Trek Tech

Bargain-Basement Price, High-End Performance: Hydrapak's E-Lite Hydration Vest

2012-02-16T16:27:00.000-08:00

Going small is the new going big in the running world these days; lighter weight shoes with a dearth of cushioning and a negligible heel drop are hotter than Hansel right now. The trend isn’t limited to shoes anymore – hydration system company Hydrapak is taking aim at thirsty minimalists with the E-Lite hydration vest.

The vest sports a 1-liter version of Hydrapak's great reservoir system and five points of adjustment to let you dial down the fit. There’s no storage in the back like a traditional pack. Instead, it sports four stash pockets and two zippered pockets on its straps.

When I first saw just how little material went into the E-Lite, I was skeptical about how secure it would be. Usually, the less there is to a pack, the more bouncing around it’s going to do when I hit the trails. It didn’t take long for the E-Lite to prove me wrong – throughout my test runs, the E-Lite stayed in place and moved with me. The vest was snug enough to keep the reservoir from bouncing around, and its light weight and unobtrusive design made it easy to forget that I was wearing it.

The entirety of the vest’s fabric is made up of open mesh, which not only keeps the weight down, but it makes the whole things extremely breathable. It never soaked out on warmer runs, and it never felt uncomfortably hot on my back.

The only storage on the back is for the reservoir, so if you’re looking for a ton of space for gloves and layers, this isn’t the pack for you. But it the six pockets on the straps were handy for holding all my long run necessities (Gu’s, my keys and my iPhone).

The E-Lite vest pretty much kills your excuses to not buy a race vest. At 9.9 ounces, the pack is a great way to add a liter of water to your run without adding a bunch of weight to your back. And at $54.99, it won’t be taking too much weight from your wallet, either.

Check it out at Hydrapak.com.

Menage a Jacket: Columbia Sportswear's Ultrachange 3-Way Jacket

2012-02-13T11:39:00.000-08:00

As most of the country has seen this year, winter weather can be a fickle beast. With bright and sunny conditions one day, pouring rain and snow the next, just one jacket isn't going to cut it.

Columbia Sportswear's Ultrachange 3-in-1 Jacket ($450) does its best to accommodate your comfort in a variety of conditions. The setup consists of Columbia's waterproof OmniDry outer shell with the breathable OmniWick liner and a removable synthetic insulated jacket lined with the reflective OmniHeat lining. Hence the 3-in-1: you can pair the two for an insulated storm shell, yank out the liner and just wear the shell for warmer situations, or just wear the liner when it's cold and clear outside.

I took the Ultrachange out for a day of snowboarding at Columbia's Fall '12 event, and the jacket negated any wind chill while I whipped down the mountain. By the afternoon, the day had heated up enough for me to take out the liner and just wear the shell for a while. I dug how much cooler it was, but the shell's fabric has a bit of a scratchy feel against the skin. I eventually swapped it for the insulating jacket, which I absolutely love.

The insulator's nylon outer and liner feel good against the skin, and the OmniHeat lining pairs up with the insulation to make for an incredibly warm package. It's got stretchy/breathable side panels, and it hooks into the shell via a loop on the back of the collar. I've made it a habit to wear it on its own more often than paired with the shell, but that'll probably change if California ever sees rain again.

It's scheduled for a Fall '12 release. Keep an eye out at Columbia.com.

Oh, and as an added bonus, the liner can be turned inside out for some early-90's bling action. So, technically, it's a 4-in-1.

Beat My Sleeve: One Man's Saga to Find the Perfect Headband

2012-02-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

Despite all of the sweat-wicking, breathable, fast-drying materials that the gear industry showcases, I'm at a bit of a loss lately. I’ve tried a series of headwear options to keep my ears warm in the winter and keep the sweat out of my eyes in the summer, and all of the experimentation has led to one question:

Why is it that my favorite headband is a cutoff sleeve from a shirt that was so grungy that my wife wouldn't let me wear it anymore?

Now, to be fair, it's not that simple: I have a few special needs as a runner.

One, my head gets crazy hot in the winter, but my ears tend to freeze up on me.

Two - I shave my head, so in the summertime, sweat just plain pours into my eyes the second I start moving. It’s like getting assaulted with seawater. I need something that’ll soak up and evaporate the sweat before it can offend my ocular sockets.

I’ve tried tons of pieces of gear, but no luck so far. Here are a few notable tries:

I started out with Turtle Fur’s Dryline Frost Ear Beanie with its lightweight and quick-drying Dryline material and extended ear coverage. It was warm in the winter, but too warm for all but the coldest of days and waaay too hot in the summer. I quickly decided to go with a headband.

