CLIF Builder's Bar Winners; Random Shots of Beauty

Keeping this very brief this evening so I can plunge right into a longer post on tap for tomorrow night. We’ll start with the winners of this week’s CLIF Builder’s Bar contest: TimS, Josh (Of All), and Joanne (Run for Endurance): e-mail me your contact info – you’re the winners!

Thanks very much to everyone else who entered, and special thanks as always to CLIF Bar for sponsoring the giveaway. I’ve got a few more contests on deck in the near future, so stay tuned for details – beginning with a pretty cool one on Tuesday night.

On to our Random Shot of Beauty:

Carmel Valley as seen from a ridgeline in Garland Park at daybreak.

We’ve had some unseasonably cold mornings here in Monterey County this week, which always makes it a bit harder to crawl out of bed in the dark to keep my mileage up. Fortunately, if I remind myself that views like this are waiting for me once the sun comes up, I usually find just enough courage to get started.



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Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Review

Although it might seem strange thing to say about a line of footwear that’s just a handful of years old, one of my initial judgments about Vibram’s latest trail model is that it has quite an impressive heritage. Both its name and design symbolize achievement – and fortunately for the FiveFingers Spyridon LS, the finished product doesn’t disappoint on either count.

Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS

First, the name: the FiveFingers Spyridon is named after Spyridon Louis, victor of the first Olympic marathon in 1896. Vibram has gone this route before, naming its Bikila road shoe after the man who won the Olympic marathon barefoot, and the Spyridon is an equally fitting moniker for its new trail running model. In case you’re wondering, that first Olympic marathon wasn’t contested on pavement, but on dirt trading paths and dusty farm roads winding from Marathon to Athens - so the Spyridon implies that it’s made for running on dirt, and built for high performance.

And that’s the second element of heritage that the Spyridon embraces: it takes a lot of the design aspects of Vibram’s previous running models, and combines them with new innovations that are quite impressive considering the minimalist framework under which they’re constructed. You’ll see echoes of previous FiveFingers models here, but the Spyridon truly stands alone in the FiveFingers lineup – and with that, we’ll get to the review.

Bikila on left, Spyridon on right

It’s tempting to think of the Spyridon LS as the KSO Trek 2.0; after all, that model debuted in 2010 as Vibram’s dedicated trail runner, and it featured innovations such as a thin leather upper and a slightly knobby outsole for increased durability off-road. While the Spyridon boasts more upgrades to bolster its toughness, it’s actually a closer descendant of the Bikila’s design elements in terms of overall fit and comfort. Sounds like a great combination, doesn’t it?

The most noticeable upgrade is the outsole, which features the most aggressive tread that Vibram has ever offered on FiveFingers. As you would expect, the lugs are directional to improve push-off in the forefoot and braking in the heel, and they help maintain stability quite well even in thick, sloppy mud. Traction is also very stable on gravel and loose dirt, even on steep slopes.

Layered just behind the outsole – and visible through a small window on the instep portion - is a heavy duty molded polyester mesh layer that functions as a flexible rock plate, providing additional puncture resistance and dispersing sharp impact across a broader surface area. At 3.5mm thick, the outsole is one-half mm thinner than the outsoles of both the Bikila and KSO Trek.

What’s remarkable about these two innovations is that they provide a significant improvement in traction and impact protection without compromising any of the minimalist specs that Vibram is famous for. At 3.5mm thick, the Spyridon LS outsole is a half-mm thinner than the outsoles of both the Bikila and KSO Trek, and the overall weight of 6.8 oz is almost equal to the 6.7-oz Trek (but one ounce heavier than the Bikila). Best of all, the rock barrier doesn’t limit the shoe’s flexibility, and only marginally compromises its ground feel.

Above the outsole, the Spyridon has a non-removable 3mm EVA footbed, making a total standing height of less than 7mm. Fit of the shoe is comfortable all around the foot, with seamless interior construction, a soft interior lining, and just enough padding around the ankle collar – all taken straight from the Bikila blueprint. I frequently wear these sockless, but my preference is to use socks if the weather is cold or if I plan to be running for more than 90 minutes or so.

