Using a trail running shoe for hiking can be beneficial in a number of ways. First, they are typically much lighter than heavier and bulkier hiking shoes. Second, they are typically a lot more comfortable. Third, it’s easy to have one shoe that can do it all. And while trail running shoes are excellent for [...]
Obōz (pronounce it with a long “o”) is a cool little company out of Bozeman, Montana that takes their outdoor footwear seriously. The company was not one I was familiar with, so I couldn’t stop myself from poking around their website to see who they were and what they were all about – take a [...]
With snow starting to turn to rain in many parts of the US, it’s nice to have a rain jacket that can handle the elements whether you’re hiking the Appalachian Trail or hiking up one of Colorado’s 14′ers. I’ve been testing out the Columbia Peak 2 Peak Jacket over the past few months to see how [...]
For starters, we loved the name of this bag, The Black Hole! Patagonia allows you to select from three different sizes to determine how big your Black Hole needs to be to match your base camp and travel needs. We tested out the 60L version, however the bag is available in 90L and 120L with [...]
Before wearing the Powderhorn Gunpowder jacket, I thought all puffy jackets were the same: warm, lightweight and fragile. I would grab a puffy jacket on very cold days when I had no intention of being near trees or other pointy things that could snag a delicate coat. Now I grab my Powderhorn in nearly all [...]
The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market gave us a chance to check out what is new and different for Fall 2011. Mountain Hardwear created a lot of buzz with the launch of their newest waterproof-breathable technical fabric, DryQ. MH’s DryQ will be available in 3 sport specific designs: active, elite, and core. DryQ Elite will be [...]
Over the past year, I have been testing out the Sabino Trail Mid GTX by Montrail. This mid hiking boot/shoe is a lightweight hiking companion that is great for longer day hikes and hikes where you want to keep dirt, mud and snow out while providing additional ankle support. During the dry season and summer months, [...]
Over the past few months, I’ve been testing out the Arcteryx Stingray jacket in activities such as backcountry skiing, resort skiing, snowshoeing, and cold weather hiking. As most of us know by now, Arcteryx has a history producing products of great quality and innovation, and the Stingray jacket is no exception. And while I have [...]
If Vail, Beaver Creek, or Dear Valley are the ski resorts you only frequent, we might have found the jacket for you! The Enigma Flow Down Jacket by Helly Hansen is packed full is features and technology that isn’t available in the majority of jackets on the market, but we must caution you, this jacket [...]
Named after a mountain range in Switzerland, the Lowa Albula GTX WS is designed to take you where you want to go, whether near or far. The Albula GTX WS is women’s specific backpacking/trekking boot, hence the WS acronym. Lowa is known for making high quality mountaineering to hiking boots, therefore their standards or definitions [...]
The Obsidian Jacket is Mountain Hardwear’s answer to the technical backcountry shell. The jacket is highly breathable and waterproof, making it a great outer piece in inclement weather. It is also cut with room for adding layers underneath, which is essential for any shell. I tested the jacket as both a ski shell and a [...]
If you haven’t heard of Looptworks, it’s time, www.looptworks.com. The Portland, Oregon, company started in 2009, and uses pre-consumer manufacturing excess materials to create quality, limited-edition products. In addition to creating unique and functional products from t-shirts, to computer bags to coats, Looptworks ‘aims to rid the world of waste while inspiring a generation to [...]
As we are in the height of winter and temperatures have become bone chilling and wet snow and slush are abundant, it’s nice to have a boot that can keep us warm and dry, yet fashionable. I’ve been testing out the Sorel 1964 Premium T CVS Boots over the past few months and although they [...]
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 [...]
Following in the footsteps of the Nano Puff, Patagonia has come out with the Nano Storm this season. I have been wearing the standard Nano Puff for about a year now and it has been a go to lightweight insulated jacket for a number of activities. I have worn it as my baselayer while skiing [...]
With the Free Skier in mind, Mammut introduces the Alagna jacket this season with a bang. This jacket is a lightly insulated Gore-Tex softshell that is nice by itself on warmer spring ski days yet has plenty of room for warmer base layers and 2nd layers for colder days. I’ve been testing out the Mammut Alagna Jacket [...]
Can you say Primoloft in all the right places? First Ascent by Eddie Bauer sure can with the First Ascent Heyburn Snow Pants. Primoloft is a down alternative insulation that is lightweight, compact, and keeps you nice and toasty. With backcountry ski guides to help with the design of the Heyburn Pants, First Ascent [...]
A stylish jacket that gets you second looks in the high-country will ultimately end up tossed aside if you’re constantly asking yourself: “what were the designers thinking? Do they even play in high alpine environments?” The Marmot Cat Track Jacket will leave you convinced that the designers spend more time playing in powder and ducking [...]
Finding a good pair of waterproof-breathable ski pants can be a difficult task for many women, including myself. Thankfully, the gals at Mountain Hardwear gave me a chance to test out their updated Women’s Synchro Pant and made my job a tad easier. In this review, I hope to give you all the information to [...]
Normally, winter boots fall into two different camps; those that are stylish, yet not so functional, and those that are industrial looking that are designed to tackle just about any amount of snow. Fortunately, Sorel has blended the best of both camps and created a fashionable AND functional winter boot. Make way for Sorel’s Cate [...]
For the Hardcore skier out there that thinks they have everything, Mammut has come out with a new softshell ski/snowboard pant that might just make you want to do an upgrade. The Mammut Alagna Pant is a lined with a Gore-Tex membrane that is waterproof and breathable, so whether you are waste deep in west [...]
Helly Hansen’s Women’s Verglas 3L Jacket features top notch fabric that provides ultimate weather protection. The Verglas 3L feautres HH’s Helly Tech R O2 that comes with the highest waterproof and breathability rankings; with 20,000m waterproofness and 20,000g breathability. You get all of this weather protection in a super light-compact package that can be easily [...]
Although the Keen Alta Mid boots aren’t hiking grade boots, they are perfect to compliment your stylish adventures out on the town. The Keen Alta Mid is a full grain leather boot that goes up just above the ankle, i.e. reasoning for calling them a mid. The Alta Mid boots use Keen’s waterproof breathable membrane, [...]
