Gregory's Alpaca 22 Travel Bag is Tougher Than an Airplane

With its water- and abrasion-resistant TPU-coated 1200-denier ballistic exterior and don't-mess-with-me build, Gregory's Alpaca 22 travel bag is made to withstand the rigors of air, road, and mule travel. Welcome new Trek Tech reviewer Will Hinkson as he tries to beat the Alpaca into submission. 

Gregory Alpaca 22 Travel Bag, $350, gregorypacks.com.

The Good: Bomb-proof; I couldn't put a scratch on the thing.

The Bad: Super-size wheels make it (barely) too big for a plane's overhead compartment.

The Ugly: The look on the stewardess's face after it broke said compartment.

I didn't waste any time: testing started with me packing my clothes in the 53-liter bag then making my way up on the roof and promptly throwing it off my one story house. The bag passed the tremendously fun drop test without a scratch.

Test number two was a two-month trip out to Texas involving four separate flights. Everything started good: the Alpaca's beefy, over sized wheels on the bag rolled through the airports with ease, and the wide aluminum handle is one of the best designs I have seen on a travel bag. The bag-width handle let me roll it to the side instead of right behind me, keeping bag-induced flat tires to a minimum.

I was on the way to giving it a five star rating until I tried putting it in my plane's overhead bin. After about a minute of ramming the bag (with the passengers waiting to board the plane glaring at me), I finally managed to rage the bag into the overhead bin.

De-boarding turned out to be an even bigger ordeal. Those wheels that I liked so much turned into a couple of grappling hooks in the overhead compartment. I tried every angle to pull my bag out, without any luck. Finally my flight attendant sternly told me I need to figure something out.

I put every ounce of my 200lb former marine frame to work and wrenched the bag out free, breaking the metal hinge on the overhead bin in the process.  Instead of getting a smile and a “thank you” on my way out, she somberly said "Just go."

That said, the Alpaca 22 is tough enough to handle all kinds of abuse, and its wide handle makes weaving through an airport a breeze. It's one of the best travel bags I’ve ever seen. 

Just don't put it in the overhead bin.

An Obstacle Course. With Zombies. The "Run For Your Lives" Race Series

With the rise in obstacle course races and the lurching greatness that is the current zombie trend, it was only a matter of time before someone decided to start an obstacle course where some of the obstacles lurched around and tried to eat you.

Run For Your Lives race series looks to be that race with its series of zed-infested 5k races. Runners not only have to deal with the dozen or so man-made obstacles scattered throughout the course, but they have to do so while ducking the reanimated dead.

The whole deal could reek of cheesiness, but the zombies look extremely legit. The website claims that they have a top-notch makeup team to transform the volunteers into rotting flag-snatchers, and the photos from past races support that claim. That and the volunteer zombies' enthusiasm (see video below) would make for an intense run.

The way it works is this: runners get a flag belt with three flags (think flag football), which the zombies try to snatch as you run, climb, slip and slide through the course. If you finish the race, but all three of your flags are taken, your time is still recorded, but you're ineligible for prizes.

Apparently, there's more than one way to get to the finish line - according to the website, "there are multiple routes to reach the finish. Choose wisely, or your 5k might turn into a 10k."

Obstacles, zombies, and the chance of getting lost in the woods? This. Sounds. Awesome. 

There are currently 11 more Run For Your Lives zom-stacle course races in 2012. Take a look at the schedule and check out some race day photos at RunForYourLives.com.

Ditch the Bottle: Climber Pouch is an Outdoor Sommelier's Dream

Cliff Family Winery Climber Pouch, $17, climberpouch.com

The Good - The chardonnay is crispy, fruity, not too sharp. The packaging is tougher and lighter than glass bottles, no need for bottle opener,

The Bad - Still waiting on a shiraz or pinot noir bag.

The Ugly  - No bottle to smash and wave around at your friends when you've had too much.

I like wine. I like the outdoors. It seems natural that the two would go together, but hauling a few bottles out into the woods adds serious weight to a pack and runs the risk of shattering the bottles if you end up on your back for one reason or another.

