I put a pair of Ortovox 150 Cool Merino shirts through their paces, from international travel, long days on the trail and in the gym. Aside from a little sunfade, they prove that the combo of merino and tencel is a hard wearing odor defying winner. Ortovox 150 Cool Merino Shirt Material: 44% Merino, 43% Tencel, 13% Polyamide Weight: 160 grams for XL Origin: Vietnam … Continue reading The Ortovox 150 Cool Merino Review
Despite its legendary status I’d always avoided the Bushido due to its lower volume of padding. I moved from hiking boots to trail runners for the padding and a stack height of 19mm in the heel. I was wrong. These are fantastic trail shoes. Great grip, stability when the going gets rugged and just the right amount of protection make this a contender for my … Continue reading The La Sportiva Bushido 3 Review
The Rab Rivelin Hoody is designed as an all-around base layer, built for comfort and versatile use across a range of mountain activities. However, looking at the spec sheet, thumb loops, a generous hood, using it as a dedicated sun hoody was an inevitability for me. While Rab might categorize it as a base layer, its feature set and fabric weight make it an ideal … Continue reading The Rab Rivelin Hoody Review
It’s fair to say that Norda is singlehandedly pushing the boundaries of trail running shoes the hardest. That is evident in every release they make and the Norda 005 is testament. Norda’s third trail shoe combines a bomber upper, and ultra cush and bouncy Armitel midsole with the lightest and grippiest outsole compound on the market with the Vibram Megagrip Elite. The Norda 005 Review … Continue reading The Norda 005 Review
The “little brother” to the legendary PowSlayer, the Patagonia Untracked Bibs might actually be the more talented sibling. Built with quieter materials and offering near-equal waterproofing, these bibs feature a high-cut design specifically engineered to keep out the deepest powder. Over the course of a heavy season, they’ve taken a fair amount of abuse from me and still look nearly as good as they did … Continue reading The Patagonia Untracked Bib Review
An ultralight softshell with just a smidge of insulation, the Patagonia Nano-Air line provides a fantastic midlayer that moonlights as a shell in fair but cool weather. I’ve been wearing the Nano-Air Pullover for a year now and found its versatility makes it a very capable year round piece. The Patagonia Nano-Air Ultralight Pullover Review Shell & lining: 100% recycled polyester air-permeable ripstop with a … Continue reading The Patagonia Nano-Air Ultralight Review
These are the quintessential Smith glasses. Smith advertises them heavily as fishing glasses though they have certainly found their way to places much further afield. I’ve taken them trekking and splitboarding in the Coast Mountains and Japan. Their fantastic optics mixed with a heavy base curve make them perfect for protecting your vision in high glare situations. The Guide’s Choice XL is the quintessential Smith … Continue reading The Smith Guide’s Choice XL Review
The Rab Cirrus Alpine Insulated Jacket is a versatile, eco-friendly synthetic puffy tailor-made for damp, cold-weather grit. It is a budget-friendly, durable, and warm alternative to traditional down, designed to handle moisture just as well as it handles the cold. The Rab Cirrus Alpine Insulated Jacket: Down Power without the Down Shell: Pertex Quantum Ripstop Nylon 30D Insulation: 100% Recycled PrimaLoft Silver Rise Liner: 20D … Continue reading Rab Cirrus Alpine Jacket Review
The Great Injinji Round Up If you’ve met me on the trail, you know Injinji is the only sock I currently wear while hiking. I still have non-Injinji socks, but those are for off trail, around town, or on shorter hikes where my feet aren’t going to heat up as much. The key to getting rid of blisters and hot feet for me has solely … Continue reading The Great Injinji Round Up
Ibex Merino for 2025 Our favorite winter merino layers for the past few years have been from Ibex. This year, Ibex has doubled down on their summer offerings with the Springbok Hoodie and the Paradox short sleeve. Blends of Australian merino wool and synthetics that increase durability and provide UPF protection. I’ll be rocking these shirts all summer long, testing their durability and ability to … Continue reading Ibex Merino 2025
