DJI entered the 360 camera last year with it’s Osmo 360 and instantly was a strong competitor in the space. It had one big drawback. Non-replaceable lenses meant you had to send the camera back to DJI to be replaced. For a 360 camera that’s often hitting branches or the ground, that was likely.

They are back with the Osmo 360 II. With replaceable lenses. And 8K60 recording. And 16K timelapses. And SuperNight 2.0.

We bashed around with one just after it released Sept 2026 on the water, in the woods, and on our favourite dirt roads to see what it was good at and what needs work.

Image quality

Video

The image quality on the Osmo 360 II is just excellent. DJI know cameras and know video well from their drones and other cameras. 360 cameras are a bit of a different beast with the manipulation you have to do to put the image together.

Most of the specs got a bump from the Osmo 360 I like 8K60 up from 8K50, sharper HDR, 64x slow mo, version 2.0 of SuperNight, and 1 more stop dynamic range.. The D-Log M with 10-bit color stayed, same with the 2.4 μm pixel size.

HorizonSteady and RockSteady have always impressed me and they continue to on this camera. I can be be hiking, riding on the motorcycle, or bouncing around in chopping water in the kayak and things are smooth and steady.

The 14.5 stops dynamic range (up from 13.5 with the previous version) really helps out in the dark areas. When it’s bright out there’s bound to be a dark area somewhere with a camera that looks straight up and straight down at the same time. It struggled a little bit when I was in dark trees with patches of bright hot sun coming through. The dark areas in an mostly light area still look quite good. The bright areas when it’s mostly very dark didn’t look as good around the edges of objects like trees.

I noticed sometimes there was the odd stitching issue with objects that are very close to the camera and direction to the side where the lenses meet. My fishing rod was split a little bit in some of the footage when it was close to the camera. Anything farther was seamlessly stitched together and was magically lined up.

8K60fps

8K60fps is a major bump in video for the II, edging out the 2026 Insta360 X6 and well ahead of the GoPro Max 2. The Osmo II can get quite hot on 8K60. It will first shut off the screen when it’s getting hot and then turn off completely to protect itself. How long that lasts depends on the temperature and how much air flow it’s getting.

I was able to get it to record 60 minutes inside with no airflow. It was about 18° Celsius with no air flow. I’d say that’s pretty good. You’ll get more if it’s cold outside with good airflow. The screen did turn off at 35 minutes to prevent overheating.

Images

Images are up to 120MP in jpeg with an option of HDR. Raw images are an option now but limited to 30MP. I’d like to see higher resolution in raw for editing later. The 8K Timelapses in v1 got upgraded to 16K in the Osmo 360 II. I don’t take still images as much with the Osmo but timelapses show everything in a completely different way.

Shooting Modes and Controls

The Osmo 360 II has a good set of different shooting modes. I like using the Panoramic Video the most with the Timelapses being really good in certain scenarios.

For 360 video and photo there is:

• Panoramic Photo
• Panoramic Video
• SuperNight
• Spotlight
• Pano Slow Motion
• Selfie Mode
• Vortex
• Timelapse

For Single Lens mode, there is:

• Photo
• Boost Video (up to 4K120fps)
• SuperNight
• Video (up to 4K60fps)

Quick Switch

A little icon in the bottom left brings up the mode menu and you can quickly pick a different mode from there. One tap on the power button also brings up the Quick Switch (QS) menu. The modes in this menu are editable in the settings.

SnapShot

The Record and Function button can go straight into one of the modes from off as well. In the SnapShot menu you can choose the functions.

Record button can do the last 360 function, Panoramic Video, SuperNight, or Hyperlapse.

Function button can do the Single Lens modes: Boost Video, SuperNight, Single Lens Video (front or back lens)

Any option enabled in the settings goes yellow so it’s easy to see.

Replaceable lenses

If you cracked or scratched a lens with the first Osmo 360, it had to be sent to DJI to be fixed.

Now with the Osmo 360 II, the lens is replaceable and there’s a replacement kit. For $25 USD you get single lens and the tools to replace it. For $35 USD you can get 2 lenses.

The lenses also have a tougher ion sputtering coating so they are harder to scratch. This process adds extra ions to the lens material, making it denser without affecting light passing through.

Replacement is just unscrew the scratched lens with the tool in the kit, screw on a new one and run calibration. DJI has some easy instructions.

SuperNight 2.0

SuperNight 2.0 is a lowlight mode for the Osmo 360 II. It’s basically the updated version of SuperNight on the first version. It uses the faster processor to reduce the noise in dark areas or dark parts of high contrast scenes.

It’s available all the way up to 8K60. Faster shutter speeds at night will reduce blur more but lower shutter speeds will let in more light. Depends on what your situation is. D-Log M isn’t available in SuperNight

Dual Recording

Spotlight Follow

When you’re moving all over the place, especially on a bike or little boat, the view in the camera will turn around as you move. If all you want to do is have the focus on you or another subject in the frame somewhere, it’s not hard to add keyframes in DJI Studio or Mimo to make sure the focus stays on you. But you don’t have to manually do it.

Spotlight Follow lets you pick the subject of the clip, and it will automatically keep the focus on that person or thing.

In the camera, there’s a 360 video mode called Spotlight Follow. It will try to detect something in the frame to follow. If it sees a face, it will keep the focus or spotlight on that person through the whole clip. Then that clip comes focused out of the camera to use in Mimo or DJI Studio. You can always reframe it later if you want.

If you didn’t enable spot light in camera, you can just do it in the DJI Studio. In Studio it’s called Intelligent Tracking. After clicking a clip and Intelligent Tracking you can pick what the subject is and Studio will scan through reframing automatically to where ever that subject has moved.

If you are moving and turning a lot in your footage the camera will stay framed to the original direction it started recording in. This doesn’t help when you want to keep yourself or something else in the frame. Spotlight just keeps your subject framed without all the manual movements and key frames.

Microphones

There are 4 mics on the Osmo 360 II, 1 of them windproof. They all work together to get spatial audio from all 4 and then using the windproof one to isolate the wind noises. All this together gives some pretty impressive audio.

I was surprised with the audio straight out of camera, and how rich it was. The audio on action cameras is often not great so it’s nice to see that you don’t really need external mics.

There are instances where you’d want to use external mics. If it’s windy, you’re farther away from the camera, or there are loud engine noises like on a motorcycle, then it’s nice to have external sound. The Osmo has 2 channels that you can can pair mics with.

I tried with my DJI Mic Mini and pairing was quick. Power on the mic, press the pair button and it showed on the camera ready to connect. Battery and volume for the mic show on the camera as well.

If you don’t have any mics, you can pair bluetooth headphones with them as well. I tried with my Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 earbuds and it was easy to pair, just like on a phone. The audio from the mics on these Jabra’s is not great but if you had headphones with better mics then you can get great audio just from that.

There is a built-in audio backup option as well, that’s off by default, that records camera audio as well as mic audio. If you’ve ever done a bunch of recording and realized the mic wasn’t working or it was in a windy spot it’s nice to have a backup. These get saved to the memory as a wave file.

Waterproof

Without a case, the Osmo 360 II is waterproof to 10 metres or 30 feet. With the case it can go down to 50m or 160 feet.

Because the software that puts all the images together works with air around the lenses, the naked camera doesn’t do much on it’s own. To get good images underwater, you’ll need the case. There is an option to enable stitching with the waterproof case on as it’s different than just having the naked lenses.

I don’t have a case yet so I can’t comment what it’s like to use with that. I did try it underwater a few times on the shallow water at the beach and under a waterfall just to see what it would do. Knowing it’s completley waterproof is nice for those wet days or when you want a shot where the camera comes out of a tidepool or waterfall.

I’ll update with more if I can get my hands on a waterproof case.

Storage

360 videos take up a lot of space. I’ve got terabytes of video and photos already but 360 take this to a whole new level. Recording at 8K30 can be up around a gigabyte a minute at high bitrates. You can reduce the quality if you want to save some space.

There are 2 options for storage, the built-in storage or a microSD card.

There’s 105 GB built in so even if you forget a card, you can still get some shots. At 8k30, that’s more than a battery or 90 minutes of recording.

There’s also a microSD card slot that will take up to 1 TB cards.

