I’ve been late to jump on the soft shell bandwagon. Not due to any hesitation or skepticism I have about the technology, but because I haven’t had a need for the benefits soft shells offer. Most of my hiking and outdoor recreation has been 3 season, and in these conditions I was getting by just fine in a baselayer and an ultra light rain...

Ready, set…. go! One of the better outdoor/adventure clothing sales started today. If you have been saving your pennies for some quality gear, now might be a good time to crack the piggy bank. The real magic typically happens at the actual stores, so if you have access to one I would advise making the trip. Info can be found HERE But if you...

This video from Backpacker Magazine is a nice, basic intro to upper body layering for winter hiking. I use a very similar set-up for our winter hikes, except I often wear a soft shell jacket instead of a down jacket. It’s not quite as warm and won’t pack down as nice as a puffy jacket, but I like the durability of it. In the colder months,...

During a recent conversation about gear, a fellow outdoor enthusiast referred to Patagonia as “PataGucci.” Apparently this is the term the cool kids have been using to poke fun of some of the company’s expensive, fashion forward outdoor wear. I got a chuckle out of the word play, laughed out loud, and then realized how out of the...

CNN Money is running a feature on the 100 best companies to work for. REI, a consumer co-op and one of our favorite outdoor retailers, was ranked number 14. The following plays like a recruitment video at times, but I think it does a really good job of showing what makes this company special for its employees, and how that then translates to a good...

Spadout recently ran a short interview with a product manager from Polartec. The gist of the conversation was about developing new products, but I really found this tidbit interesting… it basically gives the origin story behind what we now call fleece. Polartec, or Malden Mills as it was called then, was a mill that largely made fake animal fur...

I wish I had caught wind of this sale earlier. There are some nice deals to be had and I always like to support a company that gives back. The sale is both online and at participating stores, but only through January 19. Some highlights: Men’s and Women’s Fitz Roy Down Jacket – $175 Men’s and Women’s R2 Jacket –...

There is a killer winter sale going on right now at EMS. For the life of me I cannot figure out how long it will be going on for, but they are offering up to 50% off some items. A few of the highlights include: 30 to 40% off on select snowshoes 20% off mountaineering boots, crampons, and ice axes 30% off EMS zero degree and colder sleeping bags 15%...

Wanted: The Perfect Day Pack. Must excel in casual, urban outings AND day long outdoor activities. Must be big enough to fit my laptop and a change of clothes for the former and a day hike’s worth of gear for the latter. It must be made of environmentally friendly materials. And it must have easily accessible water bottle pockets. Oh, and...

I love lists, and I love gear. So naturally coming up with an end-of-decade list of our favorite gear was something I just had to do. (Ok, ok, TECHNICALLY it really isn’t the end of the decade yet, but let’s ignore that.) For the most part, my definition of a good piece of gear is pretty simple. It just needs to do its job. I want my...