Adventure Essentials ~ Matador Gear

Hey Folks,

Full disclosure, Matador Sent me some products to review, however, there were no special instructions on what to say or how to use this gear. As a traveler, photographer, and a person that has been known to jump off waterfalls whenever she runs into them.... I couldn't be more happy with all of these products! I'm sure you can imagine how useful they all are! Yes I have written on most of these products before, and that's because I really felt that they deserved their own post! This brand is a hikers best friend!

Camera Essential

First, I have to talk about their Camera Base Layer, this is a product I haven't mentioned in a previous blog posts, but it is probably my favorite. Here is why...

Protection

When I'm traveling through airports, or even on road trips, I usually like to have my camera handy, just incase I see something I want to take a shot of. This base layer adds a little bit of padding to protect my camera incase I bump into something, or if I'm in a car and someone has to slam on the breaks. It just makes me feel a little more secure having it around my shoulder while maneuvering through the world! It's also great if you're climbing up boulders! In addition, it has a blue waterproof cover that you can pull out. This is such an amazing plus, especially for me because I always seem to be near water and I always end up getting wet. 

Water Filter

Next, I'll jump into the Hydrolite pack. I recently created a blog on this, but in short this thing is exactly what every adventurer needs. Whether you are traveling through another country or hiking for a long period of time, this pack is a must! It has a built in water filtration system, so you can fill up your water pack anywhere with almost any water and stay hydrated safely! This pack also rolls up into a a compact case that takes up minimal space. It's great if you plan on going on an overnight hike somewhere that you believe will have streams or waterfalls. Instead of lugging around large water vessels, you can simply just fill up this pack when you see some fresh water. It also has plenty of room for extra clothes and snacks!

Backpacks

Matador makes a bunch of backpacks, and they are great for a bunch of different reasons. Again, these backpacks are made for traveling. They are super compact and take up barely any space, making it perfect for road trips or airport travel. If you check out my previous blog on this pack you can see just how much stuff I was able to fit into this bad boy!  I was able to pack a tapestry, thick sweatshirt, sweatpants, thick socks, a bikini (of course), and so much more! If you are hiking with a partner, I would recommend taking this pack, along with the Hydrolite pack, they are a great combo!

Travel Towel

Last but certainly not lease, we have the smallest item I own from Matador. Don't let the fact that it's tiny fool you on it's level of importance. In fact, because it is so small it makes it an essential for anyone who travels and likes to get wet! That's because this little towel is super absorbent and dries fast even if you have to roll it up and put it back in its case. The case that it comes in can clip onto your pants, backpack, or even water bottle. If you'd like to read the blog where I venture to this hot spring and talk more about this amazing towel click here.  

That sums up my essentials for adventures! Let me know if you have any questions by either leaving a comment here, or finding my on Instagram! 

Happy travels,

Nikki 

On the Go Water Filtration- Unbelievable Results

I have Discovered an Outdoor Adventure Essential and I Can’t Wait to Tell You About it!

I’m sure you’ve seen a Camelpak before, right? I know when I was kid spending weekends at festivals, all the kids with Camelpak’s had lots of friends circling around them trying to get a sip of water out of the water pack.  I never had one, I was always sucking off of my friend’s pack! Haha! But if I would have known about this Matador Hydrolite Hydration Backpack, you can bet I would have been wearing one around! I can remember one festival I went to that was super small, and just starting out, it was in the middle of Ohio on a new field, and the water spigot had just been put in. Well, on the third day of the festival everyone was getting sick and there were signs put on all the spigot telling people not to drink from them. Some type of bacteria had infected the water, and it was a serious bummer for everyone in the middle of the summer heat. If I would’ve had this Matador pack then, life would have been great! You know why?

I’m going to tell you!

The filtration in the Matador Hydrolite Hydration Backpack is made by Sawyer. The great thing about this filtration is it takes out pretty much all of the bad bacteria. The In-line assembled Sawyer® MINI water filter removes 99.99999% bacteria + protozoa for up to 100,000 gallons of water.  It removes things that can cause stomach irritation and serious infections. It takes out fecal coliform(E-coli), giardia, and Cryptosporidium. When you are drinking out of streams and rivers, these are the most common molecules that can harm you.  So not only is the water pack perfect for festival travel, but for any traveling! If you are going to a foreign country and you’re not so sure about the water, just run it through this! Or if you’re outside on a hiking trail, you can drink easy out of streams you may find knowing that you have this filtration system on your back! Check out the slide show to see all the steps to put water in your pack!

