I’ve been on a Smith kick as of late. A year ago, I owned none of their product, and I now sport the Smith Interlock Whisper Sunglasses, the Smith Variant Brim Helmet and most recently, the Smith Heiress Goggles.

Single greatest features of the Heiress- the size! My previous goggles dwarfed my face. They hung down over most of my nose and were basically massive. Granted, there’s a good chance my older goggles were manufactured in a decade that I might not have been alive in, but age aside, they were not a good fit for my face. My other option had always been kids goggles, which usually didn’t have a wide enough strap to fit around my helmet and head!

Smith Heiress Goggles

• Part of the “Spherical” series, the Heiress is a great option for those who the I/O is too big for, but still provides lens interchangeability and Vaporator Lens technology.
• “Articulated outrigger positioning system”- basically means that the straps aren’t fixed directly to the goggle, but to a pivoting plastic joint, so you can wear the smaller lenses with a helmet and not have your frames yanked off your face.
• If you’ve got a Smith Variant Brim, you’re psyched about these goggles! The integration is seamless. No gaper gap (that unsightly space between your helmet and your goggles). The venting is incredible! The brim keeps the top of your goggles snow free, allowing for optimal airflow through your goggles. No fogging! Even when you’re sweating on those warmer days, the vents in the helmet and the vents in the goggles integrate and keep your vision at 100%.
• Stylin’ designs! Normally I’m a simple kinda gal, black or white is about the extent of my color palate. However, I now own the “South Beach” design of the Heiress, and I rock the pink and green stripes like a pro. They match my pinstriped Variant Brim!

Check ‘Em Out! Smith Heiress Goggle

Have you ever gotten lost? Have you ever admitted it? If you are banging your head on the keyboard because you own a GPS and got lost with it on your dashboard you might want to check Lowrance GPS navigators. Out of the box these puppies pride themselves in ease of use and come with all the extras your looking for in a GPS unit.

The Endura series is keeping up with the Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm craze with having a touchscreen interface to buzz trails or find that POI everyone on the blog is raving about. Pre-loaded maps and SD expansions slots to cram your MP3’s and pics are just a few of the treats you get with the Lowrance Endura series.

ENDURA SIERRA – $549 (Blue)

The ‘flagship’ of the three units boasts a 4GB internal memory to store tunes and trails. This unit comes with Intermap’s Accuterra, a high resolution topo map to really hold your hand through the backcountry. The Sierra offers the NAVTEQ road network for the lower 48 for that visit to DC, so no worries on getting lost while trying to find Ben’s Chili Bowl. The Sierra accepts many GPX and online community-based content.

ENDURA SAFARI – $384.99 (Gray)

Ever thought of keeping notes when your following a map? Along with the Sierra the Safari has a built-in voice recorder to remind you where exactly you put the toilet paper. The Safari has a stout processor for quick panning and trail loading. Uploaded with detailed maps to help ease the pain of being lost…dis-oriented…errr you know what I mean.

ENDURA OUTBACK – $229.99 (Yellow)

The Outback is a solid affordable choice for getting into the GPS world. This unit comes with a geocaching application compatible with Geocaching.com to go leave baseball cards in lunch boxes tucked under abandoned railroad carts. Full color and touchscreen makes this easy to use and gives you all the POI’s you need for a jam packed road trip. The contours aren’t as detailed as the other models but will get you where you need to be. Don’t forget Fishing Hot Spots and Lakemaster charts already uploaded to catch the big one.

All units are 5.1-inch high x 2.3-inch wide x 1.1-inch deep and weigh you down 5.8oz. Sleek and easy to use, theres no reason not to pack one along and on top of that; not get lost.

Check out Lowrance to find the Endura GPS unit that will make your next trip epic.

Nothing worse then trudging through winter and constantly digging snow out of your boots. When I go snowshoeing I wear my Keen Targhees because they are light and very easy to run around in. The Mountain Hardwear Ascent Ventigaiters go well with low cut shoes or boots for numerous reasons.

The elastic in the back fits nice and snug on a variety of footwear. I had some OR crocodiles back in the day for mountaineering and ice climbing with my Makalus. The OR gaiters are good if you have a big momma beefy boot, otherwise they are very hard to fit snug without the elastic band.

Gaiter Sizing

It is hard to find the right size in a gaiter. With the OR Crocs I wore an XL and with the Ventigaiter I’m in a large. I could probably go down to a medium in the Ventigaiter though because of the type of footwear I am doing. Good rule of thumb is to go by what footwear your wearing. I wear a 10 in the Keen Targhee and a medium/large works, also depends on how massively large your calves are.

With side zips on most snow pants these days the vents on the Ventigaiter work very well. When I first saw the vent I thought I wouldn’t use it but for trekking up to base camp on Rainier its nice to let the calves breath. The top cinch strap seems too big, I can never get it tight enough. I always feel like the gaiter fits really loose on me unless I have extra layers.

BOTTOM LINE

For recreational use the Ventigaiter is your boy. Watch out for crampons though, you probably want to step it up to a FTX gaiter so you don’t slice up the fabric.

BUY NOW: The Mountain Hardwear Ascent Ventigaiter at Backcountry.com.

After using my Nixon Quattro for a little while I got hooked on the Nixon train. Over the past couple of holidays I’ve been less keen on new gear and into the day to day stuff. Sure a new pair of skis is cool, but by Christmas I already have them mounted and 20 days under the bases.

For my birthday I got the Nixon Rotolog and really dig it. The style can be loud, edgy, or sleek depending on what color you get. I went with the orange but looking through the colors its really hard not to envy another color. The wood teak color is pretty snazzy looking.

Reading the time is taking some getting use to. It’s almost like they made this watch specifically for left-handed people because the time feels like its going backwards. And hey, I’m left-handed so I guess thats good for me. When your scoping this in person you’ll know what I mean.

Anyone remember fossil? I know they are still in stores but back in the day they were THE watch. I remember my first metal watch and how it was so dang heavy. After a while you get use to the weight, I mean style comes with a price folks. The Rotolog isn’t that bad at all and fits close to the wrist to stay out of the way.

Nixon Rotolog Lowdown

The latch is very cool. Hopefully by the pictures you can get an idea of how it works. You squeeze the sides and the band opens up. Easy peasy. Not all metal watches are super comfortable. I would say compared to the Quatro the Rotolog is more comfy with how the links are designed. The watch reminds me of the Price is Right wheel to enter into the showcase, so it makes a great good luck charm. Don’t forget to spay or neuter your pets!

BUY NOW: The Nixon Rotolog Watch at Backcountry.com.

Getting the best of both worlds only comes once in a long while. You know how you love your merino top and all its benefits? How about your old fleece that you can’t throw away? Stop cutting and trying to sew your clothing together, the Backcountry.com Agnello top takes care of it for you.

I love my Mountain Hardwear Powerstretch Zip but it can get a bit hot in the chest. The Agnello has merino where it needs to be and then does a powerstretch fleece in the arms. I’ve taken this skiing a couple times already and it works. Keeping your arms warm is key and after working hard your chest is most likely over heating.

Thumb holes. I share Claire’s excitement about thumb holes which the Agnello also provides. Cold morning and your typing away at work? Slip on those thumb holes and enjoy. And of course the other 364 days a year your going to need those thumb holes for skiing and running around in the outdoors. I have dubbed this a solid winter piece but I am not ruling it out for backpacking.

Sizing is true to size. I am 165lbs. and 5″7′ and the medium works great, which is what I normally wear in everything else. Another cool feature is there is powerstretch fleece up the sides of the back placed to keep you plenty warm all around. For camping I used this shirt as a pillow and it worked very nicely, multi-featured, I like it!

