The FLITE XT® TRAIL combines Merino wool and Swiftwick’s proprietary GripDry™ Fiber that is incorporated into the heel and forefoot of the sock to provide traction and grip inside the shoe. When tearing down the steep terrain of Mount Sanitas, the sock stayed in place, not sliding or bunching as my foot shifted in my shoe.
Around the ankle, Swiftwick uses their AnkleLock™ Technology with strong elastic to make sure that the sock stays in place, but also provides a sense of stability on rocky terrain.
Over the course of our testing, we wore them in a variety of conditions, including trail-running and snowshoeing. During these colder activities, we found that the Merino wool performed as expected. During these activities, we never felt like our foot was overheated or too cold.
“After the release of our original FLITE XT® socks, designed with advanced stability technology, we heard growing feedback from our hike and trail running customers on their love for the line’s performance features,” said Joanna Mariani, Chief Marketing Officer of Swiftwick.
“Using that feedback, we set out to combine the FLITE XT’s signature stability features with the natural wonders of Merino wool to provide the best-performing outdoor sock on the market. FLITE XT TRAIL was inspired by our customers and ardently crafted by our team– we’re excited to see what adventures our customers take these socks on.”
Swiftwick® FLITE XT® TRAIL
These socks are a welcome addition to our gear closets. We’re looking forward to ultra season and being able to put more miles on these.
I am a big fan of COROS. When I was looking for an outdoor adventure watch three years ago, I did a ton of research; looking at the top brands, trying to decide which would be the perfect watch for me.
COROS was new to this category in 2018, but was already shaking things up in an industry that was dominated by Garmin and Suunto. In 2019, I purchased their Apex 46mm watch. What won me over was their unmatched battery life and their developers. They were churning out multiple firmware updates a year—building on an already impressive design—and really engaged with their community; listening constantly to feedback from users.
And three years into it, the Apex is still a solid watch. I can still go between 10-14 days between charges and the firmware has only gotten better with their major releases.
COROS sent me their latest watch, the VERTIX 2, to put through our testing protocols. Their goal with this watch was to make the ultimate adventure watch. Check out our video and let us know your thoughts.
In between days of snowfall, we had 30ºF+ days that were perfect for taking this out on the trail for some runs and bike rides.
The Showers Pass Basecamp Merino Hoodie has been a great addition to my collection of baselayers. While it was nice to wear on a cool run and bike ride, it also paired really well under a fleece on colder days on the slopes, making this one of the most versatile pieces I have in my gear closet.
This hoodie is made with all-season 230 gsm fabric that is 95% merino wool and has UPF 40 sun protection.
Sliding it on, it is light and cozy, but highly functional.
Merino Wool, by its nature, is perfect for the outdoors. It keeps you warm, but when things start to heat up, keeps your core temperature regulated so you aren’t constantly shedding layers with its moisture wicking capability.
What makes the Basecamp Merino Hoodie stand out from it’s competition is the thoughtfulness and intentionality of its product design.
Showers Pass Basecamp Merino Hoodie
It has zippered kangaroo pockets that are easily accessible in the front, but, did I mention: they are zippered. I have hoodies that don’t have zippered pockets and they aren’t good at holding much; they are just a convenient place to put my hands. But with Showers Pass’s design, I can stash anything into these pockets, zip them shut, and not have to worry about bouncing my keys, wallet or phone out of them.
Basecamp Merino Hoodie
I love the hood, as well. There’s a few hoodies in my closet with hoods that just don’t fit right. They are too small or sit to far back on my head. I love how spacious the hood is on the Basecamp Merino Hoodie. It provides adequate coverage, but because of how light the fabric is, it doesn’t weigh me down.
Basecamp Merino Hoodie
The final feature I’ll highlight is the fit in the back. Showers Pass designs their shirts and jackets so that there’s a little swoop going past your waist. This is a great feature for cycling so that your shirt doesn’t ride up.
Overall, I love the Basecamp Merino Hoodie. It’s another great product from Showers Pass. The overall fit is great. It’s one of the most comfortable hoodies and baselayers in my gear closet. I am looking forward to taking this piece out on more advetures.
The Basecamp Merino Hoodie is available online. I am 5’11” and 185 lbs and I wear a large.
The Crosspoint Waterproof Knit Wool Gloves are fully waterproof. It is constructed with three bonded layers, including a wear resistant exterior, a waterproof / breathable Artex membrane, and a lovely merino wool lining. This merino wool lining is something special. It is soft and cozy, but even with the heart rate pumping, offers great temperature regulation while providing anti-microbial properties to keep it smelling fresh.
