The coffee I bought an hour ago has done the trick. No longer yawning, I cruise interstate 80 heading out of Reno’s industrial center with a jittery awareness. West of the glitz of downtown are the scraggy sage brush-covered foothills … Continue reading
Gathering Storm Short Glove: Hand Picked Warmth
Columbia’s glove line is quite expansive: from thin fleece liners perfect for trail running to their award-winning beefy, weather-resistant Bugaglove Max Electric. But most of the time, the world outside your front door … Continue reading
My last day at Outdoor Retailer was spent considering all the clothing and footwear options. While innovation in trends wasn’t revolutionary – there is an obvious continuance of the push to bring low-profile apparel and minimalist footwear to consumers, development … Continue reading
At OR you always see super fit athletes checking out the new gear along with regular retailer and media folks. My sightings included climber Beth Rodden, extreme skier and guide Dean Cummings, Man vs. Wild’s Bear Grylls, and world-record holder … Continue reading
Day two at Outdoor Retailer (OR) was more about getting a look at new products that are launching. Taking aim at getting us outdoors or making it more comfortable when we do venture out and a few definitely stood out.… Continue reading
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City was a good place to be Thursday. It was snowing in the mountains while I was inside cruising aisle upon aisle of outdoor products. The 2012 products are exciting and the takeaway … Continue reading
What’s in a name? Sometimes everything. To double-back is to return to a place or an activity you’ve seen or done before. And, as the name attests, all good things do come in two. Like fish and chips or gin … Continue reading
I continue to be impressed with Columbia Sportswear’s new gear offerings. I know I have said this before, but Columbia is no longer, in my opinion, that second-tier outdoor company that takes aim only at … Continue reading
Patagonia has long served consumers with thoughtful and intuitive clothing options that can, in simple alliterative terms, be described as functional fashion. Design and quality so good and so specific you can pick them out in a crowd. They’ve done … Continue reading
I’ve always been a fan of Chaco soles. Their sandals give the wearer foot arch support in a nude environment. But now, I must admit, I am a fan of Chaco’s soul. Their unequivocal answer to when you can’t waiver … Continue reading
San Francisco-based Zimride.com, a pioneer in shared transportation for the corporate and university world, is opening a new public rideshare route just in time for winter. Though Zimride has stuck mainly to college and corporate campuses and has only brought … Continue reading
The descent from Thompson Pass to Valdez is one of Alaska’s most stunning roadways. The Richardson Highway follows a single switchback on a high plateau, where views of glacial fields abound, before dropping into Keystone Canyon, a narrow slice wide … Continue reading
This year measure your holidays by moments rather than gifts. Yosemite always offers cool options for outdoor adventure followed by soul-satisfying après-snowshoe events.
Wine Pairings
Join a master sommelier for a wine tasting seminar and a winemaker’s dinner featuring a … Continue reading
Think taking an outdoor activity online doesn't make sense? Think again. As with many other outdoor activities and sports, gravitating toward an online social network hub or forum seems to be the trend. This is true even with the active pursuit of hiking. Alex Genadink, founder of the new hiking website ComeHike.com, is betting his site might be your next hiking destination.
Sure, we've all heard the term quiver. Typically it's used to reference skis. Or rather a great all around set of skis: as in “my one-ski quiver.” Even “queen of quivers” denoting someone with enough money to own more than, say, ten and enough time to use them all. But quiver isn't usually associated with clothing, until now. Columbia Sportswear's new women's Windefend Half Zip is a must-have performance mid-layer for when it's cool but not cold.
When I found out I was going to gear test Columbia Sportswear's shell offerings for a heli-ski trip I was planning, I had mixed feelings. I love gear but I wasn't sure I would love Columbia's. I even questioned my friend Randy on a morning mountain bike ride. Without prejudice I asked, “When I mention the brand Columbia what immediately comes to mind?” His reaction was the same as mine – words like heavy, non-technical, and entry-level spilled from his lips. Then the jackets - the Women's Peak Power shell and the Men's Peak 2 Peak shell - arrived at my doorstep and I was forever changed. This is not your neophyte-neighbor's outdoor wear.
One of the newest trends in outdoor adventure clothing design is the hybrid down. Perhaps inspired by the hybrid car, the new version of down offers the same amount of warmth in a trimmed down sportier model. Columbia Sportswear is leading the charge with its new Reach the Peak down hybrid jacket.
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