Fit is further dialed in with an elastic lacing system (first introduced on the Bikila LS) for customized tension across the midfoot. In my opinion, this is one of the best innovations Vibram has made in the past year, and I’m happy to see the “LS” tagged onto the name “Spyridon” with this shoe – one of those heritage points I mentioned at the top.

Like the Bikila, the Spyridon LS upper utilizes Coconut Active Carbon for breathability and odor control, but the fabric is slightly thicker than either the Bikila or the thin leather KSO Trek – making it a little better for warmth, but not as good for ventilation. Vibram’s fabric uppers have historically been more prone to punctures than the super-durable kangaroo leather, but in my testing I haven’t had any problems – although I should add a disclaimer that I haven’t done a whole lot of rugged bushwhacking in to give the uppers an extreme test.

What I have done is log about 150 miles on fire roads and single track, on groomed and technical trails, in dry or sloppy conditions, and I’ve had a hard time finding trails that the Spyridon LS can’t handle. It combines the best of Vibram's design and construction elements to date, and is a worthy successor to the ever-increasing Vibram heritage of minimalist running shoes.

The Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS retails for $120 from TravelCounty.com.

*Product provided by Vibram
**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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New CLIF Builder's Bar Flavors; CLIF Builder's Bar Giveaway

In some ways, today’s review and giveaway originated nearly a couple of years ago – so if you can do me a favor and imagine the screen reverbing for a few seconds, I’ll get right to my back story.

On my first visit to CLIF Bar headquarters, one of the many cool things the company reps allowed us to do was raid the in-house stash of CLIF products that are available to employees free of charge on an everyday basis (I know, right?). While stuffing my box like a maniac, my eye fell on a couple of Builder’s Bars I hadn’t seen before: Lemon and Vanilla Almond flavors. I packed a few of them home with me, and when my wife and I tried them, we were in love. (With the bars, I mean. But with each other too – I'd better clarify that. Basically there was a lot of love going around.)

CLIF geek heaven

Part of what we liked about them was that the flavors were pretty unique in the world of “10 variations of chocolate” that most brands pushed upon the market. I’ve documented how my wife in particular uses Builder’s Bars as breakfast quite often, and her favorite flavor was lemon, because she likes starting the day with a fruity taste as opposed to a chocolate one. I was partial to vanilla almond for basically the same reason – in general, I like my bar flavors more natural and less chocolatey. That’s not to say we don’t like chocolate – it’s just that when we get a craving for chocolate, we typically just, you know … eat some chocolate. Call us snobs, I guess.

(OK, end of back story – imagine the screen reverbing back to the present now.)

So both of us were understandably concerned when my wife called to me from the computer room several weeks ago, “Hey – the website won’t let me buy any more lemon Builder’s Bars. Is something going on with them?” Of course, I didn’t know – I’m close with CLIF, but not that close – so I fired off an e-mail to my rep.  Her reply contained the news my wife and I both feared: the lemon flavor is being phased out.

Her e-mail continued: “However, we’re introducing three new flavors very soon, so hopefully you and your wife will find a new favorite.” Which brings us to today’s giveaway.

New CLIF Builder's Bar flavors, Spring 2012

This spring CLIF introduced three new varieties of Builder’s Bars: Chocolate Chip, Crunchy Peanut Butter, and S’mores. The flavors themselves aren’t necessarily anything groundbreaking for the company, as chocolate chip and crunchy peanut butter are also original CLIF Bar flavors, and S’mores is already my kids’ favorite MOJO Bar flavor. Like all Builder’s Bars, each flavor provides 20 grams of protein and 23 vitamins and minerals to fuel you like a meal on the go or to assist in muscle recovery after intense workouts.

