Backpacking weight is a big deal to me. When you’re like a hundred pounds, every pound is a whole percentage of your body weight. Every ounce counts. If I’m going to lug around an enormous camera and tripod, I need to shave off ounces everywhere else. For a tiny backpacking stove, the Snow Peak Litemax is perfect.
To me, the name “Merrell” has been associated with dad stuff. Kinda ugly, really traditional, super brown—not the good kind of brown from playing in the dirt, and a little bulky. They’ve never been hip or cool. Until recently. If you showed me a shoe from their new line, I couldn’t tell you it was by Merrell. When Merrell offered to send the #UintasHike16 crew shoes, I was a little skeptical. I worship my Salewas. They are my ultimate shoe. I decided to give Merrell a try; if they didn’t make me a convert, at least I could change my tune about the brand as a whole.
The mountains are a fickle place. Too hot, too cold, incredibly sunny, raging winds, all the weather that makes packing sometimes damn near impossible. Especially when you want to be prepared for all the things. When the mountains can’t make up their damn minds, there’s the Outdoor Research Whirlwind Hoody.
This past summer has been the summer of weekend road trips. Friday nights we were tossing our gear in the back of the car and driving for hours. I’m basically the best sleeping road trip partner you can possibly find, and I do it in comfort. The Black Diamond Dawn Wall Hoody was my best friend for those sloth-like hours and hours in the front seat.
Sometime last year I went through a purging spree. Everything I didn’t really use within the last few months had to go. Of the casualties, my REI Flash 18 Pack was the one I missed the most. Worst idea ever. I kept meaning to pick one up but never did, making do with the packs I had at the time (hi, Scrambler 30). When Outdoor Research came out with the Isolation Pack this spring, I knew that it was time for me to pick up a summit pack replacement.