The field of technical baselayers and clothing is very crowded these days. Walk into any outdoor gear store and you have a variety of choices between polyester, capilene, and Merino wool. Nowhere on that list would you find cotton. Well, believe it or not, cotton is trying to make a comeback in spring, 2011, and the Polarmax…
Tag: Gear
Peak Waggers backpacking dog meals review
Packing dog food for a backpacking trip is adventurous in itself. Most dog food is bulky, heavy, and prone to bloating when your dog jumps in the lake with their dog pack on. On a recent backpacking trip I had the chance to put the dog food from Peak Waggers to the test. The meal…
Salomon XA Comp 4 GTX trail running shoes review
Ok, full disclosure. I have worked for a few outdoor industry companies and some of those have been outdoor footwear companies. So I’m pretty biased with what it takes to make a good trail running shoe. However there are a couple of things that I’m adamant never enter a shoe designed for running on trails….
Patagonia Refugio Pack review
This year, Patagonia entered into the backpack market and the 2010 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in February was abuzz when Patagonia sold samples of their new Refugio Pack at their booth. I picked one up and since that time, I’ve used the Refugio nearly every day for packing along camera gear for work, hiking around the Wasatch Mountains,…
Petzl ATTACHE 3D carabiner review
The Petzl ATTACHE 3D locking carabiner is one of those pieces of climbing gear that deserves an exclamation point every time you write it. It looks something like this: Petzl ATTACHE 3D! This is because when one initially looks at it, then handles it, the appropriate response is, “whoa!” What makes this locking carabiner so…
Petzl headlamp reviews: Tikka Plus 2 & e+LITE
Headlamps are one of those pieces of gear that often gets overlooked among more sexy products like tents or breathable, waterproof jackets. But being able to see at night is not only convenient, but sometimes vital for survival. Therefore, choosing the right headlamp for the outdoor activity you’ll be having fun with is important. Petzl…
Outdoor Retailer 2010 Summer Market: Timex, OutDry, lilypond and Simple Shoes
The 2010 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market showcased the latest in new outdoor gear that will be available in retail stores in the spring of 2011, although some of the new products may already be sitting on store shelves today. Below is another small sampling of outdoor stuff from Timex, OutDry, lilypond and Simple Shoes that…
Osprey HydraForm 3L Reservoir review
Minimalists may shun them, but for the average hiker and backpacker, bladders are the order of the day. It is tough to beat the convenience of storing all the water you need for the day in one place, and sipping it through a handy tube that hangs off your shoulder. The biggest gripe for those…
Works of art at Outdoor Retailer 2010 Summer Market
It seems the only way a new company can make it in today’s business climate is to design an environmentally conscious product. At Summer Outdoor Retailer 2010, two earth friendly companies, from two different genres, struck me with their simplicity, beauty, originality, and works of art: The Bamboo Bottle Company and Looptworks. Bamboo Bottle Company…
Maintaining high maintenance at 2010 Summer Outdoor Retailer
Do you remember the time when camping was simple? A time when cell phones were just those big boxy carrying cases people in movies would use? When percolators were the only way to make a cup of coffee? We have become a little more high maintenance, and some of the new exhibitors at the 2010…