Overlanding

SCARPA Margarita | Worthy of the mountains, designed for the streets

Società Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima, or SCARPA, translates to Associated Shoe Manufacturing Company of the Asolo Mountain Area. Located in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains, in the Asolo / Montebelluna region of Northern Italy, SCARPA was founded in 1938. Their mission was to bring together the best shoemakers in the Asolo region to hand build the best footwear anywhere. Eventually purchased by Luigi Parisotto and his brothers in 1956, SCARPA has been family owned and is now run by the next generation of Parisottos. SCARPA continues to innovate in the mountaineering, trekking, hiking, alpine running, climbing and skiing segments.

My affinity for SCARPA shoes is evident when you peer into my closet. For over a decade, I’ve been using their shoes for everything from Adventure to roofing. Yes, as a contractor, I use the Crux when working atop walls and roofs. Although I’m not a rock climber per se, the style of the approach shoe has always appealed to me. A hybrid between a rock climbing boot and a hiking shoe, the approach shoe is a great choice that covers several outdoor activities. Over the years I’ve transitioned between several SCARPA approach shoes. Starting with the Crux, then the Mojito and now the Margarita. The silky suede upper, sticky rubber sole and laces that extend to the toe box all make for an extremely comfortable and capable shoe.

SCARPA Margarita

The Margarita is considered a lifestyle shoe within the SCARPA line. Borrowing the basic construction elements from the more conventional approach shoes, this version is well suited for urban life. Not quite as edgy as the more functional climbers, this shoe still has the ability to wander off the beaten path. I’ve been rocking the Margaritas for 6 months and have yet to find a flaw. They are great shoes to pack when you only have room for one pair. Classy enough to be worn with khakis in a business casual setting. And comfortable enough for light hiking adventures. The Margarita is a contender for best all-day-footwear in my collection.

The past two years have found our family traveling Overland more and more. During these adventures, we continually fine-tune our gear. Not only the vehicle set-up and camping gear, but personal gear as well. And this includes our footwear. A lot of time traveling Overland is spent in the vehicle. However, setting up campsites, exploring and vehicle recovery all come into play at some point. I’ve found that an approach shoe is a solid choice of footwear. One that can be comfortable wearing all day yet still excel in all areas of Overland travel. The SCARPA Margarita is as comfortable in the cockpit as climbing up rocky trails or crawling under the vehicle. Yet fits right in walking around the towns we visit on the way.

SCARPA Margarita Specs courtesy of scrap.com:

SIZE OPTIONS : 40 – 47 (half sizes); 48 (whole size)

WEIGHT REFERENCE : 294g; 10.4oz (1/2 pair size 42)

UPPER : 1.8mm Suede

LINING : Recycled polyester

MIDSOLE : EVA-MP

OUTSOLE : Vibram® Globe Grip

LAST : BNS

PRIMARY MATERIAL : Leather

MSRP: $125

The longevity of the SCARPA shoes is a clear testament of their 80 years of experience. My original pair of SCARPA Crux approach shoes, although a bit dirty, are as good as the day I bought them. Maybe even better now that they’re well broken-in. The Mojito is another approach shoe that remains in my rotation of SCARPAs. So, if you’re looking for a shoe that can do it all, explore the SCARPA website and see what they can offer you. Regardless of your adventure, I’m confident they’ll have you covered.

Slumberjack's Roadhouse Tarp: Shade and Shelter for Vehicular Adventure

Slumberjack’s Roadhouse Tarp: Shade and Shelter for Overlanding

The Roadhouse Tarp is a simple shelter optimized for hunting, camping or off-road vehicle adventure. Easy to set up and tear down, it is lightweight and compact allowing nearly infinite configurations from almost anywhere, on or off of your rig.

Attaching the tarp is easy. It is dead basic with some clever features. Adjustable long straps with quick-snap attachment loops can be attached anywhere and easily tightened or loosened. This makes set up and tear down fast for a quick getaway. All the components have stuff bags for organization.

I tried attaching it to several vehicles. You can attach it to any side of your rig via the roof racks, tires, hood latches, mirrors, rock rails, anywhere. You can rig it to trees, improvise poles, tie it up and stake it down. You could connect Roadhouse between two vehicles or as a fly on another shelter.