So far this winter, I’ve taken these gloves running and snowshoeing.
While running, I found that the merino wool lining performed as expected. Even on longer runs, as I warmed up, I found myself keeping the gloves on longer. Typically, I would oscillate between having gloves on our off, regardless of the temperature outside. But with my body temperature better regulated, I didn’t have those issues.
The gloves also became my go-to this winter for walking the dog. With the fit and dexterity, I was able to pull out the poo bags, open them, and pick up the little doggie droplets with easy. That might seem like a small thing, but with my other gloves, I’d always have to pull them off in order to perform this activity.
This winter, I also picked up a new daily routine: outdoor ice baths. Every morning, I’ll sit in a horse trough full of icy water in my backyard for 3-4 minutes. I’ll wear the Crosspoint Waterproof Knit Wool Gloves during this time, resting my hands on the outside of the bath.
And I can attest to how waterproof these gloves are. My dog loves to chew on ice. Throughout this morning ritual, I’ll dip my fingers into the bath and pull out chunks of ice and throw it to him to play with.
These gloves are terrific and my go-to this winter.
I consider my fingers normal sized and wear a large comfortably.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Under Armour have collaborated on a new collection: Project Rock “For the Heroes.” This latest apparel collection was launched to support the Travis Manion Foundation.
The Travis Manion Foundation was named after 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of his patrol in 2007. Under Armour and Project Rock are supporting the organization by providing funds from the For The Heroes collection.
Under Armour For the Heroes Collection
This new collection features new pieces for men, women, and youth. They are branded to celebrate veterans and features distressed type, metallic golds and an eagle illustration.
Over the last month, I’ve been doing a lot of my workouts in my garage. And with it getting colder, the Hoodie and Joggers are perfect companions. I am comfortable throughout my workout, including when I am just warming up and still and little bit cold. But it’s also able to withstand a solid flop-sweat.
The material isn’t clingy as the workout gets more intense. This allows me to squat deeper and lift cleaner while the fabric moves with me.
The Vet Day graphics add an additional layer and texture to the material. On the hoodie, the large circle feels rubbery to the touch, but doesn’t sit heavy.
Under Armour Vet Day Joggers
The joggers have two side pockets and a snap pocket in the back.
Conclusion
I really appreciate what The Rock and Under Armour are doing to support this organization. You can get involved too by purchasing these products from Under Armour or visiting the website for the Travis Manion Foundation and seeing how you can get involved.
It’s better than the alternative: squinting and stressing out my eyeballs.
But I am picky about what I wear, especially when I run. I don’t know about you, but I always feel that after an hour or two, my head expands and sunglasses can start feeling tight and uncomfortable.
My perfect sunglasses can’t be rigid and hard. They have to be flexible; bending and flexing to accommodate for the blood pumping into my noggin.
I was excited to hear that Nathan was launching sunglasses. They already make great packs and apparel for running, so why not sunglasses?
The choice of lens was intentional. I have plenty of sunglasses for bright, sunny days. But what about those fall / winter days when it is overcast and windy or when I am running on trails with a lot of tree coverage? I want eye protection on those days too and darker lenses are too much.
The frames themselves are really comfortable. They are made from a lightweight thermoplastic material that is durable and flexible. The flexibility allows the frames to bend and contour to your face, but they are also resilient to damage. I did a few drop tests and the glasses came away still looking brand new.
Nathan SUMMIT POLARIZED RUNNING SUNGLASSES
There are also rubber grips that sit flush on the frame around the nose and ears to help minimize bounce and keep the glasses securely on your face. Bouncing down trails didn’t dislodge them. Even a slip and fall on my head didn’t askew them.
As for the lens: they are great. Before when I’d run on cloudy days or in dense forests, I’d always oscillate between having my glasses on for a period, then off. On and then off. Over and over again. But with their blue mirror lens, I kept them on the entire time. And I felt that I had less eye fatigue because of that.
While I have plenty of other sunglasses for bright, sunny days, I’ll definitely be picking up another pair from Nathan. These glasses are the most comfortable out of my collection and will be a great companion for when I start ultra training this spring.
You can find these sunglasses at Nathan’s website for $50 a pair.
Nathan sent us the TrailMix 7L, a trail-running pack, to test. Over the last month, we’ve taken around the local trails, up and down several mountains, and have put on around 75 miles with the pack.