You have to pick which storage you are using in the settings. If you have a big card, the 105 GB is a good backup. Recording doesn’t automatically switch from one storage to another so keep an eye on your space.

Screen

The screen stays the same as the 2″ touchscreen on the first version. I found the touch screen responsive, snappy, and easy to use. Some of the touchscreens on action cameras can be laggy and hard to hit the right buttons.

Out in the kayak on the ocean, the wavers were coming up over the front of the boat and getting the camera wet. I wasn’t worried about the water as it’s plenty waterproof but the screen was a little less accurate when it had water droplets on it. A quick wipe and it was good to go. Connecting with your camera and framing or controlling like that might work better when it’s wet.

DJI Studio

DJI Studio is a desktop editing software to put organize and edit 360 video. It isn’t directly part of the Osmo 360 II but if you want to do anything with your video you’ll need a 360 video editor.

I’ve used a lot of software before being a web developer and IT project manager. DJI Studio is nicely laid out and easy to navigate. I’m not an advanced video editor, mainly using Davinci Resolve to edit basic videos and Reels. I imported the video, reviewed my footage and started editing a couple projects without looking up any instructions.

Importing

After plugging in the camera, downloading clips to your machine is easy. Select the ones you want and click download. It will ask you where you want to put them. It warns you if you don’t have enough space. I try to delete anything here that isn’t good to save space.

I regularly select all from a session shooting. You can select all with Shift click but it would be easier if there was a button to select the whole day.

The camera has to be on for the app to see it. It charges while it’s plugged in so doesn’t use up the battery to download footage.

Spotlight Follow

Like I mentioned above with Spotlight Follow, the option is called Intelligent Follow in DJI Studio.

It lets you put a box around your subject and then it scans through moving the focus to the subject you’ve highlighted for the whole clip. It scans at a little faster than actual time in the video but it does take a bit to move through long clips. You have to select the subject for each clip if you’ve got multiple.

If you know you want to track something and you have battery to spare, enabling in the camera is better and then it’s already done when you import. You can just remove the track and reframe manually too.

AI tools

DJI Studio has a few AI tools baked in. I’d imagine this number will increase the as the updates come.

• Intelligent Tracking – tracks your selected subject for Spotlight Follow

• Frame Interpolation – generates extra frames so you can slowdown the slo-mo even more.

• SuperNight enhancement – cleans up noise in the lowlight areas

Editing

Editing is easy on Studio. It’s drag a clip onto the timeline, clip it to the length you want, add any effects, repeat.

The performance in Studio is a bit slower than I’d like it to be on an M4 Mac Air. It’s pretty good but there are times where it’s loading something and lags a bit.

I haven’t been through all of the functions and keyboard shortcuts yet, there are so many. Q and W keys to trim left or right are very helpful. These are common keys that I use all the time and are usually some crazy keyboard shortcut in other applications.

One you’re done editing or to see your edits, it’s easy to export with different settings. There’s an export queue that runs in the background.

There are a few things that would be helpful it doesn’t have.

To organize footage for the day and create a quick edit, I make a timeline for the day. It’d be nice to be able to copy clips from this to other projects.

When trimming on the timeline the play head stays in the same place in the timeline. I prefer how apps like DaVinci moves the playhead to be at the same place on the clip you just trimmed.

A smaller issue but one that might help organization, it’d be nice to see some of the metadata on each clip in the media window. I was specifically looking for something 60fps and had to click on each clip to see.

DJI Mimo App

I really like the DJI’s Mimo app for IOs and Android. I’ve used it a lot when editing any video on my iPhone, not just DJI drone or 360 footage. It’s clean, easy to use, and has lots of videos to learn more. I rarely have enough space on my phone download and edit big videos so I’m usually on my Mac Air or Windows desktop but if something cool happened in a clip I’ll take it and post it right away through my phone. Some features like Dual Recording are only available in the Mimo App.

Importing

Importing is easy with Mimo. As soon as you’re in the app and the camera is on it will ask you to connect. You can enable the NFC tap area as well and just tap the bottom of the screen with your phone when the camera is one. It will ask if you want to go to the app downloads.

Here you can review clips, download single ones from the list screen or the clip screen, or select entire days and download all the clips.

Reviewing footage

Footage is imported to the Local tab. It’s grouped by day which is a nice way to look through footage. A quick click and you’re in a clip and can pan around to reframe. On my iPhone 14 it’s quick, no lag, and easy to get to basic options.

Camera Controls

With all the different mounts and places you can put the Osmo 360 II, sometimes it’s a pain to get to the screen to start recording, set a different mode or check the framing.

When connected to the camera, you can control the camera through the app.

Options:

• Media on camera
• 360 to single lens mode
• Record
• Reframe to other lens
• Save or pick a custom setting profile
• Modes (Photo, Video, SuperNight, Spotlight, Selfie, Slow motion, vortex, Timelapse, Hyperlapse)
• Color profile
• Resolution
• Manual settings (EV, Shutter Speed, Max ISO)
• Grid, White Balance, Color Mode, OverExport Alert, Loop Recording (keeps the last 5 minutes or 1 hour)

Editing

I know a lot of people edit videos on their phone but I prefer on a computer. The screen is bigger and I never have enough space to download clips to my phone. I whole computer is a lot to carry though and a phone is a lot more portable.

That said the Mimo app can do a lot. Basic trimming of clips is easy, as well as adding filters, adjusting color, cropping, rotating, stabilization, and adding sports dashboard data.

Dual recording is one of the features that’s only on the Mimo app. You can do a picture in picture from the same clip.

Gesture and Voice Control

The buttons aren’t the only to start and stop recording on the Osmo 360 II.

Gesture Control

Gesture Control is starting and stopping recording by holding up your hand.

By default Gesture Control is disabled. In the Control Centre, pick Gesture Control > Enable to turn it on. You can enable it for just starting recording or both starting and stopping.

To trigger it, hold up your hand facing the camera. I found it worked best with fingers together and out to the side a bit, not in front of your body. It takes a second to register so flipping your hand up and down won’t trigger it. It works from the bottom of the selfie stick as well.

Voice Control

Voice Control is just like it sounds, telling the camera to Start Recording or Stop Recording.

It needs to be enabled first. Swipe down > swipe right > voice control section (with little face icon). It can do English or Mandarin Chinese.

There are 4 phrases, it will respond to:

• Start Recording
• Stop Recording
• Take Photo
• Shutdown

It’s very quick to do the action. It started recording or started shutdown before I was even down saying it. The phrase has to be exact. ‘Take a photo’ doesn’t work but ‘Take photo’ does. There’s no voice training so anyone saying these phrases in the vicinity will trigger it.

If you have a mic attached, the commands work through the mic as well. It might be hard to tell if the recording as actually started if it’s noisy around you.

Twist Control

Twist Control is a cool way to start recording if you have the camera on a selfie stick. Again, it has to be enabled in the control centre.

Just twist the selfie stick twice to start recording, stop recording or take a photo. The twist has to be more than 45°. I thought the 45° might be tough but it’s not hard. A couple little twists and it’s going.

It would be great with gloves on or it’s up on the end of a 2.5m selfie stick where it’s harder to reach.

Battery Life

I’m used to poor battery life on cameras. It’s not great on my current mirrorless and action camera so hike with a bunch of batteries. The 100 minutes DJI states on the Osmo 360 II was impressive. And that 100 minutes isn’t just at 1080p or 4K, it’s at 8K!

The Osmo 360 II comes with the Extreme Battery Plus which is 2150 mAh compared to the 1950 mAh Extreme Battery in the first version and the Action 6. They’re exactly the same size and interchangeable. The Osmo 360 II seems to be doing more processing than version 1 and needs that bit bigger battery.

With the regular settings I use most days (8K30, RockSteady, Wifi, Screen timeout 1 min), I got 90 minutes recording. Screens typically use a lot of battery. I didn’t touch the camera so the screen was off for most of the test. If you are using it with screen on, battery life will be less.

With 8K30, stabilization off, screen off, wifi off I was able to get 102 minutes. 10 more minutes with all these things disabled is pretty good if you need a bit more time. Unless I’m scraping by with battery, I usually leave them on.

When plugged in the battery charges in the camera. A little green bubble on the screen when it’s off and charging.

