As I drive around town, I can't help but gasp when I see the current gas prices. It's $3.44 at my local Chevron and there's no sign that it's going to stop anytime soon. With gas at all-time highs, it's no wonder why small cars like the Honda Civic or hybrids like the Toyota Prius are in such high demand. But, how do outdoorsy people with lots of gear and some of us with 3+ kids haul all the bikes, backpacks, coolers, skis, food and clothes in small, gas-friendly vehicles? One option is to add extra on-demand storage with a rooftop cargo box. Yakima has many great solutions that will work on just about every vehicle. Not only can you carry just as much gear in a smaller vehicle, you can pop them on or off in a matter of ...

We are stoked to announce that we will once again be bringing the latest film from The Collective to Salt Lake City and Park City! This year's film, SEASONS, looks into the lives of seven top athletes from the perspective of the most renowned cinematographers and photographers of the sport. You won't want to miss this on the big screen! I watch their previous releases, ROAM and The Collective, over and over in the comfort of my own home and on my laptop. These films are by far the best outdoor sports films period... better than TGR, better than MSP, better than NWD. So, come and enjoy the best mountain biking film of the season in Park City and Salt Lake City. The following showtimes are available. Salt Lake City Premiere Date: Thursday May 22, 2008 Venue: Brewvies - ...

Sometimes across the street might as well be on the other side of the country. People get settled into their routines and stick with what's familiar. Though I lean on the side of comfort, I long to explore and check out new places. This ski season has taken me backcountry skiing in less-traveled areas like American Fork Canyon and Parley's Canyon. Most local backcountry skiers confine themselves to Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, while areas to the north, south, east and west see significantly less--if any--backcountry traffic. For years, I've stared the Oquirrh Mountains dead in the face as I've commuted into Salt Lake City. Both Flat Top Mountain (10,620 ft.) and Lowe Peak (10,589 ft.) loom within arm's reach, but because they aren't quite as accessible, they might as well be in Egypt to most people living ...

Backcountry skiers are like the leg-shavin' XC mountain bike racers who count every gram, drill out every part, swap out all steel bolts for titanium ones and shave their legs too. Every gram counts whether you are pedaling or skinning uphill. Regardless of lightweight gear or not, I'm always the last one up the skintrack. I just like to take things slow and steady, but can still appreciate the weight savings. With so much high-quality, lightweight backcountry gear these days, there's a myriad of choices. Dynafit or Fritschi? Foam or bamboo core? Full-size or mid-size shovel? Carbon fiber or aluminum probe? The list is endless. Lets talk about an all-new piece of gear that not only can help reduce weight, but can also help keep your cool on those long skintracks: the Sierra Designs Mantra Pants....

I haven't been on a Dawn Patrol in over a month... having our third child has reduced my free time considerably. But, with the recent storms, I just had to get out--even if I was doing it all on only 4 hours of sleep. The email came from Kendall yesterday... "Hitting Mt. Aire tomorrow... anyone interested?" I've been wanting to hit Mt. Aire to see Kendall's trailwork and get a first-hand tour from the Mt. Aire addict himself, so I made it happen. Up at 4:45 am, quick breakfast and out the door by 5:15 am. I pulled into the mouth of Lambs Canyon off I-80 at 6:00 am on the dot. Not a bad drive for this kind of accessibility. Unfortunately, I missed Kendall and Rich at the parking lot--they got a 15-minute head start on me, ...

This has been an epic winter by any measurement. Alta has received 638" so far with another storm on the doorstep. Mid elevation stashes like Mt. Aire are still enjoying full winter coverage. Nearly all of Utah's ski resorts are still open but most of Utah's skiers have biking/hiking/running/golf on the brain. For me, when April rolls around and the ski resorts start to to shut down it's like the seventh inning stretch rather than the bottom of the 9th. Monday dawned white with Alta reporting 3", The Canyons 5" and a storm on the doorstep. It was dumping in the mountains where I live and quite frankly the storm caught be by surprise. All morning while working I had one eye on the computer screen, one eye to the window watching the snow stack up. ...

Ryan Leech has been a friend of FeedTheHabit.com for a long time. The man is likely the most talented trials rider ever and he's a class act to boot. I chatted with him at Interbike last October as I swung a leg over the new Norco Fluid LT1 prototype and he was as happy and friendly as ever. Ryan is truly a one-of-a-kind individual and athlete who takes time to chat with fans and truly cares about the image he portrays of himself and of his sponsors. I also had a good chat with Norco's Peter Stace-Smith about Ryan and he had so many good things to say about Ryan that it just confirmed to me once more that we are all stoked to count Ryan as a friend and an industry icon....

Though I don't typically salivate over cross-country mountain bike wheelsets, the all-new Crank Brothers Cobalt XC wheelset is about the sexiest looking set of mountain bike wheels I think I've ever seen! 24 twin-pairs of spokes are laced to the anodized blue rims via twelve integrated eyelets. The hubs are built in typical Crank Brothers fashion--functional and great looking. I'm a big fan of Crank Brothers and have used their pedals exclusively for the past several years. One thing that stands out to me with Crank Brothers... they are always leading the industry in the aesthetics of their designs. Everything is built with Apple-like finishes from the packaging to the product's look and feel. They truly do stand out to me as being the leader in smart and good-looking bike component design--those looks aren't just skin-deep. The all-new Crank ...

When it comes down to it, I'm a vest guy. They are one of the most versatile pieces of outdoor clothing there are. As a lightweight and unobtrusive layering piece, they are always tops on my list. On backcountry ski trips, I always carry one in the bottom of my pack just in case. A nice, lightweight vest is an awesome piece to have in the car just in case the temps on an early-morning trail run are a tad chilly. Several years ago, I lost my Marmot DriClime Vest somewhere between couch surfing or mountain biking trips to Moab. I'm still bummed that I don't have that vest. It was the perfect vest for spring or fall and provided just enough insulation and plenty of wind protection. I've been on the lookout for a replacement ever since. ...

I don't know why all other grip manufacturers don't just throw their hands up in submission and give up making their futile attempts at grips. Is there any reason why you would NOT want to have your grips securely attached to your bars? Is there a reason why you would NOT want to be able to swap out grips, shifters or brake levers on a whim without destroying your grips? Ummm... I can't think of a reason. ODI Lock-On grips are simply the best grips on the market today and the only grips I use on my bikes. I've been using them for years and can't imagine NOT having them on my bikes. The patented Lock-On rings enable you to swap your grips at any time. And, no matter what, they stay secured--even in torrential rain....