As the green tendrils of spring begin creeping their way through the backcountry in and around San Diego,  I thought now would be a good time to highlight some of the fantastic winter gear we at Outside San Diego have been testing.

Osprey Manta 25 Daypack

The Osprey Manta 25 Daypack is one of the most thoughtfully designed daypacks I have come across.  Osprey has really taken the hydration pack concept to the next level by adding a frame sheet into the bladder itself, providing integrated support for the heaviest element in the pack:  Water.  The details, such as a magnetic bite valve clip, and a lined sunglasses pocket help to really bling out this fantastic pack.

Polarmax TransDry Cotton Shirt

The Polarmax TransDry Cotton shirt has seen me through some very soggy winter backpacking trips unscathed, and proving the mantra “Cotton Kills” is not true if you are wearing the most technical cotton on the market.  The TransDry shirt brings the comfort of cotton, with the  moisture controlling abilities of synthetics.  I am really looking forward to Polarmax adding summer weight TransDry clothing to the line up, so I can wear cotton all year long. Transdry Cotton Shirts will be available soon, so stay tuned to where you can get your hands on one.

GoLite Adrenaline 0 Sleeping Bag

This last weekend, I had the opportunity to try out the GoLite Adenaline 0 degree sleeping bag on a chilly snowshoe backpack  (more on the trip later this week).  The temperatures dropped to the mid teens, and I was as toasty as ever wrapped in this fluffy cocoon of down filled goodness.  This 800+ fill power 4-season down bag just breaks the three pound mark, and is incredibly comfortable.  I am looking forward to a few more trips burrowing into the warmth of this bag before the weather warms up too much to use it.

Sierra Designs Vapor Softshell

The New Sierra Designs Vapor Softshell Jacket has reinforced my belief that a quality  softshell is a fantastic all around piece for Southern California Backpacking.  Pair it with a superlight insulation sweater such as the Patagonia Nanopuff ( stay tuned for a full review of both the Vapor and the Nanopuff in the months to come) and you have everything you need for all your Southern California Three Season backpacking.  I was a little worried about the durability of the fused seams and the lightweight material, but a weekend of bushwhacking through pine forests eased any anxiety about the durability of the Vapor Softshell

Beyond Coastal Sunscreen

Sunscreen is one of those often overlooked, but important components of being outdoors.  I have had the opportunity to use Beyond Coastal’s offering through this winter and into the spring, and I am happy with the primary result;  no sunburn.  I have used both the Active SPF 30 Sunscreen, and the Natural SPF 30 Sunscreen, and they both work very well.  The Active formula is a little less thick than the Natural Formula, and spreads easier, but the Natural is made from a natural formula that is easier on the skin,  and has become the go-to bottle of sun protection when I am headed out the door.

Leki Corklite Aergon Trekking Poles

I have used the Leki Corklite Aergon Trekking Poles for two weekend backpacks thus far, and I am super impressed with the new speed-lock system.  These poles work great, and are much easier to extend and maintain than the old system with the internal locking system.  The handles are comfortable and the poles have proven to be durable, handling the abuse I has shelled out without a whimper.

I had the somewhat dubious pleasure of spending a very soggy weekend backpacking with a Wilderness Basics Group to the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness area this last weekend.  This fast, high mileage backpack from the northern edge of the park down into the canyon bottom was punctuated by almost continual rain from lunchtime on Saturday, until it finally tapered off sometime late into the evening.  Despite the meteorological challenges, the trip was a grand success, with a weekend of great hiking and camping in one of the most beautiful wild places in the region.

San Mateo Canyon Wilderness area is on of the few big open spaces in Southern California that are close enough to the Pacific Ocean that the habitat is affected by its vast body of water.  The area is lush,  with the canyon bottoms filled with oak and sycamore trees (and tons of poison oak).  Our campground was situated on an old sand bar above a pretty stream tumbling through the rocks, with a small beach where one could relax and listen to the water gurgle if the weather was more cooperative.  While it is still early, the wildflowers in the area are set to explode.  A trip through this area next month should be a very colorful experience.

San Mateo Canyon Wilderness

I have always been a down jacket kind of guy.  I love the feel of down,  and the lightweight warmth that it provides. I have always worried about the classic achilles heel of down, and avoided bringing it on trips where I thought there would be any sort of precipitation involved, bringing my heavy bulky fleece instead.  I have never really considered the synthetic insulated jackets as a backpacking piece, as I thought they would be as heavy and bulky as my fleece jacket.

