ShareIf you have an outdoors enthusiast on your gift list, you may need help since this unusual breed generally has strange ideas of what makes a good gift. Honestly, finding the perfect gift for a backcountry traveler can be a laborious chore. In the interest of serving our faithful readers, we once again took it [Continued...]
ShareWhen June rain squalls hit the western Cascade foothills, they tend to hit hard. Standing in the high, cold waters of the Tilton River I noticed the partially sunny day had turned dark. Looking upstream, black clouds dropped curtains of rain across the river valley and it was drifting quickly toward me. Stepping up on [Continued...]
ShareTimes have changed in the world of winter apparel. Function and fashion are no longer mutually exclusive concepts. In response to several readers’ questions about quality women’s apparel for a day on the slopes, we had a team of female skiers and riders (ages 16 to 50) test a range of jackets designed specifically for [Continued...]
ShareOn any spring weekend in the Pacific Northwest, we never know what weather conditions we might face, nor what we might want to do for the day. We can see dramatic weathers changes not just day-to-day, but hour-to-hour. We also must choose from an array of actives. We can ski inbounds or slide into the [Continued...]
ShareI typically avoid end of the year lists – they tend to be overly subjective and someone always gets upset when their favorites don’t make the cut. This year, I’m making an exception since 2011 delivered some remarkable gear that deserves extra mention before we dive into the new spring lines of products. The following items, [Continued...]
ShareThis fall brings the biggest leap forward in rain-jacket technology since the first introduction of Gore-Tex to the outdoor world in the late 1970s. Whether you’re traveling to the Olympic Peninsula or a Costa Rican cloud forest, here’s news you can use. W.L. Gore offers its lightest, most breathable membrane ever to the market this [Continued...]
ShareWe all have too much shit! With two or three perfectly functional rain jackets in the closet, we go out and buy the latest and great. When the newest fly fish rod comes out, promising to improve your cast by 10 yards, and your accuracy by 10 percent, we go buy it. If a new [Continued...]
Share First published in the Seattle Times, NW Weekend section on November, 18,2010 Initial excursions into the snow are best done on rental gear, but once you decide to actively pursue snowboarding, it makes sense to grab your own gear. Fortunately, the gear you need as a beginner can be used and enjoyed well into [Continued...]
Share(First published in Seattle Times NW Weekend March 10, 2010) It seems spring has arrived early in Western Washington this year, which means we’ll have a longer hiking season in the Cascades. Folks who want to get an early jump on the hiking season need to be prepared for cold, wet conditions. Fortunately, a couple [Continued...]
ShareThe manufacturer’s claims left me skeptical. Shirts and tights that not only supported achy joints but relieved fatigue and strengthened muscles? So I enlisted one of my regular gear testers, Chris Bloomquist of Winthrop, to join me in field testing the Opedix Posture Shirt and Running Tights. Chris has been skiing hard and fast most [Continued...]