 Enter the Climber's Pouch from Clif Family Winery. Yeah, it's not just the bars anymore; they make wine, too, apparently. Climber's Wine Comes in both a chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. I "tested" the chardonnay and found it to be light, fruity, and crisp, without too much bite. It's not the best wine I've ever had, but it's definitely the best I've ever had on the trail.

What really makes Climber's Pouch stand out is its packaging. Instead of the bottles that "the man" insists you use, Clif Wine comes in nigh-indestructable bags, complete with carabiner clip and a leak-proof spout. It's great, because bagged wine a) takes up less space b) is lighter, c) won't shatter, and d) seals up nicely so you don't have to drink the entire bag in one sitting. Good news, too, because each bag holds two bottles' worth of the stuff (1.5 liters).

If you don't kill the whole bag on a single trip, the bag keeps it fresh for up to a month. I recommend trying to make it last for a whole month. I bet you a bag that you can't do it.

Bargain-Basement Price, High-End Performance: Hydrapak's E-Lite Hydration Vest

Hydrapak E-Lite Race Hydration Vest, $54.99, Hydrapak.com

The Good: Extremely lightweight, great fit, indestructible Hydrapak reservoir.

The Bad: No storage room for shedding layers and whatnot.

The Ugly: Sharing water from your E-Lite with others is pretty gross. 

Going small is the new going big in the running world these days; lighter weight shoes with a dearth of cushioning and a negligible heel drop are hotter than Hansel right now. The trend isn’t limited to shoes anymore – hydration system company Hydrapak is taking aim at thirsty minimalists with the E-Lite hydration vest.

The vest sports a 1-liter version of Hydrapak's great reservoir system and five points of adjustment to let you dial down the fit. There’s no storage in the back like a traditional pack. Instead, it sports four stash pockets and two zippered pockets on its straps.

When I first saw just how little material went into the E-Lite, I was skeptical about how secure it would be. Usually, the less there is to a pack, the more bouncing around it’s going to do when I hit the trails. It didn’t take long for the E-Lite to prove me wrong – throughout my test runs, the E-Lite stayed in place and moved with me. The vest was snug enough to keep the reservoir from bouncing around, and its light weight and unobtrusive design made it easy to forget that I was wearing it.

The entirety of the vest’s fabric is made up of open mesh, which not only keeps the weight down, but it makes the whole things extremely breathable. It never soaked out on warmer runs, and it never felt uncomfortably hot on my back.

The only storage on the back is for the reservoir, so if you’re looking for a ton of space for gloves and layers, this isn’t the pack for you. But it the six pockets on the straps were handy for holding all my long run necessities (Gu’s, my keys and my iPhone).

The E-Lite vest pretty much kills your excuses to not buy a race vest. At 9.9 ounces, the pack is a great way to add a liter of water to your run without adding a bunch of weight to your back. And at $54.99, it won’t be taking too much weight from your wallet, either.

Check it out at Hydrapak.com. 

Menage a Jacket: Columbia Sportswear's Ultrachange 3-Way Jacket

As most of the country has seen this year, winter weather can be a fickle beast. With bright and sunny conditions one day, pouring rain and snow the next, just one jacket isn't going to cut it.

Columbia Sportswear's Ultrachange 3-in-1 Jacket ($450) does its best to accommodate your comfort in a variety of conditions. The setup consists of Columbia's waterproof OmniDry outer shell with the breathable OmniWick liner and a removable synthetic insulated jacket lined with the reflective OmniHeat lining. Hence the 3-in-1: you can pair the two for an insulated storm shell, yank out the liner and just wear the shell for warmer situations, or just wear the liner when it's cold and clear outside. 

I took the Ultrachange out for a day of snowboarding at Columbia's Fall '12 event, and the jacket negated any wind chill while I whipped down the mountain. By the afternoon, the day had heated up enough for me to take out the liner and just wear the shell for a while. I dug how much cooler it was, but the shell's fabric has a bit of a scratchy feel against the skin. I eventually swapped it for the insulating jacket, which I absolutely love.