And for the most part, they taste exactly as you would anticipate: S’mores combines chocolate with a strong graham cracker flavor, Crunchy Peanut Butter is chock full of peanuts, and chocolate chip tastes remarkably like chomping down on a cookie. There isn’t a dud in the bunch, and if you have a soft spot for any of these flavors in particular, you’ll love the new Builder’s varieties. (In a related story, we’re locking the S’mores flavor away from our kids.)

Here’s the thing, though: even though the new flavors are wonderful, in our opinion they’re not in the same ballpark as our old favorite Lemon. It’s not a fair comparison, really – instead of apples to oranges, let's call it lemons to cookies – but unfortunately the fact that the new flavors are great doesn’t diminish our disappointment that the old ones are gone. Furthermore, if you look at the Builder’s lineup with the lemon flavor removed, here’s what you’re left with:

Chocolate
Chocolate Chip
Chocolate Mint
Chocolate Peanut Butter
Cookies and Cream
Crunchy Peanut Butter
S’mores
Vanilla Almond

In other words, something dangerously approaching “10 varieties of chocolate”, with the exception of Vanilla Almond – which, the way things seem headed, will probably be the next one to be axed.

But that’s enough griping for now, because this post is intended to end on an upbeat note: yes, we’re doing a giveaway! Maybe you’re not like my wife and me, and there’s no amount of chocolate flavors that’s too excessive. Maybe you’ll fall in love with one of these new flavors and it will be the best thing that ever happened to you. Or maybe you could care less what I think, just as long as you get to put your name in the hat at the end.

So here we go: leave a comment below this post to enter, and this weekend I’ll choose three winners at random to receive a sampler pack of the three new Builder’s Bars from CLIF. Despite my issues, I'm pretty sure you’ll love them. As always, thanks very much to CLIF for sponsoring this contest, and good luck to everybody!

*Products provided by CLIF Bar
**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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Vibram Fitness Portal; Yosemite Firefalls; Random Shots of Beauty

A couple of quick announcements before some pleasant weekend viewing before another announcement that took me completely by surprise … I know, it sounds confusing, but stick with me – it will makes sense by the time we’re done.

First, the announcements:

1. You’ve still got a few more days to get Patagonia Fall 2011 gear at 50% off from the company website. I’ve advertised this already, so I don’t need to say anything else on this one except that the sale ends on Feb 27th, so get going.

2. Yesterday I was contacted by a Vibram rep in hopes of promoting the company’s new fitness resource portal. Honestly, Vibram was kind of late to the game of providing comprehensive barefoot running instruction, as VIVOBAREFOOT and Merrell have long since been providing that service. However, Vibram’s portal is unique in that it provides information not just on running, but all varieties of barefoot fitness activities – and for what it’s worth, FiveFingers seem to be taking over the Crossfit / general fitness communities in the same manner that they’ve swept through the running community lately. And if that’s not enough to get you to click over, the site also features a pretty hardcore trainer who looks something like a female Tarzan.


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As for your weekend viewing: this time of year is part of a remarkably short window of opportunity to see one of the most unique and wondrous natural phenomena that Yosemite National Park has to offer: the illusion of fire tumbling down Horsetail Fall off of El Capitan. Of course, seeing it requires being in the park in the middle of the cold, snowy winter, which, um … isn’t really my thing. That’s why I’m happy that people make videos like the one that follows.

It’s part of the fantastic “Yosemite Nature Notes” series, and also makes reference to a discontinued man-made occurrence in the park that created a fall of fire – in this case, actual burning embers cascading down the granite cliff. It’s somewhat bizarre to think that the Fire Fall was one of the most popular attractions in the park, but a nice reassurance to think that smarter policies finally prevailed.


"Yosemite Nature Notes: Horsetail Fall" (click to play):





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Finally, this weekend’s Random Shot of Beauty is one that was absolutely unexpected:

A gymnasium that was the site of today’s Lyceum Spelling Bee, where my 5th-grade daughter prevailed over the champions from every elementary school in Monterey County. Newer readers might need a reminder that I’m something of a freak when it comes to spelling bees, so to say I was excited about this development is a bit of an understatement.



