Seven Sunny Days - Matchstick Productions DVD

With ski season upon us, the best way to spend your time is by watching ski films to get yourself psyched up. Nothing beats watching Mark Abma spin as he hurls himself off a 60 foot table top. Or watching Eric Hjorleipson tear down the steep and deep in British Columbia. The new Matchstick Productions video, "Seven Sunny Days", has it all. This film includes footage of all your favorite athletes including, JT Holmes, Mark Abma, Simon Dumont, Sammy Carlson, Jon Olsson, TJ schilling, Colby West, CR Johnson, Sarah Burke, and many, many more!

If you like watching ski films, this one is for you. I like to consider myself an avid ski film viewer and when I saw Seven Sunny Days, I loved it. By far, this is MSP's best ever. Seven Sunny Days is the five-time winner of Powder Magazine's prestigous 'Movie of the Year' award. This film is a must have for every skier!

Rating - *****

Overall - This video is SICK!!

SCOTT - P4

Roses are red. Violets are blue. I ski the Scott P4 and so should you!! This ski is awesome. I bought the Scott P4 after not knowing a whole lot about Scott skis but after a season of riding them, I was addicted and won't ski anything else. This ski is super damp and busts through crud like a champ. This is the ski to do it all. It's a quiver in itself. The P4 comes in several different lengths: 171, 181, and 191. I ski the 181 which has dimensions of 134-108-128. I especially like using this ski in the backcountry. I feel like it's soft enough to feel the snow yet stiff enough to bust through thick crust or chopped up powder. The only gripe about this ski is that it's a little too wide for the bumps. This ski goes for about $575 which is a steal for what you're getting.

Overall - Steady and Stable. A great all around ski for those of us who can't afford several pairs.

Rating - ****

-Posted on 9/11/2007

by Nick Trillo

Therm-a-rest ToughSkin

I was always so tired by the time I got to camp at night, no matter what I slept on, I would have a good night's rest. That was always my philosophy about sleeping pads until about 6 months ago. I was talked into buying a Therm-a-rest ToughSkin sleeping pad. I got a screaming deal on it and was told that it was Therm-a-rest's newest and best pad.

It only took about 2 overnighters to realize that sleeping on a self inflating, 5.2 R-value, puncture resistant Therm-a-rest was the way to go. I not only threw away the old foam pad but swore that I'd never put myself through another night of sleeping on anything other than a Therm-a-rest again.

The cool thing about the Therm-a-rest ToughSkin is that it uses Therm-a-rest's Puncture Resistant Technology. It is designed to withstand punctures from thorns, rocks, or any other sharp objects that you may encounter while camping. It has a base layer of closed-cell foam on bottom and a layer of open-cell foam on top which sandwich the air holding seal. This puncture resistance is life-time guaranteed. And if the un-likely event of a puncture does happen while you're in the mountains, this pad still offers superb warmth and comfort.

The Therm-a-rest ToughSkin is a good option for the all around camper. It's not the lightest or smallest pad but can still be used for backpacking and expeditions. It weighs only 2lbs. 8 ounces and rolls up to 21x5.4 inches. It provides an inch and a half of padded comfort when inflated fully which is more than enough to guarantee you a good night's rest.


Overall: Excellent choice for durability and overall comfort. It is a little big for a backpacking pad but is definitely worth the extra size and weight if you're willing to carry it in.


