I wrote about 11-year-old Jordan Romero earlier this year when the grade schooler became the youngest person to stand atop Aconcagua, a 22,841-foot peak in Argentina. Now it looks like the kid has kicked his way up Denali, summiting on June 19.

This summit brings Jordan a step closer to his goal of becoming the youngest person to climb the highest peak on each of the seven continents.


With this climb, Jordan tied the record for the youngest person to summit Denali. Jordan, along with his father, Paul, and stepmother, Karen, both accomplished adventure racers on Team SOLE, needed just seven days to reach the summit of Denali. (It takes many teams two weeks.)

Says Jordan: “The mountain was hard, there were lots of ropes and technical things to think about. There were definitely a few times that I was scared, but I wanted so badly to make it to the summit.”

In July 2006, Jordan began his quest for the Seven Summits as he climbed 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. In April 2007, Jordan summitted Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia; in July he climbed Mt. Elbrus in Russia; in December, Aconcagua in Argentina.

Jordan’s sights are now set on Antarctica’s 16,000-foot Vinson Massif. He is selling t-shirts on his website, www.jordanromero.com, to raise money for the trip.

Hats off, little man!

Last month Nau Inc., an apparel company based in Portland, Ore., announced that it was closing shop. This was to my disappointment, as the startup had a neat business plan based on sustainability, plus I was a fan of the Nau aesthetic, kind of a futuristic/urban look that took cues from technical outdoors wear.

But today the news is that Horn-y Toad Activewear Inc. has acquired the Nau brand, purchasing the bulk of Nau’s remaining assets and financing a “new Nau” that will launch on August 1.

"We’re thrilled to find a partner who both recognizes and values the unique nature of what we’ve created and is committed to supporting the growth of our business over the long term,” said Ian Yolles, Nau’s head of marketing.

Nau will be treated as a separate company from ***** Toad, but the two will share operational support, sales fulfillment and logistic services.

According to Gordon Seabury, CEO of Horn-y Toad, “We saw in Nau an innovative brand representing the perfect blend of outdoor, urban fashion sensibility with an unwavering commitment to sustainability. It is all about their innovative product, authentic brand and most importantly the talented group behind those attributes.”

The Nau look.

• Toad’s long-term vision, according to Seabury, is to create a family of complimentary brands that can “learn from one another while embodying a do-the-right-thing philosophy.”

Handlebar-mounted map holders are one of those esoteric outdoors items that only complete cartographic nerds and adventure racers can wax silly about. Since I fit both molds—and add orienteering to my topographic confessional as well—the Rotating Map Holder from Adventure Racing Navigation Supplies caught my eye.

Last month, I employed the plastic platform on an adventure race along the St. Croix River in Minnesota, navigating trails and county roads for about 20 miles with relative ease. The 9×9-inch platform did not flex or flap, and the bungee cords held the map in place fine while on the go. The board does add wind drag, though less than I expected.

Made to fit all standard bike handlebar setups, the Rotating Map Holder mounts via a lever-activated clamp. You put in rubber shims to fit it tight against your handlebars. When putting the clamp on my bike, however, I had trouble getting the lever to snap down tight, though the platform stayed stable while I rode.

For reading the map on the ride, the platform rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to spin and orient the map with the lay of the land. This alone is a huge advantage to simply using an over-the-shoulder map case and trying to read a wrongly-oriented road map while riding on a bumpy road.

Indeed, pedaling and navigating has got to be one of the most dangerous parts of adventure racing. Several times while coasting downhill during races—the one time when I finally get a second to stop pedaling and try and peek at the map—I’ve squinted at bouncing details on a page and almost crashed. It’s like driving and talking on a cell phone, though much worse.

The Rotating Map Holder, on the other hand, keeps the map flat and easier to read. It costs $55 and adds just 8 ounces of weight to your bike setup.

While they seem hokey, the dual bungee straps pretty much keep the map in place. I had my map come out and blow off the bike once during my race. This was because I folded it a bit too small, and one side slipped out of a bungee, and the wind caught it, and . . . time to hit the brakes and head back for the page.

One feature that would be nice—and something I plan to add to my Rotating Map Holder—is a small stick-on compass. This way you would not have to check the lanyard around your neck for north before looking down each time at the page.

Anything you can do to make map reading easier (and safer) while riding is a good thing by me.

Price: $55

Company contact: Adventure Racing Navigation Supplies, http://www.arnavsupplies.com

This post details a mountaineering incident last week in which a personal locator beacon (PLB) was employed. One of the involved climbers, Bill Becher, a writer from southern California, had the ACR MicroFix PLB unit in his pack, though he never expected to use it. But while descending from Mt. Gilbert near Bishop, Calif., in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Becher’s friend and climbing partner fell and broke his leg. They were several miles from civilization with no good options. Here’s a quick Q&A with Becher on what they did next.

