Extreme testing to come...

To those who love all things gear and extreme conditions...

 I have been relatively quiet lately building myself a new kit of serious cold weather gear. The reason I have not yet posted reviews of my new toys is because of the event I have coming up on January 17th. Extremus, an event put on by the Endurance Society (http://endurancesociety.org/) will be a 60 mile non stop trek through some of the highest and coldest peaks in VT. 50 brave / slightly crazy individuals will be setting out on this adventure with the drop out rate being... less than favorable. One key component to finishing, along with a strong body and mind, will be gear. I intend to put some very high quality gear to the test in these conditions. Here are some of the pieces that I will be testing, my concerns with them, and why I am bringing them along:

1 - Outdoor Research Incandescent Hoody - At a steep cost of $350 the jacket is impressive in its fill (800+ Power Down), weight (17.9oz), and ability to repel water (Pertex® Quantum). I am bringing it along because it is very light weight and very compressible. The jacket fits into its own pocket and when compressed is 6X10.5 inches. My concern is simple, due to the fact that it is made to be so light weight the fabric seems to be very frail. Also, the jacket is down and not synthetic, if there is any amount of considerable rain or snow it will become useless. Durability, warmth, and practicality in the field remain to be seen. For more on the OR Incandescent Hoody...

2 - Ribz Wear Front Pack - A great piece of gear for everything from running to trekking. This piece will hopefully be my "ace in the hole". This trek will be non stop, only short breaks for going to the bathroom, regrouping, and changing out layers. Having a front pack or chest pack is ideal for keeping the things i need (food, extra gloves, headlamp, batteries) at the ready and easily accessible at all times. For only $64.95 this was a no-brainer purchase for what I will be attempting. My only concern is that it is just another piece of gear I need to take off before changing out layers. Check out the chest pack here...

3 - Salomon Toundra Boots - My reasoning behind getting these boots was simple, they are the warmest boots Salomon makes. They claim to keep feet warm at -40 Degrees while active. They are also waterproof and extremely comfortable. My concern with these boots is overheating as opposed to not being warm enough. I will be bringing plenty of extra socks and foot care products just in case. Want to keep your feet warm? Check them out.


Finish or not this will be a great event for gear testing. I am looking forward to the challenge and being able to provide you guys with everything you need to know about the best products out there.

Black Diamond - Storm Headlamp

Black Diamond - Storm Headlamp

Price: $49
Pros: Great buy for the price, waterproof, versatile.
Cons: Time consuming switching out batteries.
Worth the buy?: Yup!

I love gear that is versatile and has many uses. Considering the price and the fact that this headlamp is waterproof, its a no brainer, I have dropped it more than enough puddles and it always comes out working just the way it should. I have used this headlamp for about a year, for everything from multi-day trips to going running at night, and cleaning out gunk from my dog's ears. Having a piece of gear that is waterproof is a huge relief and one less thing thing to worry about if a quick storm comes in. It has two length adjustments on either size of the lamp itself and brightness can be adjusted as needed. Lastly, is the size, it is a very small for the lumens it puts out (up to 160). I can leave it hanging around my neck or throw it in a small chest pocket, it does not take up much room and is not excessively heavy. For the price and features, it is more than worth the buy whether for an overnight adventure or a late night stroll with the dog.


Thinking about picking one up? Check it out here!