Socks are never the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about ski gear, but cold, wet feet can easily ruin a ski day. Thankfully, ski socks have come a long way since the scratchy wool of childhood. Lorpen is a company that for years has been on the forefront of making high-performance socks….
Tag: reviews
Clik Elite SLR ChestPack review
Photography has been one of my passions for years, which I guess is good since it’s what I do for a living. But even during my off time I always have a camera at the ready in case I see a cool shot. Recreating in the Utah outdoors presents uncountable opportunities for photography, especially while backcountry skiing in the Wasatch Mountains. For years I used a small point-and-shoot digital camera on ski-tour excursions, but those types of cameras never had the chops to capture good photos of my friends skiing by. Frustrated by too many images of skier’s backsides exiting the frame, I decided I needed a digital SLR, pronto.
‘Signatures’ film review
“Signatures,” the second film from Sweetgrass Productions, is a ski movie that I’ve wanted to see for a long time. I finally had the chance to sit down and watch it recently, and the wait was totally worth it. “Signatures” is the polar opposite of your typical ski movie. It’s like a breath of fresh…
Kuru Rapid Shoes review
Kuru is a Salt Lake City-based shoe company that makes footwear for active people. They specialize in focusing on quality, including the midsole and foot bed (which most shoe companies cheap out on.) Kuru uses new technology in their foot beds, which makes the shoes better for the overall health of the foot. I got…
Organic nutrition: Iced Sports Drinks review
Backcountry skiing, mostly because of the need to skin uphill to the top of a mountain, is a great cardio workout. But you never see nutritional drink products geared specifically toward backcountry skiers. Image a Gatorade-style commercial of free-heelers ripping up the slopes, then hiking back up for another lap as they sweat neon green….
Kamik Atrium Maude Rain Boot review
Fashionable rain boots are great to look at but not always comfortable to wear. Being a woman who needs good supportive, sturdy shoes, I don’t buy “cute” boots. But I decided to roll the dice and try out the colorful new Kamik rain boot line, the Atrium Maude. Good thing my past experiences with rain…
‘Swift. Silent. Deep.’ film review
“Swift. Silent. Deep,” a movie that chronicles the history of the legendary Jackson Hole Air Force, is touted by the filmmakers as “the first true historical documentation of hardcore ski culture in the United States.” After watching the movie on DVD, I decided that statement is as true as the sun rises in the east….
Patagonia Ascensionist Jacket review
The search for the perfect backcountry ski shell that breathes on the up but protects from the elements on the down can be a frustrating one. It’s a difficult task to find the balance between breathability and water resistance, so when a soft shell like the Patagonia Ascensionist Jacket comes along that does both and…
Icelantic Shaman Skis demo review
While skiing at Alta during the New Years weekend, I was surprised to see that Icelantic Skis had set up a demo tent at the Collins base. Always one to try new things, compounded by the fact that I’ve always been curious about the strange shape of Icelantic skis, I didn’t hesitate to trade in…
Top Outdoor Gear of 2009
Although Utah Outside has only been online for a few months, we’ve been lucky enough to test out lots of different pieces of outdoor gear from several different companies. Some gear was good, some great, and others not so great. But when using gear in the outdoors, the cream always rises to the top, so…