Gearzilla » Hiking

Adidas Terrex Swift Solo Day Hikers

nborchelt — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:00:52 +0000

www.adidas.com/us
We confess to feeling some skepticism when we first saw the Adidas Terrex Swift Solo hiking shoes. The mega-brand already makes award-winning shoes for practically every sport that requires footwear, and we worry that hiking might be their Achilles heel. Thankfully, these day hikers stride confidently into the market. After six months of testing, the shoes continue to excel. The wear-resistant textile mesh uppers were durable and breathable during mid-summer hikes, but they offer enough warmth to work well in cooler autumn temps, especially when paired with a nice pair of merino wool hiking socks. The toe cage protects the feet from rocks and roots on the trail without adding too much stiffness, and the heel-to-toe cushioning offered out-of-the-box comfort. We also like the molded tongue, which rested comfortably against the tendons and never slipped, even after a ten-hour slog through the trails of Shenandoah. The tread is fairly modest compared to other day hikers, but the front outsole is climbing-specific and the proprietary Traxion grippy rubber held up well in easy rock scrambles. You won’t be doing any serious climbing in these shoes, mind you. But they may become your go-to approach shoe.
Note: we tested the early model, which had a slightly different look. But the difference between our tester and the new models are purely aesthetic.

Icebreaker Hopper Lite T-Shirt

nborchelt — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 08:00:29 +0000

us.icebreaker.com
As you might’ve noticed, we’ve got a thing for merino wool. It does us proud in the winter—but in hot, sunny and humid climates, it really shines (and yes, we also have a thing for apparent paradoxes: Wearing wool in the summer?). The Hopper Lite has become our go-to Tee for hiking, backpacking, and biking in hot conditions. The smooth-to-the-touch fabric is the lightest in Icebreaker’s line, with raglan sleeves that allow for unencumbered range of movement. The off-the-shoulder seams also assure that you won’t get rubbed raw with an irritating shoulder strap-seamline issues. You’ll love the all-natural wicking ability; wool isn’t as quick-drying as many synthetics, but its natural thermo-regulating properties keep you cool when you start to heat up and warm if you start get chilled. And—unlike synthetics—it’s naturally odor-resistant, which is a huge boon for go-light adventurers (and their tentmates). The clean lines and athletic fit also makes the Hopper as at home in a pub or on a plane as on the trail.

Osprey Poco Plus Child Carrier

nborchelt — Thu, 31 May 2012 09:45:22 +0000

www.ospreypacks.com, six pounds, 15 ounces
When the task of shopping for baby items falls to mom, dad is often left with gear that he’d rather not sport in public (flowery diaper bags being the primary offender). But Osprey’s Poco Child Carrier accommodates any wearer, both aesthetically and functionally. The pack’s torso length adjusts easily, with a handy embroidered size label to use as an approximate guide.

The series has three packs (Poco: $199, Poco Plus: $259, and Poco Premium: $299); we tested the Poco Plus and think this model gives you the most bang for your buck. All of the packs feature torso adjustment, but only the Plus and Premium offer a Fit-on-the-Fly Hipbelt that lets you tweak the length of the hipbelt pads while you’re wearing the pack. These two models also come with the must-have sunshade, which is ingeniously slipped into the back of the pack and springs out (with a near-audible boing) when you pull it out. The Premium features a removable daypack and a changing pad, so it’s up to you if that’s worth the extra $40. Regardless of the model, all the packs are for kids who can sit-up unassisted and weigh at least 16 pounds. The adjustable seat and shoulder straps also mean that the pack can grow with your kid. The stability proved to be reassuringly perfect after several outings. The maximum load is 48 pounds (carrier, child, and gear combined). The Poco Plus weighs 6 pounds, 15 ounces, so with a 25-pound kid in tow, you have 16 pounds to play around with. That’s a heavy load for a day-hike, but the pack has a hydration sleeve and a mesh back-panel to aid in staying hydrated and cool.

