As Major League Soccer goes, it was an underdog story all the way. In the MLS Cup Final it was the LA Galaxy versus REAL Salt Lake. The fabled David Beckham and Landon Donovan were playing for the LA Galaxy soccer club, by far the favorite over captain Kyle Beckerman and his REAL Salt Lake team. RSL was the last club to make the MLS playoffs, and had arguably not been as strong during the regular season as previous years. But soccer basically has two seasons: regular and playoffs. And it is in post-season play that underdogs can turn out to be a serious threat. In 2009 RSL proved that to be the case.

The final against LA did not start well for Salt Lake. They were strong, but after Beckham fouled star RSL player Javier Morales (who was sent to the bench with an injured left leg as a result) things looked a little shaky for REAL. Morales was heart-broken, and his injury kept him from ever returning to the match. The Galaxy then went on to score with Donovan and Beckham setting up Magee for a point right before the half, making it 1-0 in LA’s favor as the teams headed to the locker room.

But the tide shifted slightly when, not long into the second half, there was a three-way collision between RSL’s Findley, and the Galaxy’s Gonzalez and Ricketts (goalkeeper). In the collision, Gonzalez’s cleated foot appeared to slam into his own keeper’s right hand, and Ricketts sustained a serious contusion on his 4th and 5th fingers. Ricketts stayed in the game, but shortly thereafter Findley attacked and got one past Ricketts on a pass from RSL teammate Yura Movsisyan (who unfortunately has now played his last match for RSL and will be moving to Europe to play in Denmark). This tied up the game and breathed that underdog life into the REAL team. Ricketts left the game and was replaced by rookie keeper for the Galaxy, Josh Saunders, who immediately surprised everyone with some great saves and poise for such a big game with high consequences.

The score remained tied 1-1 for the remainder of regular play (the full 90 minutes plus 7 minutes of stoppage time). It then went into two 15 minute sessions of overtime. But even after the 30 minutes of extra play it remained tied, with all players absolutely exhausted – especially RSL star Andy Williams, whose aggressiveness is always surprising. Both LA and Salt Lake had used all their substitutions, and seeing Andy and others lag told the entire tale of how taxing this long and hard-fought final had been on both teams. The championship would be decided by penalty kicks.

At the end of 5 PKs, the teams were even at 3 each. But when it came time for LA’s Edson Buddle to face RSL’s star goalkeeper Nick Rimando, in this author’s opinion it was obvious that Buddle wished he were ANYWHERE but on the field at that moment. The results showed it. Rimando owned Buddle’s attempt, leaving RSL’s Robbie Russell a chance to win the cup for Salt Lake. Robbie had started in the final to replace the fluid and tenacious Tony Beltran, who suffered a quadricep injury in the semis. Russell promptly stepped up to the PK and buried it in the lower-left corner past Saunders. The deed was done – the REAL Salt Lake club had won the MLS Championship for the first time in the franchise’s history!

This Salt Lake “brotherhood of a team” is the real star here, and coach Jason Kreis is now the youngest coach to ever have won the cup. Here’s to RSL’s captain Kyle Beckerman, MVP goalkeeper Nick Rimando, Robbie Findley, Robbie Russell, and all the rest of the RSL team! Thank you for bringing the MLS Cup to Salt Lake!

Well this came out of no where. Who would have thought Columbia would jump on the 80’s bandwagon of colors to ring in the 2009-2010 ski season? I mean we are talking some crazy colors that will soon be flaunted downtown and on the slopes. My first ski jacket was actually a Columbia. I would post a link to the model but it was before Al Gore invented the Internet. Let’s just say it was bright yellow, had this fluffy insert, and was as waterproof as a sponge.

I’ve had the chance to look at a handful of Columbia jackets out this year and overall I think the style is right on. I mean. It’s all about the colors anyway, who cares how they perform? Sorry, its Tuesday and my sarcasm is over flowing. Columbia boasts the Omni-Tech and Titanium construction to be waterproof and breathable. Even if Arcteryx and eVent are screaming the same claims I have to get outside and use this stuff before I can say they can actually walk the walk. Some of the jackets I’ve been able to use in the moisture but not all of them.