Endurance mode

Endurance mode can be enabled if you really need to stretch your batteries. It reduces background tasks and processing quality to increase the recording time up to 120 min. It leads to more noise in dark areas so I try to leave this off as much as possible. It only supports 30 fps or lower.

In testing I got 120 minutes with 8K30, RockSteady off, wifi off, screen off, endurance mode on.

Charging

Charging is quick with a 30 watt PD (Power Delivery) charger. I tried it with a regular the 5-watt phone charger and it takes considerably longer.

DJI says they get 80% in 22 minutes and 100% in 50 minutes. I didn’t quote get the 80% in 22 minutes in testing but I did get 100% faster.

Test results:

• 34% in 10 mins
• 64% at 20 mins
• 90% at 30 mins
• 100% at 37 mins

I’m more than happy with 100% in 37 minutes. I used an 35 watt PD charger from an M4 Macbook Air that conveniently has 2 USB-C ports.

Battery life on 8K60

Recording on 8K60 uses battery faster. I was able to get 60 minutes recording on 8K60.

Some of that is to due with the heat it generates. I was getting overheating warnings about 20 minutes into recording. I was in my house at about 18 C with no airflow though so outside in cooler weather it may go for longer. Warmer weather will be shorter. I’ve seen online in hot weather it may only go 20 minutes. At that point it won’t be limited by the battery.

Accessories

Like all action cameras, accessories are super important to using the camera. It’s tough to use it without. If you know you are getting some of accessories anyways, try to get a combo as it’s cheaper.

360 cameras pair well with selfie sticks. They are automatically removed in the processing so it looks like someone else is filming you. It doesn’t work well when you just hold with your hands.

The Osmo 360 II comes with a 1/4″ thread on the bottom for some of the mounts. Others use the 2 pronged action camera mount. The Dual Direction Quick Release adapter can connect to this type.

1.2m Invisible Selfie stick

The basic selfie stick. They come in different lengths. Watch out for which mount it is, either the 1/4″ screw thread or the 2 prong mount. Sometimes they have both.

See on DJI.com

1m High-Strength Carbon Fibre Selfie Stick

Carbon Fibre is stiffer and doesn’t vibrate as much so if you’re looking to mount to a vehicle, this might be a better choice than the aluminum ones.

See on DJI.com

2.5m Selfie Stick

If you need a longer selfie stick, 2.5 metres might do the trick. With your reach and another 2.5 metres, you can get some cool shots. At this distance, they 360 footage starts to look like drone footage which is handy where you can’t fly drones.

See on Amazon.com

Battery Extension Rod

This is 90 cm selfie stick with a battery inside. It can get up to 4.5 hours more recording. At the bottom, where you hold, there are Power, Function, and Record buttons so you don’t have to reach up to the camera. The end is a dual direction quick release mount that can lock straight or tilt.

See on DJI.com

Dual-Direction Quick-Release Adapter Mount

Unscrewing the camera from mounts can be tedious when you’re switching angles a lot. There are Dual-Direction Quick-Release adapter mounts available. These clip to the bottom of the camera and pop off by pushing the clips on the side. One version has 1/4″ thread adapter, the other a 2 prong action camera mount. Make sure both clips are pushed in properly, otherwise it’s just the magnet holding the camera.

See 1/4″ version on DJI.com

See two prong version on DJI.com

Dual Heavy-Duty Clamp

These ball and socket clamps are great for mounting to vehicles or holding the selfie stick. When tightened they’re very stiff.

This one comes with 2-prong and 1/4″ thread mounts as well for non-selfie stick mounting or to use with a second clamp to hold the selfie stick.

See on DJI.com

Biking accessory Kit (Chest Mount and Handle-bar Mount)

A lot of the accessories come with a couple mounts. This one comes with a small clamp and a chest strap that has mounts on the front and back. Both mounts are 2 prong adapters. There are a few kits for bikes that mount behind the seat, under the seat or off the handlebar stem.

See on DJI.com

Lens replacement Kit (1 or 2 lenses)

Now with the 360 II the lenses are replaceable. There are kits with 1 or 2 replacement lenses. It comes with the lenses, a tool and suction cup to remove the lenses, an air blower, and cloths for cleaning.

See on DJI.com

Lens Protectors

To try not to scratch your lenses in the first place, there are clear lens protectors that clip on. To stitch the video properly, make sure the lens protector mode is on.

See on DJI.com

Multifunctional Battery Case

There’s never enough batteries with action cameras. The Multifunctional Battery Case can hold 3 batteries and 2 SD cards. It can charge 3 batteries in 2 hours with a 30 watt USB-C PD charger. It can also charge your phone from the batteries in the case. Doesn’t come with batteries but some of the combos come with 3 batteries.

See on DJI.com

Extra batteries

The Osmo 360 II gets 90-100 minutes recording with most settings but often that’s not enough so you’ll need more batteries. You can buy them separately. Make sure to get the 2150 mAh version if you can.

See on DJI.com

Thse are just some of the DJI accessories and mounts but there are lots more available from third parties as well. Amazon is full of them.

Spec Comparison: Osmo 360 II vs Osmo 360 I

The Osmo II is similar to the Osmo I in almost every way. The standout differences being:

• replaceable lens covers
• upgraded processor
• 14.5 stops dynamic range
• 8K 60 fps 360 video
• 16K 360 timelapse
• AI SuperNight 2.0
• Larger battery
• Dual Recording, Spotlight Follow, NFC Tap Area

The camera itself and batteries are the same physical size.

Compared to the Insta360 X6 and GoPro Max 2

There are a few other 360 cameras out there, namely the Insta360 X6 and the GoPro Max 2. Insta360 is regularly releasing new cameras and updating software. GoPro is having a bit of trouble at the moment but has just launched their new Mission series with external lenses.

Final Thoughts on the DJI Osmo 360 II

Entering a new market like drones or 360 cameras is tough. Many have tried and failed. DJI is making it look easy. With all their drone and camera experience the first version of their Osmo 360 was a serious competitor to the Insta360 X series.

Quickly turning around the Osmo 360 II with removeable lenses, 8K60 recording, bigger batteries and 16K timelapses, DJI knows what their aiming for. And they’re iterating quickly. Insta360 have made more 360 cameras but clearly DJI know what they’re doing after only 2 iterations.

Editing is import to the 360 process. The Mimo app is fantastic. I had no issues with it and it’s got all the basic functions I want to edit clips or put together short videos. I do prefer working on a bigger screen. DJI Studio is a fantastic app and has a ton of features. It’s performance needs a little work, lagging here and there on an M4 Macbook Air. Video editing is tough on a computer on a good day, 360 editing even more so.

For accessories, there are tons. Between DJI and third party mounts, you can mount to anything from bikes, motorcycles, cars, helmets, backpacks, and people easily. The mounts usually work with DJI Action 6 cameras too so it’s worth it to extend the ecosystem if you are already there. The DJI mics work seamlessly with them both as well.

It may be tough to find an Osmo 360 II in the US at the moment because of the silly FCC issues but if you can find one you can get a top-of-the-line 360 camera for less than the X6.

I own multiple DJI products and love them. They’re built well. They work well. The Osmo 360 II is going on that list as well.

The post DJI Osmo 360 II Review: A Solid Step Up first appeared on Pack & Trail.

The first Osmo 360 made a strong entrance into the 360 camera space in July 2025. They pull from their handheld, action camera, and drone experience and continue to make updates to it’s already strong 360 platform. Insta360 and GoPro remain strong competitors but DJI has repeatedly shown it’s a strong, innovative technology company, not just a drone manufacturer.

The Osmo 360 II was announced September 3rd and goes on sale Sept 15.

Stay tuned for our full test and review.

Updated Specs

• replaceable lens covers
• upgraded processor
• 14.5 stops dynamic range
• 8K 60 fps 360 video
• 16K 360 timelapse
• AI SuperNight 2.0
• Dual Recording, Spotlight Follow, NFC Tap Area

Continued Specs from the Osmo 360

• Square 1/1.1 HDR sensor
• 2 inch touchscreen
• 105 built- in storage (up to 1 TB micro SD)
• 10-bit color and D-Log M
• Voice Control
• Gesture Control

Spec Comparison: Osmo 360 II vs Osmo 360 I

Replaceable Lens Covers

360 cameras get bashed around. If they attached to your truck, board, or bike, the lens covers will get hit with stuff along the way. The lenses on the 360 II can be replaced now with a quick kit available from DJI.

