As the summer racing season heats up, many of us are looking for that special pair of shorts which looks great, but not too long or short, to wear on the starting line. The Helly Hansen Pace Shorts has been a top choice of mine in this regard. The fabric is silky light with the [...]
In the 890, New Balance is following a growing trend in the running market. With the popularity of minimalist and barefoot running, they are seeking to stay competitive in the market today by stripping down shoes to the essentials without sacrificing quality. The movement has been termed “purposeful design” and they seem to have [...]
Eddie Bauer has a long and impressive heritage of equipping some famous expeditions but has lost a lot of its prestige over the last decade. With the 2009 introduction of the First Ascent line, I believe they have made a phenomenal return to high-quality expedition-ready apparel. They have worked with mountain guides and professionals to [...]
Polarmax puts a new spin on long underwear. The polarmax Zipmock technical base layer provides maximum comfort out of wool by blending it with acclimate dry polyester, for a fit that’s both comfortably warm and moisture wicking. As a base layer, it was up to the task of both chilly morning runs and winter snow [...]
Saucony’s been around the block a few times, which means from top to bottom, they rarely ever get it wrong. The men’s transition half zip definitely gets it right. We found it to be a great piece to throw over your normal favorite shirt for an early morning or late evening run, or any time [...]
For those of you out there that like their shorter running shorts, the Brooks Infiniti Short II is a must to check out. The Infiniti Short II comes with a 2 1/4 inseam which is nice when you want to pick up your speed and not have the shorts fabric get in the way. We tended to [...]
When you mention the company SmartWool, most people would say, “Yeah, that sock company!” Fortunately, SmartWool makes more than just socks these days. This spring, Smartwool updated their women’s Cottonwood Jersey, and I got a chance to test it out. The Cottonwood Jersey features Technical Knit Merino fabric in the body and polyester mesh panels [...]
Finding the perfect pair of hiking pants can be a difficult task, but Mammut has made your search a whole lot easier with the introduction of the Fiamma Pants. Ideal for hiking, snowshoeing, backpacking, or traveling abroad, these pants have treated us very well. The Fiamma Pants are made of a softshell material called SOFtech [...]
If you are an outdoor enthusiast that is looking for an ultra light-do-everything shell, then the Meru Jacket by The North Face might just be the jacket for you. The Meru incorporates GORE-TEX® PACLITE technology and many other note-worthy features to make this jacket one of my favorite pieces this spring. First and foremost, the [...]
SmartWool is known for their ability to incorporate merino wool into active wear that is not only fun, as well as functional. We recently tested out their arm warmers and were pleased to find that they far exceeded our expectations. The arm warmers are constructed from merino wool (63%), nylon (32%), and elastic (5%). Because [...]
Karhu is not as recognizable in the US as some other running shoe brands, but this Finnish company has been making sporting goods including running shoes since the 1920s when the legendary Flying Finn, Paavo Nurmi ran in Karhus! The main focus of their new Fulcrum Ride running line is unobtrusive correction of pronation or [...]
Cushe (pronounced koosh-ee) is a UK lifestyle shoe brand established in 2004. Cushe states that they create footwear for dynamic, unique individuals with an appetite for adventure but who know how to chill with the best of them. Cushe loves the small details and it shows in the construction and materials of the Baja Chill. [...]
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 [...]
With the 876, New Balance continues to improve upon their already award winning line of versatile trail shoes. Supportive yet not bulky, the MT876 is the go to shoe for those looking for a great mix of speed, durability, and support. Definitely not a stability shoe by any stretch, the 876 seeks to provide just [...]
We tested Thorlo’s Experia socks with CoolMax last year and we were excited to try out Thorlo’s latest addition, the Experia with merino and silk, which will be released next month. The Experia is a line of thin padding socks that are geared towards athletes that want light padding in the high pressure areas, but [...]
The Mizuno Wave Rider has long been a favorite of neutral runners looking for a forgiving, speedy shoe. The 13th iteration of this shoe is no exception. The Wave Rider 13 continues to have a superb fit with a cushy but not bulky midsole. Our testers were impressed at how cushioned this shoe felt while [...]
The 1100 series from Asics has always been a best buy for budget-minded runners. It is a moderate stability shoe that works for a wide variety of runners. Every update, it benefits from technology advances developed for its more pricey siblings. This model features a retooled upper with better materials and an updated look that [...]
Pearl Izumi has an exciting 2010 planned. This spring, they will release the new Fuel line which will feature a road-focused shoe and the syncroFuel XC shown here, which will be trail-specific. The Fuel line is Pearl Izumi’s entrant into the performance stability category. Think of it as their answer to this category’s Goliath, the [...]
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 [...]
We’ve been testing out the Obermeyer Progress Jacket over the past few cold winter months and are very impressed with this jacket. The Progress Jacket is longer than most jackets on the market, giving you complete coverage weather your trying to stay warm and snow free on the slopes our out running winter errands. The [...]
Looking for a base layer that not only performs like an all-star, but also makes you look like an all-star? Look no further, the Dakine Throttle Crew is here for the rescue. True to Dakine’s stylish flair, the Throttle Crew is one of the best looking base layers we’ve tested out this season. Often times [...]
The North Face Crimptastic Hybrid jacket not only has a great name, but it also comes with great performance. Packing 800 fill down in the Crimptastic, this jacket keeps you plenty warm in the areas you need it most. Being part of The North Face Summit Series, the Crimptastic jacket is made with the extreme [...]
Under Armour has recently come out with the Revenant running shoe, a great option for those looking for stability while running. The Revenant was up to the task of delivering a very smooth ride, as our testers were mostly on sidewalks and streets in urban Atlanta. The Revenant gets very high marks for superior cushioning [...]
