The Keeper List: Running and Rambling Gear of the Year 2011

Before today’s post, an overdue announcement of sorts: over the holidays, I was pleased to see a small spike in sales of my running book. If you don’t recall my book, I can’t really fault you, because I do a lousy job of actually promoting or marketing the thing.

Each time a sale came in this month, I thought to myself, you know, I should announce some sort of reminder on the website about this – the book might make a good Christmas gift. And then in typical slacker fashion, I kept postponing or forgetting about doing so, until Christmas came and went and I completely missed the holiday shopping wave.

But since we still have a decent supply of books available, and since New Year’s is about doing the stuff you want to do rather than worrying about pleasing everybody else, I may as well mention it again here: Hey, I have a book for sale! It’s mainly geared toward novices and anyone who wants insight into life as a runner, but in my humble opinion there’s stuff that anybody will enjoy. And if you order from our website – where it’s less expensive than Amazon.com for some reason – we can autograph it or do any other special requests you’d like.

With that, I’ll stop the pandering – but today’s post is all about grabbing some additional stuff to make your running life more enjoyable.

**
It won’t particularly come as a news flash to anyone when I say that I get a lot of gear to review. What might surprise some newer readers is that I review even more stuff than you see here on this website.

Most of my shoe reviews end up here, as minimalism has become a nice little niche I’ve settled into, but I also contribute to other websites and magazines after testing apparel or other trail running gear. The biggest portion of this extracurricular product testing goes to FeedTheHabit.com, with whom I’ve partnered for more than two years now.

I recognize that I’m in an enviable situation, so I pay my good fortune forward as often as possible by giving almost everything away. Running partners, family, and non-running friends have all been the recipients of gear from top (headlamps, hats) to bottom (socks, shoes) and everything in between (clothes, food, watches). They get free stuff, my wife gets her closet space back, and I feel good about sharing the wealth; it’s a winner for everyone involved.

Here’s my caveat, though: if there’s a piece of gear that I love, or one that I get a ton of great use out of, I keep it for myself. Accordingly, my Gear of the Year review should rightfully be called the Keeper List, because it’s all about the stuff that’s too awesome for me to give away.

However, my Keeper List differs from other annual ratings in one important way: the best gear isn’t necessarily from 2011. Rather, my list is a Jeopardy-style competition where the only way to become champion is to defeat the current champ. (Completely tangentially, it’s the same way I choose my wines.) Sure, the newer stuff will tend to be better – but if I have a Ken Jennings-like piece of equipment that crushes all potential challengers year after year, there’s no reason to take it off my Keeper List. And yes, there are a couple of those items included below.

Finally, before we proceed, a note on formatting: The first link of each entry will go to my original review of the product, and the second will go to a purchase link from Amazon.com or one of my other affiliate partners. Remember, affiliate sales support Running and Rambling, so, you know … help me help you, and all that. Now let’s get to the list; these are my keepers for 2011.


Part 1: Gear and Apparel

Headlamp for roads: Black Diamond Sprinter. A 68 lumen headlamp in front with a blinking red LED in back for an unbeatable combination of visibility and safety. The entire lamp weighs a mere 3.5 oz, and the lamps are completely rechargeable. Black Diamond is updating this product for 2012 (yes, I’ll have a review), but until then you can get the current version for $64 at Amazon.com – it’s the best investment you can make in your safety this winter.

Compact headlamp: Petzl Tikka XP2 with CORE rechargeable battery pack. There’s nothing better than a headlamp that’s bright enough to light the trail before dawn, and small enough to tuck in a pocket afterward. This category has stiff competition, most notably from Black Diamond’s Spot, which is a little bit brighter. However, what tips the scales for me is the rechargeable capacity of the XP2 with the CORE pack: it’s eco-friendly, easy to recharge, and saves a ton of money in the long run. The headlamp sells for $41 from Amazon.com, and the CORE pack sells separately for $39.

Headlamp for ultras: Black Diamond Icon with rechargeable NRG battery pack. I don’t think twice about it anymore: if I’m running through the night, the Icon is on my head. It’s relatively lightweight (6.6 oz), super bright (100 lumens), with enough battery life to burn high all the way to morning. Best of all, if you purchase an NRG battery pack, it’s completely rechargeable – and just to remind you, I love being green. Black Diamond is also updating this lamp next year, and I’m very curious to see if or how they can improve it. The current Icon is discounted to $55 from Amazon.com, and the NRG pack sells separately for $25.

