I have lost a couple of drain caps in my day which makes the cooler unusable until a replacement arrives. Cooler’s have become somewhat of a status symbol in the outdoors and many equate the bigger brands with better quality. A higher price tag should mean a higher quality product, right? No, that is not always the case and any outdoorsmen, gear junkie, or general abuser of products will tell you the same thing. Every so often a brand will fly under the radar producing products that are not only a great value but also great quality as well. Overall, it could have been roomier, but the weight savings were attractive to me with only one spar instead of two.
The OT is a great “starters thru-hike” in both length and technicality. The one place this trail may be considered more advanced is the lack of towns along the trail for resupply and a bed, shower, and town food. Streams and creeks can run deep and quick during heavy rains, and temperatures can dip below freezing in the spring and autumn. “Every unfavorable turn of weather brought some reward,” said Berchek of his fall hike.
“Some nights were a little too cool, and I found I needed warmer gear. Another big downside of this season is the shorter daylight hours available for hiking. Size is perfect for day trips, smaller individuals, and teens. Great for hiking in warm weather, thanks to the breathable construction, mesh straps, and hydration bladder hook up. Material is durable and will stand up to heavy duty use. This hydration compatible backpack has a connection for a water bladder built in to the design.
I needed to charge my headlamp, watch, and iPhone, which I used often for GPS, photos, video, and journal entries. Includes compression straps on the sides to keep your gear stable. This pack has a lot of extra storage pockets for organization of your gear. Wetlands give way to ridgelines at the start of the Blair ozark trail chairs Creek section. The 26-mile route follows Blair Creek south as it carves down a valley through oak-hickory-pine forest before merging with the emerald waters of the Current River. Here the 30-mile Current River section picks up, following the river for two miles before veering south toward Stegall Mountain.
I have used the hydration compartment for items like my iPad. I saw this pack at Wally World and figured, $19 for a 28-liter pack, I’d give it a shot. If it doesn’t suit my needs, one of my daughters would be able to use it. Order your 2024 Official Missouri Travel Guide and start planning your Missouri adventure today.
You can get this cooler in three colors, Tan which is featured here, as well as graphite and white. The other two colors will have different rims and accents, ozark trail chairs so if you don’t love the orange you have options. The set-up was understandably a few steps shorter, which is always nice when setting up in the dark.
There are no compression straps or other means of securing anything to the outside of the pack, aside from the “daisy chain” on the front. My only knock on it would be the lack of a small water bottle pocket. I priced other internal frame daypacks before my trip and this was by far the cheapest. I took this pack on a 5-day mountain bike ride from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Washington, D.C., and it performed very well. The Yeti has the most streamlined design of the three coolers, staying true to the original Yeti look and feel.
The Ozark Trail Association maintains a number of maps to help you traverse each section of the trail. If you are using your phone for navigation, pack a paper copy of a map in case you lose signal or find yourself without battery. Trail maps are free to print at home or are available for purchase at the online store. Tent, hammock or open-air camping — choose your camping style based on experience and comfort level.