100 min battery life

At 8k 30fps the 360 II gets 100 minutes for battery life. With lower resolutions, it will get higher battery life.

105gb internal battery

I’ve forgotten my SD cards too many times. With 105gb built-in memory, you can still do some shooting even if you forget your card. Add more with a micro SD card up to 1 TB.

AI SuperNight 2.0

Low light is tough for digital cameras. The ISO has to be high to be high to maintain framerate but then images get noisy. SuperNight cleans up the low light shots with AI. The 14.5 stops dynamic range helps get a clean image in the first place.

Accessories

The Osmo 360 II taps into the many accessories from the Osmo 360 and the Action series. There are already many different mounts, cases and sticks to mount these all over the place.

The post DJI Launches the Osmo 360 II first appeared on Pack & Trail.

But how does it hold up in actual heat, real-world setup, and windy field conditions? Let’s get to the testing.

Not looking for this one? Check out our other solar panel reviews.

Specs

Check price on the IBCPower Foldable 100 Solar Panel

Charging

There’s one 6 foot cord with an MC4 connection on it. This can be plug multiple panels into a battery. With the DJI Power 1000 Mini, you’ll need the SDC to MC4 adapter to hook up.

There aren’t any USB plugs on the panel itself which can be handy but if you’re plugged into a battery, that will already have ports.

The newer N-type TOPCon cells seem to do their job. Compared to other foldable solar panels I’ve got from the last few years, it beat out all of them. The difference was only a few watts compared to other recent panels. Compared to panels with PERC cells, the difference was 5 to 10 watts. Over time this really adds up.

The N-type cells are also more efficient in high heat and low light.

Size

Compared to bifold designs (2 flat panels that open like a book), the IBCPower folds up much smaller. Length and width are considerably smaller.

After folding, there are multiple layers and the stands on the side so it is thicker than the bifolds. Overall It’s smaller and lighter than other popular 100W bifold designs I’ve seen.

There are gaps between each of the small sections so you could hang it too. If you don’t need the stands, it’ll be a bit lighter and smaller to store.

Set up and Folding

Set up isn’t hard but is a little longer than bifold designs.

• Unclip stand and stand them up
• Undo velcro panel straps and put on stand
• Undo velcro on cord and plug into battery

Taking down is just the opposite.

Setting up the stands in between the first and second panels and third and fourth panels kept it more flat facing the sun.

The stiffer structure of bifold designs is a bit more sturdy in windy weather. Hanging the IBCPower is easy with all the openings through the panel. It would be a bit easier if had grommets or connection points around the edges.

Moving

Small adjustments on the panel is easy. If found grabbing the pivot point on the stands and the panel itself through the wholes made it easy to move.

Moving it longer distances was harder as you have to manage the stands as well. If going more than a couple feet, I’d just grab the whole thing and set it up again.

It doesn’t really adjust angle well. The stands like to be at 45 degrees and it’s hard to keep them any angle other than that.

Water Resistance

The IBCPower have slightly higher water resistance, at 1P67 , compared to most of the other bifolds.

IP65 (most others) is good for rain and splash resistance. You can still leave them outside and it won’t harm anything. Your batteries might not be able to sit out in the rain though but that’s another issue.

The IBCPower IP67 can full go underwater for 1 minute and 30 seconds. I don’t think you’ll be putting your solar panels in the water but even if it’s heavily raining, they’ll be fine.

Final Thoughts

The IBCPower 100W foldable solar panel are a good option if you are limited on space or want small and light. The efficient N-type TOPCon solar cells beat out the PERC-type cells in my testing, sometimes as much as 10 watts.

The external stands require a bit more time to set up than the integrated stands of the bifold designs but both required 2 hands to set up and move.

The IBCPower comes in at the same price as Zignes 100W 2 fold design that DJI also sells. The bifolds are a bit easier to set up but are heavier and larger to store.

The N-type TOPCon cells produce measureably more watts than PERC-type cells I tested. I was getting 10 more watts from the IBCPower in all kinds of light. If you are ok with 20 more seconds of setup, they efficency gain charging and storing is worth it.

Verdict: Recommended

$285.54 CAD / $209 USD

The post IBCPower 100W Foldable Solar Panel Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Known for their bombproof coolers and other camp and adventure equipment, Yeti have dabbled in commuter and cooler backpacks.

Some companies try to pivot into new products and don’t make it. So far Yeti has proven they can apply their intense engineering to any product. They’re not cheap but they are literally bearproof.

The Skala is Yeti’s new line of ultra-durable backpacks in 32, 40, 50 and 60 litre sizes.

We took the Skala 40 out for a spin to see what Yeti’s backpacking packs are like.

Video Review

Here’s the video review of the Skala 40. It’s a good summary of it’s features on an abandoned ski hill. The in depth review with more details is below.

Specs

RipZip Access

The first thing I noticed about the Skala is the giant zipper going all the way down the front of it. This is the RipZip opening.

Two zippers keep the top hatch on and another goes all the way down the front almost to the bottom. With one of these, it’s easy to pop the top or peel whole thing.

Giant YKK® AquaGuard® No. 10 Zippers are tight but pull open quickly. A rubbery pull on the main zipper and 2 paracord loops on the side zippers make it easy to open, it’s just a pull. Pulling down on the main zip and up on the top hatch opens everything at the same time.

Beginner tip: don’t leave the front zipper open and pick it up. Stuff falls out. I absolutely did not do this myself.

The zippers have a polyurethane coating down the outside and aren’t waterproof but very water resistant.

Padding

The second thing I noticed about the Skala is all the padding. Packs this size rarely come with this much padding. It’s often on bigger packs for heavier loads. Yeti purchased Mystery Ranch in 2024, a company famous for it’s burly load hauling backpacks. It shows in the Skala line and fits well with Yeti’s ethos. Built to last.

In between the padding is a channel for venting. It’s not quite as much as the full mesh back panels in other packs but any airflow really helps keep cooler. I feel like the foam would last longer than mesh panels.

The lumbar padding curves around your back. It’s quite curved, maybe a little bit too much to start. it flattened out as it warmed up hiking and wasn’t uncomfortable at all.

The hip belt is removable if you want to shed some weight. There are 2 clips on each side and a patch of hook and loop in the middle holding it in.

Storage

Storage on the Skala is simple but effective.

The large main pocket provides most of the space with a small water bladder pouch sits at the back of that. A 3 litre bladder fits no problem in the pocket. There are no other pockets inside.

On top, the lid can hold a few litres of gear for quick access. A zipper in the back opens that compartment.

On the hip belt are generous pockets that easily fit a phone, a few bars, or a big GPS. I love big hip belt pockets. They are so useful on the go.

Around the back, on either side of the RipZip opening, are 2 stretch pockets. They’re big enough for a water bottle, or wet jacket.

On both sides are 2 more stretch pockets with compression straps. They’re slightly smaller than the back pockets and the top is angled forwards. I can’t reach a water bottle there to pull it out but I bet many people could.

Adjustable Harness

The harness can adjust up to 8 inches on each of the sizes so that allows for quite the range in sizing. Sizes come in Small/Medium and Large/Extra Large.

How to measure

Like most backpacks, Yeti measures the torso length from the top of your hip bones (iliac crest) straight up to your C7 vertebrae (lump at the base of your neck). Waist is the distance around at the iliac crest.

I’m 170 cm tall with 48cm torso length. I could have gone with either size since there’s a bit of overlap. 48cm (20 inch) is the smallest I would go on the large. It’s the bottom limit of the adjustable range of the harness. I’d recommend the S/M for less than 48cm.

Adjusting

The harness is held in place by some agressive hook and loop (velcro). To separate it and adjust the harness up or down, there is a yoke adjuster built into the top of the harness.

To move the harness, lift the adjuster cover, pull out the adjuster, push the adjuster down into the hook and loop, slide the harness up or down, pull the adjuster out, replace adjuster in it’s pocket.

Materials

The main components on the Skala are the AlumaLite frame and the Guardcore nylon around the outside.

A combination of 420 denier and 210 denier nylon make up the fabric on the bag. This is still relatively lightweight but very strong when you’re scraping along trees and rocks. A carbonate coating on the Guardcore keeps most (not all) of the water out.