From what I have seen with Backcountry.com logo wear, I would buy 2-3 of these because you never know if they’re going to come back or not. This piece is definitely worth getting a couple of, you never know what tragedy can befall your gear.

BUY NOW: The Backcountry.com Prime Agnello Top at Backcountry.com.

Back-up headlamps are always a nice addition to any pack of gear. Hiking in the dark or setting up camp in the middle of the night, whatever situation you find yourself in, you can never have enough light. The great thing about the Black Diamond Ion Headlamp is it stays out of the way and then shines bright when you need it.

Anyone remember Micro-Machines? Talk about the coolest little world to join ever. The Ion could probably stand in as a light post for your Micro-Machines village of hot rods and jet fighters. My favorite thing about the Ion is the strap is very easy to cinch down. I’m tired of headlamps with the middle strap across the head, I am digging these head band style lamps.

I wonder if BD or Petzl will come out with really thick hot pink 80’s style headbands?

The BD Ion So Small Jokes

• The BD Ion is so small it can hide behind a toothpick.
• The BD Ion is so small Tom Cruise coughed up one while filming MI:2.
• The BD Ion is so small the pentagon can’t even find it.
• The BD Ion is so small contact lenses are too big for the bulb.

Well, you get the idea. At an ounce the Ion can’t afford to go on a diet. Easy to replace 6V battery finishes off this sweet piece of gear. I love carrying the Ion in my pocket when I’m hiking. Personally I hate things in my pockets, but the Ion has earned a front seat.

BUY NOW: The Black Diamond Ion Headlamp at Backcountry.com.

AeroCat LLC, an Indiana based high performance bicycle manufacturer, is pleased to announce the availability of their new R505 carbon fiber road bike. The new AeroCat model is a spin-off of the popular ACR500 frameset that launched the company into the high-end bicycle market just less than two years ago.

“The ACR500 has been an incredible success enabling our entrance into the market,” said company President Dave Poole. “Based on feedback from our customers, dealers, and elite team partners, we decided to launch a naked version and call it the R505. The original market reaction has been very positive as we have generated a significant backlog of orders for this product and several elite cyclists have committed to racing this bike for the 2009 road season,” stated Poole.

Featuring a 3K carbon fiber monocoque frame construction, the R505 is engineered to be lightweight, comfortable, and provide extremely efficient power transfer with the re-enforced bottom bracket area design. The matte carbon finish with white and silver accents provides a simple yet attractive and streamlined appearance that can mesh with nearly any choice of clothing making it ideal for cycling teams and clubs.

AeroCat R505 Frameset Features

• Monocoque 3K carbon fiber construction
• Naked finish with natural carbon twill weave and matte clear coat
• Ultra reinforced bottom bracket area to provide maximum stiffness and energy transfer
• Large diameter 31.6 mm seat tube receptacle for extra stability and improved seat clamp pressure for secure position
• Standard 68 mm English bottom bracket for compatibility with industry standard components
• Replaceable alloy dropout hanger
• Typical frame weight of 1150 grams
• Available in 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 62 frame sizes
• Frameset MSRP $1299 (frame, fork, and integrated headset)

Complete bike options available in various standard or custom configurations.

Matching Fork Features

• Monocoque 3K carbon fiber construction
• Lightweight 400 grams
• Standard 1-1/8 inch carbon steer tube

The new AeroCat R505 road bike is available now. Looks like a stellar elite-level road bike that’s still reasonably-priced.

Buy Now: Visit AeroCatBike.com

350 clams for a sled??!? Yeah thats what I was thinking when I heard about these snow contraptions. How good can it be and who is really going to use it? Fortunately I had the chance this last week to take these non-motorized snowmobiles to the sled hill to go nuts; oh and I did.

First off the CherryMax Hammerhead Sled is easy to carry. You can see how the bars are formed which made it super easy to carry it up the hill. After all, sledding should be easy right? Last week at OR I asked the Hammerhead rep how in the heck to ride this thing. She promptly had me take off my backpack, lay on top of it on the ground, and get into the ‘Hammerhead’ position.

I’m so glad I ran into her because she said to make sure your shoulders are in line with the front bar. That was key in keeping my sternum intact while bumping through some of the gnar gnar on the hill. Ok so I get to the top of the hill. Everyone with me is snickering at my Mercedes-Benz sled. I lay down, get into my sternum protection position and start to go.

The steering in the front is ultra touchy. For the first run I tried to keep it straight. Bump after bump after bump my body was softly cradled by the sleds high strung netting. When I hit the bottom I cranked the steering blades hard left and made this huge GS turn from the energy I had left over. AMAZING!

I fell off the sled for two reasons:

• Because I’m use to falling off and it just felt normal.
• I was baffled with how soft and comfortable this sled is.

What?!? No hurt butt!? No damaged shoulders? No sitting at the bottom of the hill with the air knocked out of me?

I probably go sledding 4 times a year. Having more kids now I think that number will grow and my resort days will decrease. Would I buy a $350 sled? After riding the Hammerhead and not dumping it every run wrecking my body. Yes. Yes I would. You really need to ride this thing to feel the magic. Also check the Hammerhead Blog.

Gear Gripe

CherryMax I love your sled but the runners on the bottom come off a little too easy. I spent 20 minutes trying to find a lost skinny runner. I really hope you can add a more secure attachment to keep those babies on.

Bottom Line

Does Yakima or Thule make a rack to carry this thing on top? Bring it on baby.

BUY NOW: The CherryMax Hammerhead Sled at Backcountry.com.

I always bring way to much stuff for backpacking. This shout out for Granite Gear sacks is long overdue. These little sacks have saved me from having to buy a bigger pack and taught me how to ease up on the gear overload on my trips. I mean, there is a limit no matter how many sacks you use.

Granite Gear Sacks Sizing

The most common use for a compression sack is for the sleeping bag. Some compression sacks I have tried to use make my bag into a loaf of bread but I prefer more of a basketball shape. That way at the bottom of the pack I can squeeze things on the sides. For the average sleeping bag, go for a large, it should fit nicely, unless your rocking a massive double.

A medium is really great for packing the bulk of extra clothing. It’s also nice to use for a down jacket on your winter trips.

The small size is really good for more of an organizational purpose rather then for specific items. I usually use it for socks and gloves and a packable t-shirt.

The extra small and the XX large sizes I haven’t used much. For emergency home use these would be great for storing blankets and other useful items.

Granite Durability

I wrench on my compression sacks and probably over stuff them. The straps have never had an issue and I’ve never had the material bust open on me. Your stuff is also easy to get too. Compared to other compression bags, it’s like you have to know the secret password or something to get your stuff out.

BUY NOW: The Granite Gear Compression Sacks at Moosejaw.com.

In a surprise move, Santa Cruz Bicycles is utilizing carbon fiber for the new Santa Cruz Blur XC for 2009. I’m unaware of any previous Santa Cruz frames that were carbon fiber, so this is uncharted territory for them.  I’m not too worried as we all know they have their stuff together and carbon fiber bike frame manufacturers have been utilizing the stuff for years and some only use carbon fiber.

The greatest thing about carbon fiber is weight reduction while still providing increased stiffness with a tad bit of small bump compliance.

