REI Invites Us to #OptOutside Again This Fall

Last fall, gear retailer REI made headlines when it announced that it would close all of its brick and mortar stores, as well as online shop, on the biggest shopping day of the year – Black Friday. Instead of chasing the almighty dollar on a day that should be about spending time with your family, the company elected to give all of its employees the day off, and encourage them – as well as the rest of us – to head outside for an adventure. They even used the hashtag #OptOutside to promote the movement, which was adopted by several other outdoor brands like Outdoor Research as well.

Yesterday, REI announced that it will again be closed on Black Friday, and that it is encouraging its employees and customers to skip the crazy shopping madness that is typical for the day, and instead head outside to enjoy some time with nature. That means that on November 25 all 149 REI stores will be closed, and the company's more than 12,000 employees will be free to spend time with friends and family, as well as pursue their favorite outdoor adventures.

In addition to that, over 275 national and local organizations are joining in on the fun this year as well. Those entities will also be encouraging their communities to #OptOutside on Black Friday too, as this movement seems to be picking up even more steam heading into its second year.

REI has also launched an activity finder on the #OptOutside website to help you find organized events, and other things to do, on November 25. That search engine lists local hikes, trail running outings, organized mountain bike rides, climbing excursions, skiing trips, and more. If you're at a loss for things to do where you live, this will surely help.

Obviously REI received a ton of publicity for its decision to close its doors on Black Friday last year. The company more than made up the revenue it would have made on that day with the exposure it received with the #OptOutside campaign. But it would be easy to dismiss this as just a marketing scheme if I hadn't met some of the representatives of the company a few weeks back. It is clear that the gear retailer genuinely cares about helping its staff, members, and customers to get outside and enjoy their time in nature, and while #OptOutside has been a good marketing campaign, the people who run the company definitely believe in the message they are sharing too. You don't find that in too many companies these days, and it is refreshing to say the least.

This attitude also makes it easy to want to support REI too. Which is exactly what I'll be doing on November 25. Hopefully you will too.

Gear Closet: Altra StashJack Lightweight Running Jacket

Fall is here, which means cooler weather and unpredictable conditions that can make it much more challenging to know how to dress for our favorite outdoor activities. On some days you need a jacket, and on others you don't. And then of course there are those times when unexpected rain showers strike, making you wish you had brought a jacket with you even though you didn't think it was needed. That's exactly where the new StashJack from Altra comes in handy. It is a super lightweight option that has been so well designed that you won't ever have to decide whether or not you should bring it on your adventures.

A quick look at the technical specs for the StashJack provides some insights into why it is such a nice piece of kit. For example, it weighs just 3.3 ounces (93.5 grams), provides protection from both wind and rain, and it features a loose, tapered fit that gives your body room to move while taking part in fast-paced activities. It also includes some reflective highlights to help keep the wearer more visible in low conditions, and it is made with trimmed and flat locked seams that make it more comfortable to wear.

But, that is really just the beginning. Because what makes the StashJack so special is its ability to be stuffed into a tiny carrying pouch that comes complete with a built-in adjustable belt. This gives you the ability to wear the jacket around your waist until you truly need it, at which time it can be deployed in a matter of seconds without ever having the need to stop moving at all. The jacket even features an open back that is designed to wrap around your pack so you won't even have to remove it to put the jacket on.


This clever design comes our way from the team at Altra, a company focused on making excellent products for runners and hikers. Already this year I have reviewed both their Superior 2.0 trail running shoes and Lone Peak 3.0 hiking boots. In both cases, I came away very impressed with how comfortable and well made those products are. The StashJack doesn't disappoint in anyway either, only further increasing my confidence in Altra gear.

I've worn the StashJack on several runs this fall when I thought there was a chance of rain. On a couple of those occasions I managed to put in my milage before the bad weather set in, which normally would have annoyed me since I had brought a jacket along for no reason. But in this case, the StashJack attached securely to my waist, and because it is so lightweight, I pretty much forgot that it was even there. The included belt kept the jacket from bouncing around while I moved and it did nothing to impede my natural running movements.

On a couple of other occasions dark clouds did decide to open up and drop some rain on me while I ran. It was at those times that I was very happy to have this jacket along for the ride. I was able to quickly and easily pull it out of its stash pouch and put it on, taking just a few seconds to wrap myself in lightweight protection from the elements. This allowed me to happily continue with my workout without getting soaked to the bone.

