Organic sure is a buzz words these days, and it has seeped into energy bars. Clif Bar (aren’t they already organic?) recently jumped on the bandwagon with their new Clif Bar Kit’s Organic. These bars are named after the co-owner, Kit Crawford, and on the outside look more like a small granola bar than a…
Category: Gear Reviews
AKU La Stria Lite GTX hiking boots review
The outdoor recreation market is flush with hiking boot brands, all claiming to have something the others don’t. But with AKU, an Italian company that is just now becoming available in the United States, they really do have something I’ve not seen before in their new La Stria Lite GTX hiking boots. AKU calls it…
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite mattress and Jembe Seat review
Therm-a-Rest has long been associated with comfy backcountry camping. With an array of sleep systems and seating in their lineup, the question is “what’s next?” The answer is obvious: smaller and lighter. Backpackers are always seeking to reduce weight, and Therm-a-Rest has answered that demand by releasing the NeoAir XLite sleeping pad. This pad is…
Kelty Rally 45 Backpack review
I had a chance to visit the Kelty booth at last summer’s Outdoor Retailer convention here in Salt Lake City. They were showcasing a wide array of products, but the ones that excited me the most were the brand-new “Agile Series” backpacks. Needless to say I was very happy when the Kelty Rally 45 arrived…
Platypus Gravityworks Water System review
Staying hydrated is paramount in the backcountry. Carrying extra water for drinking and cooking is a fool’s errand (except when there is no other choice). Boiling your water works, but I prefer mine cold, thank you. Purifying pills do the job, keep the water cold and require no effort, but man do they taste bad….
Baffin Amazon trail shoe review
Baffin, a Canadian company that is well known for their arctic winter boots, has been expanding their horizons into the summer footwear market. But instead of making your typical sandals or hiking shoes, they’ve designed a unique idea with their Trail to Rapids series. The new Amazon shoe is a light hiker that also doubles…
Giro Feature mountain bike helmet review
The Giro Feature mountain bike helmet, at first glance, looks like a ski helmet, or maybe a skateboard helmet with a bill added on the front. In any case, it sure is a strange departure from traditional, extremely vented bike helmets that we know and love. But this beefy-looking dude with full coverage for the…
ROAD ID: Don’t Leave Home Without It
Every year as NBC Sports Network airs the Tour de France and the Ironman World Championship you’ll see ads promoting a simple wrist band called Road ID. You may think that Road ID is for pro athletes who cycle for a living, but that myth is FALSE! Utah is home to an amazing landscape that…
ViewRanger smartphone GPS app review
GPS devices are expensive, but smartphone apps are really cheap. Combine the two, and you’ve got ViewRanger, a smartphone GPS app that has all the features of a GPS unit right on your phone. But the obvious question is: does a smartphone GPS app really work as good as the real thing? I downloaded the…
Osprey Escapist 30 hydration pack review
The gear trend these days has been about the “one quiver.” You know, that gear that can do it all, every day? We’ve got one-quiver skis, one-quiver bikes, one-quiver shoes, and even one-quiver backpacks. Well if you’re in the market for a one-quiver pack, then rest your trail-weary eyes on the Osprey Escapist 30 hydration…