Features

•  eVent® waterproof breathable membrane
•  Spider365 rubber made for optimal grip in wet conditions
•  Nylon shank for keeping the foot stable and in control
•  Spherical heel and support pods to give lightweight minimalism without sacrificing stability
•  Toe bumper
•  Lightweight 12.1 oz

“Participation in non-traditional outdoor sports such as adventure racing, obstacle courses and mud runs is steadily on the rise. In an effort to meet the demands of this growing group of consumers, Teva spent more than four years developing the TevaSphere technology that solves a real problem for outdoor athletes who face a diverse range of terrain and obstacles in their outdoor pursuits.” Teva Tevasphere press release

These new shoes have really treated me well. They have been amazingly comfortable and have given me all the support that I need. I want to go over a few things more in-depth, the Tevasphere design, the built/construction of the shoe, and some sizing suggestions.

This new Tevasphere design is really innovated. In traditional running shoes you regularly strike on the edge of your heel. With the spherical heel design the strike is transitioned to a mid foot strike giving you a more natural stride. The added support pods give you excellent arch support and stability. This shoe is really a great choice for someone who is interested in transitioning to a minimalist/barefoot running lifestyle. It gives you the natural stride that comes with barefoot while also allowing you not to sacrifice comfort and support. Like all new minimalist footwear it will take a little bit to get used to, but after you get used to them they are amazing.

The built qualities of these shoes are great. The materials are super lightweight, which is super important in a trail runner. The Tevasphere is a fully synthetic shoe allows for quick drying, and the eVent membrane makes sure to keep out the water while allowing the sweat to escape. The Spider 365 grip gives optimal traction. The built in nylon shank gives it stability you need but still allowing it to be flexible.

Last week I took these on a photo shoot to a waterfall in Provo Canyon, here in Utah. The trail had lots of different surfaces, it started on a paved trail, moved to a rough dirt trail, then finally came to a super rocky trail with lose rocks everywhere. These performed super well on all of these surfaces. Running on the paved trail of course was the easiest; I felt like I had all the support and stability I needed. When the trail moved to more rough dirt it started to get super steep. I felt I had all the ankle support that I needed. I didn’t roll on my ankle at all or feel my ankle was loose at all. Coming on the rocky part was super simple; the Spider 365 grip provided all the traction I needed. When we got closer to the waterfall and there was water running on the trail I didn’t have to worry about where I was placing my feet, it didn’t matter if they dipped into the water my feet were still dry inside. These shoes are great for super shallow crossings. When we got up in the waterfall where we were shooting I was able to put my feet in the shallow water and don’t worry. I was able to get the angle I wanted easily.

When I first got these shoes I ordered a size 11 my regular shoe size.  When I first put them on I found them a little tight and small so I went a size up.  When I put on the size 12 I could tell a big difference.  My feet might be a little wide so that may be a factor.  But with the one size larger they fit great. If you have a chance to try these on at a store before you buy I certainly recommend it as with all shoes.  But if you don’t have a chance to and are ordering online I would suggest trying one size larger.  Teva tells me that they are looking into this and will be making adjustments in the sizing in the next season of this shoe.

Overall I really love these shoes.  They are some of the best low hikers/cross trainers I have worn.  If you are looking for a minimalist style running shoe that still gives you the comfort you want these are the shoes for you.  If you don’t need a waterproof version look at the Tevasphere Speed instead.  This shoe is available in both men and woman’s styles.

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Features

• LifeProof’s CrystalClear double anti-reflective (AR) coated camera-grade glass lens delivers the sharpest eight megapixel images possible, with perfect camera flash operation.
•  With LifeProof, HD videos can be taken everywhere – underwater, in snow, in dirt – with full MIL-SPEC shock and impact protection even if dropped onto concrete.
• LifeProof’s ClearVoice system takes full advantage of the iPhone 4S microphone and Siri voice activation while in the case.
• LifeProof’s patent-pending Sound Enhancement System (SES) improves the bass and mid-frequency speaker response by utilizing the back of the case as a sub-woofer for a richer, fuller sound.
•  LifeProof ensures the optimum performance and reception of the iPhone 4S dual antenna design.
•  LifeProof’s ultra-flat screen protector makes operating and interacting with the iPhone 4S highly responsive without the need of a separate screen protector.
• Unlike other cases, LifeProof’s open screen face allows unrestricted sweeping hand gesture interactions, compatible with the new features of the iOS.

I have been using a lifeproof case on my phone for about two months now. It has created the perfect amount of protection that I have needed while not hindering the features of the phone that I use. In this review I want to go over a few things, waterproof/dust/shockproof features, slim and sleek design, camera grade glass, and the armband and bike mount accessories.

