Running and Rambling

Farewell and Amen

2012-12-30T22:48:00.000-08:00

“Sometimes the light's all shining on me –

Other times I can barely see –

Lately it occurs to me –

What a long, strange trip it’s been.”

- The Grateful Dead, “Truckin’ (video after post)

“Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”

- Last words of Pancho Villa

(I couldn’t decide which quote I liked better as a last hurrah, so in true Running and Rambling fashion, I decided to go with both.)

For my final run of 2012 – and by extension, my last as a regular blogger – I took on one of my favorite challenges: a three-mile climb to the southern ridge line overlooking my home town of Carmel Valley.

Fall colors were equally vibrant on trees overhead and fallen leaves underfoot. The previous week had brought significant rain, leaving the trails muddy enough to be adventurous, but not sloppy enough to slow me down. And on this morning, the clouds temporarily relinquished their grip, so when I finally reached the top of the ridge, the skies were clear enough to see for miles in every direction. It was one of those perfect California winter mornings that make me grateful to be alive.

Looking back toward Carmel Valley Village; my house is a tiny dot in the distance

And as soon as I thought this, I realized, I won’t have anyone to share this with anymore.

More than anything else, that’s what I’ll miss the most after closing the doors at Running and Rambling. This space has become my primary outlet of expression, and the most dependable way to process and crystallize my experiences wandering through the big, wide world. I’m a fierce introvert by nature, but there was something about this website that emboldened me to step out of my comfort zone and connect with people in ways I never could have imagined prior to its existence.

The whole notion was quite unsettling at first – the way I would frequently encounter someone on local trails, or in the mountains, or even in another state, and they would ask how my broken toe was healing, or if I was still riding bikes with my son, or if I remained impressed with the Vibram Spyridon LS, without my even knowing his or her name. Nowadays when that happens, I find it totally cool – and my first reaction is usually to flash a smile and shake the person’s hand. Without question, those connections have been the biggest – and also the most unexpected - benefit of being a blogger for the past seven years.

A scene from the Western States trail during the 2009 training camp - a day when I fell in love with ultrarunning as well as with the blogging community. Not coincidentally, a cropping of this photo has served as the title banner for Running and Rambling ever since.

Obviously, there have been a lot more benefits along the way, and I can honestly say that having this website has been one of the most memorable and rewarding things I’ve ever been involved with. So the decision to walk away is a hard one, and it’s a sad one in many ways … but it’s also 100% the right one.

As much as I love Running and Rambling, I’m also really looking forward to being free of it. I desperately want to spend fewer hours staring at my laptop, and more time interacting with my family. I’m tired of sitting at a water polo game, or watching a school concert, or playing a game of Chinese checkers and thinking about the contest giveaway or product review I need to publish later that night. Because those moments will be gone before I know it, and I don’t want to be caught trying to remember what they felt like.

A call to mindfulness from a run to the Tassajara Zen Center: "Wake up! Life is transient, swiftly passing. Be aware, the great matter: don't waste time."

Also, there’s one more crazy goal I’d love to accomplish. Something I never would have had the audacity to dream of when the blog was still going. Something I’ve heard people talk about, but never believed I had the ability to achieve myself. Wanna hear what it is?

I want to read a book. I know, right? Insane. And I’m not talking about the “3 pages at a time before falling asleep” or “Read 2 chapters and then put the book on the shelf for 3 months” kind of reading – I’m shooting for the real deal: curling up on the couch with one of the many titles - non-running-related, even! - that I’ve stacked on my bookshelf in hopes of enriching myself someday. I made it 300 pages into a Civil War history book last summer before filing it away, and I’ve yet to return (but don’t tell me who wins, because I want to be surprised).

A "recreational" run in the Sierras, circa 2009. See the beautiful model in the distance? That would be my wife. I need to spend more days like this.

Of course, life won’t all be laziness and family bonding, and I’m still hoping to spend as much time on the trails as possible. I’ve often said that I’d rather be a runner who didn’t blog than a blogger who didn’t run, and the time to put that philosophy to the test has arrived. I don’t have any concrete race plans for 2013, but don’t be surprised to see me rambling along at some ultra or another – I’ll be the oafish guy with the moccasins on his feet and the goofy grin on his face. Feel free to say hi; I promise at least a smile and handshake in return.

I’m not completely abandoning the writing or gear review game either, and I’m excited to continue making contributions to a handful of operations (both print and web-based) that are much bigger and more influential than I could ever hope to accomplish on my own. On that note, if you haven’t already discovered the Feed the Habit or Gear Institute websites, be sure to bookmark them as top-notch resources for all manner of outdoor gear. They’re both operated by amazingly cool guys who have assembled a massive collection of talent around them, and I’m confident they’ll both continue to grow and thrive in the future.

This website will remain live as well, for the benefit of anyone who wants to go through past photo tours or race reports, or Google searchers who stumble across one product review or another. The sidebar at right has been updated to include all of the minimalist footwear reviews I’ve done over the past few years. All of the product links will remain in place, as will the Amazon.com banner at top right, which I’m now calling the Unemployed Blogger Relief Fund. If you want to shop at Amazon.com and feel like clicking there from my site (remember, it’s completely anonymous and doesn’t cost you anything), whenever I see a few cents drop into my account I’ll know that someone out there is thinking of me.

(End of shameless pandering. Oh, wait … I also have a book you can buy. OK, pandering over now.)

Otherwise, it’s time for me to head off into the sunset - or, to mix my metaphors a bit, into the dawn of a new year and new possibilities. The past seven years have indeed been one long, strange trip … and one that I wouldn’t trade for anything. To everyone who has shared any or all of this journey with me, I’m more grateful than I can possibly express. I offer all of you sincere thanks from the bottom of my heart; it has truly been a wonderful run.

The Grateful Dead, “Truckin’” (click to play):

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Soft Star Rogue Review; Soft Star Metro Review

2012-12-27T22:30:00.000-08:00

*Admin note: we’re in the homestretch! One final product review here, and a farewell post before 2012 expires. Thanks to everyone who has been sending well-wishes over the past couple of weeks – they mean more to me than you can possibly imagine.

It’s no coincidence that my final product review for Running and Rambling features Soft Star Shoes. Among all the companies I’ve partnered with over the span of this website, there are none I appreciate more, and none - for better or worse – with whom I’ve been more closely identified.

Just because it seems so long ago ... Team Soft Star at Tahoe

That last point is one I’ve taken fairly seriously, especially as the company started increasing their sponsorship support and I started doing crazier ultra adventures over the past couple of years. I’ve always had this low-grade but generally constant anxiety about making the company look bad at one event or another, either by some sort of gear malfunction, or losing traction on some gnarly hill and injuring myself, or simply not being able to finish a race. Thankfully, none of that ever happened, which is as much a testament to Soft Star’s willingness to work with me and come up with solutions to every obstacle I encountered as it is to my own accomplishment.

But I’m digressing somewhat, because today’s reviews don’t have anything to do with athletic performance. Rather, they are focused on two new casual styles the company introduced this fall – one a brand new model, the other a more formal styling of a classic model they released last year.

Soft Star Rogue, in Aged Walnut

The new model is the Rogue men’s shoe, which I think of as a hybrid between the company’s flagship Rambler outdoor moccasin and the innovative Moc3 running model that’s probably the most comfortable athletic shoe I’ve ever owned. It comes in two colors, both curiously starting with “Aged”: the Aged Walnut color I tested, and an Aged Oak that is a lighter shade.

Both colors feature full-grain leather on the outer surface of the upper; the leather is highly flexible and pretty much conforms to the shape of your foot almost like a sock would. The uppers are secured to the outsole by external stitching, and if your feet are wider than average, you’ll probably notice the upper stretches over the top of this external seam, further contributing to the general slipper appearance.

This overall slipper vibe is great from a comfort standpoint, but the functional effect is that the Rogue looks much more like a house shoe than a dress or work shoe. When I saw photos of the Rogue, I thought it would be a great work option, but now that I’ve worn them I’d say they’re definitely more of an after work or Casual Friday shoe.

Moc3 on left, Rogue on right

Another contributor to the cozy upper fit is an internal layer of Breathe-O-Prene, the same odor-resistant, breatheable neoprene material that lines the interior of the Moc3 and wraps around your foot. This material is visible around the ankle area on both models, and lines the entire interior surface of the Rogue as it does on the Moc3. The Breathe-O-Prene lining is one reason that the Rogues are highly comfortable without socks …

… and the second reason is a super-soft genuine sheepskin footbed. This sheepskin is different than the type Soft Star uses on other models like their Roo slippers; it seems to have finer fibers and feels softer against bare skin than the regular sheepskin. I typically wear my Rogues with socks, but that’s my own aesthetic preference; there’s certainly no reason why the Rogues can’t be worn sockless.

The outsole of the Rogue features a Vibram Geo outsole that is among the thickest in the Soft Star catalog at 8mm (compared, for example, to my 5mm RunAmocs). However, the rubber material in this outsole is quite lightweight and very pliable …

… which, like all Soft Star shoes, allows complete barefoot-style flexibility and movement. The outsole is also somewhat soft, so ground feel isn’t compromised nearly as much as a firm material would be.

RunAmoc on top, Rogue on bottom

From a traction and durability standpoint, the outsole is outstanding. How do I know this? It just so happens that I’ve been testing the exact same outsole on a pair of RunAmocs, so I’ve used it on steep hills and loose gravel and slippery mud. By appearances, this outsole pattern doesn’t seem very aggressive, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised in my testing to find that it’s virtually the equivalent of the original RunAmoc trail outsole.

While it’s not the formal shoe I was anticipating, the Soft Star Rogue is an attractive casual option that is equally home with a pair of jeans or long pajamas. It retails for $125 from the Soft Star website.

Our second review is the women’s Metro, which is a formalized update to the very popular Merry Jane mocs that the female Running and Rambling crew loved testing last year. It comes in a stock burgundy color, but can be made in custom colors such as the chocolate brown pair my wife has been wearing this fall.

