If the whole going green craze has your number but you don’t want to sacrafice on quality and performance, the Helly Hansen Ekolab Recycler Jacket might just be for you. The Ekolab Recycler is a 3-layer waterproof breathable shell that is made of 100% recycled bottles. It comes with water resistant pit zips, taped seems, [...]
When a company names a product Ultimate, immediately the performance bar is set pretty high. Mammut’s Ultimate Hoody is pegged as wind-proof yet breathable softshell jacket that can just about do it all. In my testing I found that this softshell delivered on every promise. The fit is close to the body, perfect for alpine climbing, [...]
Finding a good shell these days isn’t hard to do with a number of brands making quality products. Finding a great shell on the other hand is a little harder to come across, the Sierra Designs Mantra Fusion is a GREAT 3-layer shell. We tested this shell out while skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, dog walking, and [...]
The Melt Jacket from Obermeyer continues the company’s mission to provide great outwear for the slopes. A good mix of style, technical features and plenty of pockets, this jacket is perfect for a day on the hill. In my testing, the first thing I noticed was the fit. The medium was a little on the [...]
The Kombi Lifty glove may look like a glove you picked up at the hardware store, but it’s a bit more advanced than just leather and wool. Mixing high tech fabric with basic leather they have a glove that can be worn on the slope, while shoveling your driveway or on a ski tour. While [...]
Whether running, snowshoeing, Nordic or backcountry skiing, or hiking, the Elite Alpine Pant will keep you warm from start to finish. The P.R.O. Softshell and Cocona front panels offer a great buffer from the wind but doesn’t constrict movement in the legs. The extra coverage on the knee is awesome for those whose knees ache in the [...]
Snowshoeing is a great form of cross training for runners or anyone just looking to break up the monotony of their favorite sport. The best thing about snowshoeing is that the learning curve is short; if you can walk then you can snowshoe. Whether you plan to run on packed trails for fitness or jump [...]
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 [...]
Snowshoeing has grown in popularity over the past few years, and it’s easy to see why. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. You can use the same summer trails you enjoy and it requires only 1 piece of special equipment, the snowshoes themselves. Athletes that excel in summer sports use snowshoeing as a way to [...]
Whether you’re dropping big turns in the backcountry, running on a cold day, summiting a 14er, or trying to blend in with the crowd while in Vail, the Arcteryx Venta AR Jacket will meet your needs, and then some. The Venta AR is composed of three different Windstopper fabrics that combine to keep cold breezes [...]
If you can get your paws on a pair of these limited edition Times New Balance 580 snowboard boots, don’t pass it up. Here’s a bit of background: New Balance teamed up with the snowboard apparel company, 686, to put out a novel line of boots which incorporate New Balance technology and 686 design and [...]
The Bollé Monarch is one of the newest members to Bollé ‘s goggle family. The Monarch’s frame uses a combination of two face foams – each with a distinct specific density – to create a comfortable, yet completely stable fit. Flow-Tech Venting, a feature common to all Bollé goggles, reduces fogging and optimizes air flow [...]
Looking for the perfect pair of winter boots that you can wear out to the bars and restaurants and then take them for a hike the next day? Ranger Smith might just be the answer for you. With a durable full grained leather outer and Polartech inner, we found these boots to look great with [...]
Once you’ve made your way into these boots, it will take summer to get you out of them! Merrell seemed to have a comfort-oriented, active, yet stylish woman in mind when designing these boots. These no-lace, insulated boots feel like you are sliding your feet into slippers that you can head to the mountains or [...]
The Cloudveil Spacewalk Jacket is a PrimaLoft insulated softshell that is an excellent performer whether you’re out for a day on the slopes, an afternoon snowshoe, or just staying warm while in town. The Spacewalk is part of the Cloudveil RZ series, which encompasses products that are not super technical, but handles the job for [...]
If y0u aren’t a hardcore skier or boarder, you can at least look like one with the Smith I/O goggles. The I/O goggles are a part of the Smith Evolve line which touts that the frames are made from reground or recycled materials, therefore creating less waste for future generations to deal with. These goggles [...]
Native’s Mission Goggles were an immediate hit with our female testers. Despite being a unisex goggle, the Mission fits small to medium faces quite well and can easily be snapped onto a helmet, as they are helmet compatible. The Mission’s feature a double spherical polarized lens that comes in either an Amber or Chrome Reflex [...]
The Dragon Rogue ski/snowboard goggles give you a big bang for your buck. The Rogue cost $120 and are in the middle price range for snow goggles. As a contact and glasses wearer, comfortable-close fitting goggles are a must to prevent dry eyes when worn with contacts. We found the Rogue to have an excellent [...]
The Patagonia Reconnaissance jacket is a great winter jacket that keeps you warm while skiing and snowboarding in temperatures down to -25 F and won’t overheat you in mid 30′s or 40′s F. With a 45% recycled Primaloft liner, the Reconnaissance jacket keeps you plenty warm while dropping big turns on the ski’s or shredding [...]
The Smith Variant Brim Ski Helmet is the best helmet that we have tested thus far. This helmet seems to match every need of ours and then some. We took this helmet out in all conditions, from warm and sunny to frigid, wind blown, and snowy. One of the features we enjoyed on the helmet was [...]
Looking for a new beanie to keep your noggin warm this winter? Chaos hats have a unique line that caters to those of you that like a lot of flair to those that like a little bit more of a conservative look. We found the Chaos design team to be extremely eclectic as we were [...]
The Red Feather Alpine 30 snowshoes are perfect snowshoes for those people that are looking to push the limits in deep powder or technical terrain. We were able to test these snowshoes in a few feet of powder as well as some steep ascents and descents in the Colorado Rockies and we had no major [...]
The Atlas 1025 Snowshoes are the perfect snowshoes for those that are looking for an all around that handles great on both packed trails and alpine conditions. The Atlas 1025’s come with a V shaped aluminum frame system that provided added strength, yet is pretty flexible when on uneven rocky surfaces. The Binding system is [...]