The Lifeproof case provides optimal protection from water and drops. The polycarbonate frame is the main part of this case that absorbs the shock. There is also a elastomeric inner-layer that also absorbs shock. Waterproof seals are on all the ports and openings; it has an O-ring to protect the phone for water. It is really nice to have the ease of mine that nothing terrible is going to happen to my phone if I drop it. My boss got here new iPhone 5 a few months ago and hasn’t put on a protective case hers and she cringes every time she drops it. I have had many friends shatter their screens on their phones from drops, this just gives the peace of mind I need.

I love the freedom of being to be able use my phone wherever not having to worry about dropping it in water or getting it dirty. I use my phone while I am in the hot tub, in the pool, and in crazy dusty environments. Last month in March I visited the Holi, Festival of Colors. This is a super crazy environment for electronics and such. Every hour they throw colored cornstarch in the air so it creates a crazy dusty environment. Most smart people put their phones in plastic ziplock bags, but many people don’t. I saw a lot of people using their phones just open with no protection. I even saw some of my friends not able to use their phones because too much dust had gotten inside. My phone was fully protected, when I took off my case later to see in anything had gotten inside, I found zero dust inside the case. This case give overall some of the best protection for you phone on the market.

The Lifeproof case is extremely slim an super sleek it doesn’t add very much bulk to your phone at all, when measured from the center of the phone it only add 1.5 mm to the size. Before I got the Lifeproof I had an Otterbox on it. Although it created really great protection for the phone it made it super bulky. I have been super impressed with the difference in weight between those two cases, with the Lifeproof on you can’t really tell the difference in weight. A couple times a few people have asked me how did you get a green iPhone, not realizing that it was a case. So it cool to see how slim the case is made.

I am an Instagramoholic, taking pics with my phone all the time. It has been really awesome to have a case that doesn’t affect the image quality from the camera. The double anti-reflective coated camera-grade glass lens provides crystal clear images. You can take the case up to 6.6 ft underwater so you can get some fun images. I got some super cool pics while I was at the festival of colors too, so its great not to worry about dust or water while taking pics.

There are lots of cool accessories available for the Lifeproof. The main two I have been using are the armband and the bike mount, with mainly being the armband. The armband has been great for going on hikes and working out. It has a quick release for easy access of the phone. It is easily adjusted for different arm sizes. If is fairly comfortable compared to most, it has a good amount of padding which is really nice.

The bike mount is great. It works really well. I actually found another use for it. When I am not using it on my bike I use it in my car on my cup holder. It has been great to use my iPhone as a GPS and music player no hands access is great. You can use the mount like a GoPro mount for you iPhone to take video while on your ride.

I have also been using the dock adaptor too. Without it, you have to use the apple cable that came with the phone. When I go to the gym its great to be able to plug in the phone at the treadmill so I can listen to music while working out while not worrying about power.

I would defiantly recommend this case to anyone looking for amazing protection for your iPhone. It offers great protection from water, drops, and dirt while not hindering the features of your phone.

Purchase these cases at REI 

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Features

• eVent membrane combines waterproof technology and industry-leading breathability to keep you dry and comfortable in a wide variety of conditions
• Durable leather uppers protect you toes from hazards on trail; mesh panels aid breathability
• Spider 365 rubber outsole provide super-grippy traction over a variety of trail surfaces
• EVA midsole cushions shocks and adds comfort to each step

The Teva Woman’s Sky Lake eVent hiking shoe is built to please. From the minute you slip it on your foot, you will be amazed with the light but sturdy construction of this stylish but high performance shoe. From the minute I pulled them out of the shoe box I was impressed with how light they are, the Nubuck leather and mesh upper keep your feet nice and dry in all types of weather, important if you like to hike in the winter months. I got the grey with hot pink accents, they go with everything and the colors really pop.

I especially like the treaded rubber outsole that gives you awesome traction on the snow and ice. I found them so comfortable that I wore them all day just to kick around in, no breaking in or blister discomfort from these awesome Teva shoes.

I ordered a size up from my regular size thinking they might run small but they fit true to size. No problem I just slipped in some arch support inserts that I had, solved the fit problem. I would recommend these shoes to the beginning to advanced hiker. So comfortable they can be worn as tennis shoes, unlike some other hiking shoes that you wear only to hike in and can’t wait to get them off when the hike is done.

