The Diablo is an ultralight hydration pack within Gregory’s Active Trail pack line. The pack weighs a mere 1 lb (the lightest one they make) and will not weigh you down while out on the trail. Despite its’ modest weight, the Diablo has a slew of features that any trail runner, hiker, or mountain biker [...]
The Jolla from Hydrapak is one the most versatile hydration packs on the market. At 18 liters of space and holding a 100 ounce resevoir it is a great choice for those all day hikes, bikes or treks. Plenty of storage and well placed zipper and pockets make it easy to organize. Having used this [...]
Whether your mountain biking, hiking, or trail running, the Osprey Raptor 10 is a great option for a 3 liter hydration pack. We tested this pack out for a couple months on all of our activities and it has become one of our favorite hydration packs. Coming in at 520 cubic inches, this pack is [...]
The Millet Peuterey 35 Limited Pack is designed as an all around mountaineering pack, which can be used for a variety of outdoor activities. I had the pleasure of testing this great pack out on a few occasions. I used it on a couple of spring backcountry ski trips as well as a variety of [...]
Up until a few years ago, if you said the name Deuter (doy-ter) to a group of your hiking buddies, you were most likely miss-pronouncing the name and many of your friends had never heard of the brand nor had any idea what products they produced. Deuter has been in the backpack making business for [...]
Mammut is one of those companies that does fewer products than others, but what they do, they do very well. Every product they put out is specifically designed to fill a need. Simply put, they don’t make a product just to make it. The Creon Zip is no different. It may look like another daypack, [...]
Though finding a good daypack may seem easy from an outsiders viewpoint, there are often a number of factors that go into finding the right daypack for you. With daypacks ranging from $10 at Walmart to upwards of $200, there are a number of features that differentiate the good from the bad. We’ve been testing [...]
What weighs 2.4 ounces, packs into a pocket that measures approximately 2”x2”, and has a carrying capacity of 20 L? I should provide you with a little more time to think on it because that combination of features seems very improbable (no cheating with the photo above). However, Sea to Summit has found a way [...]
The Steel Bridge by Keen is a rugged commuter pack that is not only functional for this day and age, but looks like a cool retro knapsack from the days of old. The Steel Bridge has all the modern amenities; a padded laptop sleeve that comfortably holds most 17-inch laptops (it carried our MacBook and [...]
When it comes to innovation, The North Face Flight Series has been pushing the limits for years and the Enduro BOA is no exception. The new Enduro Boa hydration pack is a lot different from most running hydration packs, some will like it, while others may miss their traditional pack. One of the most notable [...]
Wikipedia states that there are roughly 2,500 species of Cicada’s, they may just have to add one to their list with the birth of the Eagle Creek Cicada 28L. The Cicada pack series is a new line from Eagle Creek who specializes in travel packs. After trying this pack out in a number activities, we [...]
What started out as a simple way to carry water while biking or hiking has turned into a huge product category all it’s own. Camelbak started things off years ago and continues to be the leader in the hydration pack market. The Hellion is in the snowsports line and at 1478 cubic inches, it is [...]
The Mountain Hardwear Fluid 10 is the perfect pack for those looking for a good all around 1-6 hour activity pack. We tested this pack during mid distance trail runs, 10-15 mile hikes, road rides on the bike, and tooling around town. Weighing in at 1 lb. 4 oz., the Fluid 10 allows for plenty [...]
We’ve recently tested out the Talon series by Osprey, in specific the Talon 11. We found this pack to be ideal for trail running, cycling, day hikes, snowshoeing, and just getting around town. Osprey really has gotten everything right on this pack, from the features, to the fit, to the durability. The Talon 11 is [...]
The Marmot Alpha 25 is a nice backpack option for those looking for a backpack they can take for a hike, snowshoes, or head into the backcountry skiing and snowboarding. We used this pack on various hikes, from a 5 mile quick hike to 20 mile day hikes to hiking Colorado’s 14′ers. With a 25L/1550 [...]
The Mountain Hardwear Paladin is the bombproof backpack for commuting, hiking, and everyday use. This bag is made of a highly waterproof material that cannot be penetrated. We tested it out in pouring rain storms while commuting with our laptops and we were extremely happy to say there was not a drop of wetness. Aside [...]
The Sherpani Aeris S Medium was a great surprise. At first glance, it looks like it may not hold a lot, but our testers were able to fit a lot in it. The fit is women specific, so it has a great fit for all the ladies out there. The two large side mesh pockets [...]
The Patagonia Vertical Mass is a basic looking backpack from the outside, but it’s functionality is incredible. The top zipper compartment was a great place to stash a cell phone, sunglasses, or anything important. It has a water bottle holder that can fit a Nalgene or Camelbak sized water bottle to keep you hydrated on [...]
The Xenon series is Osprey’s most customizable line of packs; the Xenon comes in 3 different torso sizes specifically designed for women and Osprey also offers 6 different harness/hipbelt combinations. The Xenon utilizes Osprey’s patented heat molded BroForm hip belt to ensure a proper fit and ultimate comfort. The Xenon 70 weights in at 5 [...]
The Napali 50 is a women’s specific pack that weighs a mere 3 lbs, 7 oz and provides approximately 50 Liters of carrying space. The Napali, despite its weight, does not skimp on features or comfort. The pack has a women’s specific FL suspension system that allows for great ventilation around the torso and comfortable [...]
We found ourselves to be fortunate to test out the Osprey Aether 70. With a 4,200 cubic inch capacity, we found this pack to be convenient on our colder weekend trips and 3-5 day backpacking trips. Since we test out most of our gear in the Rocky Mountains, we often have to carry both summer [...]
The Gregory Z55 is the ideal pack for those looking to cut down on weight and keep up with functionality. The Gregory Z55 is meant to be used for those looking to go out for a 2-3 day weekender trip and if you are really good at cutting down on weight and space, you should [...]
So we are all looking for ways to go green these days, but we sometimes run out of ideas on how we can make a difference. One of the ways we feel we can make a difference is by supporting companies that are going the extra mile to make a difference with the environment in [...]