The new Santa Cruz Blur XC Carbon is currently available with frame prices starting at $2299. Here are a few more features:

• Frame weight: 4.2 lbs (medium)
• Shock: RockShox Monarch 3.3
• Suspension: Next-generation VPP with grease ports and 105mm travel
• Colors: Black, Grey
• MSRP: $2299

More Info: Visit SantaCruzBicycles.com

Mountaineering brings on the fatigue. There is no doubt about that. When your cranking 50lbs. of gear in steel shanked boots the last thing your mind needs is heavy clunky gear. The Black Diamond Raven Pro Ice Axe has been by my side for years and it’s going to take a yeti on steroids to pry it from my white knuckle grip.

My first axe was the raven from about 7 years ago and the pick was hard to grip. It was very boxy and didn’t feel good at all. The Pro is vastly different. The head fits nicely between your fingers as if BD came to your house and molded your hand. The Pro doesn’t have a rubber grip and I don’t think it’s necessary, unless you don’t use gloves then by all means get the grip.

In any piece of gear your always going to find something lighter. The deal with ice axes is when they hollow out the shaft that means you have a hole at the bottom of your axe. The idea of buying a axe 3oz. lighter and then possibly picking up 3oz. of snow at 12,000 feet kinda screws with my head. And at that point in the climb my head needs a vacation.

I like the Raven Pro because at 13.5oz (60cm) you get a dominate beefy axe that isn’t the tank of the pick line-up or the most spendy. For a straight shaft it feels good in the hand and for self arrests it is easy to maneuver (Practice also has a little to do with it). When your pounding a fluke into the snow, it’s all work and no play with the Pro; solid.

Ice Axe Sizing

Make sure when your sizing an axe to consider the fact your going to be wearing crampons while using the axe. It’s ok if the axe feels a little short. I am 5′7″ and use a 60cm axe and at first it felt too short but when your reaching up in the snow and trucking you don’t want to be lugging a long pole up the hill.

BUY NOW: The Black Diamond Raven Pro Ice Axe at Backcountry.com

My old ski helmet was a joke. It was big and bulky, didn’t fit right and had a hideous pattern on the side. Nonetheless, I loved it. However, after prodding and some mockery from my friends, I finally got a new Smith Variant Brim Helmet.

1st and most important- fit! Smith Variant Brim Helmets come with a “Helmet Fit System,” a ratcheting system similar to those found on bike helmets, so you can really customize it to fit your head. They come in 3 sizes (S, M, L) and you can adjust each as needed. No more helmet drooping down over my eyebrows! This one fits right and stays in place.

Smith Variant Brim Helmet

• Venting system! I’ve never had a helmet with vents before. If you’re sweatin’ up a storm on the hill, flip your vents open and you’ve got an instantaneous breeze on your dome. Too cold? Close em up with the simple flick of a finger.
• X-static lining fabric- Supposedly regulates odor and eliminates static… Your hair won’t stand on end when you take the helmet off.
• Sweet designs! Smith has really pioneered the market of making helmets and goggles fashionable. The Variant Brim comes in several different designs, from a matte black for those conservative types to a blue floral or white pinstripe for those of you wanting to make a statement.
• Ear pads are removable, and can be interchanged for audio compatible ones or a bluetooth compatible phone system.

Last thing- the brim! I was not psyched on this idea at first. Why do I want a brim? I almost got a regular Variant Helmet, but after some convincing, went with the brim. Definitely the right choice! When paired with Smith Goggles, the venting system that is created is the greatest! The brim redirects airflow, keeping your goggles fog free. Also, it’s great for keeping some of the sun out on those sunny days and the snow out on the days it’s nuking. My only gripe- I ride with my goggles up on my helmet unless the weather absolutely necessitates some ocular protection, and getting them to sit up there takes a bit of finesse.

Buy Now: Search for the Smith Variant Brim Helmet

I had the chance this last weekend to take the Black Diamond Mesa tent winter camping. A tent is your home, your shelter, your backcountry getaway of love; never good to skimp on your home away from home. Black Diamond has done a stellar job with the Mesa, here are my findings.

Space

We all need more space with our tent. Whether it be the vestibule, inside, or more gear pockets on the walls. One thought is to decrease the junk we bring camping…nah probably not going to happen. The tent was great for just me, I can see two people fitting fine but its going to be snug. My Big Agnes sleeping mattress size long barely fit the tent. It made the whole floor of the tent into this mattress, which was actually kinda cool. No complaints, why need more space if your not going to use it?

Vestibules were plenty big. I had a oil candle and my Jet Boil busting away with ease. At the top of the zipper of the door it has the hooped nylon to keep the rain out. For this trip it actually rained all morning so that came in handy. Having two vestibules is a plus, I honestly don’t care for single door tents much.

Design

The height fits pretty low to the ground which is great for high ascents and backpacking. Weighing you and your partner down a mere 4lbs. 8oz. I think your back will be stoked carrying and laying down in this nylon home. It was also easy to build a snow wall to block wind and insulate around the tent.

Two doors is the way to go. I am planning on taking this tent on Rainier this summer because the nylon goes pretty high up the wall for warmth. The Mesa is your all around tent with having a mesh roof to take out on the warm trips.

The spider pole design threw me off but I am a firm believer now. Like a spider, there is a metal ring that connects the 6 poles together, two short poles for the fly and four main poles. At first its hard to put together and break it down, but I’m a huge fan now. The system is very to use for one person setting up the tent, which is usually me.

Gripe

For the tent stake loops I wish they had a tightener buckle system to cinch down the fly. When your using the snow to replace tent stakes its hard to dig a mini-pit and then find its not tight enough for the fly. I reckon they didn’t put buckles on because they were trying to save weight. Since BD got Gear of the Year in 2007 from Outside magazine I should keep my yapper shut.

Bottom Line

Its going on Rainier with me this year.

BUY NOW: The Black Diamond Mesa 2-person 3-season tent at Backcountry.com.

Pictures: The picture where the packed tent is next to a Nalgene, kinda makes the tent look huge right? Wrong. That’s a mini-nalgene. It’s my first time messing around with camera tricks, hope you got tricked!

Oh so many jackets how can one choose? Let the Arcteryx Beta SL Jacket help you narrow it down. I picked this up a while ago for backpacking, all around use, and well….I hate being wet and cold and this jacket is the one for me.

The Arcteryx Fit

Normally an Arcteryx shell fits me really big. I normally wear a small in Arcteryx but in the beta and theta selection I wear a medium. The beta has a shorter cut on the bottom so I think that is why I’m a medium. In the arms an Arcteryx jacket always has plenty of room for layering, however in the Beta SL their minimalist outlook is not left out by tightening up the arms. Who backpacks with their down jacket underneath a shell anyway?

Compared to the Alpha SL jacket the Beta is going to fit more athletic. I’m liking how the Beta isn’t as long as the Alpha because when I telemark in the Beta my knees aren’t fighting fabric.

The Beta SL Tech

The hoods on jackets are a big deal to me lately. The Beta hood fits a helmet and has an interesting drawstring. The hood cinch cord actually runs vertical rather then horizontal. It’s placed lower then other hoods I have seen. When I cinched it down it opened up my peripheral more then other hoods. This is great for watching my tail when mountain lions are scoping me for dinner.

The GORE-TEX Paclite is very packable and light. I know everyone is jonesin’ for eVent but Paclite is still a solid material that has minimalist written all over it. I packed this jacket to about the size of a softball and 11oz. is nice to wear and carry.

The pockets ride lower then most Arcteryx jackets I have seen. I’m not bagging peaks everyday of the week and the lower pockets make it nice for casual use. Beware there is no internal iPod or wallet chest pocket. I was a little bugged at first but I think I’m over it now. This will probably help me get in touch with my ‘natural outdoorsy purist’ side rather then my ‘rockin’ to Zepplin while sloshing through the backcountry’ side.

