Gear Review: Buff Headwear

While it felt like summer would never end for many of us, I'm super excited to start getting into the cooler weather here in the southeast.  With cooler weather comes gear change-overs and one piece of gear I love to use is my Buff (R) headwear!  With more than 10 ways to wear it, I can use it nearly every day!

Buff (R) products are a huge part of my life as both a runner and long-distance hiker.  When I discovered there was a merino wool line I definitely needed to get one.  Merino wool is definitely a smelly, sweaty person's best friend.  With it being a 100% natural product it doesn't hold in odors like synthetic fabrics do.  This is a huge selling point for me!  Another great feature of merino is the breathability factor.  In the summertime it can actually keep you cooler by wicking away moisture and in the winter time it can help you retain more heat.  Merino wool also has a super soft feel against your skin.  

A great headband for days when it's not crazy cold...

When I'm out hiking I've always got a Buff (R) product in my backpack.  I can use it as a headband to keep my hair out of my face when I'm guiding.  I also love wearing it as a hat when I climb into the higher elevations.  It also makes a great balaclava-style face mask for me at cooler temperatures too!

...and a great hat when it IS crazy cold!

Buff (R) products are a great addition to my running and hiking wardrobe.  I've got several products from Buff, Inc. and while many other companies try to copy, I find they don't compare!

Do you own any Buff (R) products?  What's your favorite way to wear it?  

Disclaimer: I received a Buff (R) to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

The SLS3 Foot Sleeve - Try Out Thursday Linkup Post!

Disclaimer: I was provided the SLS3 Plantar Fasciitis Compression Sleeves for free in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated any other way.  As always, all opinions are my own.  

I was recently given the opportunity to test out the new Plantar Fasciitis Compression Sleeves from SLS3 and, while I don't have plantar fasciitis,  I have been having some ankle pain since my marathon back in April.  It's been unseasonably warm for the most part here in East Tennessee, so when I saw these were ankle-length compression sleeves I jumped at the chance to try them out.  Here's my honest opinion about these socks: 

The first chance I had to test these sleeves out was going to be during an Appalachian Trail day hike with a client out to Charlie's Bunion.  This hike out and back is 8 miles and when I hike it with my clients it can be between 7 and 8 hours of trail time.  Since I hike slower with clients and I've been having the ankle pain lately, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get in a good test!  I put on the sleeves directly underneath my Smartwool hiking socks before putting on my shoes.  They felt like traditional compression socks, but were much easier to get on and get adjusted due to the fact they had an open toe.  I was worried this would be bothersome, but it really didn't require too much extra work to slide on another pair of socks over them.  During the hike I had no ankle pain at all, despite the slower pace and cooler temperatures (it actually snowed up there in MAY!)  The only problem I did have was that my toes started to feel like they were swelling up after wearing these socks for about 7 hours.  Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be running that long, so if you aren't planning on wearing them for that long, I'd say this wouldn't be an issue.  

My favorite hiking shoes - Altra Lone Peak 2.5, with the Smartwool/SLS3 compression combo. Ready to hit the trail!

After washing and drying these compression sleeves, I also tested them out on a 4.2 mile run a few days later.  I haven't been running much since my marathon back in April, partly due to foot pain and partly due to having a physical job where my hours are erratic!  I'm getting better about running though and have since replaced my shoes since I've determined that is what was causing my ankle pain. Anyway, the run I tested these sleeves on was a route I was familiar with as I had run it many times during training.  It goes through an older neighborhood where I live and the sidewalks have lots of cutouts for driveways and walking from the street.  Since I was also running streets this meant I had lots of turns to take.  This was another reason I had avoided the neighborhood since my ankles have been sore - lots of extra movement for my ankles.  While I did have some minimal ankle pain in these socks still, for the duration of my 40ish minute run and cool down the pain in my ankles was significantly reduced - which I had totally expected due to the compression.  Even with the sidewalk irregularities and taking the turns on the streets my ankles still held up fairly well.  