It should be pointed out that the StashJack is made to be wind and water resistant, which means in more severe storms it can soak through, and heavy winds will still bring a chill to your body. But considering the fact that it weighs just 3.3 ounces, it performs quite well, even in those more demanding situations.

You don't have to be a runner to appreciate what the StashJack brings to the table. Hikers will certainly find this an appealing product as well. It's combination of convenience and svelte design make it a great choice for travel too, allowing you to wear it where ever you go, and instantly have a light jacket that you can pull on at a moments notice.

Priced at $130, the StashJack is more expensive than many will probably want to pay. But it is surprisingly durable for its size and packs in a high level of performance. If you're a daily runner (like me), you'll find this is a jacket you'll want to own. Having it in your gear closet for other occasions, like going on a day hike or traveling to a foreign city where rain is in the forecast, extends its value beyond just my regular workouts. Yes, it is possible to find a rain jacket at lower price, but you'll be hard pressed to find one that offers such versatility as well. For me, that makes the asking price well worth it.

Get one for yourself at Altra.com. And don't forget to grab one for the runner on your holiday shopping list too.

Men's Journal Gives Us 14 Epic One Day Adventures

Last Friday was a National Day of Adventure, and while I wasn't in the country to celebrate, you can bet I was off on an adventure of my own that day. Hopefully you took advantage of the opportunity and hit your favorite trail, climbed a new route, paddled some open water, or did something equally fun as part of the celebration. But if not, Men's Journal is here to help with a list of 14 epic adventures that you can do in a single day.
Whether you like ride a mountain or road bike, prefer to hike on your own two feet, or are down for some aquatic adventures, this list has something for you. For instance, some of the suggestions that earn a nod from the MJ editors include a hike to the summit of 5267-foot (1605 meter) Mount Katahdin in Maine or trekking through the Vermilion Cliffs of Arizona. Other options range from riding a section of the Tahoe Rim Trail on your mountain bike to cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, North Carolina. And for those who prefer their adventures to be waterborne, the list suggests running the Upper Gauley River in West Virginia, which is at its peak this time of year with Class III to V rapids.

I won't spoil the entire list, as half the fun is discovering what adventures actually made the cut. Needless to say however, there some great suggestions here with destinations spread out across the entire U.S. Chances are, you live fairly close to several of these places, and could potentially fit one or two of them in on a busy weekend.

Of course, this list is also a good reminder that there are plenty of opportunities for adventure just outside our door at all times. Perhaps its time to head out and explore some of those options and remember why there is no place like home.

Reminder: October 14th is a National Day of Adventure

As I get ready to head out of the country once again tomorrow, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone that next Friday – October 14, 2016 – had been declared a National Day of Adventure by Men's Journal and Victorinox, the company behind the iconic Swiss Army Knife.

While not an official holiday of course, the entire point of the NDOA is to encourage people to get outside, engage in their favorite outdoor activities, or perhaps even try something new. To that end, the two sponsors of the Day of Adventure have helped organize more than 30 events across the U.S. to give us all a starting point for getting our adventures off to a good start.

While I'll actually be in Spain on that day, I'll certainly take some time to hit a trail and do some hiking, or possibly even some snorkeling in the Mediterranean Sea. And since it is a Friday, hopefully some of you will take part in the celebration by heading out to enjoy your own adventures too. Why not skip out of work early, grab your mountain bike and take a ride on your favorite trail? Or, gather up some friends and take a scenic hike somewhere before grabbing some dinner and drinks afterwards. The whole point is to add a little excitement and adventure back into your life, something that hopefully we do on a more regular basis than one day a year, but it is a good place to get started never the less.

So, whether your like to ride, hike, run, paddle, fly, climb, or some other crazy outdoor activity, don't forget to set a little time aside to pursue that passion next Friday. After all, you'll never regret the days that you do the things you love, and you might just discover other passions along the way.

Get out there and enjoy!

Gear Closet: Petzl Reactik+ Headlamp

It seems all of our electronic gadgets are getting smarter these days. First came the smartphone of course, then tablet computers, and smartwatches too. Now, thanks to the the Reactik+ from Petzl, we can add "smart" headlamps to the list too.

What makes the Reactik+ so smart you ask? Well for starters, it comes with Bluetooth wireless technology baked in that allows it to connect to your smartphone and control its functionality using a special MyPetzl mobile app. That app gives users the ability to control the brightness of their lamp yourself, or tell it what type of activity you'll be doing, and for how long, which gives the device the ability to set its own brightness levels based on how much power is lift it is rechargeable battery. The app has preset profiles for sports like trail running, mountaineering, hiking, or simply just hanging out around the campsite. You can also add your own custom profiles as well, allowing you to dial in exactly the performance you need.

