Gear Review: Thule Capstone 32L Backpack

Some of you might have heard and even seen that Thule (luggage and car roof rack giants extraordinaire) has started making backpacks for outdoor adventures. That's right, the brand that dominates the "on top of your car" bicycle rack world and apparently luggage world has entered the outdoor scene on a new avenue. They have two new style packs that just recently launched and I was fortunate enough to be given an opportunity to try one out...The Thule Capstone (32L edition).

Upon arrival, I could tell this was more than just a day pack, indeed it could also be used as an adventure pack and even an overnight lightweight backpack. I couldn't wait to get it out in the field for testing but alas, wait I would have to do. Fortunately I didn't have to wait to long to really put it to the test.

Gear Review: Munk Pack Oatmeal Pouch

As an ultra marathon trail runner, I'm always looking for ways to refuel during my long training runs. We're talking runs that are anywhere from 10 to 30 miles. I'm always trying new things during my training so that come race day, I have everything dialed in and I know that what I put in my body will cooperate under that kind of physical stress.

A month or more ago, the folks at Munk Pack asked if I'd like to give their squeezable oatmeal a spin. I jumped at the opportunity. It was something new to me. Usually it's either, waffles, gels, chews, or granola bars that get me through my long runs. Having oatmeal on the trail sounds like a dream come true. It wasn't long before the squeezable pouches of heaven arrived on our doorstep.

Be Unique with Keen's UNEEK Open Air Footwear Review

I have a serious obsession with all things sandals, flip-flops, and barely-there footwear. So when Keen approached me asking to review the new Women's Uneek Open Air Footwear, I jumped - literally! - at the opportunity to give them a try.

My Keen Newports are my absolute favorite shoes on the face of this planet. I've had them for years now, and they have been everywhere with me: from the tops of mountains, to creekbeds, to sandy shores, to muddy garden beds, and endless grassy fields. You name it, they've been there! And they are still in glorious shape - considering what I've put them through.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited about the new Keen UNEEK's - an open air shoe/sandal made from a sole and two pieces of polyester braided cord intricately intertwined to form the body of the shoe - striking shock and awe the hearts of all solve-the-maze lovers, self-proclaimed origami experts, and the never ending curiosity of *those people* that can't help but take things apart (points at herself). -I have not ripped apart the shoes yet, just because they are SOOOO cool... not because I'm any less tempted to.

Gear Review: Outad 2 in 1 Bluetooth Speaker and LED Lamp

Have you ever found yourself around the campfire or out by the grill wishing you could crank your playlist louder? Let's face it, the volume on your smart phone really isn't that loud especially when you're outside. Enter the Outad 2 in 1 Bluetooth Speaker and LED Lamp. This little baby has what you need when you're outdoors and want to crank that playlist for everyone's enjoyment out on the deck, around the grill, the pool, or campfire.

This little speaker packs a punch and has great range too. You can pair any Bluetooth capable device from up to 33 feet away and the loudness factor is pretty loud without loosing clarity. To top that off, as the sun starts to go down, this little gem has a LED lantern that is rather bright and can keep the party going through the night with 120 lumens of brightness.

Gear Review: Body Glide

In the majority of the races I run, blisters and chaffing are rarely a concern for me. Anything under a marathon in normal temps/climes I never have to worry about things rubbing and causing issues, think shirt on nipples, inner thighs rubbing, your feet, etc. However, each time I've taken a foray into the ultra running world or one of the smaller trail races with weather or water on course, I will usually end up with something chaffing or blisters on my feet. Let's face it, if you rub a prune against something long enough, it's skin will rip open.

So what's a guy (or gal for that matter) to do on race day when weather is imminent or you are going to sweet like a stuck pig and you know things are going to rub? You reach for some kind of lubricant, much like greasing up parts on your car because metal rubbing against metal for too long might cause some fire.

