When it’s summer in the southwest, you need water. That’s why I decided to start taking a refillable stainless-steel bottle with me everywhere. Here are some bottles I tried to stay hydrated and be more green.
gear/equipment
Packing – One of the Hardest Parts of Travel
As I was filling up my backpack for traveling to Iceland, all I could think about was a line from Monty Python’s The Life of Brian: “Is it too big? Is it too small?”
I never want to bring too much, but I also never want to get totally soaked in a random storm like I did in New Zealand. And I actually needed a tent and sleeping bag this time – and a pair of running shoes since my wife signed us up for the Miðnæturhlaup, which is “Midnight Run” in Icelandic. I also had to bring stuff for hanging out in Reykjavik in addition to exploring the volcanic badlands.
Anyway, I ruthlessly put together a packing list of everything I took and evaluated whether or not I would bring it on my next trip (well, to a place with a similar climate, anyway). Some mainstays that always make it into the pack are ExOfficio underwear, my freakin’ awesome La Sportiva boots and my practically immortal REI convertible cargo pants, which continue ticking after nearly 5 years of use.
Anyway, here’s how all this stuff fared during two weeks at the 66th parallel. Keep this in mind if you’re planning to hit the cooler climates this summer.
First Ascent Outerwear Shootout – Downlight Versus Serrano
Eddie Bauer is doing some work to make its original mountain explorer image part of its company vibe again. At the heart of the effort is its First Ascent brand.
You won’t find First Ascent casual wear of any sort. It’s meant to be technical wear, and you will see it on some of the world’s highest peaks. First Ascent designed the line with input from experienced mountaineers like Ed Visteurs and Melissa Arnott. And these experts are outfitted with First Ascent gear as they span the world climbing all sorts of crazy stuff.
Obviously, First Ascent wants this stuff to hold up against some stern tests. That’s good news for everyday people like me, who are more likely to just go skiing, snowshoeing or even just sledding in the cold weather.
I recently tested the First Ascent Downlight sweater and Serrano jacket, and came away with some impressions. This should help you figure out which is better for you.
Up with Downlight
The first to endure my abuse was the Downlight sweater ($169-$189). I grabbed a blue XL from my local Eddie Bauer store. Its first assignment was keeping me warm at the Kona 24 Hours of Old Pueblo – mostly at night when I wasn’t on my bike. Temperatures got into the low 30s F. Mission accomplished! Next up was four days in Breckenridge, Colo., with temperatures from 12 to 22 degrees. Even in windy conditions on the slopes, the Downlight kept me warm. I teamed it with an UnderArmour Heatgear shirt, a [...]
Mountain Bike Monday – Two Tubeless Tire Tips
Welcome to this week’s installment of Mountain Bike Monday. Today, Wandering Justin shares how he got schooled by a problem with his tubeless tires.
A few weeks ago, I realized that I’d worn the front tire on my mountain bike down to nothing. I dropped in at my old buddy Cal’s shop, Bicycle Haus. They’re a Specialized dealer, and carry a lot of their parts. One of the Specialized tires looked like my bag – The Captain! Named after mountain bike icon Ned Overend and aggressively treaded, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. I carted it home, and it was a breeze to install on my rim. That’s not always the case – tubeless tires and sealant can be a right bugger to install.
And it had traction galore! It did great on my first ride at Black Canyon Trail. Then I took it to Trail 100. After about eight miles of riding, that rocky monster tore a hole in The Captain’s sidewall. And the sealant couldn’t slam the door on the leak. I limped back hom by sticking a tube into the tire, which really screws up the ride quality.
To replace The Captain (which I hereby demote to The Private), I dropped into The Slippery Pig (The Captain’s failure is no fault of Bicycle Haus – and I would’ve gone there for another tire, but they mostly had Specialized. I wanted to cast a slightly wider net.). The friendly staff member there recommended the Geax Saguaro tires, which come in a [...]
