Have you ever read a gear review and been left wondering more about the product than when you started? It's frustrating! Luckily, there's something you can do: write a better review of your own outdoor gear.

When it comes time to review your own gear, you want to give answers, not questions, right? 

Whether you're reviewing your 20-year-old backpack, the latest solid fuel stove, or any other outdoor equipment, clothing, or footwear, following these simple tips will ensure that your review answers more questions than it raises:

1. Use the Gear

Obvious, right? To know how well the gear fares, you need to get outside and use it in a variety of real-world situations, conditions, terrain, and activities for which it was designed. Repeat as often as necessary (and able).

So, if it's a backpacking tent, hit the trails numerous nights before you write that review. Rock climbing equipment, spend the summer at the crag, my friend. Alpine touring skis, join the local dawn patrol.

Sure, the kitchen and backyard are helpful for taking pictures and video and for testing features. But, do not write that review until you've thoroughly used and tested the product in the outdoors where it belongs.

2. Be Honest

Be fair, honest, objective, and open-minded about the product, your own experience, and any outdoor industry relationships. Be honest and transparent when you share a review; readers will better trust you and your review.

3. Have an Opinion

Ultimately, readers and would-be gear buyers want to know: Would you buy it again? Why or why not? Was this gear worth the price you paid? Answer these questions and you're golden.

4. Get to the Point

The best reviews are a reasonable length and get to the point quickly. So, discuss a product’s performance in appropriate detail, but don't fill the review with extraneous information. As Lewis Carroll wrote: "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop."

For a complete outdoor gear review, start with a succinct summary (what's the gist you'd tell a friend about this gear?), pros (its strengths), and cons (its weaknesses), before diving into the meat of the review with details, opinions, images, and any videos.

5. Say How Well it Performs

Once you've thoroughly used your gear you can tell how well it performs and how well it's made. Evaluate performance, features, and manufacturer claims. Assess fit, construction, durability, and ease of use. Tell how it has held up over time, to a variety of uses, and to the elements. How has it held up to bushwhacking, rock scrambling, that accidental drop off a cliff? How about to daily trail runs or weekly ski ascents?

6. Show...

Include original images and video. Share your pictures from the lake, crag, trail, and mountain. Take your gear out in the yard and demo its notable features in a video starring you.

Even a so-so review becomes more useful when you add original pictures or video. Readers want to see your personal experience, and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

7. ...and Tell

Give details and specifics about the product's performance and features. Include images, comparisons, and your opinions. Cover the gear's strengths and its weaknesses (even that epic gear failure probably has something going for it, right?).

Then back up those assessments with details from your adventures.

8. Compare

There are times when it's best not to compare: date night, your mother-in-law's Thanksgiving dinner. But in a gear review it's helpful to share what other outdoor products you've used or considered. How does this one compare to the other climbing harnesses, snowshoes, trekking poles, trail runners? It's okay, even preferable, to name names and describe past gear relationships. Really.

9. Consider the Reader Your BFF

Forget what everyone else says, what would you tell your best backcountry buddy about your gear in one minute? What activities, terrain, conditions, and people is the gear best suited for (or not). Tell the reader—your buddy—about your own experience and opinion. 

10. Tell About Yourself

Fit and comfort matter, but outdoor enthusiasts come in different styles, shapes, and persuasions. So give some context, and include pictures of you and the gear. Are you a petite, fast-packing, ultralight hiker? A tall, rock-climbing retiree? A first-time paddler? Whether you're a beginner, professional athlete, weekend backpacker, or veteran outdoor guide, fellow review readers want to hear from and about you.

11. Share the Adventures

Jake takes the Wild Things Custom Insulight Jacket ice climbing during gear testing.

Describe the conditions, terrain, and activities in which you've used the gear. Where, when, and how long have you used that sleeping bag, soft shell, or stove? Two decades in the Sierra? Two weeks in the Alps? For what activities? Whitewater paddling? New England rock climbing? Desert hiking? Backcountry skiing the Rockies?

Share your gear's adventures, so other readers can see how the gear performed under real-world conditions and activities.

Like outdoor enthusiasts, gear reviews come in a variety of styles. However, the very best outdoor gear reviews are full of details, images, and opinions that show how the gear performed in the field.

