Trailspace Blog
Outdoor Retailer: The all-in-one TentPak
My most intriguing gear discussion on Thursday (Day One) was with TentPak, a company that makes 12 models of a combined tent and pack.
Outdoor Retailer: Wicking cotton, Gorillapods, and gear advice
Cotton is well known for absorbing and holding in moisture, making it a poor choice (even a dangerous one) for most active pursuits.
Outdoor Retailer: Industrial Revolution, Coghlan's
UCO Storm Proof Matches and Coghlan's Tarp Clips illustrate the no-nonsense ingenuity hundreds of small firms bring to Winter Market '10.
Outdoor Retailer: Camelbak
CamelBak had several new hydration products for 2010. Remember the ShredBak from last winter's Outdoor Retailer? The newest iteration in CamelBak's line...
Outdoor Retailer: Canada Goose
Canada Goose is joining the hybrid wave, combining down and soft-shell fabric in the same jacket.
Outdoor Retailer: Ready for their close-ups
Snapshots from the opening day of Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010.
Outdoor Retailer: All Mountain Demo Day (part 2)
The three intrepid Trailspace OR reporters (Bill, Alicia, and Tom) met early Wednesday morning at the Salt Palace to get on the bus to the Demo Day site...
Outdoor Retailer: Snowshoes
We tested some of the top snowshoes available at the All-Mountain Demo, the intro to Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010.
Outdoor Retailer: All Season Kilt
Maybe it's me, but I can't help but notice the men in kilts at every Outdoor Retailer show. Today I met up on the Snowbasin cross-country ski and snowshoe...
Outdoor Retailer: All Mountain Demo Day
Spending the day at Snowbasin Resort (home of the swankiest base lodge and ski resort bathrooms I've ever seen) is a pleasant, relaxing prelude to Outdoor...
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010
Trailspace was in Salt Lake City to cover Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, the world’s largest outdoor gear industry gathering, with more than 700 outdoor brands. We're bringing you coverage from demo day through four days of gear announcements, demos, and events.
Outdoor Retailer: Day Minus-2
After a two-day drive from the SF Bay Area across northern Nevada, I drove the last 120 miles on snow-covered roads with light snow coming down and heavy...
Outdoor Retailer: sifting wheat from chaff
Cutting-edge layering systems. The world's first wicking cotton. Lighter, stronger tents. The greenest snowshoes, boots, backpacks, sleeping bags, and...
New Footwear for 2010, Part 3: Trail-Runners and Outdoor Socks
We close our series on new footwear of 2010 with a look at trail-running shoes and outdoor footwear.
Layers of fun: Winter hiking essentials
Don't let cold weather keep you off the trails. Proper layering and a few savvy gear decisions are all you need to keep hiking year-round.
Canadian Avalanche Centre offers free iPhone app
The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC), Canada’s national public avalanche safety organization, and Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) have developed a free...
Gear Maker Profile: Cam Brensinger of NEMO Equipment
A pole-less tent. A second-skin space suit. Inflatable shelters designed for mountains, Mars, or the moon. In an outdoor industry continually claiming innovation, Cam Brensinger, the founder of NEMO Equipment, is a true visionary.
New Footwear for 2010, Part 2: Trail and Multi-Sport Shoes, Miscellaneous Footwear
Part 2 of our series on 2010 footwear looks at trail shoes (essentially below-the-heel hiking boots); multi-sport shoes, which combine features of multiple sports categories; and miscellaneous outdoor footwear like the Vibram FiveFingers line that didn't fit in other categories.
Send Text Messages from (Almost) Anywhere on Earth
Outdoor Retailer is still two weeks away, but one of the potentially more interesting new 2010 products has just been announced, a Delorme PN-Series GPS device that will use the SPOT satellite system to communicate text messages.
The shoes of 2010: a three-part series
Trailspace contributor Mackenzie Lobby pulled together an expansive look at new shoes, boots, and assorted footwear arriving in stores this year.
New Footwear for 2010, Part 1: Boots and Climbing Shoes
Coming to stores this year: grippier outsoles, more durable cushioning, and upgraded lacing designs. First of a three-part series.
Should beacons be required of climbers?
Should climbers be required to carry locator beacons? In 2007, a bill that would have required Mount Hood climbers to carry beacons on winter expeditions...
Lessons Learned
I'm back from an excellent weekend at my avalanche awareness course. FYI, if you tell relatives and friends you're going to avalanche class for the weekend,...
SPOT recalls version 2
Since SPOT announced its new and improved version 2 of its popular satellite messenger tracking device at Outdoor Retailer in July, we've been eagerly...
Gift Idea: non-BPA water bottles
It seems like every week or month a new study finds a possible link between the endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA) and some health concern: breast...
Outdoor iPhone Apps: Guidebooks Go Mobile
A quick guide to outdoor adventure applications available for Apple's iPhone.
The Lure of a Long Trail: Planning a Thru-Hike (Part 4 of 4)
In the last of four columns on planning a thru-hike, two trail angels offer advice based on the hundreds of thru-hikers they've befriended and assisted along the Pacific Crest Trail.
