Do you ever get a new piece of gear that suddenly replaces everything you had before it, leaving past gear staples to collect dust in a closet or garage? The BlackYak Nelore Jacket has done just that for me. Now…
I received the Bulletproof quickdraws at the end of July and they quickly became my go to for leaving on routes over multiple weeks at my favorite summer crags. I have to confess; I have a problem with long-term projecting…
Dialing my Denali Kit We struggled to put one foot in front of the other, gasping for every single breath. Digging deep and fighting for each foot, we finally, after what seemed like a never-ending stair climb from hell, reached…
This spring I took the Julbo Cham sunnies to the slopes of some Alaskan mountains to see if their classic style could match up to the epic views of the alpine ski terrain. With over 15 hours of daylight and…
The Deuter Trail Pro 36 is a pack for long day hikes where comfort and additional space for gear are necessary. It also performs exceptionally well for short multi days trips, mostly in the realm of summer mountaineering or backpacking…
I began my field testing with a ski touring trip to Rogers Pass in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia. Here I found myself munching my way up the Illecillewaet Glacier on Cherry Cola Classic Energy Chews. Two weeks later…
In August of 2017, I was headed to Iceland for a two-week trip camping and backpacking trip. I didn’t have a pack large enough for the trip and ended up borrowing a bright red Osprey Ariel 65 L from a…
Not Your Dad’s Transition Lenses Function My first foray with the Julbo Aerospeeds was a morning skin up Buffalo Mountain in Summit County, Colorado. Never having used transition lenses I didn’t know what to expect — would I be fumbling…
After 17 days of sweat-harvesting expedition wear on Denali’s West Buttress route, I have to confirm that Icebreaker’s claims of making “stink proof” base layers were spot on! My kit of Icebreaker Meld Zone Sports Bra, Icebreaker Women’s 200 Zone…
If you’ve seen my gear closet you know I have *a few* backpacks…and by a few I mean enough to start a small retail store. I have tried several different brands – Northface, Osprey, Gregory, Columbia, and now Deuter. One…