Purchase these at Backcountry, REI, or Seira Trading Post

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Features

• Super adjustable 10 points of adjustment
• Holds a pro body with 4-5 lenses
• Holds up to a 300 mm f/2.8 attached to a body
• Holds a 15.4 slim laptop
• A removable top loader
• A compartment for a hydration bladder
• Tripod holders
• Weatherproof zippers
• All weather rain cover
• Cord organizer pouch
• Airline carryon size

As I said before I have been using this bag for a little over a year.  It has treated me very well, over at least 100 shoots has this bad boy gone on.  Here are a few key things I would like to address in this review, durability/pack construction, ease of organization, comfort, and the size.

The construction of the Pro Trekker is incredibly superior.  Lowepro has used many heavy-duty technical materials in the construction of this pack including, ballistic nylon, Hypalon, and YKK zippers.  The Hypalon is a amazingly durable fabric which does great things for protecting the pack from damage during heavy outdoor use and travel.  The main compartment uses YKK splashguard zippers to provide superior water resistance.  As most camera packs out there this one provides amble padding to protect your gear.  This pack is ready to take on anything.

I love the ease of organization in this pack.  As in most Lowepro packs it’s very customizable to change it to fit your gear and how you like it.   It has some great zipper pockets in the internal compartment to organize your smaller items, which allows them to be found easily.  The removable top loader and side pockets allow for quick and easy access for items you need most often.  I often stick a bunch of granola bars or other snacks in the side pockets, because we all know people get hungry while on shoots.

This pack is one of the most comfortable camera bags I have tried.  The hip belt and shoulder straps are extremely padded and very comfortable. This pack has a 10-point adjustment system making it easy to customize it to the fit you love and want.  It can be adjusted at the top of pack, shoulders, torso, sternum, waist and lumbar areas. When this pack is full of all my gear it can easily weigh over 30 lbs, and it doesn’t really faze me because of how comfortable this pack is.  One of my favorite features about this pack is the adjustable torso size. This makes it easy for someone else to wear your pack, maybe you have brought an assistant to help you and now they can carry the back easily and make it comfortable for them.  I do wish the back panel was more breathable like some of the major backpacking manufacturers have included in their packs.

This pack is the perfect size for someone wanting to travel with a good amount of gear.  It holds every thing that I need/want to bring with me. It is also carry on size for traveling on airlines, which is super convenient.

This is what I have in the pack and its all well organized for sure.

• 5D with grip main body with a 70-200 mm 2.8 attached
• Digital rebel xt
• 28-105 mm 3.5-4.5
• Lensbaby Composer Pro
• 430 ex flash
• YN 560 Flash
• Gary Fong lightsphere
• Sekonic light meter
• 3 Pocketwizards Plus IIs
• Battery chargers
• Multiple backup batteries
• Filters
• Misc. Cables
• Business cards
• Granola Bars
• Water Bottle
• 13 inch macbook

Over all I would recommend this pack to anyone looking to carry a pro body attached with 70-200 with also wanting to carry multiple lenses and flashes. This pack has amazing durability/pack construction, great ease of organization, awesome comfort, and the prefect size.

Here are some more pictures.

Purchase the pack here at backcountry 

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There you will see sneak peeks on new products we are receiving

Like this new pack from osprey we received yesterday.

Features

• Updated with an enormous poled vestibule, and a compact, weather-resistant design
• DAC Press-Fit™ poles
• Lightweight, easy-to-use clip pitch system
• Comprehensive color-coded pitch system includes poles, canopy and fly
• Fully taped bathtub floor and full-zip doors
• Convenient overhead pockets stow headlamps and fragile items
• Full mesh canopy for comfort and ventilation
• Huge poled vestibule with shelf for keeping gear dry
• Abundant gear loops
• Fly-only pitching
• 6 lb 7 oz total weight

When I first set up this tent I was like holy crap that is one big vestibule, that’s what stuck out to me.  This tent was pretty easy to setup which is important for a new outdoorsmen who hasn’t has a lot of experience setting up lots of equipment.

The first time I used it was this summer in the Dixie National Forrest in Utah.  I was just car camping and didn’t carry a pack. I slept in it alone so it was quite roomy; it had great length and height.  Nothing you could standup in but defiantly enough room to sit up in. The area I was staying at was at 9000+ feet above sea level so it tended to get cold at night I believe it was 40-50º at night, but that was no big deal I stayed warm inside the tent.  I did find not have the footprint at these first times using it so I did find condensation on the bottom of the tent seeping in which was no good. So I for sure would recommend getting the footprint (the custom trap cut to the size of the tent).  This seeping in seems common on most tents though.

I really liked the aluminum poles in this tent, they seemed very durable.  In the past I have used tents with fiberglass poles and didn’t like them oh so much.

The next night I had two teenage boys stay in it.  They said it was ok and they had enough room. You just make sure to put all of your gear in the vestibule the is really only room for two bags and pads in the main sleeping area.