BUY NOW: The Arcteryx Beta SL at Backcountry.com.

I got to the check out the Black Diamond Livewire Quickdraw today at the OR show here in Salt Lake. Some very interesting changes that I must have over looked from last year. When I found the LiveWire when I first started climbing I used the rest of my biners for Christmas tree ornaments, I’m a fan of the LiveWire.

The Livewire alone is an amazing design that really sinks the rope in the biner. Obviously the wire is the way to go on the bottom of your draw for an easy clip and for safety. I also like how big the LiveWire is which makes it easier to grab. And if your sketched out on a move the big gate feels good to put the mind at ease.

The Dynotron has ridges on the gate also for your thumb to grip when opening the gate; genius. Both biners on the draw now have ridges on the spine of the biner. It’s basically an i-beam construction for weight distribution. It also looks like a ninja sword design which helps for gripping the biner while clipping. I didn’t think the LiveWire could get any better but I’m glad it did.

This is definitely the ultimate draw for your sport climbing addiction.

BUY NOW: The Black Diamond LiveWire Quickdraw at Backcountry.com.

Yeah baby now were talking. After I threw away all my cotton socks for everything I do to switch them out with merino I thought that was the end. “No more sock shopping for me!” I thought. Oh no, I was wrong. If your sold on the warm, dry, and the soft feel of merino, upgrade to the Bridgedale Bamboo Lo sock and get ready to be blown away.

What more can you do with socks? Foot goes in. Keep the foot dry, warm…non-stinky. But to do all of that well, now your speaking my language. Think of moving on to Bamboo like trying an eVent shell after using GORE-TEX for so long. Bridgedale also places vents in the sock in just the right places.

When I wear certain socks they form to my foot. Problem with that is now I have a dedicated left and right sock after I take them off. The bamboo sock doesn’t have that at all, you can switch it over and over again. This is nice for when your hiking and switching out socks and the last thing you want is a bunchy sock on your trek. Blah.

BOTTOM LINE

I’ve worn this sock without washing it for 11 days and no funkiness. Hey Merino! While your up, how about making me a sandwich while I’m out running with my Bamboo socks?

BUY NOW: The Bridgedale Bamboo Lo sock at Backcountry.com.

The BC Bike Race – The Ultimate Singletrack Experience is proud to announce the return of Kris Sneddon and Barry Wicks of team Kona, the 2008 winners.

The BC Bike Race is proud to have Barry and Kris back, these two exceptional athletes will defend their title beginning June 28 and finishing July 4. They have confirmed their participation and their goal of victory for the 2009 BC Bike Race.

When contacted about the upcoming season Kris Sneddon stated flat out “the BC Bike Race was one of the best events of my career and win or lose I’m going back to rock those trails!” Kris is originally from the Sunshine Coast, the host for days 4 and 5, “having a local boy take the lead and hold it was not planned but what a great surprise” yelled Dean Payne as the two mounted the final podium.

Last years victory was anything but easy as the field was stacked; Olympians, Champions and an overall deeply qualified field. The second year of the BC Bike Race was a hotly contested title, a back and forth battle between Teams Trek, (Chris Eatough, Jeff Shalk) the 2007 winners, team Cannodale Mona Vie (Jason Sager and Bart Gilliespie) 2008 stage one’s winners and the eventual winner Team Kona (Kris Sneddon, Barry Wicks) gave spectators some nail biting excitement. Some of the other notables; Chris Shepherd and Seamus McGrath ran into mechanicals on stage 1 and were officially not in contention but able to continue as with Rocky Mountain’s team of Andreas Hestler and Max Plaxton.

The combination of last year’s winners; a Canadian (Kris Sneddon) and an American (Barry Wicks), was unbeatable and they both showed great class in teaming up to win the BC Bike Race. “It’s during events like these that you want to know who is in your corner” said Kona team manager Smiley Nesbitt.

This years BC Bike Race is ticking slowly towards being sold out and it also looks like there will be more singletrack for 2009 as the ‘best bike race in the world’ rolls forward.

More Info: Visit BCBikeRace.com

Rocky Mountain Bicycles (RMB) is proud to announce the new Rocky Mountain Bicycles Factory XC-Epic Racing Team.

Rocky Mountain Bicycles has been at the forefront of all facets of mountain bike competition; from early DH and XC victories (circa 1991*) to pioneering Freeride and most recently dominating epic stage racing.

With wins in almost every notable race on the planet, RMB decided to officially create a team dedicated to non-World Cup events. The new team will be attending epic stage races, all-mountain events, festivals, enduros and any other bike event that represents fun on two wheels.

Alison Sydor, Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member, three time World Champion, and Olympic Silver Medalist is returning to the Rocky Mountain team in 2009. Alison had an extremely successful season in 2008, winning both the Cape Epic Challenge and the Trans Alp Challenge. In 2009, she will be looking for more stage racing domination with confirmed starts at Cape Epic, TransGermany, and TransAlp.

A Rocky Mountain factory team wouldn’t be complete without cross country racing legend Andreas Hestler aka ‘Dre’, a Canadian Olympian and three time winner of the TransRockies. Dre had a successful 2008 season, winning a stage at both the BC Bike Race and the TransRockies. For 2009 he will be targeting various other races and epic single day events, such as the Downieville Classic and the Fruita Fat Tire Festival.

New to the factory team are Stefan Widmer and Marty Lazarski, formerly of the Rocky Mountain-Different Bikes squad. Both have several Canada Cup podium finishes to their credit and together finished 3rd overall in the 2008 TransRockies stage race.

Rounding out the team is Evan Guthrie, the 2008 Canadian Junior XC and Cyclocross Champion. Still with a year left in the junior category, Evan is poised for another stellar season.

Stay tuned for more Rocky Mountain bicycles team news as we find out where Marie-Helene will be piloting her Rocky Mountain for the 2009 season.

More Info: Visit Bikes.com

photo courtesy Rocky Mountain Bikes

The coffee shop culture is a fun one that is for sure. So how about taking a piece of the party along with you? I recently began using the Backcountry.com Dawn Patrol Tumbler and I’m 50/50 happy and sad with this little guy.

The Good

It’s small. I would actually take this backpacking its so small. It has a snug screw on top that I haven’t had spill on me yet. The sleek design fits nicely in the hand and in the car. The insulation is impressive. I made hocho and left it on my counter and it sat for 3 hours. Came back, totally piping hot. Sure I forgot my brew but I was impressed with how hot it kept my sweet goodness.

The Bad

The screw top keeps in the liquid but is a serious pain while trying to drink and drive. On top of the lid there is a compartment for a tea bag, I feel like its unnecessary. The problem with the lid compartment is instead of having two females you have a male lid, causing overflow. And also can take away from your portion of brew. This is definitely not your everyday use tumbler. My other gripe is when I got a refill at the shop the owner made fun of the cup saying “it was a poor design”. OUCH!

The Bottom Line

If you know your getting into a non-casual cup you’ll be happy. Oh and the colors are pretty snazzy.

BUY NOW: The Backcountry.com Dawn Patrol Vacuum Coffee Tumbler at Backcountry.com.

I love Clif shots and Clif bars. On climbs, I live off of these things! For my car to car escapades, I often only eat shots and bars! However, recently, Clif came out with a product that is my new favorite snack- Clif Shot Bloks! They’re gummy snacks like you’d eat in the second grade, but instead with extra carbs and that energy boost you need.

