[geoffjansen]

APEMAN H70 Trail Cam - Final Review

***Update August 2020*** The camera has recently stopped producing quality night time images as well as developed what seems to be a hardware issue, as it has been recording clips nonstop with no motion infront until the card fills or batteries die. I have also been experiencing the videos being cut to random times such as 6, 13, 15sec clips rather than the 30sec it is set to. I am currently in contact with the Apeman crew and hope that they will be able to offer a replacement.

PERFORMANCE:

At 1080p video and 20mp images its more than enough for most peoples scouting needs. The daytime images/videos are plenty sharp and thanks to the 40pc Low Glow IR LEDs the night time footage is good to identify game you capture on your cam. The H70 can also detect movement out to 65′ at a 90 degree field of view with the PIR the sensor. The lightning fast .2 second trigger speed will insure you don’t miss any action.

EASE OF USE, BATTERY LIFE AND CONSTRUCTION:

When you open the case you will the the 2inch coloured LCD screen where you can easily program the camera to work the way you wish with the illuminated raised buttons. You are also able to review your images/videos instantly on the screen as well.

The Apeman Camera uses 8 AA Batteries to power it. They are not included in the package so make sure you pick some up before you venture out into the woods! I recommend the Energizer Lithium battery! I suspect the battery life will last around 3 months, as after one month in full 1080p resolution video mode with heavy use, there is 1 bar missing from the battery icon in camera.

During the past couple the cameras durability and build quality has blown me away. From the factory the camera has a waterproof rating of IP66 (Meaning it was able and rated to protect against powerful water jets for at least 3 minutes) It has spent most of its time in heavy rain as well as even being caught up in a flood that ended up submerging it completely underwater for over 48hrs. Yet it continued to record and even captured a crazy underwater video of an otter during the flood. The camera remained dry behind the waterproof cover and still preforms at its full potential!

WARRANTY AND POSSIBLE DRAWBACKS:

The warranty on this camera is fairly standard in the world of trail cams. Backed by a 12 month warranty from the date of purchase.

As for drawbacks, it would be nice if the camera came ready to go out of the box including the needed 8 AA Batteries, and SD Card. Unfortunately the camera only time stamps the footage in 720p and not in the full 1080p. The internal microphone is nothing special, it records sound but does not pick up much outside 10 or so feet.

SUMMERY:

All in all, this camera has exceeded my expectations and has proven itself well against my other larger name branded cameras at more than double the price.

In the time I began this review, they have since came out with an internally upgraded model of this camera featuring 30mp images and 4K Video! Though the rest of the features remain the same. As of right now you can purchase the new model for only $89.99! In my mind this camera is a steal of a deal and you will not be disappointed with your purchase!

https://www.amazon.ca/APEMAN-Hunting-Waterproof-Wildlife-Security/dp/B06XPX81KN/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=h70&qid=1583291755&sr=8-6

[geoffjansen]

APEMAN H70 Trail Cam - First Impressions

The guys over at Apeman kindly send over their H70 Trail Camera for me to test out and review.

At first glance, this camera claims to feature 20MP photo resolution (Interpolated from 5MP Sensor), 1080p Video, 40 IR Low Glow LEDs for night vision up to 65 feet, a trigger speed of 0.2 seconds and a 2inch colour LCD screen. 

Inside the box it includes: 

1x Camera

1x Mounting Belt 

1x Wall Mount

1x USB Cable

1x Instruction Manual

The camera itself feels well made, features a nice camouflage exterior that should make it easy to blend in with the costal rainforest in British Columbia. It requires 8x 1.5V AA Batteries as well as a Class 6 or faster SD/SDHC Card (up to 32GB capacity) which are unfortunately not included. It appears that it should hold up to some abuse and bad weather with its IP66 waterproof rating and rugged build. Setup was fairly straight forward with the 2inch LCD display and illuminated buttons.

The included strap feels fairly cheap, but should be fine for most. I typically don’t use the included straps regardless of the quality with any of my trail cams as I find a solid coloured strap around a tree makes it extreamly obvious to spot and just stands out too much. i prefer to use bailing wire as it blends in very nicely and is virtually invisible once around the tree. The included metal wall mount should work great if you plan on mounting the camera to your house for home security. 