Nightlife at Western States 2011: Black Diamond Icon, Nathan Endurance vest, and one very fast ultrarunner (hint: not me)

Jacket: Patagonia Nine Trails. You’ll see this name again further down the list as well; basically, 2011 was the year that Patagonia became my go-to ultrarunning brand. I wore the Nine Trails jacket at three ultras and during countless training miles last winter and spring; for lightweight weather-resistant insulation, there’s nothing better. Unfortunately, it’s not currently available on the Patagonia website, but TravelCountry.com has a closeout price of $60 on remaining stock.

Shorts: Patagonia Nine Trails. Are you sensing a theme yet? My first ultra in the Nine Trails shorts was the Miwok 100K in May, and I never looked back. Anytime I’m running for more than 4 hours, these are the shorts I’m wearing. Like the jacket, the shorts aren’t currently available from the company, but TravelCountry.com has a few pairs in size small available for $60.

Shirt: Patagonia Capilene Silkweight. I never reviewed this shirt, but here’s a true story: Back in the spring, when Soft Star offered to put their logo on any shirt I wanted to use for my upcoming ultra calendar, I told them to buy this Patagonia shirt. I have a couple other capilene shirts from past races; they’re not only the most comfortable items in my collection, but they’re remarkably durable after multiple runs and washings. So my official Team Soft Star kit this year featured Patagonia shorts, shirt, and jacket – a nearly clean sweep in the apparel department (the only exception was my socks). The shirt is available for $39 from the Patagonia website – and if you’d like your own Soft Star logo on it, I’m sure the Elves would be happy to oblige.

At the Tahoe Rim Trail 100: Patagonia shirt and shorts, Ultimate Direction Uno waist pack 

Gloves: Sugoi Firewall LT. Sorry, no review link on this one either: I did a glove comparison for Ultrarunning magazine this fall, and these ended up being my favorite from the bunch. It’s a nice upgrade from the previous Firewall gloves, with similar water resistance and slightly better insulation. $35 from Amazon.com.

Small hydration pack: Ultimate Direction Uno. I’ve had my current model for years – and before that, I used an older version for several years as well. It fits me well, I like the upright bottle position, and the separate pockets give surprisingly ample storage for such a small pack. I use it anytime I’m running between 90 minutes to 3 hours. $17 from Amazon.com.

Large hydration pack: Nathan HPL 020. How awesome is the 020? Not even Nathan can beat it. This year they released the Endurance, a similarly-designed and very strong vest that I wore while pacing at Western States (see WS photo above, and see my Endurance vest review here) – but when it comes to selecting one pack as my gold standard, I still prefer the 020. And when you consider that they’re available at the extreme discount price of $53 at Amazon.com, there’s no reason this vest shouldn’t be in every ultrarunner’s gear closet.

Break time in Zion National Park with the HPL 020

Tights: Salomon Trail III. Full disclosure: I don’t wear a lot of tights - fortunately in California, I don’t have to. So my list of contenders in this category isn’t huge, but these tights have been the most comfortable of those I’ve tried over last winter and this fall. Available for $69 at Amazon.com.

GPS: Soleus GPS 1.0. This review just posted a couple of weeks ago, so I don’t need to rehash things here, other than to say that I’m a big fan. It’s basic, high-quality, and extremely affordable at $87 from Amazon.com.

Socks: Drymax. This is the true Ken Jennings of the group: I’ve probably tested a dozen other brands over the past few years, and none compare to Drymax. I wear their lite trail model ($12 from Amazon.com) for training, and the max protection model ($31 from Amazon.com) for ultras. The Drymax reign continues.

After 50 rainy, muddy miles at Woodside in Soft Star RunAmocs and Drymax max protection socks 

Part 2: Footwear

As you might expect, my shoe list can be broken down into several categories – in this case, I went by primary use, starting with …

Minimalist road shoe: Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS. Vibram came up huge this year with the advent of their LS models – laced versions of popular models that made the footwear easier to use and more accessible to a larger variety of people. From its inception, I’ve labeled the Bikila my gold standard for minimalist road running shoes, so you can imagine how impressed I was when the company managed to improve it this year without sacrificing anything that made it awesome in the first place. Right now they’re discounted to $70 at TravelCountry.com, so grab ‘em while you can.