Nathan TrailMix 7L
As the name suggest, it has a total capacity of 7 liters, including 2 liters of water storage with an included HydraPak reservoir.
The Fit
The TrailMix 7L wears like a small backpack. It’s fit is snug, yet comfortable, with contoured shoulders and multiple cinch straps to ensure a proper fit. The build is light and flexible, letting it move with you as you tear down the trail.
It features a compression system that keeps your load tight against your back for stability. With the water reservoir, I always flip it upside down and suck out any extra air prior to running with it. This helps reduce any natural bounce that may occur with the pack, but I honestly didn’t feel any excessive bounce.
One of the key features I always look for in a running pack is comfortability on long runs. During ultra season a few years ago, my go-to pack at the time always left chafe marks on my shoulders. The TrailMix 7L has a soft perimeter and I didn’t experience any chafing on my arms or shoulders.
Storage
Nathan TrailMix 7L
The TrailMix 7L might seem light on storage, but I found it adequate for runs up to 20 miles in the changing temperature of Fall. Starting out in the morning, I had gloves, beanie, and a jacket. Once it warmed up, they easily stashed in the pack. I also always run with a small first aid kit that fits snuggly in the bottom of the pack.
On the front of the vest there are two front pockets. They are large enough for my 20 ounce soft flasks, but for the runs I did with the pack, I used them more for my iPhone 12 Pro and snacks.
Nathan TrailMix 7L
The back of the pack also has daisy chains for attaching lighting (great for night runs) and trekking pole attachments.
When I took my poles out, I found that the attachments kept them stored adequately. I didn’t have any issues with my poles falling out. When I did pull the poles out or stashed them, I had to stop and remove the pack. Not ideal for races, but good enough for training.
Hydration Sytem
It’s worth taking a few sentences to talk about the hydration system.
As mentioned previously, the TrailMix 7L comes with a HydraPak 2L bladder.
The bladder hose snakes out of the top of the pack and down the right breast where it hooks securely. The hose is long, so when it’s hooked, I don’t have to unhook to drink. However, on longer runs, I did find the bounce of the hose slightly annoying, so I ended up tucking it into the bottom belt of the pack.
HydraPak is one of the best manufacturers of hydration systems, so it was awesome seeing that it was included.
Quick pro tip: when washing, HydraPak’s can be reversed. Just reach inside and pull out to reverse. It makes cleaning a heckuvalot easier. Plus, drying is a lot faster.
Conclusion
I’m excited to continue trail-running this winter with the Nathan TrailMix 7L. It offers ample water storage and the remaining space is large enough to pack in or out with my running necessities.
The TrailMix 7L is also the most affordable pack we’ve tested. At $100, it is $30-$100 less than it’s competitors.
If you’re looking for a new trail-running companion, look no further than the Nathan TrailMix 7L.
It can mean something good or bad, but also used to describe something challenging.
Gnarly Nutrition Hydrate and BCAAs
When Gnarly Nutrition sent me samples of their product to try, it landed on my doorstep at a challenging time. I just gotten back from my first physical in many years and learned that I had topped the scales at an all-time high. Based on the BMI chart, I was now “overweight.”
Fitness has always been a priority for me, but as life changed, so has my fitness priorities. The COVID-19 presented challenges around my fitness and I fell out of my normal routines, including running (something I have been devoutly fanatical about for 13 years).
The balance between home learning, work, and making time for my wife to have to herself put a lot of my fitness to the side.
And now I showed the evidence of that. Since my first child was born 10 years ago, I had put on 47 pounds. Since COVID, I had put on 20 pounds.
It was a lot and I knew I had to do something different. Something challenging. Something… gnarly.
When these samples arrived, I decided that it was time to kick my own ass.
I started a high-intensity-impact-training program, increased my frequency and mileage running, and started flipping a tractor tire in my garage. Along with that, I started intermittent fasting for 16-18 hours a day and cold showers in the morning to activate my brown fat cells.
These supplements from Gnarly Nutrition have been a welcome addition.
Gnarly Hydrate
Gnarly Nutrition Hydrate
Thirty-minutes prior to a workout, I’ll down a serving of Gnarly Hydrate.
Typically, I’m working out in the late afternoon and the B-Vitamins are a nice energizing pick-me-up to motivate me out of my office and into my workout space.
Each serving is super-packed with electrolytes to help aid performance and stave off muscle cramps and burnout. 250 mg of sodium, 100 mg of potassium, 90 mg of magnesium, 125 mg of calcium, and 135 mg of chloride.
