As the sun rises over the Pacific, my freshly brewed hand-pressed coffee energizes my soul, while a light offshore sea breeze fills my lungs. I close my eyes, take in the moment, and exhale, ready for the day. Today I am in Maui. Before the day has set, I will have stood atop the peak of a volcano at 10,023 feet, hiked to a waterfall oasis and surfed in the clearest of waters. What’s wild is that the only thing I will have carried is Matador’s ultra-lightweight, 24 Liter, waterproof backpack that can fold into itself, becoming the size of my hand. Oh and I forgot to mention, in this bag I’m carrying Matador’s Nano Shower Towel, Pocket Blanket, Droplet XL Dry Bag, Camera Base Layer, Droplet Wet Bag, and my DSLR Camera…crazy.
It's still early when I make it to the summit of the volcano. The temperature drops 30 degrees in a matter of minutes, while the wind whips, and I gaze out over Haleakalā (known as the house of the sun). My Matador Freerain24 Backpack is light, breathable and insanely durable.
I pull out my camera, which is snug and safe within the Matador Base Layer. The Camera Base Layer fits my DSLR with all of my lenses, weighs only 68 grams AND has a built in water and dust protection layer (this is such essential gear for me as my camera is like my baby). I unfurl my Nikon within seconds and connect hand to lens and get lost in the beauty that lay before me.
Transitioning from exploring above the clouds, to hiking through a Bamboo forest in search of a waterfall was easy, thanks to my packable gear, my thirst for a swim and the thought of roadside pineapple.
Walking among the creaking of the bamboo with the local sounds of wildlife, I couldn’t help but think I was in a different world. I made my way through the palms, following the sounds of the river to a clearing in the shrubbery, which opened up into an empty serene oasis, the Twin Falls. Trudging through the bank of the river, my gear is light and dry. My gaze is steady and full of wonder as I look upon the 3-story waterfall flowing into a natural swimming pool. Laying my Pocket Blanket down and putting my gear safely on top, I remove my Droplet XL Dry Bag, which is totally waterproof, and fill it with my clothes and camera.
While I swim and float below a waterfall, letting my inner-child loose, keep reading to see why Matador will always be an essential part of our Scrimshaw gear.
What started as a pocket-sized blanket that unfolds to seat four people, became a passion for designing and developing packable adventure gear. Based out of the outdoor mecca, Boulder, Colorado (where the streets meet the mountains), Matador is focused on staying true to their roots by using the local mountains, rivers and plains as their “office”. All of their products are designed entirely by the their team who all have unbridled passion about the outdoors, travel and adventure. This passion translates into well-designed, thoroughly tested, highly capable products that people can depend on. With Matador gear in your pocket, you can go ahead and #PutYourselfOutThere. Time to #AdventureOn.
Talk about dedication to honing your craft. Now you get why Scrimshaw trusts Matador with all our exploration needs!
Drying off with my Nano Shower Towel, I make it back through the palms and bamboo to feast on much needed pre-surf fruit. My legs are dead tired, my body is sun-kissed and slightly worn. I know the end to this perfect day is sliding along glassy waves. It’s, in my opinion, how every day should end.
As I stand on the beach, looking over a cloudless horizon with chest high sets rolling in, I close my eyes, take in the moment, and exhale, ready to close out the day. Tossing my cell-phone and wallet inside the Droplet Wet Bag I grab my board and walk straight into the ocean, knowing that today, I put myself out there.
