Testing Testing

The Camino is getting close, Just over 3 weeks before i board a plane to the UK, I want to be sure that the gear i have works as described and will fit my needs, Its been a long cold winter here in NC but i have somehow managed to miss most of the rain on my training walks, I did get caught in a small shower weeks ago, I put my Eddie Bauer Rainier jacket on and completed the walk, I did notice that i was a bit damp when i got home but did not think too much about it, Last week it showed rain for Monday so i put on my Eddie Bauer Rainier and my REI waterproof trousers and set off on a 10 mile trek around the country roads where i live, It was raining when i left and i felt a cold sensation around my neck and shoulders within 10 minutes of leaving, The rain was a very heavy drizzle, Within 30 minutes i could my arms getting wet and by the end of the walk i took the jacket off and was very wet if not saturated in places and would say 60-75% of the jacket was wet through, I did contact Eddie Bauer but did not get much in the way of an answer so i went to REI and was shown some NikWax products, Firstly the Tech wash which cleans your jacket and then the TX spray on water repellent, I bought the 5oz but would recommend a bigger bottle as it barely covered the jacket, The jacket was cleaned in the clothes washer with the tech wash and left to dry before using the TX, Nikwax does do a product that you can also put in the washer to proof it and i think this may be a better solution so you know its been totally covered and that you have not missed an area, The jacket certainly comes up clean and last weekend i walked in very light rain and the water beaded nicely and just fell of the jacket, I will need to test the jacket in harder rain before i go, I have to say i love the jacket so was very disappointed to see it fail in the rain, Hopefully the reproofing will sort the problem,It just goes to show that you need to test any item that you buy for a long journey, If i had not and got caught in a storm in the mountains it could have been a serious situation, I wore my old Salomon GTX hiking boots on the long wet walk, By the time i hit 8 miles i could feel my feet getting damp but as it was still raining i decided to carry on and suffer the blisters which i could feel forming, I ended up with blisters on both feet on the pad area, One was very small, tiny even and the other larger but not too bad, I pinned the larger of the 2 and drained it and put a band aid on it, In the morning i redrained it but i could see there was a slight infection so i bought some iodine from the pharmacy and applied it, Man that stuff stings but it not only cleans the blister but dries it out, The next day the areas looked fine and although you could feel them it was not uncomfortable to walk on and 2 days later you would have never known that they were there, I will mention that when i walk or hike i carry my backpack with around 20lb it it, I used an REI rain cover and the backpack was perfectly dry at the end of the walk except the exposed straps of course,
Yesterday i did a small walk around our neighborhood of around 2.5 miles before heading out on a trail and decided to just walk until i felt i had had enough, I ended the walk with just over 18 miles under my belt and nearly 21 miles or over 33 KM for the day, I normally wear my old Salomon GTX boots on longish walks but decided to try the Salomon Sky GTX boots that i will take on the Camino, I have been steadily breaking them in although in truth they really are pretty good out of the box, I had some Dr Scholls inserts in, At the end of the walk my heels were pretty sore in one small area, I had stopped a few times and rested with both boots and socks off and towards the end i had put a blister band aid on both feet in that area and this worked as i ended blister free, Although it was a tiring day it was very enjoyable and the weather was lovely, I proved that i had the endurance to walk that far and in reality i could have put a few more miles in but it was getting late, And that my boots should work well for the journey, I doubt there will be many if any 20+ mile days on the Camino but i know if i want to push myself i can,

Peak Design Capture Pro camera clip

These days i seem to have just 2 things in my life, Photography and hiking, The first as its my living and second because in April this year i am walking the Camino De Santiago in Spain, A walk 800km to raise money for Cancer Research, For the last year i have been increasing my hiking distance and gaining some fitness for the walk, I always carry a camera with me and will be documenting the entire journey, Carrying a camera whilst hiking can be a pain, its never really where you want to it be, I have been carrying my Fuji XM1 in a Think Tank Mirrorless 10 bag which attaches to my backpack straps around my waist, Its secure and keeps the camera safe and dry, But it takes a few seconds or more to get to it, A few weeks ago i walked over 60 miles in 5 days just to see how fit i was and if any of my gear needed changing or sorting in anyway, Better to get everything done now than on the trip, I live near a very large lake, One day i was crossing a bridge across the lake when 4 Bald Eagles flew over, Very low and gave me a great view, I fumbled around to get the camera out of the bag and by the time i had adjusted the settings the Eagles where a dot in the distance, Now the camera and lens are small but i could have at the very least got a decent shot of 4 Eagles within a landscape image, When i got home i started to search the internet to find a better solution, I found Peak Design, and their Camera clip system looked just the job, I reached out to them and purchased one of their Capture Pro camera clips along with an extra 'microplate' for my Fuji XM1, Why the Pro? well i also use a large Dslr body so wanted their highest quality product as the Nikon D800E with a 24-70 lens will set you back over $5k,The Capture Pro clip comes with a 'standard' arcaplate which will fit my D800E Dslr, But you have the choice of an Arca style, Manfrotto or Micro plate for small cameras like my Fujifilm, The plates simply screw into the tripod tread on the base of your camera and becomes a quick release if you use it with a tripod or monopod with either an arca type or manfrotto head, Which brings me to another nice feature, the Pro version has a tripod thread on the back so you could use it as a tripod head or monpod head which is a very cool feature, If you take that into account and look at the prices of an Arca swiss type plate from say RRS or Wimberley (around $50) it makes the Capture camera clip excellent value for money,