The next time I took it out was on a little backpacking excursion. Again I slept in the tent by myself.  This tent isn’t the lightest around it would defiantly be an easier load on someone with splitting the weight in half. The size of the pack-ability was fairly compact so that was nice. I just shoved in side my backpack but I did have a fairly large pack a 70 Liter pack so it had lots of room.  This tent could of easily been strapped on the outside of a pack.

Over all I believe this tent has reached most of my expectations with durability, weatherproof, easy to setup, and fairly affordable.  However I haven’t tested in a rainy environment so I can’t give a good review on that just yet.

In a more extensive review after more repeated use I am going to go over using in longer day trips, using with two full size adults, and experience in rainy or snowy environments.

Buy at Backcountry

A couple weeks ago we got in some new light hikers for Hillary (one of our new females reviews) and I (Torsten) to try.  The first thing I thought when I opened the box was like whoa these are pretty hot, they weren’t your old school regular hiking boots.  They had color and style.  First lets go over some features then we will go through or experience with these bad boys.

Features

• High abrasion-resistant closed mesh upper
• Gusseted tongue construction keeps out debris
• KEEN.DRY waterproof, breathable membrane
• Removable metatomical dual density EVA footbed
• Strobel lasted construction using 80% recycled material
• Internal torsion stability heel and TPU arch shank
• Horizontal dual density compression molded EVA midsole
• 4MM multi-directional lugs for traction
• High traction and durable non-marking rubber outsole

Like I said earlier, when I first opened the box I was super surprised to see the bright vibrant colors in the women’s boots.  The days have passed where hiking boots are drab and boring.  These boots have brought fun and style in to your hiking footwear.  I love how keen is bringing these really cool/funky modern designs into their footwear like we first saw in our Keen Tryon Reviews.

I have been wearing these pretty much non-stop for a little over a week and a half and have had a great experience with them so far.  I have worn them all over town and taken them on a small walk/hike in the snow.

The first thing that really impressed me was how comfortable they were.  A lot of hiking boots especially in the past were really stiff and could be uncomfortable.  These are super comfortable and light.  At 12 oz. they are amazingly light.  The EVA footbed give that soft cushion and comfort you need when you wear these all day.

I went on a little walk/hike in the snow with these and these held up great.  The KEEN.DRY always holds up super well across all the keen shoes.  There was great traction so I wasn’t slipping around like a crazy mad man. They were warm enough for me on a normal temp winter day.  I imagine they would be great on a spring hike where some of the hike came into the snow zone.

We will see how these hold up over the next couple of months but I imagine they will do great.

Here are Hillary’s thoughts about the women’s pair

Upon receiving my first pair of Keen’s women Verdi Mid WP, my first impressions were that these are some bright shoes and just begging to be packed in my suitcase for my upcoming trip to Hawaii. I was most attracted to the bright colors all on one shoe. I admit it was odd to see a hiker shoe look so stylish with the pairing of neon baby blue, coral and lime green.  I am one that loves to stick out and wear bright colors so they are sure to make me stand out this summer on my hiking adventures.

Upon my first day wearing them I was so surprised how comfortable they were. I would like more arch support because I have such high arches but they were very supportive on my heals and ankles which I need the most support on. So if you have high arches I might recommend getting some inserts.

I went on a little hike up Ogden Canyon in Utah to some natural hot springs and they held up very well. There was a lot of snow but the Verdi Mid WP stayed nice and dry with great traction on the snow walking down the icy trails to the hot springs.

My second impression was that they were high top hiking boots but they were actually very stylish.  Something you could wear on your everyday commute under some bell-bottom jeans, which I actually did the first few days and received a lot of compliments from my coworkers that they loved my shoes. I am excited to bring them with me on my trip to Hawaii this spring and will do a final review when I get back.

Buy these at Backcountry (men’s) Backcountry (women’s)

To be honest, the flip flops look great but not only that, they’re perfect to wear around the house or around town and running errands.  They are super comfortable. I’ve tested the soccer ball flip flops out now for over a month, and I’m a fan.  Check out these sweet pics, Torsten took.

Here are some of the key features of the sandal

• Made in the U.S.A.
• Eco friendly
• Arch supported
• Comfortable to wear for long periods of time
• Reflexology incorporated into the design
• Durable
• 7 Color Choices
• Sizes 5-12

They have both flip flop and slip on sandals, which are available for both men and women, and they are unisex.  They are easy to wear, and compact enough to easily through into your bag for trips but give you far more support than any regular flip flop.  I think they are great campsite shoes, when you need a break from your hiking boots.

They can be found at

http://www.jukzshoes.com/

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