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.