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VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail Follow-Up Review

Back in January I offered a first look at the VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail, running down the specs and offering my impressions of the shoe after all of 2 runs (long-ish runs, but still). At that time, the shoes weren’t available for purchase, but they are now – which seems like a good time to circle back for an updated review after giving them a much more thorough test of nearly 200 total miles.

VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail

However, I’m not going to be super thorough in rehashing all the information I provided the first time around – for that, I’ll refer you to my original review from January. Rather, I’ll do a rundown of the specs and put together some observations of things that really stood out in my testing.

Here are your vital specs for the Breatho Trail:

* Weight: 9.6oz, or 9.1oz without insole
* Upper: thin breathable mesh
* Outsole construction: off-road, directional lugs
* Outsole thickness: 2.5mm base layer, with additional 4.5mm lugs
* Insole: removable, 3mm thick
* Eco: 100% vegan
* MSRP: $90

Of course, with VIVOBAREFOOT it goes without saying that the Breatho meets virtually every minimalist construction aspect that purists demand: it’s completely flat and flexible in all directions, allowing your foot to move in any way it wants to. Ground feel is surprisingly good considering the size of the lugs, especially if you take out the removable insole.

My preference is to keep the insoles in my pair, because with it removed the Breatho Trail feels a little loose and sloppy through the heel and toe box. I had this same issue with last fall’s Neo Trail as well several other minimalist shoes I’ve tested; functionally, removing the insole is like stepping up a half size in overall fit. I may consider requesting shoes a half-size smaller for reviews at some point, but for the time being I’m a pretty consistent “insole IN” kind of guy.

As the name implies, the uppers of the Breatho Trail are highly breathable and dry quite easily after immersion in water. They also appear to be quite durable as well, and very resistant to pokes and punctures while bushwhacking off trail. (Although I don’t do this terribly often; I’m also a “trail ON” kind of guy.)

Traction of the lugged outsole is really outstanding in most trail conditions including loose dirt and sloppy mud. The only issue I’ve noticed is that the rubber compound is somewhat slippery on wet rocks, so I find myself being extra careful when hopping across streams.

The outsole material has also worn down rather quickly in areas, as you can see here on my right heel – but to be fair, I destroy most shoes in this same area, so I don’t consider the breakdown to be a major concern in recommending them to others. (And before you ask: Yes, minimalist runners have heel impact – only it’s at the end of the footstrike instead of the beginning, and is more pronounced when running down steep hills.)

One quirk I can’t quite figure out is something I identified in my preview: that the laces don’t hold their tension during the course of a run, leading the upper to feel looser after a few miles. It’s weird, because the laces don’t actually come loose or untied – they just lose their grip on the neoprene liner on top of the midfoot. The laces also happen to be about twice as long as they need to be. If I had a magic wand - or if VIVOBAREFOOT listens to my feedback – I’d make the laces significantly shorter and use a different kind of material, perhaps something like New Balance’s “sausage link” laces to help them keep their grip.

The other point of feedback I mentioned in my earlier review is that the Breatho Trail weight is far higher than I like in a minimalist shoe. It’s nearly 50% heavier than equally rugged trail shoes from Vibram and Merrell – and when companies like New Balance are lowering the weight bar to amazing degrees (hint: Minimus Zero review coming soon!), it’s disappointing that VIVOBAREFOOT can’t get low, low, low, low like everybody else.

In the case of the Breatho Trail, it’s especially frustrating because in practically all other aspects, this is a fantastic shoe. Even with the weight as is, I would have no worries whatsoever about wearing these in any ultra I encounter, including distances of 100K or even 100 miles. If the shoe were a bit lighter, it would be at the head of the class in the increasingly crowded category of high-performance minimalist trail runners. As it is, the Breatho has become one of my favorite training shoes this winter.

The VIVOBAREFOOT Breatho Trail is now available for $90 from the company website.