I am excited to get this camera out mounted in the woods, to put it through its true test in the wet & harsh weather we have been experiencing and hopefully capture some great wildlife images and videos while its out. I will be posting a more detailed review after a few weeks of this camera being in use and will let you all know how its held up as well as my likes and dislikes on this product! https://www.amazon.ca/APEMAN-Hunting-Waterproof-Wildlife-Security/dp/B06XPX81KN/ref=sr_1_11?crid=33JEA7XRWONG2&keywords=trail+cameras&qid=1580961018&sprefix=TRAIL+CAMERAS%2Caps%2C1435&sr=8-11

[geoffjansen]

Review - Ikigai Outdoor Collective Landing Net

There was quite a buzz going around the fly fishing industry about these custom landing nets that are handcrafted out of the Elk Valley.

So I picked one up to check out what the craze was all about.

Ikigai Outdoor Collective Landing Nets are handcrafted, and designed in all shapes and sizes by a man named Kevin Wapple from Sparwood, BC.

I had a quick chat with Kevin and asked him what sparked his idea to create these awesome nets. He says “After breaking/loosing a few nets in my life time, I thought I would try my hand at making a net myself. While making the first one, I had a couple buddies ask me to make them nets also. After finishing my first net, (turned out very rough) I had gotten hooked on wood working and couldn’t stop thinking of ideas to make them better and to improve my technique. Soon I found myself taking custom orders and selling at local markets! This hobby of mine has already turned into more than I could've hope for!”

Next, I asked where did the name come from and what does it mean?

IKIGAI (EE-KEY-GUY) A Japanese word meaning “One’s reason for being” He says, “Although wood working is a passion of mine, the reason I wake up in the morning is to spend my time in the outdoors!” and with some help from his brother who studied Japanese culture the name was chosen and Ikigai Outdoor Collective was born.

They are available in types of wood such as Paduk, Jatoba, Santos Rosewood, Walnut, Maple and many more! They're also available in multiple sizes from your typical walk and wade, to full size boat/guide style nets. They all feature a high quality durable rubber netting system that is much more gentle on the fish than your traditional mesh/nylon netting. Once you see a fish calmly in the water inside the rubber net, it is obvious how much more gentle the material is on the fish compared to the typical nylon netting that tends to remove the fish's protective coating. Leaving the fish with a much higher chance of survival!

I picked up a walnut, walk and wade style net and it is truly a piece of art. At first I felt it was too nice to take out on the river, but after a few days of it hanging on my wall as artwork, it was eventually on the river with me and landing some beautiful trout. It has since received many complements while on the water by other anglers.

In the 3.5 months that I have owned one of these beautifully crafted nets, it has shown little to no signs of wear and tear. Although I am probably treating mine more like art than I would typical landing net, I am sure it will be landing fish for many years to come.

I highly recommend you check out Ikigai and pick up one of these for your next outing!

You can check out more of Kevin’s work on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaioutdoorcollective and place an order by messaging him, or purchase in store at the famous Elk River Guiding Company, in Fernie, BC.

[geoffjansen]

Review - Fly Trap Holder

If you’re anything like myself and spend a lot of time on the water tossing flies, you’ll understand the struggle of having to dig through your fly boxes for that perfect fly or searching for your spools of tippet....

Well not anymore with Fly Trap Holder!

Available in 2 sizes, (XSM and XLT) The XLT Pro Series easily and simply holds up to 8 spools of tippet, a handful of your selected flies, as well as your must have fishing accessories such as your nippers, floatant, forceps, leader straightener, ect! The XSM Minimalist Series holds up to 4 spools of tippet, your must have accessories and up to a dozen of your favourite flies.

