We get excited when we hear of outdoor brands that are not only innovating, but have made sustainability and preserving the beauty of the outdoors a priority. United By Blue is one of them.

United By Blue is a young company but is doing some remarkable things. As a certified B Corp, they have to prove each year that they put people and the planet before profits, and a couple of their initiatives really make them stand out.

First, is their mission: for every product sold, they remove one pound of trash from oceans and waterways. To date, they have removed over 1.5 million pounds of trash. Plus, it’s a mission that they encourage others to share in. On their website, you can sign up to join them on one of their cleanups.

The other thing that makes United By Blue unique is in order to have the least impact on the environment, they use materials like organic cotton and recycled polyester from plastic bottles.

They recently launched a collection of jackets and vests using a very interesting insulation material: bison down.

Bison down usually ends up in landfills as a bi-product of the ranching industry. United By Blue, however, acquires the material before it gets there, combs and cleans it, and blends it with recycled polyester for an amazingly lightweight and warm material that they call BisonShield.

Bison down is naturally hypoallergenic, moisture wicking, and provides superior warmth while regulating temperature. It’s the same natural properties that let bison survive cold winters instead of migrating.

United By Blue gave us a bison jacket and a pair of their merino wool socks to test out and share our review.

Women’s Bison Snap Jacket

The Bison Snap Jacket was truly a pleasant surprise. I don’t typically wear clothing made from animal by-products, so I didn’t know what to expect. Other than the bison tag on the inside, you couldn’t tell the jacket was insulated with bison down.

This is the perfect jacket for spring, fall or a mild winter day, since it’s suited for 32 to 70 degree weather. And I found it surprisingly warm for how thin it is.

I’m 5’2 and typically wear size medium jackets, and I felt like it was true to size and the right cut for my medium build and still allowed room for layering underneath. It reminded me of my favorite jean jacket, where it can be a bit stiff and restrictive at first when stretching or crossing my arms, but it didn’t bother me after a couple days of breaking in the jacket.

The look and style of this jacket is versatile and has a dressier feel than a utility or sports jacket. Its warmth, weather proof material, and deep pockets made it great for a hike, but it’s cut, style, and space for adjustable layering made it the perfect jacket when I traveled from Denver to Phoenix for a work trip. And the color they chose for this one is a particularly gorgeous shade of blue that I loved.

Trail Sock

I also got to test United By Blue’s unisex Trail Socks and found them amazingly comfortable when compared to other merino wool hikers.

I have a wide foot and have experienced socks from other brands that end up being tight and restrictive. And having the right sock for your activity is just as important as your shoes. Keeping your feet comfortable is all about choosing the right fabric, length, and features.

United By Blue’s Trail Socks are made from merino wool and are extremely soft. They were super cozy when just hanging out at home. Plus, on hikes and trail-runs they were very breathable, warm, and comfortable. My foot was able to flex and bend in them without feeling encumbered by any rigidity.

At only $14 a pair, I’ll definitely be adding more of these to my sock drawer.

Please note that United By Blue is an affiliate to Huck Adventures, and at no additional cost to you, Huck earns a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the links above.

After moving to Colorado, I knew I needed to up my hydration game on the local trails. Over the past several years of training, I usually brought water anytime I exceeded eight miles (roughly an hour). But knowing that my training goals were shifting toward ultras and that my elevation gain was increasing in a drier climate, I knew that I needed a change.

In the past, I had owned a hydration vest that could only carry a bladder in the back, but it was difficult to clean and maintain. I had also owned a waist belt that carried two hard, plastic bottles, but it bounced and over time was uncomfortable. Plus, it didn’t have enough room to carry a phone, keys, or fuel.

Two years ago, I started looking for a fanny pack to carry my over-sized phone during lunchtime runs from the office. After trying out several different brands and models, I came across Ultimate Direction and fell in love with their waist belts and the story behind their product design.

Ultimate Innovation

Ultimate Direction (UD) has been innovating the hydration pack category for over 30-years; creating award-winning hydration vests, handhelds, and belts. They were also the first company to offer a women’s specific hydration pack.

Their products are designed by athletes for the self-propelled runner, skier, climber, fast packer, or obstacle course racer. If you follow them on social media, you’ll see athletes in their office testing the products long before they go into final production.

Mountain Vest 4.0

When they launched their 4.0 Signature Series in Spring 2018, I was quick to pick up the Mountain Vest 4.0. It was one of their larger hydration vests, but I knew that I wanted something that would support me for both shorter summer runs when I would need just a few essential items and longer mountain runs fully loaded with gear.

I found the Mountain Vest 4.0 light and versatile. For shorter runs, I would typically carry one of the soft flasks in the front for on-the-go hydration, while stashing my phone in the other pocket.

The front of the vest has several smaller pockets with easy to open with zippers or velcro, which can hold keys, gels, salt tablets, or chapstick. There are also two zipper pockets on the side of the vest that are large enough for a phone or additional fuel. On the front, there are trekking pole straps, but I’ve had issues keeping my Leki trekking poles in them during longer mountain runs.

In the rear of the bag is a large compartment with a thin partition to help with organization or can hold up to a two-liter water bladder. The other side of the partition is large, perfect for carrying additional clothing, food, microspikes, etc.

On the very back of the vest is a quick-stash compartment for easy access. It’s where I typically put my windshell.

I’ve used this pack for trail-running, but I’ve also used it for bike commutes into Boulder for work. The compartment in the back is large enough to keep a change of clothes, while the quick-stash area can hold shoes.

It wasn’t until months of use that I discovered that the pack had a hidden whistle. I wasn’t sure of the scenario I would need it in until I stumbled upon a black bear scavenging for apples at the bottom of Green Mountain. The build of the pack made it easy enough to quickly access the whistle to scare the bear off the trail (and access my phone for a few pictures of my new friend).

The vest’s materials are soft, thin, light, and extremely comfortable. It’s easy to adjust the fit, depending on how much you’ve packed into it.

Sizes come in small, medium, and large. I am 5’11” and 175 lbs. I’m right on the edge of a Large, but I ended up purchasing a Medium and am happy with the way it sizes.

Conclusion

I’m a big fan of the Mountain Vest 4.0. UD continues to innovate in this category and although I know this vest will last several years, I can’t help but drool over their new product releases.