Rodeo Magic II Shell – $200
First on the docket is the el Magic Shell. The inner lining has the micro fleece which is nice for throwing on real quick to go shovel the walk way. The arms are quite bulky which for me a treehugger telemark skier isn’t cool. If telemarkers had it their way, we would all be back in those tight spandex and snug racer jackets. The pockets on the Magic are fleece lined which, if your not lining your pockets with fleece then designers need to wake up to the cries of ladies who complain about cold hands. Haven’t been able to test in the snow but from the feel of it I think it will do fine. You knuckle-draggers might need something a bit more waterproof in the bum area since your sitting quite a bit.

The Ice Ice Jacket – $120

I can’t help it! I have to make a Vanilla Ice joke! “too cold, too cold…Kick it one time, BOOOY!!” Ok I’m good now. Has a more slimmed feel with also more water proofing, being seam sealed and all. I took this camping and luckily it rained. Popped up the hood and cooked my soup for about 40 min. and it kept me dry. To me, if a jacket can perform in the rain then your set. Also has fleece body paneling which I first saw from Mountain Hardwear using their Pimp Chimp fleece. The collar comes up a little high if you ask me, how am I suppose to breath with jacket in my face? You know us telemarkers, huffing and puffing to keep up with our uber cool alpine friends.

Git Down Puffy Jacket – $170
If your considering shoplifting during the winter the Git Down is a stellar choice. Careful running after you snag a Blu-Ray player though because you’ll overheat in this puffy really quick, just like any down filled piece. For an around the town jacket this would make sense. I wouldn’t take it winter hiking or skiing, way to bulky and low water-resistance. Not sure how much ‘Git’n Down’ your going to get with the Git Down, but hey the colors are crazy. I see mostly casual use for this jackets future.

Mahagony Ridge Parka – $200
For those ’save the Earth’ types, the Ridge offers 57% recycled polyester along with a completely seam-sealed shell. I don’t care for the removable hood. I mean, honestly anytime something comes completely detached; its gone. I like when companies tuck the hood in the collar a lot more. The zip in liner cranks up the price a bit more than the other models. The fit is quite baggy, only snowboarders need apply. Fleece-lined pockets are a plus and should be standard in all jackets in my opinion.

The Ice Ice jacket is by far my favorite jacket. It fits the best and I can tell it will resist moisture really well. It really is nice to see Columbia up the ante with cool styles. Hopefully the quality performs well this season. But hey, for the price, you get into a solid jacket that meshes well with the 80’s scene.

Check out the Columbia line to stay warm and in style this winter.

After getting back from my surf trip to the northwest, I came home psyched for the seasons to change and for winter to begin. Having got my fill of water time in, I was getting psyched to start surfing water in a different form: ski season! 4 days and 6 loads of laundry after my Oregon/Washington Trip, I turned around and headed up to Big Sky, Montana, to help some buddies set up their backcountry ski yurt for Montana Backcountry Adventures.

Montana Backcountry Adventures, started by a couple of “old ski bum bros from Tahoe,” encompasses 3 very unique backcountry experiences based out of Big Sky, Montana. MBA consists of The Bell Lake Yurt, a 20′ diameter backcountry ski yurt situated in the heart of the Tobacco Root Mountains, The Montana Dinner Yurt, a fine dining experience at Big Sky Ski Resort, and new for this year, The Shedhorn Grill, an on-mountain eatery blasting reggae and grillin’ burgers at Big Sky Ski Resort.

The Bell Lake Yurt, which sleeps up to 6 guests, allows backcountry skiers to access some amazing terrain with a moderate approach. The guys at MBA offer a variety of ways for you to access those sweet couloirs of Branham Peaks or the beautiful bowls of Bell Lake Basin that sit just behind the Bell Lake Yurt; fully inclusive trips or overnight yurt rentals. New to the backcountry scene and wanting a seasoned pro to show you all the sick shots? A Montana Backcountry Adventures Guide will meet you at a local coffee shop, coordinate logistics with you, take you into the yurt (a 3 mile snowmobile transport to the trailhead plus the additional 3 mile, 1700 foot skin up the yurt), cook for you, and serve as your in-house resource for locating all the sweetest pow stashes. A backcountry aficionado and just wanting to reserve the yurt for your own use? MBA is psyched to help you out with that too! Self service yurt rentals are totally possible- the guys just require that you take an “Orientation Guide” with you your first time up there, so you know the best and safest way to get to the yurt, etc (You’re only required to have an orientation guide for the 1st little bit you’re up there- so if you’ve got a multi-day trip planned, the guide heads back down right after showing you around, and you’ve got the place to yourselves!) After you’ve been up with an orientation guide, so long as you have a “group leader” with first aid and an Avalanche 1 certification, The Bell Lake Yurt is yours to enjoy without a guide. However you arrive at the Bell Lake Yurt, with or without guide, you’re stylin’ when you get there! 6 cots, wood stove for heating, propane stove for cooking, kitchen supplies, and a nearby pit toilet- what more could you need?