Ok, so the Shot Bloks have been on the market for a while now. Why am I just now stoked on these things? Because Clif redesigned the packaging! Old shot bloks came in a little baggy which required ripping open, and then fumbling around (especially if you’re in gloves!) trying to grab a hold of these small gummy squares. The FastPak is designed like a tube, where you rip off the top, and then can squeeze from the bottom (in a very “tube of toothpaste” sort of way) and the shots come popping out, one at a time. No mess, no digging for the shot bloks, just quick carbs that taste better than pounding a regular Clif Shot. FastPak is totally manageable with one hand, so it’s great for running. No need to stop!

Clif Shot Blok FastPaks come in the same great flavors that the regular Clif Shot Bloks come in, though my two personal favorites are Black Cherry and Margarita (which tastes NOTHING like a margarita, but definitely satisfies my salt cravings). Each cube contains 33 calories, and there are 6 cubes in a pack, so if you’re a calorie counter, its easy to figure out what you’ve consumed on a run.

Bottom line- quick calories that are easy to eat. You don’t even have to stop to re-fuel!

Buy Now! Clif Shot Bloks

Along with the helmet craze I think another trend is rocking low bulk ski gloves. For a while it seemed like the big gauntlet gloves were the trend but now the slim gloves are the norm. I jumped on the boat last year and have been amazed with how warm these little mitts can be. My new favorite finger jacket is the Outdoor Research Criterio glove.

The best part about the Criterio is the zipper instead of the strap. Straps are lame. I already have a strap on my jacket, I don’t need another strap. The Criterio zippers are nice because they are easy to use but aren’t gnarly big and annoying.

From my wrist to the tip of my finger it measures one BIC pen and a tootsie roll and the Criterio fits me perfect in a large. Getting the glove on is a bit tough, however once your in it’s a solid fit. As far as dexterity goes I didn’t have any problems with using my pant side zip to get to my boot buckles. Buckling my boots were easy too, I felt like this glove has a higher dexterity then the OR ExtraVert glove.

The GORE-TEX is ideal for any use along with the 100g EnduraLoft which kept me plenty warm this morning at Alta at 20 degrees. The pointer and the middle finger have padding which I am still trying to figure out what the use is. Maybe a lift line boxing match for first tracks? I’m very happy with this glove overall and would gift it to even my worst enemies.

Gripe

My gripe to OR is when I pull my hand out of the glove the liner comes out in the pinky sleeve. It’s almost impossible to get my pinky back in. I reckon they could make a sewing alteration to overcome this.

BUY NOW: The Outdoor Research Criterio glove at Moosejaw.com.

In for review is the all-new Nomad altimeter watch from Freestyle. With all the features you’d come to expect for a mountain-friendly watch, plus Freestyle’s lifetime warranty, the watch has a lot of promise, but we’ll see how it fares in the lab.

My first thoughts on the Nomad are mixed actually. The function of the watch is superb and for the most part, all settings and configuration have been easy to manipulate sans instructions.  I’ve used enough of these types of watches that I can typically get them up and running without looking at the fineprint.  The only one I’ve yet to figure out is the logbook, but I’ll dig into the instructions to get that rolling.

After wearing it for a few days and taking it on a backcountry ski tour, all functions appear to work well and there are a variety of display options within each mode (nice feature). I like being able to easily scroll back through the graphical altitude display. On Saturday, this looked like a pretty steep mountain right in the middle of the graph–cool.

The downsides thus far stem from the size of this watch.  This watch is likely the largest face of any altimeter watch I’ve worn (altimeter watches are notoriously large). Even the behemoth Suunto Vector seems smaller.  You do get plenty of screen size and nice, large buttons that work well with gloves on, but it is a large watch–no question about that.

I’ll post my thoughts after a more thorough long-term flogging.

The Good

• Intuitive function
• Design is glove-friendly
• Large screen shows tons of data, but can get confusing in some modes
• Scrollable altitude display
• Extra watch band hook loop actually keeps things in place
• Lifetime warranty
• Price is good at $160 msrp

The Bad

• Likely the largest face of any altimeter watch on the market
• Rubber strap feels too stiff and hard
• No subdued color choices (all or mostly black)

Buy Now: Search for Freestyle Nomad Watch

Merrell’s apparel line has had my attention since launching in 2007. This lineup includes a variety of outerwear and apparel for those interested in having highly-technical and functional clothing that still packs plenty of style and design sense.

Many times, technical outerwear means logos, crazy colors, minimalistic design or other detractors to on-the-street style. With Merrell, their lineup is built seamlessly transition from mountain to Main Street.

Merrell Rove Tech Jacket

The Merrell Rove Tech Jacket has been my “go-to” jacket for many cold-weather activities. The lightweight and compressible PrimaLoft insulation provides just the right amount of warmth without turning it into a sauna. Breathability is another great feature of the Rove Tech Jacket… it’s still going to trap the sweat more than just a shell, but it has proven to be much more efficient than puffy down jackets at allowing perspiration to escape the shell.

I’ve worn the Rove Tech primarily around town and back and forth to the mountains. As outerwear, the jacket is warm and comfortable with just a long-sleeve shirt underneath all the way down to the low 20’s. A crisp night out with the family in downtown Salt Lake City and this jacket kept me toasty.

The lower hem is easily cinched with a single-pull. The little rubbery tabs are easy to grab and pull, thus reducing the cold air entry.

I’ve appreciated the cuffs which feature a straight cut, but hide an inner cuff to keep the cold and snow out of your arms. It works great with gloves and keeps everything protected.

As an insulative layer, however, the jacket isn’t the best. Under highly-aerobic activity, the jacket will trap a little more sweat and feel cold to the touch.  I much prefer softshell fleece as an insulation layer if you’re going to be working up a sweat. Also, the nice cuffs work great when used as the outer layer, but it gets too bulky when trying to put gloves, the Rove Tech and a shell on top.

Around town and to the mountains, this jacket is phenomenal. I appreciate the comfort and subdued style. After using this PrimaLoft-insulated jacket, I much prefer it to natural down jackets if you’re going to be engaging in any type of physical activity. Synthetic insulation does a better job at breathing and keeping you warm when wet compared to natural fibers.

The Good

• Simple styling
• PrimaLoft insulation is warm, but not too warm
• Single-pull lower hem
• Comfortable, athletic fit
• Sleeve cuffs keep out the cold

The Bad

• Not the best as a mid-layer for insulation
• If engaging in highly-aerobic activity, it will trap more sweat than fleece styles

Buy Now: Merrell Rove Tech Jacket

I recently adopted a 2 year old blue heeler/husky mix, and within his first week at the house, he devoured my treasured favorite pair of sunglasses, which of course, had been discontinued and no longer exist. So, I branched out, tried a new brand, new style, new everything, and I’m psyched! I am in love with my Smith Whisper Interlock Sunglasses!

With the new Smith Interlock System, changing lenses is no longer a hassle, so you’ve basically bought yourself 3 new pairs of glasses. Lets face it, old sunglasses came with other lenses, but who really changed them? I certainly didn’t, mainly out of fear of snapping both the lens and the frame with the awkward popping out process. Since purchasing the Whispers, I’ve used all 3 different tints of lenses!

Smith Whisper Interlock Sunglasses

• Whisper fits mid to small sized faces
• Lenses provide ample coverage without being huge! I’m not into the “bug” look with big glasses, despite how in style it may be. I like my smaller, sleeker sunglasses.
• Standard lenses are Polarized TLT lenses, with clear (perfect for protecting the peeps while ice climbing!) and “ignitor” (purplish, intended to highlight shadows- good for low light ski days!) lenses as the optional ones, but you can purchase up to 14 different types to change out.
• Comes with a case! It’s the little things in life, right? I’m stoked any time a company want to help me keep from breaking my stuff!

