Ski touring is a gear-intensive sport. It can be tough to find a pack that holds gear specifically how you like it. I’ve often found that many companies developing packs to hold gear in innovative ways can forget one of…
Faction’s Prime 3.0 ski is a well-rounded, hard-charging freeride ski. It is durable, maneuverable, and stable at high speeds. Its lightweight and stiff flex make it a go-to mid-winter backcountry ski. Performance I had the pleasure of testing and skiing…
A good jacket is something I never leave home without, especially living in Colorado where the weather can turn on a dime any time of the year. If you are wet or cold on your nature outing it makes the…
A good alpine climbing pack is a beautifully simple piece of equipment. It should be lightweight, reasonably durable, carry high and tight on the back, and have a minimalist design to stay nimble in the mountains. The EXPED Black Ice…
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…
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…
Although airbag packs have been on the market for years, for a time they were consistently too heavy, too bulky, and too expensive for many backcountry users. Luckily for us, air bags have come down significantly in weight and bulk,…