Here is the review of my electronics kit. I am no expert, I won't get into detailed feature review or multiple tests to compare. I've been on the road for 8 months and here is what I have to say about them:

Supernova Infinity S (Link)

For power needs I have chosen dynamo over solar for a variety of reasons. The hub itself is great and survived all of those rough roads, ice roads, dust, dirt, mud and whatever else. Using OMM Sherpa front rack (front hub axle mounted) I often had the hub rotate and break the wire to the USB charger. This problem was solved later by moving the front OMM rack to the eyelets rather than the hub axle. No issues after that.

Would recommend.

Sinewave Cycles Revolution (Link)

The sinewave Revolution in action on the ice roads in Canada. (Temperature -20C)

Keeping everything charged on the road, although not essential is very important. To pair up my Supernova Infinity S dynamo hub I got the Revolution USB charger. Having ridden it through -30C, ice, snow, mud and rain I never had any problems. Best to use with a cache battery.

Only issue I've ran into so far is using the Anker Astro 3E along with it. The battery tries to draw more current which results in tickle charges (on few seconds, then off). It doesn't affect the battery life and it gets charged but I've opted for another external battery which charges continuously.

Would recommend.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 (Link)

The camera has great photo quality, the auto mode makes is perfect for somebody who doesn't know much about photography, small size, USB rechargeable, battery does great in cold (-30C, even lower overnight), good long exposure for stars/the northern lights, 1080p video (most stationary or zoomed in shot in my video are shot with this camera)

The bad: difficult to use with gloves, can't do longer exposure than 30sec (for night shots), video on button has become a bit tricky after time (may need to press it multiple times to turn on), the camera does not charge in low temperatures (below -10C, at that time you need to keep it on your body or in sleeping bag to charge). After the first 4 months of use some dust had gotten into the lenses and now after 8 months there is moisture there as well - making the camera useless in the cold (can't focus, sometimes it wont be able to turn on at all). Not surprised about that, after all the rough weather conditions the camera has been through, a cleaning should solve the problem.

Verdict: Great camera. Definitely worth it.

GOPRO 3+ Silver (Link)

The good: Excellent quality (both picture and video), simple and easy to use (love the 1 button mode), time-lapses, wide lens photos to capture more of the scenery. The video (see the world 1: the north) was shot almost entirely with the gopro. Battery charges even when its very cold (I've seen the red light come on at even -30C). Tough - I never hesitated to take the camera out in those snowstorms, cold, rain, dust, it's been dropped, ran over (by me, not a car... yet.). Can take timed shots if you use the time-lapse.

The bad: Sound is very bad in the waterproof case. The skeleton case isn't that great at all (I've had conversations where the person can barely be heard but I can be heard fine because I am behind the camera). Battery doesn't do well in cold (solved by keeping the camera on my body - pocked, or inside the jacket if its too cold). Not very good still shots for low light (video at low light isn't spectacular either). Forget about using the wi-fi control if you want to save power. Can't see what you shoot (unless using wi-fi).

The accessories: The Pole - Great, amazing for on the move and propping the camera higher for time-lapses, etc. Chest mount - barely used it, too shaky footage on very rough roads. Helmet mount - works well, I only use it when I can't ride with one hand. The Clamp - nice to fix on signs, etc. But seems too much hassle to move the gopro from the pole to it just for that. The plastic quick-release mounts all kept breaking, I am only using them fixed and moving the camera by unscrewing the connector.

Note: use the recommended Kingston brand microSD cards, they boot significantly faster than the ScanDisc one I had initially

The verdict: AMAZING. The only issue is the sound (which you can solve by finding an external mic - something I plan to do when I can). Would recommend!

Anker Astro 3E battery pack (Link)

Works well in the cold. Although I had my dynamo I never had to rely entirely on it for power. This battery covered the gopro, panasonic and tablet use for up to 7 days. It's very cheap too (25$)

Would recommend!

Superflash rear light (Link)

Very bright and efficient. I am still running on the original set of batteries for 3.5 months (I only use it at night). Makes me feel safe. Note: Don't look into it!

Would recommend!

Eureka Nightguide 100HL (Link)

Having used the 35HL in Alaska I got the 100HL for the great divide, knowing there will be a lot of riding in the dark in the winter months. The headlamp worked surprisingly well in as low as -30C (-20F) and the first set of batteries lasted 2 months (I used it on a daily basis in the tent and every few days when I ended up biking in the dark). The focus feature is good if looking somewhere distant, rear blinking light is useful too (I always use it in the dark along with the rear bike light). The hand swipe on/off feature is great. Especially when you have mittens and hitting the button isn't so easy.

The bad: with the rear light and 3AA batteries it feels like too much carry on your head (Although it's been rather a good thing in the cold weather, will report on how it does in the heat in Mexico - although I would do my best not to ride at night there.)

The verdict: Would recommend. Don't look at your friends when talking to them with this on!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite SM-T110 (Link)

"Cheapest tablet with GPS unit" - that was my shopping criteria when I looked for a tablet. Using Alpine Quest App and GPX tracks + downloaded maps this 150$ investment covers all navigation needs. You don't need data plan or wi-fi, I relied on it entirely during the 10-day Bella Coola trip and few times when the ACA's map misled me on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. In addition this was perfect for cheking email, facebook, journal entries, movies and music!

The bad: The previous tablet which broke (it was an ASUS) had better keyboard, I really have no other complaints. Not as tough as carrying a GPS unit but definitely much cheaper and more convenient.

Would recommend!

Cateye Velo 5 (Link

Simple, tough, easy to use and cheap. I've been using it to keep track of distance and to follow GDMBR directions. Sadly it fell off one night in Colorado on a rough hardpacked snow road. Got another speedometer which I managed to lose after, so I gave up on using one (unless I need to follow mile-by-mile directions in the future I'd be happy not knowing how fast or far I'm going.

If you think you really need that distance traveled and speed, it's a good choice.


*I'd like to mention that I've gotten the Sinewave Revolution and Eureka Nightguide 100HL for free but I've done my best to give a fair review.

The electronics kit. Sorry no review for the dogs. Wait... they are cute! WOULD RECOMMEND!