My first impressions when the package arrived were excellent, Peak Design is a young company but whoever did the packaging design should get a pat on the back, Very nice indeed, infact everything screams quality, I opened the packaging and took the camera clip over, I called my wife over to take a look, The machining is beautiful, the clip feels solid and well made but not overly heavy, I will be using an Osprey Atmos 50 backpack on the walk so i fitted the clip to one of the straps, Now i will say that it was a bit of a fight as the straps are quite thick, I had to really compress the straps so i could screw the 2 retaining screws in, Peak Design do sell longer screws and personally i would have liked to have had both long and short supplied, If i had got the package and then had to order extra screws i would not have been happy , I have the Osprey backpack but i also have a daypack, Camera backpacks and water hydration pack so will need both short and long screws, This would be the ONLY thing i could say in a negative way, Please supply both lengths of screw, Anyway once the clip was in the right place on the strap it was time to test it out, I put the microplate on the Fuji and with a reassuring click it slid straight in, There are 2 buttons on the camera clip, A red one and a black one, Push the red button in and you can slid the camera out of the clip, If you decide to use the clip as a tripod or monopod head then you can screw the black button tight and it locks the camera in so it cannot accidentally fall out-nice,
Since i received the camera clip i have walked over 30 miles, Always with the Fuji attached and have to say its been great, The camera is always easily accessible and ready to use, It does not get in the way and you barely even know its there, One concern i had was that the camera would 'bounce' when you walk and would be annoying, This has proved NOT to be the case, I have only used it with the D800E for a short time but so far no problems even though there is some weight there,
I wanted to know that the camera was really secure so i took the backpack off and left the Fuji attached, I picked the backpack (20lb) up and swung it over my shoulder to put it on and the fuji stayed nicely in place and did not shoot of into the woodland, As i said before when you slide your camera into the clip it gives a nice reassuring 'click', If you are concerned that the camera is a little exposed and there is a chance of rain or you are in a dusty environment you can simply cover it with a zip lock bag or even a shower cap,
Peak design do not just sell the Camera Clip, They also have camera straps and some Go Pro accessories, The Capture Clip is also not just for backpacks, You can attach it to a waist belt or to one of their Pro Pads, Check them out here, I can honestly say that their products are beautifully made and work great,
If you decide to part with some of your hard earned cash and buy some Peak Design products the nice people at Peak Design have told me that my photo and hiking buddies can add 'courtenay' into the promotional code box at checkout and get 10% off (must be over $19.95 and through their website)

Some images of yours truly showing the Capture Pro with both Nikon D800 and 16-35 (Dslr)  and Fujifilm XM1 (Mirrorless) cameras

UPDATE-Well its now April 10th, I have been walking 4+ times a week and covering as much as 21 miles at a time, I am pleased to report back that the Capture Pro camera clip is working great, My camera is always with me and easily accessible, Never in the way and you never really notice its there which is perfect
Dave
www.wildlifeinfocus.com
www.davidcourtenayphotography.com
www.walkingforacure.org

Insoles

 I have recently been trying various makes and models of insoles, Its been very interesting and slightly frustrating, I now know that you can take a comfortable pair of boots and make them hell on earth and then again you can take a very uncomfortable pair of boots and make them the best thing since sliced bread,
It started a while ago when i thought i was getting plantar fasciitis, I was getting pain in my arch, My foot doctor said it was probably a very tight muscle under the arch and by rolling it over a can for a few nights the pain went-he was right, But i had already purchased a cheap pair of 3/4 insoles designed to help with plantar fasciitis by supporting the arch,

