It’s that time of year. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler and the ski movie trailers are dropping like leaves. That’s right, it’s officially ski movie trailer season. Here’s a collection of our favorites ski movie trailers for 2023 . . . Land of Giants Ski Movie Legend Has It Ski Movie Fortune Hunters Ski Movie… Read More
How much should you spend on a mountain bike helmet? $100, $200 or even $300? No one wants to put a price on their head. But price still plays a role for most of us when shopping for a bike helmet. So, what’s the difference between a $100 mountain bike helmet and a $250 one? Aside from obvious design features… Read More
How Light is Right for a Bikepacking Tent? My first bikepacking tent was an REI Half Dome—a roomy two-person tent with two doors and a bomber build that handles rainy nights and gusty thunderstorms with ease. But at 4.75 pounds, it’s not exactly an ultralight tent. Nonetheless, I packed it for several multi-day bikepacking trips, including the Oregon Outback, and… Read More
As the adventure cycling category grows, gravel bikes continue to evolve. One of the best evolutions in gravel bikes is improved tire clearance. Tire clearance is important for a variety of reasons. Clearance translates to versatility, making a gravel bike a quiver-of-one bike. Run 30mm tires for all-purpose road rides. Run 40mm for all-purpose gravel riding. And run 50mm for… Read More
A Light, Portable Water Filter for Bikepacking and Adventure Riding Water is a necessity on any ride. Whether you’re on a multi-day bikepacking trip or an epic one-day ride, carrying a small water filter means you are always ready to fill your bottles when there is water nearby. Lightweight, portable water filters are lighter and simpler than ever. This year,… Read More
I’ve long avoided freeze-dried meals when camping. Instead, I’ve managed with simple camping meals like pasta with pesto. But bikepacking offers limited storage space, and one of the best tips for packing light is to use freeze-dried camping meals. But how do they taste? Dehydrated Versus Freeze-Dried A question that came up while researching lightweight camping meals was: What’s the… Read More
Performance sunglasses can easily cost more than $200. And I’ll admit to being a bit of a sunglasses snob who likes quality optics. But do you really need to spend that kind of money to get great cycling and skiing sunglasses? Thanks to Tifosi Optics, the answer is no; you don’t need to spend $200. You don’t even need to… Read More
Defunkify Enzyme-Based Laundry Detergent Review You know the drill. Pull a shirt out of your bag, drawer or off the pile on the floor, and see if it passes the sniff test to wear another day. It seems like the older the layer, the lower the chance it will pass the test. Nothing develops its own special funk quite like… Read More
Breaking trail, traversing a ridge, transitioning for a descent — backcountry skiing is all about being on the move. Energy output, temperature and weather conditions constantly change, and you need to stay comfortable through it all. That’s why we praise versatile, breathable jackets — like the Arc’teryx Proton Hybrid Hoody The Proton Hybrid Hoody balances light insulation with weather resistance,… Read More
Crazy Light Down jackets are inherently lightweight. But the latest jacket on test redefines what a lightweight down jacket can be. The Crazy Levity Jacket offers a 950-fill insulation rating and weighs in at a scant 7oz / 200g (men’s medium). That’s like the weight of a minimalist windbreaker. It feels downright crazy when you first hold it or put… Read More
For those old enough to remember the 90s, it’s hard to believe that fanny packs have returned. Sure, they’re called hip or waist packs now, and they’ve evolved on the features front. Nonetheless, I’ve been slow to embrace the waist pack trend until recently. Turns out they’re pretty functional for mountain biking and adventure rides. Hydration Waist Packs for Mountain Biking… Read More
If you’ve ever taken an avalanche safety course, you’ve probably heard about electronic interference and avalanche transceivers. Electronics like cell phones, heated gloves, smart watches, two-way radios and even snowmobiles can create electromagnetic interference (EMI) that will disrupt an avalanche transceiver search. Basically, some electronics emit EMI that can alter avalanche transceiver behavior. The good news is that you can… Read More
Ever feel like your waterproof jacket looks like it’s getting wet? Well, that’s because it is likely getting wet — on the outside anyway. Here’s why: Your jacket’s DWR (durable water-repellent) finish is worn out. All waterproof, breathable jackets (and pants) include a DWR coating, even when they feature a waterproof, breathable membrane like GORE-TEX.First, it’s essential to understand that… Read More
Insulated Puffy Jackets – Down v. Synthetic A warm, puffy jacket is required equipment for backcountry skiing (read our backcountry ski packing list). It’s your ticket to comfortable transitions, warm summit breaks and lightweight insurance for staying warm in the case of an emergency. I usually carry two insulated jackets in my backcountry ski pack—one light-to-midweight synthetic puffy jacket (that… Read More
What if you could wear the same glasses on the up and the down? Ski goggles are great. They let you see and ski with precision when it’s snowing, blowing and deep. But, as a backcountry skier, goggles are only good for skiing down. Try and wear them on the uptrack, and you’ll quickly learn why it’s a bad idea… Read More
