a photo of the norda 001 trail running shoes

Norda 001 Review

A Guide’s Review of the Norda 001 Nearly indestructible uppers with tried and true rubber mean the Canadian designed Norda 001 shoe. Throw in a distinctly Canadian outsole and a plethora of distinct colorways and you have a contender for the best premium trail shoe around.     Overview Material: bio-based Dyneema, Vibram SLE midsole, Vibram Litebase + Megagrip Weight: 268 grams for size US 8.5 (claimed) … Continue reading Norda 001 Review

Salewa Wildfire 2 Review

in Corrina D’Ampezzo, the Salewa Wildfire 2 Review The Salewa Wildfire 2 blurs the line between hiking and approach shoes with grippy outsoles and a durable yet breathable upper. We’ve tested these shoes hiking in the Coast Mountains, in the Alps, and as well as a few surprise mountain biking days to see just what they’re made of.  Overview Material: recycled synthetic upper with a … Continue reading Salewa Wildfire 2 Review

On Running Cloudultra Review

On Running Cloudultra Review On Running and their Cloudultra shoes are all-purpose trail shoes that are just as at home on gravel as they are on pavement. I spent 400 km with these shoes in the Dolomites last summer and found them to be lightweight comfortable shoes around town as well as on gravel and dirt trails.  Overview Material: Total Recycled Content: about 5% – … Continue reading On Running Cloudultra Review

Man splitboarding in ibex woolies tech quarter zip and 3/4 bottoms

Ibex Woolies Tech Review

A Guide’s Review of Ibex Woolies Tech Merino wool has become ubiquitous to outdoor adventures in recent years but not without a few caveats: stretching, and durability. Ibex solves these issues and more with their new Woolies Tech line of base layers.  Thanks to its durability and flexibility, the Tech Woolies line is a fantastic Merino kit that will fit into anyone’s base layer essentials.  … Continue reading Ibex Woolies Tech Review

Review: Scarpa Ribelle Run

Review: Scarpa Ribelle Run Scarpa continues to put their mark on the trail shoe scene with this fantastic addition to their shoe line. A Full TPU Rand, Presta outsole, sock fit, and water-resistant upper make the Scarpa Ribelle Run read like a dream list for rugged trail shoes. Read on to see why these Dolomite born shoes are a contender for my favorite trail shoe … Continue reading Review: Scarpa Ribelle Run

fjallraven keb trouser trekking in bush

Review: Fjällräven Keb Trousers

A Guide’s Review of the Fjällräven Keb Trousers There is a plethora of trekking trousers on the market. They tend to be designed to be light and fast using every modern material possible or strong enough to work on a construction site with burly more traditional materials. The Fjällräven Keb trousers blend strong waxed canvas with modern stretch materials, combining the best of both worlds … Continue reading Review: Fjällräven Keb Trousers

A Guide’s Review of the Norrona Lyngen Flex1 Pants

Review: Norrona Lyngen Flex1 Pants I’ve been wearing various hard shells as my main ski pants for years, but I’ve been a little soft shell curious for at least the last two. This past winter I had the chance to test out the Norrona Lyngen Flex1 for the entire season. I found these slim-fitting softshell pants excelled at touring just as well as they did … Continue reading A Guide’s Review of the Norrona Lyngen Flex1 Pants

Review: Esker Approach Insoles

Review: Esker Approach Insoles Esker Insoles takes a natural approach to orthotics with their Approach Insoles. Canadian wool felt, linen canvas, and natural rubber combined with a supportive orthotic shape make the Esker Approach Insoles a great way to keep your feet happy on the hills.  Overview Material: Wool Felt, Linen Canvas, and Natural Rubber Weight: 168 grams for a pair of size 44 Country … Continue reading Review: Esker Approach Insoles

Long Term Review: Injinji Socks

Review: Injinji Socks The Injinji Run Lightweight No-Show and Mini-Crew socks are my daily choice while guiding hiking trips in the Alps.  They’re all I wear and have effectively stopped me from getting blisters with over 1000km hiked every summer since I began wearing them.  Overview Material: 27% CoolMax® 68% Nylon, 5% Lycra®  Number of Toes per sock: Five per foot Number of Toes per … Continue reading Long Term Review: Injinji Socks

Review: La Sportiva TX Guide

La Sportiva TX Guide, if the shoe fits you’re going to like them. But you better have a narrow foot! Whether you climb big walls, boulders, or something in between, one thing all climbers can agree on is that we need reliable approach shoes. You want a good fit, grippy soles, durability, comfort, not bulky or heavy, and the list goes on. To say this … Continue reading Review: La Sportiva TX Guide