EZ-Fit Insoles

nprichard — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:00:38 +0000

ezfitinsoles.com; 2 ounces
Custom insoles can make the difference between performance and pain. They can also be incredibly expensive. Masterfit’s EZ-Fit Insoles are a solution that provides miles and miles of comfort at an affordable price. Cheap shoes have sewn-in footbeds, but performance footwear generally comes with a removable insole; shoe manufacturers realize that runners, skiers, hikers, and other athletes immediately pull out these cheap, flimsy factory insoles and replace with ones that provide real support and cushioning. One Bend, Oregon-based tester wears insoles 90 days a year in ski boots, and twice that in hiking and running shoes. Her top choice for support and all-day comfort? Masterfit’s EZ-Fit insoles. Rather than requiring you to go to a boot fitter (which we still heartily recommend, especially when you buy new ski or hiking boots), the EZ-Fit insoles can be trimmed at home for a perfect fit. The insoles then quickly adapt to your individual arch and heel shape to provide maximum comfort, stability, and performance. The insoles have “Contour Domes” that ring the heel pocket base—they automatically adjust to the volume of your heel for a snug fit—whether you’re foot is super thin or ultra-wide. The body of the insole is a multi-layered EVA, with a contoured arch that automatically adapts to provide just the right amount of support. Underneath the heel and forefoot are shock pads and a forefoot cushion for a smooth, pain-free stride.
EZ-Fit Terra is designed for running and hiking footwear; EZ-Fit Snow is designed for ski, snowboard and mountaineering boots

Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Solar Charger

nborchelt — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:00:03 +0000

www.goalzero.com
One piece of gear that almost everyone should buy–or at least hose who spends a great deal of time camping or backpacking far from the conveniences of the nearest outlet–is the Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus. It will keep lanterns, flashlights, GPS, iPad, iPod, Radio, portable speakers, warmers, and cell phones all up and running for the whole trip. With a few extra batteries you can continue to swap fresh for new from the AA or AAA recharger or directly connect cellphones or other devices through the USB jack. If you have often found yourself conserving power like a miser or hoarding time on a portable device like Gollum covets his precious, worry no longer because with the Guide 10 you’ll have plenty of power to spare. Although it takes eight hours or so to fully charge the battery pack, it can be attached to a pack or left on a rock, passively collecting power as you play. Rock out on the trail all day and worry about the batteries later.
-Michael Savage

Princeton Tec Fuel Headlamp

nborchelt — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:00:44 +0000

princetontec.com, 2.75 ounces
These economical little lights come in as many color combos as you can imagine. Each one can be individually customized with ten choices of colors for the body, end caps ,and brackets. Go with a conservative blue or green, or add some pink, orange, or yellow to make sure your hiking partner doesn’t accidently grab the wrong light. The headlamps are made in Trenton, New Jersey—turn-around time is about three weeks. The lightweight headlamps run on three AAA batteries and have a burn time of 146 hours. Dive in with your kids and get them excited for the trail before you even head out. Coordinate colors to match your favorite jacket, the color of your eyes, or to match the family vehicle, and cast new light on the outdoor world.

Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated Bottle

nprichard — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:00:58 +0000

www.kleankanteen.com, 8.5 ounces
We consider portable hot chocolate one of the great wonders of the modern world. Imagine: high on the slopes of your favorite mountain, you reach into your pack, and, voila, a hot beverage to warm your stomach (or, more, your kids). The new Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated Bottle is genius in its simplicity. The durable, double-walled construction keeps food or drink hot (or cold) all day. Made from BPA-free, food-grade stainless steel, the bottle is amazingly light, and its rounded edges lets it slip into a pack (or cup holder for you soccer moms) with ease. Our testers love the wide 2.125-inch mouth—easy to fill, easy to pour, and perhaps even more importantly, easy to clean. We brewed tea at 7 a.m. for a summit attempt on Oregon’s South Sister in the Cascade Range. When we topped out at noon, the tea was piping hot. Hot beverages stay hot for about six hours; triple the timeframe for keeping ice cold drinks chilled. The bottles come with two caps—a standard screw on top, and a café-style top for easy sipping.
Comes in 12-ounce, 16-ounce, and 20-ounce capacity; all work with standard water filters.