The Gear Junkie: Describe what led up to your incident.

Becher: We had hiked up out of South Lake on Wednesday and bivyed at 10,800 feet east of Treasure Lakes. We were carrying ice tools, crampons an alpine rack and ice screws and were planning on climbing the ice couloir at Mt. Gilbert. We crossed snow and granite slabs called “The Death Slabs” to get to our bivy spot at the approach to the climb. But Thurs. a.m. we woke up and it was snowing pretty hard so we decided to bail on the climb. At about 9 a.m., heading back down, my partner was hiking to a spot to set up a rappel when he slipped on a snow covered rock that was pitched at an odd angle. He broke his leg.

On the approach to Mount Gilbert. Photo credit: Bill Becher

The Gear Junkie: What were your first thoughts?

Becher: I had a PLB, the ACR MicroFix, and we decided that since there was no way for him to hike out we needed to switch it on and send the distress signal. I carved out a platform in the snow and set up the tent while my partner splinted his leg with trekking pole sections and duct tape. We got in our sleeping bags to wait. We decided if nobody showed up by the next day and the weather cleared I’d hike out and go for help. I’d left a detailed description of where we were going with my wife.

ACR MicroFix PLB unit.

The Gear Junkie: Did the PLB work immediately?

Becher: It was about noon when we heard a helicopter—three hours after I turned on the distress signal. I put on my red jacket and went out and waved. The chopper circled looking for us. It was difficult to spot us and because we were on a snowy, rocky slope there was no place for the helicopter to land. But it did make a good snow blower! They finally lowered a medic. His name was Zack. He checked my partner out—the leg appeared to be broken but no bones sticking out or bleeding. The helicopter lowered a basket and hoisted him up. I put on my harness and the medic and I clipped into the line and we were hoisted up.

We were able to take some gear, but had to leave my pack and the tent. They took us to the Bishop hospital where they did X-rays. He had a spiral fracture of the right fibula. They put a cast on it. The SAR (search-and-rescue) deputy drove me back to the trailhead but my key were in the pack on the mountain. Fortunately, he was able to jimmy the door open.

The Gear Junkie: Can you explain how this PLB process worked?

Becher: The way the PLB system works is it sends a signal to satellites that circle overhead every 45 minutes. The PLB is registered at NOAA with my name, emergency contact number, address, etc. When NOAA received the signal, an Air Force SAR coordinator called my wife, who told them where we were and that it was unlikely that I’d accidentally triggered the device. The second satellite pass—45 minutes later—confirmed that the PLB was still on and they rolled the helicopter out then from China Lake Naval Air Station. The Inyo County Search and Rescue team coordinated and was in contact with my wife. I felt bad that she had to get that call but she was able to give them detailed info our climbing route.

SAR helicopter to the rescue. Photo credit: Bill Becher

The Gear Junkie: What was the rescuers’ reaction after they got to you?

Becher: The Navy SAR team thanked me for having the PLB. They said they wished more people carried them as it makes the search part of “search and rescue” much easier. The SAR sheriff said they’d just had a training session on PLB and this was the first experience with actually using it. He was impressed with how well it worked. If they hadn’t been able to get the chopper in it would have taken a 12-man team with a wheeled litter to get my injured partner out, according to the deputy.

We were very thankful that the Navy team flew in the bad conditions and showed great skill and professionalism. We were also thankful we had the PLB or we’d likely still be on the mountain with me facing a difficult and treacherous descent and not being able to enjoy beer and Vicodin in my Winnebago as we are now!

The Gear Junkie: Did you guys have to pay for the rescue?

Becher: The PLB alert is a public deal run by NOAA. No cost for that. Sometimes the rescue costs are passed back. But in our case the Navy loans their helicopter to the Inyo County SAR for the practice and the only cost was the SAR deputy’s overtime: about $270.

The Gear Junkie: Anything you’d do different next time?

Becher: The SAR deputy said we did everything right. But one lesson learned is that the PLB isn’t that precise and you need some way to signal rescuers. They had difficulty spotting us until they saw my red parka. The traditional signal mirror doesn’t help much in a snowstorm.. I was thinking about getting my LED headlamp but wasn’t sure if it was bright enough. Eventually, jumping up and down in a red parka and waving my arms worked to get their attention.

Going green is not a new phenomenon in the world of outdoors gear. But today's eco-friendly gear is a far cry from the hemp hoodies and low-tech "earth gear" of yore. Take these four products as examples. . .