At play in the Salinas Valley in Bikila LS

Minimalist all-purpose athletic shoe: Vibram FiveFingers KomodoSport LS. I’ve worn mine for running, basketball, tennis, floor workouts, and just plain goofing around. They’re getting very popular with CrossFit and Paleo workout enthusiasts as well. If you have multiple activities to do and only enough money for a single pair of Vibrams, this is the one. They’re currently discounted to $80 at TravelCountry.com.

Minimalist trail running: Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove. 2011 may well be remembered as the year Merrell triggered a seismic shift on the minimalist landscape with its Barefoot line of footwear. In my review I called this shoe minimalism for the masses, and since then I’ve recommended it to a lot of trail runners. They retail for $110 from TravelCountry.com.

Minimalist hybrid trail/road running: Altra Adam. They’re not the ultimate trail shoe, or the ultimate road shoe, but they’re a pretty solid combination of the two. They normally retail for $100 on the company website, but if you use this link you’ll get them for a 10% discount.

Minimalist hiking: Vibram FiveFingers Trek LS. My first-generation Treks had defeated all challengers as my favorite hiking shoes until Vibram topped itself with the Trek LS. Rugged leather, durable outsole, crazy comfort. They’re also nice enough to pass as dress shoes if you so choose (but I don’t – see below). They’re currently discounted to $112 from TravelCountry.com.

Rock scrambling at Lava Beds National Monument in Trek LS

Minimalist dress shoe: Merrell Barefoot Tough Glove. This shoe took out one former champion (the VIVOBAREFOOT Oak) in my collection, and has been an almost-everyday shoe since April. It looks sharp, it’s super comfortable, and it’s got all the right mechanics. It retails for $120 from TravelCountry.com.

Minimalist kids shoe: VIVOBAREFOOT Neo Kids. I was lucky enough to have several brands of shoes for my children to test, and the Neo Kids emerged victorious. Their minimalist construction is unbeatable, and the styling is ideal for kids to use like good old-fashioned sneakers. They retail for $75 from the VIVOBAREFOOT website.

Transitional trail shoe: New Balance Minimus Trail. Yes, it’s odd that the shoe with the most minimal-sounding name is actually the least minimal of the group mentioned here, but there’s no question that New Balance means business when it comes to cruising light and low to the ground. The Trail version of this shoe (also called the MT10) has a slipper-like feel, lightweight flexibile construction, and rugged traction underfoot. Its principal drawback to pure minimalists – the 4mm heel to toe drop – is precisely what makes it ideal for transitioning from a structured, supportive shoe to the minimalist end of the spectrum. The 2012 version will have a flat platform, but in the meantime you can get the 2011 Minimus for $100 from TravelCountry.com.

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Do you have enough items for your shopping list yet? I’m already waist-deep in reviews for 2012, which I’ll collectively preview sometime next week. There are some very strong offerings from most of the heavy hitters mentioned here; it will be interesting to see if any new products wrestle the title of “keepers” away from the current roster. Time (and miles) will tell, I suppose – so let’s meet back here again next year and I’ll let you know for sure.



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Salomon Trail III Tights Winner; Salomon Trail III Tights Discount Sale and Coupon Code

Quick post tonight to announce the Salomon Trail III tights and WRC gift card winner ...

Audrey: e-mail me - you've won the giveaway!

To everyone else: thanks very much for playing, and remember that these tights are still discounted to $64 at Wilderness Running Company, where you can save another 10% with coupon code R&R10, and you'll get free shipping since your order is over $50.

And of course, stay tuned for the next giveaway coming soon.

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Fall Running Jacket Reviews; Random Shots of Beauty

Let's start off with a quick weekend wrap-up of ongoing contests in case you missed them this week:

The Salomon III tight and WRC gift card giveaway ends on Monday, December 13th.

The Soft Star RunAmoc contest ends on Friday, December 17th.

