths to buy kayaks with watertight bulkheads and hatches. We buyexpensive clothing and spray skirts to keep the water on the outside.And we try like crazy to stow the rest of what we want to have athand in something that will keep it dry.
And then there's the other problem of protecting these trinketsfrom getting banged around and dinged up.
Something like your wallet can be stowed in a small dry-bag, andthat towel you want to use later to dry off your hands and facelikewise can be stowed in a dry bag. But your camera? I don't thinkso. Nor would you want to stow a cell phone or GPS or your MP3 playerin a dry bag. They'll likely remain dry, but there's no protectionfrom impact or crushing.
Hard-shell protection
This is a job for a hard case designed to keep the elements at bayand your valuables dry and protected. One of the brands on the marketis Otter Box. They're made from an ABS plastic that's reinforced withfiberglass. The type of plastic used to make clear Otter Boxes ishigh-impact polycarbonate.
The folks at Fort Collins, Colo., make a line of hard-shell casesthat will fit almost anything. Kristin Golliher, public relationsexecutive with the company, got in touch with me recently and askedif I'd like to try out a box or two. I told her I'd be happy to runthem through their paces.
It happened that I also have a pair of Motorola hand-held walkie-talkies to try out. They fit in one of the boxes with room to spare,so last Sunday on a cold, wet paddle at Pushaw Lake, I popped the tworadios and my cell phone into one of the boxes, clipped it to my deckbungees (using a carabineer and the lanyard that comes with theboxes) and headed out into the wind and waves.
A few weeks had passed since my last paddle and I felt a littlerusty keeping up with paddling friend Karen Francoeur, who was freshback from a 10-day outing on Lake Powell and a kayak symposium inGeorgia. As we neared Hardwood Island, I suggested we stop for aminute or two so I could stretch my legs and get the blood moving inthem - wake them up, actually.
A little walking around and they were fine. The little beach onthe southern end of the island was perfect for launching the OtterBox. I gave it a heave into the water - with a little apprehension, Imust admit. The case with the two radios and my cell phone bobbed onthe water like a cork, its bright yellow case standing out like abeacon. I pushed it under a few times and checked for leaks. None. Imight have guessed since they come with a guarantee to be dry down to100 feet. Bobbing around on the surface is child's play for theseboxes. The real beauty, though, is that the box was sitting right upthere on top of the water. Should you drop your goodies overboard,it's nice knowing they'll be sitting right there waiting for you topick them up.
Since I don't plan to be down 100 feet anytime, it gives me greatconfidence that for my purposes - floating around on the surface inall kinds of weather - these boxes will keep my valuables dry andsafe. And the full-length stainless steel hinge pin should stand upto fresh and salt water no sweat. I like having the clear covers,too; I can see immediately what's inside. Should my cell phone ring,I could see it through the cover - you can't hear the ringing unlessyou're really close because the box is airtight.
The OtterBox 3250, the larger of the two, comes with 1/8-inchfoam padding. The exterior measures 8.813 by 5.175 by 3.081 inchesand inside it is 7.884 by 3.973 by 2.546 inches and retails for$25.49.
There was enough room for two walkie-talkies and a cell phone withroom enough for a set of keys or other small items, say change andcredit cards.
The 2500 also has a clear lid. Its exterior dimensions are 6.857by 4.571 by 1.827 inches and interior dimensions are 6 by 3.374 by1.293 inches, and it sells for $17.95.
This case was just a tad too short overall to hold the walkie-talkies (their antennas make them 6.75 inches tall), but the cellphone fit nicely and I could put a pair of glasses or sun glassesinside along with a digital camera or my ancient little Olympus 35 mmXA camera. (This camera was a tad too tall for the 3250 box.) Thedigital camera and cell phone, both with soft cases, fit with roomfor keys, some change or bills, and a few credit cards.
Without going into all the possible uses for this line of boxes,here are some of the items the company says are perfect fits: cigars(several different sizes and capacities), pager, film and batteries,MP3 player, Gameboy, handheld PC, ski goggles, etc. And there areother models that will protect items up to the size of a tablet PC.Check out the company's Web site at www.otterbox.com.
Otter Boxes come with an unconditional lifetime warranty. Thecompany stands behind its products with a "No questions. No hassles"policy.
If you value your gadgets (or your fine cigars), you owe it toyourself to check out these rugged boxes. I predict you'll find themjust what the doctor ordered.
Hand-held radios
I haven't had a chance yet to give the Motorola two-way radios agood workout. You probably know more than I do about the GeneralMobile Radio Service units. (You're supposed to license them with theFederal Communications Commission.)
This type of two-way radio has been around for years. What'schanging is the range they'll transmit under ideal situations andtheir compact size (see photo).
The SX800 has 22 channels and a selection of 38 standardinterference eliminator codes plus 83 additional (up to 121 total)codes for superior interference protection. You may also tune intothe NOAA weather channels for current weather information. Otherfeatures include a selection of tones to use for calling differentunits in your group and the ability to talk hands-free with voiceactuation transmission. You can scan the frequencies to monitor otherradio traffic as well. You can even plug in an earphone. The unitscome with rechargeable batteries and a re-charger and a belt clip.
Transmission is pretty clear within a mile or so of each other.Here's where my scientific testing began to break down. I handed oneof the units to my wife, who was doing chores around the house, whileI took the other one and headed for the car. I drove here and thereand attempted to reach her from various locations.
We don't have "ideal" conditions in our neighborhood. If you'refamiliar with Bangor, you know the water tower on Thomas Hill is alandmark. You also know it sits on the highest point in town. We livejust down the hill and over a few streets, which translates to beingon one side of the hill.
As long as I was either on top of Thomas Hill or on the side wherewe live, I could raise my wife on the radio. But once I drove underthe lip, so to speak, of the hill, I was incommunicado. I drovearound the "West Side" of the city and had limited luck within a mileor two of the house. But the rub, I think, was that my wife was inthe house and I was outside.
The SX800 series units Motorola sent me are supposed to be able totransmit and receive more than 8 miles away under "ideal"circumstances. I didn't have that experience on my initial outing,but I'm going to try again and see just how far I can go betweenunits and still talk.
I know from experience that they'll do pretty well on water - saya couple or three miles. But when I'm on the ocean, I'm using a VHFhand-held unit (5 watts-plus of output and the ability to talk to anyboat on the water and the emergency frequencies are monitored by theCoast Guard). But I have used two-way radios on the Family RadioService frequency before when a large group of us was on a trip, andit worked well. We were able to stay in touch and not tie up the VHFchannels. We had VHF available for emergencies.
For a family on an outing or camping, for example, these two-wayradios are ideal. They allow each family member to be in touch witheach other and not run up a cell phone bill in the process. Thelimitation seems to be hills. Stay tuned, however. I intend to getthem outside again. I really like the idea of not having to dial anumber to reach someone. You just push the PTT button and talk. Whenyou're done talking, release the button and listen.
Simple as that!
Jeff Strout's column on outdoor recreation is published eachSaturday. He can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail atjstrout@bangordailynews.net.