Each season, The Bell Lake Yurt gets transported into its home at 8500 feet just below Branham Peak by some combo of helicopter, a caravan of Toyota Tacomas (seems to be the vehicle of choice up there in MT), snowmobiles, ATVs and sheer manpower. As a member of the “Salt Lake Contingent” of Montana Backcountry Adventures (read: one co-owner of MBA and several friends enticed into hard labor with the promise of out of state beer and possibly some skiing),  I headed up to the Tobacco Roots to assist with the manpower section of yurt installment. 2 days, countless loads, and a few cases of Moose Drool (no, not actual Drool… A great beer brewed by Big Sky Brewery) later, the majority of the yurt materials were settled up in their home, just below Bell Lake. The guys up at MBA plan on setting up the yurt in the next few weeks, now that all the materials are up at the site. Peak yurt season begins in the end of December, so the guys are crankin’ to make sure the yurt is set up and dialed before the big snow flies. Don’t worry though, there’s already snow- when were were up there in mid-October, there were FEET of snow on the ground already.

Psyched about The Bell Lake Yurt? So was Skiing Magazine. Be sure to check out the article in this month’s magazine or online.

So psyched that you want to head up there and check it out yourself? Check the online reservation calendar to see when the yurt is available. Make your reservations soon, the yurt fills fast, especially on weekends. Follow the Bell Lake Yurt blog or check out Montana Backcountry Adventures on Facebook for current updates on snow and skiing conditions.

After my summer trip to Costa Rica, I discovered that I enjoyed surfing so much that I had to get back for more! I planned a trip out to the pacific northwest in October, bought myself a wetsuit, and then began counting down the days til I could be back in the water! After packing 2 people, 1 dog, 2 surf boards, 15 days worth of clothes and food and 2 iPods worth of music into my Tacoma, we were ready to go.

We drove out to Oregon to surf the coast down there first, and had an incredibly lucky weather window! In the days that we surfed there, we had 3 BEAUTIFUL days with no rain, warm temps and calm skies. Pretty unheard of on the Oregon coast this time of year. Each morning, I brewed myself a cup of coffee with my JetBoil Flash and Coffee Press attachment, grabbed my surfboard, spent 20 minutes wriggling myself into my damp wetsuit (a skill I have yet to master) and headed out for the morning session. The days were spent alternating surfing and running on the beach playing with the dog. When each evening rolled around, we packed up the boards and the dog, and would find a sweet spot to cook dinner out of the back of the Tacoma, enjoy some Two Buck Chuck (Another great stop along our trip- Trader Joes!), and watch the sunset. Next morning? Wake up, roll out of bed (not so much roll out of bed as it was “squeeze out of the back of the truck from the top of the built-in bed which leaves you a maximum of 2 inches of head clearance”), repeat! Rough life, I know.

After getting in some great days surfing, the weather and the swell finally took a turn for the worse, and our surfing days were finished for the trip. We decided to head up the coast, following the 101 all the way up to Neah Bay, and then around towards Seattle. The majority of this terrain is a part of Olympic National Park, which boasts more rainforests than I ever thought I’d see in my life! I spent some time exploring secluded beaches, hiking to see huge Cedar trees, and visiting some amazing hot springs.

Eventually, time started running short, so we swung through Seattle for a few days, and then began our drive back to Salt Lake, with a small pit stop in Couer D’Alene and another in Montana. Throughout my trip, I had the opportunity to test out of a lot of sweet gear, including the Flophouse Foam Pad, Hovercraft Frisbee and Bivvy Bowl for Baker (my goofball dog, for those of you who don’t know), the new JetBoil Flash, and a GoPro Camera (which came into the water surfing with me several times!). Be sure to check out all my reviews to see how each item performed in the seemingly never-ending rain and the sand! Check out all the cool pics as well!