Sierra Design Cyclone Eco
This mid-weight shell -- which can be used as a rain jacket or a cool-weather top -- is touted to be the most sustainable jacket on the market. It is made of a recycled PET face fabric with PVC-free seam tape and a solvent-free waterproof-breathable laminate. $149.95, www.sierradesigns.com (Available starting this summer.)

REI Organic Cotton Cadet Cap
Touting an eco ethos with a Cuban flair, the Cadet Cap is an organic cotton alternative to the workaday baseball bill. Bonus: The cap comes with a worn look and feel that requires no break-in time. $16, .rei.com

Aquapac Hard Lens Camera Case
This plastic waterproof camera case is now 100 percent PVC-free, meaning the case employs no polyvinyl chloride, a chemical cited in some studies as a pollutant and a carcinogen. Made for tiny digital cameras, the case has a polycarbonate hard lens for clear images and a watertight seal to keep moisture out. $45, www.aquapac.net

Teko Ingeo Light Hiking socks
Made of a biodegradable corn-based fiber, these socks have extra reinforcement in the heels and toes for durability. The fabric transfers moisture and sweat to keep feet dry and prevent blisters. $13.95, www.tekosocks.com

Go here for 7 more green gear items: http://thegearjunkie.com/green-gear-2008-part-i

Just got back from Mato Tipila. Or Bear's Lodge. Or, most commonly, Devils Tower.

The 1,000-foot-high thumb of rock in northeastern Wyoming goes by a few names. But all refer to this geologic masterpiece, a monolith of pillars and cracks and six-sided columns. As I wrote in the blog last week, Devils Tower was a waypoint for wagon trains heading west in the 1800s. It's a sacred place to Native Americans. In pop culture the Tower has long been associated with the strange and the otherworldly, its vestige forever burned into the American consciousness via Steven Spielberg's classic 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

For me, stretching back to the days when I edited Vertical Jones magazine (www.verticaljones.com) this has always been my favorite climbing area, with finger and fist cracks streaming hundreds of feet from the talus. I have climbed a dozen routes, up to 5.10 in difficulty. Once I took a 40-foot whipper here -- my longest climbing fall so far (and hopefully ever).

This past weekend, I retuned to the Tower with photographer TC Worley (www.studiobluempls.com) for one day. We climbed just one route, as we were on a time crunch and had another assignment in the Black Hills. But "El Cracko Diablo" -- as the climb is called -- was a good line to get me to jump back into the saddle.

The climb, which goes at 5.8, involves an approach pitch, two long fist-crack pitches, then a couple hundred feet of fourth class to the top. The main climbing involves sink-your-hands-in-and-pull cracks, just gorgeous and safe expressway routes into the sky.

Stephen Regenold topping out pitch No. 2 on "El Cracko Diablo." photo by TC Worley.

We climbed with Frank Sanders, owner of Devils Tower Lodge (www.devilstowerlodge.com) and head guide of his eponymous business. I am rusty right now in the climbing department, so Frank led the two meaty pitches on El Cracko. He led with just two or three placements of gear on each pitch. Basically, he'd climb 40 to 50 feet between cam placements, solid and calm. (He's free-soloed the route several times.)

We climbed on Monday evening, leaving the trail around 5:30 p.m. It was a sunset cruise, and night fell right as we made the top. We watched the last rays from the "island in the sky" summit and then rappelled off in the dark, a halo of LED glow our only illumination on the moonless night.

Here are a few pics of the ascent as well as a couple close-ups of the Tower. Watch for gear reviews on the equipment employed during the climb in the coming weeks as well as a full narrative on the ascent later this year. . .

"El Cracko Diablo," a 600-foot route

Stephen Regenold interviewing Frank Sanders on pitch No. 1 of "El Cracko Diablo"; photo by TC Worley.

See the spec?

Frank and TC on the summit at sunset.

After riding a self-proclaimed “Frankenbike” around the streets of
San Francisco for several years, Mike O’Neill designed a new take on
the stodgy old “Costanza” wallet. His plastic wallet—called the Jimi—is
one that you can throw in your bike jersey, or your pants, as it’s slim
and unobtrusive.

And if you get a bit frisky and sweat through your shirt, your cash will not get soggy.

O’Neill says to think of the Jimi as a more robust, stylish and
greener version of the ubiquitous snack-sized Ziploc bag. Good to stash
a license, credit cards, and a little cash, just the essentials and
nothing more.

Indeed, the company slogan is “The Wallet for
People Who Hate Wallets.” It’s about 9/16 of an inch thick and a smidge
taller than a credit card. There’s an integrated money clip, which is
removable for times when you only want to bring cash.

Bonus: The Jimi wallet is also a recycled/recyclable product that’s made in the USA and sold in bike stores around the country.

Cost is $14.95.

See more at Mr. Smith Inc., http://www.thejimi.com/wallet/demo.php