Gear Review: Terramar Climasense 2.0 Thermolator (Pant, 1/2 zip, and mock)

As an ambassador for Terramar Sports, I've been able to get out in the winter months and continue training and racing without issue. This time around, I was fortunate enough to receive their Climasense 2.0 Thermolator Pant, 1/2 zip and mock shirt. Let me tell you, I really love my TXO 2.0 layers and my Terrmar SmartSilk layers, but the Climasense/thermolator set is top notch. Hands down, it's the best baselayer set I have in my repertoire.

I couldn't really tell you how cold this base layer set can withstand, but as a trail runner, this set is absolutely perfect for anything above 25, especially when you couple it together with some Terramar Smart Silk glove liners and a Terramar beanie. This base layer set moves with you and never bunches up. It's like a second skin almost. The sleeves of the mock and 1/2 zip have thumb holes. With these layers on, I've done runs in 30 degree weather without issue. I've yet to make it out in below 30 this season but I can tell you, I wouldn't hesitate to use my Thermolator layers. When I'm cold, these layers provide a warming effect and if I'm hot, they provide a cooling effect. 

Gear Review: Run Goo (Blister Prevention Cream)

I've been running err... rather trail running for about 2 years now, and up until the past few months,  I've never really had a problem with blisters except for really long runs/races. (We're talking 50k or more). This year though has been a whole different ball game starting with my training leading up to the Barkley Fall Classic. Back in September I had formed some blisters prior to the Rock & Root 30 which was my last tune up run for BFC. I assume it was a combination of wool socks and wet feet during the hot and humid September days on the trail. After BFC the few blisters were pretty gnarly and nasty.

Gear Review & Giveaway: Life Straw

A while back we were asked if we would be interested in reviewing the LifeStraw® by Vestergaard. It wasn't long (a week if that) before the LifeStraw® was at our door step. Being avid outdoors people you can only imagine what our answer was. We wouldn't be here right now if we had answered the other way. 

Unsure as to when we'd get a chance to try it out, it sat in our gear stash pile on the bookshelf for a couple weeks. Then Father's Day came and this was our chance. When asked what I wanted to do for Father's Day, the only answer was a family hike. We geared up, loaded up the car and off we were to Frozen Head State Park. We took a nice little family hike/stroll up Panther Branch Trail to Debord Falls and at least one pit-stop along the way for the Bug to play in the creek before reaching the falls (a whopping .6 miles from the trailhead). She's little so we take it slow.

Gear Review: Terramar Body-Sensors Thermolator II Jersey

As most of you are aware, and for those of you who aren't, I am a brand ambassador for Terramar Sports. What is this Terramar Sports you ask? Well let me tell you, only the best base layers you can find to fit all sorts of bills for outdoors activity regardless of season. It's been over a year since I've been stumping for Terramar and still to this day it's a brand I love and believe in.



For this season, I've been outfitted with a great assortment of gear to keep the running going through the winter, and let me just say, they didn't disappoint. One of my favorite pieces this time around is the Body-Sensors Thermolator II Jersey. On those 30 something degree days with the sun shining, you better believe I'll be wearing it under some running jersey that I've acquired over the past year. This baselayer is awesome. Very warm, yet breathable, long sleeves, and it even has thumb holes, not something I've seen a lot of in men's clothing. I've been on a few trail runs with this top so far, and I've not been disappointed.

Gear Review and COUPON!: Free Country Women's Spectral Softshell Jacket

I have a hard time finding clothing that I like. I don't think it's because I'm too picky, but rather because I'm practical. But even then, I still want something that fits, not only my practicality, but my tall frame and simple style.

Free Country recently approached me asking if I would be interested in trying one of their jackets. They offered me one of four different styles and after looking over all of them online, I chose the Spectral Softshell in Black and trimmed in (I believe it's named) Whisper Blue. I thought that it had the most potential of meeting my needs and body type.

Gear Review: Dorcy Headlamp

A while back I was contact by Dorcy to review their L.E.D. Headlamp. Of course being an outdoorsy sort and avid trail runner, I said, "sure, I'd love to give the headlamp a test spin, I'm always looking for a good solution to running trails in the dark". A few weeks later a small pack arrived in the mail and in it was the headlamp and a fresh pack of AAA batteries.

