I'm in Toyama
started with I published a few days ago about camera bags pointing out the RIBZ front pack I featured in the article
If the camera is not waterproof, there are many inconveniences. If the lens is not waterproof, it will fog up in the rain and you will not be able to take pictures. If it is waterproof, it will not fog up. For the RIbz, you can easily make a pad by slightly loosening the Platypus insulated cover, putting it inside, and sewing it back on. I found it here. http://completewalker.blogspot.jp/2014/10/ribz-front-pack-s-size.html
You're right. The SONY α7 isn't weather-resistant, and I've had the lens fog up in the rain a few times. However, I still didn't want to give up the light weight and image quality, so I gave up on weather resistance. I'd literally forgotten about it
More than anything, the latter half of his comment is particularly concerning. The way he casually mentions customizing (or rather modifying) tools at a level that is by no means easy seems a bit excessive for a supplementary comment. Or rather, this level of attention to detail seems somehow familiar..
It didn't take me long to look at the link and discover that the person in question was Nobuhiro Murakami, author of the famous "Hiking Handbook" and one of the hikers I trust and respect most in Japan
As anyone who has read his books will know, his unbiased critical reviews, backed by scientific facts and evidence rather than relying solely on personal experience, and independent of manufacturers and other vested interests, are rare not only in Japan today but around the world. I secretly fantasized that there couldn't be a better writer for Outdoor Gearzine. On the other hand, his sharp, scathing style of calling things no good is refreshingly dangerous (in a good way, of course). No matter how confident I was in running this site, I knew I could be forgiven for being told anything by someone with such vast experience. That said, I wasn't entirely without anxiety
However, nothing good comes from thinking ahead about a future that no one knows. I couldn't let this wonderful encounter go to waste. So I contacted him on impulse, and surprisingly the date for our meeting was decided, and I headed straight for Toyama for the first time in 20 years
Murakami-san was waiting for me at the bus stop, and his familiar smile made it seem as though we were meeting for the first time, instantly dispelling any anxiety I had been feeling
His tanned skin and muscular build are not those of someone who has been retired from university for some time. He is a bundle of incredible stamina, having just completed a four-day walk on a nature trail from Minoh to Kyoto a few days ago, and is about to embark on a 1.5-month long trail hike in the US in a month. He also regularly does practical training, using a backpack filled with 30kg sandbags that he keeps in the entrance hall
Murakami is currently in the midst of preparing for his expedition to the United States. The large amount of dried food packed into cardboard boxes suggests the unimaginable volume of the journey ahead
We lost track of time and spent several hours talking about mountain gear, from customizing and caring for backpacks, to boasting about electronic gadgets like cameras and satellite communications, to the latest information on long trails in the US, and even about good gear, good food, and good travel
Although we talked about a lot of random stuff, what we all shared was his unwavering commitment to his gear, something that most people can't match, and his passion for travel, which is so ingrained in him that he can't live without it. This spirit of inquiry, this passion. I was convinced that he was the perfect person for the Outdoor Gearzine team
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Our incredibly intense time together flew by, and while our independent relationship with Murakami will remain unchanged, we have agreed to a loose cooperation (the timing is still undecided) in which I will use the information I am currently researching elsewhere and the information I have already published as content for Outdoor Gearzine. This site had just begun recruiting new reviewers and writers in May, but who could have predicted such a turn of events just a month ago? This is why the world is not so easy to throw away
Among Murakami's outdoor gear know-how, one area that is currently being considered on this website is food. From now on, Outdoor Gearzine will be thinking about outdoor food
Based on nutritional knowledge, Murakami perfectly calculated the amount and quality of food needed for efficient replenishment of energy lost during a hike, and while implementing his food plan, he came up with JMT Bread (see page 201 of the "Hiking Handbook"). It's an original bread perfect for hikers, made by mixing whole wheat flour and rye with milk, cashews, walnuts, and currants, adding Japanese honey and sugar for fermentation, and baking it*. It's a simple and efficient way to replenish essential nutrients. I had the chance to try it. It's simple and simply delicious
*Murakami-san shared with us the latest recipe for "JMT Bread." According to the recipe, one loaf (approximately 1.8 kg) requires 1 liter of milk, 1 kg of whole wheat flour, and about 500 g of rye. The fillings include cashews, walnuts, and currants. A few tablespoons of Japanese honey, a few tablespoons of sugar (for fermentation), yeast, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Photos of the finished product can be found on Murakami-san's Facebook page .
I've tried a variety of pre-made foods up until now, but when it comes to mass-produced foods, there's no one that's "just right," which is the problem with outdoor food. Like Murakami, Outdoor Gearzine would like to continue researching the ultimate outdoor food that has reliable nutritional value based on nutritional evidence, is easy to use, and is delicious. I hope to steadily create such a project under Murakami's supervision, so please look forward to it!
For those who can't wait for the release or who want to know more about Murakami's equipment, we recommend reading "Hiking Handbook," which is full of eye-opening information about not only food but also outdoor equipment
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