This perception changed the day that the GoLite Cady jacket arrived on my doorstep.  The GoLite Cady jacket features a recycled polyester shell and 3M’s Thinsulate insulation.  The jacket is manufactured from recycled content.  This jacket is fairly thin, compact, and loaded with features for such a light jacket.  The GoLite Cady Jacket has quickly become my go to piece when the weather gets a little nippy both in town and on the trail.

This jacket has zippered side hand pockets, a couple of interior pockets (one with an iPod port), and pitzips.   The jacket fits loose enough that I can layer underneath,  but is not bulky,  and does not make me look like the Michelin Man.  The collar has a nice soft fleece lined liner, and the elastic cuffs on the sleeves are functional, comfortable and simple.  The front zipper has a double slider that allows one to open up the bottom while the top remains zipped.  Unfortunately, this feature makes it much harder to engage the zipper,  and I often struggle getting it zipped up.  The jacket comes with a small stuff sack that fits the packed jacket nicely.  I would prefer a reversible chest pocket that would double as a stuff sack, as I always carry the included stuff sack, so the extra weight would be negligible.

The GoLite Cady jacket has been everywhere with me the last few months.  From rain to snow to blowing winds, the Cady jacket has kept me warm in an amazingly thin sleek package.  The inclusion of pit zips in an insulated jacket allows for an expanded usage, as I could ventilate the jacket while doing moderate activity (such as hiking and snowshoeing in cold weather) without having to take it off and put it on during breaks.  The jacket would be even more versatile if it had a DWR finish, and would shed precipitation rather than soak it up.   Despite the propensity to wet out easily, it remains warm, even when the outside is wet.  Layered with a waterproof shell, you have a fantastic do it all combo that will serve you well in just about any condition.

GoLite has taken a good synthetic insulation piece, and have made it as functional as possible, while maintaining their core philosophy of using recycled materials whenever possible.  This jacket is well made and well thought out,  demanding consideration for those in the market for an insulated jacket.

I have had the opportunity to use the Merrell Outbound hiking boots through the fall and the early winter.  I have put some miles on these boots, and they have served me well.  Boots are one of those tricky things whose performance is dependent an individuals foot in relation to the fit .  A pair of boots that perform perfectly for one may be completely unsuitable for another.  This is not an indictment on the quality of the boot, just a difference in design. With this in mind, the Merrell Outbound boots work very well for me.  I have high arches,  that take up a fair amount of volume in a shoe.  I need some room in the front of the boot to allow my toes wiggle room.  This is how the Outbounds fit me,  and they are really comfortable in this regard.  The boots were functional from the get go,  requiring no real break-in time. I have yet to get a blister or any significant foot problems in this boot, although I am not generally prone to them.

With fit in mind,  the quality and performance of the Merrell Outbound boot is fantastic.  They still look like new, after slogging through 100+ miles of dirt, mud, snow and slime.  These boots are built to last for a long time,  and they reflect it in their durability.  The hard rubber wrap above the sole,  and the TPU toe and heel bumper completely eliminate the scuffing that plague boots that are not as well protected.   The Gore-Tex liner keeps things nice and dry, but the shoe is not insulated, so they get chilly on extended trips in the snow.   I was a little skeptical as to the range of usefulness of these boots, as my initial impression was that they would be very heavy and rigid to provide the type of support needed for multi-day backpacking trips.  These boots are supportive,  but neither as heavy nor as rigid as I expected.  They actually are a great choice as an all around supportive hiking boot.  They are not the best choice for trail running, or fast and light trips,  but if I only had the opportunity to use one pair of hiking boots, these would be on the top of the list with one caveat.  I have not had the opportunity to wear these boots in warm summer weather, so I cannot comment as to how warm they will get.

The soles of the Outbound boot are on of the beefiest Vibram soles I have come across.  The 7 millimeter lugs are very grippy, and open enough that they shed mud and snow really well,  allowing for traction in the soggiest of conditions.  The soles to this point only show mild wear. The interior with it’s “Aegis” antimicrobial treatment appear to be effective, as they do not have any significant smell.  This was not the case when I first removed them from the box.  The new boots had a strong glue smell,  making it necessary to store them in the garage until the smell dissipated after the first couple of outings. The boots come in a couple of different color choices; red and black.  the big Merrell logo across the side is a little flashy, but not unreasonable.  I have the red pair,  and they actually look better in person than in photographs.