I used this water pack on a hike around South Lake Tahoe last week. I had extra clothes packed in my pack, a travel journal, and a small camera. I filled up my water pack in a waterfall that my hiking partner and I stumbled upon, and was able to drink that sweet natural Tahoe mountain water with no worries of bacteria entering my body! The water tasted pure and real, it was unbelievable! I was also able to fill up my pack in different waterfalls multiple times during the day. That was great because I was able to stay hydrated and not have to ration my water throughout the hike. 

The pack is also great for packing in luggage when traveling. The water pack rolls up into a compact pouch and can easily be attached to another backpack, or put in my suitcase.  Needless to say, I’ll be taking this on every hiking trip from here on out no matter where it is!

If you enjoyed this article please let me know by leaving a comment or sharing it with your friends! Thank you so much for reading, I wouldn’t be able to do this without all your love and support! 

Adventure on lovelies,

Nikki 

The Essential Traveling Hiker's Pack

The Beast28 backpack is one of my favorite hiking essentials for local adventures and exploring while traveling. What makes it a great travel pack is how compact it is. When traveling, You can easily attach it to your carry-on or additional backpack, or you can fit it in nicely into your luggage. You can see in the picture that it rolls up into a nice little pouch very easily.

This pack is also great for an overnight hike. There is plenty of room to pack some warmer clothes, and snacks. The compression straps, lumbar padding and hip belt also make it super comfortable when hiking. I was able to pack everything I needed for a sunset hike and to sleep overnight. The hammock clips perfectly to the backpack allowing me to have the perfect sleeping device for the night.  The outer coating of the Beast28 is also water resistant, so I felt comfortable storing my computer in it while I hiked. Being a photographer, I often times have clients that need photos taken in epic places and want them edited and sent to them quickly, so having my computer is a must!

Check out the images below to see everything I was able to take on a an overnight hike. The photos of me hiking out in the world were taken on a day we hiked to a swimming spot, I had everyone's swim gear along with towels and a few beverages. Every time I use this backpack I'm amazed at everything I can fit in it!

Happy Travels friends.

Adventure On,

Nikki

The Perfect Adventure Towel!

Ever been out on an adventure and stumble across an unexpected body of water that you just had to take a dip in? I know I have! And while I'm almost always wearing a bikini under my socially acceptable clothes, I'm usually not carrying around a giant towel to dry off with after a spontaneous swim. However, I have found a solution! It’s a compact, light towel that is super absorbent!

My most recent expedition took me to a hike with Hot Springs at one end of the trail. The Gaviota Hot Springs are one of the hidden secrets in the Santa Barbara area. They are about 30 miles north on Highway 101. You take exit 132, and at the end of the exit ramp, you turn right, and then make another immediate right. At the end of the road you’ll see places to park. There are a few trails in the area that are beautiful, but if you feel like going for a soak in the sulfur water, just make your way to the top of the main hiking trail and you’ll see two beautiful aqua pools at the top. The first one you see has an extremely muddy bottom, when you step into it, you’ll find yourself knee deep in gunk. However, the other hot spring has a solid bottom. 

When you enter the water, you’ll notice little bubbles start to form on your skin. The temperature of the water is lukewarm.  The great thing about these hot springs, and many others, are their healing qualities!

The Iron in Hot Springs, along with other minerals, can build up your immune system!

Hot Springs improve your body's Circulation.

Relaxation of the mind and body occurs when you enter these warm pools of water.

Hot Springs also contain Sulfur!

Who is ready to find a hidden Hot Spring near them?!?

When you do go, make sure you grab your Matador NanoDry Towel! Seriously a girl’s best friend on adventures like these. This towel comes with a case that you can clip on your backpack, shorts, or wherever is convenient for you! The towel itself has a snap loop so you can hang it anywhere to dry! On your backpack while you finish hiking, on a tree branch while you picnic, anywhere! 

What’s awesome is that these towels are super versatile. They make a great pool companion, gym buddy, or just something to have while traveling. Because you never know, when adventure will call, and water will be shouting your name!

Or you just might need a towel to wipe stuff up! 

Adventure On Friends,

Nikki