The AlumaLite frame is an internal frame made from aluminum. It keeps the bags shape but still lets it move and flex as you hike. Internal frame backpacks will be slightly heavier than those without any frame but will be nicer for carrying heavier loads. The aluminum ‘stays’ connect the hip belt to the shoulders of the harness letting you adjust the weight between the two.

Weight

The Skala 40 comes in at 1.5 kg. This is pretty good for a pack with a frame and thick padding. We rounded up a few examples of other packs around 40 litres to see where the Skala landed. It’s not the lightest. But it’s not the heaviest either. Prices for this size ranged anywhere from $200 to over $500.

Other sizes

The Skala comes in the 40 litre size we tested here but also 32, 50, and 60 litre sizes.

The 32 and 40 are well suited to short or long day hikes. With small or minimal gear, you can go for multiple days with a 40 litre.

The 50 and 60 litre are focused on multiple days and heavier loads. They have an opening at the bottom as well as the full RipZip down the front. This bottom compartment is great for tents or sleeping bags.

The load lifters also have two options for attachment points. A low or high attachment let’s you adjust the harness more for a good fit.

Both have the AlumaLite frame, Guardcore nylon shell, stretch back and side pockets, hip belt pockets and top pocket lid.

Final Thoughts

Yeti durability isn’t for everyone. It’s going to weigh a bit more and cost a bit more. After throwing around their coolers, mugs, duffels, and cooler backpacks for the last few years, it’s obvious they know how to make durable gear.

The RipZip is a nice way to open the pack quickly so you can get to all your stuff. If you just want to open the top, that’s easy too. Stash pockets and big hip belt pockets easily hold all the stuff.

Load lifters, thick padding and a functional frame mean it carries better with a heavier load than your average 40 litre.

If you’re going cheap or ultralight, you’ll have to look at other pack options. For everything else, definitely try on a Skala.

Price: $435 CAD, $325 USD

Verdict: Recommended

More Photos

I received a free product sample from Yeti to test for this review. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in. All opinions are my own.

The post Yeti Skala 40 Backpack Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

DJI has become a world leader in drones and mobile camera technology. They have pushed the limits of size and weight of drones, gimbals, and microphones.

A major factor in the success of the all DJI products are the batteries. Without strong batteries the gimbals, drones and microphones are tough to use.

Out camping, on road trips, and making content, all these batteries need to be charged. With the Power 1000 and Power 500, DJI are now making the power station, an electrical home base if you will, to reset and charge everything back up.

Building on the success and technology of the Power 500 and 1000 launched in 2024, DJI just released the Power 1000 Mini. Same total 1008 wH capacity as the Power 1000 but in half the size.

DJI says the Power 1000 Mini ‘builds on more than 15 years of dedicated research and development in battery innovation.’

‘With more than 700 battery patents and more than 10 million users globally, DJI batteries have been validated through tens of billions of charging and discharging cycles for drones, cameras, gimbals, microphones, portable power stations, and beyond.’ I never think of DJI has a battery company as well but they have made more than a few.

The Power 1000 Mini is focused is on efficiently charging smaller items like drones, laptops, cameras, and phones. Those aren’t the only things it can power. Anything with AC, USB, or SDC cords or adapters up to the 1000 watt max will charge.

Let’s have a look at the rest of the specs and our testing results.

What’s in the box?

• POWER 1000 Mini power station
• Quick start guide
• Safety guidelines
• AC charge cable
• SDC car port cable
• SDC MC4 solar panel cable

Power 1000 Mini Specs

The Power 1000 Mini is a compact rectangle with a handle on one end and all the ports on the other. All the ports, screen, and light are on one end so you don’t have to go digging around the back to plug anything in.

The top is flat and the handle is flush with the top so it’s easy to pack around. The handle has a grippy material on it. It’s well-placed so it’s easy to pick up one-handed.

Ports and Output

The Power 1000 Mini has a good selection of ports.

• 2 USB-A
• 1 USB-C
• 1 retractable cable USB-C cable (3 feet)
• 4 AC (1 grounded)
• 1 SDC
• 1 AC input

The retractable 100 watt USB-C cord is super convenient for charging everything these days and I can’t lose it. A magnet keeps the end flush with the front panel. I love having the built in cable. Most of what I charge now is USB-C.

90% of my charging is for USB devices. Between phones, tablets, headlamps, camp lights, drone batteries, camera batteries, speakers, laptops, and headphones, theres a lot to charge. The 2 USB-A ports and 2 USB-C ports are always full when we’re getting ready for a trip and at the campsite. I would gladly take more USB ports if they could add them.

The 2 USB-C ports share 150 watts between them. Each can go up to 100 watts if the other isn’t used.

The SDC port stands for Software Defined Charger and can be used with a bunch of other DJI cables. For input to charge the station, cables for the car accessory port or MC4 connectors for solar panels. For output, it has a DC car accessory port and fast charge adapters for many of the DJI drone batteries. If you need multiple SDC ports, the Power 1000 might be better with an SDC and SDC lite port.

The 4 AC ports are good for bigger devices. There’s only 1 with 3 prongs that’s grounded so keep that in mind. I’m rarely on AC so the USB is heavily used. We’ll run a projector or hair dryer on the AC on occasion. If you can run DC through the USB ports it’s more efficient but sometimes it’s not possible.

Charging

There’s 5 ways to charge the Power 1000 Mini.

• AC – Fast charge
• AC – Regular charge
• Solar (through SDC port)
• Car (through SDC port)
• 100 W built-in retractable USB-C cable

The easiest and fastest is the fast charge through the AC port. 800 watts is the max speed on fast charge charging 80% in 58 minutes and 100% in 75 minutes.

Regular charge works well too. Fast charging usually reduces the life of batteries a little quicker so if you want max lifespan, I’d go with regular charging.

There is a car port to SDC adapter available that can charge up to 400 watts as well. DJI says about 160 minutes to charge. I didn’t have one of these adapters to test.

The MPPT module can take up to 400 watts from solar so that would take a couple hours. I will be testing this more when we get some decent sun. Our Pacific Northwest sun isn’t doing much right now.

Screen

The screen is clear and doesn’t take up much space on the main panel. It’s bright and easy to see.

It shows:

• current charge in percent and bar chart
• how many hours power left for what’s plugged in
• input in watts
• output in watts
• Wifi
• Ports that are currently drawing power

A single press on the power button turns the screen off. It is fairly bright so it’s nice to turn off when sleeping. It doesn’t say anywhere the power draw of the screen but obviously it’s something so turning the screen off would save a bit.

Light

The light at the bottom turns on with one click, and then dims or brightens by holding it. It flashes at the brightest and dimmest. A double press turns on the SOS mode.

UPS

If you’re working during a storm and need equipment to keep running, you can use the Mini as a UPS or uninterruptible power supply. In 0.01 seconds it can switch over from AC power to battery power. That’s enough to keep most electronics from turning off and your computer running.

App

The app can control most of the functions on the Power 1000 Mini. After connecting it with Bluetooth and then wifi, it can turn any of the ports on or off individually.

The light can be turned on and off in the app as well.

It’s easy to see how much ower is left and how many watts are going in or out.

For settings, you can set or see a few things

• see internal temperature
• set discharge or recharge limits
• enable a low battery alarm.
• auto-enable AC output when it turns on
• set to recharge fast or slow
• set screen timeout
• set device timeout
• set ac timeout
• set temp units

DJI regularly updates the firmware to fix any bugs or issues they may have found. I had an update pending on mine when I started it up. I connected it to wifi and 10 minutes later it was all updated and had restarted.

Compared to the Power 500 and Power 1000

The Power 100 Mini sits between the Power 1000 and the Power 500 in terms of number of ports, total capacity, and max output.

Video Review

Final Thoughts

DJI know batteries. They’ve only made millions of them for all their drones, gimbals, cameras, and vacuums. Making a home base, a power station, to recharge them all seems like the logical next step. DJI’s more efficient power usage and SDC connections give them an advantage over other power stations, especially if you own any other DJI products.

I find the port selection in a sweet spot of compact size but useful ports. I could always go for more USB ports but that would be at the cost of AC ports I’m sure.

