As a child, I was afraid of monsters and the dark.

Being Scared of Monsters was okay, but being afraid of the dark was too embarrassing.

By the age of 10, I decided to confront my fears. So I would take the tiny old, orange tent, and I’d go camping behind our house. Scared half out of my mind, I’d lie in the tent, listening for footsteps for hours, only falling asleep when I was too exhausted to care anymore.

And so it went, I’d do everything I was afraid of, regardless of the consequences.

To overcome a fear of heights. I’d jump off train bridges into shallow water. I’d go rock climbing and repelling, climb up maple-sapling trees so they’d bend over, and ride them to the ground.

In my teens and twenties, I did many foolish things that put me in harm’s way. I was hit by a car, put a nail through my hand, attacked by a dog, and fell 27 feet from a tree when the branch broke. (Stupid maple tree!)

I almost knocked my front teeth out rafting in WV, and another time, while snorkeling in Key West, I swam with a school of barracudas. Probably not the best idea. 

In my late teens, I’d hitchhiked to the local beach in Maryland, sleeping under the boardwalk in an old sleeping bag or couchsurfing with new friends.

Once, while couch-surfing in Key West, I was asleep on the couch while someone was doing a B&E in the next room. (That could’ve gone badly)

In my 20s, I moved around the country, camping out and staying in hostels. I was a kid who’d never been anywhere and was now meeting people from all over the world.

At College, I started an adventure club. I planned the trips I always wanted to take. We’d go caving in West Virginia, rock climbing at Seneca Rocks, and rafting on the New River Gorge. ( I missed Bridge Day )

In New Mexico, I joined the Cibolo Search and Rescue team till a hiking injury prevented me from pursuing it. Ironically, I was searching for a downed flycraft when I fell and tore my Patellar Tendon. (Some S&R guy I turned out to be. lol )

The gear I wanted to buy was beyond my budget at the time, so I volunteered for any opportunity I could.

Once, while attending school in New Mexico, I overheard two guys discussing how much money one of them had made the previous summer fishing in Alaska.

So, as school was over, I hopped a cheap flight on Air Alaska and headed for Seattle, WA., to work on a long-liner fishing boat. Seattle is where the fleet wintered. Unfortunately, the fleet left a week before I arrived. (Expletive!)

However, I was in a new city and having a great time. The summer I spent in Seattle was da sh*t, in ’91. I worked in a fish packing factory during the day and bartended on weekend nights, and I had a blast!

I got to hike Mt. Rainier, discovered chocolate-covered espresso beans ( didn’t sleep all night), dehydrated meat, and week-long constipation from eating said meat. And, of course, the band Nirvana!

In ’92, I returned to my home state of Maryland and got a job with Living Classrooms as an educator/deckhand teaching kids sailing and navigation on the SV. Lady Maryland, a 104-foot Pungy Schooner. 

The crew of the Lady Maryland taught me how to navigate and how to enjoy Gosling’s Rum like a sailor.

Running with the Bulls and the Ultimatum.

Have you ever wanted to do something so dumb it was dripping with stupidity? My idea to Run with the Bulls was one of those obsessions. But it all came to a screeching halt with the addition of my new wife, Crystal, and the arrival of our daughter Holly. 

I told Crystal I was going to Pamplona, Spain, to Run with the Bulls, and she just glared at me and said. “If you go to Spain, I won’t be here when you get back.” In the words of Homer Simpson. (D’oh!!) I should’ve seen this coming.

With that one decree, my life changed forever. My wife may have diminished my ability to live dangerously, but not my love for adventure.

Yay, eaten by sharks, thank God!

After our girls got older, my wife did come around, and we bought an old sailboat.

In 2016, we bought a Morgan 32′ sailboat and started hitting things; we also did some sailing. I quickly learned this small boat was nothing like the bigger ships I’d been on. Everything happened much faster, and now I was the Captain. (Oh crap, I better learn how to sail for real.)

I met and befriended an old German man at West Marine named Heinz Oest, who graciously came sailing with us and taught us a great deal about sailing. (We still run into the dock, but less often.) ( Heinz just passed in 2022. We will miss you, Heinzie.

To gain experience, Crystal and I crewed on other boats for races in the Chesapeake Bay. I volunteered to sail from Newport to Annapolis on a whim with some folks I met at the Spinsheet Crew Party in Annapolis, MD. (Spinsheet magazine is a free resource and a great place to connect if you’re new to sailing.)

Sailing from Rhode Island revived one of my childhood fears of being eaten by monsters. In this case, real ones! Subconsciously, you see, I’m afraid the boat will spontaneously sink offshore, and of course, a shark will be right there, happy to eat me. ( Stupid Sharks.)

However, since we didn’t sink, I’m ready to do the Annapolis to Bermuda Race. So, let me know if you need a crew.

in my kilt at the Maryland Ren Fest 2023

Final Thoughts

Ever since I was younger, buying new gear was never about having cool new stuff; it was about building confidence, overcoming fears, and experiencing life in new ways. Because it’s never about the gear, it’s about the thrill of the experience, the freedom to see life in a new way, or challenge ourselves by pushing harder and coming out the other side a bit more confident.

Today’s gear is more impressive than ever. It frees us to travel and explore in style and comfort while getting to know our deepest selves. 

My goal for this website is to present the best products and services, allowing you to quickly and easily compare brands, features, and benefits, and make informed purchases with confidence.

The problem with review sites

There are two big problems I have with many gear review sites.

1. You only get one person’s experience and opinion on a product. Buying expensive outdoor gear or anything based solely on one reviewer’s opinion is often a disappointment. And even if it’s a great review, one person’s experience with a product doesn’t always work for everyone.
2. My second issue is that many review sites post poor-quality products to earn an affiliate commission. Even larger reputable sites practice this misleading tactic.

My solution to both these problems is simple. 

Build a core group of like-minded individuals committed to helping one another by sharing their knowledge and product experiences, creating trusted reviews. 

With numerous reviews on each product, the best products will emerge, as will those that are poorly made. If this idea resonates with you and you want to be part of something unique, please send us your original product reviews.

With your help, this site will become a fantastic community of outdoor enthusiasts from all interests and skill levels.