These boots are solid.  A good all around choice if you a interested in going from backpacking to day hiking.  The a big strong durable workhorses that will keep you trucking for years to come.

I have finally had the opportunity to put a few miles on the new Kona Zing Deluxe that arrived at my doorstep a couple of weeks ago.  The concept of of riding a bicycle as an adult is a fairly new concept for me.  I have not ridden a traditional road bike since my days with a paper route,  and have since focused my riding time on the dirt with my well used hardtail mountain bike.  I have recently begun the process of triathlon training, so felt it was a good time to refocus my riding efforts, hence my jump into the road cycling genre.  The few miles I have ridden between rain storms on the Kona Zing Deluxe, have solidified my understanding of the passion people develop for the sport.   The act of riding out on the roads around my neighborhood and beyond are an incredibly enjoyable experience.

Kona Bicycle Company has a longstanding reputation for making high quality mountain bikes.  They describe the Zing Deluxe Road Bike as “that bike the badass Kona mountain biker would ride if they decided to get into road riding”.  This sounded good to me, as a long standing mountain biker, with no recent experience riding a road bike.  After putting a few good miles on this bike,  I can say this a pretty good description of the Kona Zing Deluxe.  The riding position of the aluminum framed, carbon forked Zing Deluxe is similar to the stance on my mountain bike.  It is more upright than some of the other road bikes I have recently test ridden.  This works for me at this point, but does provide a little more of an aerodynamic challenge when trying to go fast and far.

The components the bike comes equipped with are very solid.  The drive train in primarily Shimano 105,  with the addition of an Ultegra rear derailleur. The wheels come from Mavic, and seem solid.  The rest of the build are a combination of FSA, Mavic and Shimano making for a dependable if not a little heavy ride.  The aluminum frame is well  design and beautifully crafted, with oversized tubing, and a red and black pinstriped paint job that looks custom.

I will be riding and training on the Kona Zing deluxe for the next four months, reporting occasionally as to  how the bike performs and is holding up.   If everything goes as planned, the Zing deluxe will also join me on a Sprint Distance Triathlon this spring, and I will report to how it performed in the race report.  Stay Tuned.

Several months ago I introduced the Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 tent here at Outside San Diego.  You can read that report here The Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 is a lightweight freestanding, double walled tent.  The tent is designed for 3-season use, and the inner wall is primarily mesh,  with a small perimeter  of waterproof coated ripstop nylon extending up from the floor. It is a cozy fit for two, and a palace for one.  The Copper Spur features two doors on each side of the tent with separate individual vestibules. The door are a large “D” shape that for some inexplicable reason zip down, leaving the fabric of the door  bunched up on the  floor to be crawled over when entering and exiting. The DAC poles are made from TH72M aluminum, and are hubbed to create two separate shock corded pole assemblies.  The tent is asymmetrical from the head area to the foot area,  and therefore the fly goes on only one way. Proper alighmeent is  aided by color coded clips on each corner.  After an short learning curve,  the tent set up quickly and without a lot of hassle.  The included stakes are very good,  lightweight and strong.  Like any stakes that try to find the sweet spot between weight and performance,  they do not hold as well as a full sized heavy stake. While the design of the Copper Spur is not revolutionary, the combination and use of materials produces a reasonably sized 2-person double walled, freestanding tent that has a trail weight in the mid-three pound range; makes it a standout among it’s peers.  The fact that this tent is easy to set up, and has proven to be plenty durable adds to the appeal.  I have had the opportunity to use the Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 tent on multiple trips in a variety of different conditions through the fall and early winter.  The tent has seen me through some very significant weather, and has functioned near perfectly.  The Copper Spur 2 proved to be very durable and very weatherproof.  It rained during several outings, and moisture inside the tent was never a problem.  The combination of superior double wall design and quality materials make both external moisture, and internal condensation a mute issue .  The most annoying issue I encountered with this tent was the noise the fly and the poles made while they rub against each other in windy conditions.  I expect wind noise,  but the  low pitched squeak that emanated from where the poles contacted the fly with each gust of wind was annoying.  Fortunately I was able to adjust the tension of the fly using the buckles on each corner, but could never silence the squeak on a particularly windy evening. The Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 is the perfect tent for backpackers looking to lighten their load for a sufficiently sized two person double walled freestanding tent and is willing to trade dollars for ounces.  Big Agnes has a reputation for making high quality gear, and the Copper Spur 2 only enhances that reputation.  I have used the tent extensively,  and it has grown to be one of my favorite.  I reach for it when I am backpacking with another person,  and often when I am sleeping alone, as it is as light as many of my 1-person tents.  The tent has proven to be durable and well crafted, and I predict that it will perform for many years to come.  The $400.00 price tag is steep, but I am confident it represents a good value for a weight conscious backpacker.