The compact size, flat top, and big handle on the back make it easy to move around. Power stations can get very heavy very quickly. I don’t want to be hauling more than I need to at the end of a long day exploring and packing.

The max output is a bit lower than other power stations but you take a big hit on size to get it. There will be some that need the higher max output for tools or applies but for those that need a lot of juice for lower power devices like phones, cameras and drones, it’s perfect.

Highly recommended

$649 CAD – $479 USD

Discount Codes

$40 USD off at the DJI Store: DJIPOWERCA02 (unit and combos)

$10 CAD off Amazon.ca: DJIPOWER6 (unit only)

More photos from testing

I received a free product sample from DJI to test for this review. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in. All opinions are my own.

The post Portable Power: DJI Power 1000 Mini Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

They’ve been making their own TPU soles for a long time now but have recently branched out with a collaboration with Vibram to make an even grippier sole.

The All-Terrain are very similar to the best-selling Blundstone Classics. Along with the sole there are a couple of key differences. We both them both to the test recently to see if what the differences felt like in the rock and mud.

We also have a quick comparison of the All-Terrain to the Classic and an in-depth review of the Classic.

Colors

The range of colors available for the All-Terrain is limited as it’s still relatively new. While the Classic has 16 available, the All-Terrain has 3. Rustic Brown tends to the be most popular and then a couple others.

The All-Terrain hasn’t been around for as long as the Classics so hopefully they will add more.

• Rustic Brown
• Rustic Black
• Black

Sole

The sole on the All-Terrain is a collaboration with Vibram, the TC4+ for wet terrain. The Classics have a more traditional blocky tread. The All-Terrain have more of a grid pattern that keeps more rubber on what you’re standing on. They flex when you move to shed anything that’s stuck in the tread.

The Vibram material feels a bit softer and gripper than the TPU on the Classics. This usually means they’ll stick better on surfaces, especially wet ones. A more extreme example is like the sole on running shoes vs hiking boots. Running shoes are softer and gripper. Hiking boots are harder and tend to last longer.

Fit

The fit is very similar to the Classics but a bit more snug. While the classics would be a bit taller and wider, The All-Terrain is a bit lower volume, more snug fit. It’s not a huge difference. I can wear both no problem but there is a little difference in the feel. If you have a lower volume foot, I would lean toward the All-Terrain.

The All-Terrain’s fit my low-medium volume feet fantastic. I don’t have high arches and they’re not particularly wide.

The heel has Blundstones XRD shock absorption system. The harder the force on the material in the heel, the more it hardens up. When the force is released, it goes back to being soft and squishy. They are firm and supportive all-day long and over hundreds of kilometers.

The insoles they come with are fairly flat which works well for my feet. If you need more of a stiff arch support it’s easy to swap out for different insoles.

Care

Blundstones don’t need a lot of care. They will last longer if you do though.

Keep them clean. Brush dirt off with a soft brush or damp cloth as often as possible and keep them in a dry, room temperature place. A gum eraser can get rid of the some of the scuffs.

A cream or spray will prevent the leather from drying out and cracking. Some will change the colour of the leather so test it out in a small spot. The All-Terrains are made with a nubuck leather, either waxed or polished. Make sure any spray or cream works on nubuck.

Never dry with direct heat like a fireplace or hairdryer. Just naturally in a dry place works well. Paper towel inside can absorb the moisture a little faster.

Stain and water repellent can be useful for the nubuck as well. The leather is water-resistant but not waterproof.

Compared to the Classics

The All-Terrains are very similar to the Classics. The fit is a bit more snug on the All-Terrains but not enough that you’d need a different size.

The sole on the All-Terrain’s is a more grippy sole from Vibram. If grip is a big concern, I’d lean towards the All-Terrain.

Thermal Version

The Winter Thermal All-Terrain is a winter or cold-weather version of the All-Terrain. It’s got 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation and a thicker sheepskin footbed. The leather upper is completely waterproof and seam-sealed.

Because of the insulation and thick footbed, there is a little less room inside the Thermal versions.

Final Thoughts

It’s exciting to see Blundstone working with other companies and improving their boots in different ways. Vibram absolutely knows shoe. They make over 40 million soles per year for 1000 different shoe companies.

The All-Terrains take the massive success of the Classics and tweak them with even better grip in the sole. The lugs aren’t as sharp as the Classics but there’s more rubber on the ground and it’s a softer, grippier material.

I won’t be able to wear through these boots any time soon as it will probably take a decade or more to wear them out but I love the Vibram soles I have on other shoes and hiking boots. They’ve easily outlasted the upper in all my other shoes.

If you have a higher volume foot or want more colors, the Classics are probably best. If you If you have a lower volume foot or need better grip, the All-Terrains are a good pick. Either way Blunstones are going to last you a long time.

The All-Terrains usually retail around $279.95 CAD and the Winter Thermal version for $319.95

The post Blundstone All-Terrain Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Today, we’ll be focusing more on what makes the Classics unique. What’s the difference between the them and the All-Terrain. Would you get the regular or the Winter Thermal version? How to get the right size with Blundstones Australian sizing.

Blundstones are the highest selling Chelsea boots in the world. The Classic in Rustic Brown is their best-selling model. I tested a Classic in Walnut, a dark polished brown leather and beige stitching.

We’ve also got a Classic vs All-Terrain comparison and an in-depth review of the All-Terrain.

Colors

The Classics are available in a ton of different colours.

• Claret
• Teak
• Vintage Zinc Brushed
• Sand Pebble
• Rustic Brown
• Clay
• Forest Nubuck
• Vintage Brown
• Brown
• Rustic Black
• Black
• Walnut
• Antique Brown
• Auburn
• Navy
• Antique Brown Brogue

Some of the styles are smoother and more dressy looking. Others come already looking distressed or a softer nubuck leather texture.

Sole

The sole on the classics is made from Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). This is a very durable, strong, lightweight plastic. It’s hard enough to be very durable and supportive. It’s also soft enough to bend with your foot and grip wet or slippery surfaces.

The lugs are pretty deep giving good traction on any surfaces but there’s still a decent amount of rubber on the ground for wet and slippery surfaces. It’s a tough balance to strike but Blundstone does it well. The heel brake is fairly big and sharp, preventing slipping going down hills.

For working inside the soles are non-marking as well.

Fit

The Classics have more room inside them than the All-Terrains and Originals. They’re a medium volume, medium-wide fit. I have an average volume foot and they fit well. they feel good walking around but have a bit of room to put on bigger socks if I need to.

The sizing is in Australian so read the sizing carefully. I would try to get to a store to try on the exact model you want to see how they fit. Blundstone recommends 1 size down from Australian size for the US size for men, and 3 down for women. All the Blundstones are unisex.

Half sizes are only wider, not longer. So an 8 an an 8.5 are the same length, but the 8.5 is just a bit wider.

Blundstone say they will stretch over the arch of your foot over time. If you have high arches this is useful. They can be stretched a little by a cobbler as well. They shouldn’t stretch much, if at all, in length.

Care

I’m awful at taking care of my shoes. That’s part of the reason why I like Blundstones so much, I don’t really need to. They will last longer if you take care of them though.

Keep them clean. Brush dirt off with a soft brush or damp cloth as often as possible and keep them in a dry, room temperature place. Apply your spray or cream to maintain the leather. It will prevent cracking. Creams and sprays can change the colour of your boot so test it in a small spot if you aren’t sure.

A gum eraser can get rid of the some of the scuffs.

Most of the Classics are made with a nubuck leather, sometimes waxed or polished. Make sure any spray or cream works on nubuck.

Never dry with direct heat like a fireplace or hairdryer. Just naturally in a dry place works well. Paper towel inside can absorb the moisture a little faster.

Stain and water repellent can be useful for the nubuck as well. The leather is water-resistant anyways but not waterproof. The leather can loosen a bit and stretch if it’s wet. I’ve never had issues with these Classics or past Blundstones getting wet or stretching too much.

Compared to the All-Terrain

The Classics are very similar to the All-Terrain. We’ve got a full comparison here.

The main difference between the two is the sole. The Classics have a thick sole made from TPU with blocky lugs. The All-Terrain has a Vibram sole with more horizontally striped lugs. The Vibram sole is more focused on web and slippery surfaces.

The Classics are a little bit more room inside.