At its brightest setting, the Reactik+ can crank out as much as 300 lumens of light, which is plenty for just about anything you want to do outside. On that level, it the headlamp can run for about 2.5 hours, but you can adjust the burn time for 5 or 10 hours as well, and the lamp will automatically regulate itself to achieve that length of time. This ability to extend the life of the Reactik+'s battery comes in handy if you find yourself out on the trail for longer than you expected, or you don't have a handy way to recharge the device while in the field.


The Reactik+ has several different lighting modes to help you navigate through the darkness. For instance, it features a proximity beam that diffuse the light across a wider area, as well as a focused beam that acts as a bright spotlight for when you just need to see as far ahead as possible. Of course, it also comes with a red light mode, which is handy around he campsite when you don't want to burn out the retinas of your friends who are accompany you on your outdoor adventure.

Designed to be tough and weather resistant, I recently put this headlamp to the test on a backpacking trip to Bryce Canyon where the rain was coming down sideways. Despite those poor conditions however, the Reactik+ performed admirably, surviving some of the worst weather that part of the country has seen in years, and continuing to work well. After that experience, I feel confident that this light will work great in just about any weather, with perhaps the exception of extreme cold. Frigid temps can put a strain on the life of the built in rechargeable battery, although this is something that plagues most other headlamps too.

Other features of this headlamp that I really like include a washable headband, which is a must for those of us who live in warm climates and will run with this light on our heads. I also appreciate the ability to lock-out the power source, preventing the lamps from accidentally turning on while in our packs and running down the battery. Petzl has even given the headlamp the ability to use a standard battery pack that employs AA batteries for power instead. This battery pack is sold separately, but it is nice to have the option none the less.

In terms of performance, I love all of the technology that this headlamp brings to the table. It's "smart" features work great, and I appreciate its ability to dial in just the right level of lighting to get me through a long run or a night hike back to camp. The MyPetzl app is simple to use, connects to the Reactik+ quickly and easily, and is versatile enough to allow you to fine tune things to your own liking. My only complaint is that I wish it had Apple Watch support that would allow me to adjust the light's settings on the fly without having to retrieve my iPhone from my pack or wrist strap.

At $109.95, the Petzl Reactik+ is on the expensive side in terms of headlamps. But, if you're an active outdoor athlete who runs, bikes, climbs, or hikes a lot, you may very well appreciate all of the tech features that it brings to the table. As a gadget-nerd myself, I know I certainly do. However, if you're just looking for a very good headlamp that you can take with you on your adventures, the standard Reactik may be a better choice. It performs much the same way as the "+" model, but without the "smart" features. It also sells for $84.95, making it a bit less expensive. Either way, you'll get an excellent headlamp that is comfortable to wear, versatile to use in the field, and very powerful at lighting your way.

Purchase your Reactik+ at REI.com or CampSaver.com.


REACTIK + Bluetooth headlamp with Reactive Lighting Technology from Petzl-sport on Vimeo.

Gear Closet: JBL Reflect Mini BT Wireless Sport Headphones

In case you haven't heard, there is a new iPhone coming out this week. That's pretty much common knowledge considering how much press Apple gets. But what you might not have heard is that one of the design elements of the new smartphone that is getting the most attention is Apple's decision to drop the standard audio port. This has freed up some precious space inside the phone that Apple engineers can use to add more tech, but it also means that we can no longer simply plug in a standard set of headphones. Moving forward, the iPhone's lightning port will pull double duty for both charging and audio output, which means you'll need to either use a set of lightning earbuds, a lightning-to-3.5mm adapter (included in the box), or wireless headphones to listen to your music, podcasts, and audio books. While all of those are obviously viable solutions, Apple is making a hard push towards Bluetooth headphones, particularly since they are releasing their own unique entry into that market with the new AirPods and some updated wireless options from Beats.

I haven't had a chance to test out the AirPods yet, but I have been testing some other wireless headphones that are specifically designed for use by those of us who are fairly active. I actually made the switch to Bluetooth earbuds awhile ago, and I have to say that it is a niche shift. Not having to deal with cables while running or cycling is a major plus in my book, and I think that while some will continue to be reluctant to make the change, once you do, you'll never want to go back.

