Upgrade Wish List: Fire in the Bowl
Camping stoves, such as the MSR Reactor ($140), that screw onto a canister of gas tend to work best when the canister is full, the air is mild and the planets are aligned. The Reactor has a bundle of tricks to combat those shortcomings. But the ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
This Is My Job - Mountain Rescuer
The elaborately engineered rope system shown here includes two double pulleys, 50 ft. of rope, and a block and tackle with a classic climbing knot called a prusik. "If it's not under tension it slides," explains Rollins. "If it is under [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Building Canada's Epic Ice Road
The temperature: 10 below zero. The location: the middle of frozen Waite Lake in the Northwest Territories, 1000 miles north of the U.S. border. I'm with six Canadian ice-road experts on the shoulder of a highway that curves from the ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb
To win the jackpot, hill-climbing competitors race snowmobiles through 15 gates, deep ruts and the notorious Rock Garden on Snow King ski mountain--all in less than a minute. ILLUSTRATION BY INTERNATIONAL MAPPING Up ahead, beneath a chairlift, ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Outdoors Survival Strategies And Gear
Good strategies pictured here: staying with the plane and signaling for help with the red X taped on the wing. DOWN BUT NOT OUT: PM TRAILERED A WRECKED CESSNA TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST TO CREATE THIS SURVIVAL ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
New Scuba Re-Breather Tech: Test Dive
The author monitors his rebreather's oxygen displays; the system has three for redundancy. (Photo: Doug Weinstein) Glenn Harlan Reynolds Technology is opening all sorts of places to human exploration, including areas of the sea previously too ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Frivolous & Fun: Must-Make Recreational Projects
Listen to MSNBC host Tucker Carlson discuss his spud gun addiction on the Popular Mechanics Show (podcast): You wouldn't know it to look at him, but Tucker Carlson, host of MSNBC's Tucker, is a Right Guard man. It's not the rugged scent that ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
This Is My Job - Slope Groomer
As the blade irons out bumps in front, the hydraulic-powered tiller (not pictured) leaves behind the finished product. Attachments include a 3000-pound half-pipe groomer with a 12-ft. radius for carving out terrain park fun. Insulated and quiet, ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
CAR CAMPING
Drive-in camping combines the beauty of nature with the conveniences of civilization--if it keeps you warm, grills a steak or mixes a cocktail, bring it along. Finding the perfect spot to park all that luxury takes advance planning. Campsites at ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
This Is My Job - High-Tech Rancher
A GPS unit feeds into Cox's laptop, which uses GIS software to map the ranch's 27,000 semi-arid acres and pinpoint the more than 100 pasture areas and water sources. Demonstrating what's in store for all U.S. livestock, Cox's 300 head of cattle ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Westcomb Mirage Waterproof Jacket: Upgrade Wish List
Westcomb Mirage Jacket (Photograph by Chris Eckert / Studio D) Lots of zippers and mesh are great, but in a mountain shell these elements just add weight. The Westcomb Mirage ($379) is minimalist - well, not the price - but smart. For instance, ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
Plans and Videos of Spud Guns, Trebuchets, Gliders and ...
The creators of spud guns, trebuchets, gliders and other mechano-toys take pride in their work, and tend to have a sort of open-source mentality. In other words, they're happy to share their plans, and their home videos. This is spudgun advice by ... [... more]
Popular Mechanics |
