As a premature baby with struggling eyes for all my life, vision is something I don’t take for granted. Having lost it twice in my life, it’s something I appreciate fully down to the smallest details. Taking in every view,…
In recent years, I have been on several expeditions to the Alps, Rocky Mountains, Cordillera Blanca of South America, and Himalaya. Access to drinking water has been a concern on every trip, especially when in developing countries where clean drinking…
Water is often scarce in the desert (if you haven’t heard). I’ve been in some pretty sketchy circumstances on 100+ degree summer days 15 miles into the backcountry only to realize that the promised spring at my destination had run…
The Wells is one of Native’s new sunglasses, fulfilling a vital role in both their lifestyle and performance lines. It is a necessity that sunglasses fill the role of performance fit and functionality while looking good enough to protect your…
Backpacks: the epitome of life. Think about it. Whether you are a professional alpinist, a preschool student or anything in between, you own a backpack. And while backpacks have come a long way from when the first zippered backpack was…
Most people shudder when they hear the words “winter camping”, but as I like to say, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.” Winter camping no longer has to involve sleepless nights of shaking, shivering, and wishing…
“Is that the one that sounds like a potato chip bag?” This seems to be the most common question when I mentioned that I was testing the newest version of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite sleeping pad. And to be fair,…
The HIMALI Annapurna softshell jacket, intimately tied to Nepal and the Himalayas, is designed to withstand the planets harshest conditions, and a mission to support the communities around them as well. In reviewing gear, I give consideration to two categories.…
Mountainsmith’s Glissade 7075 trekking poles are the perfect companion for keeping your balance in the alpine, and I’ve been waiting for the opportune moment to get out there and beat them up a bit. Getting them prepped was easy- no…
This fall I had the pleasure of reviewing the MSR Access 2 tent. My first product test was in Moab, Utah with a client who had never camped before. Next, I took the tent into the rugged Gore Range in…