Soft Star Metro

The updated Metro features an interior seam between the front and rear portion of the shoe, giving it a cleaner – or as the website describes it, a more “elegant” – appearance. The natural leather uppers certainly have a dressier look than the Merry Janes, and (unlike the Rogues) could definitely pass for formal wear.

Another classy upgrade is a true strap and buckle fastener on the side of the shoe. On the Merry Janes, the buckle is a Velcro attachment, which is perfect for kids racing out the door to school, but maybe not so much for an elegant night on the town.

The Metro’s insole is made of the same soft leather that lines RunAmocs, but is also available in a sheepskin option if that’s your preference. And this is going to sound like déjà vu, but speaking of RunAmocs …

… the outsole of the Metro is made of a 4mm Vibram Cherry sole that I’ve also tested on a different pair of prototype RunAmocs. It’s more than adequate for trail running, and is a significant improvement in traction and durability compared to the outsole on the regular Merry Jane model.

And do I even need to say this part anymore? As natural as natural movement can be.

The elegant-ization of the Merry Jane doesn’t come cheap, as the Metro is priced 40 dollars higher than the more casual option – but if you’re looking for something that is truly formal, the looks of the updated version is probably worth it. The Metro retails for $125 from the Soft Star website.

Finally, although I try to be objective with these reviews, there’s no question that I’m completely biased when it comes to the Soft Star company. Whether it’s the charming Mom and Pop backstory (they literally lived and worked in a school bus), the barefoot ethos, their 100% Made in America commitment, or their willingness to partner with a complete idiot in developing the ideal moccasin for running crazy mountain trails, I pretty much love everything about this company. Soft Star absolutely deserves your business – if not for the models described here, then perhaps a rugged RunAmoc or super-comfy Roo slipper – and even though my website is closing its doors, I’m still going to do everything in my power to make sure people know about them. These are the kinds of things you can say when it’s time for goodbye.

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Random Shots of Christmas

2012-12-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

A truck full of toys …

All laid out on a stage …

Plus a joyful (if somewhat weary-looking) Santa* …

Equals one special afternoon at an after school program for local at-risk kids:

It’s projects like this and days like this that make the holidays somewhat frenzied at times - and also makes me feel like I have little initiative or motivation for training. However, these are also the things that make me see that in the grand scheme of things, training really isn’t that big of a deal.

*By the way, see that hair and beard on Santa? It’s all real. And apparently he owns his own suit and makes several appearances like this every year. On this particular afternoon, Santa spent time with more than 90 kids, spoke with each of them individually while handing out presents, and hung around afterwards to spread Christmas cheer to kids who sorely need it. So, yeah, he looks a little tired … but this guy lives for this sort of thing, and it shows. Maybe we should all be tired like that.

"Christmas is Coming", from A Charlie Brown Christmas (click to play):

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GoLite Black Mountain Thermal Wind Pants Review; GoLite Cross Timbers Zonal Tights Review

2012-12-19T23:12:00.000-08:00

It’s not exactly a coincidence that I’ve talked about GoLite a few times in the past month or so, and today’s review is a perfect example of why I’m such a big fan of the company.

I have to admit I wasn’t certain how the company’s “no marketing, no retail sales, just rock bottom web pricing across the board” strategy would play out when they announced the paradigm shift earlier this year. Based on initial results from the first several months, I’d be terribly disappointed if it doesn’t succeed – and you should be too. The reason why is simple: you simply cannot get better gear for lower prices anywhere. Period.

Two perfect examples are two pairs of cold-weather running apparel I’ve been using: the Black Mountain Thermal Wind Pant, and the Cross Timbers Zonal Tight. You may recall that I mentioned receiving these earlier in the fall, but our temps weren’t yet cold enough for me to test them. Well, the weather has finally cooperated here – I guess that’s how I’m referring to it - with overnight temperatures into the low 30s and upper 20s, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to try them.

The ornament says "Winter is Coming", and belongs to my 14-year-old son. Apparently it's a Game of Thrones thing.

However, one disclaimer on the product photos in this post: I don’t have action shots, because I’m much less inclined to arrange self-timer photo shoots on dark freezing mornings than I am when the sun is out. So you’ll just have to take my word for it that I’ve run in these things.

GoLite Black Mountain Thermal Wind Pant

First up is the Black Mountain Thermal Wind Pant, which I was somewhat anxious to try, primarily because I haven’t had a lot of luck with non-tight bottom garments in the past. The fit always seems too baggy here, too tight there, and I eventually end up going back to wearing tights again. But with the Black Mountain pants, the fit is pretty well dialed in from waist to ankle. There’s just a bit of roominess through the thighs and calves, but not so much that the pants feel baggy or bulky.

The Black Mountain pant is also super-duper warm, thanks to material construction that’s hard to assemble with traditional tights. The exterior front panels are made of windproof polyester that’s been treated with DWR for water resistance, but the interior front surface has a soft fleece material for comfort and additional insulation.

Fleece interior lining, drawstring in front, rear zipper pocket

Brushed microfleece lines the entire interior surface on the front and back side, and it stretches very nicely to provide full range of motion. Another cool construction element for comfort and range of motion are fully articulated clamshell knee joints, which prevent the stretching of material on the front of the knee and bunching on the back side.

Articulated clamshell knees;

Because they provide outstanding protection from the elements along with comfort and freedom of movement, the Black Mountain pants would probably be good for a variety of winter aerobic sports such as cross country skiing or snowshoeing in addition to cold-weather running. And here’s where GoLite’s new business strategy is a wonderful thing, because pants like this would normally retail for close to 200 bucks, and at this time last year, GoLite would have sold them for $160. Today, the Black Mountain Thermal Wind Pants retail for $64 from the GoLite website – trust me, you won’t get a better running pant for less money.

If you’re looking for traditional tights, the Cross Timbers Zonal Tight is a lightly compressive legging that provides a good combination of warmth and breathability. It has brushed stretch fleece throughout the front of the legs (but not the back), and soft flatlock seams that minimize chafing. Overall comfort is pretty nice; these are the kind of tights you can wear to start a multi-hour run in the dark, but still be comfortable when the sun comes up later in the morning.

GoLite Cross Timbers Zonal Tight

All the other basics of traditional running tights are included as well: ankle zippers, a drawstring waist, a zippered rear pocket, and reflective accents and logo. Basically, it’s a solid high-performance piece for a bargain price; instead of a pre-business model change price of $120, GoLite now sells it for $48 from the company website.

*Products provided by GoLite

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Random Shots of Christmas; Injinji Sock Contest Winners

2012-12-16T21:52:00.002-08:00

Apologies for another late weekend post … and let’s get right into things. In honor of the season, I’m converting the customary weekend fare into a Random Shots of Christmas:

(click to enlarge)

This one’s a family tradition: a table full of decorated sugar cookies that my wife spent a full day baking, and all of us spent most of the evening decorating. Unfortunately, the “eating” part doesn’t last nearly as long as the preparing part, but we at least manage to save a few of these to pass around as gifts over the next week or so.

Longtime readers will recall there’s often some imaginative nonsense involved with my cookie decorating, but this year the creative torch was passed to our kids, who came up with some pretty clever things …

… such as these, clockwise from top left: a Rastafari snowman, an apparently quite overweight Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbes fame), Beaker and Dr Bunsen Honeydew (from my 11-year-old Muppet freak). The last one is something called Steve the Minecraft Player, courtesy of my 14-year-old son. No, I didn’t know that one offhand – and the fact that I have to Google my kid’s Christmas decorations is a sign that I’m getting either too old or hopelessly out of touch. Probably both.

Thankfully, my kids managed to keep in mind the reason for all this holiday busy-ness:

As you see in these Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus cookies. Sure, it’s a beautiful thing – but I’m already cringing at the inevitable debate in the near future about who gets to eat Baby Jesus.

We also have one order of business to wrap up: announcing winners of the Injinji sock giveaway contest. Running Farmer, Jessica (Book of Life), and Maggie Wolff: e-mail me your contact info – you’re the winners! Thanks very much to everyone else who entered; normally I’d say to stick around for the next one … but with the current state of things here, I’m afraid this is probably the end of the contest posts.

So, um … yeah. I guess goodbyes are awkward sometimes. I’ll try not to make a fool of myself over the next couple of weeks – but there’s probably as much chance of that happening as those cookies making it past Christmas.

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Injinji Performance 2.0 Sock Review; Injinji Sock Giveaway Contest

2012-12-12T22:16:00.001-08:00

Before today’s official review, a cool sale offer to pass along: GoLite is in the midst of a 12 Days of Savings campaign, featuring a killer deal on at least one item each day. I receive banner links to a new item each day, but since I’ve long since stopped posting every day around here, I’m just including a direct link (on the photo below) to their site so you can return back later and check out the savings for yourself.

And now we resume normal programming …

Even before embracing minimalism a few years ago, I was familiar with Injinji socks. They were something of a novelty among ultrarunners, although those who used them seemed completely enamored with their ability to prevent blisters on or between your toes.

Shortly thereafter, the whole minimalist thing exploded, and Vibrams became the sexiest thing going – sometimes literally. And since most of us live in places where the weather gets cold – yes, even here in California – Injinjis soon became the cheese to Vibram’s macaroni, and surged in popularity along with the FiveFingers.

Here’s the thing, though: I wasn’t exactly wild about Injinji’s early offerings. They were fairly comfortable and great at keeping grit from grinding against your bare skin during a long trail run, but I wasn’t really impressed with their insulating capacity or ability to dry quickly. They also seemed to stretch out and lose their shape fairly significantly after a handful of wash cycles.

So when I was offered a few pairs to try again this fall, I made sure to ask the rep if something had changed from the pairs I tested from a few years ago. It turns out, something had – and the new Injinji Performance 2.0 series will be available in early 2013.

