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…
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…
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…
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…
The Deuter Trail 28 SL accompanied my partner and I on my climb of Skywalker Couloir, a snow climb in the Indian Peaks Wilderness of Colorado. We hiked through several miles through backcountry forests, crossed raging streams, and ultimately climbed…
A small, convenient lumbar pack for adventures where keeping gear dry is at a premium. Are you looking for a bag that can do it all? Great for an overnight getaway or a week-long backpacking trip? Durable? Packable? All the…
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…
The waterproof and minimalist backpack ready for your next alpine adventure. The alpine provides conditions that are harsh, and sometimes inhospitable. High winds, cold temperatures, and freezing rain can be common occurrences up high where the trees don’t grow. Despite…
Mayhem – a situation in which there is little to no order or control. Every time I pack for a trip, jackets, shirts, and pants are thrown over every chair, and gear covers every inch of the floor. What does…
The Mountainsmith Scream 55: the ultralight backpack for those who wish to carry more than the bare, 3-season essentials. In testing the Scream 55, I wanted to take this backpack out of the traditional, 3-season ultralight backpacking environment, and highlight…