Gear Army: La Sportiva Women's FC 1.1 Hikers
I found the perfect place to test out the La Sportiva FC 1.1 Hikers ($105), the Moosehead Lake region of Maine. I set up up a series of day hikes to put the shoes to the test.
Let’s start with the cosmetics: these are really nice looking shoes. If you prefer your day-hiking shoes to moonlight as regular sneakers, thy are perfect. The synthetic leather upper has a nice feel to it and is also easy to clean once you’re off the trail. They run true to size – a women’s 10 gave me plenty of room for a thick pair of hiking socks.
On the trail, these shoes do a passable job. The Vibram soles are certainly top notch, gripping slippery wood, crumbling shale, and steep rock without a problem. The front toe bumper kept me from stubbing my toes (something I do often, for reasons unknown). The perforated synthetic leather leaves a bit to be desired in the ventilation department, though. For shoes without a whole lot of padding, these were rather warm. That said, they kept me dry while hiking in a drizzle thanks to a polyurethane coating.
The thing I was least happy with on the FC 1.1s was the lack of cushioning in the footbed. After a full day of use, I took these off and my feet practically cried out for a rub. Even halfway through a hike I found myself wondering what kind of Dr. Scholl’s pain relief I should buy when I got home. Thankfully, the relatively light weight of the shoes made it easier to keep on walking.
After a few weeks of moderate to heavy use, the shoes are holding up well. The design and construction are both solid. This morning when I put them on, however, I noticed that the laces are already starting to fray. Strange that, with so many grade-A materials, the laces would have problems.
My bottom line piece of advice to you: Buy these along with a set of cushioning inserts and a back-up pair of laces and you should be all set.
--Kisså
Roach may live in Philadelphia, but she recently planned a road trip
based solely around day-hiking. Her stops included Wyoming's
Yellowstone, Devil's Tower, and Medicine Wheel Passage, Oregon's Crater
Lake, Washington's Columbia River Gorge and Deception Pass State Park,
and Badlands in South Dakota.
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November 13, 2009
Gear Army: MSR Skinny Too Tent
The first thing out of my mouth when I set up this beast was, "This thing's freakin' huge!"
MSR’s latest addition to its fast-and-light series of tents, the Skinny Too ($250), is a lightweight yet roomy two-person tent for adventures of all types. Did I say roomy? Perhaps generously voluminous, would be more accurate.
Comparable in packed weight (a dainty 4.6 lbs) to its similarly-sized, single-walled competitors, this tent just feels bigger than most. It's hoop design has almost completely-vertical walls which made me feel like I was getting every last inch of its marketed 25 square feet. It's nice to have reprieve from the sloping walls of a dome-style tent too.
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November 11, 2009
Gear Army: Salomon Quest Hiking Boots
I tried to get the Salomon Quest 4D GTX hiking boots ($200) a couple of weeks in advance. With a rim-to-rim backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon on the horizon, I wanted to have some time to break them in. As it turns out, these were ready to go right out of the box.
Out-of-the-box fit isn't the only thing Salomon got right when designing these boots. High-ankle boots don't normally equal lightweight, but these are the lightest backpacking boots I’ve ever had on my feet, at a total of three pounds per pair.
Once I got them in the Grand Canyon they performed superbly. The nylon-and-suede upper's adequate padding kept forward slippage to a minimum while I descended the Bright Angel trail. The real prize on the upper, though, is the lace-locking cleat between the ankle and forefoot which allows you to customize the fit. By letting me lock in the laces at that point, I kept a snug fit down low while opening up the ankle for comfort.They are also waterproof thanks to a Gore-Tex membrane. My feet stayed dry, but also grew a little too hot in the Arizona climate.
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November 09, 2009
Gear Army: Sugoi Verve Running Shorts
Ask any serious runner about their favorite piece of running gear and they will likely tell you about their super-technical shoes, lightweight polarized sunglasses, or distance/calorie/pace tracking-stopwatch system. And their running shorts? Shorts are probably the last piece of gear runners think about.
The funny thing is you spend just as much time in a pair of shorts as you do in your running shoes, so you want to have shorts that feel good, fit and perform well. And I have learned the hard way in the past that the right pair of shorts can make a world of difference (bad shorts = chaffing, the bane of any runner’s existence). I recently tested the Sugoi Verve running short; ($45), a low-rise, lightweight running short with mesh panels and a mesh liner for moisture wicking and breathability, and was quite happy with how well the shorts fit, felt and performed.
Fit: These shorts fit true to size and are a bit longer than the traditional half-split running short. At first I thought the length would inhibit my stride, but I didn’t have any problems with that while running. The Verve shorts have a drawstring waist and a mesh liner that wasn’t too tight to feel restrictive and wasn’t too loose to make you want to cut the darn thing out of the shorts!
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November 05, 2009
Gear Army: Aquapac Waterproof Backpack
Simply put, the Aquapac Waterproof Backpack ($85) is a gem: it’s compartments are easily-accessible, using it takes no frills, and it's craftsmanship is sturdy.
My first impression was that this drybag-like pack would be a raft guide's nightmare. It's material felt surprisingly lightweight (read: snaggable) and it had a multitude of straps hanging off the pack (read: also snaggable). I was skeptical that the supple material wouldn't hold up to the rigors of a river man's daily life.
