Outdoors
After the hottest and driest summer I can remember, Fall has finally arrived with crisp air and cold storms bringing snow into the higher elevations of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. It’s still early, but this much snow this early in the season is a good sign. I’ve skied powder as early as October 15, so winter could be just around the corner.
I’m still hoping for another month of Fall weather so I can get more mountain biking, road biking and trail running in, but if the snow starts to fly early, I’ll take it.
After two straight days of cold rain in the valleys, the clouds broke and the sun came out to reveal the snow that...
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Lots of styles of sunglasses have come through my door this summer. Every pair has been good, but for different reasons. Some fit extremely well, some have interchangeable lenses, others look more stylie around town and others offer great technology, like polarized lenses.
This year is the first year I’ve had multiple pairs of polarized sunglasses to flog. Though I enjoy the benefits of polarized lenses while on the water or snow, under most other circumstances polarized lenses are simply unnecessary. Sometimes they can also be a little dangerous. I’ve found that I don’t like to drive with polarized lenses or mountain bike with polarized lenses. Well, let me clarify this… I don’t like to do...
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Socks are socks are socks, right? I’ve heard that one before. Yeah, if you don’t truly care about how your shoes fit or how well your feet breathe, then socks ARE socks. But, if you want your feet to enjoy the bike ride, trail run or hiking trip, then socks aren’t just socks.
In recent years, the mixture of both synthetic and natural materials has proven to be a goldmine for sock manufacturers. New and old materials alike are being brought to life in the form of more comfortable, more supportive, longer-lasting and better fitting sock designs. I’ve recently had the chance to try out the new Keen Mt. Airy socks (called Hybrid.Sox) and I’m...
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Sunglasses are some of the most essential pieces of equipment for outdoor activities–especially here in Utah with the high-altitude sun that relentlessly beats down on you from above. That type of exposure can cause serious damage to your peepers if you don’t take care of them.
But, sunglasses not only serve to block glare and protect your eyes from dangerous UV rays, they can block the wind and protect your eyes from dirt, bugs or tree branches. Even better are the sunglasses with swappable lens options for even more versatility. Not only are the Smith Prophet sunglasses going to protect your eyes, they feature Smith’s Interlock lens technology to give you a single pair of...
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We’ve all been there - you put on a performance top fresh from the dryer and head out for a trail run or perhaps a day of climbing. But by the time you either turn the first corner or reach for that first hand-hold you catch of wiff of last weeks workout and wonder how on earth you can get the lingering stench out of your performance clothing.
The fact of the matter is that despite washing after washing most performance clothing will still have that lingering odor. I’ve hand washed to see if it could help but no.
My two worst offenders are my Patagonia Capilene Tee...
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I don’t make it out backpacking as often as I used to. Once the kids are a little older, I’ll get back after it, but for now a few times a year is all I’ll get. Since my camping days are limited, I want to enjoy it to the fullest, but one of the things that often gets in the way of that enjoyment is a bad night’s sleep.
Often times the root cause of a tossing and turning, dead arm, stick poking you in the butt kind of sleep is the poor quality of sleeping pad I’m using. Though they are light, thin foam pads or lightweight, self-inflating pads don’t typically provide the kind of...
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Salomon continues to refine their product offers in both footwear and apparel for 2009. While at Outdoor Retailer, I got a glimpse into the future of Salomon’s trail running shoes, water sandals and lightweight, performance outerwear. They are definitely pushing the line in a great direction with lightweight and technical products for active outdoor pursuits.
Of particular interest was their trail running and apparel lineup for next year. With killer athletes and smart design, Salomon produces smart products that are built to last.
Salomon XT Wings GTX Trail Runners
With new colors for 2009, the...
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In their pursuit of footwear domination, Keen continues to expand their product lines with both niche products and expanded products for the masses. Every time I get the rundown of the Keen product line, I’m impressed with both the product quality and sheer expansiveness of the line.
Not only does Keen offer some of the most protective and trail-friendly sandals on the market, but they also produce river shoes like the Keen Hood River Boot, casual shoes for a walk around town, bags and packs and also left and right-specific socks.
A couple of new products that I’d like to highlight represent both product refinements and an expansion into a new market....
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A quick stop at the Yakima booth yielded a couple of sweet new products that will be introduced in early 2009–something to look forward to. The battle for bike-carrying supremacy is one of the sweet spots of the roof rack market. Between Yakima and Thule, you’ve got a variety of options to suit your personal tastes and vehicle type.
Hefting a bike on your roof is never an easy task–unless you drive a Mini Cooper–however, sometimes it’s the quickest and easiest way to get your bike from your garage to the trailhead. I’ve been pretty vocal about my love/hate relationship with roof racks. In my 15 years of using roof-mounted bike racks, I’ve done...
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I’ve tried a number of sunglasses from all the top companies over the years: Smith, Oakley, Scott, Ryders, Julbo and others. Each one offers something unique and is made to fit different size faces or made to serve a specific function. Lately, I’ve noticed a trend towards offering more and more polarized lenses.
As such, I’ve had a number of polarized sunglasses and goggles come my way. Polarized lens technology has been around for a long time, but some do it better than others and some lens materials are better suited to it than others. I had a chance to sit down with Derek Newton, the local Kaenon Polarized sales rep...
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A
foot of April flake just buried the 'Bird, the Crack House is warming
up and the Rollercoaster's drying out. Epic spring lines are calling
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