Injinji Performance 2.0 series socks

The new line has less of a cottony feel than the previous versions, with improved CoolMax fabric that is more similar to technical running socks in its wicking ability and moisture management. They use a variety of fabric combinations and weave patterns to improve the fit, and they seem more compressive than the previous line. I’ve washed mine several times, and so far they are holding their shape quite nicely.

Injinji classifies the Performance 2.0 line according to activity, such as Run, Trail, and Sport. They are further categorized by height – from knee high all the way down to micro - and by fabric weight (lightweight, original, and midweight). In other words, there are a lot of options, which should make it easy to find a variety you like.

My favorite of the new collection is a wool model from the trail line. Although it isn’t as comfortable as some other materials, I’ve gradually become a fan of wool socks during wet or cold-weather outings, mainly because of its ability to maintain insulation even when wet. Injinji’s wool socks are thicker than its other fabric blends, but they are quite effective at keeping your toes warm in shoes with highly breathable uppers. The only downside is that if your FiveFingers are a snug fit, you may need to size up for winter running.

I suppose the bottom line is that if you liked Injinjis in the past, you’ll like the Performance 2.0 line for sure – and if you (like me) weren’t wild about Injinjis in the past, it may be time to give them a second look. And following this post, a few readers will get the chance to try Injinjis for themselves. The company is offering three winners a running sampler pack including a road model, trail model, and wool Injinji sock. There’s no criteria to enter – it’s simply a luck of the draw thing of this one. Leave a comment below to enter, and I’ll announce the winner on Sunday night.

Thanks very much to Injinji for sponsoring this giveaway, and good luck to everybody!

*Products provided by Injinji

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Christmas Time's A-Coming

2012-12-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

“Christmas time’s a-coming – and I know I’m going home”

- - Patty Loveless, “Christmas Time’s A-Coming” (video after post)

Even though we don’t live in a winter climate, our little hometown of Carmel Valley takes Christmas time pretty seriously. For proof, you need look no further than this weekend’s annual festivities that never fail to draw virtually every man, woman, and child in town – partly due to the fact that almost everyone is involved in some capacity.

And since this is the weekend, we’ll use this as a starting point for an extended Random Shots of Beauty, which may also be rightly called Random Shots of Christmas, or even Random Shots of Life in a Small Town.

The fun gets underway with the approach of a helicopter to the Valley’s abandoned old airstrip …

… that carries special passengers from the North Pole.

It’s Santa Claus and Mrs Claus, escorted by a fireman. It’s worth noting that in Carmel Valley, firemen are right up there with Santa in terms of admiration from local kids – which is exactly as it should be.

The Advantages of Being a Girl Scout in Carmel Valley, Part 1: the local troop gets first dibs at greeting Santa after touchdown. It’s a great advantage to have …

… because as soon as they’re done, Santa gets the complete rock star treatment.

In case you doubted that Santa’s arrival is a big deal here: See that guy in the Hawaiian shirt? He’s a United States Congressman.

After the Fly-In, our one-street village hosts a Christmas parade that tells you as much about the town as it does about Christmas …

… beginning with another star turn by the local fire department in an old-school fire truck.

Advantages of Being a Girl Scout in Carmel Valley, Part 2: the local Brownies get another featured role in the big day.

Then again, the local dirt-bike kids also get their spot in the show …

… as do a lot of farm equipment, usually towing a load of kids.

In an old ranch community, you know you’ll see a lot of horses …

... and in our part of California, this is the only kind of snowman most of us will ever see. Also, did I mention the tractors?

Of course, the nicest tractor is reserved for the star of the show, fresh off his helicopter landing, along with some lucky kids who get to share the ride with him.

I don’t know whether it’s the impending joy of the holiday season, or the yearly reminder of what a special place this is to live – but our annual Christmas parade is one of the many things that makes Carmel Valley feel like home.

And continuing last weekend’s reference to our family’s favorite Christmas songs is this one from a Patty Loveless album that – seeing as how I never considered myself a huge bluegrass fan - took me completely by surprise when it gradually became one of my most-loved collections a few years ago.

“Christmas Time’s A-Coming” by Patty Loveless (click to play):

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Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon Review

2012-12-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

At the rate Vibram is going, it’s almost hard to remember a time when runners complained about the company’s lack of options. Like, you know … all the way back to three years ago.

Back then trail runners had to make do with Vibram’s flagship KSO model, which effectively became a “one style does all” model that was adopted by a wide variety of users for pretty much any purpose you can think of. But as the minimalist running movement exploded, Vibram remained at the forefront of innovation by cranking out one new model after another, and focusing more intently on the unique needs of various user groups.

Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon

As the product line increased, the differences between models from either a design or performance standpoint become more refined – and a perfect example of this is the FiveFingers Spyridon, which debuted this fall. It’s essentially an unlaced version of the company’s Spyridon LS, which was one of my favorite minimalist shoes last fall and winter.

Spyridon LS on left, new Spyridon on right

Instead of the quick laces that are employed on the LS version, the Spyridon uses what can rightfully be called a throwback by Vibram standards: a strap that warps behind the heel and attaches with a Velcro closure on top of the midfoot.

It’s interesting that Vibram even created an unlaced version of the Spyridon, considering that for most of its other running shoes – the Bikila, Trek, and SeeYa – the progression happened in the opposite direction: the unlaced version debuted first, and the laced version came later. (*Note: I'll be reviewing the SeeYa LS soon as well.) The Spyridons went in the opposite direction, which seems unusual in that the majority of Vibram users typically prefer laced FiveFingers models to unlaced.

Laced systems have become my preference as well, and in that regard the Spyridon doesn’t really compel me to ditch my LS version. In my testing, security of the upper through the midfoot isn’t quite as locked in with the Spyridon as it is with the LS. However, there are a couple other design elements that might position the Spyridon ahead of the Spyridon LS for some users.

Uppers of the new Spyridon are composed of a thin, lightweight stretch mesh that is noticeably cooler than the LS version. It also feels softer against bare skin than the laced version. Despite the lighter material, weight of the Spyridon is identical to the LS version at 6.8 oz; my guess is that the weight that is lost with the lighter upper material is gained with the addition of the strap.

Construction around the ankle collar is different as well, with the Spyridon echoing the low profile and thin material of the KSO, while the Spyridon LS has the more “traditional” (as much as you can say that about anything Vibram makes) thinly padded collar and higher Achilles contact that it first used with the Bikila running models. This is another area of individual preference; in my case, I happen to like the LS ankle collar better against bare skin.

Below the upper, the Spyridon is virtually a carbon copy of the LS – which is great news, because the lower half of the Spyridon LS is simply awesome. There’s a 3mm polyurethane insole to provide added comfort and a tiny amount of cushioning underfoot …

... and a super aggressive XS Trek rubber outsole that contacts the ground. This aggressive, multi-directional outsole was the second biggest innovation on last year’s Spyridon LS, and from a performance standpoint it’s hard to imagine how Vibram can improve upon it. Aside, perhaps, from the very eye-catching color on this pair, which makes it look like you just stepped on Kermit the Frog.

As for the biggest innovation on last year’s model, that would be this:

A heavy duty polyester mesh layer between the outsole and insole which functions as a flexible rock plate, providing additional puncture resistance and dispersing sharp impacts across a broader surface area. Having logged hundreds of combined miles on this plate (inclusive of Spyridon LS and the new model), I’m highly impressed with the level of protection it offers despite being so thin …

… and still allowing the complete freedom of movement you expect from Vibram running shoes. Of all the shoes I’ve tested, it’s the Spyridon (LS or normal) that offers the most ideal balance of ground feel and protection of the entire bunch.

So I guess my main takeaway from testing the Spyridon is that these models are both near the very top of the class in minimalist trail runners – but there may not be a strongly compelling reason to choose the new version over last year’s laced model. If you’re one who prefers the fit or feel of Vibram’s traditional upper and strap fastener over the laced versions, this is definitely the model for you. For everyone else, it’s kind of a coin flip.

Another determining factor may be cost, as the unlaced version retails for $110 compared to $120 for the LS – not a huge difference, but every dollar counts, right? And for a limited time, you can get Vibram’s Spyridon models at an even better price from TravelCountry.com, where the unlaced version is on sale for $88, and the LS version is on sale for $96.

*Product provided by Vibram

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Run For Power (In a Hamster Wheel!)

2012-12-05T23:24:00.002-08:00

Would you run in a hamster wheel to save the Earth? That was the question posed by Outside Magazine in response to a proposal by a Lebanese industrial engineer who presumably had a creative stroke of genius during one of the frequent power outages in his home town of Beirut.

His brainchild is essentially a modern treadmill that harvests energy – and if the technology is applied in large enough quantities, may pose a very viable alternative to traditional sources.

It got my friend Mike and I to thinking about whether or not runners and cyclists would embrace the idea enough to make it work – and it became the inspiration for the Monterey Herald column that follows below.

Running Life 11/29/12 “Run for Power”

Last week was Thanksgiving – and if you ask any runner what he or she is thankful for, the ability to run will be fairly high on the list.

So how can a grateful runner pay that blessing forward? There are several routes you can take. You can volunteer at a race. You can invite a friend to go running with you. You can help a running partner train to set a personal record.

Or if you’re more globally minded, you can help to save the world.

All photos from YankoDesign.com

At least, that’s the idea a Lebanese industrial designer named Nadim Inaty proposed this summer to a website called Yanko Design, an online magazine dedicated to introducing innovative concepts in all walks of life. Inaty’s design was complete with specs and schematics, and the discussion that followed further clarified precisely how runners and cyclists can produce green energy and decrease our collective reliance on fossil fuels.

Click photos to enlarge

Yes, it’s ambitious, but the whole notion is actually quite plausible. Here’s how the Yanko site describes it: “Green Wheel is an exercise machine that transforms kinetic energy produced by the human body into electricity. Multiple machines are connected to a central energy storage unit where electricity can then be supplemented to road lights and traffic lights.” Essentially, the machine is a large (3 meter diameter) hamster wheel that is powered by humans; it’s not the most flattering exercise invention ever created, but then again, neither is spandex.