Keep sending me pictures for the La Sportiva Crossover GTX and Wildcat GTX giveaway which will be awarded on December 22.

*

In addition to laying the groundwork for most of the giveaways that are taking place this month, I spent a lot of time this fall testing some cool jackets for reviews that have been published at FeedTheHabit.com. Since I don't have the time or interest to do duplicate posts nowadays, I'm linking to all of those reviews today. If you're in the market for a cold-weather top layer, check out the following reviews ...

Patagonia Nine Trails jacket

Salomon XT Wings II jacket

The North Face Apex ClimateBlock jacket

GoLite Wind River jacket

One of those will be included in an upcoming Gear of the Year post I'm preparing for next week, but I'm not going to tell you which one yet - for that, you'll need to check back later.


In the meantime, here's this weekend's Random Shot of Beauty:


My 9-year-old daughter in the home stretch of a Jingle Bell 5K Run along Ocean View Boulevard in Pacific Grove this morning. The bad news was that we couldn't catch Skinny Santa and his kid. The good news was that it really didn't matter.

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Salomon Trail III Running Tights Review and Giveaway; Wilderness Running Company Gift Card Giveaway

I know this is getting to be a habit … but let’s start this post by keeping everyone in the loop with ongoing contests:

* You’ve got until 5PM PST Thursday to enter the Manzella and Saucony glove contest.

* The VIVOBAREFOOT (remember - all caps!) work shoes giveaway closes on Friday at 5PM PST.

* Keep sending me winter running photos to enter the LaSportiva Crossover GTX and Wildcat GTX giveaways on December 22.

Also, if you didn’t win the Drymax socks contest and missed the follow-up announcement of the awesome Drymax sale at Wilderness Running Company, you can still purchase their socks at a sweet discount: less than 9 bucks per pair, with an additional 10% off by using coupon code R&R10. You can pick up some lite trail socks or regular trail socks for this winter, and also earn my gratitude for supporting WRC, because they’re good people - so good, in fact, that they’re sponsoring the following giveaway.

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I don’t often find myself hoping that the weather would turn colder, but that’s exactly how I felt back in early November, after visiting Wilderness Running Company’s global headquarters in St George, Utah.

More specifically, Stacy (WRC’s owner) set me up with a pair of Salomon Trail III tights to try, and I knew as soon as I put them on that they’d end up in the heavy rotation of my cold-weather apparel. But since our morning temperatures back home in California hadn’t yet dipped to my “too cold for shorts” threshold (typically 40 degrees or lower - insert laughter here), I had to keep the tights in the drawer for a little while.

Salomon Trail III tight

Thankfully – and I can’t believe I’m writing this sentence – a cold spell came our way during Thanksgiving week, and the tights saw extensive duty. Now that I’ve logged an honest amount of mileage in them, I can confirm what I initially suspected about the Trail IIIs when I first tried them on: they’re super comfortable, and an ideal piece of gear for cold-weather trail running.

The main panels of the Trail IIIs are made from actiLite, Salomon’s soft stretch moisture-wicking fabric that rides very comfortably against the skin, with flatlock seam construction to minimize chafing in key areas. Behind each knee is a panel of actiLite mesh that provides some ventilation without sacrificing warmth. Overall weight is 260g (9.17oz), making the Trail III ideal for moderate winter chill; the coldest run I’ve used them in was 30 degrees, and I’d estimate that they’d be comfortable for another 5 degrees or so lower.

There are a few nice accents such as a drawstring adjustment, reflective brand accents, a securely zippered rear pocket, and calf zips on the ankles. The ankle area is my only minor critique of the pants, as they are noticeably looser than most other tights – in fact, I’m easily able to put my feet through the openings without unzipping. One other caution worth mentioning is the sizing of these tights, which tend to run big. I’m 6’2” with a 32” waist, and sized down to a medium Trail III after the large proved too long.

Overall, I’ve been very pleased with the Trail III; they’re not awesome enough to make me love winter weather, but they sure help me deal with it a lot better. They normally retail for $85, but they're currently on sale for $64 at Wilderness Running Company, and one reader (male or female - there's a women's version) will get a chance to try them for free by winning today’s contest. And to sweeten the prize even further, we’re throwing in a $25 WRC gift card to use on anything else from the website.