*Product provided by VIVOBAREFOOT
**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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CamelBak Ultra LR Vest Review

Last summer CamelBak introduced the LR series of packs, featuring an all-new lumbar reservoir (thus the initials) that allows a more ergonomically efficient means of carrying fluid weight for extended outings.

I reviewed the Octane LR last summer, and it honestly didn’t blow me away compared to CamelBak’s standard running pack, the Octane XCT. The lumbar reservoir definitely feels comfortable against my back, but there were a couple of primary quirks I didn’t like: 1) the interface of the drink tube and reservoir wasn’t low enough to completely drain the container, and 2) the diagonal storage pockets made it somewhat difficult to access those compartments on the go.

CamelBak Ultra LR

This spring, CamelBak addressed one of those issues in the pack I’m reviewing, but not the other one. Consequently, my executive summary of the Ultra LR reads something like this: They significantly improved the cargo accessibility, but didn’t change the reservoir in the way I was hoping. If you didn’t like the LR system, this pack won’t do anything to change your mind – but if you’re a LR fan, this pack is a very nice improvement over the Octane LR.

To be sure, there are a lot of fans of lumbar packs out there. The design is a huge selling point for runners who get sore between the shoulder blades when using packs that carry the fluid weight up higher. From a biomechanical standpoint, having the fluid weight distributed horizontally across your back results in lower energy cost than having the same weight higher up the spine.

Photo from my Octane LR review, but the Ultra LR has the same issue - note the fluid level below the drink tube

From my experience, the theoretical benefits of carrying fluid lower were offset by difficulty in practical application. In addition to the quirks I mentioned above, I found the LR tricky to refill with gear in the side pockets, and difficult to clean and dry after use.

70-oz Antidote lumbar reservoir 

However, there’s no complaining about the quality of the 70-oz Antidote reservoir; if there’s one thing CamelBak does exceedingly well, it’s reservoir construction. This updated version has a new Quick Link system to detach the tube at the base for easier storage and cleaning. All the other features are standard-issue CamelBak innovations: a Big Bite valve for high-volume flow, a very easy and secure lock/unlock latch, a wide-mouth opening that seals easily with a quarter-turn, and an insulated drink tube with anti-microbial coating.

As for the storage, the Ultra LR presents something of a paradox: at 200 cubic inches, the overall capacity is less than on the Octane LR (335 cu. in.), but since it’s easily accessible, it seems like you actually have more functional space at your disposal. CamelBak went with a big structural change here, and completely took away the diagonal / vertical storage areas of the Octane LR. Instead, they expanded the diagonal side pockets and stretched a mesh pocket across the entire backside.

Patagonia Nine Trails jacket and Petzl Tikka XP2 headlamp in one pocket, with plenty of room to spare

The triangular belt pockets are similar to the ones CamelBak uses on its other running-specific packs – but on the Ultra LR, they’re enormous. There’s plenty of space to accommodate all the gels or energy bars you need, or give you a place to stuff your headlamp, gloves, arm warmers and hat when the sun comes up. You can easily scrunch a lightweight jacket into one of the side pockets; for most runs, you can have pretty much everything that you need within easy reach. Bulkier items such as midweight jackets are super easy to stuff in the mesh netting on the backside.

Dual water bottle holsters or cargo pockets; tube clips; safety whistle

Another big innovation with the Ultra LR pack is storage space on the front chest straps, similar to Nathan’s HPL 020 or the Ultimate Direction Wasp. The pockets are designed to accommodate a standard 20-oz bottle, but my preference is to use them for gear like a camera, cell phone, or map, because carrying bottles felt excessively bulky and bouncy. The pockets can be secured with a bungee drawstring to keep your cargo secure regardless of the size.

Air Channel construction in lumbar area

In addition to their exceptional reservoir construction, CamelBak also excels in creating packs that ride extremely comfortably, though fabric construction, design elements and plenty of adjustment points. The lightweight mesh of the Ultra LR feels soft and light against the back, and air channel construction (thicker on either side, thinner in the middle) allows air to circulate between the pack and your body. All of the straps are adjustable to provide a customized fit regardless of your body proportions.