What I appreciate about this product is that it doesn’t have caffeine. Since I’m working out in the afternoon, I don’t need extra caffeine in my system.
Additionally, this product mixes really well. There’s another brand (that shan’t be named) that I’ve used that is always clumpy and feels heavy in the gut. Gnarly Hydrate mixes well enough that I’ve replaced the Nuun tablets in my Hydropak.
Gnarly BCAAs
Gnarly Nutrition BCAAs
I’ve never used BCAAs as part of my recovery. If you don’t know, BCAAs stand for Branched Chain Amino Acids.
You have 20 different amino acids in your body and three of those (leucine, isoleucine and valine) are branched chain amino acids.
By supplementing BCAAs, you’re helping your body build back better (sorry, Biden). BCAAs can help with muscle growth, decrease muscle soreness, reduce fatigue, and prevent muscle wasting.
When I’ve gotten on these ass-kicking routines, my ass has gotten kicked and I have fallen off the wagon quickly.
But since supplementing Gnarly BCAAs I’ve found significant improvement in my recovery time.
I’ve been able to hit the same level of intensity the next day after an intense workout.
I’m a week into my journey and I’ve already dropped a couple pounds, which I’ll take as a victory.
Gnarly BCAAs has several flavors to choose from including caffeinated and decaf options. I’m using the caffeinated version, but with only 35 mg of caffeine per serving, it hasn’t negatively impacted my sleep routine.
Gnarly Vegan Protein
Gnarly Nutrition Vegan Protein
Finding the right vegan protein has been hit or miss. Especially when it comes to how well it mixes. There are many out there that are grainy and clumpy.
Thankfully, Gnarly Vegan Protein is one of the best I’ve had. Their protein is a blend of pea protein isolate, cranberry seed protein and chia seed protein.
Since using it, I also haven’t had the gut issues I’ve had before with other proteins. I think it’s in part due to their forms of protein, but the fiber content (7 grams per serving), and the pre and probiotics to support digestion and gut health.
When I’ve been breaking my fast, I’ve turned to their vegan protein versus running to the local sandwich or fast food shop. Each serving, when combined with water, is only 200 calories.
Out of the two flavors I samples (vanilla and chocolate), chocolate was my favorite.
Bottom Line
As I’ve gone on this journey of better health and fitness, I couldn’t be more happy to have Gnarly Nutrition in my corner. It’s definitely been a bit gnarly. But gnarly is a good way.
My hope is that I’ll be able to get to a point where I’m able to do ultras again and have Gnarly on all my training runs.
It’s worth noting that Gnarly Nutrition products are NSF certified and the three products above are all soy free, gluten free, and vegan.
One of the larger benefits of CBD is how good the hemp plant is for the environment. Hemp’s rapid growth makes it one of the fastest CO2-to-biomass conversion tools available, more efficient than agro- forestry.
But with the rapid growth of the CBD industry, a by-product of the large consumption of hemp oil is the biomass waste it produces.
Ananda Hemp is solving that issue with the creation of their activewear line, Hemp Black. They sent me some products to try out.
Hemp as a Fabric
Using Hemp as a fabric isn’t new. Leading brands have been using it for years, but it’s only been recently that Hemp has gained popularity over traditional cotton and polyester.
What makes Hemp Black different is that along with the hemp-blended fabrics, their activewear is infused with antimicrobial copper embedded fibers and odor eliminating hemp infused fibers with full-spectrum hemp extract to reduce odor.
Less odor = less stink = less washing. This makes Hemp Black one of the most sustainably-focused activewear companies in the world.
It’s also worth noting that a majority of hemp clothing is made overseas, whereas Hemp Black is made in the U.S.
Additionally, no chemical treatment or finishes were applied to the outer shell or main fabrications.
The copper and hemp blend is throughout the interior of the jacket.
It has a lined hood that stayed fresh and clean during longer, sweat-filled runs.
There are two lined pockets for storage. One includes a cellphone pocket that is large enough for my iPhone 12 Pro. Now, the crazy thing about their copper and hemp blend, is that it will sanitize your phone. It reduces a broad spectrum of viruses, bacteria, and fungi on surfaces it comes in contact with and keep items clean.
Hemp Black Fairmont Full Zip Jacket Glove Liner
The sleeves also extend to cover my hands, with thumb-holes. The intention of this was to allow for safer, cleaner contact when coming into contact with things, like doors, touching buttons, etc. But I have these hand covers to be great while out for early morning cooler runs to keep my fingers comfortable.
