For years I have been against using any sort of trekking pole. I guess it seems sort of dorky to use them. That and one of our hiking buddies used them and was always getting them caught and falling. It just never seemed like a good idea. But I think my view has changed on using them. the past few trips I have taken I noticed on both accents and decents that my body was taking a beating. Since I want to keep hiking for years to come I think it's time I pick up a pair and give my joints some help. So I'm currently doing some research. Here is some basic information on the benifits of using trekking poles if your also looking to get a pair.

Fewer injuries. Poles reduce the risk of injury and tendonitis in knees, calves, thighs, and even hips. Trekking poles also allow hikers to keep a more normal stride and a faster pace with less effort.

Less pounding. Up to 4.4 percent of the force that reverberates through your body with each step is absorbed by the poles. After a long day and thousands of steps, that support adds up.
Relief for ailing knees and joints. Dr. Torry says that angling the tips of your poles forward slightly can reduce the compression in your joints as you hike downhill. When hiking uphill, angle the poles backward for an extra boost and reduced ankle stress.

Fewer face plants. While researchers didn't test stability, they agree with what many backpackers already know: Four legs are better than two on uneven terrain.

Less fatigue. Properly used poles reduce the workload for lower-body muscles and joints by transferring some of the load from your legs to your arms.

The holidays are here and while we suggest you pick up a Sportback for your next adventure we also beleive that you also need some clothes to wear and since we don't make clothes we would like to suggest some. Here are some of the top rated shirts that would be great under the Sportback. Happy Holidays!




LIGHTWEIGHT
Fastest Drying [65–100°F]
ExOfficio ExO Dri (m) / ExO Dri Pointelle (f)
Don't blink, or you'll miss seeing this shirt wet. "It was raining off and on all day, and we didn't have jackets with us," said one tester after a hot hike in Prescott National Forest. "Whenever the drops stopped, my shirt was always the first to dry." The Dri-Release fabric (an 85/15 poly-cotton blend) is designed to suck moisture like a Hoover and transfer it to the shirt's exterior so it can evaporate more rapidly.
We liked the flatlock stitching and forward shoulder seams, which prevent chafing under a pack. Women raved about the pinprick holes on the Pointelle version, which significantly improve ventilation while adding a touch of style. Although the ExO fabric is chemically treated to resist odor, some testers said they were holding their noses after a few days of heavy sweating in this shirt. Also comes in long-sleeve. $34 (men's M–XXL), $30 (women's XS–XL) (800) 644-7303; exofficio.com.

Best Overall Trail Tee [55–100°F]
Icebreaker Tech T Ultralite 140
Wearing a wool T-shirt in the broiling desert is a bad idea, right? Well, after a 15-day spring trip in southern Utah when the mercury pushed above 90°F, our test crew begs to differ. "During the day I stayed cool, even when sweating under a heavy pack," said one tester. "Then at night, when temps dipped to the upper 40s, this shirt kept my core warm with only a wind shell over it."
Despite our testers' perspiration, this top was surprisingly stink-free at trip's end. It dried faster than any of the other wool tees we tested - about 20 minutes after being worn in a canyon pool on a hot, sunny day (drying time will be slower in humid climates). Fit is comfortably loose but not baggy. The shirt rebuffed thorny tamarisk and looked new even after a dozen-plus machine washings. $55; men's S–XXL, women's XS–XL (208) 726-1000;icebreaker.com.

MIDWEIGHT

Coziest [45–60°F]
Dale of Norway Baselayer
Fights nearly broke out when it came time for testers to rotate shirts - nobody wanted to give this one up. "It wicks well, and it's so soft it practically gives me tingles down my spine,” raved one tester. The reason is Dale's proprietary blend of Australian and New Zealand ultrafine merino, which after multiple washings didn't get stiff or scratchy as lesser wools tend to do.
Dale uses no chemicals in the wool washing and dyeing processes, and the antishrink treatment applied to the finished product is also chemical-free. Fit is roomy enough to layer a T-shirt underneath, and an 8-inch zipper on the mock turtleneck allows for venting. One bummer: You can't put it in the dryer, and some testers said it lost a bit of shape after line drying. $69; men's S - XXL, women's S - XL (800) 441-3253; daleofnorway.com.

Most Versatile [50–75°F]
Ibex Woolies Crew
"It's like there's a hidden thermostat inside," commented one tester on this top's outstanding natural temperature regulation. We stayed comfortable across a gamut of conditions, ranging from snow (worn under a shell) to a sunny 70°F. The 100% merino is as smooth and soft as a baby kitten; it wads up small enough to fit in a front pants pocket, yet provides as much warmth as a synthetic fabric twice as thick.
When the mercury rose, testers said the Woolies wicked and breathed like a second skin, and only started to feel hot in the upper 70s. Flat seams and a body-hugging fit make it comfortable under a pack. And thanks to wool's natural odor resistance, testers on extended backpacking trips reported that their bagels got moldy before their shirts started to stink. Also available in short-sleeved and sleeveless. $60; men's and women's S–XL (800) 773-9647; ibex.com.

Sweat Sponge [45–60°F]
Marmot Polartec Crew
"Wearing this Marmot crew on a sweaty hike is like using a towel to dry off when you step out of the shower," said one tester after a hard uphill backpack in the Grand Canyon. The stellar wicking action comes from an interior waffle pattern that disperses sweat, and a superfine polyester-Cocona fabric blend.
Cocona, made with activated carbon fibers from the insides of discarded coconut shells, has innate wicking abilities that we've found to work better than many synthetics. Its makers claim that it also has natural odor-fighting properties, but our jury is still out.