Mizuno’s Breathe Thermo Headband is warm and leaves the brainpan uncovered, but it’s too hot in the summertime. The Breathe Thermo tech makes the fabric warm up when it gets wet, which is neat in the winter, but pretty much nixes it for summer use. It’s not very elastic, either. After a few uses it was pretty stretched out and prone to slippage.

This may get me in trouble with notable Buff enthusiast Steve Regenold, founding editor of GearJunkie.com, but multifunctional marvel The Buff isn’t quite cutting it either. For every other purpose (full-on beanie, balaclava, blindfold, gag) it’s phenomenal and versatile, but there’s just too much material there. Folding the material over and over on itself to use as a headband makes it too hot during summer runs. Maybe a Buff headband would be good.

The Buff is great, but again, too hot in the summer.

The only piece of gear that works for me is a sleeve I cut from one of my favorite t-shirts. It provides enough coverage to keep my ears from freezing off of my head in December, but it’s small and thin enough to keep me from overheating in August. The fact that it’s cotton is definitely not ideal, but it soaks up the sweat just fine, it just takes forever to dry. I use it for running, climbing, hiking, just about any situation in which I might start sweating. Here's a photo of the Sleeve. Note the telltale seam and vintage "Electric" logo.

Now, I know there must be something out there that’ll work as well, if not better, than my Sleeve. Consider the gauntlet thrown, Gear Industry. Beat my sleeve.

Teva Mountain Games Bringing Big Air, Big Awesome to Vail

2012-02-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

One of the first things you learn when you enter the outdoor industry is that Teva knows how to throw a party. So it makes sense that they can bust out a long weekend with the best of them.

Mixed climbing? Check. Snowshoe, telemark, and splitboard racing? Check. Dual mountain bike snow slalom? Of course! A Theophilus London concert? Why the heck not?

The weekend of February 10-12, Teva Winter Mountain Games will hit Vail, Colorado, and it's going to bring a truckload of awesomeness with it. In addition to the standard winter sports like skiing, ice climbing and the like, Teva is bringing Big Air and On Snow Dual Slalom mountain bike events to the mix. Yeah. Two guys going head to head, flying down a snowy-covered hill and nailing gates. If that doesn't get your blood pumping, you may be dead. Seek help.

On Sunday, February 12, my favorite event will kick off. The Vail Uphill race appeals to the masochist in me. It separates the men and women from the boys and girls with a 2-mile race up groomed ski trails from the base of Vail Mountain's Lionshead to the top of the Eagle's Nest at 10,328 feet. Two miles, uphill, in the snow, as fast as you can. That is hard of core.

Throw in a Theophilus London free concert on Saturday night and some Outdoor Reels film selections on Friday, and you've got a weekend crammed full of awesome. For the full list of events, head over to the Teva Winter Mountain Games website. Better yet, go check it out if you're in the Vail area next week.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012: Top Ten ORWMoments

2012-01-27T16:11:00.000-08:00

If you've spent some time on this website, you'll know that the Outdoor Retailer shows can be a bit extreme for me and the people around me. No one went to the hospital this year, although another Columbia Sportswear employee did get hurt (sorry Adam), so I'll call this one a success. Here are a few context-free highlights from the trip.

1. Seeing oil explode out of a vat of molten salt at the Easton Mountain Products factory tour. Ka-BOOM!

2. Listening to Gearjunkie.com founder Stephen Regenold speak of his love of Buff headwear: "I think I wear one every day of my life."

3. Watching half a dozen blind-drunk people from [will remain nameless] apparel company stagger out of their plainly marked limo, then miraculously find their way into the Red Door lounge. Apparently, Kiwis know how to party.

4. Hearing iRunFar.com's (hilarious) Bryon Powell encourage our driver to have a glass of wine by saying "Well, you're not driving NOW..."

5. Seeing Columbia Sportswear's social media manager Adam Buchanan getting cracked on the head with a piece of street art. Sorry about that, A-bomb...

6. Admitting that I came to Outdoor Retailer with my mom's computer (long story).

7. Trying to write down all the courses of our meal at The Yurt at Solitude, but giving up when I couldn't pronounce half of the items.

8. Realizing that no matter how many shoes I have, I need more.Thanks, Saucony.

9. Receiving a sample flask (still in its packaging) that happened to be pre-loaded with Maker's Mark whiskey. Deluxe model, anyone?

10. Seeing our collective Outdoor Retailer experience summed up in this video. Great job, Verde PR!

You want gear stuff, check out TheGearcaster.com or GearJunkie.com. These guys have tons of great gear content. Or heck, you could even read some of my gear reviews over at ActiveJunky.com/thefix or Wired.com. It's not bad either.

ORWM Day 1 Highlights: Gluten-Free Goodies, Waterproof Down, and...Other Cool Stuff.

2012-01-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

Holy cow, Day 1 is done, and I'm beat. I hope you guys are happy, I missed the Michael Franti concert to write (among other things) this post. You're welcome. Here are your dang highlights.

