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Holiday Gift Guide 2011: M-EDGE Recon iPad Jacket

A military-grade iPad case, built for the backcountry.

The iPad has developed into a legitimate backcountry asset, but if you balk at packing your most treasured Apple asset, consider procuring this military-grade case to ensure safe transit. It’s as tough as it looks; the jacket’s two panels are reinforced with polypropylene to prevent flexing, the nylon canvas rejects scrapes and bruises, and the full zip enclosure keeps out unwanted dust and other sundry uncleanliness.

It’s not fully waterproof, so you might want to consider tossing it in a dry sack if you’re headed to wetter climes, but I found it the Recon to be plenty protective for most environments. Aside from the obvious function of providing thousands of books in a relatively lightweight package, the iPad can also provide some entertainment for those long winter backcountry nights.

On my last trip to Joshua Tree NP, six of us piled into our four-person tent and took turns creating life list loops on the National Geographic Maps App, and once we finally settled down, we placed the iPad in the middle of the tent and listened to previously downloaded podcasts for bedtime stories.

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