Inaty imagines that units could be placed in public spaces – his prototype features grassy rest areas surrounding the wheel - and that users could donate their jogging time in exchange for a place to run. Have you ever run along the coastline and wished the view could last forever? Well, if a Green Wheel was parked along the rec trail somewhere, you’d enjoy the same scenic vista throughout your entire run.

At the very least, a unit would be a step up from the treadmill, which has been antagonizing runners ever since the days of George Jetson. If your health club installed a few Green Wheels alongside the regular treadmills, wouldn’t you rather pick the one that had some external benefit? Don’t worry, someone will figure out a way to show your favorite TV program inside the wheel by the time we get there.

Health clubs can make an even more tangible impact if similar technology is incorporated into exercise bikes. Imagine a spin class full of energetic 30-somethings pumping their legs up and down like crazy, generating small increments of electricity with each pedal stroke. If nothing else, the power they create will offset all the hot water they’ll use when showering afterwards.

For the concept to succeed, Green Wheels need to be used in large numbers, because the power output is somewhat low. By Inaty’s calculations, a single unit used for 30 minutes will produce roughly 120 watts – which is enough to light a compact fluorescent bulb for five hours, or to charge 12 mobile phones. Yes, it’s small in individual doses – but think about how many treadmills, elliptical trainers, and stationary bikes are in motion all day long in gyms and health clubs all over the country. If each of those machines contributed a small charge to the grid, the impact on city infrastructures could become significant.

Therefore, another necessary component is altruism, in that runners or cyclists will voluntarily contribute their efforts for the greater good – which is where the whole Thanksgiving thing comes back in. If you’ve been blessed with the ability to run, wouldn’t you appreciate a creative way to leverage that gift for a greater good? Or if you’re looking for a unique way to get in shape, would this kind of eco-friendly mission be enough to inspire you?

The Earth needs your help. Get out there and run!

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Merrell Big Sky Jacket Review

2012-12-03T23:52:00.000-08:00

Hey, guess what? It’s Vendemmia season! One of the sweetest events of the fall, and I feel kind of bad that it’s taken me this long to acknowledge it.

OK, I had to Google it; I had no idea what Vendemmia was. But that’s why I like doing research for these product reviews: because I never know what sort of interesting information I’m going to stumble across. I got to Vendemmia via Merrell’s Big Sky jacket, which of course I’ll tell you about shortly – but first, a bit about its inspiration.

Merrell Big Sky jacket

Vendemmia is the fall grape harvesting and crushing time in the historic wine regions of Italy. It’s hard to predict the exact dates, as the kickoff depends on the grapes reaching their peak ripeness, which can vary by vineyard throughout the country. Vendemmia is the time of year when wine-making families stop whatever else they're doing to focus all their attention on getting grapes off the vine and processed – it's a period that entails long days of labor and careful attention to detail. Nights are spent relaxing, and by late fall the first editions of new wines are available in restaurants and tasting rooms for the public to enjoy.

Merrell used the traditional Vendemmia as the inspiration for a line of fall apparel that combines Old World materials and styling with performance and comfort features. The Big Sky jacket comes from that collection, which the website says is made for “long days on the trail and longer nights with friends.”

Interior fleece on left, exterior wool on right

The exterior of the Big Sky is about as traditional as you can get, with an all-weather wool fabric blend that is brushed smooth and soft, with practically no itchiness that wool sometimes causes. However, the interior layers bring the jacket into the 21^st century, with super soft fleece interior lining, and Merrell’s Aeroblock fabric that provides high wind resistance and breathability.

There’s also a bit of nylon to provide stretchiness and full range of motion, resulting in an overall fabric blend of 62% polyester, 27% wool, and 11% nylon. Wind resistance of the jacket is 12 cubic feet per minute per square meter (or CFM – I had to look that one up too), which places it squarely in the 10-15 CFM range of most midweight softshell jackets. However, the Big Sky insulates better than soft shells, as the wool combination maintains body heat much more effectively than many synthetic materials.

Even more than the material performance, I’m most impressed with the styling of the Big Sky. It’s got a classic Old World look, and truly would be equally at home on the trail or a fancy Italian restaurant. And since the jacket is so cozy and comfortable, you can wear it for hours on end with no problem. I wear it to church on Sundays, and keep it on for lounging around the house the rest of the afternoon.

Sometimes there’s a lot to be said for the old ways, whether it’s the longstanding art of winemaking or the stylish utility of well-designed apparel. Merrell’s Big Sky is an ideal casual option for cool autumn days and nights – whether you’re enjoying Vendemmia in Italy or fall festivities closer to home. It is available in four colors and retails for $139 from the Merrell website.

*Product provided by Merrell.

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Random Shots of Beauty; Last Month of the Year

2012-12-02T17:03:00.001-08:00

With only a few weekends left to post Random Shots of Beauty, I figured it was time to go back into the photo folders and find some of the pics I decided to put away for a rainy day. And since it’s been raining for almost five straight days around Monterey County, this seemed like a perfect time to open up the rainy day file.

We’ll start with this one from a remote area of Carmel Valley:

A somewhat nondescript oak tree that my son and I encountered on a summertime bike ride; it’s not remarkably different than any other of the thousands of oak trees around here. It was only upon closer inspection that my son said, “Hey – what do you see on that tree trunk?”

To our eyes, it kind of looked like the tree was looking back at us. It was very Wizard of Oz-ish.

Continuing on the “slightly surreal” theme is this shot from my 11-year-old daughter’s favorite trail running area in Point Lobos State Reserve:

It’s not very often that you encounter a whale skeleton on your evening run. At least not that I'm aware of.

One final note from the weekend: my wife and I had the privilege of seeing the Blind Boys of Alabama in concert on Friday night – and if there’s any better way to kick off the Christmas season, I’d be amazed. They played a set of their gospel classics, plus some gems from their wonderful holiday record, including this tune that may be our family’s unanimous selection for favorite holiday song of all time.

Blind Boys of Alabama, “Last Month of the Year” (click to play):

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Rambling On

2012-11-29T20:37:00.001-08:00

“Leaves are falling all around, it's time I was on my way –

Thanks to you I'm much obliged, for such a pleasant stay … “

- - Led Zeppelin, “Ramble On” (video after post)

At Thanksgiving I posted an old Bloom County comic strip that referenced the notion of permanence – which, ironically, was published in the summer of 1989, just a handful of weeks before author Berke Breathed officially brought that chapter of his career to a close. I remember feeling quite melancholy about the departure of Bloom County from the daily comics*, even though I recognized that the strip had morphed and changed and played out so many crazy story lines that it must have been practically impossible to keep things fresh and exciting anymore.

(*Coincidentally, in the summer of 1989 I had a lot of things going for me: I had finished my freshman year at the college I had dreamed of attending since I was a little kid, spent one of the most exhilarating seasons I could remember as part of the UCLA rowing team, and wasted more days than I can remember bumming around the beaches of southern California. And although I didn’t realize it at the time, I had met the girl who would eventually become my wife. Yet I was still legitimately sad about this nutty comic strip coming to an end – which should tell you all you need to know about my maturity level in the late 1980s.)

I couldn’t even honestly say that Bloom County was my favorite strip anymore; at the time, both Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side were at the top of their games, proving themselves far more endearing and universally funny - and in hindsight, they would hold up much better over the ensuing two decades. Yet there was something special about Bloom County for me. Perhaps it was the lovably quirky characters, or the absurdly fantastic adventures they set out on, or the often embarrassingly candid expressions of introspection and insecurity they displayed – whatever it was, I simply identified with this cartoon more than all the others.

Click to enlarge

The final story line of the strip described how the characters eventually found work at other comic strips; among my favorites was African-American computer wiz Oliver Wendell Jones being bused in to join the cast of Family Circus. Ultimately Opus, the character who had become the heart and soul of the strip, walked off into the sunset with the promise of more crazy experiences awaiting him at some nondescript destination - later revealed to be Outland, a Sunday-only spinoff that was relatively short-lived and never remotely established the same emotional connection as the original.

Click to enlarge

The reason I’m telling you all this is because it wasn’t a coincidence that I ran that strip here last week. It’s time to bring a chapter of my own life to a close … and we’re entering the final weeks of Running and Rambling.

It’s a decision that’s been percolating in my head for the better part of a year, and finally reached critical mass over the past couple of months. This website has always been a labor of love, but the “labor” side of that equation has been overwhelming the “love” side with increasing frequency, and I’ve long since reached the point of diminishing returns in regards to how much time I want to invest on this pet hobby of mine.

Lest anyone be concerned, rest assured that everything is fine with me. Longtime readers will recall that I tried to quit once before, a decision that was precipitated by a family crisis, under circumstances that seemed abrupt and beyond my control. (And no, I’m not linking to those posts – it’s not exactly a period of time I’m eager to revisit.) This time around, things couldn’t be more different: I’ve had a ton of time to mull it over, and it’s a decision that I’m making completely on my own, without any external drivers influencing me one way or the other.

"Goodbye, me" - click to enlarge

In fact, it’s precisely because I find myself so richly blessed that the day to day machinations of maintaining a website seem extremely inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Life is morphing and changing and inserting me into a hundred crazy story lines, and I want to give all of them my full attention without worrying about how much time I need to be spending on my laptop in order to get the next post published. Or, to paraphrase the immortal philosopher Ferris Bueller: life is moving pretty fast, and if I don’t stop and look around, I’m afraid I might miss it.

However, none of this implies that you’ve seen the last of me. Like the Bloom County characters of 1989, many aspects of this blog will carry on elsewhere. I’ll continue to be a gear guru, with minimalist footwear reviews posted on Gear Institute, and all other manner of products reviewed on Feed the Habit (I’ve contributed to each of these sites for a number of years now). Team Soft Star will continue to race at ultras - although which ones and when, I have no idea yet – with race reports published on Soft Star’s Live Bare blog. And if things go according to plan, you'll occasionally see my name pop up on freelance writing gigs for various outdoor or health-related magazines. None of these will have quite the same emotional connection for me as my original website, but they're exactly the type of outlets I need right now.

