Equipment shopping? Go for comfort

One small wrong choice can turn the outdoors into a giant nightmare.

The problem is that outdoor equipment is mass-produced. Your body size, on the other hand, could require a customized fitment. As spring arrives, I go through this myself each year. I buy all my gear and can empathize with the predicaments of many. Bicycle: The geometric triangle between seat, handlebars and pedals is often not right for each rider. Those over 6-foot-2 can discover that raising the seat for their long legs can cause the wrong angle down to the handlebars, which puts their eye line into the front tire. When you then crane your head to see up the road, it can cause neck pain. The answer is to install a handlebars stem riser ($25) to get the handlebars’ height closer to seat height. Fit: As with bicycles, proper fit (and back support) is critical in kayaks, boats and backpacks. Truck/car seat: Long hours can cause back pain and be a trip stopper. I bought a highend back-support system called Sacro-Ease ($200 range) that solves lumbar support, hip compression and seat posture. After a recent 11-hour drive, my back felt better at the end of the trip than at the start. Bed/camping: One way or another, turn your sleeping bag into a nest. Use a portable airbed ($40), cot ($40) with insulation pad ($20), highdensity portable foam ($80) or a Therm-a-Rest ($80 range), and bring your favorite pillow. Great sleep equals a great trip. Boots/socks: Match socks and boots exactly for your activity. When you put your foot in a shoe, you must have a perfect fit. After a dozen tries, I settled on Merrell Men’s Reflex Mid Waterproof Hikers ($130) and heavy Smartwool ($20) hiking socks (they need breaking in), and I haven’t had a blister for the past 10,000 miles so. Find what is right for you. Do not settle. Hat: I buy wide-brim, oil-skin hats that are a shade large (in case they shrink from rain), and then place a strip or two of padded, self-stick weatherstrip seal designed for doors ($8 at a hardware store) just inside the inner liner to get the just-right fit.