The insulator's nylon outer and liner feel good against the skin, and the OmniHeat lining pairs up with the insulation to make for an incredibly warm package. It's got stretchy/breathable side panels, and it hooks into the shell via a loop on the back of the collar. I've made it a habit to wear it on its own more often than paired with the shell, but that'll probably change if California ever sees rain again.

It's scheduled for a Fall '12 release. Keep an eye out at Columbia.com.

Oh, and as an added bonus, the liner can be turned inside out for some early-90's bling action. So, technically, it's a 4-in-1.

Beat My Sleeve: One Man's Saga to Find the Perfect Headband

Despite all of the sweat-wicking, breathable, fast-drying materials that the gear industry showcases, I'm at a bit of a loss lately. I’ve tried a series of headwear options to keep my ears warm in the winter and keep the sweat out of my eyes in the summer, and all of the experimentation has led to one question: 

Why is it that my favorite headband is a cutoff sleeve from a shirt that was so grungy that my wife wouldn't let me wear it anymore? 

Now, to be fair, it's not that simple: I have a few special needs as a runner.

One, my head gets crazy hot in the winter, but my ears tend to freeze up on me. 

Two - I shave my head, so in the summertime, sweat just plain pours into my eyes the second I start moving. It’s like getting assaulted with seawater. I need something that’ll soak up and evaporate the sweat before it can offend my ocular sockets. 

I’ve tried tons of pieces of gear, but no luck so far. Here are a few notable tries: 

I started out with Turtle Fur’s Dryline Frost Ear Beanie with its lightweight and quick-drying Dryline material and extended ear coverage. It was warm in the winter, but too warm for all but the coldest of days and waaay too hot in the summer. I quickly decided to go with a headband. 

Mizuno’s Breathe Thermo Headband is warm and leaves the brainpan uncovered, but it’s too hot in the summertime. The Breathe Thermo tech makes the fabric warm up when it gets wet, which is neat in the winter, but pretty much nixes it for summer use. It’s not very elastic, either. After a few uses it was pretty stretched out and prone to slippage.

This may get me in trouble with notable Buff enthusiast Steve Regenold, founding editor of GearJunkie.com, but multifunctional marvel The Buff isn’t quite cutting it either. For every other purpose (full-on beanie, balaclava, blindfold, gag) it’s phenomenal and versatile, but there’s just too much material there. Folding the material over and over on itself to use as a headband makes it too hot during summer runs. Maybe a Buff headband would be good.

The Buff is great, but again, too hot in the summer.

The only piece of gear that works for me is a sleeve I cut from one of my favorite t-shirts. It provides enough coverage to keep my ears from freezing off of my head in December, but it’s small and thin enough to keep me from overheating in August. The fact that it’s cotton is definitely not ideal, but it soaks up the sweat just fine, it just takes forever to dry. I use it for running, climbing, hiking, just about any situation in which I might start sweating. Here's a photo of the Sleeve. Note the telltale seam and vintage "Electric" logo.

Now, I know there must be something out there that’ll work as well, if not better, than my Sleeve. Consider the gauntlet thrown, Gear Industry. Beat my sleeve.                                            

Teva Mountain Games Bringing Big Air, Big Awesome to Vail

One of the first things you learn when you enter the outdoor industry is that Teva knows how to throw a party. So it makes sense that they can bust out a long weekend with the best of them.

Mixed climbing? Check. Snowshoe, telemark, and splitboard racing? Check. Dual mountain bike snow slalom? Of course! A Theophilus London concert? Why the heck not?

The weekend of February 10-12, Teva Winter Mountain Games will hit Vail, Colorado, and it's going to bring a truckload of awesomeness with it. In addition to the standard winter sports like skiing, ice climbing and the like, Teva is bringing Big Air and On Snow Dual Slalom mountain bike events to the mix. Yeah. Two guys going head to head, flying down a snowy-covered hill and nailing gates. If that doesn't get your blood pumping, you may be dead. Seek help.

On Sunday, February 12, my favorite event will kick off. The Vail Uphill race appeals to the masochist in me. It separates the men and women from the boys and girls with a 2-mile race up groomed ski trails from the base of Vail Mountain's Lionshead to the top of the Eagle's Nest at 10,328 feet. Two miles, uphill, in the snow, as fast as you can. That is hard of core. 