PROBAR is adding four new flavors to their roster: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate, SuperFruit Slam (not to be confused with SuperFOOD Slam), and Peanut Butter. The Peanut Butter and Chocolate based flavors are tasty and dessert-y, but the SuperFruit Slam is amazing. Tangy and sweet, it tastes like an extremely substantial fruit rollup.

Also, the Fruition bars are going gluten free by March. They're not changing any of the ingredients, since they're all already glutenless, but now they're only buying oats processed in a gluten-free facility. Celiacs rejoice.

This fall, Brooks Range Mountaineering is releasing the Mojave Down Jacket, filled with 800-fill, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial down. Oh, did I mention that it's waterproof? Yup, they've taken a Pertex Quantum shell and stuffed it full of the iPhone of outdoor gear: down that keeps is insulative properties when it gets wet. Downtek is treated with nanoparticles of a waterproof polymer, making it impervious to moisture, potentially eliminating down's only weakness as a jacket-stuffer.

I'm stoked to hear that Pearl iZumi is going to be catering more to ultra-endurance athletes. Their Ultra Barrier WxB Jacket is a great way to get started with this new direction. Made with their quick-drying, sweat-wicking Minerale fabric combined with a stretchy, water- and windproof exterior, the jacket is a great way to warm and dry on long runs. For the ultra set, they've bolstered the shoulders with a tacky reinforcement. Sticky tacky, not style tacky. Reinforcement to keep hydration packs from abrading the jacket, and tacky to keep the shoulder straps in place whilst you run. Paired with their Ultra Tights with pockets for Amphipod bottles, and you're good to go for your next 50k.

I was checking out Julbo's mountaineering line of sunglasses for a Wired.com review, but one of their multisport glasses really caught my eye (see what I did there?) today. Their Ultra sunglasses are lightweight, vented, and rock an open frame to give you a wide field of vision on your bike. What really grabbed my attention was how flexible the Zebra photochromic lens was - you could bend it back and forth in your hand. This means two things: one, that the lens bends instead of breaks when you take a header and two, the next time you faceplant, said lenses won't carve a divot out of your cheekbone. Which is good, because I like my face the way it is.

Alright, it's past midnight - I'm gotta go crash.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012: Demo Day Highlights

2012-01-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

Hey hey, it was demo day at Solitude Mountain Resort, and the booths were out in force. The snow started falling around 1pm, and the booths were clogged with people trying on boots, getting fitted for skis, and slapping YakTrax on their boots. It's already looking like a good event, with the mainstays rolling out some new innovations and the upstart companies hitting back with some interesting pieces of their own. Here are some Trek Tech highlights.

Recon Instruments adds Scott and Smith Optics to their lineup.
Recon Instruments, the guys who brought you the in-goggle head's up display,are adding big eyewear names Scott and Smith Optics to their line of Recon-compatible goggles. Soon, you'll be able to see just how much hang time you got on that kicker so you can brag with precision.

Nargear introduces Military-Spec packs for civilian use.
According to Nargear.com, these guys make packs for wildland firefighters and Fire/Rescue crews. And now, Nargear is introducing tough-as-nails packs for the likes of us. With heavy-duty 1000 denier fabric and double-stitched with military-spec parachute thread, Nargear's offerings for backcountry skiers and snowboarders look like they'll be able to survive wrecks that will end you. Just plain end you. So whoever finds your frozen corpse will end up with a sweet pack.

Easton Mountain Products and YakTrax kill "It's snowing outside" as an excuse not to run.
Is it icy outside? Yaktrax's XTR crampons slip on over your running shoes. Ten spikes on two flexible plates give you traction on icy roads and sidewalks, keeping you on your feet and off your butt. Too much snow? Easton Mountain Products' Vo2 snowshoes let you mount your choice of shoes to the deck. A floating mounting joint and the flexion point behind the ball of the feet give you a natural feel, and carbon fiber decking keep the snowshoe's weight to a minimum.

Osprey adds a minimal lift and sidecountry ski pack to their lineup.
With its low-profile Karve series, Osprey brings a slim pack that will fit the essentials (reservoir, shovel, probe, food, extra layer), but is sits comfortably on a ski lift. An innovative diagonal zip design caught my eye, and the economy with which it stores said items kept it. Can't wait to try one of these guys.

Lots of good stuff, and the show hasn't even started yet. Things are looking good for this week.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012 Day 1(ish): Easton Mountain Products Factory Tour

2012-01-17T22:17:00.000-08:00

The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012 officially starts tomorrow, but Easton Mountain Products has no problem giving the trade show's early arrivals a special treat: a tour through their Salt Lake City facility followed by a delicious dinner at Settebello Pizzeria Nepoletana. EMP's marketing coordinator Rich Packer took a group of journalists through the factory and showed us the process by which your ridiculously light tent poles (and stakes, and snowshoes, and trekking poles, and arrows) are made. I'll have a full overview of the tour after the show, but here are a few photos to keep you sated:

EMP's marketing coordinator Rich Packer takes writers step-by-step though the process of making super-light goodies.