Real Kids Shades

nprichard — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:00:02 +0000

www.realkidshades.com
When it comes to their kids, parents can’t help but worry about…everything, really. Real Kids Shades give parents one less thing to worry about: sun damage to precious little eyes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children’s eyes are at increased risk for permanent damage from sunlight until they are at least ten years old, which is why Gearzilla collected ten kids, ages two to ten, and floated them on rafts and in kayaks (and on a paddleboard) for three sunny September days down the San Juan River in Utah with their parents. We fitted each kid with a pair of Real Kids Shades, six models in all, and watched the kids be kids, some wearing their first pair of sunglasses. And, kids being kids, durable shades are important. All Real Kids Shades are made with shatterproof, impact-resistant polycarbonate frames and lenses that are boast 100 percent UVA and UVB protection. Getting the kids to wear the shades was the first expected obstacle, but all but one child put on and kept on the shades. The sunglasses good looks were important to the older kids, while the pink color won over a four year old. More importantly, however? The good fit. Real Kids Shades with their patented Stay-Put-Power stay on, are soft and adjustable, with wrap-around frames that minimize exposure to peripheral light. Older kids did let their shades slip to foreheads and around necks, on occasion, but no pairs were lost on this trip, which was also an expected obstacle; instead, the kids took pride in having their very own sunglasses. That, and the adjustable neoprene straps that keep overboard shades on the surface helped keep the sunglasses in place, on eyes, foreheads, and around necks. One parent did say that the neoprene strap could be a bit longer to help tighten the shades to her three-year-old. But both kids and parents gave overall high scores.
–Jan Nesset
Pictured: Xtreme Sport Black with Blue

Nau Down Vest

nborchelt — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:00:22 +0000

www.nau.com, 7.2 ounces
This vest might be basic in concept—premium 850-fill down wrapped in a sleek, silky-soft recycled poly shell—but slip it on when the temps drop, and you may never take it off. It’s soft as rabbit’s fur; the subtle quilted pattern breaks the mold of the tired, bulky down vests; the center zip reach all the way up to its high collar (with the women’s running off-angle for an added fashion flair); and two zippered pockets on each side offer both security and comfort. Better, the vest collapses into almost nothing, making it a go-to must-have item for any and all outings–fall, winter, or spring. We even pack it on summer hikes in those locales where the weather could take a nasty turn without warning; at seven ounces you won’t even notice it’s in your pack till you need it. And did we say how luxurious and comfortable it feels? One tester, who grew increasingly more pregnant as winter wore on, was utterly depressed that she couldn’t wear her down vest until after her daughter was born. Now that’s an endorsement.

IO Bio Contact 1 Boxer Briefs

nborchelt — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:00:03 +0000

www.io-bio.com
Wool underwear? Seriously? Yeah…we thought the same thing. Then we wore them…and continued to wear them again and again and again. As we’ve preached, merino ain’t your grandpappy’s wool. The IO Bio Contact 1 Boxer Briefs are so damn comfortable, with a huge “performance” advantage to cotton or synthetic fibers. We’re talking a very comfortable fit with an inch of soft elastic at the upper hem and a snug-but-not-tight fit throughout. The no-itch fine-gauge wool wicks moisture from your skin, so you don’t get sweaty in hot or cold weather. Our testers have washed and worn these briefs for more than 100 days (not consecutively) and they don’t pill. They don’t shrink in a cold wash cycle, and on the odd occasions when we threw them in a low-temp dryer, they didn’t become Lilliputian in size. Rinse them in a sink, hang ‘em up, and they dry overnight. And, as with all merino, the material doesn’t retain body odors so you could wear the same pair for days on end without washing. Not that we’re saying you should…
They also make women’s Boy Briefs