👋  Welcome back to The Daily Slacker  

📌 In today’s news, here’s one thing to:

• Read: 5 Cyclists Fight Off Cougar Attack, 1 Hospitalized

• Watch: GearJunkie Builds a Custom Knife For Thom Pollard

• Share: You Won’t Find a Warmer Kids’ Snowsuit

Women In The Outdoors

Our Hunt & Fish Editor Rachelle Schrute brought up an issue she faced as a woman in the outdoors.

Thanks, But No Thanks

If you ever needed a reminder that sexism is alive and well in the outdoors, an emblematic social media dustup this week painted the picture clear as day.

It all started when hunting and fishing editor Rachelle Schrute shared a photo of herself with a shotgun, carrying a pheasant on Instagram. While the text related to her photo was about her birthday, readers decided to mansplain that she needed a better shotgun.

“It seems to put birds in my bag just fine,” she replied.

And that’s why the reader doubled down and encouraged her to read a GearJunkie article about the best shotguns — an article that she happened to have written.

Team Thoughts 👇

Meet the Team: Ashley Toering is GearJunkie’s Audience Development Manager

🎒 The hottest chatter in the outdoor industry.  

Surviving, and Enjoying, ‘The Devil’s Highway’ 

Prepared I was not, as we kickstarted a significant shakedown ride to unleash our newly adventurized KTM 500 EXC-Fs on the legendary El Camino del Diablo.

Known as the Devil’s Highway, this trail winds through unforgiving landscapes of the Sonoran and Yuma Deserts.

“I wanted an off-road adventure. But, I was clueless that a baptism of fire awaited.”

The Backstory

Fortunately, as our seasoned friends had negotiated the way a handful of times, their assurance was resolute. “The ride would present sporadic sections within my reach as a novice sand rider.”

What’s Next

The route’s isolation and rugged conditions, hours from a hospital or cell coverage, added an adventurous edge. It made it a test of grit and endurance in seeking an off-the-beaten-path experience.

The route’s moniker, the “Way of the Devil,” echoes the extreme hardships faced by those who dared to traverse its unforgiving territory. Two thousand folks have perished since European arrival, as marked by only 50-odd trailside graves en route. Here’s my story.

🎿 Delivering the latest in adventure news.

Climbing Federation Votes to Admit Palestine

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) waded into murky territory Tuesday when it admitted a Palestine climbing group.

In more stable times, the admission of a new member in a climbing federation would seem largely mundane. But these are anything but normal times.

• Terrorist attacks in October killed more than 1,000 Israelis

• Israel, also an IFSC member, has waged a war resulting in 29,000 Palestinian deaths — and counting

Climbing will take center stage at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Palestinian climbers can now compete, but it's unclear if that will happen.

⚡ Testing all gear so you don’t have to.

Meet a Modular Power Bank: Most electrical power banks aimed at outdoor recreation are sealed units. That means field repair or modification is really tricky. But not the Dakota Lithium Powerbox+ 60. This unit, and associated solar panels, are modular in nature and built with most components accessible. It makes it a tinkerer’s delight.

Rain Gear For Your Feet While gaiters don’t get a ton of attention, they can make or break your trip, especially in rough, off-trail conditions. Author Andrea Wilson post-holed “to hell and back” in a very thorough test.

Kitchen Prep to Jungle Survival Training: Can one knife accompany a jungle survival instructor in the Amazon and also prepare Tuscan chicken in the kitchen? According to our author, the answer is yes — kinda. But if you’re willing to make some tradeoffs for niche-specific features, the ESSEE Sencillo fixed blade covers a whole lot of bases.

"Stop building that adventure mobile up with more parts and start using the parts you have. Your drive might be less extreme, but it will be more fun. Because you’ll be exploring.”

—  Evan Williams, in “Stop Building, Start Exploring: Yes Your Vehicle is Good Enough”

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