Throw in a Theophilus London free concert on Saturday night and some Outdoor Reels film selections on Friday, and you've got a weekend crammed full of awesome. For the full list of events, head over to the Teva Winter Mountain Games website. Better yet, go check it out if you're in the Vail area next week.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012: Top Ten ORWMoments

If you've spent some time on this website, you'll know that the Outdoor Retailer shows can be a bit extreme for me and the people around me. No one went to the hospital this year, although another Columbia Sportswear employee did get hurt (sorry Adam), so I'll call this one a success. Here are a few context-free highlights from the trip.

1. Seeing oil explode out of a vat of molten salt at the Easton Mountain Products factory tour. Ka-BOOM!

2. Listening to Gearjunkie.com founder Stephen Regenold speak of his love of Buff headwear: "I think I wear one every day of my life."

3. Watching half a dozen blind-drunk people from [will remain nameless] apparel company stagger out of their plainly marked limo, then miraculously find their way into the Red Door lounge. Apparently, Kiwis know how to party.

4. Hearing iRunFar.com's (hilarious) Bryon Powell encourage our driver to have a glass of wine by saying "Well, you're not driving NOW..."

5. Seeing Columbia Sportswear's social media manager Adam Buchanan getting cracked on the head with a piece of street art. Sorry about that, A-bomb...

6. Admitting that I came to Outdoor Retailer with my mom's computer (long story).

7. Trying to write down all the courses of our meal at The Yurt at Solitude, but giving up when I couldn't pronounce half of the items. 

8. Realizing that no matter how many shoes I have, I need more.Thanks, Saucony.

9. Receiving a sample flask (still in its packaging) that happened to be pre-loaded with Maker's Mark whiskey. Deluxe model, anyone?

10. Seeing our collective Outdoor Retailer experience summed up in this video. Great job, Verde PR!

You want gear stuff, check out TheGearcaster.com or GearJunkie.com. These guys have tons of great gear content. Or heck, you could even read some of my gear reviews over at ActiveJunky.com/thefix or Wired.com. It's not bad either.

ORWM Day 1 Highlights: Gluten-Free Goodies, Waterproof Down, and...Other Cool Stuff.

Holy cow, Day 1 is done, and I'm beat. I hope you guys are happy, I missed the Michael Franti concert to write (among other things) this post. You're welcome. Here are your dang highlights. 

PROBAR is adding four new flavors to their roster: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Double Chocolate, SuperFruit Slam (not to be confused with SuperFOOD Slam), and Peanut Butter. The Peanut Butter and Chocolate based flavors are tasty and dessert-y, but the SuperFruit Slam is amazing. Tangy and sweet, it tastes like an extremely substantial fruit rollup.

Also, the Fruition bars are going gluten free by March. They're not changing any of the ingredients, since they're all already glutenless, but now they're only buying oats processed in a gluten-free facility. Celiacs rejoice.

This fall, Brooks Range Mountaineering is releasing the Mojave Down Jacket, filled with 800-fill, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial down. Oh, did I mention that it's waterproof? Yup, they've taken a Pertex Quantum shell and stuffed it full of the iPhone of outdoor gear: down that keeps is insulative properties when it gets wet. Downtek is treated with nanoparticles of a waterproof polymer, making it impervious to moisture, potentially eliminating down's only weakness as a jacket-stuffer.

I'm stoked to hear that Pearl iZumi is going to be catering more to ultra-endurance athletes. Their Ultra Barrier WxB Jacket is a great way to get started with this new direction. Made with their quick-drying, sweat-wicking Minerale fabric combined with a stretchy, water- and windproof exterior, the jacket is a great way to warm and dry on long runs. For the ultra set, they've bolstered the shoulders with a tacky reinforcement. Sticky tacky, not style tacky. Reinforcement to keep hydration packs from abrading the jacket, and tacky to keep the shoulder straps in place whilst you run. Paired with their Ultra Tights with pockets for Amphipod bottles, and you're good to go for your next 50k.