From the start, I knew that the bag had very good features such as ultra-convenient and nicely-sized side pockets, hydration-bladder compatibility and a "wet bag" section inside to keep wet and dry gear separate. That said, I needed convincing that the bag would stay in one piece through the violent surf season on West Virginia's New River.
Bottom line: my durability skepticism was for naught. The bag held up to the demands of the daily grind with ease.
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October 30, 2009
Gear Army: Avia Avi-Stoltz
For a runner, is any piece of gear more important than the shoe? Conrad Stoltz doesn’t think so. That’s why the three-time Xterra world champion co-developed and tested the Avia Avi-Stoltz ($114), Avia’s first line of Xterra off-road race-ready shoes.
When I trained with the Avi-Stoltz, I noticed how well they performed on inclines and declines. The outsole is serrated, which helps maintain traction on undulating terrain and around spotty corners on the trail. A groove in the middle of the outsole, called the Ess Rocksteady Plate, protects your foot from rocks and roots and anything else that might cause bone bruising.
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October 28, 2009
Gear Army: Julbo Bivouak Glacier Sunglasses
Think of Julbo's new glacier sunglasses, The Bivouak ($120), like a Transformer. At the base level, they're a wraparound frame with a stylish shape for moseying around town. Now, attach the fire engine red side shields and you have a glass that is ready for maximum sunlight (like on a glacier or a high-altitude river).
As basic sunglasses, the Bivouak works well thanks to its high-quality lens, light frame, and adjustability. Over half of the arms (shown in red, at left) are made from sticky rubber that is also flexible. This equals grip as well as a fit that can vary depending on your helmet or hat. By bending the rubber around your ear, you can avoid losing them if you, say, have a yard sale while skiing.
The Bivouaks are available with multiple lens colors (for varying environments) including one that they claim can block out glacial light, but they are all vented with notches to eliminate fogging. It worked on both the river and the snow for me.
Now, onto those protective wings.The magnetic side shields block light from the periphery and allow sharp focus on the what's in front of you and come on and off in a flash. The only downside is that, because they are magnetic, they are easy to lose when they're detached. Don't lose 'em, and you'll be glad you bought these.
--Justin Bobb, a native Santa Fean, can be found rafting on the Rio Grande or snowboarding in the backcountry of Northern New Mexico's mountains. If he's neither place, he's probably mapping little-explored cave systems.
Want to test gear for Outside magazine? Apply to be a member of our Gear Army, here.
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October 21, 2009
Gear Army: Women's Merrell Siren Rain Jacket
The Merrell Siren rain jacket ($230) makes travel more comfortable. Not only does it hold up in light rain and torrential downpours, it fits easily into a small bag or purse. Made of Gore-Tex Paclite, the jacket is extremely lightweight so you never feel like you're lugging it around. And, it has sealed pockets so you can stash your camera or cell phone while out and about.
The Siren's main draw is how waterproof it is. Made of 100% polyester, it was the perfect barrier for staying completely dry while mingling at a rainy music festival. The hood's brim and drawstring closures helped to keep nagging raindrops out of my eyes and away from my face. The zippers never leaked either.
And while downpours can get steamy, the Siren has an ample ventilation system: pit zips open up for venting steam. Even in the most humid weather or active endeavor, the jacket stayed breathable.
The hood efficiently tucks away to make it even more compact and, unlike your big, bulky rain coat, it has a flattering cut.
The Siren is so functional that it is difficult to recognize its inadequacies. The one negative aspect I found was the length. The size medium fit my arms perfectly, however the
length of the jacket could have used another inch or so. The rain rolled down the back of my jacket making my butt wet where my jeans and jacket met. It could also use some more room in the body as I was unable to get a sweatshirt underneath.
Overall, the Merrell Siren is a rain jacket I would highly recommend. I am confident that the Siren would keep me dry in any type of inclement weather.
--New Yorker Sarah Johnson tested the Merrell Siren while under rain clouds at the Lollapalooza music festival. For Outside-recommended festivals, read: The Best Summer Music Festivals from our June 2009 issue.
Want to test gear for Outside magazine? Apply to be a member of our Gear Army, here.
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September 21, 2009
Gear Army: Headsweats Race Hat
Headsweats, a hat manufacturer that makes custom hats for Marmot, The North Face, and La Sportiva, is no joke. They set the standard for endurance sports headwear.
The Race Hat ($20), Headsweat's original technical hat, still stands out from the crowd today. During tests in sunny but dry conditions with temperatures in the 80s, the Race Hat's CoolMax terry headband stood out as the hat's best feature by blocking sweat from above the headband from rolling into my eyes. The terry quickly transferred the sweat to the body and brim. The CoolMax fabric was extremely breathable and ably wicked away any moisture that accumulated. As a bonus, the terry headband was very soft on my forehead.
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September 18, 2009
Gear Army: Leki Aergon Diva Trekking Poles
I'll admit it, I was prepared to hate these trekking poles. Their name after all is "Diva."
I'm fit. I'm strong. I have never owned anything sparkly-pink. Hear me roar!
Regardless of the name, and much to my chagrin, the Leki Diva Aergon Antishock poles ($140) were fantastic on the trail. And, they have a nice paint job to boot.
I started my original trekking pole romance many years ago by hiking with my ski poles. I moved to some of the first anti-shock poles and found that they were much like rear shocks on mountain bikes--great for downhill, but an energy-sucker uphill. Grips were also just sort of ski-standard, not meant for the rubbing that comes with a climb on a trail.
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