I had the pleasure of leading a group of WBC participants on a soggy weekend jaunt through Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley and all the wonders it contains.  It rained almost constantly.  This bodes well for the upcoming desert wildflower season  and I am looking forward to the explosion of color that will mark the start of spring.  This weekend featured spectacular colors of a different nature.  The rainbows were out in force as the rain and the sun battled for superiority.

We car camped in a shallow canyon, that ended up funneling the early morning wind, making for a raucous wake up call for my students.  We hiked into Smugglers Canyon to visit the Pictograph rock, that is an easy very accessible hike for most everyone.  Located a relatively flat mile into the canyon,  this large boulder decorated with red and yellow pictographs makes for a grand lunch stop.  Unfortunately this weekend the rain made it rough to stop for too long.  As I was pondering this boulder and the secrets it contains for the umpteenth time,  I came to a realization.   In my travels to Europe and other places where their long history is recorded in the architecture, I often bemoan the lack of this sort of historical record in my native city of San Diego.  While we do have a past, one that is on display in places such as the Mission, Presidio Park, and Old Town,  it is relatively new; sparse and fragmented. We are often isolated from it in our daily lives.  What I realized when I was looking at this rock,  is the ancient history that I have admired in cities such as Paris is here. It is just not written in building. It is written in the rocks; the places where the people who shaped our region lived breathed and died.  They are not the people from whom I am descended, but they are the people who recorded the past in the place I call my home.

After stopping at the Pictograph rock,  we continued on through Smugglers Canyon to the dry waterfall that provided a spectacular view of the southern portion the Anza Borrego Desert.  We were a bit concerned as to the volume of rain,  and joked as to whether the dry wash we were walking in was going to become a river again.  Fortunately this wash is very wide,  and the walls provide easy escape routes if this were ever a problem. The View as always was fantastic.  We rounded out our Saturday with a trip to a mortero site, and a nice sunset on an overlook just down from these morteros.

After a windy night, we concluded our trip with a hike up Ghost Mountain, and visited the rapidly crumbling remains of the the Marshal South cabin site he dubbed “Yaquitepec“.  Marchall South and his family lived on the isolated, inaccessible Ghost Mountian without the benefit of any modern conveniences from 1932 through the 1940s.  His Thoreau like desert experiment which he documented in a monthly columns in Desert Magazine brings another piece of the rich history of the desert that so many perceive as a barren dead landscape.

Here is my final installment for the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010.  There were so many great things that were presented to me,  and I have only been able to show you  a small portion of what you will be seeing over the next year.  Keep checking back as I will be testing some of this gear over the next few month and see how it truly performs.
Teva Illum

I was a little hesitant at first to initially write about the Teva Illum sandals the intrigue at the Teva seemed to demand secrecy.  When I arrived at the booth, they quietly ushered me into to a small dark room in the bowels of the structure, commenting how hush-hush their newest offering was.  There was a person cloaked in shadows (think  Watergate’s Deepthroat) explaining to me the how the Illums were conceived by two adventure surfers after one to many dawn patrols in which they experienced foot catastrophes walking through dark paths to the beach in flip flops.  As the moving story climaxed, a light began to glow under a glass case, and the Illum sandals were unveiled:  A flip flop with flash lights on the strap!

Possibly a little dramatic for the concept? That is for you to decide, but they are a pretty cool pair well made sandals with a small, waterproof, detachable LED lamp.  Will they work for those dark dawn patrols?  I am looking forward to finding out if the concept lives up to the hype.

Polarmax TransDry

I miss cotton when I am out in the backcountry.  There is nothing like a soft comfy cotton T-Shirt that makes me feel at home. It is cotton’s potential to make my  chilly season backpacking trips uncomfortable and potentially hazardous  that keeps the cotton in my dresser drawers.  Synthetic fabrics don’t make the cut ,  although fine merino wool comes close, to the feel of cotton.  Now I can have my cake and eat it too with the Polarmax Transdry wicking cotton shirts.  These treated cotton shirts have the ability to transfer moisture away from the skin, and dry significantly faster than their untreated counterparts.