Same idiot, different websites

I’m tentatively planning to publish my final post on December 31 – that seems like a fitting date to bring things to a close – so think of the next four weeks around here as one final adventure. I honestly have no idea how things will play out; maybe I’ll run some favorite posts, maybe I’ll try some crazy things I've never gotten around to, or maybe I’ll just continue business as usual and then play "Freebird" on my way out of the building. All I know for now is that I have a few product reviews to post and at least one more contest giveaway to offer, which you’ll see for yourself next week.

In the meantime, I’m overwhelmingly obliged to everyone who helped make Running and Rambling a success; it’s been such a pleasant stay that I know a part of me will always be legitimately sad about its departure. Hopefully I’ll be able to convey the extent of that gratitude at some point … but for now, it’s time for me to go – and as fate would have it, tonight there’s a full moon to guide me.

“Now it’s time for me to go, the autumn moon lights my way … ”

- Led Zeppelin, “Ramble On” (click to play):

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Soft Star Youth Dash Shoe Review

2012-11-26T23:39:00.001-08:00

Here’s how you know you’ve got a versatile shoe: when you can wear it for a 100-mile trail run through the mountains in the summer, and your daughter can wear it as an everyday school shoe in the fall.

Thanks to Soft Star Shoes, that scenario isn’t much of an exaggeration. By now my exploits running Leadville in my RunAmoc Dashes are well documented, but the other development in the Dash story was the release of a youth version this fall. It’s essentially the same model as the grown up model, with a few kid-friendly design tweaks. My 9-year-old daughter has been putting them through the paces at school and at play, and they’ve quickly become one of her favorites.

Soft Star youth Dash

For the most part, the design and construction of the youth model are similar to the adult Dash smooth, with a solid leather upper and wide toe box in front to let the toes splay. Both fasten the midfoot very securely in place …

… but the youth version uses a Velcro attachment rather than the traditional laces found on the adult Dash.

The youth version also features an elastic band around the ankle collar to keep the heel in place. When I first wear tested the adult Dashes, my primary complaint was that the heel seemed to slip out of the collar fairly often*; this band prevents that same issue from happening to little heels.

(*Soft Star made some modifications and eventually came up with a shape that hugs my foot better – it’s not perfect, but obviously good enough to get me through all my ultras.)

Also around the heel area you’ll see an extra layer of leather padding to improve comfort. The back side of the heels have reflective accents to help keep little feet visible in low light.

My daughter wears her Dashes almost exclusively without socks and hasn’t had any complaints of hot spots or discomfort. A thin boar skin insole serves a dual purpose of providing enough grip to keep the foot from sliding around, and feeling soft against the skin for added comfort.

Just as with the adult versions, youth Dashes are available with a 2mm street outsole or the more knobby 5mm trail outsole. For an added cost you can order the leather outsole that’s an option on some Soft Star models (and popular with fans of grounding). The outsole material above is exactly the same as the one I use for my ultras, so I don’t have any concerns about its durability. We decided to go with the thicker 5mm option because it’s more comfortable for extended use, and traction is significantly better on a variety of surfaces that most kids encounter.

Of course, the thicker outsole doesn’t make the shoe any less flexible, as the entire thing can be rolled up or contoured just like any of Soft Star’s footwear. They allow young feet to move and stretch as though they were barefoot, with the added benefits of modest protection and a fashionable flair.

Youth Dash shoes come in two standard color options: the chocolate and nutmeg combo that my daughter chose, or a more feminine purple and shiny violet option. (My daughter’s never been much for gender conformity.) As with all other Soft Star models, you can design your own color schemes for an additional cost.

Although they are technically moccasins, the youth Dashes are built to handle activity just like the grownup versions. My daughter wears them for P.E. class, all over the playground, and for pretty much any outdoor activity she encounters after the school bell rings.

Soft Star’s youth Dash shoes retail for $78 from the company website.

*Product provided by Soft Star Shoes

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Cyber Monday Shopping Roundup; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-11-24T21:39:00.000-08:00

I’ve been blitzed with Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions over the past week – and since it’s been a while since I’ve done any serious affiliate promotion, I figured I’d pass some of them along here. Before we get to them, however, let’s roll through our customary Random Shots of Beauty, with a double-size edition in honor of the double-sized weekend.

The first is from a Wednesday afternoon run with my daughter, on one of the rare occasions I’ve had to run in daylight recently:

A grove of massive eucalyptus trees near a historic homestead site in Garland Ranch Regional Park in Carmel Valley. The other is a bit further away …

… and up into the Santa Cruz Mountains, the site of our family’s annual Christmas tree hunt on the day after Thanksgiving, when most of the rest of America is out shopping. We do this every single year, and not one time have I ever wished I was in a shopping mall instead.

However, on the subject of shopping, let’s get to the offers. Rather than go into much detail on any of these, just understand that I’ve used all of the products and/or vendors in question, and I have no hesitation in recommending them to you as well. Click any of the banners to jump to the sales.

First up is REI, your best one-stop shop for pretty much everything outdoor related. They’re offering all winter gear at a 30% discount through November 26^th.

Next is Massey’s Outfitters, who sell the complete Patagonia catalog as well as an extensive collection of Vibram FiveFingers. They’ve got a ton of their products discounted (including all Marmot gear), and are offering a $20 gift card with a $100 purchase.

The next banner ad is from GoLite, who offer pretty killer savings all year long, and this week is no exception. Their holiday promotion is a free beanie with any purchase.

One more banner – not necessarily because it’s huge savings, but because it’s one of my favorite companies. Patagonia is offering free shipping on all orders through December 9^th.

Finally, a couple sales that I don’t have banner ads for: VIVOBAREFOOT has a sweet coupon code for 40% off your order through November 28– just enter VIVOBF at checkout. SKORA has a “first-come, best-served” type of coupon code where you can save 25, 50, or possibly even 100% of your purchase price – click here for details.

Does that give you enough to shop for? One other note is that Amazon.com will have some great Cyber Monday deals as well – so if you’re looking for something that isn’t on this list, chances are you’ll find it there.

Regular programming will resume later in the week – until then, happy shopping!

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A Charlie Brown (And Milo and Binkley) Thanksgiving

2012-11-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

It’s tradition around Running and Rambling HQ that when the holidays roll around, we break out the Charlie Brown videos – and more often than not, I embed a clip from one of the holiday specials here.

So it is again this year, in a brilliant 5-minute clip that features classic Vince Guaraldi music, heartfelt gratitude in recognition of the holiday, some of the finest Snoopy moments on film … and Thanksgiving around a ping pong table.

“Thanksgiving Around a Ping-Pong Table” (click to play):

And while we’re on the subject of animation that has greater significance, there’s an old Bloom County strip that’s been on my mind a lot lately. You’ll have to click to enlarge:

More to follow on this shortly. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Don’t eat too much popcorn and jellybeans.

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VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy Review

2012-11-20T00:33:00.001-08:00

It’s worth noting that when I first started reviewing VIVOBAREFOOT footwear more than three years ago, they were at that time exclusively a dress shoe company. They hadn’t yet entered the running business, but there was an inherent symbiosis between their “barefoot” shoes and the natural biomechanics of a bygone era of running, before modern corporations turned the entire shoe industry into a destructive vortex of technologies that none of us needed.

VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy

All of which is my long-winded way of saying that running shoes used to be much simpler. However, today’s product review doesn’t feature a running shoe, but the VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy, designed as a throwback to those simpler days of running – or as the website describes it, “a luxury barefoot shoe that pays homage to the classic Roger Bannister era.”

And before we proceed further, allow me to re-state what longtime readers already know: I’m a complete Roger Bannister freak. (Scroll around the lower right sidebar to see what I mean.) So when you put together the words “Bannister” and “barefoot”, you pretty much have me at hello. Admittedly then, I may not be the most objective person to provide this review – but truthfully, the Legacy is probably one of the most versatile and stylish shoes I own.

Let’s start with the styling: true to its claim, the Legacy looks like it came straight out of Oxford University in the 1950s. The entire upper is made with what VIVOBAREFOOT calls luxury leather. The continuation of the lacing ridge lines down through the toe box give the shoe a look that’s equally suitable for office or casual wear.

The toebox is nice and wide, allowing your toes to splay naturally. This design element seems almost needless to say for natural shoe reviews nowadays because pretty much everybody does it - but it bears mentioning that VIVOBAREFOOT was way ahead of the curve in pioneering this kind of last in office-appropriate footwear.

Unlike most other VIVOBAREFOOT shoes, there’s a bit of a breaking in period for the Legacy, as the luxury leather is slightly stiff right out of the box. It becomes softer and more malleable after a few outings, and eventually becomes like a second layer of skin around your midfoot (but not so much in the heel – more on that in a second).

Midfoot fit can be fine-tuned by the traditional lacing system and waxed cotton laces that hold their tension quite well during long periods of wear. Each shoe weighs 8.5 oz, (241g) which is slightly heavier than other office options (such as Merrell’s Tough Glove), but is light enough to not be burdensome even after a full day on your feet.

Around the heel area, the leather is approximately twice as thick as in the rest of the upper; I suspect this is to give a bit of structure to the heel collar, but it makes the rearfoot area noticeably stiffer than the rest of the shoe. I feel the difference when walking up stairs or up steep inclines, but it’s not enough to cause any discomfort.

Standing height of the Legacy is either 5mm or 8mm, depending on whether or not you include the removable 3mm EVA insole. Whichever way you choose, ground feel is outstanding with this shoe, as the soft, flexible rubber outsole provides heightened proprioception on a variety of surfaces.