The ground rules for this one are similar to others lately: you get one entry for a comment below this post, one more for a link to this contest page from Facebook or Twitter, and a third for a blog link to this contest page. Let me know how many entries you deserve (remember, I’m doing random checks) by Monday, December 13 at 5PM PST, and I’ll announce the winner shortly thereafter. Good luck to everybody, and thanks very much to Wilderness Running Company for sponsoring this giveaway.

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Salomon XT Wings 2 Sale

Hopefully it goes without saying that big, rugged trail shoes aren't especially my thing anymore, but since it's a slow weekend, I thought I'd pass along an offer that some folks might want to jump on while it's available.

Salomon's XT Wings have a very large, very loyal following - and before I went all minimalist, I gave them a spin myself (see my full review here). They're the kind of shoe that users buy over and over again - and from now until Sept 23rd, Wilderness Running Company is making it easy to stock up. They're offering a steep discount on the XT Wings 2, plus a handful of other shoe deals described on this e-mail flyer:

click to enlarge

As with all other purchases from WRC, the deal is even better if you use my coupon code: enter R&R10 to get an extra 10% off the sale price listed above. So, Salomon fans ... grab 'em while you can get 'em.

Regular programming resumes tomorrow night.

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Tahoe Dreaming; Salomon SpeedCross2 Review

This weekend’s video post features a couple of marginally-related topics that eventually point to one of the few race commitments I’ve made so far this year. There’s also a product review for your perusal, but you’ll have to click away for it.

For several weeks I’ve been testing the Salomon SpeedCross2, the lightest shoe from a company that is making great strides in the world of elite trail running. I was originally going to include it here as part of the minimalist trail shoe series I’m cobbling together, but the shoe turned out to be a bit more substantial than I thought, so I punted the review over to FeedTheHabit.com. While it may not be a true minimal shoe, it’s actually one of the most comfortable and rugged shoes I’ve worn all winter, so the review is worth a look.

Staying on the subject of Salomon, I’m long overdue in posting an update on ultrarunning phenom Kilian Jornet, who I first mentioned here before his attempt to break the Tahoe Rim Trail circumnavigation record. Jornet is a Salomon guy, and the company has put together an extremely compelling video series on his exploits leading up to the Rim Trail run. Two of them are embedded below, and you can click here to watch the entire series at the Salomon Running website.

The first video clip features beautiful vistas above and around the lake, and also emphasizes just what a team effort this “solo” record attempt entails. Despite his remarkable physical gifts, Jornet depends heavily on pacers and a support crew to help him achieve success – making him just like every other ultrarunner in that regard. Another little perk of this video is the glimpses you get of several notable trail runners who showed up to help Kilian’s run, including a very talented blogger who accompanied him for part of the way.

"Kilian and Co", from Salomon Running (click to play):




The second installment is equal parts amusing and reverential. It consists mainly of evening scenes around the lake, along with several shots of Kilian NOT running. He’s sitting in a chair to eat, he’s curling up for a nap, he’s wandering off course in search of a lake … at times he seems more like a kid at adventure camp than a world-class ultrarunner. (That is, until you see his finishing time.) The clip concludes to the tune of a classic Negro spiritual, a fitting reflection of how places like Tahoe and runners like Kilian have the ability to lift up and inspire us – which again speaks to the very essence of ultrarunning.

"Hymn to the Rim", from Salomon Running (click to play):




As I mentioned, I’m fairly delinquent in discussing these videos that were first posted last fall; I was only reminded of them after concurrently doing the Salomon review and finalizing some race plans for the summer. I recently volunteered to be a pacer for my soul sister who will be attempting her second Tahoe Rim Trail 100-mile finish this July. (I did, however, leave her the option of dumping me for someone better as race day gets closer – I’m pretty liberal in my relationships that way.)

If it happens, it will be my first time on the Rim Trail, as well as my debut as a pacer - and it’s hard to say which part of that excites me more. If I can tap into even a small part of the mojo that I feel from watching these videos or reading Gretchen’s 2008 race report, I think the evening will be one of the highlights of my summer.

It’s also a good impetus to keep me training … because believe me, that girl is fast.