Check These Out! Smith Whisper Interlock Sunglasss

This fall Merrell Apparel is taking the idea of sustainable performance outerwear design and making it a reality when it introduces the NADA (Not Any Dye Applied) jackets at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer show on January 22-25 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Available in both a men’s and women’s style, the NADA concept pieces are meant to be both thought-provoking and inspirational. It proves that sustainable designs can retain their performance without sacrificing a garment’s aesthetic style.

“With every collection, we strive to develop a thought-provoking concept piece that provides a discussion point and design inspiration for those in the outdoor industry,” said Jordan Wand, Merrell Apparel Vice President and General Manager. “Given today’s eco-conscious mindset, with NADA we created a sustainable, technical concept piece that is on trend, yet relays a sustainable message.”

Merrell NADA Jackets Minimize Impact

In typical performance-garment construction, dyes are used on raw fabrics and materials to help bring added style and aesthetics to each piece. Everything from a jacket’s lining, zippers, detailing and labels are subject to the chemical dye treatment. Though the dying process does nothing to enhance the performance of the final garment, its toll can be measured in environmental impacts. Producing a single size small women’s NADA jacket without the use of any dye saves 1.6 kilograms (kg) of carbon dioxide, 115.2 liters of water, 0.18 kg of chemicals and 2.47 kilowatt-hours of energy compared to the same jacket made with dyed fabrics.

“During the development process our team was amazed by the staggering statistics of just how much water, energy and chemicals are used to create one jacket,” said Wand. “We are thrilled to create a garment that’s stunning from the outside yet gives you modern outdoor performance on the mountain or street. The NADA pieces perform exactly the same as any of our other technical jackets while saving a vast amount of natural resources.”

The NADA jackets include the Nanuk for women and the Cirque for men. Both are made of 100-percent polyester and feature Merrell® Opti-Warm™ in the sleeves and body for added warmth and are fully seam sealed, using a 2-layer Merrell® Opti-Shell™ for waterproofness. Available in late August, the NADA jackets will retail for $229 and will be sold at all Merrell retail stores, on www.merrell.com and at select retail locations worldwide.

About Merrell

Founded in 1981, Merrell has become known as a leader in contemporary outdoor footwear. Merrell is the brand that inspires the outdoor athlete in everyone with products at the horizon of performance and style. Merrell products are sold at all Merrell retail stores, through leading retailers in the U.S. and through 44 distributors and subsidiaries around the world. Merrell has independently-owned retail locations in Nashville, Tn., Atlanta, Ga., and Huntington, N.Y.. Merrell also has company-owned stores in San Francisco, Ca., Birmingham, Al. and Tigard, Or.. For more information, please visit our Web site, www.merrell.com.

About Wolverine

With a commitment to service and product excellence, Wolverine World Wide, Inc. is one of the world’s leading marketers of branded casual, active and lifestyle, work, outdoor sport and uniform footwear and apparel. The Company’s portfolio of highly recognized brands includes: Bates®, Hush Puppies®, HYTEST®, Merrell® Footwear and Apparel, Sebago® and Wolverine®. The Company is also the exclusive footwear licensee of popular brands including CAT®, Harley-Davidson® and Patagonia®. The Company’s products are carried by leading retailers in the U.S. and globally in over 170 countries. For additional information, please visit our Web site, www.wolverineworldwide.com.

Freestyle, the original action sports watch manufacturer, will introduce new styles and updated watch colors at the upcoming winter 2009 trade shows.

A total of six new styles will be on display alongside two best sellers that have been updated with new color options. New styles include the Bliss, Shark X 2.0, Huckfin, Gromatide, Boiler, and Megalodon. Updated colors will be seen in the Shark Classic and Tide 3.0 collections.

The Bliss is a new women’s analog fashion watch. The expandable polycarbonate-linked bracelet is available in four colors and is water resistant up to 100 meters; stylish enough to wear on a night out or poolside. The Bliss retails for $70.00.

The Shark X 2.0 is a new twist on the iconic Shark X watch. The Shark X 2.0 offers the same great technical features as the Shark X, such as a one way turning top ring, analog and digital time and date display, a stopwatch, two alarms, a dual pre-set timer and water resistancy up to 100 meters. The polyurethane straps have been changed and so has the digital display which now has a bigger presence. The watch retails for $85.00 or $95.00 depending on color preference.

Created for groms (a.k.a. kids), Freestyle has introduced the Huckfin and Gromatide. The Huckfin is a digital watch configured with unique top pushers, so that no buttons are accidentally pushed. The watch displays time and date, has a pre-set timer, stopwatch, two alarms, dual time, NightVision™ backlight display and is water resistant up to 100 meters. The Huckfin retails for $60.00. The Gromatide is a grom-sized version of the men’s Tide 3.0. It’s stocked with surf information including tide data for 75 beaches worldwide with 180 minute offset application which allows users to store up to nine secret or local breaks. The Gromatide clearly delivers the direction, time and height of the next tide and retails for $85.00.

The Boiler is Freestyle’s first solar-powered watch. The digital watch has a solar cell charged battery with a power indicator and power saving function. It receives 12 months of power on a single charge. The Boiler is complete with a chronograph, alarm, timer, dual time and NightVision™ backlight display. It retails for $115.00.

The Megalodon is a unisex analog watch with three hand movements. The oversized face with bold graphics and colors make this watch a fashion statement piece. The watch is fastened with durable polyurethane straps and is water resistant up to 100 meters, it retails for $75.00 or $85.00 depending on color.

The ever popular Shark Classic collection has received an addition of five new color options. The newly added colors are solid green, solid red and solid blue, white/black/pink and black/orange styles with an anodized aluminum top plate with checkered and striped graphics. The unisex watch features time, day and date display, two alarms, stopwatch with split screen function, countdown heat timer and NightVision™ backlight display. The Shark Classic watches retail between $50.00 and $60.00 depending on color and strap options.

The Tide 3.0 collection has been updated with two new colorways which are blue and green with accent colors of yellow and orange. Features on the Tide 3.0 include a preset heat timer at five minute intervals between 15 and 35 minutes, two alarms, digital display with time, day and date, dual time zones, NightVision™ backlight display, chronograph and a durable duel injected polyurethane strap. The Tide 3.0 watches retail between $90.00 and $110.00.

All Freestyle watches are water resistant up to at least 100 meters, and are backed with the company’s limited lifetime warranty, dubbed “Till Death.”

About Freestyle

Founded in 1981, Freestyle is a leading action sports watch manufacturer. The Freestyle watch collection includes a full line of performance and lifestyle choices for men, women and youth, all styles are water resistant to 100 meters or more and backed by a limited lifetime warranty. With roots firmly planted in surf, Freestyle proudly sponsors a team of highly respected surfers including Shane Dorian, Cory Lopez, Bede Durbidge, and Anthony Walsh as well as junior standouts Nat Young, Andrew Doheny and Sage Erickson. For more information, visit www.freestyleusa.com.

Buy Now: Search for Freestyle Watches

I am trying harder each day to be more stylish. A peak in my journey has been sporting the Dansko Professional casual shoes that I propose aren’t so casual. I probably wear these shoes 4 days a week and on the other days I miss em. I am tough on my shoes and I hate to abuse these treasures more then needed, not that they can’t handle it.

I have accepted over the years that I am short. It’s fine. But I have definitely looked into height enhancing pills. Thankfully I won’t need to take sketchy meds to get my up’s. The professional gives me about 2.5 inches so if I ever have a business meeting with NBA athletes I won’t be out of the conversation.