For colors, the Classics have 16 colours from soft brown to polished black to a deep red and navy. All-Terrain have 3 colours right now (Rustic Brown, Rustic Black and polished Black).

Thermal Version

The Classics also have a Winter Thermal version designed for colder seasons. Outside, they have fully waterproof leather and elastic with sealed seams. Inside, they have 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation and a sheepskin insole.

Check with sizing as they may fit tighter because of the insulation and thicker insole.

Final Thoughts

As I said in the intro, I’m very biased towards Blundstones. Past pairs have been extremely comfortable and durable. With my brief testing of the Classics, that has been the case so far as well. The best selling Chelsea boot from the most popular Chelsea boot brand says something.

They are my first choice out of everything I’ve got for all-around, do everything boot. You can work, hike, build, travel, and just about anything else in them.

The Classic TPU sole might not be quite as good as the Vibram sole on the All-Terrain for slippery surfaces but I found it easy to get over slick rock and logs out hiking. I’ve tried to hike with the Chisel Toe and there’s a huge difference. The Chisel Toe just don’t have the tread for bashing around in the woods.

The fit was medium wide, a little bigger inside than the All-Terrain’s. The arch is snug to start but that keeps your foot in place. The leather in the arch does relax over time. Length doesn’t really.

If you take some care in picking the right fit, you can’t go wrong with a Blundstone.

The Classics usually retail for around $239.95 CAD and the Thermal insulated version for $289.95.

The post Blundstone Classic Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

I wanted to wear them to work so I got the Chisel Toe (Dress in the US). They were a bit stiff to start. Once they broke in they fit my feet like a glove. The soles were firm but soft enough to wear them all day no problem. I travelled in them. I walked hundreds of kilometers in them. They looked good so I could wear them anywhere.

I’ve worn them almost every day since.

What amazed me most was how durable they were. I wear through running shoes in a year, maybe 2. Hiking boots I was getting a little longer. Paying hundreds of dollars every year or 2 for shoes, I wanted them to last longer.

10 years later, I’ve finally retired my Chisel Toe’s. I’ve beat the daylights out of them. They’ve been in the water, snow, hiking, and riding motorcycles. Places where nice leather boots probably shouldn’t go. The leather is still going. The soles have finally given up wearing them almost every day for the last 10 years. Money very well spent.

Now it’s time for a new pair. But do I go with the Classic or the All-Terrain. In my perfect rainbow and unicorn world, I can wear a pair of Blundstones for everything I do. Ride the motorcycle to work, work in the office, walk at lunch, hike a trail in the mud after work, camp and fish on the weekends.

Can a single pair of boots do all that and not be shredded? Time for a test. Stay here for a comparison or see the in-depth review of the Classic and the All-Terrain.

Blundstone History

In the 1850s, John Blundstone and his sons make the 93 day journey from England to Hobart, Tasmania. They started sourcing local leathers and making high quality footwear.

During World War 1 and 2, the company made boots for Australian troops.

In the 50s they focused on workboots, their soles working in 350 C smelters. In the 60s the #500 was born. They’re still made today and have sold 25 million pairs worldwide.

In the late 1970s a team wearing boots made by Blundstone climb Everest. In the 80s another factory is opened in New Zealand and exports to Europe start. In the 90s safety boots for women and a kids range start.

The 2000s see one million pairs annually and in 2020 Blundstone is 150 years old. They still aim for rugged, all-around boots that work hard and last a long time.

Today there’s a whole line of Blundstones for year round work and adventure in mens, womens, safety and kids.

The Classics, and more recently All-Terrain, are popular styles in the line. But what’s the difference?

Classics vs the All-Terrains

The Classics and All-Terrains are quite similar but with a few important differences.

• Easy on/off with Blundstone pull tag
• Elastic side panels for snug fit and natural movement
• Rounded toe Chelsea boot styling
• .8mm leather and breathable synthetic liner
• Soles resistant to acid, organic fat and oil
• PU midsole
• SPS with XRD shock absorption in heel
• Removable footbeds.
• Sizes range from US 4 to US 14. Half sizes are only a bit wider.

A few quick specs and then we can get into the differences.

What is SPS and XRD?

A special polyurethane section in the heel is the XRD shock absorbing foam. It’s normally soft, squishy, and flexible. When a force is applied to it quickly hardens. The harder it’s pushed, the harder it goes. Kind of like a non-newtonian fluid (oobleck for any of the parents or teachers here).

It doesn’t stay hard, it returns to soft and squishy as fast as it got there. Landing hard as a step on concrete or jumping off a rock and it supports the fall and then quickly returns to it’s regular state. It’s so fast that you don’t even feel it happen.

Blundstone Classic

The Classics are an evolution of the #500 series originally launched in the 60s. The goal was a durable boot, for any environment, that would last forever.

The sole is a general thermo-polyurethane (TPU) sole with deep lugs. It’s designed to be long lasting and provide good traction on any surface.

On the back, the heel is double-stitched for extra durability. The stitching is exposed on the Classic.

Inside, they have a bit more volume and toe height than the All-Terrains.

Two pairs of Comfort EVA footbeds come with the Classic, one thicker than the other with a bit of XRD padding in the heel. Swapping the footbeds, or adding both together will give a different fit.

On top of some XRD in the footbed, there’s more built into the heel of the Classic. That’s where a lot of the weight and impact happens when you walk so there’s where the good padding is.

Classics are usually around $239.95 CAD. There is a thermal insulated version available for $289.95.

Blundstone All-Terrain

The All-Terrain launched in 2021. It’s a very similar rig to the Classic, mostly with a different sole.

The sole is a TC4+ Vibram sole, built for everything but excelling on wet, slippery surfaces. They work well from -15°C up to a staggering 300°C. The soles are built to have an increased amount of rubber on the ground but still self-release mud and rock as they bend.

The heel still has the durable double-stiching on the heel but it’s hidden, reducing the chance dirt and water gets in there.

Inside, the All-Terrain are slightly lower volume than the Classics. The toe height and arch are slightly more snug.

A set of Premium Comfort Lite are inside with a bit more cushion than the Comfort EVA footbeds in the classics. They still come with a second set regular Comfort EVA in case you need a second.

Just like in the Classic XRD shock absoprtion is built into the high impact area of the heel.

The All-Terrain cost a bit more than the Classics at $279.95 CAD. There is an insulated Winter Thermal version for $319.95 CAD.

Chisel Toe

I’ve been wearing the Chisel Toe almost daily for the last decade. They’re a dressier option than the All-Terrain or Classic.

The sole is smoother without as much tread on it and a more consistent line where it attaches to the leather. Great for travel, going to work or out for the night. The smoother sole isn’t as good for the trail.

The sole itself is thinner than the Classic or All-Terrain with less shock absorption. I could still walk and stand on them all day no problem so they were still plenty thick to protect my feet.

If you’re need tread for dirt or mud, stick with the Classics or All-Terrains. If you’re looking for something more dressing, the Chisel Toe are perfect.

Sizing

Blundstones run in Australian sizing. Make sure you’re looking at the US or Australian size when you go to order. I highly recommend trying them on in a store to see what fits properly.

The half-sizes aren’t longer, only wider. So an 8 and an 8.5 is the same length but the 8.5 is wider.

The Chisel Toe is longer than both the Classic and the All-Terrain.

The post Blundstone Classic vs All-Terrain first appeared on Pack & Trail.

1 and 2 bedroom cabins, studio cabins and garden suites are steps from the fine sand of Mackenzie Beach.

Each of the cabins has a full kitchen, propane fireplace, full size bathtub, chairs on a small patio, and a picnic table. Relax inside with a coffee with views of the water or take a stroll in the beach.

The cabins are open all year round and are perfect for warming up and storm watching in the winter or a base for surfing and playing in the water in the summer.

I recently spent 3 nights there in February. We were treated with 100 km/h winds the first night, snow the second day, and warm sun the last 2 days.

What do the cabins have in them?

The cabins have a full kitchen with dishes and cookware.

The bathroom has a full tub and local organiic toiletries. Towels and bed linens are provided.

The cabins were build in 1976 and updated in 2009. The staff keep them very clean and well-maintained.

I was worried our first night when the wind gusts off the water were reaching 100 km/h and shaking the cabins. We had no issues with anything and the power didn’t even go out.