Rating: ***

-Posted on August 7th, 2007

by Trevor Thompson

Camping - Jetboil PCS

There are many different camping stoves on the market today with various features and designs. Of course, choosing one is completely dependent upon the situations that you are going to encounter in your travels. Fortunately, Jetboil has created a very universal and effective tool in their PCS model. This Personal Cooking System is not the lightest model on the market (total system weighs about 15oz.); however, when used correctly can severely cut down on the total amount of weight you are going to have to carry in your pack. Most effective with dehydrated food, this stove will allow you to cut down on the weight of food because dehydrated food is so much lighter. It also doubles as a mess kit allowing the user to eat or drink directly from the pot. The only other food related item you may need is cutlery.
Not only is this system great for cutting down on weight, it also has fantastic compatibility and stability. The PCS uses a small burner that attaches directly to the fuel source and also to the one liter pot that completes the system. As this is an innovative idea, the pot is quite unconventional, appearing more as a mug than saucepan. Everything conveniently stacks with connections that are quite stable. Every piece of the structure fits neatly inside the pot; making for easy storage and allowing the user to quickly locate the stove in a pack.
When out of doors, one often and easily may become fatigued and hungry, particularly while trekking over a distance. Luckily, speed is yet another attribute that is included in this stove. The burner output is 4500 BTUs per hour and can boil half a liter in 2 min. Coupled with quick and easy setup, a hearty meal can be created within minutes.

-Posted on July 12th, 2007
By Adam Bishop

Fitting Your Trekking Poles

This guide is designed to help you find trekking poles that conform with your unique body build and activities in which you use poles. We will discuss various benefits and features of different poles in order to help you find yourself the perfect match.

If your hiking/backpacking experiences are anything like mine, you're used to getting to camp at night with a lot of aches and pains. Whether you ache from too heavy of a pack, rugged and uneven terrain, or just plain out of shape, you can reduce the discomfort by using properly fitted and activity specific trekking poles.

Trekking poles can be anything from a stick you find out in the woods to a new aluminum, ergonomically engineered, trekking pole from a manufacturer such as Leki or Black Diamond. The whole purpose behind using a trekking pole is to reduce the pressure and discomforts in your body by distributing the weight of your load throughout your whole body and not just on your legs. Trekking poles also increase your endurance and power up steep inclines and provide stability on uneven terrain.

With so many benefits to using trekking poles, it wouldn't make much sense to not have them fitted properly in order to maximize your trekking poles' performance. There are a few basics that everyone should know when it comes to fitting your poles.

First, unlock both sections of one of your poles. Extend the bottom section all the way and then lock it. The new Black Diamond poles have what they call the Binary System. It shows a red dot when extended fully and locked in place.

Second, stand straight with your shoulders nice and relaxed. Place the pole about 2-4 inches under your armpit, depending on what feels most comfortable for you, and lock the upper section of the pole.

Finally, place the first pole alongside the second and fit accordingly as to make them identical. This height will be your poles optimal height in relieving your legs of stress and distributing the load throughout your arms and upper body.

Many brands such as Leki and Black Diamond recommend adjusting the poles length as you travel across various terrains. For example, going uphill you would want to shorten the poles’ length to accommodate the slope of the mountain and vice versa for downhill. This logically makes sense but more often than not is very time consuming and becomes an annoyance. I tend to leave them at their normal lengths unless I’m going across a long traverse. In this case I recommend shortening the uphill pole and lengthening the downhill pole. The amount you will want to change the length depends on the angle of the slope. A good way to do this is by standing sideways, with one foot downhill of the other, and doing the 2-4 inches under the armpit trick again. This will give you a good idea of where to adjust the poles to.

A few last things you should look for before buying or using trekking poles is that many poles feature a shock absorber. This is a great feature for hiking and backpacking but for skiing is actually a hindrance for your technique and can cause more stress than it relieves for your joints. If you are looking for a universal pole that you can use backpacking in the summers and backcountry skiing in the winters, make sure to buy one that allows you to lock out the shock absorber. The Leki Classic Airergo trekking pole is an example of a pole that has a lockout suspension system.

I hope this guide has been useful to you as you go about exploring the comforts and luxuries of using trekking poles in the backcountry. Remember to take advantage of every little benefit and feature that they have to offer. Check out the full listing of Leki and Black Diamond trekking poles at the gotyourgear e-bay store. Keep on Trekking!

Camelbak - Mule

There's not a whole lot more that can be said about Camelbak that hasn't already been said. It's one of those brands that is tried and true. Its products have been put to the test year after year and it's still the industry leader in hydration packs.