It didn't take long before I had the torch out of the package to fiddle with it. I found it to be very simple to operate. It has a single button with 3 press operation for it's different modes. One press full high power flood, 2 presses provides you with a low power flood and three presses you get a high powered strobe light, perfect for disco dancing.

Gear Review: LED Lenser SEO5 Headlamp

When it comes to LED lights, most of the time, they are usually really bright but don't shine or illuminate for very far distances. Most of the LED flashlights we own have this problem and they have somewhere between 3 - 9 LED bulbs in them. The same goes for some headlamps we own. However, I have to say that the LED Lenser SEO5 headlamps is more than just hype. It's LED Illumination at the best I've yet to see.

When I received the SEO5 Headlamp, I was excited to get it out and play with it. After all who doesn't love to play with flash lights? Unfortunately it was the middle of the day and our Wee Little One was up and about. So I was only able to get it out of the package and get quickly familiar with its one button operational modes, how to focus and spray the light, and how to swivel the head of the light up and down (really that was a no-brainer).

Gear Review: Osprey Poco Plus Kid Carrier Backpack

Before our Dinah Bug came along, we were hiking mad. We almost covered 100 miles the year before Bug was born. While Robin was pregnant, we covered some good miles up until the third trimester. After she was born, our time on the trail was practically non-existent. How do you hike with an infant. Our answer was, you don't, especially in the winter. After the six month mark though we were getting the itch to get back on the trail. To be honest, we had the itch for much longer, but we didn't want anything happening to Bug and we didn't have a real good carrier to take her on the trail with.

Enter the Osprey Poco Plus kid carrier pack. This was the answer we were looking for to get us back on the trails even though it we knew it would be at our former intensity. We knew 6+ miles were out of the question for now. Neither of us had ever hiked with a wee little one in tote. You may be asking, what about Kiddo? Well I didn't have her out on the trail until she was 3 and that was very shortly after I started to get into hiking, and before I met Robin, so needless to say I was very green, but I digress.

Gear Review: Terramar Body-Sensor Helix Shirts

Some of you may know that I am a proud member of the Terramar Tribe. For those of you who don't, well now you do. What's the Terramar Tribe you ask? That's the brand ambassador program for Terramar Sports. Terramar Sports is the maker of wonderful base-layers that help to fuel our adventures by keeping us warm in the winter and cool in the hot summer. Regardless of the fact that I'm a member of the Tribe, I have to say that I'm in total love with all of my Terramar gear. It's yet to have let me down.

Anyway, so shortly after becoming a member of the "Tribe", I was sent two of the Men's Helix Mountain Tee Body-Sensors t-shirt, a long sleeve and a short sleeve. Having recently converted to being a trail runner, as opposed to a road runner (insert looney tune pic here), I can honestly say that both of these shirts have become my go-to shirts for training and racing alike. Not only are they functional, they are also rather stylish as I've had absolutely no problem wearing them out to town. They also serve their original function of being a base layer quite well.

Review: 2Toms Stink Free Sports Detergent - Part 2

So, if you didn't catch Part 1, 2Toms Stink Free Sports Detergent got the stink out of Tim's running socks. It was a HUGE accomplishment really. I was ready to throw them in the trash after them having sat lonesome in one of Tim's pair of running shoes for a week.

That got me thinking... I wondered if 2Toms was up to the challenge of getting the STINK out of our shoes - namely Tim's Vasque Mindbenders, Tim's Merrell Barefoot Trail Gloves, and my Merrell Barefoot Pace Gloves. --- Those barefoot shoes - I don't care who you are or what kind of anti-microbial it's treated with - STINK to high heaven after about 6 wears. 

I threw them in the wash - hot cycle, cold rinse - with half the 2 oz package of 2Toms. And what'd ya know??

They came out clean. Both Merrell's smelled great - fresh even - almost like new shoes. But Tim's Vasques... there's no hope for those. Unless maybe I soak them in a bucket of 2Toms. 