Your future trekking poles, maybe? Some stacks of rolled and welded aluminum waiting to be softened in the ovens.

Part of the strengthening process involves heating the poles in molten salt. The factory workers added extra oil to this batch to show what happens when the oil and 900-degree salt mix. Here's a hint: awesome happens.

Tomorrow's the All-Mountain Demo day at Solitude Mountain Resort. Check twitter for live updates and back here tomorrow night for the report.

The Fix: GoLite Ashdown Pro Shell 3L Jacket Review

2012-01-12T05:30:00.000-08:00

GoLite Ashdown Pro Shell 3-Layer Jacket ($450, www.GoLite.com)

Short of being eaten by something bigger and meaner than you, few things can ruin a trip outside like spending it soaking wet and freezing. If you're going to be kicking butt and taking names no matter what the weather (since you're reading The Fix, we assume that you are), you're going to need a shell that'll take all the punishment that mother nature can dish out.

When it first arrived at Active Junky, the Ashdown didn't make a huge impression at first. With so many jackets to test, it takes a heck of a piece to make an impression, but in the never-ending quest for the perfect shell, GoLite's Ashdown Pro Shell 3-Layer Jacket makes a strong argument for one of the top spots.

Read the full review here at Activejunky.com/thefix.

TransRockies Running Camps

2012-01-10T05:30:00.001-08:00

Last August, I ran the TransRockies Run3, a 60 mile run across the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. No big deal, just 60 miles in three days at around 11,000 feet above sea level. Hung out with Dean Karnazes. You know, the usual.

What's got two thumbs and loves the Rockies?

Seriously, it was the most well-organized and enjoyable event I've ever attended. If you wonder how running 60 miles or (120 miles in the six-day option) can be fun, just check out the Trail Strider videos and see for yourself.

Between the spectacular scenery, amazing food, tent cities, and the amazing friendships that I made, I likened the experience to a running camp.

Someone at the event must have overheard my observation, because TransRockies Events has unveiled the first of a series of trail running camps. Set in stunning locations, these running vacations are perfect for people who aren't content to lay around on the beach all day.
They're starting out with the Intro to Trail Running camp in Banff, Alberta, Canada on May 6-12, 2012. Gear towards beginning trail runners, the event features daily guided mountain trail runs, nutrition/goal setting/running form info sessions, and full access and lodging at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Here's a sample day schedule.

7:00-8:30am Breakfast
9:00-10:30am Info Session – classroom style.
11:00am Depart for Trail Run #1: (8-15km)
2:00pm Return from Trail Run – smoothie bar and ongoing refreshments available throughout afternoon.
2:00-5:00pm Free time, yoga, swimming, facility access.
5:30pm Depart for group dinner

Following events include an Ultimate Trail Running Camp geared towards more advanced runners, a Women's Only camp, and Couples and Singles camps.

It's the perfect vacation for the runner in your life. Particularly if you want to see a grown-up version of this:

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Waterproof Warmth: Polymer-Treated Feathers Fix Down's Downside

2012-01-05T16:10:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves the warmth, weight, and packability of down, but nobody likes how it loses all of its insulating properties when it gets wet. When moisture gets to it, down clumps up, takes forever to dry, and leaves the wearer wet, cold and wishing he'd gone synthetic.

A piece of polymer-treated down.

You can make a jacket waterproof, but if the DWR breaks down and moisture gets inside, you're out of luck. The problem with making the actual down feathers waterproof is that every piece of the feather needs to be coated with waterproof treatment, down to the micron-length barbicels, which is a code that nobody's been able to crack.

Until now, apparently. Cincinnati company Down Decor has found a way to eliminate down products' its susceptibility to water. Using a treatment developed in a Belgian lab, down feathers are completely coated with water-resistant polymer, allowing water to roll off the fliaments like...well, you know. I'm guessing that the treatment is either some type of aerosol spray or grown on genetically manipulated plastic geese. Either way, this could be the holy grail of insulation: lightweight, warm, packs down to wee proportions, and now, waterproof. Clients like Marmot are already developing jackets.

They'll be demonstrating the miracle feathers this month at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. I'll post an update after I see them in action.

It's only been five days, but 2012 is starting to look like the future already. It's no hoverboard, but it'll do for now.

Keep an eye out for this stuff in jackets in 2012/2013

Wired.com: Ortovox Mountain Skyver Review

2012-01-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

Have you ever hiked up a mountain and thought, “Man, I wish I could just ride a bike back down?”

