Backpacks: the epitome of life. Think about it. Whether you are a professional alpinist, a preschool student or anything in between, you own a backpack. And while backpacks have come a long way from when the first zippered backpack was…
Most people shudder when they hear the words “winter camping”, but as I like to say, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.” Winter camping no longer has to involve sleepless nights of shaking, shivering, and wishing…
“Is that the one that sounds like a potato chip bag?” This seems to be the most common question when I mentioned that I was testing the newest version of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite sleeping pad. And to be fair,…
The HIMALI Annapurna softshell jacket, intimately tied to Nepal and the Himalayas, is designed to withstand the planets harshest conditions, and a mission to support the communities around them as well. In reviewing gear, I give consideration to two categories.…
Mountainsmith’s Glissade 7075 trekking poles are the perfect companion for keeping your balance in the alpine, and I’ve been waiting for the opportune moment to get out there and beat them up a bit. Getting them prepped was easy- no…
This fall I had the pleasure of reviewing the MSR Access 2 tent. My first product test was in Moab, Utah with a client who had never camped before. Next, I took the tent into the rugged Gore Range in…
To explain my appreciation for the design of Native Eyewear’s Backbowl Goggles, I have to explain a little bit of my history working in the ski industry. I began my “career” down under at New Zealand’s Cardrona Alpine Resort (also…
I have skin problems. To be more specific, I have skin-trimming problems and tail-clip-keeping problems. And sometimes I have skin glue problems, which often go hand-in-hand with skin sticking problems. It’s not like I don’t try to take care of…
I made a resolution eight years ago, deep in the Glacier backcountry, after spending the better part of a night getting stalked by a grizzly bear with only a dim headlamp between my brother and I. Having to track those…
When Kelty designed their Folding Cooler they set out to solve the issue that is the bane of all coolers everywhere: wasted space. What they came up with is an interesting piece that starts out about the size of a…