I know that everyone is familiar with lots of good places to get gear, like backcountry.com, overstock.com, and other biggies. But for the next 4 days, if you are a fan of Patagonia gear, I want to call your attention to the sale that Rock/Creek has going on. Rock/Creek almost always delivers with good gear, but this week it appears to be in a big way…and just in time for holiday gear shopping! They are putting Patagonia gear on sale up to 50% off. Stuff like the Womens Patagonia Re-Tool jacket, the Patagonia Mens R1 jacket (for around $66 bucks!), and the Patagonia Mens Nano Puff jacket at the cheapest price I’ve seen anywhere ($119-ish).

So go check out the Patagonia sale at Rock/Creek and you’re sure to find something for that gear junkie on your list. But hurry — the folks at Rock/Creek tell us that the Patagonia sale ends November 24th!

BUY NOW: Click here to go to Rock/Creek and get up to 50% off of Patagonia gear.

Let me tell you… I’m really digging all the Merino Wool options in the market these days. With the transition from Fall to Winter becoming more and more of a reality, I’ve been longing for a solid long-sleeve jersey option. My current long-sleeve jerseys all lack rear pockets, so I’ll start there. The three pocket design on the Swobo Merino 753 long-sleeve jersey is excellent with the ability to securely carry a water bottle, mobile phone, extra tube and other small bits without worry. One-handed access to the pockets is easy and things just stay put very well… kudos there.

Overall comfort of the jersey is excellent… I just love the feel of Merino in cool weather. I found the jersey to work really well alone in temperatures in the 50’s. When it dipped into the 40’s, the jersey kept me warm when I was in the sun, but the shade was a tad too chilly. An ultralight windproof vest (like the Marmot DriClime Vest) on top would be ideal with this jersey as temps decline.

On the other side of the thermometer, the 753 is comfortable enough for temperatures in the 60’s and above with the full-zip ventilation and its excellent moisture management skills.

Just a couple of things to note. While the overall fit is just right, the midsection isn’t too good at hiding my non-6-pack abs. Not that I’m fat, but lets just say I’m a ways off from being in an Abercrombie ad. So it’s a snug-fitting jersey in the middle, but the arms and chest aren’t so snug, but just right. I suppose the reason why the midsection is tight is to keep the load-carrying pockets from swaying back and forth. So, I’ll take the unflattering look for a more stable sherpa, I suppose.

As far as odor control goes, the construction of the material is made to reduce stankyness. I purposely ran in it one day, then rode in it the next two days without washing. While it didn’t stay “Spring Fresh,” it wasn’t as stinky as most day-old jerseys can be, so that’s good news for commuters.

The subtle Swobo styling is always welcomed, but this top-notch jersey does come at a price. It’s highly-functional and versatile–no question about that. But $110 is still steep for many.

A note on fit: I’m 5′11 and 175 lbs. The Large was my size of choice and fit me just right for a comfortable fit.

The Good

• Fabric blend is comfortable to the touch
• Trim fit keeps things streamlined
• Full zip for ventilation
• Rear pockets are well supported and can actually be used
• Not racy, but not baggy… a good fit for everyday riding
• Subdued styling
• Waffle fabric pattern dries quickly

The Bad

• Price of entry is steep
• Form-fitting midsection isn’t hiding my non-6pack-edness
• Full front zipper = zippered chest hair (yeowch)

Final Thoughts: Swobo Merino 753 Long-sleeve Jersey

The sheep would be proud… no question this is an excellent jersey for cool-weather riding. I really dig the functional back pockets and the comfy, functional fabric, but it does come at a price.

Buy Now: Visit Swobo.com

As the U.S. Ski Team prepares for Vancouver 2010, Audi of America is announcing a documentary called “Truth in Motion: The U.S. Ski Team’s Road to Vancouver.” The film will be produced up to and during the 2010 Olympics. Should be good stuff. Looks like I’ll catch it on Universal Sports… LOVE chat channel!

Read on for more details…

As part of its continued support of the U.S. Ski Team, Audi of America announced that it has commissioned a documentary film, Truth in Motion: The U.S. Ski Team’s Road to Vancouver, which will tell the unique stories of these elite American athletes as they prepare for the competition of their lives – the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Truth in Motion: The U.S. Ski Team’s Road to Vancouver will air first January 30 at 8pm EST on NBC, followed by an appearance on the USA Network on February 6 at 5pm EST. It will also run three times in primetime on the Universal Sports Network. Audi has been a sponsor of the U.S. Ski Team since 2007.

