Outdoor Adventure Blog

In the world of wallets, we hadn't seen anything new in decades. Today, cash is used infrequently while debit and credit cards have become the payment standard. Finally, a company in Holland has decided to take their leather to the next level. Secrid has engineered a unique line of wallets; all engineered to provide easy access and scanning protection for your cards.

The Secrid Cardprotector is a sleek aluminum casing that holds anywhere from four to six cards. While inside the case, the cards are protected from bending and breaking as well as RFID and NFC scanning. To access them, all you have to do is pull the lever on the bottom, and they slide out of the top. Simply pull out the card you need or tap it on a chip scanner. Finally, Slide the cards back into the Cardprotector, and you're on your way.

More Secrid Wallets Now Available in Orlando »

How often does a crisp winter wind make bearable the typically skin-burning Central Florida sun?  Rarely, but this is exactly what inspired me to seek an outdoor adventure.  A spontaneous sunset bike ride with my dog was in the works. At roughly 4 PM, with my large dog and mountain bike wedged in the back of my hatchback, we departed for the Little Big Econ recreation area on the outskirts of Orlando, FL.

When I moved to Orlando, Little Big Econ became my preferred “mountain” biking trail.  It's an immersive experience in untamed wilderness only 30 minutes away from the city. It's where I can disappear, hearing nothing but the heartbeat of nature.  The rugged, uneven terrain is littered with protruding roots and fallen branches.  Put simply; it’s not your grandma's walking trail.  Apparently, those roots and sandy turns are enough to call this mostly flat path a “mountain biking” trail. My Appalachian Mountains-native heart is insulted, but I enjoy biking the trail, so I have made my peace.

More Mountain Biking the Little Big Econ »

Have you been dreaming about your Big Green Egg as the centerpiece of an amazing outdoor kitchen? We have, and Lapitec S.p.A, made that dream a reality.

Travel Country Outfitters is the premiere Big Green Egg dealer in the Greater Orlando area. That reputation led Lapitec to choose TCO as the supplier of the large Big Green for the Lapitec outdoor kitchen display at KBIS Orlando.

More Big Green Egg at KBIS Orlando, FL »

Over the course of the last 3 years, I’ve spent 3 months in London. But this trip was going to be different, it was going to be in the winter. And WHAT could you possibly do in the UK winter? 

Pretty much everything you can do in the summer, as it turns out. But even though it doesn’t snow there frequently, it can get so brutally cold. So when getting out and experiencing the lovely culture, here are some things to keep in mind:

More Handling Winter Properly in the U.K. »

If you’ve ever been fishing in Orlando on a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler (12-foot version or 14-foot version), you know what it means to be in a stable boat. It’s really one of the most remarkably balanced boats I’ve ever been in. But if you haven't, let me tell you...

More Paddling a Hobie Pro Angler at Orlando's Gaston Edwards Park »

Wanna hear the story of how an Outdoor Research Transcendent Sweater, a pair of Vibram Fivefingers CVT Hemps, and a pair of Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch Gloves literally saved my skin in Norway? Good. I’d love to tell the tale. 

More Christmastime in Oslo »

I was at Travel Country Outfitter's store near Orlando when I saw the Big Green Egg the first time. Honestly, I thought it was a little strange looking. I quickly became an egghead once I tasted food cooked on it for their annual Central Florida Clearance Sale. After that, I was sold and began to research the science of these funny-looking grills.

Along the way, I learned that the Big Green Egg had been around for 30 years and already owned a great reputation. In fact, one of my buddies who is a professional chef in Orlando was crossing his fingers that one of his friends or family would gift him and his fiance  the large Egg which was on their wedding registry.

More Orlando Gear Review: The Big Green Egg is the Best Grill You'll Ever Use »

I’ve taken a spin on hundreds of kayaks in Orlando, many of them Hobie, but none quite like the Hobie Mirage Compass. I hopped on Lake Ivanhoe (one of Central Florida's most fun chain of lakes to get onto) and gave it a try. The boat is not over-the-top. It’s not excessive. It is, quite honestly, simple innovation after years of experience rolled into one kayak. 

More Exploring Orlando's Lake Ivanhoe Park with the Hobie Mirage Compass »

When I got on the Hobie Mirage Eclipse 12, it was a pretty straightforward paddleboard made of advanced composite epoxy and a EVA foam deckpad. So I just jumped off the dock onto the deck and started flying around Orlando's Lake Ivanhoe. But when I started unpacking what it has going on, I realized it's one of the craziest watercraft I’ve ever been on. 

More Pedaling the Hobie Eclipse at Gaston Edwards Park in Orlando »

There is no doubt in my mind that this is the most versatile stand-up paddleboard (SUP) I’ve ever ridden. That’s because the Perception Hi-Life is also a kayak. Usually when there’s a fusion between two types of boats, there is an area that suffers. But not this time, as this craft is great for both paddling as a kayak and a SUP.

Central Florida is a playground for lakes, so I hopped on (literally, I jumped on it from the dock) the deck and started paddling around Lake Ivanhoe. It was a delight. I’ve long been a big fan of stand-up paddling for all the most important reasons. You have such freedom, such visibility. It’s calming. Cathartic. And this kayak/SUP absolutely offers that. I loved the EVA foam padding, which was soft and in all the right places. 

More On Lake Ivanhoe in Orlando with the Perception Hi-Life »