When I first started using the Katadyn BeFree I thought to myself, "By the beard of Zeus! This thing is absolutely amazing. I can't understand how it hasn't already driven all other lightweight water filters out of business. What was I doing not using this thing before?" However, after a month of
Bluffworks Meridian Dress Shirt Review
The Bluffworks Meridian Dress Shirt appeared an unlikely candidate for someone like me, but after months of wear it has cemented itself in my pack as my (professional) hiking (and traveling) shirt of choice. I gave the Meridian a chance because I am such a big fan of Bluffwork's other products
SANDMARC Pole (Compact Edition) & Carbon Grip Review
The SANDMARC Pole (Compact Edition) and the SANDMARC Carbon Grip are GoPro accessories that make taking pictures of myself (and of other things) a little bit easier. I know, an "action cam pole" is really just a fancy name for a selfie stick, but to be honest, sometimes it comes in handy -
Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 Platinum Tent Review
The Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 Platinum is a lightweight, freestanding, two-person backpacking tent that's for anyone willing to spend $600 on their miniature house for the outdoors (or as I like to call it, my palace). I got this tent just before my Continental Divide Trail thru-hike and have spent
LifeStraw Water Filter Review
The LifeStraw is an inexpensive, easy-to-use, hollow-fiber water filter that is marketed as "ideal for hiking, backpacking, camping, travel, and emergency preparedness." After using a LifeStraw on the Continental Divide Trail, I can certainly see what makes it an attractive option to some people,
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest Review
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest came with me on my Continental Divide Trail thru-hike (what's essentially the most grueling test on Earth for any piece of gear) and it performed exactly as I hoped it would - spectacularly. It's currently my default pack and I've been using it since with
Montbell Tachyon Jacket Review
I've never owned a wind shirt/jacket before and so the Montbell Tachyon Jacket was a new and exciting thing for me to test out. This jacket was a part of my Continental Divide Trail gear, and it accompanied me the entire length of the trail. I used it extensively at high elevations in Colorado
Montbell Torrent Flier Jacket Review
Rain jackets and I have an interesting relationship. In a perfect world, they would be completely unnecessary, but the reality on the Continental Divide Trail is far from perfect and so I brought along the Montbell Torrent Flier Jacket to protect me from all the water (frozen or otherwise) I
Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka Review
If you prefer to not immediately retreat to your sleeping bag at the end of the day, there's a good chance you have considered investing in a feather-filled jacket (more commonly known as a down jacket or puffy). After starting and finishing the Continental Divide Trail with an intact Montbell