SLS3 has provided me a link to share with my blog readers to get these compression sleeves on Amazon for the discounted price of $17.90!  They're also Prime Eligible for shipping if you're a Prime Member!  You can get the deal on Amazon by clicking here.  (not an affiliate link!)  If you prefer shopping on the SLS3 website, you can use the code BLOG40 to save 40% off your purchase SITEWIDE.  Lastly, you can find SLS3 on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well.  

Have you ever tried compression socks or sleeves for running or hiking?  Did you think they helped with soreness or pain?  I'd love to know what you thought!  Leave me a comment below or find me on Facebook or Twitter to get the conversation started!

I'm linking up with Running With SD for Try Out Thursday!

Getting the Most From Your Gear

While a lot of blog posts out there are helpful for how to learn to pack your bag or train for a hike, there's not a lot of information out there about how to properly store your gear.  With the right cleaning and proper storage techniques, you'll be guaranteed to get a full lifetime of adventure out of your backpacking gear.  What most hikers don't know is that gear storage doesn't have to be expensive and, as it turns out, the cheapest store in town is also one of the best places to get items to store your gear!

Whenever we get home from a backpacking trip, the very first thing we will do is begin to unpack our bags.  We usually do this in area that is easy to clean or outside if the weather is nice. We will unfurl our sleeping bags, pads, and our tent in the sunshine to air out (or on our porch if it's raining).  All laundry from the trip is piled together.  All trash is thrown away.  All cooking gear (pots, sporks, rehydration containers, water filters and bottles) are thrown together into the kitchen sink.  Miscellaneous items, such as our first aid kits, toiletries, and headlamps, are added back to our day packs - something I advocate always keeping packed for a spur-of-the-moment trip!  Finally, our packs will be flipped upside down to air out.  

After the gear is sorted into the appropriate piles, cleaning will begin.  All cooking gear is washed by hand and left to air dry.  If dirty water was used in bottles we won't be recycling, a bleach/dishsoap wash will be used to clean them.  Water filters are backflushed and also left to air dry.  We shower with the dirty hiking clothes as sort of a "pre rinse cycle" in order to get out any excess dirt. After we are showered I'll start the laundry - extra soap and rinse cycle to get things extra clean.  At this point, I'll go to the gear outside in the sun and flip it all inside out/to the opposite side to get the sun on other parts to dry.  By the time laundry is finished our gear is usually dried/aired out as well.  

Now comes the storage part.  Gear storage is just as important as keeping it clean.  If you have a down sleeping bag, the storage part is especially important as you want to keep your down feathers as lofty as possible for maximum comfort and temperature regulation.  If you keep your sleeping bag, synthetic or down, compressed in a stuff sack to store it, you're going to damage the integrity of the filling - making it not as thermal regulated as you'd thought!  Most commercial-bought sleeping bags will come with a larger mesh or cotton bag for storage; however, if you like to do what we do and shop around online for a bargain, this is where The Dollar Store comes in handy!  They sell large mesh laundry sacks at their stores and these $1.00 bags are the perfect storage option for your bags.  Throw them in, fluff them up, and store them in your gear area.  

When it comes to storing our backpacking food and cookware, I keep all of those things together in a plastic storage tub.   I keep the water filters and fire starters in this tub as well, so everything is all together.  I keep our fuel canisters separate in a reusable shopping bag.  Depending on the type of fuel you use for your stove, you will need to keep it in a temperature controlled environment (I highly recommend a closet indoors - not an attic!)  Backpacks are stored in a separate large storage tub, laid out flat with all straps and buckles undone.  Our tent is rolled up and put in our tent pile, right next to the sleeping bags.  My Thermarest NeoAir pad is also kept rolled up in this pile.  If you have a self-inflating sleeping pad, the manufacturer will recommend you store your pad flat (unrolled) with the valve left in the open position.  

