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NOMAD ADVENTURE JOURNALS HIKING BACKPACKING CAMPING JOURNAL
TEST SERIES BY BRETT HAYDIN 
INITIAL REPORT
INITIAL REPORT - November 03, 2009
TESTER INFORMATION
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NAME:
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Brett Haydin
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EMAIL:
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bhaydin AT hotmail DOT com
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AGE:
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36
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LOCATION:
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Salida, Colorado, USA
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GENDER:
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M
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HEIGHT:
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5' 11" (1.80 m)
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WEIGHT:
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195 lb (88.50 kg)
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I started backpacking in Wisconsin as a youth, being involved in the Boy Scouts programs. As a young adult, I worked at a summer camp leading backpacking, canoeing and mountain biking trips. I now generally take short weekend or day trips in rough, mountainous terrain, although I have extensive experience in the upper Midwest as well. I take one or two longer trips each year, where I typically carry about 40 lb (18 kg). I prefer to be prepared and comfortable, but I have taken lightweight trips as well.
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Nomad Adventure Journals
Year of Manufacture: 2009
Manufacturer's Website: www.nomadjournals.com
MSRP: US $15.00
Listed Weight: NA
Measured Weight: 9.2 oz (261 g)
Listed Dimensions: 5 x 7 in (12.7 x 17.8 cm)
Measured Dimensions: 5 x 7 in (12.7 x 17.8 cm)
Other details provided by manufacturer:
- Trail information (terrain, conditions, difficulty, distance & more)
- Recommended maps and guidebooks
- Campground information
- Hiking and driving directions
- People you met along the way
- Weather conditions
- Grub & Grog
- Plenty of room for extra notes
- 120 pages (29 daily entries)
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The Nomad Adventure Journals Hiking/Backpacking & Camping Journal (I'll call it the journal from now on) is a hefty, spiral-bound journal that is suitable for keeping detailed notes on outdoor adventures. I am immediately impressed with the layout of the pages and with the high quality workmanship of the journal. The front and back cover are made of thick cardboard that seems quite sturdy. The paper included within the journal appears to be of good quality.
Before receiving the journal, I took the opportunity to visit the manufacturer's website. While it clearly states the dimensions, this journal is much heavier and a bit larger than I was anticipating. I was and still am looking forward to using the entries daily on my hikes and camping trips over the next four months.
The first page in the journal has a place for my name, address and telephone number in case I misplace the journal. The back side of this same page has some information about the manufacturer. I appreciate their commitment to the environment by using recycled materials and soy based inks.
The pages really do allow for a lot of data to be collected. I have compiled an image below showing the different pages and what information can be written down. There are four pages with each entry. Two pages have fields listed for suggested information, such as date, location, maps needed, etc. The remaining two pages are lined pages suitable for writing anything I can imagine. Since they both are identical, I have only included one example in the image below.
 | | Page detail |
There are enough pages for 29 separate entries. I'll do my best to fill them all over the next four months, but I also hope to do more hiking than writing! I am excited at the level of detail I will be able to keep in one place as I start to explore more of the Rocky Mountains.
SUMMARY
My plan over the next four months is to carry the journal with me on my day hikes and backpacking trips. While it may be a bit heavy for a journal, I am commonly referred to as the "pack mule" in our groups. I seem to be the first to grab those little items that nobody wants to claim, so a few extra ounces is just fine with me!
So far, I am pretty happy with the journal. It is well organized and has a place for a lot of additional information I have not thought to record before. While I was a little taken aback by the size and weight, I hope that it will prove its worth to me in the long run.
I would like to take the opportunity to mention that Nomad Adventure Journals has provided me with their weatherproof case. While I won't be reviewing the case in this test series, I think it speaks to the character of the company for providing this additional item for this test.
I would like to thank Nomad Adventure Journals and all the monitors at BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to be a part of this test series. Please check back in approximately two months for an update on how the journal is holding up!
This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
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