A few years back I was given a Camelbak - Mule for my birthday to take with me on my long mountain bike rides. I had always just used water bottles because I didn't like the idea of having a backpack while riding and having that extra weight on my back bouncing around. In all honesty though, you can hardly tell it's even back there and 2 summers later, I don't leave the house for a bike ride or a hike without it. Since my original Mule, I've purchased other various sizes and models of Camelbak because I've been so impressed.

I recommend the Camelbak Mule for anyone that wants to purchase a hydration pack that is extremely versatile. It's made as a mountain biking specific pack but if you want one for skiing, biking, hiking, etc. and can't afford one for each individual activity, the Mule is your model. It comes with a 100 L bladder and a 549 cu inch pack. The pack is just large enough to throw a shirt in when you start to de-layer or to throw some food in for a day hike. It also conveniently comes in 4 different colors. I would suggest the Mule for anyone who wants a universal, versatile, and very handy hydration pack.

Rating - ****

Overall - Very versatile and size efficient. If you want a pack that will work for biking, climbing, hiking, etc., this is your pack.

-Posted on July 9th, 2007

by Trevor Thompson

Chaco - Z2 Unaweep

This sandal is AWESOME! I can't beleive I went as long as I did without a pair of Chacos. The Z2 unaweep has the killer Vibram sole that is practically bomb proof and the classic trademark single pull design that Chaco is known for. It allows you to tighten or loosen any part of the sandal in order to get it to fit to your own unique foot. I have used this sandal for hiking, river rafting, approach shoes, and just kicking it, and it's been extremely comfortable, stable, and effective for all of the above. It comes in several different colors and patterns of straps including Black, Brick, Cord, Storm, Turf, and Zinc. This specific design features a wrap-around toe loop that really makes your foot feel like it is locked to the footbed. The straps are made of soft polyester webbing that are not only super comfortable but they hold up strong and dry quick. This sandal is a must for any outdoor enthusiast.


Rating - *****

Overall - Super comfortable and durable. This sandal can be used for anything from hiking to river rafting. Definitely recommend the toe loop.

-Posted by Trevor Thompson

on June 27th, 2007

Black Diamond - Momentum Harness

If you're like me, you want a piece of climbing gear that feels safe, looks safe, and is safe. At the same time though, if you're like me, you spend a lot of time hanging from your harness frustrated trying to figure out a move and want something that is going to be comfortable. I bought the Black Diamond Momentum harness a few years back and have been extremely pleased with it.

I've put it through a lot, rubbing against rocks and sitting out in the sun, etc. and the material has held up through it all. Also, it is a very comfortable design with a padded waist belt and padded leg loops. It is also very adjustable. Getting in and out of it with crampons or big bulky clothing is not an issue. The gear loops are molded which makes gear management quick and easy.

This harness is very durable, adjustable, and affordable. I would recommend this harness to anyone.

Rating - ****

Overall - Economic, adjustable, efficient, comfortable and durable. A great buy for someone looking to get into climbing and wants a harness that's going to last.

-Posted June 13, 2007
by Trevor Thompson

Marmot - Eiger 35

Marmot Eiger 35

In my quest for a backpack that was big enough and versatile enough to carry all of my climbing gear, backcountry skiing gear, and camping gear, I found the Marmot Eiger 35. This pack is just what I had been looking for. It is fairly light, weighing only 3lbs. 3 ounces and is made with a tough nylon material. My pack has had some good tree snags and drops on sharp rocks but the material has held up extremely well. My favorite feature of the pack is how comfortable you can make it. It has tons of adjustment straps to give the perfect fit.

I also like how the top comes off and can be used as a pillow. I seem to always forget my pack pillow, so it comes in handy. My Camelback Mule bladder fits well in the pack and is accomodated with access holes for the tube and bite valve. I also like how the pack has an adjustable snap strap on top where I like to throw my rope when moving short distances to another climbing route. The only gripe I have about the pack is that it doesn't have any way to access the large pocket besides through the top. It would be nice to be able to get something out of the bottom without having to take everything else out.

Rating - ****
Overall - Very versatile and comfortable. Great for hiking, climbing, backpacking, and skiing.

-Trevor Thompson
Posted May 25, 2007