 If you take out an insole from shop bought boots or shoes you will see very little support in the arch area, Infact most insoles are complete rubbish and only there to make your boot/shoe feel good in the store and a place for the manufacturer to have his logo, If you get a chance look at some merrell mix master sneakers, I have a pair and my wife has two pairs, Lovely sneakers, very comfortable and breathable, But the insole is nothing more than thick paper,I instantly had a problem with these as i felt pressure around the area on your heal where the insole meets the shoe side, I have had it many times with different makes, After a while it would cause a blister, I went to Walmart and purchased a pair of Doctor Scholls insoles, It was a gel insole and within 1 minute of fitting- voila instant comfort and all for $10, Totally transformed the shoe.
My wife has been told that she needs orthodontics in all of her shoes, Custom made ones are over $400 so we went to REI and purchased some 'Superfeet' insoles, She was in love straight away and has raved about them ever since, A word of warning, When getting insoles make sure that they fit YOUR feet, Dont just get a size 9 because thats your shoe size, My wife tried many superfeet and the ones that fitted her the best were about 3 sizes bigger than her regular size, Once trimmed and fitted they were great, A couple of weeks ago i walked over 60 miles, All on tarmac due to the weather, At the end of the week my feet were sore and felt bruised, Once again i went to REI and tried the Superfeet insoles, My wife had the Green range but i was advised to go Orange due to slight more spongy insole by the foot pad, I tried on loads and loads of sizes and widths and ended up buying a pair, I have to say that standing on a pair in store and having them in your boot is totally different, In the store they felt ok, Not great just ok, I cut them to size and fitted them, I tried the boot on and there was a pressure point just around my arch/heel, The next day i set out on a trail with a 20lb backpack on, Do not forget i had walked 60+ miles without a problem and distances to over 16 miles, This day after 3 miles i was getting sore so headed back and by the time i was back at the car i i knew i had a small blister, I took them back, I hate to do it as i had cut them but the rep at REI said if they didnt fit to return them.The Superfeet insoles are around $50 so not cheap, I was very dissapointed, I went a purchased a pair of Doctor Scholls Active range insoles at around $20 and had a similar experience, Not as bad as the insoles were more of a gel but still the slight pressure point in the same area, I took these out after 2 outings and now have gone back to the original Salomon insoles which are not bad compared to other original fittings and some times i add the 3/4 insoles for plantar fasciitis just to add some extra support, I have to say that's its been a bit of a journey but your feet need to feel the love, that way you can walk further for longer and not get the dreaded hotspots or blisters, You may wonder what the difference is when buying insoles, Here is a picture of the side of the Superfeet Greens, See the thickness around the heal and the support for the arch,

They are very nicely made and i wish i had more luck with these, Thousands of people love and swear by them but like when buying boots every bodies feet are different and what works for one will not work for the somebody else

Dave

Sore feet and unsung Heroes

Last week i set myself a target to walk 60 miles, The furthest i had walked before was 40 miles in a week, I prefer to give myself a target and 60 miles seemed to be realistic, What i was not prepared for was the weather, We had a good amount of snow and with the freezing temperatures the snow stayed around for a few days, This meant that if i wanted to walk it would have to be on roads, I know the Camino De Santiago route has some road sections so i thought that i may as well spend the week walking different routes around my neighborhood, Time is limited so if i wanted to do any distance i would have to walk fast and stops would be kept to a minimum, This is how my week went:

Monday 10.27 miles
Tuesday 10.35 miles
Wednesday Did not walk due to weather
Thursday 16.50 miles
Friday Did not walk due to lack of time
Saturday 10.17 miles
Sunday 13.12 miles
Total 60.41 miles

I felt quite good about the week and it showed that my stamina has increased with the 10 milers being done at a good pace and without breaks, I also dropped a couple of pounds as a bonus, Now i have to say that my feet took quite a pounding on the roads and feel a little 'bruised' but are fine to look at and have zero blisters, the walks ranged from freezing conditions to tee shirts, A good test of my clothing that i ill take on the walk,
Walking on roads for long periods of time can be quite boring, especially if you do the same routes, Last week i used my iphone to supply some music and it really helped ease the time away,

The fundraising is going OK and so far we have around $3300, We had a $300 donation from Beth Ann Chiles who has a blog, Every month she selects a cause and donates money for every comment that she receives, For January so chose to raise funds through her blog for my cause i.e Cancer Research, Beth Ann is a real unsung hero and i would urge you to visit her blog and leave a nice comment to help her cause of the month

Last week my eldest brother Michael was taken into hospital to have a brain tumor removed, That now makes 4 out of 4 brothers who have or are suffering from Cancer, At this time i have been told that the operation was successful but they are keeping him in an induced coma to let the body heal, At the same time my good friend Faye has a daughter going through a similar thing where she has been diagnosed with a tumor to the brain and is awaiting surgery, This alone makes the walk all the more important for me and any funds raised will help people and families going through the hell that we are currently going through, Please keep the donations coming here