We put this shirt through the handful of washings that Marmot says is required to activate the carbon's antimicrobial action, then did some sniffing. Some testers gave it the thumbs-up; others said it was unusually stinky. It does provide good insulation for its weight, yet generally stays cool and dry under a shell. Testers liked the way the brushed fabric felt against their skin and how the smooth exterior slid easily under layers, but flagged it for excessive pilling. $45; men's S - XXL, women's S - XL (888) 357-3262; marmot.com.

Stink Fighter [50–65°F]
Mountain Hardwear eXtend Zip T
"Your campmates will thank you for wearing this shirt,” said one tester. He wore it for 10 days straight in southern Utah, and reported the odor at the end of the trip to be minimal - "just a hint of last night's garlic, which I can't really blame on the shirt."
The stink-fighting powers come from the fabric, VisaEndurance, which is embedded with silver ions to prevent bacteria from growing. Testers liked the pajamalike feel of the spun polyester. A mesh finish inside with thousands of pinprick holes pulls moisture away from the skin and helps the fabric dry quickly, while still insulating in cooler weather. And unlike other knit polyester tops, the eXtend did not snag on brush or abrade against rock. Fit is loose and long; some female testers reported that the sizing was too big. Also comes in featherweight. $55; men's S–XXL, women's XS–XL (800) 953-8375; mountainhardwear.com.

Most Durable [45–60°F]
Outdoor Research Sequence (m) / Essence (f) Zip Tee
"I wore this top caving and beat the hell out of it," wrote one tester. "Yet one spin through the washer and dryer and it was back to looking new." Its unique 88/12 blend of polyester and merino wool was one of the best in the test at keeping testers comfortable in that sweet spot from the 20s (when worn under a shell) to the mid-60s (worn alone). It also dried quickly and shrugged off stink, even after a week on the trail.
Fit is slightly roomy in the torso and the sleeves run a tad long, pleasing long-armed testers and those with cold hands. Also available in short-sleeve. $42; men's (Sequence) S - XL, women's (Essence) XS–XL (800) 421-2421; orgear.com.

The snow has begun falling all the over the U.S. and with that is a change in the backpacking season. This is the time of year where you have to come down off the high peaks and get yourself a pair of snowshoes if you want to continue on.

I’ve been looking into getting some snowshoes to be able to take part in this season for sometime now but I didn’t know what to look for in a good snowshoe.
There are tons of models out there so you’ll probably have to visit a few stores to find the ones you like and the ones that fit you best. Once you have the snowshoes you like you’re pretty much set. The only other things you’ll need is tons of warm waterproof clothes, your Sportback, and a place to hike and you’re all set for a winter adventure.

REI has a good comprehensive list of things that you need to look for in a good pair of snowshoes that you can find here.

http://www.rei.com/outlet/learn/snow/chsnowshoes.html

I just recently ran across a great site GreenandSave.com

Owned and operated by Charlie Szoradi an architect with over two decades of experience in high-performance ‘green’ home design and remodeling. His site offers many solutions to save money and the environment. There are three main solutions that are offered on the site.

1. Learn how to save money by just ‘tuning’ up my home
2. Remodel parts of my home, turn up the savings, and
use cost-effective eco-friendly and healthy products.
3. Transform my home into a High-Performance
Residence: Save money, generate power, reduce
utility dependence, and use eco/healthy systems.

Charlie and his team have come up with all the solutions on their own and he has transformed his own home into an energy saving monster using his own solutions. When you get a chance I suggest you check out what the site offers to save the environment and a few bucks along the way.

Finding a good hiking site online is pretty hard to come by. There are very few sites that have everything you need. One site might have a few trails but doesn't talk about gear or give advise. One site have great trail guides but you have to pay for them. Another has great tips but nothing on gear. Someday there will be but untill then we have to deal with incomplete sites. Now i'm not saying that these site don't have anyting to offer, they do. They offer great information but I often find myself having to goto 5 differen't sites to find what I need. We just recently ran across Hikingforums.net and they have a pretty nice site that is a community site similar to Myspace. You set up a profile and can post video, test, pictures, articles, news and FAQ's about hiking. So when you have a chance check it out.


Hikingforums.net - The Hiking Community.

So we did our Catskills trip a few weeks back and it was exactly what we wanted. Being so busy with all that's been going on it was nice to get out of the city for the weekend and do a little hiking. We left Friday night and got to the trail head at like 9ish. We got all our gear together strapped on our headlights and headed out into the darkness. We hiked for about 5hrs that night eventually making camp around 2. I must say we went longer than we anticipated but only covered about 3miles. The next morning we woke up had a nice long breakfast. After that we grabbed our SPORTBACKS and headed north on the Devils Path. Again this was a lot tougher than we thought it would be. I think all of us consider ourselves in decent shape but the trail was rugged an full of inclines and declines. We hiked for about 3 hours, doing two peaks and then turned right around and went back over everything we just did. The SPORTBACK performed phenomenally as expected. After an evening of eating and wasting time we dozed off, getting the rest we needed for the next days hike to exit. All in all a good trip. I recommend anyone in the Catskills region check this trail out. You can find more information about it in one of our previous posts.