Made from a durable plastic paired with a silicon rubber “cylinder” to hold your flies in place, the Fly Trap Holder has built in clips and connectors that will easily attach to your shirt, waders, or backpack to name a few. It was designed  so that if you’d rather not hang tippet on your Fly Trap, you can add another Fly Trap Cylinder and hold double the amount of flies! (They claim it can hold up to 2 dozen flies per cylinder, but unless you are fishing micro flies such as chironomids, I feel that you could more realistically hold 10-15 flies per cylinder)

I have been using this Fly Trap Holder kindly provided by the awesome guys over at Eddy Outfitters for the past two months now. It has been with me on trips to Fernie targeting the native Westslope Cutthroat, and up north to Prince George and beyond targeting monster bull trout. It has yet to show any major signs of wear or failure. The rubber “cylinders” still have tons of life left in them compared to your traditional foam or Velcro fly holders that tend to wear out fairly quickly and i have not had a fly unhook itself from the holder! 

All in all, for a budget friendly price of $19.99 for the XLT Pro Series, or $18.99 for the XSM Minimalist Series, I feel that this product has improved my fishing experience on the water and often don’t bother bringing an extra bag anymore because all the necessary gear I need is right there hooked to my shirt or waders!

Christmas is right around the corner and this would be an amazing budget friendly gift for any fisherman on your list!

Head over to EDDYOUTFITTERS.CA and check out their massive range of hand tied flies, loaded fly boxes and be sure to pick yourself up a fly trap holder for your next outing!

They even have a “loaded” option with 6 flies to pair your fly trap holder that suits your needs and fish you are targeting starting at as low as $25.99 for the XSM and $29.99 for the XLT version. 

The best part of all is that they’re Canadian and offer free shipping over $50!

And to sweeten the deal even more use promo code GEOFF20 for an extra 20% off any order at Eddy Outfitters!

[geoffjansen]

Review - Freestone Fly Fishing Company

I have been a Freestone Fly Fishing Co. ambassador for the past three months, so I hope this does not come off as a biased review but I wanted to go over everything this amazing company has to offer.

For those that have not heard of them, Freestone Fly Fishing Co. is a monthly fly fishing subscription box that provides a dozen selected flies, an informative fly guide, a special bonus item as well as a 1 year subscription to Trout Unlimited ($35 Value) delivered to your door each month!

The selected flies are high quality and very well tied. I have not yet to run into a problem with premature failure or breaking a hook. These flies are tied to take a beating from many many trout, and have also produced some great fish!

At a fly shop or box store the 12 flies themselves would easily be $35 or more, not including the bonus items they surprise you with each month!

The monthly “Freestone Fly Guide” gives subscribers a detailed explanation on each fly, tips on how to fish the selected flies, a “Tips & Tricks” article, monthly sale items, as well as a featured Freestone family member!

Share your fishy posts on social media using the #FreestoneFamily hashtag for your chance to be featured!

All in all, this is such an incredible value for only $18.95 per month as it easily includes at least $40 in fly gear, a very informative fly guide and the 1 year subscription to TU ($35 Value)!

To sweeten the deal even more, feel free to use promo code “GEOFF20″ for 20% off your first months membership or gear they have to offer!

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact myself or any other Freestone member, and we would be happy to assist you!

[geoffjansen]

Jeremy Quesnel Big Wheel Backflip

On Friday March 6th, Jeremy Quesnel decided to attempt his first ever Big Wheel back flip to dirt. Unfortunately the Big Wheel broke before he could stomp it! 

Nitro Circus we're coming for you.

[geoffjansen]

SlackLifeBC - Squamish Chief, North Gully

Last friday I headed up the Squamish Chief with the Slack Life BC crew as they set up a highline over the North Gully and a MASSIVE rope swing dropping into the Gully. Here are a few shots from the day, I look forward to shooting with these guys some more in the future!

[geoffjansen]

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Loam - Alex Hinkson

I headed out to Squamish on a rainy Friday for an afternoon of riding and shooting with Alex Hinkson, the trails were mint and good times were had. Check out a few shots from the day!

[geoffjansen]

[geoffjansen]

[geoffjansen]

Nadia Samer - Brandywine

I headed out with Pro Snowmobiler, Nadia Samer on a last minute, spur of the moment sunset shred mission into the Brandywine Meadows. 

Needless to say things got a little sendy like always and good times were had! I Hope to get out and do some more sled shooting before the season comes to a end!