I had opportunity to try out a TransDry shirt on a soggy desert campout this weekend,  and I am impressed.  The shirt had the comfort of cotton,  and dried a well as some of the other non- cotton clothing I was also wearing.  Stay tuned for more as it comes with me on more backcountry adventures.

Prana Coolmax Jeans

Continuing on the theme of impractical clothing clothing re-engineered to make it suitable for the backcountry, Prana has a new pair of Coolmax fabric jeans.  These jeans have the look and feel of a pair of lightweight denim jeans that we all know and love, but do not have any water loving denim cotton in them.  How nice is it to have a pair of jeans that will not become a huge heavy heat robbing sponge every time mother nature spits at you.

Point 6 Wool Socks

I have had the opportunity to run in a pair of Point 6 wool sox for the last 4 months, and I am impressed as to their comfort an durability.  I have pounded on the socks on both the road and in the washing machine, and they are holding up like new.   Point 6 is the result of Peter and  Patty’s (the original founders of Smartwool) vision of creating the best wool sock imaginable by incorporating a compact spun wool that is supposed to be more durable and more comfortable that other methods.  They are on the right track to be sure.

Seal Line Waterproof eCases

SeaLine’s new waterproof electronic dry cases are the sveltest most elegant solution to keeping your electronic gear dry that I have yet to come across.  There are no bulky sliders or clips, just a heavy duty zip-lock type opening, and a clear viewing window that allows one to manipulate touch screens while protected.  While not the sexiest piece of gear, they can save one a lot of grief,  and I really appreciate one that works while fading in to the background.

Click for more 2010 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Posts:

I was introduced to TheClymb.com last week.  It is an a cool spin on the one deal at a time websites.  The folks at the Clymb describe it best when they write write

Retail Innovation Group is proud to announce the official launch of The Clymb, www.TheClymb.com. The first-of-its-kind website in the outdoor industry, The Clymb is an online private sale network built to deliver insider pricing to its members on the planet’s most sought-after performance apparel, footwear and gear. Since its soft beta launch in fall 2009, The Clymb has succeeded in creating an expanding list of brand partners and experienced explosive membership growth.

You can check it out here:  The Clymb

Adventure 16 and Aqua Adventures are hosting paddling maniac Freya Hoffmeister this weekend on the “Race Around Australia”.  Kokatat and Thule are sponsoring this engagement where Freya will be relating her experiences about her first solo and unsupported circumnavigation  around Australia. Here is some more information directly form the source:

When you circumnavigate an entire continent, a party is most certainly in order. The celebration starts in San Diego on February 6^th with record-setting kayaker Freya Hoffmeister presenting her “Race Around Australia” west coast speaking engagement.

Kokatat, a 30 year old, independent paddlewear company, and Thule are the presenting sponsors of the seven-city tour that celebrates Hoffmeister’s circumnavigation – the first and fastest solo and unsupported circumnavigation of Australia by a woman and only the second successful circumnavigation of Australia, period.

San Diego retailer Aqua Adventures will host the event at Adventure 16, beginning with a 6 P.M. “meet and greet” followed by Hoffmeister’s presentation from 7 – 8 P.M.

Expect stories of crocodile encounters (and nights spent avoiding them) among other harrowing plights.

Hoffmeister’s sea kayaking resume is padded with “firsts”: in 2007 she completed the fastest-ever circumnavigation of Iceland in a sea kayak. She set the fastest solo time for the circumnavigation of the South Island of New Zealand in 70 days, a week faster than the previous record. Kokatat supported Hoffmeister’s Australian circumnavigation by providing essential waterproof product and safety gear, including the industry-leading Ronin personal flotation device (PFD).

Adventure 16 Outfitters in Mission Gorge
4620 Alvarado Canyon Road
San Diego, CA 92120

If land Paddling is more you style, Kahuna Creations is having a sale on all of their gear, and are offering free shipping on orders over $100.00 using the code kcship06.

I tested the Kahuna Creations Big Stick last year, and it continues to this day to be one of my favorite cross training workouts. There is something about pushing yourself down the boardwalk that makes it seem more like cruising that exercise.