Share your best outdoor gear review, then get back outside for some new adventures (which you can tell about in your gear review updates).

Check out more outdoor gear review tips in Write a Killer Gear Review.

See the best-of-the-best Killer Reviews by fellow Trailspace community members.

What do you want reviewers to include in their online gear reviews? Add your own outdoor gear review tips below. 

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Review your outdoor gear in the next two weeks and you could win a 2400 Southwest pack, thanks to Hyperlite Mountain Gear. We'll be drawing one very lucky community member from our reviewers after Sunday, June 2.

The Southwest is a durable, lightweight, waterproof day to weekend overnight pack constructed from a rip-stop Cuben Fiber/polyester hybrid material. Its frameless body features two removable, shaped aluminum stays, fully padded back panel, cushioned shoulder straps and hip belt, and a weatherproof storm closure. It weighs in at 1.76 pounds ($260 value). 

Have you shared your gear review yet?

To win the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest pack:

1. Write a review now through Sunday, June 2, of your outdoor gear, apparel, or footwear. Every review you share counts as an entry, and helps other outdoor enthusiasts.*
2. On Monday, June 3, we'll randomly draw one very lucky gear reviewer.
3. Review your gear now, and you could be floating down the trail with a new 2400 Southwest Pack on your next backcountry adventure!

Review your gear to win your own Southwest pack

*Important Bits: Must be a registered Trailspace member (not guest) to win (join as a member now). Each valid outdoor gear review counts as an entry. Incomplete reviews and reviews less than 75 words may be disqualified at our discretion. We will contact the winners via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner. See full Write-a-Review Giveaway rules.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

The 2400 Southwest pack from Hyperlite Mountain Gear, in its natural habitat.

Review your outdoor gear now through Sunday, June 2, and you could win your own ultralight 2400 Southwest backpack, thanks to Hyperlite Mountain Gear (worth $260).

One very lucky Trailspace gear reviewer will win a 28-ounce 2400 Southwest for hiking and backpacking.

Constructed from a rip-stop Cuben Fiber/polyester hybrid material, the Southwest is durable, lightweight, and waterproof.

The 2400 Southwest holds nearly 3,000 cubic inches of backcountry gear (interior and exterior), and is designed to take on scrub brush and rock crags.

To win the 2400 Southwest pack from Hyperlite Mountain Gear:

1. Write a review now through Sunday, June 2, of your outdoor gear, apparel, or footwear. Every review you share counts as an entry, and helps other outdoor enthusiasts.*
2. On Monday, June 3, we'll randomly draw one lucky gear reviewer.
3. Review your gear now, and you could be floating down the trail or up the mountain with a new 2400 Southwest pack on your next backcountry adventure!

We'll also throw in a Trailspace Trail Runner Cap to wear on your outdoor travels.

Review your gear to win.

*Important Bits: Must be a registered Trailspace member (not guest) to win (join as a member now). Each valid outdoor gear review counts as an entry. Incomplete reviews and reviews less than 75 words may be disqualified at our discretion. We will contact the winner via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner. See full Write-a-Review Giveaway rules.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Congratulations to gear reviewer, Bill S! He wins a Mountain Star windshirt thanks to Montane ($84 value).

Plus, we're sending Bill S a Trailspace-Ibex beanie to wear on his outdoor adventures.

Bill's review of his Platypus GravityWorks Filter System ("Overall I found the Platypus GravityWorks 2 liter to be a convenient and easy approach to the problem of providing potable water") was selected randomly from the 118 outdoor gear reviews submitted since April 29.

The light (7.1 oz), packable Montane Mountain Star provides breathable weather protection when you're moving fast and sweating hard—whether on steep trail ascents or multi-pitch rock climbing.

Thanks to Bill S and everyone who has shared reviews of his or her outdoor gear with their fellow Trailspace community members. 

If you didn't win this time, stay tuned for our next write-a-review gear giveaway, starting later today.

(We will contact the winner via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If the winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner.)

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Congratulations to community member FromSagetoSnow (aka Jeff Ediger)! Jeff's Review Corps review of the insulated Rab Strata Hoodie was voted May's most helpful review by the Trailspace community.