Sleeping that night was tough! I was worried something would break but absolutely nothing did. Though they get storms regularly (great for storm watching!) wind that strong is rare.

The resort also has wifi and laundry.

What can you do at the resort?

Just at the resort there’s lots to do. We spent most of our time roaming the beach and then warming up in the cabin, enjoying the view.

An indoor heated pool and hut tub were great for warming up. The ocean isn’t ever very warm!

Adirondack chairs are on the patios and around the property by the firepits. A picnic shelter with a BBQ is a great place for lunch.

A small hedge maze for the kids is right beside the cabins.

A few steps down the grass and you’re on Mackenzie Beach, 1 km long beach with fine sand and great islands to explore at the south end. At low tide you can walk right to the rocks and trees that make up the islands.

One thing to note is there is no restaurant at the restaurant. There are a ton of great place to eat or buy food a few minutes away in Tofino. We brought our own food to cook in the kitchen. Some of it was premade to save even more time for playing on the beach.

What’s nearby to do?

Outside the resort the options are too many to list.

A short 6 min (4km) drive and you’re in Tofino with all it’s surf shops, local art galleries, and restaurants. You could spend a week just exploring the nooks and crannies in Tofino alone. The bike path along the highway is a great way to get there too.

A 10 minute drive away is the world famous Long Beach. Long Beach is 16km long and gorgeous the entire way. You can ride your bike on it, surf, beachcomb or just lay in the sand.

At the other end of the peninsula is Ucluelet, a quieter, but no less interesting town. It’s not known for it’s beaches but the Wild Pacific Trail winds it’s way along the rocky cliffs. A short walk from the parking lot is the Amphritrite Point lighthouse. During the storms, the waves explode dozens of feet into the area on the rocks around the lighthouse. The Ucluelet Aquarium has local wildlife found and released every year from the nearby ocean.

Hike the Canso Bomber Crash. Such a cool piece of history to be found through a beautiful west cost biome. Radar Hill is another local piece of history with amazing views.

A short hike along the Rainforest Trail takes you along boardwalk through lush west coast rainforest.

Many of the shops in Tofino rent bikes. The town itself is very ridable and then there is the bike path in the forest along the highway. You can ride the 17km to Long Beach, the 40km to Ucluelet, or just around town.

Beachcoming along Mackenzie Beach right in front of the resort is great. There is also Chesterman Beach, Cox Bay, Florencia Bay, Long Beach, Combers Beach, Wickaninnish Beach and smaller ones like Tonquin, Middle, Third and Tinwis.

And of course there is there surfing. The conditions change daily and different seasons will be better for beginners or experienced pros. You can check the weather and webcams ahead of time. I suck at surfing so best to talk to one of the shops for more info!

How close are the cabins to the beach?

Literally a few steps. There a grassy field out the front door of most of the cabins and then onto the beach.

Is it close to Tofino?

Yes, is it a 6 minute drive to Tofino from Ocean Village. There is a paved path that leads along the main road into Tofino as well so it’s about a 4km walk or ride. Bikes are a popular way to get around here.

Ucluelet is much farther, about 40km or a 30 minute drive.

Is it dog friendly?

Yes, you can have dogs at Ocean Village and on Mackenzie Beach. They even get a pet care package. They must be on a leash. There is a limit of 2 per unit and a fee of $30/night.

Since they may be wet and sandy from the beach, there is a dog washing station near the cabins. Bad Dog Tofino has gear, treats, and pup cups.

Can you surf at Ocean Village?

Mackenzie Beach is a fairly small bay that doesn’t usually produce good surfing waves. It can be good for beginners or during storms. Cox Bay, Chesterman Beach, and Long Beach are usually better for surfing.

There are many places to rent surf and paddle boards in Tofino. Many of them offer lessons as well like Tofino Surf School, Pacific Surf School, and Surf Sister.

How to get to Tofino

Tofino is on the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. It is a 3 hour drive from Nanaimo or 4 hours from Victoria. There are many beautiful views a long the way, so allow time for that if you want to stop or have a break.

Tofino does have it’s own airport and there are daily flights from Vancouver as well.

Booking a stay at Ocean Village

The easiest way to book at Ocean Village is right on their website.

You can also book with Expedia, Kayak, or Booking.com. TripAdvisor links to some other sites as well.

Final Thoughts

Have you stayed at Ocean Village? What did you think? It’s one of my favourite places to stay around Tofino and I’ve been many times.

Are there any other cabins on Vancouver Island I should try? Let me know in the comments!

More Photos

The post Cozy Cabins near Tofino: Ocean Village Resort first appeared on Pack & Trail.

This list is in no particular order, mostly the date it was reviewed.

Smith Guide’s Choice Photochromic Sunglasses

The Smith’s Guide Choice sunglasses are photochromic category 2 to 3 and polarized, making for an ideal fishing lens. ChromaPop filters crossover colours making red, green, and blue pop.

The glasses lenses are on the heavy side but they are the clearest and brightest lens I’ve ever used.

Full Review

Check price of the Smith Guide’s Choice

OnX Backcountry GPS App

GPS apps have overtaken dedicated GPS as the go-to for navigation. OnX is one of the best.

It’s easy to use on any kind of phone. Your saved info goes back and forth to a full-screen map on the computer. It’s light on the user-generated tracks in BC, but has a lot already baked into the included maps.

Full Review

Check prices and plans for OnX Backcountry

REI Wonderland Camp Chair

Not all chairs are built equal. Some aren’t comfortable. Some fall apart. Some are hard to carry.

The REI Wonderland Camp Chair is pretty much my dream camp chair. The wide seat is comfortable without being hard. The back is tall and slightly reclined. The cupholder is somehow still attached. And the carry strap is permanently attached and holds it closed while carrying.

Full Review

Check price on REI

Yeti Rambler 532 Mug

I went on a cleaning spree after getting this mug. Some of the complicated lids had never been cleaned and were black inside.

The Yeti Rambler has just 2 pieces to the lid that twist apart. And it’s totally water-tight. And it’s bombproof.

Full Review

Check price on Amazon

EXPED MegaMat Max Sleeping Mat

Poor sleep ruins camping or any adventure. It’s hard to enjoy the trip when you’re dead tired. What you’re sleeping on impacts sleep greatly.

The EXPED MegaMat Max is 15cm thick and filled with foam core. The foam expands and almost inflates itself. It also holds the sides vertical instead of sloped down so you get more surface area to lay on. And instead of just laying on a bouncy balloon it structures it more like a bed.

Full Review

Check prices on the MegaMat Max

LowePro Tactic 45 Camera Backpack

Right off the bat, I loved the look of this camera pack. I did assume it would not be comfortable with out square it is. Turns out it’s more comfortable than most backpacks I’ve ever worn.

The top opens for quick access or the whole back for all your camera gear. Tripods fit easily on either side. Velcro organizers can be moved around anywhere inside.

Full review

Check price on Amazon

Helly Hansen Verglas Down Insulated Jacket

I don’t really think of down jackets when I think of Helly Hansen but their Verglas down jacket is easily my favourite from the last couple years.

The Verglas isn’t bulky so it works well on any cool day (of which there are many in the Pacific Northwest). If it is raining AND cool, then it can fit under a shell. The pockets are big and the lining soft.

Full review

Check the price on HellyHansen.com (2.0 version)

Julbo Arise Photochromic sunglasses

My test for sunglasses is how often I forget I’m wearing them. For the Julbo Arise, it was a lot. They are ridiculously light. The photochromic lenses tint so light you can wear them at night. The gentle curve and soft surface on the arms keeps them in exactly the place you put them.

I beat the daylights out of the first pair I had and I’m on to my second pair.

Full Review

Check out Julbo’s other photochromic sunglasses

Check out Julbo sunglasses on REI

Osprey Talon 33 Backpack

The Osprey Talon 33 may be the best backpack I’ve ever used. I have a few other Osprey Backpacks and can’t say enough good things about them.

It’s travelled around the world and on too many adventures to count. It’s light, it’s packable, it’s comfortable, it’s bombproof.

The 33 is such a flexible size. I’ve used it for overnight nights or just a daypack travelling. Mine is 17 years old at this point and still going.

Full Review

The post Editor’s Choice Gear first appeared on Pack & Trail.