I had been on the lookout for some months for a robust, packable paddle, to match my rather lightweight Anfibio Delta MX. I made some inquiries to few manufacturers of custom paddles, to find out whether it would be possible to source a paddle, for a reasonable cost, with full adjustability and sufficient length at, say, sub 500 grams. Perhaps somewhat a novelty item, with similarly featured paddles already in the market, weighing only few hundred grams more, but I was interested in finding out if such a lightweight paddle could be made and would even make sense.

I don’t own a real, full-size, tripod and actually haven’t had one since I bought my first digital camera, back in 2001. I have however had a small selection of small tripods to carry around, when I need to rest the camera on something more sophisticated than a fence, tree branch or say, a pile of snow and a glove. Of those portables, Gorillapod has proven to be most versatile, though I’ve had my share of trouble with them, breaking not just one, but two Hybrid’s during the last couple of years. A leg falling off in both cases, they were warranted by Joby, and today the Hybrid is still my go-to tripod for outdoors.

This is now the third season running, since adding Nordic Skating (or tour skating) into my winter repertoire of reasons to get out. Settling for a rather unorthodox setup, pairing the skates with Dynafit bindings and telemark boots, it’s been interesting to learn more about ice and gaining confidence in traveling on lakes and the sea.