It’s always interesting to see what articles posted on UtahOutside.com get the most page views. Some are surprising, and some are pretty obvious as to why they skyrocket to the top. Overall, readers of this website love their gear, as four of the top five are gear reviews or articles about Outdoor Retailer. Another things we learned (but already knew) is that sex sells. So now let’s look back and countdown the Top 5 Articles of 2011, based on page views.
5. Suunto Foot POD Mini and GPS POD review
2011 is the year that I started running. From road to trail, my journey was made easier thanks to Suunto’s Foot POD Mini and GPS POD. It seems a lot of readers out there are also keen on Suunto’s products as my review of these devices garnered an impressive amount of interest. If you’re training on foot, skis or bike, the GPS POD is a reliable way to keep track of mileage, while the Foot POD Mini is a so-light-it’s-not-even-there pedometer that became an essential piece of gear for my daily training. Read the full article.
4. Vanessa Aadland skis Superior butt naked
Ah yes, the infamous incident of Vanessa Aadland skiing Mount Superior completely naked… okay, maybe not completely naked. She was wearing ski boots and a beacon (safety first.) But this article proved to us that sex sells, even on an outdoor recreation website. Our readers couldn’t resist clicking through for a peek at a beautiful women skiing a gnarly line in the buff, just as we couldn’t resist posting said photos… and we know you didn’t click to read the article.
3. Salomon BBR Skis review
The Internet was abuzz about the strangely-shaped skis Salomon came out with called simply the BBR. With promises that these skis would make skiing fun for everyone, even beginners, a lot of interest was generated among the snow-loving crowd, and Google searches by curious surfers landed a bunch of you on our review of the Salomon BBR skis. Now whether the skis will revolutionaize the ski industry… that remains to be seen. Read the full article.
2. Volkl zeroes in on lightweight backcountry skis at OR
During the 2011 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, Volkl unveiled their new line of backcountry-specific skis. The whole line of lightweight skis with hollowed-out wood cores and wicked-cool topsheets were a hit with OR attendees (myself included) and apparently with our readers as well. All year long, this article keep seeing a steady stream of traffic, propelling it to the number 2 slot for the year. Read the full article.
1. Salomon Rocker 2 ski review
It must be a testament to Salomon when two of the top five articles are reviews of Salomon skis. But by far, the most read article from 2011 on UtahOutside.com was my review of the Salomon Rocker 2 skis. It’s no wonder that there so much interest in these babies, as they’re the sequel to the legendary Rocker, yet are completely different in every way. Honeycomb edgeless tips and tails, twin rocker, and killer powder and groomer capabilities proved to me that the Salomon Rocker 2 skis are the “must have” of the 2011/2012 season. Based on reader interest here, that proves to be true. Read the full article.