"My wife says I have too many jackets. The Strata might allow me to pass a couple on to the next happy user. It fills the place of a down sweater and a soft shell jacket pretty well," wrote Jeff of the Strata Hoodie.

Congratulations, Jeff! You win a goodie pack of gear from GU, ProBar, A3 Action Snax, and Trailspace for your most recent effort.*

Write your own helpful gear reviews and you could be next month's most helpful reviewer.

Meet FromSagetoSnow

How did you get started exploring outdoors? Any favorite stories, memories?

Jeff and his son on Kaleetan Peak, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wash.

Some of my oldest and fondest memories are of camping at the Dallas (Oregon) Reservoir with Dad in an old army tent and trudging through soaking wet clear-cuts chasing deer and wearing brown cotton gloves to stay "warm."

My first real backpacking trip was when I was in fifth grade. I carried a 30-year-old frame pack, wore K-mart/Texas Steer boots, and had the time of my life. We hiked to Spectacle Lake, got devoured by bugs, swam in the icy lake, and ate mountains of instant mashed potatoes and rice cooked over Sterno.

After a youth misspent in the woods, I took a solo, 68-mile backpacking trip for seven days through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on the PCT. I was 16. Why my parents decided to let me do that I'll never know. I'm just grateful. I almost ruined my favorite hobby by working on a fire crew for the USFS in college spending 60 to 90 days a summer outside. I got to the point where I preferred sleeping on the ground. My wife thought I was odd.

Now, I work as hard as I can to earn time to get my five kids outside as often as possible. I want them to have their own experiences and learn to appreciate and enjoy outdoor fun. If I am going it solo, sans kids, I consider my time wasted.

Jeff gearing up his 4-year-old for his first rock climb, Frenchman Coulee, Wash.

What do you enjoy doing outdoors?

Anything when the kids are having fun. I will always be a backpacker and now I use that hobby to access my others. The kids and I rock climb, hunt, fish, mountain bike, and do easy summit scrambles.

I recently started enjoying morning trail runs with my daughters and we are training for an upcoming mud race. The whole family invades the woods annually to collect huckleberries to add to our winter oatmeal.

Why were you interested in reviewing the Rab Strata Hoodie for Review Corps? Anything you'd like to share about testing/reviewing it?

I have had enough epics that I think that I have learned a good deal about what it takes to make a good jacket. I have benefited SO MUCH from reading other reviewers that I feel responsible to return the favor and help inform people's decisions when I can.

This particular jacket appealed to me because of its lightness and versatility; I carry lots of stuff for the kids when I hike so my own kit must be light and multipurpose. The lightweight Strata is warm, repels light rain and strong wind, and is packable, so it takes the place of two or more of my other jackets.

On a windy evening climb after work, my climbing buddy shivered in a cotton hoodie and I was toasty and happy in the Rab (no, I didn't offer to share). On a rainy early morning hike my legs got soaked and cold but the Strata kept my upper body warm and let my sweat pass though so I wasn't sweat-soaked. It's a keeper!

What are your favorite pieces of outdoor equipment? Why?

Besides my Trailspace hat, of course, I really love my Petzl Tikka 2. This lamp goes everywhere with me and hasn't failed me yet. The only issue I have with it is that the kids like it too and dig it out of the gear tub to use and sometimes I can't find it when I need it. A good headlamp, to me, is worth a lot. A lot more when I can find it.

Jeff's oldest four near Robin Lake (Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wash.) with Mt. Daniel and Cathedral Rock in the background.

Tell us about your favorite outdoor destinations.

Pretty much anyplace in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Four of the kids and I went to Robin Lake last summer and got to see the mountain goats there. I'd call that my favorite hike so far. I like high alpine meadows, exposed granite, and long views.

Anything else you'd like to share with the Trailspace community?

Don't think that because you're a parent that you can't enjoy the outdoors with the clones. They can do it, they will never forget it, and it's cheaper to get usable gear than you think. Look up Goodwill, yard sales, and clearance sales. A five-year-old doesn't know that being above the treeline or scrambling up a 6,000 foot mountain is something that most people think is out of their ability range. Take it easy and bring LOTS of snacks.

Where does your username, FromSagetoSnow, come from?