The film will be directed by Brett Morgen, multiple-award winning director of such acclaimed documentaries as The Kid Stays in the Picture and On the Ropes. The film is executive produced by ten-time Emmy Award winner Rick Gentile, executive producer of three Olympic Winter Games, and MediaCom Entertainment’s Adam Pincus.

The film focuses on a select group of elite American skiers at different stages of their careers through the crucial months of training leading up to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Truth in Motion: The U.S. Ski Team’s Road to Vancouver chronicles not just the physical skill necessary to compete at the highest level, but also the uniquely personal quest that is involved in achieving greatness. Some of the featured players will qualify and some may not and the film will detail the triumphs and struggles of all those involved.

Audi of America introduced the film at a press event in Copper Mountain, the site of one of the U.S. Ski Team’s training camps. Media were invited to attend on-site, as well as through a live web conference where they engaged with members of the team as well as Audi of America’s Chief Marketing Officer Scott Keogh and director Morgen.

“Audi of America’s continued sponsorship of the U.S. Ski Team has been a perfect fit from day one,” said Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer, Audi of America. “This film is exemplary of our dedication to this team and the unique stories it will create, as well as a chance to chronicle the synchronous use of technology, innovation and willpower that defines both Audi and the U.S. Ski Team.”

“It was awesome working on this project with Audi and the entire production crew. Brett and his team bring a really unique perspective to our sport,” said Olympic Gold Medalist Skier Ted Ligety. “We’re grateful for Audi’s support of this project and look forward to seeing alpine ski racing in primetime outside of the Olympic Winter Games!”

“Audi and the U.S. Ski Team share common goals of excellence and performance, which makes for a great partnership with our athletes who compete on the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup,” said U.S. Ski Team President and CEO Bill Marolt. “And, just like Audi, speed and engineering play a pivotal role for all of us in achieving performance goals.”

The U.S. Ski Team is continuing to training in Colorado at Copper Mountain, Vail’s Golden Peak and Loveland in preparation for upcoming Audi FIS World Cups at Aspen Nov. 28-29 and Beaver Creek Dec. 4-6.

ABOUT AUDI
Audi of America Inc. and its 270 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi lineup is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. In selling one million vehicles worldwide in 2008, AUDI AG recorded its 13th consecutive record year for sales growth. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

ABOUT THE U.S. SKI TEAM
The U.S. Ski Team, an integral part of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, develops and trains the top Olympic skiers in America, competing annually on the Audi FIS World Cup with a goal of being the best in the world in Olympic skiing. The public can follow and support the Team through its new U.S. Ski Team Fan Club.

Getting the proper bike fit is key to comfort, safety and performance. It’s amazing what a 1/4-inch here and there will do. Felt has just announced a bike fitting partnership with Retul, which will ensure the proper fit every time. Read on for more info.

Felt Bicycles has partnered with Retül, a state-of-the-art motion capture system that offers bike retailers and fit specialists the ultimate tool for a precision fit. Recognizing that proper fit is essential to attaining the best possible cycling experience for all cyclists, from competitive to recreational, Felt has chosen Retül to help accomplish its goal of offering every Felt customer a better fitting bike.

“There are a lot of choices in fit systems and philosophies, but we feel Retül’s system is best suited to meet our objectives,” said Felt National Sales Manager John Georger. “Our goal with this partnership is to give retailers another tool to enhance the riding experience for every Felt customer.”

Retül allows bike fit experts to capture 100 percent objective data in a dynamic state and evaluate multiple 3-D viewpoints while the rider is pedaling. By gathering data from eight key anatomical points in the cyclist’s riding position, Retül allows fitters to capture accurate dynamic data on every moving part of the body simultaneously in real-time.

Rather than choosing any one specific fit philosophy, Retül focuses on the process of gathering and analyzing the data. The depth of information makes it easier than ever for a fit professional to quantify every adjustment. It’s also convenient, requiring only a PC and 80 square feet of space for line of sight requirements. It can be easily be packed away for conserving space or taken on the road for mobile fitting.

“We feel that knowledge is power,” said Cliff Simms, Founder of Retül. “And Retül empowers bike fitters with the most robust cycling-gait specific data file available. We’re thrilled to align ourselves with a forward-thinking bike manufacturer like Felt, which we believe can benefit greatly from the Retül’s services.”