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Screaming Winter Deals; Garmin 405 Giveaway; Salomon Fast II Jacket Review

I mentioned that this week would include shout-outs to folks who have supported me over the past year – and out of all of them, the biggest props have to go to Wilderness Running Company. And if you make it through today’s brief gear review, there might be a big reward from WRC in it for you as well. (Or you could just scroll to the instructions below. But that doesn’t seem quite as fair.)

Now that Christmas has come and gone, it’s time to get what you REALLY wanted – and if you happened to want some cold-weather running gear, be sure to check out WRC’s Screaming Deals page, where there are dozens of items for sale at 40-60% off. As always, if you use coupon code R&R10 you’ll get an extra 10% off, which makes this about the sweetest sale you’ll see all winter.

Among WRC’s discounted items is the Salomon Fast II jacket, a very tough but comfortable shell for moderate winter conditions. It features Salomon’s ActiLITE polyester that wicks moisture from the body as well as ClimaWIND fabric for wind resistance, coated with Teflon microfibers to provide water repellency. The upper back and underarm areas are made of a ventilated stretch fabric for improved range of motion and thermoregulation when you’re putting the hammer down.


Additional features are a soft mesh moisture-wicking collar, elastic cuffs with thumb loops on the sleeves, an adjustable waist cord, and a single chest zip for light storage. The entire jacket is fairly lightweight (250g, or 8.8 oz) and packs down into the chest pocket for easy transportation. I’ve worn this jacket with short sleeves underneath for temps in the mid-30s, and with long sleeves for temps down to 30.

The Salomon Fast II jacket normally retails for $76, but is currently on sale for $38 from WRC in limited sizes for both men and women. If they don’t have your size, browse through the rest of the winter sale page and see what bargains you can grab.

**

Now for the potential big reward: Wilderness Running Company will be giving away a free Garmin 405 on January 15th, and all you have to do to enter is put your name in the hat. OK, it’s not exactly a hat - there’s a blog post that you have to comment on, but you have to read a bit further for the link. (We’re getting there, I promise.)

If you’ve ever wandered around the WRC site, you’ve probably found little pearls of wisdom or insight from Stacy (the owner) tucked away here and there as part of his gear reviews or travel guides. I always find them to be great observations from the perspective of a small business owner sharing both his passion for trail running and his (sometimes quite frustrating) experiences in the outdoor gear industry.

Fortunately – for me, at least – Stacy has decided to post these observations along with other content on a Wilderness Running Company blog, which is the reason for the Garmin 405 giveaway. So here’s the deal: go to this post and leave a comment to enter the giveaway drawing. While you’re there, tell Stacy I sent you, to make me look good. Then subscribe to his blog to find out if you win a Garmin in January, and continue reading it through 2010.

And don’t forget to go shopping!

*Salomon jacket provided by Wilderness Running Company
** See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Better Than Something

Admin note: A somewhat random post for a midweek diversion, and as a placeholder before a longer post tomorrow. No shoe reviews, no bare feet, and for that matter, no real importance. Sometimes you just go with what comes easy.

But first, an update: Last week I announced Kilian Jornet's attempt to break the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail circumnavigation record held by ultrarunning legend Tim Twietmeyer. Kilian didn't just break the old mark - he shattered it by more than seven hours; the new record is 38 hours, 32 minutes. You can stay updated on Kilian through Salomon's Facebook page, and catch up on a fantastic video series at Salomon's Kilian's Quest page.

*
Last week, as I was leaving the community college pool after a swim workout, I was surprised to see a crowd of about 30 people gathered on the curb, all looking very intently into the street, every one of them holding cameras.

Now, when you’re driving through Yosemite National Park and see a bunch of people like this standing on the side of the road, you figure there must be something pretty cool to see …

… like, perhaps, a bear. In my hometown of Carmel Valley, similar crowds frequently assemble when a local golden eagle decides to sit lookout on his nest that overlooks a cow pasture.

In Salinas, it’s an entirely different story. In this wildlife-deprived, trouble-plagued city, large sidewalk crowds typically trigger one of two immediate thoughts: 1) a horrific car crash, or 2) a gang-related shooting. Not necessarily in that order. (And yes, shootings happen in broad daylight sometimes.) So I had a sudden sense of dread approaching the group with their backs to me, fearful of what might be on the other side.