Our family adventures take us from sagebrush country where we live to high alpine mountains and everything in between, all in the same state. My oldest commented once that we see more snow in the summers hiking than in the winter.

Great job, Jeff!

*Besides Trailspace glory and appreciation, Jeff gets a goodie pack with a supply of GU Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Drink, a selection of tasty ProBars, an A3 Action Snax bar, a Trailspace Trail Runner Cap, a Trailspace pint glass (for après-backcountry use), and Trailspace stickers.

Wondering how you can be as lucky as Jeff? Write some great gear reviews of your own. Next month the Trailspace community will recognize another reviewer (who'll win some prizes), and it could be you and your gear review.

Help recognize the best reviews on Trailspace by clicking that up arrow whenever you read a truly helpful review. You'll not only recognize good reviewers, you'll help highlight the best reviews of products for other members looking for outdoor equipment.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Review your outdoor gear this week—now through Sunday, May 12—and you could win your own Mountain Star windshirt to keep you warm on chilly mountain tops, thanks to Montane.

One lucky Trailspace gear reviewer will win the versatile Montane Mountain Star. This light jacket resists wind and rain on fast-and-light backcountry journeys, and can serve as a  summit shell for rapid ascents this summer. (Available in men's and women's; $84 value.)

To win the Mountain Star:

1. Write a review now through Sunday, May 12, of your outdoor gear, apparel, or footwear. Every review you share counts as an entry, and helps other outdoor enthusiasts.*
2. On Monday, May 13, we'll randomly draw one lucky gear reviewer.
3. Review your gear now, and you could be wrapped up in this wispy-warm shell on your next backcountry adventure!

Review your gear to win.

*Important Bits:

This Montane giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (sorry non-U.S. friends). Must be a registered Trailspace member (not guest) to win (join as a member now). Each valid outdoor gear review counts as an entry. Incomplete reviews and reviews less than 75 words may be disqualified at our discretion. We will contact the winners via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner. See full Write-a-Review Giveaway rules.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Saturday, June 1, marks American Hiking Society’s 21st annual celebration of National Trails Day, a day devoted to appreciating America’s trails and those hard working individuals who build and maintain them. In honor of this day, thousands of public events will be hosted nationwide, and tens of thousands of trail enthusiasts will be outside as they hike, peddle, and paddle through some of America’s most beautiful areas. 

Peter Olsen of AHS leads a National Trails Day hike.

With the total number of National Trails Day recreation activities increasing year after year, finding one near you has never been easier.

Events have a huge depth of variety, ranging from leisurely guided hikes to trail building, horseback riding, kayaking and more. Regardless of whether you consider yourself a hiker, mountain biker, equestrian, bird-watcher, or simple nature enthusiast, there is bound to be an event to fit your needs. 

Many events offer family options, so even the littlest ones can participate. 

Find the nearest National Trails Day event by visiting AmericanHiking.org and clicking on National Trails Day.

For more than two decades, National Trails Day has provided an opportunity for all Americans to get outside and reacquaint themselves with recreation trails and the joy of healthy living. It has served as an inspiration to learn more about the nature that surrounds us.

Join American Hiking Society and thousands of others on Saturday, June 1, for National Trails Day as we come together to explore, learn about, and celebrate America’s trails.  

About American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day
American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day is a nationally recognized trail awareness program that occurs annually on the first Saturday of June and inspires the public to discover, learn about, and celebrate trails while participating in outdoor activities, clinics, and trail stewardship projects. National Trails Day is a registered trademark of American Hiking Society.

About American Hiking Society
Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience. It's also one of the outdoor and environmental nonprofit organizations that Trailspace supports. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its mission and programs, visit www.AmericanHiking.org or call (301) 565-6704.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Review your outdoor gear now through Sunday, May 12, and you could win a wispy light Mountain Star windshirt, thanks to Montane!

Outfit yourself with the Mountain Star for summertime summit dashes. The light (7.1 oz), packable windshirt provides breathable weather protection when you're moving fast and sweating hard—whether on steep trail ascents or multi-pitch rock climbing.

Available in men's and women's models ($84 value).