As a supplier to top athletes including multiple Olympic gold medalists and the world-class road racers of the Garmin-Slipstream squad, Felt has a proven track record of providing cyclists with a competitive edge. Felt engineers are constantly developing new ways to make the most of any athlete’s potential, and optimizing synergy between body and bike is an important factor. From elite pros to casual riders, the goal is the same: improved comfort, better performance and a more enjoyable ride.

As part of this agreement, Felt retailers receive a discount and preferred access to Retül University, a program that educates professional fitters about Retül technology. The University combines online education with hands-on studio time so that every Retül University certificate-holder has all the right tools to provide the best fit possible.

More Info: Visit Retul.com

When the 312’s first arrived, my wife commented, “Did you get some football cleats?” I just laughed, but I must admit, she was right–the black color-scheme with meaty treads did make them look somewhat football cleat-ish. Thankfully, a walk around the tile wasn’t met with disdain since these lugged kicks have soft, sticky rubber instead of turf-digging spikes.

What first caught my eye about these shoes was the styling. They don’t look much like other trail runners on the market. The full mesh uppers, a lightweight exo-skeleton for support, chunky treads and piping around the toebox really set these shoes apart. They were smart looking on the shelf and are smart looking on the trail (good thing too… I hear mountain lions stay away from sharp-dressers on the trail).

One of the first things that I noticed about wearing the Roclite 312’s was the natural stride and flex. I really like how the entire system works in concert to provide a smooth and consistent feel throughout the step. While some shoes suffer from a hinged feeling, these feel nothing of the sort.

The large, widely-spaced treads are great for maintaining traction on rough and wet trails. You can actually feel the treads as they bite into the dirt. The only caveat to this is in loose conditions where the toe-off push wasn’t always as solid as I’d like. This may likely be due to the squared-off nose.

As far as support goes, these shoes are pretty minimal. I was able to slip in a pair of Sole footbeds to support my pancake-flat feet, but the lateral support is pretty light. That, combined with the narrow heel profile, did exhibit some foot rolling tendencies, which aren’t typically common in trail shoes. That said, if you are confident and sure-footed, you may not have issues, but the technical terrain I’ve been tackling did present some occasional challenges.

As far as Gore-Tex shoes go, these are by far the most breathable I’ve worn. The full mesh uppers really lend themselves to allowing your feet to breathe. While I still wouldn’t recommend them in dry, warm climates, I was comfortable in temperatures around 60 and above. I intentionally stood in a running stream for 30 seconds and not a drop of water entered the shoe.

The Good

• Very lightweight
• Solid overall traction
• Smooth and comfortable stride
• Ample cushioning
• Excellent foot protection and trail feel
• Waterproof, yet still very breathable for a GTX shoe (still comfortable above 60-degrees)
• Love the casual-esque styling accents

The Bad

• Stability is lacking–especially with narrow heel
• Toe-off traction could be better
• Very high volume (bad for me… OK for high-volume feet)
• Mesh toebox captured dirt between mesh
• Grippy rubber outsole feels really slow on pavement

Bottom Line: Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX

Unique styling and good function really makes the Roclite 312 an appealing choice for the sure-footed trail runner looking for a lightweight, bad-weather trainer.

Buy Now: Visit Zappos.com to Buy the Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX

Ever wonder if you’re getting the quality of sleep you think you’re getting? Have you considered purchasing one of those “miracle beds” that will amazingly turn your 5 hours of restless sleep into 5 hours of perfect dreamland?

I was just introduced to a new product called Zeo, a personal sleep coaching system that can help you track sleep patterns and thus, aid you in achieving a better night’s sleep. It looks like a very interesting concept and the technology is very cool. The practicality of it may be in question though. I’m not so sure how much I’d enjoy wearing a headband to sleep every night, but for some… it might be well worth it to achieve that perfect night’s sleep.

Here’s a little more info about the Zeo sleep coach system:

Zeo (www.myzeo.com), the world’s first personal sleep coach. The technology was developed by three Brown undergrads and finally was brought to fruition this past June. It’s the fist science-based sleep innovation that enables consumers to measure and manage sleep quality to achieve a better night’s rest over time. Zeo is designed to help consumers understand how they sleep, reveal habits, behaviors and target inhibitors. And, it’s as simple as replacing your old alarm clock with the Zeo bedside table display. A USB drive plugs into the side where you can then load data on your computer and track your sleep quality. It’s truly and industry frontrunner as there is nothing out there quite like this.