Camera Gear

For the long distance hiker who enjoys quality photography carrying a camera can become a chore, I love to use a Dslr but the size and weight becomes a problem, There are a few smallish Dslr's on the market but if you want the best image quality then the lenses themselves are very heavy, I purchased a Fujifilm XM1 for my hiking and so far have been happy with its size and IQ, OK so its not a pocket-able camera, I wanted a camera with a reasonable sensor size and density and one which i may add lenses to in the future, I would have preferred the XE2 but that is out of my budget, The sensors are basically the same in both, Carrying it where it is accessible becomes the next problem, I am a fan of Think Tank products, Excellent quality and well thought out and engineered, I purchased the 'Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 10', its a small bag that the Fuji fits snuggly into but has enough room where i can leave the lens hood on the standard lens, It has compartments on either side for batteries or a cell phone and has a pocket on the front where a rain cover is stored and again room for extras, Inside there is a pocket in the top for spare memory cards and the inside has a  nice and soft material as well as a movable divider is you want one, The bag comes with a shoulder strap and a belt loop which fits nicely on the waist strap of my back pack or even the chest strap if you prefer it that way, The top flap has a magnetic catch and overall feel very well made and worth the near $50. I use Think Tank cases for my Dslr and big lenses when traveling and can highly recommend them

Dave

Boots Feet Boots Feet

 I would think THE most important thing that you need to succesfully cover long distances is a good pair of well fitting boots, Peoples feet are like their finger prints, Everybodies are different, Without going to great expense and getting custom made boots you will have to try on a lots of different makes and sizes, Over the years i have used Northface, Lowe, Salomom, Merrells and Columbia, I have to say that out of the box the columbia were soooo comfortable, But and there is always a but they did not last long, All the Merrells i have had have been very good and great value, I have had a couple of pairs of Northface and both were good but my feet seem to like Salomons, Last year i purchased a pair of their X Ultra Gore-tex Mid Hiking shoes, I got them from Campmor which is a great on line shop, Their service and prices are also excellent, I could not find them cheaper anywhere, Since receiveing the boots i have put around 700 miles on them, mainly on trails near my home along with some road walking and even shopping, They still look very good and are extremely comfortable, I have never had a blister or even a hot spot even walking nearly 17 miles in a day, I knew that before i go on the Camino De Santiago i would probably need a new pair and that it would again be Salomon, I viewed their website and suddenly i had that feeling when you see a pretty girl across the bar, Love at first sight in the form of their Wings Sky GTX 2, In orange and black they looked awesome, I looked everywhere for a better price as the $250 was out of my budget by around 50%, Nothing, Everywhere was the same, Not a penny less, Then i had all but given up when just before Xmas i was on Amazon when i noticed these at around $180, Wow now how can i get the money together quickly?, I went to the bottom of the page to read the reviews where i noticed a small tab with a code on it, I put the boots into my cart and entered the code in the promotions box and bang another 25% off so now $130, SOLD, I have only managed to walk around the house in them until today when i hiked a trail on the MST which was a little over 11 miles, The boots were fine, No hotspots or blisters, A word of warning is that they seem a tad big for their size whereas my other salomons are bang on for their size, I ordered the new boots half a size bigger and when they arrived i thought that they would be too big but after todays walk i think that they will be fine, Like when you put your backpack on you adjust the straps to how you want it to fit so you do with the boots, I walked about 40 mins before stopping and readjusting them tighter, This seemed fine my feet were locked in place but about a mile before the end my right foot felt tight, I guess my foot had swollen a bit so i loosened the laces a tad and all was well, When you walk 'listen' to your feet, If you feel the boots are too tight or too loose readjust them, If you are getting a hotspot stop and let your feet rest and breathe, the last thing you want is a blister, Miserable things that can be stopped if you are proactive, I used my ultra light Smartsocks and had no problems, No liner or 'grease', I would highly recommend Salomons to anybody but remember whats good for my feet may not be for yours,

 The boots have very good grip, Are much lighter than other boots i have tried and have a small skirt at the back of the ankle to stop stones etc dropping in, There is a locking clip around ankle height that grip your laces which is a great feature,Well thought out and you can feel the quality

Dave

Happy New Year

A little belated but i would like to wish everybody a very Happy New Year, 2014 is going to be a memorable one for me, The clock is ticking to my departure date in April, The flights are booked and i have already booked a nights stay in the Pyrennes to help break the first days walk up, Two reasons for this, Firstly no need to kill myself on my first and hardest day and secondly i want to get some nice landscape/sunrise shots so will be hoping for some good weather, I will continue to blog up until i leave and give some reviews on walking/hiking gear that i am using, I purchased a new pair of boots for the journey and these will need to be broken in before hand so i will be getting out for some long walks and will report back on how they are performing

All the very best for now

Dave