Another nod to Bannister is the aforementioned outsole, which is taken from VIVOBAREFOOT’s luxury Evo running shoe. It’s composed of high abrasion, puncture-resistant rubber with shallow hexagonal knobbing. From my experience with other VIVOBAREFOOT models, I’d say this outsole is quite strong from a dry traction standpoint (especially on dirt or irregular surfaces), but lacks a bit in wet conditions compared to the all-weather outsole found on VIVO’s Lesotho shoe and other models.

Functionally speaking, the Legacy’s outsole mirrors its upper in terms of being versatile for a range of situations and conditions. Ultimately that’s the strength of the Legacy on the whole: it’s a very well-built, good-looking shoe that you can use pretty much every day of the week, or from transitioning easily from work to a night on the town.

The VIVOBAREFOOT Legacy is available in two colors, and retails for $140 from the company website.

*Product provided by VIVOBAREFOOT. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

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Random Shots of Fall Beauty

2012-11-18T22:35:00.002-08:00

Traditional fall colors are somewhat difficult to find in Monterey County, but if you do enough running around, eventually some of them will cross your path. Accordingly, this weekend’s post features some color-themed Random Shots of Beauty.

The first is from Salinas; I have no idea what kind of tree this is (any arborists out there who want to educate me, feel free) – all I know is that it is extremely red.

In my home town of Carmel Valley, many of the colors aren’t from trees …

… but from vineyards. Unlike the red tree earlier, these particular plants are very well known to me; I drive past them every day on my way to and from work, and mark the seasons by their changing shapes and colors. I also indulge in their ultimate product (in this case, from one of the best wineries in the world) or similar Monterey County offerings quite a bit during the holiday season – which happens to start this week.

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GoLite Vista Ridge Shirt Review: GoLite Vermilion Thermal Jacket Review

2012-11-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

I’ve mentioned a few times lately how our coastal California autumn frequently blesses us with 75-degree days when the rest of the country is in the midst of ice storms or cold spells or the unfairly harsh weather that has decimated the East Coast. It’s really a wonderful thing … unless you happen to have some cold weather gear that you’re supposed to be testing.

Fortunately, our warm days are preceded by fairly cold (by California standards, anyway) mornings – and since I’m primarily a pre-dawn runner, I’ve been able to put some cold weather apparel through the paces over the past few weeks. Today’s post features two tops that I’ve worn in temps from mid-30s to mid-40s, and in a few weeks I’ll review some pants that I’ll be using as our mornings drop closer to (and perhaps even below) freezing.

All of said products are from GoLite, who as you may recall completely revamped their business model this year, giving up traditional marketing strategies and distribution channels in favor of offering products directly to consumers at steeply discounted prices on their website. What they save in advertising costs and retail fees they pass along to you, and I can’t think of an outdoor gear company who offers a better value proposition across the board than GoLite.

Case in point are today’s products – the Vista Ridge long sleeve top and Vermilion Thermal full-zip jacket. Both are great for cool autumn trail running, and both are super-affordable from the GoLite website.

The Vista Ridge Top is designed as a crossover for trail running or hiking, with simple styling and a relaxed fit through the torso that is comfortable under a shell or as a stand-alone layer. It’s made of 100% recycled polyester, and is fairly lightweight at 6.0 oz (160g).

GoLite Vista Ridge running shirt

In my testing I had two minor gripes; the main one was some mild itching from the fairly large tag on the interior torso seam. The rest of the garment has flatlock stitching for minimal irritation, so I wish GoLite had made this a completely tagless shirt so I wouldn’t have to cut the interior tags.

The offensive tags and giant logo

My other issue is a subjective one, and also an avoidable one if you’re purchasing for yourself. I’m not a fan of huge logos across the chest, which is something GoLite does with select styles and colors. The Vista Ridge shirt is available in four colors, and only one – the one I received for testing, of course – has the large logo. The other colors have much more subtle logos, which is more my style.

From a moisture wicking and temperature regulation standpoint, the Vista Ridge performed as well as most high-end offerings in this category – but for the price, you can probably buy two or three of these for the cost of one competitor’s shirt. It retails for $25 from the GoLite website.

My first go-to item from the various products I’m testing this fall is GoLite’s Vermillion jacket, which I have a hard time determining whether to use as a running jacket or casual "lounging around the house" comfortwear. It’s a midweight layer at 13 oz (360g), and the brushed fleece interior is extremely soft against the skin. (And no itchy tags to bother me, either.)

GoLite Vermilion Thermal jacket

Like the Vista Ridge shirt, the Vermilion jacket is made extensively with post-consumer materials – in this case, 78% recycled polyester fabric. The remaining 22% features Cocona Minerale, a fabric derived from coconut fibers that has outstanding natural moisture wicking and odor-resistant properties.

I tested the odor-resistance during a 6-day stretch where I ran in the jacket every day without washing it in between. With most moisture-wicking apparel, I’d be holding my nose by the third or fourth day – but with the Vermilion jacket, it smelled pretty much the same after the sixth run as it did before the first.

Thermal regulation is pretty strong with the Vermilion as well – with a short sleeve tech shirt and this jacket, I’m good to go for temps approaching freezing. It’s a jacket you can use for a late-afternoon trail run, and keep it on to run errands after the sun has gone down. And like the shirt, it’s very competitively priced compared to other jackets, thanks to a GoLite price strategy that allows them to sell it at 60% below retail.

GoLite’s Vermilion Thermal jacket is available in three color schemes, and retails for $48 from the GoLite website.

*Products provided by GoLite. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

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Merrell Bare Access 2 (and Arc 2) Shoe Review

2012-11-13T21:27:00.001-08:00

Perhaps more than any other company, Merrell is an ideal example of how an established shoe manufacturer can evolve in response to changing times.

They were the first major company to embrace the barefoot running movement, and produced an entire line of minimalist products as good as anything else on the market. However, they also realized that not everyone is ready or willing to go completely minimal, so they created a separate line that incorporates all the biomechanical advantages of minimalist shoes, but with just enough structure and cushioning to welcome transitional or “moderate” minimalists.

Merrell Bare Access 2 (men's, left) and Bare Access Arc 2 (women's, right)

That line is the M-Connect series, which is being progressively introduced over this fall and next spring. And since I happen to live with a moderate minimalist, I’m curious to see how the M-Connect line appeals to each of us. We received our first test pairs, the Bare Access 2 (men’s) and Bare Access Arc 2 (women’s)*, just prior to our trip to Zion this fall, so we had some great opportunities for testing.

At the top of Angels Landing in Zion

(*To simplify things for the purpose of this review, I’m going to refer to them both as simply Bare Access men’s or women’s – but female readers take note that your version has a slightly different name.)

As the name implies, the Bare Access 2 are updated versions of a model first released in 2011. They have traditional running shoe styling, and weigh in at a very light 7.0 oz for the men’s shoe and 5.5 for the women’s.

Much of the lightweight construction is thanks to the thin mesh uppers, which are reinforced by long stability overlays incorporated into the lacing to secure the midfoot in place …

... but are airy enough to provide outstanding cooling and/or drying as necessary.

Both men’s and women’s models are built on the same last as Merrell’s popular Barefoot line, although the fit of the Bare Access feels noticeably wider through the midfoot and arch area. I’ve never had a problem with the Barefoot series lasts, but if those models proved too narrow for you, the Bare Access will be an improvement.

The toe boxes are plenty wide on the Bare Access 2, allowing your feet to splay naturally …

… and the entire shoe is flexible enough to let your entire foot move in any manner it wants as well.

Like most of Merrell’s Barefoot line, the heel collar of the Bare Access is thin and soft, and interior of the shoe is designed for sockless use. The microfiber footbed (along with the lacing system) prevents slipping on hills, and the entire interior fees very comfortable against bare skin.

Stack height for the shoes is 13.5mm for the men’s version and 12.5mm for the women’s. 8mm of that is from EVA midsole cushioning with zero drop from heel to toe, and the rest is from the insole and outsole.

Merrell once again uses high-durability Vibram rubber for its Bare Access outsole; the pattern is sort of similar to the Road Glove shoe, and like that shoe, the Bare Access outsole is ideally suited for hybrid road and trail use. I’ve done an equal amount of each in my pair, and I feel confident using the Bare Access on everything but highly technical trails.

As a transitional – or moderate, as I’ve described it – shoe, the Bare Access is an outstanding option; there’s enough cushioning and protection to keep you comfortable, but all the construction aspects you need to allow for natural running. From a minimalist standpoint, the midsole is higher and ground feel is lower than what I prefer, but the Bare Access would be great for long distance road (or light trail) running to give you a margin of error when your legs get fatigued and your form may start to fall apart.

Merrell’s Bare Access 2 (men’s) and Bare Access Arc 2 (women’s) shoes retail for $90 from the Merrell website. They are also available from Amazon.com at the links below, where some sizes and colors are discounted:

Merrell Men's Bare Access 2

Merrell Women's Bare Access Arc 2

*Products provided by Merrell. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.

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Barefoot Movie Giveaway Winner; Random Shots of Beauty (Extended Audience Participation Edition!)

2012-11-11T17:20:00.001-08:00

Our main order of business is to give a barefoot video away – but first we’ll get through some end-of-weekend randomness.

For our Random Shot of Beauty, I could have very easily gone with a glimpse of another 80-degree November weekend that we enjoyed today … but doing that for two weeks in a row kind of seems like rubbing it in. Instead, I’ll reach back a few weeks to our family’s road trip to Zion National Park. Since I couldn’t pick just one to choose from, you’re getting an extended edition of RSOB – starting with this one:

(click to enlarge any of these)

A stately Joshua tree, as seen in the Mojave desert of southern California. Would you believe me if I said I used to live right down the road from here? Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself.

Driving through the desert, it often seems like you’re in the middle of nowhere – but that’s not entirely true. In fact, sometimes if you wonder where you are, you only need to look down at the road you’re on:

And you’ll find that you’re right here, of course.