Dansko Tech

Inside the shoe the instep is raised and holds up that muscle underneath your foot. I don’t completely understand it but your first 8 hours in the shoe are going to be painful. Your foot needs to get use to that raised section, after that it is smooth sailing friends. The leather is beefy. I’ve drudged through the salty muck snow of the SLC streets and it doesn’t phase these kicks. They scuff a little but that is me, not Dansko quality.

I’m all about the slip-on style shoe. Airport security anyone? Their tazer guns don’t have anything on you. As you can imagine by my enthusiasm for these shoes I have dubbed them my before and after skiing shoe. Their also a great business shoe, I get a ton of compliments and hopefully one day Helen Hunt will buy me lunch. Still waiting for that.

BUY NOW: The Dansko Professional Shoe at Backcountry.com.

Green Living Project™, the leading media production and marketing company focused on global sustainability initiatives, has announced their 2009 lecture tour schedule for North America. Following a successful 2008 tour schedule which featured over 30 events in North and South America, Green Living Project™ has established new strategic event partnerships to educate and inspire attendees, while increasing the promotion and distribution of the company’s multi-media production work on unique and successful sustainability projects from around the globe.

The “Green Living Project™ Lecture Series” offers free multi-media events that are open to the public, attracting a wide audience from high school students to working professionals to retired baby boomers. Events showcase projects from around the globe focused on relevant and important sustainability topics such as responsible tourism, renewable energy, wildlife conservation, community development, waste management, and organic farming. Attendees learn about the geographic regions covered, local communities, examples of sustainability, and responsible tourism. Each event also shows how people can get directly involved with each project and organization by volunteering, visiting, donating, or purchasing items.

In 2009, over 40 different multi-media events will be held across North America in partnership with new and existing festival, trade show, and retail event partners, including:

• Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE Travel Show): www.adventureexpo.com
• Green Festival: www.greenfestivals.org
• Go Green Expo: www.gogreenexpo.com
• Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI): www.rei.com
• L.L.Bean: www.llbean.com

The current lecture tour schedule is available at: www.greenlivingproject.com/lecture

“Green Festivals seek to showcase the best of what works for our communities, at home and abroad, and we’re proud to host Green Living Project”, says Alix Davidson, Washington D.C. regional director of Green Festival. “For example, their [GLP] focus on success stories from Africa highlights the Green Festivals’ vision for the future, one that combines social justice with ecological balance and a sustainable economy.”

“Green Living Project’s tour creates a space for communities to experience work focused on creating solutions to the challenges we face”, says Sally Johnson, retail events coordinator of REI. “This amazing work is taking place all over the world! And Green Living Project is an excellent channel for people to connect to this work and see the possibilities for change. It is very exciting for REI to promote and be involved with their unique work.”

“The most rewarding aspect of these events has been the overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees and event partners,“ said Rob Holmes, founder and president of Green Living Project™.

“Attendees are engaged, inspired, and have the unique opportunity to get directly involved with interesting projects from around the globe. They also learn about the world, sustainable living, responsible tourism, and how each of us can make a positive impact. Our professional content and unique storytelling about positive success stories really resonates with people since it celebrates and instigates activism to make a difference locally and globally. These educational components will be expanded when we launch our new Education Program this spring. This exciting new program will further develop our educational objectives, and will expand the lecture tour to elementary, undergraduate, and graduate schools nationwide.”

About Green Living Project™

Green Living Project™ is the leading multi-media production, marketing and entertainment company showcasing sustainable initiatives from around the globe. Through various production and distribution techniques, Green Living Project™ aims to educate, inspire and entertain while encouraging individuals and communities to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. The company markets its exclusive content online and offline, including an international lecture tour. Key partners include National Geographic Adventure, REI, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE), African Wildlife Foundation, Earthwatch Institute, Timberland, Gregory, and Keen Footwear. Green Living Project™ is a privately held company located in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit www.greenlivingproject.com or contact Rob Holmes at (818) 988-2234.

Coming from a long line of stoke-worthy custom frames, the new 2009 Intense Uzzi VP looks like an outstanding trail/freeride bike. Utilizing the new VPP linkages and suspension rates, this all-new bike looks to lead the charge in the travel-to-fun ratio.

I’ve long been stoked on Intense custom bike frames and I’m anxious to get ahold of an Uzzi VP for flogging, but I may have to wait until next Fall at Interbike.  We’ll just have to see about that.

2009 Intense Uzzi VP Highlights

• New, revised VPP design
• Grease fittings for trouble-free maintenance
• Adjustable 7-7.5 inches of travel (two shock points)
• Easily tweak geometry with 3G dropouts
• 135mm or 150mm rear hub spacing
• ISCG 05 mounts (hello Hammerschmidt!)
• OnePointFive headtube
• Air or coil shock options
• Can be built up as 31 lb trailbike or 36 lb+ freeride machine
• MSRP: $2420

More Info: Visit IntenseCycles.com

I just came across this deal at Backcountry.com… the Highgear Aerial altimeter watch for only $37.50. They have loads of them in stock, so it looks like they are blowing through these factory overstock items. A quick look at Highgear’s Web site reveals that this watch has been discontinued.

I’ve used the Aerial and while there are better altimeter watches on the market, for under $40, this one is hard to beat. It’s a great entry-level altimeter watch… no question.

Features of the Highgear Aerial Watch

• Altimeter (up to 30,000 ft)
• Altitude alarm
• Backlight
• Barometer
• Thermometer
• Log book feature

Buy Now: Highgear Aerial Watch

Last week, before the crowds descended for the Ouray Ice Festival, I had an opportunity to get away from work and spend 4 days climbing in the Ouray Ice Park. Though the weather was beautiful and temps optimal, I still relied on my Black Diamond Mercury Mitts to keep my hands warm between climbs.

After years of trying different mittens to keep my low-circulation hands warm, the warmest mitt I’ve found (with the exception of OR’s Expedition Altimitts and BDs Absolute Mitts, both intended for extreme cold weather mountaineering and certainly NOT dexterous or practical for daily climbing use) is the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt. With removable liners, the mitt is ideal for warming your hands up after a cold climb or for spending a day resort skiing in. The gloves still have enough dexterity to belay in, and have a great leather palm that offers resistance for those same belays and for great grip on ski poles.

Cool Features of the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt

• Removable Liner- allows you to efficiently dry the mitts out and ensure both the shell and insides get dry. :Liner is made of primaloft, and it provides some primo insulation! Also, “lobster claw” feature isolates your index finger from the other 3, allowing for more dexterity.
• Big gauntlet! I can put these gloves on over my softshell and MH SubZero Hooded Puffy, and they fit easily over the layers around my wrist, and still come with a drawstring to tighten.
• “Dummy Straps”- certainly not the technical term, but I can’t seem to find the official name for them. Know the straps that come on the mitts so you can attach them to your wrist, and then be able to yank them off real quick without losing them? Crucial feature for me. I can’t count the times my mitts would be down the hill if it weren’t for those guys. Surprisingly, many adult mitts don’t come with these! Apparently when you’re past the age of 6 you’re supposed to be able to keep track of your stuff without strings on it… Right…

With a temperature rating down to -20, these are great mitts for cold days at the ski resort to to warm up pumped hands after a cold climb! The only disadvantage might be that these gloves can be too warm for regular resort days or all day wear. Toasty toasty!

