It seems that hiking shoes are all the rage these days. It’s getting rare that I’ll see full on hiking boot on the average day hike here in the Seattle area. Thankfully though, companies like Merrell still make them for those of us that like ankle support.
Monthly Archives: April 2010
Free entry to National Parks during National Park Week
National Park Week starts on Saturday! And to celebrate, visitors between April 17-25 this year will gain free admission into any of the 392 parks and monuments in the National Parks System.
Trail Report: Twin Falls
Twin falls is extremely easy as far as the trails in Washington go. With a total of 500ft of elevation gain, this trail is suited for almost every age of hiker. The trail itself is extremely well marked and there are even benches along the way. Steps are provided for steeper sections of the trail. If you’re just starting out hiking or are looking for a place to take your young child, consider twin falls.
Review: Alite Designs Sexy Hotness Sleeping Bag
A sleeping bag designed for getting busy. Marketing ploy or ingenious idea? Read more for our review.
Review: Prana Moab Pants for women
While Prana is best known for their yoga and activewear, they also have a great selection of clothing that would best be classified as ‘active casual,’ tops and bottoms that transition from the trail to the street. The Moab Pants for women fall into this category, and I’ve had the chance to test them in a wide range of activities and environments to see how they perform in the real world. Read more for our full review.
Review: Mountain Hardwear Hydra Gloves
Billed as waterproof soft shell gloves, the Mountain Hardwear Hydra gloves intrigued me. I had yet to try a pair of soft shell gloves that wouldn’t suck up water like a paper towel. Hopefully, Mountain Hardwear would prove me wrong.
Review: Osprey Porter 46
Earlier this year we had a chance to check out the new products from Osprey. Among the new products highlighted was the Porter 46, part of Osprey’s line of ‘travel trek’ packs. On paper the Porter 46 sounds awesome: zip out shoulder, sternum, and hip straps to convert the bag into a backpack, multiple grab handles for easy toting, compression straps to keep everything in place, and the maximum allowable carry-on size for airlines, with 2800 cubic inches of space to fill with everything you need for your travels. We had a chance to test one on a two-week, around the world trip to see how well it performed. Read more for our full review.
Trail Report: Little Si
Little Si is pretty easy as far as trails in the Northwest go. Stuck in the shadow of the much taller Mount Si, Little Si isn’t exactly imposing on the nearby landscape. At approximately 5 miles round trip and 1200 feet of gain, Little Si is a good warm-up hike for the spring or for those just getting into hiking.
Review: Grangers 1 Step Wash & Waterproofer
Ever wish you could clean and maintain your expensive breatheable jackets in one step? Grangers has released a new product to do just that. We put it to the test.
Upcoming outdoors events
Save the date! Check out a few of these events being held in April and May. April 16: Seattle, WA Snowball Dinner and Auction to benefit the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center. Tickets for the event (being held at St. Demetrios Hall) are $70. April 29 – May 2: Carbondale, CO The 5 Point Film…