The German company Ortovox has granted that wish with its Mountain Skyver Trail bike. It’s actually more of a bike/scooter hybrid — it has front and rear disc brakes and full suspension like a mountain bike, but no seat, gears, chain or pedals. It folds up and fits into a specialized backpack, allowing you to hike up a trail and ride back down.

Read the whole review here at Wired.com.

Also, since I'm all about the value-add, here's a quick video of me setting up the Skyver and promptly taking a dive on it.

Trek Tech's Most Popular Post in 2011: Zom-pocalypse Wish List

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I was pretty shocked at how popular this year's number one post was. Within a week, this post doubled the previous top dog's page views. Which probably means you guys are just as twisted as I am. I'm glad we're all going to be ready when the inevitable happens.

Wish List: Gifts for the Zombie Apocalypse

You can find gifts for the runner, backpacker, etc. on every other outdoor gear blog. Literally. Great websites that'll help you shop for the outdoorsy loved ones in your life. Some of my favorites are listed here under Friends of Trek Tech. Good people, all.

HOWEVER, only Trek Tech brings the Zom-Pocalypse to your doorstep. If (when?) the dead rise, you know the survivors will be the ones who know how to survive outside. So it's no surprise that some of the best zombie survival gear comes from the outdoors world. I asked around the Book of Faces, and a surprising amount of recommendations involved a fresh set of undies. Here are some gifts for your crazy uncle with the zombie obsession.

Gerber Legendary Blades Apocalypse Kit ($350, gerbergear.com)

It's a no-brainer (get it?). Like I said in an earlier post, blades don't run out of ammo and they keep you silent, but deadly to the undead. Gerber Legendary Blades' seven piece A-Kit lets you pick the right knife/machete/hatchet for dispatching the "life-impared." Note: the kit is sold out (of course), but the individual components are all available, so you can mix 'n match your own kit.

Tactical Bacon ($15 for a 9oz. can, cmmginc.com)

If I had to only eat one thing for the rest of my life...you guessed it. Muscle-building protein, saturated fat for winter weather insulation, and oh, yeah-it's delicious. Tactical Bacon comes fully cooked and has a10+ year shelf life. Nom nom nom.

Polarmax AYG Boxer Briefs ($29.99, polarmax.com)

The support you need, but the mobility you desire. Polarmax's All Year Gear Boxer Briefs are made of a 4-way stretch that won't hinder motion while you dart through a shambling horde. The Acclimate Fresh treatment lets you go longer between those vulnerable laundry stops, and the polyester dries quickly after those particularly terrifying encounters.

Kru82 Vodka ($19.99 for 750ml, kru82.com)

When you spend the whole day foraging for food/survivors and sprinting from/braining the undead, you're going to need to chase the pain away. Kru82 brilliantly packs their vodka in a shatterproof 18/8 stainless steel bottle, keeping your beverage safe and sound. Until martini time, that is.

Darn Tough Merino Run Series Socks ($16, darntough.com)

Regardless of what's going on in the world around you, it's good to know your feet are taken care of. I mean - the last thing you need out there is trenchfoot slowing you down. Darn Tough socks are the toughest socks that you can get your hands on; made with densely-knit merino wool, they're tough, soft, comfortable, and stink-resistant. Heck, they even come with a lifetime guarantee, which is more than I can say for their wearers.

Triple Aught Design's Legionnaire Pants ($129, tripleaughtdesign.com)

Too thick to bite through, yet stylish enough to help you repopulate the planet. The Legionnaire pant sports 9oz cotton herringbone fabric, triple stitching, reinforced knees and a wealth of storage for rapid transit with all your earthly belongings. There's even two secret pockets for stowing valuables if you get accosted by a roving band of marauders (assuming you don't already lead one).

That's a good start. If you've got any other ideas, feel free to chime in. I'm always looking for supplies to add to the bomb shelter.

Paix-ing It Forward: Paix Clothiers

2011-12-24T05:30:00.000-08:00

Nope, it's not a tech tee. Just plain old cotton. It's not reflective, doesn't wick sweat away, and if it gets wet, it'll stay wet. On the other hand, Paix does donate 20% of its proceeds to charitable causes around the world. Very cool, but it's not the only clothing company that does that.

What sets Paix Clothiers apart from other giving gear is that its t-shirt line gives you constant updates on the project that your purchase supported. Scan the QRC code on your shirt with your smartphone to see which project your shirt helped fund, and how it's going. In the words of co-founder Mark Yoder,

"Each shirt has a patch with a QR Code on it, so the shirt is forever linked to updates on the project. Just scan it with your phone and you can keep tabs on your contribution to the world!"

