Across a multitude of adventures my pup, Roux, got to wear Ultimate Direction’s simply named Dog Vest. We ran, played in rivers, went climbing, got stormed on, got muddy, and generally had the best times ever as all adventure dogs…
Several years ago I decided I was tired of traipsing around the forest in big heavy hiking boots so I decided to trade my big boots in for a pair of La Sportiva Bushido trail runners. I was immediately hooked…
I’ve been wearing nothing but Darn Tough’s Lifestyle Crew socks (on my feet that is, get your mind out of the gutter) for the past two months and I love them. I tried my best to abuse these socks as…
The Ultimate Direction Ultra Vest 5.0 has an impressive name. It’s the 5th iteration of something that is both ultimate (sounds impressive) and ultra (sounds even more impressive). Hoping the vest would live up to its name I spent a…
You and your overpacked car hit the road, and before you know it, an unknown trail grabs your attention. The length is as uncertain as the terrain, and the distant rumble of thunder instills hesitation, but you push forward. Now,…
The Adventure Vesta 5.0 is a bigger capacity running pack designed for longer trail running adventures. With 16.5L of space you can plan and pack safely for an all day (and all night) backcountry adventure. It accompanied me on my…
The two things I strive for in life is to move and be moved. I have moved seven times in the last three years and from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed, I am…
Covid might have canceled all of my races but it hasn’t stopped me from searching for the perfect running vest. If I’m headed for a long run I like to take a more substantial pack but I haven’t found a…
The oddball of the bunch. Is it a vest, a pack, or an overbuilt seat pad? The answer, unexpectedly, is all of the above. This pack has quickly become what I grab first for the majority of my missions. The…
The Ultra Vesta 5.0 is one of the four tiers of hydration vests available from Ultimate Direction, sitting at two out of four on the minimalist scale (the most minimal at one). Despite its rank, I found it more than…