I spend a lot of time on ranges teaching and shooting. My truck has a four-panel Bakflip tonneau cover on the bed. When I fold it up, everything in the bed is exposed to the sun or rain. I wanted to protect the bed for access and camping as well as create a shady and dry workspace on the tailgate. The Roadhouse is perfect.

With the tonneau cover against the back window, I was able to fasten the tarp without issue, five well-placed straps have adjustable lengths and fastener options to rig the tarp in several configurations from mess fly to truck bed cover. The overall length allows sheltered camping in the truck bed or work area off the tailgate.

You can erect a large sheltered area with the Roadhouse Tarp. My favorite configuration is two poles in the grommets at the rear of the tarp. In heavy rain, a single pole at the rear of the tarp would provide a steeper pitch to slough off water. A third option would be stand alone with a single pole on each end of the tarp with guy wires securing it to the ground.

Details:

3-in-1 tarp provides shelter for hunting, camping & off road adventures
Unique attachment system easily connects to any vehicles
Includes two heavy duty, 96″ tall steel poles
Includes 8 super-duty 10″ steel stakes
Includes heavy duty reflective guy lines
Carry bag included

Specifications:

Packaged Weight: 12 lbs 6 oz
Dimensions: 160″ x 103/192″
Packed Size: 25″ x 7″ x 7″
Peak Height: 96″
Poles: 2 steel poles (96″ tall, 5 segments each)
Fly Material: 68D polyester / 1200mm coating

The tarp comes with 2 poles. Each pole consists of 5 sections which connect securely making its height adjustable and also making the poles stronger. The tarp stakes are tough but you need a hammer to get them into hard ground. I always carry Army surplus tent pegs in my shelter kit. They will hold in sand and mud when thin pins will not hold. They provide options.

There is a set of five tie-down lines with small triangular tighteners. These grabbers have teeth that lock the lines in place and are easily adjusted when necessary. The tarp is basically a sail to catch the wind and there is a lot of surface area. If you put the stakes down and adjust the tie downs, the roadhouse isn’t going anywhere.

I have had it out in the rain a couple of times. There is some side protection, but if the wind comes up you get some side rain. If you leave a low spot, water will collect, but it is a simple matter to adjust the tie downs to raise spots which collect water.

The Slumberjack Roadhouse Tarp‘s 68-denier polyester material and a generous peak height of 96 inches make this shelter durable and highly versatile, great for any application. There is room to work or relax without filling the truck with a duffel bag of tents.

You can get your Roadhouse Tarp for $119.95

The Prometheus Design Werx T.P.B. | Not your average blanket

Picnics, Beach days, or at the campground, we are all vastly unprepared at most times for the things that we will rest our ass on when we find ourselves at these various venues. I’ve never personally given much thought to the standard “beach blanket”. It always seemed like a last minute item that garnered very little priority when you’re on your way out the door to play Frisbee and smash beers. But once you’re there, you really wish that more thought was given to this seemingly trivial matter.

The fine outdoorsman at Prometheus Design Werx set out to design the best technical blanket possible. Double-sided- PDW lined one side of this 54”x 84” size blanket with parachute ripstop nylon that they impregnated with silicone, making it not only impervious to the fine sand of southern California, but also an incredible wind and moisture stopper. The other side is a fantastic 14 oz Melton wool that is sourced from a US supplier that’s been in business since 1922. The wool is incredibly soft to the touch and uses 15% nylon fibers in the weave to add extra durability.

PDW has always taken inspiration from old world textiles and tools, so it was no surprise that this T.P.B. (Technical Picnic Blanket) was inspired by the classic ‘Cowboy bedroll’ that used to find itself on the back of a horse in days long passed. Taking proven designs and adding modern, technical materials is what makes PDW one of my favorite companies out there. It constantly reminds me of the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. But we undoubtedly have better fabrics and materials in this day and age, so these updates are welcomed.

In addition to the premium materials, PDW added 6 anchor points around the blanket, allowing the user to stake it down in high winds so it doesn’t fly off. Even with the large footprint, the T.P.B. packs up into a 6.5”x 11” stuff sack weighing just over 2 lbs. With the minimal weight, the blanket can join you on your journeys whether you’re backpacking in the Sierras or overlanding in MOAB. Some may scoff at the $189 USD price tag, but I assure you that Melton wool does not come cheap. I’ve used this blanket at more beaches than I can count, and never can I imagine using anything else anymore. No longer is a beach blanket a trivial matter and my hat goes off to PDW for once again impressing me.