“We shall not cease from exploration, and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” – T.S. Elliot
There are moments in your winter journey you will be faced with a choice – turn back and return to the comfort of your roaring cabin fire, or push deeper. The Melting Point™ Parka from Columbia makes that an easy choice, letting you continue onward into the backcountry with resolute confidence. Continue Reading
In an industry dominated by the male perspective, it’s always refreshing when a company takes time to craft a product designed specifically for the mountainista. As part of their new line of adventure packs, Columbia has released the women’s specific Vixen. Like its male specific counter parts, the Treadlite and Endura, the Vixen is designed specifically to provide freedom to roam fast and light without compromising on comfort or features.
So when the company offered our Gumption Gals the opportunity to test the Vixen backpack we jumped at the chance. Continue Reading
You awaken from your deep slumber to find a blanket of fresh white snow gently covering the wooded backcountry. To celebrate this winter wonderland you’ve decided to dawn your snowshoes and explore. You take inventory of your gear: Jacket – Check; Cozy Beanie -Done; Snowshoes – Yup. Now there’s the question of what boots to wear. No doubt you have a multitude of options when partnering your new snowshoes with boots.
Of course you could just slip into your summer hiking boots, strap on the snowshoes and head out. However, you’ll be more comfortable in a winter specific boot that provides better insulation and a higher cut than regular boots to keep the snow out. When we were searching for quality options the good people at Columbia® sent out a pair of their Hoodster™ Mid OutDry® for our field team to put to the test.
What if you dropped all of your preconceptions about what an outdoor boot should be. What if you left behind the notion that a boot must be either comfortable or completely waterproof. Strip away the Nubuck leather, multi-directional lugs large enough to devour small critters; strip away the pretense of it all…
Instead, replace those notions with a single boot. One boot that is truly waterproof, truly breathable and comfort rated from temperate to sub-zero conditions. Enter the Jamison from Bogs Footwear.
Procrastinators beware: post offices and other carriers have domestic shipping deadlines that are fast approaching. All carriers advise not to wait any longer to send Christmas goodies, greeting cards and gifts across the country. That being said, we understand that you might still be struggling to find that perfect gift for the outdoor enthusiast in your life. As such, here’s a few suggestions that stem from some of our favorite gear of the past year. Continue Reading
Light enough for mellow afternoon outings, supportive enough for a weeklong trip and aggressive enough for every roughshod ramble in between, the Yellowstone II from Oboz Footwear provides the heft and support you need without bogging you down.
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Since the Snowshoeing boom in the 1990s, the number of models on the market has mushroomed. Simultaneously, the technology has greatly improved: bindings are easier to operate yet more secure; frames are lighter, stronger, and more streamlined; and cutting-edge materials are being used in everything from the frame to the decking.
Thanks to this rash of innovations and refinements, snowshoes are more user-friendly than ever. Moreover, the consumer has more choices than ever so all you need to do is find the pair that fits your needs and head off into the great white fields of powder when cabin fever sets in.
If you’re searching for a quality pair of do-everything snowshoes, then L.L. Bean is always a great place to start. Since their founding in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, L.L. Bean has been a trusted source for quality apparel, reliable outdoor equipment and expert advice for almost 100 years. So when this company says that the Summit Trekker Snowshoes are their most advanced snowshoes ever, that’s saying something.
A bad pair of socks can wreck a run. They can cover your feet unevenly or fail to protect your skin from the chafing and excess moisture that causes nasty blisters. With so much time and technology (not to mention cash) invested in your shoes, shouldn’t you expect more from your running socks?
Point6 understands that runners don’t want any unnecessary fluff between their foot and footbed. As such this company has gone to great lengths to create a line-up of performance socks specifically designed to support you in your run mile after mile. Our team vetted the Point6 men’s Ultra Light Micro Running sock – a minimalist styled sock designed for the runner who desires the least amount of sock in their running shoe.
Remember what it felt like to run as a child? That feeling of freedom as your short quick strides carried you across the open grassy fields.
Back then we never thought about the length of our stride or how our feet contacted the ground. We just ran… fast and free. Thankfully today’s modern minimalist running movement offers us all the chance to go back to those moments of childlike bliss.
“Creativity, as has been said, consists largely of rearranging what we know in order to find out what we do not know. Hence, to think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.” — George Kneller
As Columbia will readily admit, there was a time not that long ago when the company had settled into a comfortable niche of merely cramming apparel and gear into big department stores. Thankfully for outdoor enthusiasts that is no longer the case as Columbia is once again on a creative quest re-examining what they once did with fresh eyes. The result is a wave of product and technology launches resulting in gear that will satisfy the unbridled hunger for adventure that rests within each of us.