As with any pack, there’s a tradeoff between cargo capacity and weight: the more room you have to carry stuff, the heavier the pack tends to be. In relation to other ultrarunning packs, the 1.15-lb Ultra LR is heavier than Nathan’s 10-oz HPL 020 but has twice the carrying capacity; in comparison to Ultimate Direction’s Wasp, it’s equal in weight with slightly less cargo space.

At an MSRP of $130, the price point of the Ultra LR is higher than similar packs, but if you like the lumbar setup and need a lot of storage space for long hours on the trail, this pack offers a unique combination of features to make the cost worthwhile. They’re also available at a slightly discounted price of $115 from Amazon.com.

*Product provided by CamelBak
**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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I Wanna Be A Slacker; Patagonia Blowout Sale; Running Water Book Winner; Random Shots of Beauty

Look what arrived just in time for the weekend …

It’s my very own Gibbon Slackline! I’m not sure what it says about me that I’m almost as excited about learning how to do this as I am to run Leadville this summer; maybe I’m tapping into a spirit of new adventures, or perhaps I’m subconsciously trying to distract myself from the anxiety of preparing for the Race Across the Sky. Whatever the case, I couldn’t wait to set this baby up and take it for a test spin as soon as it arrived.

Besides, I think there’s some element of destiny involved, because here’s a cool thing I learned: guess what term slack line practitioners often use to refer to themselves? Slackers. Hey - I’ve called myself a slacker for years! Maybe it’s all been in preparation for this activity that I didn’t even know existed not too long ago.

About that test spin, however … it turns out that I completely suck at slacklining. I’m still working on simply standing on the darn thing, let alone doing any sort of walking or other maneuvering. Who would have thought that being a slacker could be so much work? The good news, at least for the time being, is that my kids struggled with it just as much as I did, so I wasn’t completely embarrassed. The better news is that we all had fun and are all eager to keep practicing and improving. As soon as I make any progress, I’ll be sure to let you know. I’ve got a slacker reputation to maintain, you know.

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Sweet sale alert! Last month Patagonia discounted their Fall 2011 inventory to 30% off, and promptly experienced some website snafus that made it difficult for people to actually buy anything. This month, they’re determined to sell off their remaining inventory, and they’re blowing a lot of it out at 50% off through February 27.



The remaining stock isn’t quite as good as it was a few weeks ago, but it’s still pretty decent, and definitely worth a look. Even though it’s a fall/winter sale, there’s a lot of lightweight apparel that would be great for warmer months as well. Check out the sale here or by clicking the banner above. (If you happen to be a local reader, the sale is also good at our Patagonia shop in Santa Cruz - 415 River Street #C.)

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On to the Running Water book giveaway: Lecia Holley, e-mail me your address – you’re the winner! Thanks to everyone else who entered, and remember that you can find the book on Amazon.com. Thanks also to Abraham Clark for providing the contest prize.

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Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten the Random Shot of Beauty; this week’s edition could be mistaken for a secluded cove on a tropical island somewhere …

… but it’s actually only a somewhat-secluded cove that’s reasonably accessible during a family hike along the Big Sur coastline. When the tide is out, you can walk around the rocks on the left to connect to a larger sandy beach area – but when the tide is high as pictured above, it becomes your own private cove. That’s my idea of wintertime fun in Monterey County.

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One last item for this extended weekend: in my last post I previewed a documentary by The Muir Project that was shot during a month-long trek along the John Muir Trail last summer.

There’s another video on their website that I found exceptionally cool - it’s basically a campfire jam like thousands of hikers have probably done in the past. The difference, however, is that most hiking groups aren’t comprised of exceptional musicians and professional filmmakers who just happen to have a full inventory of equipment with them.

When they are, moments of subtle magic can be created, such as the clip that follows below.

"JMT Campfire Performance" by The Muir Project (click to play):





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