This next one is more of a Random Shot of Randomness … and it’s also a chance for some audience participation. Approximately 20 miles outside of Zion National Park is an odd structure that will catch your eye:

It looks somewhat strange - and if you pull up closer, the scene becomes even more bizarre:

Basically what you’ve got here is an old telephone pole leaning into a dead tree stump … and the entire structure is covered top to bottom with discarded shoes. Running shoes, work shoes, women’s boots, dress shoes, kids shoes – pretty much every kind of footwear you can think of is represented.

I wish I could tell you more about it, but I honestly have no idea what the explanation is here. But it HAS to have a cool story behind it, wouldn’t you think?

So let’s see if I can harness the power of the Internet for something tangible: if any readers happen to know the story of this community shoe mural, I’d love to hear it, and I might even publish it to share with everyone else. The challenge has been issued! Somebody impress me, please – and who knows, maybe there’s a little something in it for you if you do.

[*UPDATED: Wow, that was fast! This post was up for less than 2 hours before someone sent an answer - see the comments section for details.]

OK then – it’s time to announce the winner of the Barefoot Running Movie giveaway contest. Louisiana Leah, e-mail me your contact info – you’ve won! Thanks very much to everybody else who entered!

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B2R Road Performance Running Shoe Review

2012-11-08T21:15:00.001-08:00

Many runners identify Christopher McDougall as the man who triggered the minimalist revolution … but if you trace the phenomenon back one barefoot step further, you see that’s not entirely the case.

To be sure, McDougall was the guy who wrote about it. But the guy who actually taught and inspired McDougall was another character from the Born to Run book – and it’s not the famous ones like Scott Jurek, Barefoot Ted, or any of the Tarahumaras. Rather, it was Eric Orton, a man McDougall affectionately calls the Naked Coach.

It was Orton who taught McDougall how to run naturally, and who enlightened him about the evils of modern running shoes. It was also Orton who persuaded McDougall that he could become an endurance athlete, and who ultimately encouraged him to try a 50-miler and discover the world of ultrarunning.

B2R Road Performance shoes

And now it’s Orton who is becoming a key player in the natural footwear movement, with the debut of B2R running shoes. Obviously the company is keen to capitalize on the connection to McDougall’s landmark book, but B2R is much more than a “me too” participant in the game. They are distinguishing themselves by integrating biomechanically sound footwear with Orton’s extensive coaching background to create an overall fitness program based on the foundation of natural movement.

More on the coaching aspect shortly – but most of this review will focus on the shoes. They aren’t exactly minimal, but they work exceedingly well in allowing the foot to function naturally. There’s one sort-of gimmicky element – the split toe, as I’ll discuss shortly – but otherwise pretty much all the specs are what you’d look for in a shoe that does exactly what a running shoe is supposed to do, and doesn’t do anything it’s not supposed to.

From the right angle, B2R Road Performance shoes are somewhat indistinguishable from traditional trainers, with fairly traditional styling top to bottom. However, they are made with very lightweight materials, resulting in a finished product that is a mere 6.9 oz per shoe.

The uppers are a combination of breathable mesh and synthetic overlays for stability. The mesh is virtually identical to the material New Balance used for its premiere Minimus Trail shoe, which I compared at the time to the comfort of a soft slipper.

B2R shoes have a similar barefoot-friendly comfort throughout the upper and insole, and I typically wear mine sockless.

Stack height is anywhere from 10mm to 13mm, with zero drop from heel to toe in either case. There’s a removable 3.5mm footbed (I removed mine) outsole on top of a 6mm midsole and 3mm of outsole rubber.

About that outsole … as the name implies, the Road Performance model is pretty much geared toward street running, but traction is decent enough to use on mellow trails. B2R has a Trail Performance model scheduled for release this fall, with a more aggressive outsole for frequent off-road use.

Now for the split-toe thing: B2R shoes separate the big toe from the rest of the foot, allowing it to articulate, which supposedly provides improved balance and increased power transition. I’m not sure I appreciate the significance here; I think most any shoe with a thin midsole and flexible platform would provide the same benefit.

On the plus side, split toes also create something of a gloved fit at the front of the foot, and effectively secures the foot without unnecessarily confining it. Of course, the other consequence is that you need special socks; B2R provides two pairs of crab-claw-looking socks with each purchase, but I was happy to use regular toe socks on the few occasions I wasn’t completely sockless.

So that’s the shoe component of today’s review … but to Eric Orton and B2R, “ultimate running” (as it’s described on the website) is about more than simply shoes – it’s also a combination of adequate training, correct technique, and proper nutrition. Accordingly, the B2R system addresses all of these elements through accessory products, in-depth instruction, and even personalized coaching for its customers.

The entire workout system is designed by Orton, and revolves around strength training as the critical factor in developing full-body conditioning, from the feet up into the legs and core and even the upper extremities. Executed properly, the result is better running economy, which decreases injury and improves performance.

B2R’s training package includes support poles, a slant board, and an instructional video with exercises and workouts that develop foundational core and upper body strength. The workouts progress from levels 1 to 3, using most of the same equipment along with stability disks for higher-level balance challenges.

The workouts look easy, but they’re actually fairly challenging … and I honestly didn’t do them more than a couple of times. That’s not to say anything bad about them – it’s just that I barely have enough time to run nowadays, let alone carve out additional time for supplemental workouts. The combination of shoes and workouts may be a compelling combination for runners with more time to devote to it, especially those who are transitioning away from traditional running shoes – which nowadays seems to be just about everybody, thanks in no small part to Eric Orton, who you can see in action in the video clip that follows.

B2R’s Road Performance shoes retail for $100, and the Level 1 training kit retails for $80, both from the B2R website.

“B2R Wear Testing with Eric Orton” (along with a cool tune by Clutch – click to play):

*Products provided by B2R.

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Barefoot Running - The Movie: Review and Giveaway Contest

2012-11-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

As far as I can tell, there probably aren’t any barefoot runners enjoying themselves quite as much as Michael Sandler has been lately.

You may recall that Sandler is the author of Barefoot Running: How to Run Light and Free by Getting in Touch with the Earth - see my book review here - and is also a huge proponent of grounding theory, which enables us to fully connect and be at one with the Earth beneath our feet. You may also recall that I don’t fully subscribe to his entire doctrine, but in all my communication with Sandler (we’ve e-mailed and phoned several times), I haven’t encountered anyone more passionate about the multiple and literally life-altering benefits of being barefoot.

Much of his belief comes from personal experience – more on that soon. For today’s purposes, I’m happy to help promote Sandler’s latest project: Barefoot Running - The Movie, filmed completely on location in Hawaii. He and his wife (and fellow barefoot advocate) Jessica Lee spent the majority of the year filming and producing the documentary, and his most recent e-mail to me read, “We're on the road in Colorado right now, but looking forward to getting back to warmer Hawaii shortly. We'll be holding winter clinics there so others can enjoy the scenery with us. Perhaps you'd like to come on out?” It's hard to think of a place in the world that's better for a guy to enjoy being barefoot.

Unfortunately, I don’t have Hawaii in my future this winter, but I certainly had an eyeful of it in Barefoot Running - The Movie, which is essentially a visual companion to his excellent book. Much of the same material is covered, but in video format it is significantly more compelling. You get a better understanding of the exercises and form drills prescribed, a keener sense of the entire running sequence compared to seeing still photos – and most of all, you get a huge dose of mojo from the stunning scenery, which practically pulls you into the screen to invite you along.

One other noteworthy point is that Sandler’s back story is much better appreciated in video format. I knew that his discovery of barefoot running was born from the wreckage of a traumatic accident, but reading this on a page doesn’t have nearly the impact of actually seeing Sandler’s mangled body and watching him repeatedly struggle to pull himself upright from a hospital bed. Whether or not you believe everything Sandler says about the health benefits of being barefoot, you’ll never doubt his sincerity about the healing power it’s had on his own life. And however much fun Sandler is having nowadays, it’s entirely well-deserved.

Barefoot Running - The Movie is now available for purchase from Sandler’s RunBare website, and would make a great early holiday gift for the minimalist runner on your list. Sandler also gave me an additional copy of the movie to give away to one reader, so we’ll go ahead and make this the jumping off point for our contest. Leave a comment in the box below to enter, and I’ll announce the winner this weekend. In the meantime, check out the following trailer for a sampling of what’s up for grabs.

“Barefoot Running – The Movie” by RunBare (click to play):

Special thanks to Michael Sandler for providing this contest opportunity, and good luck to everybody!

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CLIF Contest Winners; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-11-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I committed to announcing the winners of two CLIF Bar contests on Nov 3^rd … and I’m making it with a little under three hours to spare. In ultrarunning terms, that’s a huge cushion below the cutoff time, so I’m choosing to think of this as an accomplishment.

But before we get to that, let’s knock out a Random Shot of Beauty:

The Lone Cypress in Pebble Beach, as seen during a family geocache outing on an 80-degree November day. California, baby … California.

And now for our winners. The first contest was in conjunction with CLIF’s Meet the Moment promotion, where my kids and I got to choose our favorite entry to receive a CLIF sampler pack. (Just as an FYI, I have no idea what’s in it – but it’s probably cool.) Here’s the one we picked:

Submitted by GregoryBoytos, who is our contest winner. Congrats!

The second contest is offering up a sample pack of CLIF’s brand new Chocolate Cherry BLOKs. This was a straightforward “whoever random.org’s number generator smiles upon” contest, and the winners are Stephan Uzzell, Sarah, and Owen Yeates.

Thanks very much to everybody who entered, and if you’re one of the winners, e-mail me your contact info so I can pass it along to my CLIF reps. Also, be on the lookout for another (non-CLIF related) contest later this week!

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CLIF Chocolate Cherry BLOK Contest; CLIF Holiday Bar Winners; Random Shots of Beauty

2012-10-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

“Three is a magic number, yes it is ... “

- - From Schoolhouse Rock

This is the third straight weekend that I’m offering up a new CLIF Bar contest, and I’m also announcing three winners of last week’s CLIF holiday bar contest – so we'll ahead and have some fun with the theme of three on this one. But first, let’s get to this weekend’s Random Shot of Beauty:

As seen in Carmel Valley, three days before Halloween. Incidentally, if it weren’t for decorations like this, it would be hard to tell that it’s fall around here lately with the 80-degree weekend we just enjoyed. Have I mentioned that I love living in California?

