Gear Review

Wise Food Storage creates ready-made meals for emergencies, long term storage and the outdoors. These meals have a shelf life of up to twenty-five years (7 years for the outdoor meals) and come in a variety of appetizing choices. All the meals are very simple to prepare -- just add (clean) water.

In May 2011, Igloo introduced the new Glide Pro 110-Quart Wheeled Cooler. This cooler has improved leverage so it makes it 50 % easier to move a fully loaded cooler. National Outdoors was chosen to test out this new cooler, and we put it to the test in the desert of Southern Utah.

Igloo Glide Pro Southern Utah

The Zoik Inflatables Ego Trip provides a versatile watercraft for the whole family. For the lighter folk, it can be used as a stand up or sit-down paddle board, for heavy people it can be used as a sit-down kayak. The board only weighs 18 pounds and can be packed up to fit in the trunk of a car, or into a large suitcase! When inflated the board is 8 feet long, 30 inches wild and 4 inches thick.

Zoik Ego Trip Stand Up Paddle Board

The HO Sports Explorer is new for 2011. The Explorer is an 11 foot long Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board. I found the board was great for traveling because it packs down into a small bag, so you don't need a rack to carry the board around.

Explorer on the Lake

Wolverine Canyon Cargo Short Review

Wolverine has a long reputation as a manufacturer of tough work wear – but now also makes quality outdoor gear. I took the Canyon Cargo Shorts on several lower-altitude training hikes near Denver to see how they performed.

Picture1: Side View with Backpack

Ryders is a Vancouver, B.C.-based company that has been delivering top-notch performance sunglasses at a price more affordable than other outdoor sunglass brands since 1986. I had a chance to take a pair of Polarized Zephyrs out to see how they performed.  

Left Side View

Hardworking men and women have counted on Wolverine work boots for more than 100 years. Now hikers who play just as hard as they work can take a pair of Wolverines on the trail. I tested out a pair of iCS Waterproof Mid-Cut Trail Hikers on a few trails in the Denver area.

Instep/Outside View

It has been a long spring in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado this year. I’ve been wearing the Columbia Peak Power Shell Titanium Jacket most of early spring and even today, the first day of summer.

The Gel-Bot solves the problem of Gelling up on the fly. It's hard to open a gel pack while riding. Now with the Get Bot, you can get water or gel. The bottle and gel chamber are both BTA free.

Hydrapak Gel-Bot

The Gel Bot is very easy to use. Squeeze for water, suck for gel.

Hydrapak Gel-Bot with GU

The Hydrapak Avila is a minimalists hydration pack. It weights only 7 ounches (without water) and has just enought room to fit a few gel packs, keys and a phone or mp3 player. The pack is targeted toward cross-country mountain bike racers, but I found it to be a great pack for the serious recreational biker.

Hydrapak Avila Back