Five years ago, three Brown University undergraduates were curious enough about their sleep that they tried to come up with a way to track it.  They had heard through different classes that if you wake up during a lighter phase of sleep, you will wake up feeling more refreshed and your performance may actually be impacted.  They met with the top sleep scientists to try to figure out a way to measure sleep in your home, and they all said it was impossible.

The students proved everyone wrong.

Five years later, this June, they finally launched the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach.

Without getting too technical (though the founders explain): they found a way of using engineering, sleep science, sleep psychology and biology to track your personal sleep patterns in your home using a soft headband with silverized fabric sensors that measure your brainwaves and wirelessly transmit them to a bedside display.  In real time, your sleep patterns (hours in deep, REM, light and wake) are revealed on the display, and in the morning, you get a single score – your ZQ – which measures the quality, length and depth of your sleep.

The technology goes deeper:  Once people started testing Zeo’s technology in beta a couple years ago, they were fascinated.  But, they wanted more.  Now that they knew how much deep and REM sleep they were getting and how many times throughout the night they were waking up (usually without knowing), they were eager to see how they could improve this in order to get more quality sleep and feel better during the day. See how it works…

This is how the Zeo on-line coaching program was born.  The company created an interactive web site (www.myzeo.com) that uses your personalized sleep data to track your progress sleeping.  There’s a journaling component that allows you to tell Zeo what you’re doing during the day so we can see how it’s affecting your sleep at night.  Zeo acts as a scale for your bedroom, while the coaching is your personal trainer.

In just a few short months on the market, Zeo has received international acclaim and is being used in numerous sleep studies and labs, including the largest study ever conducted among college students at Cornell.

More Info: Visit MyZeo.com

When I got my hands on the Treviso, I was immediately impressed with the features, styling and function. I think the thing that caught my attention the most is the adjustable fit. While many other sunglasses offer a “one fit” system that oftentimes doesn’t, these glasses feature rubberized adjustable temple tips and nose pieces to adjust to the differing needs of each individual face and usage.

Where this becomes particularly useful is when these glasses are used for a variety of athletic activities with or without helmets, hats or visors. Standard, rigid temple pieces can get in the way of bike helmets (my Giro Xen helmet interferes with many other sunglasses) or visors–thus limiting compatibility. But, with the adjustable temple tips (think Gumby), a quick adjustment can accommodate a variety of headwear options.

Not only was I impressed with these glasses for mountain biking and trail running, but they are a great option for road biking and any other athletic pursuits to boot. They stayed put and never interfered with helmet or visor comfort or fit.

The photochromic lenses are also a great feature of these glasses. As a test, I removed my glasses from the dark and into full sunlight. You can visibly watch them transform from 45% VLT to 15% VLT in a matter of 20-30 seconds. While you’re wearing them, they will never go from that extreme to the other, but just know that the lens tint is constantly adjusting on-the-fly to give you the best visibility. Because of that, I was able to wear these glasses in a variety of conditions without feeling like the lens was either too dark or too light.

The only real gripe I’ve got with these is that the paint is wearing thin on the arm pieces above the logo. Other than that, the styling is pretty solid and you’re getting a versatile pair of sunglasses for a great price.

The Good

• Love the flexible arms
• Adjustable nose piece
• Photochromic lens adjusts quickly
• Comfortable for all-day
• Inexpensive
• Great optics

The Bad

• Paint is rubbing off the frame
• Don’t have that brand-name zing

Bottom Line: Ryders Treviso Photochromic

The Ryders Treviso photochromic sunglasses are a great pair of sunglasses for cycling and running and would be an excellent choice for triathletes who need the adjustability that the flexible arm pieces provide. The fit is stellar and can be adjusted on-the-fly and the photochromic lenses are great for those of us who’d rather not swap out lenses all the time.

Buy Now: Search for Ryders Treviso Sunglasses

In typical Backcountry.com fashion, they are bucking the trend and coming out with something fun, funky and a bit irreverent. Not only are they killing the typical “outlet”, they are introducing a whole new flavor in discount outdoor gear shopping. If you’re lucky, you’ll enjoy access to the DoG now, but many will have to wait until fullscale launch in 2010. Giddy up!