To win the Montane Mountain Star:

1. Write a review now through Sunday, May 12, of your outdoor gear, apparel, or footwear. Every review you share counts as an entry, and helps other outdoor enthusiasts.*
2. On Monday, May 13, we'll randomly draw one lucky gear reviewer.
3. Review your gear now, and you could be the lucky Trailspace gear reviewer who wins this versatile trail shirt from Montane.

Review your gear to win.

*Important Bits:

This Montane contest is open to residents of the U.S. only (sorry, non-U.S. friends). Must be a registered Trailspace member (not guest) to win (join as a member now). Each valid outdoor gear review counts as an entry.  Incomplete reviews and reviews less than 75 words may be disqualified at our discretion. We will contact the winners via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner. See full Write-a-Review Giveaway rules.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Congratulations to gear reviewer, HikesWithHendrix! He wins a Sierra Combo cookset with Trangia alcohol burner and stainless steel windscreen and pot stand, thanks to Clikstand ($69.95 value).

Plus, we're sending HikesWithHendrix (aka Ryan) a Trailspace Trail Runner Cap to wear on his outdoor adventures.

HikesWithHendrix's review of his K2 Panoramic Splitboard Kit ("Board is awesome, Voile universal interface leaves a little to be desired.") was selected randomly from the 149 outdoor gear reviews submitted since April 15.

Thanks to HikesWithHendrix and everyone who has shared reviews of his or her outdoor gear with their fellow Trailspace community members. If you didn't win this time, stay tuned for our next write-a-review gear giveaway, starting later today.

(We will contact the winner via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If the winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner.)

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Want to save 10 to 20 percent on that new tent, pack, or sleeping bag for your summer adventures?

We've got special discounts on gear from our friends at CampSaver, Massey’s Outfitters, Rock/Creek, and Tahoe Mountain Sports. But, only through April 30.

Last month, Trailspace published its 25,000th gear review. As a thank-you for making Trailspace the outdoor gear community, we hooked up the whole Trailspace community with special discounts on gear from our retail partners at CampSaver, Massey’s Outfitters, Rock/Creek, and Tahoe Mountain Sports.

These retailers are still offering our community members and followers these great deals. But, they're only good till the end of April. So, if you want to save 10 to 20 percent on your gear, check out our 25,000+ reviews, then check out the promo codes below.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Review your outdoor gear now through Sunday, April 28, and you could win your own Sierra Combo set, thanks to Clikstand.

The stainless steel Sierra Combo has almost everything you need to fire up a tasty backcountry meal this summer: a Clikstand S-2 Pot Stand and S-2 Windscreen, plus an ultralight, alcohol-powered Trangia Spirit Burner, all tucked into a nifty canvas Clikstand bag ($69.95 value).

The only things missing are your culinary genius and a trip to the grocery store!

Share your gear review this week, and you'll have a shot at your very own lightweight setup. You could be whipping up tasty backcountry meals before you know it.

To win the Clikstand Sierra Combo:

1. Write a review now through Sunday, April 28, of your outdoor gear, apparel, or footwear. Every review you share counts as an entry, and helps other outdoor enthusiasts.*
2. On Monday, April 29, we'll randomly draw one very lucky gear reviewer.
3. Review your gear now, and you could be cooking a hot meal in the backcountry!

Review your gear to start cooking now.

*Important Bits: Must be a registered Trailspace member (not guest) to win (join as a member now). Each valid outdoor gear review counts as an entry. Incomplete reviews and reviews less than 75 words may be disqualified at our discretion. We will contact the winners via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner. See full Write-a-Review Giveaway rules.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

So today we're excited to introduce reviewer reputation — "reviewer rep" for short — a rough measurement of your contributions to the Trailspace community, based on both the quantity and quality of the reviews you have posted.

The primary way to gain reviewer reputation is by writing useful, detailed reviews of gear you have used. When your peers vote on your reviews, those votes will affect your reputation.

We still count quantity: for every review you write, your reputation will increase by at least 2 points, and a detailed review with pros, cons, and pictures could earn up to 8 points.

But the real driver of reviewer reputation is quality, as judged by the entire Trailspace community: each time another member votes up one of your reviews, you'll earn 10 reviewer reputation points. Reviewer reputation reflects the collective judgment of the community, and empowers each of us to play an important role in recognizing our top reviewers. 