I’ve taken it out on several runs and impressed by how it doesn’t stink.
It’s also really light and breathable. Even as my body heated up, I never felt like I was overheating.
Sunn Pant
Hemp Black Sunn Pants
Combined with the Jacket, I also was sent a pair of the Sunn Pant to try out.
One of my pet peeves with any pant or short I wear during outdoor activities is making sure they stay in place. The Sunn Pant’s waistband is designed to do just that. During heavy-movement (running, cycling), they stayed in place without riding up or down.
The Sunn Pant is lined with the same copper and hemp blend in strategic areas to keep things fresh. The pocket includes a cell phone holder that also has the same antimicrobial elements.
Hemp Black Sunn Pants
I also found that these pants are great anytime pants. They are much cooler and sleeker than your typical sweatpants and I have worn them on a few work Zoom calls.
With running, they pair really well with Saxx Kinetic HD underwear. Even under heavy activity, I didn’t experience any chafing with the pants or uncomfortability in the ankles or calfs where the pants taper.
Bottom Line
I’m excited to see how Hemp Black line expands.
Beyond these two products, they have a line of t-shirts, face masks, and bags for men.
They also have a full line of women’s products, including leggings, bras, and tanks.
Pricing ranges from $40-200. While the jackets and pants are on the pricier side, their technology is intended to last the lifecycle of their products. Because the copper and hemp fabric reduces odor, you don’t have to wash it as much and the products will last longer.
When I stopped at the Tasc Performance booth at Outdoor Retailer, I knew I had stumbled onto a pretty special and unique brand.
Tasc Performance clothes are made from a bamboo fiber blend, which is great for any type of activity due to its moisture-wicking, anti-odor, and wrinkle-resistant properties.
At Outdoor Retailer, it was immediately noticeable how lightweight and comfortable their clothing was. The bamboo fiber blend made it extremely soft and I knew I had to try them out on the trail.
Field Testing
Tasc sent me a handful of products to review. In this post, we’ll break down two products: the Carrolton Tee and the Recess Short.
The Recess Short
Tasc Performance Recess Short
With the Tasc Performance Recess Short, the softness of the bamboo fiber blend was immediately apparent. It might TMI, but I have been have some chafing issues in the nether region. During the field test I took them out on a mountain hike and several runs and I never experienced any redness or soreness down there. I also through in a handful of home workouts and yoga sessions.
When comparing them to my other go-to running shorts, they also weighed in 2 grams lighter.
The shorts have several pockets for storage. I was able to easily hold a few gels and a flexible water bottle in the side pockets, and my keys in a zippered side pocket. On the bamboo liner, it has a cell phone pocket that easily held my iPhone 12 Pro.
The pockets kept things secure enough so that there wasn’t too much bouncing, but ideally on longer runs, I would store a majority of those things in my running pack.
Not getting chafed by itself made these shorts a winner. But I’ve also just lounged around the house in them. The liner isn’t too tight or constrictive. It kept everything in it’s place while giving me room to stretch out.
I also found that they are suitable to nearly every workout activity I could think of. While doing jump squats or downward-facing dog, I never felt that the shorts were slipping in a way that would expose my butt crack. But I also didn’t find myself constantly adjusting the liner.
The Carrolton Tee
Tasc Performance Carrolton Tee
To say that the Tasc Performance Carrolton Tee is as smooth and as soft as butter may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s not. I wish all my shirts were this soft.
While on my mountain hike, I had my go-to running back slung over it, and what I noticed was that I really liked the collar.
The collar sits a bit higher than my other running shirts. And what’s great about it is that I didn’t experience the normal chaffing I would get around my neck from my running pack. It’s the little things that make a difference.
The bamboo fiber also lays a bit different than a normal running shirt. It is heavier and because of that, I didn’t experience the typical riding-up I normally would have during yoga or HITT workouts.
The Bottom Line
Truth be told: I’m a big fan of Tasc Performance.
Not only were they really comfortable during my activities, but I put them through the ringer to test out the other bamboo proprieties: moisture-wicking and anti-odor.
I spent around 15 hours of heavy activity in them and they passed the smell test. I mean, it was a little funky towards the end, but it didn’t have the normal funk of my workout and running clothes.
If you’re looking to upgrade your running apparel or needing something that you just want to be comfortable in, look no further than Tasc Performance.