The first project is a two-parter with Thirst Relief International, whose mission goes further than just drilling a well and taking off. According to Paixclothiers.com:

"Their “WASH” program provides a deep bore well, a pump and filtration system, multiple taps that serve as faucets or drinking fountains, and latrines to improve sanitation."

Project one will provide the WASH program for a middle school in the Tirupur District in India and another for a village in the Virudhunagar District of India.

It's one thing to donate to a cause, it's a whole other beast to get to see the impact you've made as it develops. It's a very cool idea. If people went all "Black Friday" on Paix shirts, I'd feel a bit better about the post-Thanksgiving stampeding.

Take a look over at Paixclothiers.com.

The Best (and Worst) Foods to Vomit Back Up During a Workout

2011-12-22T10:29:00.000-08:00


Hopefully that wasn't coffee.

"All the hard-hitting journalism the liberal outdoor media doesn't want you to hear!"

If you played a sport in high school, the odds are that you've run/played/been concussed so hard that you've heaved your lunch (or was I just too competitive? Hmm...). If you're one of the few and proud reading Trek Tech, I'm going to bet that you carried that intensity on past the scholastic level and you've lost a lunch or two in the last six months.

I was in the middle of a Crossfit workout yesterday when I started getting a little...uneasy. All I could think was, "I'm glad I just ate an English muffin with honey this morning." I kept it down (barely), but that started a line of thought - every experienced over-exerter knows that some foods are better coming back up than others. What are the best and worst foods to have to re-taste in the middle of an intense workout? I pondered my extensive experience and asked around. Here's what I came up with for the best "recycled food."

Please keep in mind that these are just observations - not recommendations. No one should be puking...but if you are, these are the best things to heave:

Dairy: You need to neutralize that sharp stomach acid, and the creamy goodness in udder leak keeps that eye-watering burn to a bare minimum. Most people recommended chocolate milk and dairy-based smoothies for ease of expulsion and sweetness, but Casey Lyons in Boston suggests dairy foods "with good visual interest, like mac and cheese." The recognizable, neon yellow staple is a comfort food no matter which direction it’s headed.

Inverse: Highly acidic foods like coffee and, say Chipotle's lime-cilantro rice are terrible, repeat, terrible. They just intensify that godawful throat burn.

Salts: If you're intolerant of cow juice, going salty is another option. Top Ramen (it is a pre-workout meal when you're in college) kept coming up, scoring points for the salty neutralization properties, along with the noodles' soft consistency.

Exception: Too much salt, or food that's salty/spicy like Thai-hot Chicken Pad Thai also increases throat burn.

Melons: This comes from a more recent experience: I ate a melon fruit cup (more macho than it sounds) about an hour before running hill repeats. Fourth set, they were on the ground, and I didn't even break my stride; just leaned over, said "huuuah," and kept going. The melon tasted the same as it did the first time, and it came out nice and easy. Sheri Christie in San Jose did extensive involuntary testing during her two pregnancies; she summed up the melon nomination well, saying that "the best was shredded carrots and watermelon! Watermelon was the easiest cause of the watery base and both come up sweet."

Not all advice revolved around physical well-being. Yesterday, @johnnyhaddad tweeted some very pertinent financial advice:

"French fries, anything high in fat, and inexpensive! I aint trying to puke out $40 for all my protein!"

Since we're not about glorifying rerunning your food, here's your guys' worst of the worst, as per your Facebook replies:

"I know the worst. That would be spicy foods and fish oil pills. That was a bad day."

"Coffee. Nope. Bad idea."

"The worst would be rice. It gets stuck in your nose on the way back up."

"Avoid spicy Mongolian bbq and huge mountain bike rides..."

Running for Your Life: Five Ten's Atlas Pamplona Running Shoe

2011-12-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

Footwear company Five Ten is known primarily for their rock climbing shoes. If you look a bit closer, though, they seem to have a shoe for every application you can think of, from mountain biking and hiking to BASE jumping, freerunning and slacklining. My personal favorite is the Atlas Pamplona running shoe ($150, fiveten.com).

It doesn't have the super-techy sole of the Mizuno Prophecy, and it's not the newest, baddest Five Finger shoe on the market. In fact, aside from its bright red exterior, it looks like a plain old running shoe. A plain old running shoe for the running of the bulls.

If the name struck a memory that you couldn't quite put a finger on, it's because Pamplona, Spain is where they hold the annual running of the bulls. You know those videos you've seen of hordes of people sprinting through alleys, followed immediately by a stampeding herd of horned fury? Yeah, these shoes are made for those.

I have a hard time with bullfighting, but I'll say this - at least in Pamplona, they get a chance to hit back. After all the beef I've eaten (and will continue to eat), it's the least I can to to give them that chance. Five Ten took a bunch of runners out to the 2011 running of the bulls and made this video.

Regardless of your thoughts on bullfighting and the surrounding culture, you can't deny that this is the most intense short run out there.

