Canon PowerShot G11

Caveat: I only review gear that I really like and have used, so there will be a positive slant. However, I will be honest about any flaws of the products.

For the last several years, I have been lugging a Canon Digital Rebel with a pretty sizable 28-200mm zoom lens up and down the mountains. The zoom works great and the wildlife photos have been fun, but I have been somewhat unhappy with the nearly three pounds of weight, as well as the limitations of the lens: I can’t take great wide-angle photos from the summits. There are lens conversion factors, which I won’t get into, that makes my lens more like a 43-311mm lens.

Enter the Canon PowerShot G11 Digital Camera. I received this for Christmas from my wife who wanted to lighten my load on the trail. And that it is. At 12.5 ounces, it shaved nearly 3 pounds off of my camera gear (more if I choose to bring more lenses on the Rebel) and I get to take true 28mm wide-angle photos, which have been a treat so far. It only goes to 140mm on the long end, so I will have to use my woodsman’s skills to get close enough to photograph any wildlife.

When I am hiking up to the top of mountains, I tend to travel pretty light. I have worn a day pack with a bladder pouch on some of the longer hikes, but most summit hikes in San Diego tend to be 5-6 miles or shorter. However, I don’t like my back completely sweaty, especially on the hotter days. [tweet]

One of my most-used equipment on my hikes has been the Mountainsmith Ultra Lumbar Pack. It doesn’t have a lot of storage for more than two water bottles and some maps and snacks, but it has everything I need for most of my hikes. There is an elastic belt pocket for a GPS or cell phone, which I use for my iPhone (as a GPS), and a smaller velcro belt pocket for my car keys. There is even a padded interior pocket in the large pocket for items that you want protected. I have been able to easily access the water bottles while hiking due to the angle which the bottle pockets are placed, as well as the main pocket in the rear due to the large loop on the zipper. It even has a little strap on the top of the pack for carrying with one hand to and from the car while fully loaded. I’ve used this feature far more than I ever thought I would.