I was checking out Julbo's mountaineering line of sunglasses for a Wired.com review, but one of their multisport glasses really caught my eye (see what I did there?) today. Their Ultra sunglasses are lightweight, vented, and rock an open frame to give you a wide field of vision on your bike. What really grabbed my attention was how flexible the Zebra photochromic lens was - you could bend it back and forth in your hand. This means two things: one, that the lens bends instead of breaks when you take a header and two, the next time you faceplant, said lenses won't carve a divot out of your cheekbone. Which is good, because I like my face the way it is. 

Alright, it's past midnight - I'm gotta go crash.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012: Demo Day Highlights

Hey hey, it was demo day at Solitude Mountain Resort, and the booths were out in force. The snow started falling around 1pm, and the booths were clogged with people trying on boots, getting fitted for skis, and slapping YakTrax on their boots. It's already looking like a good event, with the mainstays rolling out some new innovations and the upstart companies hitting back with some interesting pieces of their own. Here are some Trek Tech highlights.

Recon Instruments adds Scott and Smith Optics to their lineup.
Recon Instruments, the guys who brought you the in-goggle head's up display,are adding big eyewear names Scott and Smith Optics to their line of Recon-compatible goggles. Soon, you'll be able to see just how much hang time you got on that kicker so you can brag with precision. 

Nargear introduces Military-Spec packs for civilian use. 
According to Nargear.com, these guys make packs for wildland firefighters and Fire/Rescue crews. And now, Nargear is introducing tough-as-nails packs for the likes of us. With heavy-duty 1000 denier fabric and double-stitched with military-spec parachute thread, Nargear's offerings for backcountry skiers and snowboarders look like they'll be able to survive wrecks that will end you. Just plain end you. So whoever finds your frozen corpse will end up with a sweet pack.

Easton Mountain Products and YakTrax kill "It's snowing outside" as an excuse not to run. 
Is it icy outside? Yaktrax's XTR crampons slip on over your running shoes. Ten spikes on two flexible plates give you traction on icy roads and sidewalks, keeping you on your feet and off your butt. Too much snow? Easton Mountain Products' Vo2 snowshoes let you mount your choice of shoes to the deck. A floating mounting joint and the flexion point behind the ball of the feet give you a natural feel, and carbon fiber decking keep the snowshoe's weight to a minimum.

Osprey adds a minimal lift and sidecountry ski pack to their lineup.
With its low-profile Karve series, Osprey brings a slim pack that will fit the essentials (reservoir, shovel, probe, food, extra layer), but is sits comfortably on a ski lift. An innovative diagonal zip design caught my eye, and the economy with which it stores said items kept it. Can't wait to try one of these guys.

Lots of good stuff, and the show hasn't even started yet. Things are looking good for this week.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012 Day 1(ish): Easton Mountain Products Factory Tour

The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012 officially starts tomorrow, but Easton Mountain Products has no problem giving the trade show's early arrivals a special treat: a tour through their Salt Lake City facility followed by a delicious dinner at Settebello Pizzeria Nepoletana. EMP's marketing coordinator Rich Packer took a group of journalists through the factory and showed us the process by which your ridiculously light tent poles (and stakes, and snowshoes, and trekking poles, and arrows) are made. I'll have a full overview of the tour after the show, but here are a few photos to keep you sated:

EMP's marketing coordinator Rich Packer takes writers step-by-step though the process of making super-light goodies.

Your future trekking poles, maybe? Some stacks of rolled and welded aluminum waiting to be softened in the ovens. 

Part of the strengthening process involves heating the poles in molten salt. The factory workers added extra oil to this batch to show what happens when the oil and 900-degree salt mix. Here's a hint: awesome happens. 

Tomorrow's the All-Mountain Demo day at Solitude Mountain Resort. Check twitter for live updates and back here tomorrow night for the report.

The Fix: GoLite Ashdown Pro Shell 3L Jacket Review

GoLite Ashdown Pro Shell 3-Layer Jacket ($450, www.GoLite.com)

Short of being eaten by something bigger and meaner than you, few things can ruin a trip outside like spending it soaking wet and freezing. If you're going to be kicking butt and taking names no matter what the weather (since you're reading The Fix, we assume that you are), you're going to need a shell that'll take all the punishment that mother nature can dish out.