Upon closer observation, however, there was nothing to see; the people were taking pictures of cars and bikes that passed on the road. I hung out for a minute or so, and overheard the project to be some sort of class assignment to observe and capture everyday street scenes.

So naturally, I did the first thing that came to mind:


I took their picture, and went on my way … thankful that there was nothing else to see - because in some cases, nothing can be much better than something.

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Awesome Summer Apparel Sale!

With the last weeks of summer winding down, the folks at Wilderness Running Company are having a blowout sale on summer apparel. All of their warm-weather gear is at least 20% off, with some items marked down even further. Best of all, you can still use my blog discount (details below).

They also provided me a couple of sale items to help promote, so you’re getting a two-for-one product review post today.

Before we proceed, though - and on the subject of WRC – their special offer on Salomon XT Wings ends today (Aug 20th); if you want shoes, socks, and shipping for $100, this is your last chance.

I was given two items to review: the Salomon Trail Runner Zip Tech Tee, and the Sugoi RSR shorts. I flipped a coin and decided to start with the shirt.

Salomon’s Trail Runner Zip Tech Tee is made of an extremely lightweight fabric called actiLITE which is also very effective for moisture transfer and rapid evaporation. This mesh fabric is so thin that you can see light through it, but (thankfully) not so thin that your nipples are showing. (I know that’s an odd spec to detail, but it seemed important to clarify.)

The fabric is treated with ClimaUV which is equivalent to SPF 35+ ultraviolet resistance, and with X-static mesh to resist odor-causing bacteria. Flatseam stitching makes the shirt feel very comfortable against your skin, and it has a droptail hem in back for those of you (like me) who prefer to go tucked instead of untucked.

This version of the shirt comes with a half-zipper, which provides a performance benefit like cycling jerseys with more effective cooling in hot weather or on long climbs. I’ve found that shirt zippers are a personal preference thing; I’ve never really liked them, because the collars, when closed, seem to sit a bit higher than on non-zipper varieties of the same shirt.

Regardless of whether or not you like the zipper feature, WRC has you covered: both versions are on sale this week.

**

If you’re a tall runner like me, you’re always on the lookout for a comfortable pair of high-performance running shorts with a long (7” or greater) inseam. I’m happy to recommend a great pair in the Sugoi RSR shorts.

I found these to be extremely comfortable from the moment I tried them on; the Hexlite fabric is very light and silky, yet provides great ventilation for moisture wicking. Two large mesh panels assist with air flow, and the zone construction provides an excellent anatomic fit.

Further contributing to the overall comfort, the shorts have a breathable mesh liner and very soft drawstring elastic waist. WRC’s sale page says that the RSR weighs just 5 oz, which is as light as minimalist shorts with much shorter inseams. They also include an inside key pocket and a rear zippered stash pocket to carry small items along the trail.

I’ve worn these shorts on runs of >2 hours, and I would definitely feel confident to stretch that time out for several more hours without compromising comfort. If longer-style running shorts are your thing, the Sugoi RSR is a strong choice; if you like shorter styles, WRC has those on sale as well.

Finally, for all of the WRC sale items: use coupon code R&R10 to get an extra 10% off your entire order in addition to the discounted price. That means that your minimum discount will be 30% on these or any other summer gear:

Salomon Trail Runner Zip Tech Tee

Salomon Trail Tee (no zip)

Sugoi RSR Shorts

The sale prices are in effect until September 20th or until their stock runs out, so take a look around Wilderness Running Company soon to grab some great deals on warm weather clothes. The timing is perfect to still get some use out of them this season, while stocking up in advance for next year.


See previous product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com

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Salomon XT Wings Shoe Review

You’ll forgive me if I used to consider Salomon primarily a ski company.

After all, most of its 60-year history has been dedicated to creating world-class gear for winter mounain sports. The brand was born in the heart of the French Alps, and Solomon would eventually become a worldwide leader in skis, boots, bindings, and high-tech apparel. Salomon’s own timeline traces their accomplishments and product developments through the years – a list that is essentially dominated by ski innovations for the first half-century. The first hiking shoe doesn’t appear until 1994; the first trail running shoe arrives in 2001.