** As always, if you have questions on how to store or clean your gear, the first place you should check is the manufacturer's website or customer service page.  They made and tested this stuff and will know exactly how to keep it like new!  **

When I take the extra time to clean and properly store backpacking gear, it not only gives us a good extended life of our products, but it also helps keep everything organized so we can grab our stuff and throw it in our packs quickly.  Nothing is worse for a backpacking trip than realizing you can't find a piece of your favorite gear or that you left it at home on a forgotten shelf.  By taking the time to organize and clean everything, you'll always be ready for your next adventure!

Retesting Gear - Making Sure it All Works!

Gracie and me in our Tarptent last night. 

Even experienced long-distance hikers need a refresher every once in a while.  Last night, NoKey and I took our trusty Tarptent Double Rainbow out into the yard and set it up for the night.  We bought this tent a year ago and have so far only managed to use it a half-dozen times or so.  Since we could set up both of our one-man tents in our sleep and we haven't had much practice with this one, we thought it might be good to put this one back together to refresh our memories.  Not only were we getting it out to set up, we needed to set up the tent for the fact that it was due to rain last night.  See, when you order a Tarptent you have the option to have Henry Shires seam seal it for you, or you can buy the tent and save yourself a few bucks by making your own waterproofer at home and sealing it yourself.  While I sealed ours about a year ago, we wanted to set it up last night to see how it held up in the rain and see if it needed any touch ups.  With your backpacking gear, it is so important to try it out at home first so you don't get any surprises out on the trail!

Here's how our Double Rainbow held up:

Nice and dry!  Now we have to wait for the thing to dry out so we can put it away!

Since I have been so busy at home and haven't had much time to leave the house, let alone go out for a shakedown hike, I haven't put all my gear in my pack yet.  We still have about two weeks before we'll be back down south though, so I still have plenty of time.  The big dehydrator projects are starting to wind down, so expect a "What's in My Pack" post coming later this week!  

Want to make your own seam sealer?  Here's what I used on our Tarptent:
+Approximately 2-3 tablespoons of mineral spirits (found in the paint thinner aisle)
+Approximately 1 tablespoon of GE Silicone II (from the plumbing aisle)
+An empty, clean, resealable wide-mouth jar (we used a recycled salsa jar)
+1-inch wide foam brush (plumbing aisle)
+Paint stick
+Rag or paper towels 

-Stir together the mineral spirits and the silicone until it reaches the consistency of olive oil. Add more of either ingredient to get the desired consistency. 
-Apply the sealer to the outside of the tent while it is set up outdoors.  You need the ventilation for this! Using the foam brush to work the silicone mixture into all exposed seams, applying some pressure as you go.  Work in small sections and use the rag or paper towels to work the excess drips into the seams. 
-Apply to the entire outside seamed area of the tent in small sections, including a logo if your tent has one, as well as any points where guy lines attach or velcro pieces are sewn in.  These places can leak also!  If you want to earn extra life points, paint some horizontal lines across your tent floor to keep your sleeping pad/bag in place while you sleep.  No one likes drifting to the bottom of the tent overnight!
-Allow your tent to dry overnight, until the mixture is not tacky to the touch.  
-Spray your tent with the mist cycle of your garden hose for several minutes to see if the tent leaks.  If you have drips inside, note where they're coming from.  It may be helpful to have a second person spray the tent while you're inside to do this step.  
-If a second coating of the silicone mixture is needed, apply it after the tent is dry using the process above.

AT gear

On Sunday, I had planned to hike up Rainbow Falls Trail and down Bullhead Trail to Mount LeConte, but I think I really did too much last week and now I’m just exhausted.  Instead, I went shopping and bought some new trail shoes (Montrail is a really great shoe).  I never thought I’d be into a non-waterproof trail shoe.  I was a hardcore Gortex boot girl forever!