Five Ten took their Atlas freerunning shoe, with its Stealth Climbing rubber for maximum traction on cobblestones, and they redid the upper in an all-crimson hue. The shoes' freerunning background will come in handy not only for cobblestone sprints, but also for hopping fences and brick walls if necessary. As far as I'm concerned, the red exterior serves two purposes: 1) To cover any potential blood stains if you get gored, and 2) To serve as a middle finger to the bulls that you're outrunning. You're not afraid of them.

A bull's-eye view of your shoe.

Wired.com: Brooks PureConnect Review

2011-12-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

A few months back, I posted a first impression and some pics of Brooks Running's PureConnect running shoe. After a good amount of testing, I wrote a full review of my impressions on Wired.com. Take a look.

The minimalist running-shoe market has exploded over the past year or two, with almost every footwear manufacturer rushing out a line of barefoot-inspired running shoes to feed the public’s interest.

Brooks Running, by contrast, has taken its sweet time. The company has only recently introduced a line of minimalist shoes for runners.

Actually, minimalist is a bit of a misnomer here. The shoes in Brooks’ PureProject line provide a noticeable amount of cushioning when compared to other more bare-bones examples on the market. But the PureConnect road running shoe isn’t necessarily supposed to approximate the feel of running barefoot.

Read the whole review here at Wired.com.

Wish List: Gifts for the Zombie Apocalypse

2011-12-14T14:54:00.000-08:00

Gerber Legendary Blades Apocalypse Kit ($350, gerbergear.com)

Tactical Bacon ($15 for a 9oz. can, cmmginc.com)

Polarmax AYG Boxer Briefs ($29.99, polarmax.com)

Kru82 Vodka ($19.99 for 750ml, kru82.com)

Darn Tough Merino Run Series Socks ($16, darntough.com)

Triple Aught Design's Legionnaire Pants ($129, tripleaughtdesign.com)

That's a good start. If you've got any other ideas, feel free to chime in. I'm always looking for supplies to add to the bomb shelter.

Still Trying Stuff: Columbia Fall '12 Event Gear Highlights

2011-12-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Ultrachange's removable liner. Sweet, right?

"Trying Stuff." Two words that say an awful lot about what Columbia Sportswear is all about.

You've got to give Columbia props for trying to push the boundaries of outdoor sports tech every season. I love that Columbia keeps trying stuff. Even if all the stuff doesn't end up working. you're bound to have some home runs in there.

This week, I along with about forty other editors and journalists went to Park City, Utah, to check out their new wares. Food, drink, gear and snowsports ensued. If I were to go in-depth into every great aspect of this week, this would be a ridiculously long post, and you'd probably get sick of hearing me prattle on. So I'll save the bobsledding, amazing food, whiskey lessons, aerial ski training at Utah Olympic Park, athletic training facility tour, snowboarding, et cetera, and just get to the gear that caught my fancy. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. PeakFreak Trail Running Shoe ($150): You had me at the name "PeakFreak". Waterproof, breathable, and lined with the OmniHeat reflective dots, which could come in handy on snow runs. Could be a great winter trail runner. I'm hoping to get a tester and see just how rugged it is.

2. Men's Ultrachange Jacket ($450): Menage 'a Utility. Columbia's 3-way jacket is composed of a waterproof (OmniDry) breathable (OmniWick) shell and a sharp-looking, sleek, removable insulating liner with Columbia's distinct OmniHeat. So far, I'm loving the liner as a standalone, and the shell works well as a windblocker. Can't wait to see some rain.

3. Montlake Pack ($115): Digging the retro styling on this adventure/day pack. It sports top-loading access, load lifters, a removable belt, and TechLite padded shoulder straps for dayhiking, snowboarding, and whatever else you can imagine. A felt-lined laptop pockets makes it a viable commuter pack, giving it an urban dimension as well. Felt good while snowboarding today, I'll give it a shot on the bike when I get home.

I couldn't get a press image, so here's one from my hotel room.

Those are some of my favorites, but it looks like Columbia's going to have a lot more rolling out next fall (including some ballsy fashion-forward pieces), so keep an eye out for some more of that stuff they're trying.

Because I Said I Would: Falling Asleep at the Keyboard

2011-12-06T22:11:00.001-08:00

This afternoon, I told The GearCaster about falling asleep while I wrote and promised I'd post the result. The following is a post that I attempted to write last night following Columbia's Fall '12 preview dinner. This is a rough draft with no fact-checking or editing. Please don't unsubscribe because of this.