Everywhere we previously displayed the number of gear reviews you've written — on your profile, in forum threads, review bylines, etc. — you will now see your reviewer reputation score instead.

In addition to the Reviewer Reputation score itself, we're introducing several other features to give more recognition to our best reviewers:

• The People page has been redesigned to recognize the top reviewers of the past week, month, year, and all time. You can easily find not only the members who have been active over the longer term, but also who is contributing significantly right now.
• For our top contributors of the past year, we're introducing new “Top 10 Reviewer” and "Top 25 Reviewer" badges that will be displayed on those members' profiles and avatars.

The overarching goals of all this is to recognize members who have made high-quality contributions, as judged by the collective wisdom of the community, and encourage all members to write reviews that are of high quality.

For more information, please read the reviewer reputation FAQ, and then build your reputation by reviewing your gear, or improve the system by voting for the reviews you find most helpful.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Review your outdoor gear now through Sunday, April 28, and you could win a Sierra Combo cookset, thanks to Clikstand. 

One lucky Trailspace gear reviewer will win Clikstand's Sierra Combo stainless steel cookset with Trangia alcohol burner, windscreen, and pot stand to make a hot, tasty backcountry meal ($69.95 total value). 

To win the Clikstand Sierra Combo:

1. Write a review now through Sunday, April 28, of your outdoor gear, apparel, or footwear. Every review you share counts as an entry, and helps other outdoor enthusiasts.*
2. On Monday, April 29, we'll randomly draw one lucky gear reviewer.
3. Review your gear now, and you could be cooking a tasty meal on your new Sierra Combo Cookset on your next backcountry adventure!

The Clikstand Sierra Combo set includes:

• Clikstand S-2 solid pot stand, precision made in the U.S.A. from the highest quality tempered stainless steel for a lifetime of service.
• Clikstand S-2 Windscreen made from ultra-thin tempered stainless steel for lightweight and durability. Designed for use with Clikstand's T-2 and S-2 pot stands to improve performance by blocking wind and reflecting heat onto the cook pot.
• Spirit alcohol burner from Trangia of Sweden. Trangia stoves have been used throughout the world for decades and have no moving parts to wear out or break in the field.
  
• A canvas Clikstand bag.
• We'll also throw in a  Trailspace Trail Runner Cap to wear on your outdoor adventures.

Review your gear to win.

*Important Bits: Must be a registered Trailspace member (not guest) to win (join as a member now). Each valid outdoor gear review counts as an entry. Incomplete reviews and reviews less than 75 words may be disqualified at our discretion. We will contact the winners via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner. See full Write-a-Review Giveaway rules.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Congratulations to gear reviewer, Jason Ruff! Jason wins a

Plus, we're sending Jason a Trailspace Trail Runner Cap to wear on his outdoor adventures.

Jason's review of his Asolo TPS 535 hiking boot ("These boots are very well made and I expect they will last several years") was selected randomly from the 257 outdoor gear reviews submitted since March 26.

Thanks to Jason and everyone who shared reviews of his or her outdoor gear with their fellow Trailspace community members. If you didn't win this time, stay tuned for our next write-a-review gear giveaway, starting later this afternoon.

(We will contact the winner via private message on Trailspace.com the day of the drawing. If the winner doesn't reply within six days, we'll draw a new winner.)

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.

Want to make the transition from rock gym to crag? The Access Fund offers up the advice below for responsible outdoor climbing practices that help preserve climbing access.

The nonprofit Access Fund works to keep climbing areas open and protect the climbing environment. As the national climbing advocacy organization, it envisions a world where climbers are seen as stewards of the land versus simply “users” of the land.

To this end, climbers must understand the balance between recreational access and environmental conservation. When you respect and honor the places and policies where you climb, you help to preserve access for yourself and future generations of climbers.

Follow the Access Fund's advice below to get outside and on rock responsibly. And add your own crag tips below.

About the Access Fund

The Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. It's also one of the outdoor and environmental nonprofit organizations that Trailspace supports. Founded in 1991, the Access Fund supports and represents more than 2.3 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock, ice, mountaineering, and bouldering.

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© Copyright 2013 Trailspace.com. All rights reserved.