Check out my video on the long term durability of the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro, what small issues I found, and what I can do to repair them to keep running in them!
We’ve updated the Sleeping Pad Reviews over at Outdoor GearLab (along with UL Tents! And UL Sleeping Bags!). Sam Schild recently did a fairly substantial update, so most of what you read here is his. I added three new award winners for Most Comfortable, Best Ultralight, and a Budget Buy. This past summer, I’ve been Continue reading…
Along with UL Tents, we’ve updated the UL Sleeping Bag reviews at Outdoor GearLab. This was mostly a streamlining of the products we were showcasing, as many of my own favorite sleeping bags have been discontinued for the time being because of the banning of PFAS, which many of these bags were manufactured with (my Continue reading…
We’ve made a small update to the ultralight tent reviews at Outdoor GearLab — check it out if you’re looking for a new lightweight tent. My personal favorite tent in the review is the SlingFin Splitwing, which is what I used the most on my Nolan’s 14 recon trips, Collegiate Loop training, and other fastpacking Continue reading…
NiteCore has recently released a new version of their Carbo power bank, the Nitecore Carbo 10000 Gen2. What’s Carbo all about? As someone who spends time in the mountains in adverse conditions, for me it’s all about its IPX8 rating. This translates to a high level of water resistance: being able to be submerged up Continue reading…
Some of my favorite gear from La Sportiva released this year.
The Gossamer Gear Grit 28 At A Glance The Gossamer Gear Grit 28 is an absolute exemplary fastpack for super ultralight pack outs where long days, miles, and pushing your limits is your primary goal. Stand Out Features of the Gossamer Gear Grit 28 The excellent value for what you pay, the Grit 28 is Continue reading…
Critical Points Ignore mAh mAh is what power banks are usually advertised under, and may give you a rough idea of capacity, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. The specification is incomplete as it does not include Voltage. And mAh listed can be used to hide the true capacity of a battery. Ignore mAh! Look Continue reading…
Winter backpacking is a constant battle against keeping things from freezing — especially when managing water. Making water by melting snow is a chore I rather not have to do more than I need to and fuel is too precious to waste. Running out puts you in a dangerous circumstance. And the snow here in Continue reading…
The Black Diamond Men’s Solution Hoody At A Glance A high quality, midweight, synthetic fill, insulated jacket with front zip, helmet-compatible hood, bottom cinches and chest pocket that’s perfect as a Winter active insulation, for summer backpacking while at the campsite or on top of lofty mountain summits, and for an everyday do-it-all jacket in Continue reading…
A bright, compact front bike light with innovative mounting options, USB-C charging, along with an included removable and replaceable 18650 battery.Â
Fenix BC06R At a Glance What is the Fenix BC06R Rechargeable Bike Tail Light? The Fenix BC06R Rechargeable Bike Tail Light is a premium, compact, and lightweight rear red bike light. This handsome light sports a variety of lighting patterns at both a low and high intensity, plus an automatic burst mode when braking is Continue reading…
At a glance The Black Diamond Distance LT 1100 Headlamp is a handsome, sleek hiking/backpacking/trail running headlamp with an impressive amount of lighting settings, all within a well-engineered package, weighing in at only a little over a hundred grams. The battery is modular, with the light itself and buttons on a swivel housing, connected Continue reading…
At a Glance What Comes in the Box? The box itself is quite small for the size of the headlamp, which I appreciate, as it shows a little thought when it comes to package waste. Inside, you’ll find the headlamp itself with strap. The headlamp does feel surprisingly hefty for its size as it’s not Continue reading…
Head on over to OutdoorGearLab’s updated Ultralight Sleeping Bag review roundup, where I go over some of the best ultralight sleeping bags available and help you pick out the best sleeping bag for you!
Note: these sunglasses were generously supplied to me by Vallon. At a Glance The Watchtowers are Vallon’s entry into cycling sunglasses, which they’ve specifically designed for gravel/adventure-type riding – which is why they tapped me to give them some test rides and see what I think of them. I took these shades on what I Continue reading…
Head on over to OutdoorGearLab’s updated Ultralight Tent review roundup, where I go over some of the best ultralight tents available and help you pick out the best tent for you!
At first blush, the La Sportiva Karacal and Jackal II look like very similar shoes, the only difference seemingly being the upper design. But that’s not true. What are the differences and why would you pick one over the other? What’s the Same? There are similarities between the Karacal and the Jackal II: the outsole Continue reading…
My favorite La Sportiva mountain running shoe is the Mutant, but for my last FKT attempt of the Colorado Trail, I picked the Jackal II. Why? Here are six reasons: Lower Weight The Mutant coming in at 320 grams (in size EU 42/US 9) is not a heavy shoe, but the Jackal II is only Continue reading…
The gear you bring for an adventure like the Sangre de Cristo Range Traverse can be critical to the success of the trip itself. The momentously mountainous route asks much from you to be ready for anything. With a low point of 7,073′, a high point of 14,304′ and an average elevation of 11,857′, temperature Continue reading…