However, whatever the company lacks in trail running experience, it more than makes up for with passionate involvement in all kinds of sports that don’t involve snow. They sponsor various race series all over the country, and support a team of ultra runners, Xterra triathletes, and adventure racers (including one guy whose apparent credentials are that he lives in a cabin and once rode a motorcycle to South America. Seriously.)

Just as they did for skiers, Salomon has created a very diverse product line for trail runners, from base layers and outerwear, to bags and packs, to a wide line of footwear. I’ve found the quality of their running apparel to be outstanding – in fact, I wore the same white Salomon shirt for both of my 100-mile races over the past year – so I guess it was only a matter of time before I took their shoes for a spin.


Chances are that you’ve already heard of the XT Wings: they’re something of the flagship model of the line, and they’ve been VERY heavily promoted in fitness magazines and running websites. (Anecdotally, Solomon also seems to be a brand that runners are very loyal towards: many people try this particular model and never go back to their previous shoes.) They’re billed as a balanced combination of cushioning and agility that perform equally well on roads and trails.

To accomplish this, the underside of the shoe is built with two integral components, called the Agile Chassis Skeleton and Agile Cell Muscle. The AC Skeleton is a plastic mold that controls lateral movement to improve stability on trails, and the AC Muscle provides cushioning for the road with a super-dense EVA foam that supposedly has twice the durability of average EVA material.


The upper is a combination of mesh nylon and synthetic leather that is fairly typical when it comes to ventilation; it didn’t feel as breezy as the La Sportivas (Wildcat and Crosslite) I reviewed, but about the same as the Montrail and Vasque models I frequently use. It also has thickened rubber for extra protection at vulnerable areas like the front toe cap.

One novel feature of the upper is the Quicklace system: a very thin, wire-like lacing mechanism that tightens the entire shoe in a single pull. The top of the wire can be quickly tucked away into a small flap on top of the tongue, so it doesn’t bounce around while running. Triathletes call these “speed laces”, and use them to get in and out of their shoes quickly in transition areas – I imagine the Xterra folks on Salomon’s roster had a lot of input into this aspect of the shoe.

Quicklace system

Given the intended duality of this shoe, I’ve used the XT Wings on both roads and trails, and wore them exclusively for all of my mountain running in the Sierras last month. From a comfort standpoint, they performed exactly as advertised – they felt just as nice during 90 minutes on asphalt as they did during two hours on single tracks. Overall weight of the shoe is 13 oz, which doesn’t feel particularly heavy on long runs. The fit and comfort are also enhanced by a feature called the Ortholite sockliner, which covers the forefoot and supports the heel in a thin, lightweight foam material.

The comfort aspect is probably what distinguishes the XT Wings from other brands of trail running shoes. These seem like a perfect shoe if you need to jog down the road a few miles to reach the trailhead, but still want a supportive ride on the dirt and rocks once you get there.

Some brief summary bullets:

Strengths
· Can be used comfortably as either a road or trail shoe.
· Quick lace system is perfect for triathletes - and everything else about this shoe makes it a great choice for Xterra races.

Drawbacks
· The outsole seems less “grippy” than other shoes I’ve reviewed, as I occasionally experienced some mild slipping on very steep, loose gravel sections of trail.
· The lacing system is great, but if you like to modify the tension of your laces asymmetrically, that might be hard with Quicklaces.
· Relatively high retail price -usually $120, but listed on some sites for as much as $130.

Let's be honest – it seems tough to justify spending 130 bucks on a shoe when there are plenty of equal or better quality trail models out there for under $100. One case where I could see spending this kind of money is if you don’t log a lot of weekly mileage and you’re looking for a single model to function as both your road and trail trainers.

A better alternative is to try finding a deal somewhere – and I can help in that regard as well. Between now and August 20th, Wilderness Running Company is selling the shoes at a $10 discount from their normal $120 list price – and if you enter coupon code R&R10, you’ll get an additional 10% off and a free pair of Bridgedale socks (normally $14-$16), plus free shipping. Your "out the door" price for everything dips below $100 - so if you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to try Salomon shoes, or if you’re looking for a very solid all-purpose shoe, this gives you a great chance.

See previous gear reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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