There's just some things better left stinky.

Read about the 2Toms Stink Free Sports Detergent Specs on Part 1 of this review.

And if you have some stink you need to get out...

Buy some detergent here!

Happy Trails!

Robin & Tim

Review: 2Toms Stink Free Sports Detergent - Part 1

There's one thing about living with a runner that I loathe - his laundry. Typically, I try to wash his running clothes the same day he goes running, because if you don't - well, your nose will pay the price.

More times than not, he'll come home muddy and sweaty, throw his running shoes in the laundry room, and then shower. I'll grab up his clothes that he's placed wherever (it's a hunt every time), and either strategically place them in an area where they can air out or wash them immediately.

Well, this past week my 6-year-old LG front loader decided it was going to quit spinning. Long story short, laundry piled up... and piled up... and piled up while we waited over a week for the part to get here.

At one point, laundry had gotten so out of hand that I took some loads over to my mom's house to wash. That was when I found THE SOCKS.

PEAK® Portable Power System 450 Plus - Gear Review

Have you ever come off the trail after a long day hike or even a few days in the woods, only to find the battery in your car is dead, or worse one of your tires have gone flat? How about camping at a site that has no hookups and you don't have an extension cord or a power inverter in the car to power that air pump for the air mattress? While these haven't necessarily happened to us, but so long as we keep the PEAK® Portable Power System 450 Plus in the vehicle, we shouldn't ever have to worry about any of these problems except maybe the flat tire issue but only if the tire has been puncture in some fashion and you don't have a plug kit.

Not long ago, we were contacted by PEAK® Performance, the people who make and sell antifreeze. They wanted to know if we would like to have one of these power systems for review. Of course seeing what it was, we jumped on the opportunity. This thing is a beast, and I love using it so far. Of course, for some of it's uses I'd rather not have to use it because that means I have a flat tire and/or possibly a dead battery.

Kupilka Cup - Gear Review and Giveaway

Some time ago, we were sent a Kupilka Cup by Sport Hansa to review on our blog. This is a sweet little cup. It actually reminds me of one of those ladles you see in in movies scenes that take place in a Russian Gulag. Perfect for dipping into gruel or in our case stew. You could actually put stew into this cup or my personal favorite, coffee.

The Kupilka Cup is made of a thermoplastic natural fiber composite biomaterial consisting of 50% pine wood fibers and 50% plastic materials. This makes for a durable and engraveable cup that doesn't absorb smells and is insensitive to humidity. Additionally, it has a higher heat endurance which I find quite useful as I can hold the cup in my palms after it's been filled with pipping hot coffee or warm soup without it burning my hands.

Gear Giveaway - Space Bag® Dual-Use Bags

Remember the little P.S. at the end of yesterday's post (The Space Bag® Dual-Use Bags review)? Well here it is, in the...hrm, I don't suppose it would be appropriate to say "in the flesh" considering this is just a blog post. So here it is, the giveaway, as promised. One lucky winner will receive 1 large and 1 medium Space Bag® Dual-Use Bag. Here are the details.

Space Bag® Dual-Use Bags - Gear Review

Have you ever heard of or even owned a set of Space Bag®? You know the "As Seen On TV" space saving bags that you load up with your clothes, zip close, hook up your vacuum cleaner and suck the air out of them? Yeah, we had a set of those for quite some time. They came in handy too. Every time the weather changed from cold to hot and vice-versa, we'd swap out our wardrobes. We'd place the clothes we weren't going to wear in the Space Bag®s, suck the air out to compress them as small as possible, and store them in what is now Dinah's closet. This practice occurred for around 3 years before the bags either ended up with holes (thanks to our cats) or the zipper (much like a Zip Lock bag zipper) failed.

Never once did it ever occur to us to use these things for backpacking or camping. They came in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Of course you'd have the whole challenge of getting it compressed again once it was open. You know, there aren't any vacuum cleaners out in the woods, unless of course you've happened to bring one with you. HAHAHAHAHA.