When it first arrived at Active Junky, the Ashdown didn't make a huge impression at first. With so many jackets to test, it takes a heck of a piece to make an impression, but in the never-ending quest for the perfect shell, GoLite's Ashdown Pro Shell 3-Layer Jacket makes a strong argument for one of the top spots.

Read the full review here at Activejunky.com/thefix. 

TransRockies Running Camps

Last August, I ran the TransRockies Run3, a 60 mile run across the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. No big deal, just 60 miles in three days at around 11,000 feet above sea level. Hung out with Dean Karnazes. You know, the usual.

What's got two thumbs and loves the Rockies?

Seriously, it was the most well-organized and enjoyable event I've ever attended. If you wonder how running 60 miles or (120 miles in the six-day option) can be fun, just check out the Trail Strider videos and see for yourself.

Between the spectacular scenery, amazing food, tent cities, and the amazing friendships that I made, I likened the experience to a running camp.

Someone at the event must have overheard my observation, because TransRockies Events has unveiled the first of a series of trail running camps. Set in stunning locations, these running vacations are perfect for people who aren't content to lay around on the beach all day.
They're starting out with the Intro to Trail Running camp in Banff, Alberta, Canada on May 6-12, 2012. Gear towards beginning trail runners, the event features daily guided mountain trail runs, nutrition/goal setting/running form info sessions, and full access and lodging at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Here's a sample day schedule.

7:00-8:30am Breakfast
9:00-10:30am Info Session – classroom style.
11:00am Depart for Trail Run #1:  (8-15km)
2:00pm Return from Trail Run – smoothie bar and ongoing refreshments available throughout afternoon.
2:00-5:00pm Free time, yoga, swimming, facility access.
5:30pm Depart for group dinner

Following events include an Ultimate Trail Running Camp geared towards more advanced runners, a Women's Only camp, and Couples and Singles camps.

It's the perfect vacation for the runner in your life. Particularly if you want to see a grown-up version of this:

Waterproof Warmth: Polymer-Treated Feathers Fix Down's Downside

Everyone loves the warmth, weight, and packability of down, but nobody likes how it loses all of its insulating properties when it gets wet. When moisture gets to it, down clumps up, takes forever to dry, and leaves the wearer wet, cold and wishing he'd gone synthetic.

A piece of polymer-treated down.

You can make a jacket waterproof, but if the DWR breaks down and moisture gets inside, you're out of luck. The problem with making the actual down feathers waterproof is that every piece of the feather needs to be coated with waterproof treatment, down to the micron-length barbicels, which is a code that nobody's been able to crack. 

Until now, apparently. Cincinnati company Down Decor has found a way to eliminate down products' its susceptibility to water. Using a treatment developed in a Belgian lab, down feathers are completely coated with water-resistant polymer, allowing water to roll off the fliaments like...well, you know. I'm guessing that the treatment is either some type of aerosol spray or grown on genetically manipulated plastic geese. Either way, this could be the holy grail of insulation: lightweight, warm, packs down to wee proportions, and now, waterproof. Clients like Marmot are already developing jackets.

They'll be demonstrating the miracle feathers this month at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. I'll post an update after I see them in action.

It's only been five days, but 2012 is starting to look like the future already. It's no hoverboard, but it'll do for now.

Keep an eye out for this stuff in jackets in 2012/2013

Wired.com: Ortovox Mountain Skyver Review

Have you ever hiked up a mountain and thought, “Man, I wish I could just ride a bike back down?”

The German company Ortovox has granted that wish with its Mountain Skyver Trail bike. It’s actually more of a bike/scooter hybrid — it has front and rear disc brakes and full suspension like a mountain bike, but no seat, gears, chain or pedals. It folds up and fits into a specialized backpack, allowing you to hike up a trail and ride back down.

Read the whole review here at Wired.com. 

Also, since I'm all about the value-add, here's a quick video of me setting up the Skyver and promptly taking a dive on it.