Here’s the official word:

With the economy stuck on its crux move, savvy gear shoppers have been faced with the scary possibility that the only way to afford new gear this season is to scour the aisles of sticky-floored discount stores and drop-shipping closeout sites in the off chance that they’ll discover some affordable piece of out-of-season gear that isn’t a mauve colored size XXXL. But starting today, the era of settling for shoddy gear in questionable colors and tent sizes has passed. Today, the Department of Goods, a new online gear megastore, opens its e-doors — to the lucky few, that is.

The Department of Goods (www.DepartmentofGoods.com), another new store from the team at Backcountry.com, sells the latest and finest outdoor, surf, skate, bike, and mountain equipment from more than 400 pinnacle brands like The North Face, Marmot, Oakley, Volcom, Burton, Rocky Mountain, and Giro.

The selection; the deep, in-stock inventory; the ability to find what you’re looking for fast; community reviews and Q+A; and the bend-over-backwards customer service you’ve come to expect from Backcountry.com, mean, simply, that you’ve stumbled upon the promised land of premium gear.

But there’s a catch. Not everyone can get in. Not yet, at least. The grand opening/beta launch is VIP only. To get past the velvet rope for the first shot at the goods inside the Department, you need to get yourself an invitation — or use your wily resourcefulness to track down a key code.

The lucky ones will receive an email invitation. Others will get in because they “know people.” But if you just show up at the door without an invite, the Department’s doorman will shut you down. You can politely ask for a code, but you’ll, politely, have to wait.

Once you’re in, you’re in. You’ll have immediate access to insane deals on amazing gear. And it’s worth your while to shop, because during the beta roll out, the Department of Goods will be giving away $200,000 in gear. A set number of first comers who place orders over $50 will be matched with a surprise prize from a bona fide grab bag of swag, with gifts ranging from socks, t-shirts, and multi-tools to kayaks, skis, and bikes.

On top of that goodness, one in 10 purchases will be comped at random for a limited time. Fully comped. So if you’re not beside-yourself-ecstatic because you’ve just paid pennies on the dollar for your dream cart, you’re completely blown away because you just scored that gear for free.

To keep up on the deals, to try to score a code fast, or for the inside scoop on what the in-crowd is taking away for free, check out the Department of Goods’ Facebook page.

Yes, this is Backcountry’s fifth store launch in 2009, in the midst of this Eeyore economy, and even the hard-working people within our walls that make these things happen wonder what the hell we’re thinking. Especially since Department of Goods is a replacement for the long-lived (but let’s face it, not very inspired) BackcountryOutlet.com.

But the Department of Goods is different. It’s the only place to find the breadth and depth in selection of high-end outdoor, bike and action sports gear (BackountryOutlet.com is seriously lacking in bike and action sports), leaving its predecessor lame and whimpering in the dust.

As for the fate of BackcountryOutlet.com? After we work out the kinks during the beta test and launch Department of Goods wide open to the public in early 2010, Backcountry Outlet will be taken out back and, unceremoniously, shot.

DepartmentofGoods.com: you’ll never have to choose between gear and groceries again.

More Info: Visit DepartmentofGoods.com

I’ve got some central pieces of clothing that keep surfacing – no matter the season, no matter the sport. One of those is a Pearl Izumi Optik Jacket which I use for biking, running, and even backcountry ski touring. But what I don’t see is why so many companies make so many niche-focused pieces for each of those individual sports, when they all seem to require similar performance. Lightweight, compact, breathable, warm. So…why isn’t someone making something billed as a cycling-to-skiing crossover mid layer? Sure, a bike jersey or jacket might require a shorter cut in front than a ski jacket. Same with climbing (I learned that the hard way when I bought a Mountain Hardwear climbing jacket for skiing, and the front always rode up above my belt buckle). But I think having a form-skimming thermal cycling jacket that’s a little long in the front is a small price to pay to make it worthy of skiing cross over.

So this year I’m looking for a great versatile base-to-mid layer for ski touring, trail running, and even a bit of cold weather cycling. I want it to be bright-colored for when I’m in avalanche country. And I keep coming back to cold-weather cycling jerseys and jackets as my best options. Check out the Forza Thermal Jacket, or the Capo Atlas Thermal Jacket, or even this cycling jacket by Castelli.

Maybe I’m just uninformed, but for now I’m thinking that cycling gear is the first place to look for versatile base and mid layer items. So that’s where I’ll keep searching. And to all you clothing manufacturers out there — if you have some mid-layer jackets and such that are designed to be crossover items for multiple sports, let me know! Sorry if I’m just missing them.