Recently I've been testing the new Reflect Mini BT sport headphones from JBL and have discovered a product that ticks all of the boxes in terms of what I'm looking for when it comes to earbuds. And while they may not be quite a fancy as Apple's AirPods in terms of design and technology, they still perform very well and cost a lot less.

The Reflect Mini use Bluetooth technology to connect wirelessly to your smartphone. There once was a time when that pairing process was a bit of hassle, but those days are long over at this point. It literally took just a few seconds to pair the two devices together, and after that when ever I turned on the headphones they would automatically connect with one another. That's the way all wireless audio devices should work, and that has pretty much been my experience with all of them for some time.


As with most wireless earbuds these days, the Reflect Mini comes with an inline remote that allows you to control volume, switch tracks, pause playback, and so on. It even has a built-in mic that gives you the ability to pick up incoming phone calls too. Those are fairly standard features at this point, but JBL has made them easy to use thanks to a remote that has large buttons and a simple, straight forward configuration.

I've tested wireless earbuds in the past, and one of the biggest challenges I've typically faced is finding the right sized rubber ear tips to fit into my ears properly. Some previous models I've tried out have come with as many as seven sets of those silicon inserts, and I'd usually have to mix and match to find the ones that worked best for me. The Reflect Mini ships with four ear tips – two sets of sports and two regular. But, this time out there was now fiddling to find the right fit. The ones that came preinstalled worked perfectly for me right out of the box, snapping into place and staying there while I ran. Obviously you may find that you'll have to play around with the tips a bit to find the ones that work for you, but I've never had fit this good before.

In terms of audio performance, I found these earbuds to be solid, but not overwhelming. Music sounds crips and clear, even at higher volumes, and there was even some solid bass mixed in, something you don't always find on smaller, sport-oriented earphones. The Reflect Minis probably aren't going to win any awards for their performance, but in terms of something that you want to wear out on a run or for a workout at the gym, they are definitely up to the challenge. I will note that some of the podcasts I listened to while wearing these headphones did sound a bit muddled at times, but that is probably more due to the quality of those recordings and less about the earbuds themselves. Music tracks, which have higher production values, sounded great, which is a better way to judge overall quality.

Battery life is the other element that always concerns me, as unlike standard earbuds you'll need to recharge your wireless models on a regular basis. JBL says that the battery is good for about 8 hours playback, although that number can vary depending on volume, audio source, and so on. In real-world testing, I found that I was getting closer to 6 hours of battery life, which for me translates to having to recharge after I've run with the earbuds four or five times. While I would like to get a bit more battery life out of the Reflect Mini, I've been mostly satisfied with their performance so far.

On that note, it doesn't seem that JBL has built-in an auto-off feature for the Reflect Mini, which means if you accidentally leave them on, you'll drain the battery somewhat even when they're not in use. When you're done working out, be sure to turn them off so they'll be charged for your next session.

Since these are earbuds designed for use while being active, they have been built to be sweat proof. That means that they can survive your wet hands pawing at the remote control or you working up a good sweat while running. That doesn't mean that they are water – or even rain – proof however, so keep that in mind when using them. I've had other wireless earbuds that were sweat proof in the past, and some would stop working if I used them on a run in the rain. I don't know if that will be the case here, as I haven't tried the Reflect Mini BT in the rain yet, but it is definitely something to keep in mind.

In terms of long term durability, we'll simply have to wait to see how well these earphones perform. Right now, they function very well, with great battery life, solid audio performance, and very few distortions or audio cut-outs while in use. But, some of the wireless earbuds I've used in the past haven't stood up to the test of time, wearing out after just a couple of months of use. Hopefully that won't be the case here, but only time will tell.

In terms of price, JBL has delivered a good product that performs very well, that won't make your wallet duck for cover. At just $99.95, the Refect Mini BT stacks up very well against the competition in terms of performance and value. Apple's new AirPods, which aren't specifically designed for use while exercising, cost $159, making them a bit pricer for those who are just entering the wireless earbud market.

Whether that's you, or if you're simply looking for a new pair of wireless earbuds, the JBL Reflect Mini BT is a good choice.

Video: Running the Crown Traverse from Missoula to Banff

This beautiful short film takes us on an epic journey with endurance athletes Mike Foote and Mike Wolfe as the set out to run the entire length of the Crown Traverse – a 600-mile long route that runs from Missoula, Montana to Banff in Alberta, Canada. Along the way, they face just about every mountain challenge imaginable, including thick brush, icy rivers, snow covered summits, and dizzying climbs and descents. This was no simple run in the woods, but it was definitely a gorgeous expedition as you'll see below.