Outdoor Gifts for Outdoor Kids
If you know a kid to whom you'd like to give the whole outdoor world, here are a few of my own gift ideas. The best parts are money-free.
Gift ideas from the Trailspace Gear Guide
A few choice selections from the Trailspace Gear Guide might help simplify your shopping list.
Gear Review: In-Bottle Water Filters
While each type of water filter system has its pluses and minuses, bottle-based filters offer extreme portability and simplicity. See how the ones we tested fared during backcountry use.
New winter packs for 2009/10
Do you really need a winter pack? New models for 2009/10 answer with a likely "yes" for year-round backcountry travelers.
How to Fix a Leaky Sleeping Pad
Ever woken up to the cold, uncomfortable ground after your sleeping pad sprung a leak? Learn how to repair holes, tears, or punctures in your air mattress, in the field or at home, with just a few materials and a little time.
The Lure of a Long Trail: Planning a Thru-Hike (Part 3 of 4)
In the third of four columns on planning a thru-hike, Triple Crowners — hikers who have completed the AT, PCT, and CDT (that’s nearly 8,000 miles of trail) — offer advice to first-timers on how to stay safe and have fun.
Practice your avalanche beacon skills
It's November and for most of us there's not much significant snowfall — yet. But, you can prepare now for ski season by practicing locating a partner's...
Snowshoe Highlights: Winter of 2009-10
Trailspace highlights notable new snowshoes for winter 2009/10 and innovative upgrades to existing models.
The Lure of a Long Trail: Planning a Thru-Hike (Part 2 of 4)
Planning a thru-hike? Sorting through a deluge of advice and wondering which to pay attention to? In the second of four columns, PCT veteran Barbara Egbert discusses: reasons to thru-hike a long trail, daily obsessions, finding water, and more tips from successful backpackers.
Your Annual Hunting Season Reminder: Wear Orange
Break out the fluorescent orange vests and hats. Here are a few safety reminders for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, or any activity that gets you out in the woods during hunting season.
Rescuers say PLB's = Yuppie 911
PLB's and self-sufficiency can be a hot (i.e. controversial) topic in the Trailspace forums. Now the discussion has gone mainstream: Tired from a hike?
The Lure of a Long Trail: Planning a Thru-Hike (Part 1 of 4)
Planning a thru-hike? Sorting through a deluge of advice and wondering which to pay attention to? Successful backpackers can tell you what really matters. In the first of four columns, PCT veteran Barbara Egbert talks to other thru-hikers about gear decisions, training, and preparation (Originally posted in October 2009).
Hiking and Camping Safely in Bear Country
Whether you hit the trail for a day or a week, entering the land of grizzlies and black bears comes with great responsibility. Assure a safe trip by taking proper precautions, respecting bears’ space, and having a firm grip on how to handle yourself.
Book Review: "NOLS Bear Essentials: Hiking and Camping in Bear Country"
John Gookin and Tom Reed know bear country. Both have hiked and camped among black bears and grizzlies for more than 20 years and taught hundreds of students the ropes as NOLS instructors. “NOLS Bear Essentials: Hiking and Camping in Bear Country,” is proof they know what they’re doing.
How to Seam Seal a Tent
Dew, rain, or a sudden downpour—water potentially can find its way into any shelter through your tent’s seams or an accidental hole or tear. Luckily, the seam-sealing process is straightforward and fairly simple.
Outdoor Fuel: New Bars, Chews, and Bites
Some of the newest outdoor nutritional products were unveiled at this summer’s Outdoor Retailer trade show. We’ve rounded up the latest, up-and-coming energy bars, chews, gels, beans, and bites to help you fuel up on and off the trail. You’ll find new products, flavors, and packaging.
Modern Elixirs: New Recovery and Sports Drinks
Some of the newest outdoor nutritional products were unveiled at this summer’s Outdoor Retailer trade show. First up, we've rounded up the newest protein-rich recovery and lighter sports drinks to hit shelves.
Gear Maker Profile: Glen Van Peski of Gossamer Gear
Glen Van Peski, the founder of Gossamer Gear, first backpacked and sewed his own outdoor gear as a kid. But it was a 70-pound load on a Sierra backpacking trip with his son's Scout troop that got him designing ultralight packs.
Review: CamelBak ShredBak Hydration Vest
I first tried the new Camelbak ShredBak hydration system at the winter Outdoor Retailer show’s on-snow session in January. This summer I tested the ShredBak on a half dozen hikes, totaling perhaps 40-50 miles, and on several bike rides.
Review: Leki Thermolite AERGON Antishock Trekking Poles
The Thermolite AERGON Antishock hiking poles feature Leki’s newest antishock system, the Soft Antishock System Lite. So, what did this reviewer, previously biased against antishock poles, think of them?
How to Fuel Up on the Trail
Whether you are trail running, hiking, fastpacking, or backpacking, you need to fuel yourself properly before, during, and after your time out on the trails. Eating the right foods at the right times will keep you on your feet, gears cranking, and all four cylinders roaring.
