The Zion Narrows is unlike any hike in Utah or even the world. Unlike most hikes that are on a trail, in the Narrows you are wading almost entirely in a river. Add a deep canyon with little escape options, and an overnight backpacking trip for the top-down option, and you’ll discover that the Narrows is…
Category: Gear Reviews
Salomon Park Hydro Handset review
Runners don’t need much in the way of gear. Shoes, shorts, shirt. That’s about it. But if you’re trail running long distances, then water comes in to play. But how to carry it? Nobody likes water sloshing in a heavy reservoir on their back. However, Salomon has an ingenious solution – the Park Hydro Handset….
Helly Hansen Loke rain jacket and pant review
If the El Nino hype is real, then we are headed for a very wet autumn and winter here in Utah. As Chris Farley told us years ago, “all other tropical storms bow to El Nino”, so it would be wise to be prepared before things get soggy. Helly Hansen specializes in outdoor gear built…
Oboz Sundog shoes review
As a backcountry ski bum, finding a hiking shoe called the Sundog was almost like a true calling. Why? Because seeing the prism of color around the sun known as a sundog means that it’s going to snow. Therefore, sundogs are good… very good. But does that mean the Oboz shoes of the same name…
UnTapped Maple Syrup and Waffle energy food review
The athletic energy food market just got a whole lot sweeter. UnTapped is made from Slopeside Syrup, a New England-based maple syrup company with a belief that maple syrup is nature’s ultimate energy supplement. Rather than being an energy gel concocted in a lab, maple syrup is all natural as it’s made by boiling maple…
Salomon Sense Pro trail running shoes review
I’m a casual runner. On a good week, I’ll lace up my shoes and move my legs faster than a saunter maybe three times. I run both trail and street, so I need a pair of shoes that do it all: urban and wilderness in one package. Salomon has been making shoes that can take you from…
Suunto Ambit3 Run review
The Suunto Ambit3 Run is just like the original Suunto Ambit (review here) that I have been using for the last three years. But recent iterations of the Ambit have been paired down versions, such as the Sport, Peak and Run. The Ambit3 Run is just what it sounds like – a GPS enabled watch…
Salomon S-LAB X ALP 20 pack review
When you’re bagging peaks, the last thing you need is your pack getting in the way. Salomon has created what I feel is the perfect mountain summiting pack (summer or winter) in the S-LAB X ALP 20. What makes this pack stand out is the fact that you don’t have to take it off your…
Alite Designs Monarch Chair review
Multi-day backpacking excursions generally require you to sacrifice comfort in return for a lighter pack. One of the first things to stay at home is the camp chair. But with the Alite Designs Monarch Chair, you don’t have to rely on fallen logs to sit around the campfire. The Monarch is super light and packs…
Mountain Hardwear WickedCool shirt review
The Mountain Hardwear WickedCool shirt is made for running in hot weather. Summers here in Salt Lake are most definitely scorchers with temperatures that rise into the triple digits. The oppressive heat is enough to make even the most hard core runners hesitate about stepping outside. But new gear is making it easier and more…