Now it's time to announce the three winners of last week’s CLIF Bar holiday flavor giveaway contest. Grimzeak, Southern Tim, and MittenKim: e-mail me your contact info – you’ve won! Thanks to everyone who entered, and remember to get your holiday flavors while they last, so you don’t have to wait until 2013.

(P.S. Remember how many holiday flavors there are? Three, of course!)

So it’s time for the new contest, which features a brand new CLIF product.

Shortly before our family trip to Zion, we received a sampler box that contained three (yes, really) packs of CLIF’s brand new Chocolate Cherry flavor BLOKS. In the midst of our three days of hiking, each of my three kids got to sample the new flavor – and the reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

CLIF offers this same flavor in their SHOT gel, but it’s somewhat unique among energy chews, which generally seems dominated by strictly fruit flavors. Evidently it’s hard to mimic the taste of chocolate in this category of energy food, but CLIF does a pretty good job of it with the Chocolate Cherry BLOKS.

The chocolate flavor is subtle but unmistakable; I thought of it like someone had poured chocolate syrup on CLIF’s black cherry BLOK flavor. However, my 11-year-old daughter came up with an even better description: “It tastes like an ice cream sundae.”

With the addition of this new flavor, CLIF now has nine (or, stated another way, three times three) BLOK flavors to choose from. Like other BLOKS, the Chocolate Cherry flavor is made with 95 percent organic ingredients, with a balance of carbohydrates and electrolytes for quick energy and proper muscle function during athletic activity. This variety will give you a caffeine boost as well, as each pack features 50mg worth, which is the equivalent of one shot of coffee.

Sound interesting? The new BLOKS are now available in stores, but a few of my readers will get to try a sampler pack for themselves. And in case you didn’t guess … the number of winners will be three. However, I’m making it slightly more challenging than just leaving a comment. This time, you have to name something that comes in threes, or name a group of three things that go together: for example, the past, present and future, or faith and hope and charity, or the heart and brain and body … you get the idea. If your item(s) are the same as one that’s already listed, your entry doesn’t count.

And if those three examples I just mentioned seem obscure, it’s because I didn’t really make them up: they’re from one of my favorite childhood songs that has become something of a pop culture classic. That Schoolhouse Rock video is below, and I’ll announce the winners of this contest on – you guessed it, November 3!

Special thanks to CLIF Bar for sponsoring this contest, and good luck to everybody!

“Three Is A Magic Number” from Schoolhouse Rock (click to play):

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Zion Adventures: Hiking the Narrows

2012-10-26T00:43:00.001-07:00

It’s hard to spend any time in Zion National Park and not start thinking about the Narrows.

You’ll see images and read descriptions of it from pretty much any informational resource you choose. You’ll overhear people in the nearby lodges and restaurants talking about it. And you’ll see passengers on the Zion Valley bus wearing waders and carrying walking sticks (more on those later) and automatically know how they’re spending the day.

Zion Narrows; click any photo to enlarge

The Narrows are as iconic to Zion as Half Dome is to Yosemite – but with practically zero elevation gain and the flexibility of doing as much or as little mileage you want, it’s far more accessible to the average Joe Hiker than climbing up some massive bald rock. Unfortunately, it was also one of the areas I missed on my first pass through the park a couple of years ago – so this time around, with a family full of kindred souls looking for adventure, I knew which hike would be at the top of our list.

And just because the adventure is accessible, that doesn’t mean it’s easy; the challenges of hiking in the Narrows are still formidable, but in a more unique way than most hikers are typically accustomed to. By the end of the day, your legs will be just as tired as if you spent a long day climbing and descending on regular trails – but the memories you keep with you afterwards will be far more distinctive.

But before we talk about the end, we should talk about the beginning – and at Zion, the starting point for a day hike of the Narrows is a paved trailhead at the last stop off the public bus line that runs through Zion Valley.

The paved portion is only one mile long, and is gently rolling, without anything that really deserves to be called a hill. Basically, it’s an extended warmup walk to enjoy some nervous chatter, and to take the measure of the river you’ll be spending the rest of your day wading through.

Before getting to that part, there’s a transition zone of sorts where you can gear up for entering the river. Prior to our arrival, it was this aspect of the trip that caused the most uncertainty (and occasional anxiety) for my wife and me, in that we had no way of knowing what exactly we might need.

Here’s the deal with the Narrows: the hiking route essentially goes straight through the Virgin River. Not adjacent, not criss-crossing … but literally walking in the river. Therefore, you’re guaranteed to spend the day wet – the only question is how much of your body is going to be submerged at any given time. And when you talk to people or read reports about the Narrows, you’ll hear about the possibility of waist-deep currents or hidden sinkholes where you risk being completely submerged.

Accordingly, pretty much every guide to hiking the Narrows – especially those that are affiliated with one of the local rental shops - will tell you that you shouldn’t attempt the hike without canyoneering shoes, thick neoprene socks, drysuit wading pants, and a sturdy walking stick. However, since I’m 1) a minimalist at heart, and 2) cheap, I wasn’t convinced that shelling out big bucks to outfit everybody was really necessary.

Truthfully, this assessment wasn’t a complete shot in the dark; with some advance research, I was able to make a reasonable guess as to what the water conditions might be like. Zion uses a USGS water volume measurement of cubic feet per second (CFS) to gauge how much water the river is carrying on any given day. If the flow is above 120 CFS, the park won’t issue through-hike permits, and any day under 75 CFS is considered reasonably safe for hiking. On the mid-October day that we targeted for our outing, the river was a measly 35 CFS.

So we took our chances. Instead of renting shoes and socks and pants, we wore … something else, which I’ll indicate shortly. The only essential piece of gear you need is a walking stick …

… and you can most likely save yourself the rental cost and just grab one from the “take a stick, leave a stick” rack that’s just beyond the transition area. Once you select the size and style you like …

… it’s time to make your way into the river.

When water levels are low, there are portions of the hike where you can avoid the river via rocky paths along the bank …

… but it won’t be long before your side trails disappear, and you’ve got nowhere to hide from the water.

Here’s what NOT to use for footwear: a pair of princessy high-heeled sandals, as the owner of this abandoned pair at river’s edge can attest to. As for me …

… I went with VIVOBAREFOOT Ultras, which were designed as a hybrid aqua / land shoe – in other words, exactly the conditions you find in the Narrows. Eschewing my traditional Vibram hiking shoes also allowed me to wear merino wool socks, which provide effective insulation even when wet. Water temperature in the Virgin River was in the 55 to 60 degree range, so keeping your toes warm is definitely a priority for this hike.

(As a family, we were evenly split between Merrell Barefoot and VIVOBAREFOOT – and there’s one more note on footwear coming soon.)

On the subject of keeping warm: as you journey into the Narrows, you’re not only spending the majority of your time in frigid water, but the high canyon walls on either side effectively block the sun and keep the entire route cold …

… so anytime you find a narrow sliver of space where daylight actually reaches the ground, that’s occasion to stop and soak in some rays to bring your body temp up just a bit.

The further you go into the canyon, the more the walls seem to close in on either side of you, and the more surreal the entire scene becomes. You also gain a heightened appreciation for the park service’s regulation of this route – because if there are heavy rains or flash flooding, you’ve got absolutely no place to hide.

Approximately 1.5 miles upriver is a junction for a side canyon called Orderville; this also marks the beginning of the most famous section of the Narrows, known as Wall Street.

Also, one final footwear note: if you click to enlarge the photo above, you’ll notice that the two people pictured are barefoot. They weren’t the only ones we saw with naked feet, and I also found some people wearing Vibrams. Obviously this was encouraging for me to witness, and it also completely dispels the notion that you need specialized shoes to navigate the Narrows.

There are some precautions, however. The slick river rocks cause your footing to constantly be unsteady, and you often slide unexpectedly from the surface of one rock to another. Even with a walking stick, bashed toes are probably inevitable if you go the barefoot or Vibram route. Also, a full day of this kind of unsteady walking on rocks is a pretty high-demand activity for your feet and especially your ankles, so if you’re a newbie minimalist, you’re going to have some soreness afterwards.

Inside Wall Street, the river is less than 25 feet wide in places, and the vertical sandstone walls on either side rise up to 1500 feet overhead. If you’re a Star Wars freak like me, you’ll have flashbacks to the trash compactor scene in Episode IV – and if you’re a normal person, you’ll probably have an overwhelming feeling of smallness when staring up at the cliffs looming overhead.

When you’re day hiking* the Narrows, the turnaround point is wherever you make it; a popular turning point is the far end of Wall Street when the canyon opens up slightly again.

(*As opposed to through-hiking, where you can start at the far upstream end and hike the entire 12 miles down to the transition area where my family’s hike started. You need a permit for through-hiking, but not for day hiking as I’m describing here.)

You also want to budget some extra time on the way back …

… to make a side trip up Orderville Canyon, which is narrower and has less water flow than the main canyon …

… but has some distinctive features all its own, such as a couple of low scrambles over logs or rock piles. You can go about a half-mile into Orderville before day hiking is prohibited (but through-hiking with a permit is OK) …

… and it’s time to turn around and head back through the main canyon towards the transition area.

By the time you finish the day, your vital stats won’t be very impressive; the trip described here is probably only 7 miles round trip, and took us the better part of 6 hours to complete with a few rest and meal breaks. However, this hike isn’t about the numbers – it’s about venturing into surroundings that are unlike almost any other hike you’ll ever do, and taking in one of the best experiences that Zion National Park has to offer.

There’s a reason people talk about the Narrows so much – and if you ever get the opportunity, it’s definitely worth spending a day to see what all the talk is about.

*See other photo tours under tab at top of page.

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