Check it out! Women’s Mercury Mitt

A relatively new brand in the sunglass and goggle market, Haber Vision is backed by two former Bolle executives who have jumped back into the industry with products they believe the market needs. Haber Vision is an online-only retailer with high-quality products at excellent prices.

I’ve had the new Highline snow-specific goggles on-hand for testing over the past month. When I got them, I was impressed with the overall quality and the clarity of the optics.  Slipping them on, the Gun Flash spherical and polarized lens offers just the right color for most light conditions.

On the hill, the Highline goggles offer fog-free, no-fuss performance and fit well. I’ve enjoyed fog-free performance in the backcountry and inbounds on cold/cloudy and mixed sun days.

The frame itself fits my medium-sized face and nose well. With a helmet, the nose does pinch my nasal passages just a tad, but not any worse than 90% of the goggles on the market.  It must be the helmet/goggle combo on my face that causes me issues in this way–oh well, I’m used to it.

The hinged strap attachments keep the goggles sitting flat on your face whether you use a lid or a beanie. I missed having a strap clip, but it’s not that big of a deal once you get the goggles on.

The Good

• Excellent optical quality
• Lenses are scratch-free so far
• Fog-free performance
• Excellent fit with or without a helmet
• Good quality for the price – $75 (polarized, spherical lenses are usually much more)

The Bad

• No strap clip
• Not available in local stores
• Relatively-unknown brand

Buy Now: Visit Habervision.com to Buy the Highline Goggles

Looks like Avia is continuing to push the limits of their running shoe lineup with a couple of new treads. Both the Avi-Bolt II racing flats and Avi Stoltz trail runners are new for 2009 and were built under the direction of the three-time XTERRA World Champion, Conrad Stoltz. With direction from “the man” combined with the valuable feedback from the entire Avia XTERRA team, these two new shoes should hit the mark. Here’s a little more info on each shoe.

About the 2009 Avia Avi Stoltz

The launch of the new AVI-STOLTZ is the first-ever XTERRA specific racing shoe in the AVIA collection. The non-traditional trail running shoe can handle all the rigors of off-road racing, is triathlon friendly and race ready. The AVI-STOLTZ features ESS-ROCKSTEADY PLATE technology which provides flexibility while preventing injury from uneven surfaces, an aggressive outsole and traction design for efficient sand running, and superior stability, cushioning and shock absorption. The one-of-a-kind shoe also boasts a gusseted tongue and breathable air mesh upper with protective monofilament top layer to keep the grit out while stretch tabs expedite foot entry.

About the 2009 Avia Avi-Bolt II

This high-performance racing flat, also co-developed by Stoltz, comes equipped with a lightweight air mesh upper and compression molded lightweight EVA midsole. AVIA’s CANTILEVER technology in the heel works to soften impact, stabilize the heel and provide increased energy return. Additionally, DURA-RYD in the heel strike area provides superior cushioning while DURA-STRYK high-abrasion carbon rubber increases outsole durability. The AVI-GRIP quick entry system helps expedite foot entry while a speed lacing design allows for faster transitions.

Both the AVI-STOLTZ and AVI-BOLT II will be available for men and women beginning April 2009 with a retail price of $110 and $100 respectively.

More Info: Visit Avia.com

The Pivot/BH Demo truck is hitting the road with its expanded fleet of technologically advanced bikes. The 35-foot trailer will carry all the 2009 mountain bikes from Pivot and all the 2009 road bikes from Spain’s BH Bikes.

The demo tour kicks off January 4 in Plano, Texas. The rest of the year it will travel to festivals, races, dealer demos and tech clinics across the nation.

“The demo tour is a huge for both brands and our dealers. Consumers want to ride before they buy and this gets thousands of people on our bikes. Dealers love it because the results are immediate,” said Adam Vincent, Pivot/BH sales and marketing specialist.

The 2009 demo program will again be led by Pivot/BH Technical Representative Jason Mead. Mead drove the demo trailer some 38,000 miles last year, set up thousands of people on test bikes and gave hundreds of tech clinics.

Pivot/BH will continue to update the schedule as the season progresses. For updates, check out www.bhbikes-us.com or www.pivotcycles.com.

For more information contact Adam Vincent, Pivot/BH USA marketing, adam@pivotcycles.com or 480-467-2925.

After switching back to skiing after 12 years of snowboarding, boot comfort was of high importance to me for my Alpine Touring setup. After trying on several different boots, the best choice for my foot was the Scarpa Diva AT Boot.

A great lightweight 4 buckle touring boot, the Diva also charges the downhill effectively as well. This versatility is created by the interchangeable tongue system. The Diva is normally equipped with a hinged walk tongue, which puts the boot at a flex index of 90, which is great for all day tours. When you’re out for a resort day and want that extra downhill stiffness, swap the tongue out for the additional Ski tongue, which increases the flex on the boot to a 110. This makes the Diva a great crossover boot for those wanting something that will perform equally well in the backcountry and for resort days.

The Heel Retention Strap system and 4 buckles allow you to really crank down on this boot, offering great stability and support. The walk mode on these boots is great with the walk tongue in it, though not as free-pivoting as Black Diamond’s new Shiva AT boot.

Scarpa Diva AT Boots- Fit info

• Wider last than Garmont AT line
• Higher shell volume than Garmont AT line-  great for high arches or higher volume feet
• A word for those with smaller feet- Scarpa shells are the smallest AT shells available. A 22.5 in Scarpa is comparable to a 23 in Garmont, but actually 2mm smaller.
• Heel is a bit sloppy after some packing out, but a pair of butterfly fit modification pads seems to eliminate that problem entirely. If you have wide heels, no problem!
• Thermo-Moldable liners allow for great flexibility in fit. Though you can wear them right out of the box, thermomolding fixes any hot spots you may have and adds comfort. Specifically, the Diva comes with an Intuition Precision Lady liner, which is slightly narrower than their regular liners and engineered for a womens’ foot.

Scarpa Diva AT Boots- Pros

• HRS Strap really does help keep your heel in place, and the ratcheting buckle system can be easily cranked down in gloves.
• Ski/Walk button is a great big knob that is also easy to access and use with gloves on. No more fumbling with the light switch style toggles.
• Comfy! Not quite a snowboarding boot, but as close as I think I’m gonna get!

Scarpa Diva AT Boots- My only gripe!

• How many women’s products can the outdoor industry possibly name the Diva? I believe I own a harness, headlamp, pack and now ski boots, all with the same name! But, princess names aside, I love my boots!

Buy Now! Scarpa Diva AT Boot

I don’t normally drink coffee. However, as of late, between grad school, 2 part time jobs and all my time outside, 2 cups before breakfast has become the standard. As usual, I need something indestructible that I can carry from the backcounty to class, and the REI Vacuum Infuser Mug has become my favorite coffee mug.

I frequently drop things, spill and am a general klutz. This coffee mug is perfect for me! Despite multitudes of drops down stairs and trail alike, being tossed into the back of my truck, it always stays closed and I have yet to have a coffee spill disaster! I love it.

REI Vacuum Infuser Mug

• Maintains temperature like no other thermos! I can pour a cup of coffee in at 6am, go out for a quick tour, head to class for a few hours, and then break into the coffee, and its still as warm as it was at 6am.
• Detachable infuser plate allows you to brew tea in the mug! Toss your tea leaves in the bottom, add hot water and enjoy! Doesn’t work as well for coffee, however. The mesh of the screen isn’t quite fine enough, and you end up drinking grounds…
• Indestructible. The mug has fallen out of my bag on climbs, rolled around the back of my truck and survived my first semester of graduate school with me, and I’ve never seen it leak!

Check it out! REI Vacuum Infuser Mug