I’m also trying to start narrowing down AT gear right now.  I was in the market for new trekking poles, but I think I’m going to stick with my Leki’s and get new tips for them before I head out.  I was really wanting the quick lock ones they have now, but I couldn’t find any Leki’s with antishock and quick lock.  The last thing I’m really needing to get is a one person tent and I think I’ve narrowed it down to the Hubba by MSR.  I think I’m going to stick with my pocket rocket stove by MSR as well.  I really wasn’t a fan of our alcohol stove and I know people who love their alcohol stoves, but it’s just not for me.  

I think I’m going to stick with my backpack, which is a Nimbus Ki from Mountain Hardware.  It’s an amazing and comfortable pack and it doesn’t hold more than I need. I think it’s 3800 cc and that’s enough room.  I’d really love to switch to a Deuter pack, as my husband loves his, but I’m really happy with my pack and I think the AT would be a great trek and last hurrah for it.  I’m pretty sure it will be happily retired when I return and I can switch to the Deuter when I get back.  

The thing I’m having the most problem with now is clothing.  Not just the whole when to buy synthetic vs. down/wool, but the sizes as well.  I’m still losing weight right now and dropping clothing sizes and it’s been difficulty to pin down what clothing brands I’d like to stick with, mostly because my weight has been changing and my clothes for outdoors haven’t really ever fit correctly.  I find that outdoor brands run smaller than other brands.  If it says it’s an 8, I find it to fit like a 6 in Columbia especially.  I think for shirts thus far I’m going to stick with a cheaper wicking shirt and toss them every 400 or so miles and have new ones sent.  I’ve been reading that synthetic wicking shirts hold the smells a lot more, but if you buy the cheaper Champion brand (Target has them on sale for 7.99, but the most I’ve ever seen them for is 10 bucks) you can afford to toss them when they start to hold the smells and not be hurting like you would if you bought the 40-dollar Columbia one (I have two of them and I find the Champion brand seriously works just as well).  I think I’m going to splurge on convertible pants for the entire trail.  That way I can have shorts or pants depending on the temps in the spring.  

As far as undergarments go, I’m seriously a fan of UnderAmour.  It helps that my sister works for them too :)  I find their sports bras and underwear are amazing at wicking and I’ll be sticking with them.  For long underwear, I have Columbia synthetic base layers that I really like, but I’m not sure yet if I’ll splurge for Smartwool.  I know that wool doesn’t hold the smells like the synthetic does and that it will breathe better. Breathability is always a plus in the base layer, especially when you know you’ll be sweating some time while you’re wearing it. 

I’ll be taking my iPhone and I suspect I’ll have the newer iPhone on Verizon.  Our AT&T contract runs out in September.  The new iPhone is rumored to be coming out then as well and we’ll be switching to Verizon.  I was really happy with Sprint for years, but I really like iPhones and it seems that whenever we’re out somewhere on the AT our friends with Verizon seem to have the most reliable service, especially in New England. Since the phone can play music and update my blog and emails and make phone calls and has a camera I think it’s wise to bring it along and turn it on every few days to do these things.  I know some people hate the idea of using that stuff in the woods, but I think I’ll like talking to friends and family when my morale runs low.  

So, here’s my gear list so far: 

Tent: MSR Hubba is on the list for purchase

Sleeping pad: Thermarest Women’s prolite 4

Bag: Undecided.  I have a synthetic 20-degree, but I’m not really liking it for the weight or comfort level… 

Poles: Leki SuperMalaki I bought last year on clearance for only 75 bucks!

Stove: MSR Pocket Rocket

Pack: Mountain Hardware Nimbus Ki

Shoes: Montrail.  I just bought the Badrock, but I’m sure I’ll change it up for the AT. For camp shoes I’ll be wearing Tevas or Chacos. I think Crocs are hideous and uncomfortable.

Clothing: Cheap shirts, convertible pants

Underwear: UnderAmour and probably Smartwool base layers.  I wear Smartwool socks at all times in the woods. 

Tech: iPhone with headphones for music on days I’d like to be alone. 

That about sums it up… anything I forgot?