Today was day 2 of Columbia's Fall '12 Preview Event and man, these guys know how to throw a party. After a great ice-breaker dinner last night, about 40 other journalists and I donned some down jackets (it was like 15 degrees outside) and piled into a tour bus to check out Park City's Olympic Center. We witnessed the unveiling of a new display, heard from a few olyians, then some of us were able to go on a bobsled ride. I couldn't go because of my neck sprain, but I got to see the other folks hit 80 mph and 5 G's on their way down the track, which was almost as good as doing it myself. No it wasn't.I'm jealous.

After a quick lunch, we headed down the hill to watch the freestyle team practice and were treated to some aerial excellence from the ski team (flips and such), then we piled back into the bus for a trip to the Academy of Excellence olympic training facility, where we got to see firsthand why we have the best olympic ski team in the world. The training there is amazingly detailed, from oxygen level manipulation to maximize individual workouts to $70k zero-gravity treadmills, our olympic athletes are in great hands. I want trampolines and foam pits in my garage now.

Next up was a bit of free time, so I came back to my rddddddddddddddddddddddddd

----

That last word was supposed to be "room." I woke up after a few seconds, posted this on my Facebook page,

"Trying to bang out a quick post about the Columbia Fall '12 event, but I'm falling asleep. I'll get it out tomorrow. zzzzzzz"

and went to sleep. I'll make some coffee and write a real post tonight.

You Never Know: Gerber's Apocalypse Kit

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Go ahead and say it: "That only happens in movies." That's when they get you. It's like saying "bloody Mary" in a mirror three times, you're asking for it.

Sure, a zombie apocalypse probably won't happen.

But it might.

And if it does, bladesmith Gerber's got you covered with their Apocalypse line of cutting tools (including three different machetes) to help you chop your way through the horde.

"But what about guns?"

Pah. Gunshots draw attention, heads are small targets, and blades don't run out of ammo.

I love the fact that there's a gear company out there that takes the hypothetical into consideration and comesup with a kit that has zombie hunter written all over it. Well done, Gerber.

The Apocalypse Kit is no longer available, but you can pick up each piece one at a time at Gerbergear.com. Prices range from $21 to $69.

Visit Gerber's website to check out the Apocalypse lineup.

First Look: Vibram Five Fingers Spyridon LS Spotted in the Wild

2011-12-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

Vibram's trail runner - the Spyridon LS

Vibram's Five Finger barefoot shoes are becoming more and more specific; they've got shoes for road runners, hikers, crossfitters, watersports, and soon they'll have a pair specifically for trail runners.

Their highly-anticipated trail running shoe, the Spyridon LS, is a notably aggressive addition to the Five Fingers line. With its flexible nylon mesh rock plate, burly upper, and mountain bike-looking tread, these guys are built for off-road endeavors.

Image of the outsole from ORSM

Yesterday, I took the Spyridon LS out for a 12-mile test run/hike up Kanaka Peak. The Spyridon's gnarly outsole helped me run on the rough stuff with more confidence, and the upper feels like it's made up of a beefier material than it's genetic predecessor, the KSO TrekSport. So far, so good.

The Spyridon is due out this Spring. I'm testing this pair right now for Wired.com, so keep an eye out there for the full review.

Treadling lightly(ish) down Kanaka Peak

Black Diamond Releases Dawn Patrol Facebook App

2011-12-01T05:19:00.001-08:00

Getting out and hitting powder before work is only half the fun. The other half is getting online and telling all your other cubicle-jockey buddies about it. Today, Black Diamond is releasing its Dawn Patrol Facebook application so you can either get inspired or show everyone how you started your day off right. Check it out here.

Here's a video from the app that'll give you a good idea of what The Dawn Patrol is all about.

Dawn Patrol from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

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Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012 Day 1(ish): Easton Mountain Products Factory Tour

The Fix: GoLite Ashdown Pro Shell 3L Jacket Review

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Wired.com: Ortovox Mountain Skyver Review

Trek Tech's Most Popular Post in 2011: Zom-pocalypse Wish List

Wish List: Gifts for the Zombie Apocalypse

Top Trek Tech Posts #2: The Hellfire Challenge

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Day 2: Hellfire Challenge, Part 1

Top Trek Tech Posts: Fancy Footwear

Paix-ing It Forward: Paix Clothiers

The Best (and Worst) Foods to Vomit Back Up During a Workout

Running for Your Life: Five Ten's Atlas Pamplona Running Shoe

Wired.com: Brooks PureConnect Review

Wish List: Gifts for the Zombie Apocalypse

Still Trying Stuff: Columbia Fall '12 Event Gear Highlights

Because I Said I Would: Falling Asleep at the Keyboard

"Trying to bang out a quick post about the Columbia Fall '12 event, but I'm falling asleep. I'll get it out tomorrow. zzzzzzz"

You Never Know: Gerber's Apocalypse Kit

First Look: Vibram Five Fingers Spyridon LS Spotted in the Wild

Black Diamond Releases Dawn Patrol Facebook App