Review pending.

Just purchased the Reactor:

We’ve combined state of the art cookware with revolutionary stove design to make the Reactor stove the fastest, most fuel efficient stove system ever. The Reactor stove’s radiant burner is enclosed by a unique heat exchanger for unmatched performance in windy conditions while an advanced pressure regulator provides optimal heat output over the life of a fuel canister. Stove and fuel stow inside of the high-efficiency 1.7-liter pot that’s great for everything from solo trips to cooking for groups of up to three people. A collapsible handle locks the unique see-thru lid in place for safe and easy transport.

Unmatched Wind Protection: Radiant burner head is enclosed by heat exchanger for maximum protection in even the windiest conditions.

Unrivaled Boil Time: Out-performs the competition in lab tests—boiling a liter of water in just 3 minutes—with a far greater advantage in windy conditions.

Maximum Efficiency: Patent-pending radiant burner and heat exchanger make the Reactor the most efficient all-condition stove system, so you carry less fuel.

Integrated System: State-of-the-art stove and high-efficiency pot are combined into one compact, easy-to-use system.

MSR

Amazon – MSR Reactor Stove System

I want to use it in Europe carrying one canister of fuel to last many days. They claim 80mins of burn time / canister.

Volume and weight were the main factor in my decision. The alternatives were messy, finicky multi-fuel systems.

The best website I consulted was Zen – How to Choose a Backpacking Stove – Stove Choices

related post – Jetboil vs MSR vs Primus stoves

Rick McCharles will be mostly offline enjoying the Dolomites. Ciau.

by site editor Rick McCharles

Arrived first in Cortina, Italy. First trek is Tre Clime di Lavaredo Circuit.

click for larger photo - bergretter

Looking at a multi-day mountain biking trip next.

Natalie Gaber let us know that the Sierra Club launched a new website Thursday, July 9th.

It’s called Sierra Club Trails, the first hiking wiki. (So far as we know.)

Using Wetpaint software, anyone can edit any of their listed trails. For example, check Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. (You can read that page. But must log-in to edit.)

Or start from the home page:

Sierra Club Trails

I’ll be researching it in detail. I’ve long wanted to convert our list of the best hikes in the world into a wiki.

by site editor Rick McCharles

Should I feel honoured?

We’ve been selected for a Tripbase award for …

… providing one of the best Walking/Backpacking-related blogs out there. …

We feel your blog is an excellent example of what a blog should be and trust that you feel proud in this respect. We congratulate you on your achievement and are providing you with a badge to display proudly at your own discretion on your blog as a sign that you are in the top echelons of the blogosphere. …

We were selected in a 10-way-tie for 11th place. (Not exactly the top of the podium.)

Still, there are some excellent hiking blogs on the list including:

2nd http://www.tommangan.net/twoheeldrive/
3rd http://www.tripleblaze.com/blog/
4th http://gambolinman.blogspot.com/
5th http://www.hikingtaiwan.blogspot.com/
9th http://www.floridahikes.com/blog/
Finalist http://frankinoz.blogspot.com/
Finalist http://northerncaliforniahikingtrails.com/blog/

Unfortunately, Tripbase has combined hiking blogs with backpacking blogs. This award winner: Students in Europe truly has nothing to do with what Tom Mangan writes about, hiking.

I won’t get too excited about my 11th place (tie) ranking until Tripbase separates hiking from backpacking.

I’ll exercise discretion.

I’ve been cheering this guy who promises to post 100 hikes between May 4th, 2009 and the New Year.

Kolby Kirk - hike #17

I, Kolby Kirk, promise to hike one hundred times by January 1st, 2010.

Just so I’m clear with you and myself, here is my own version of the legal fine print:

A “hike” is defined as a trek of two miles or longer over mostly unpaved paths. There will not be any “hikes” to the store.

Each hike must have a definitive end before the next one starts. In other words, I can’t say that I’ve gone on two hikes because I stopped for water at the half way point of a four-mile hike. However, I might go on more than one hike in a day, such as on a camping trip or before and after work.

Proof of a hike must be posted on this site to count. “Proof” is defined as a photo, video, or GPS tracking. This will keep myself from cheating …

Hopefully those of you who are reading this will help in my quest to complete one-hundred hikes by suggesting hikes I could take in the Southern California area or, better yet, going on hikes with me. Either way, wish me luck! …

about 100 Hikes

Subscribe to his blog. Or follow him on Twitter.

He’s very good.

Hiking Information Online is a website I just stumbled upon.

It looks somewhat similar in mission to our site, besthike.com.

Hiking and trekking information online is designed to provide information for hikers about some of the worlds best hikes. You will find hiking and trekking information catering for both hiking beginners and serious hikers alike. These hikes can range from easy short hikes carrying a day pack up to hikes that can last for sixteen days carrying everything that you need.

We will provide all the information that you need to plan your hikes all in one convenient location. There are also links to online hiking stores to fully outfit yourself with all of the hiking gear that you will need to complete your hike. …

home page – Hiking Information Online

My first impression was, “This is lame.”

But upon actually clicking through to some of the hike pages, for example: Hiking the Tongariro Northern Circuit, I was impressed with the accuracy of the content.

Not bad.

It’s clear to me the editor has not actually hiked these trips, but rather does research from afar. I was tipped off by this photo on their West Coast Trail page, clearly taken nowhere near the WCT.

NOT the West Coast Trail

The site has potential. I’ll definitely be tracking it as they add new hikes. Obviously they need to start linking to additional information on each hike page.

I tried and failed to find a very inexpensive flight from Eastern Canada to Iceland. Unfortunately it’s very high season there.

This evocative music video inspired me.

The music reminds many of Arcade Fire from Canada.

But this is sigur rós, a rock band from Iceland.

… glósóli, shot in iceland in august 2005. the video is directed by icelanders arni & kinski and features a cast of icelandic children. …

read an interview with the video’s cinematographer Chris Soos – takk… glósóli video

I have friends planning on hiking the Berg Lake Trail, Mount Robson in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies.

We last did that excellent adventure in 2003.

Good luck gang!

Mt. Robson - click for larger version

Tom Mangan linked to a terrific photo article on Amazing Adventure Around the World.

Editor Rick McCharles will be offline hiking for a few days.