Intro
Most of our reviews are pretty long — and take a long time to produce — because we want to provide enough info for you to actually determine whether the gear we tested will work well for you.
But we get asked to check out an increasingly wide range of products, and sometimes, we just want to tell you about something we’ve been using and loving lately.
So that’s where this monthly series — Stuff We Like — comes in, where we keep you current on a broad range of stuff we’re currently digging.
And if there’s something you love that you think we ought to check out, drop us a note in the comment section below.
Wanderlog App
MSRP: Free (paid version available)
Kristin Sinnott: Last month, my family and I went on a 2-week vacation, and perhaps somewhat foolishly, I volunteered to plan everything. I simultaneously loved and hated all the work it took to create “the best” vacation possible. I’m going to date myself here, but back in the day, I used to rely solely on guidebooks and, if possible, word of mouth. But nowadays there is so much information online that it can be overwhelming. From travel blogs to sponsored ads to Facebook travel groups, it was hard to keep everything straight.
Eventually, after too many late nights, I had a list of the places we wanted to visit, rental car reservations, and hotel bookings. My next step was to figure out where to store all this information. I wanted my confirmation numbers, hotel addresses, tour websites, etc. to be readily available when we were traveling. I started by creating a Google Sheet and, not enjoying that, I decided to move everything to Canva. This didn’t work great, either. Eventually, I found Wanderlog (through one of the FB travel groups). Wanderlog made my life so much easier – both during the planning process and when we were traveling. I wish I had started with Wanderlog right when I booked our plane tickets – it would have saved me a lot of time!
In Wanderlog, you can forward all your hotel, flight, car, tour, etc. confirmations to the app. Then you can start adding places of interest and they will show up on a map. You can do this on your phone or on your computer. You can easily get directions via the app and see what options are nearby. This was great overseas, but I have a road trip coming up next week and I created a trip in Wanderlog for it, too.
I know I won’t hit all the places of interest I have down, but being able to see what’s nearby whenever we need a break from the car is going to make our lives a lot easier — and more fun! Wanderlog is a free travel app but there is an optional subscription option; I have only used the free version and have found it to meet all my needs. If you have travel plans this summer, I recommend checking out Wanderlog.
Skida Sun Tour Neck Gaiter
MSRP: $24
Kristin Sinnott: Skida makes a number of products that I love and have been using for years. If you’ve been reading our monthly “Stuff We Like” roundups, you will have noticed that Skida shows up fairly often (for good reason). They make quality products with tons of graphics that appeal to a wide demographic.
For me, two of their standout products have been the Sun Tour Neck Gaiter and a discontinued cashmere hat, both of which I packed (and wore) on my recent trip. The Sun Tour is a featherweight neck tube; it’s soft, printed on both sides, offers UV protection, and it doesn’t feature seams at the edges. I’ve worn a variety of other neck tubes and the Sun Tour’s seamless cuff (zero chaffing) is what has made it my favorite for a wide variety of uses.
Wildhorn Brimhall Ski Boot Bag
MSRP: $119 (on sale for $100 as of publishing)
Kara Williard: I have been on the hunt for a good ski-boot bag for travel. My main priorities were having (1) something that wasn’t too bulky but spacious enough to store boots and other small gear, (2) a comfortable carry option for long days in the airport, and (3) a good system for organizing all my ski accessories. Thankfully, the Wildhorn Brimhall Boot Bag has checked all those boxes this spring.
I have been quite impressed by the features of this bag. For starters, it has options for both shoulder and backpack-style carry (plus handles on the top and side). Even when loaded up with heavy boots and more, it’s quite comfortable to wear as a backpack. It’s also incredibly spacious, with lots of separate pockets to keep accessories like goggles, gloves, etc. organized. The assortment of pockets and different sections makes it easy to keep things in their own place, rather than a big black hole of a pocket where I end up digging around a bunch just to find what I am looking for.
In addition to one pair of ski boots, the Brimhall Ski Boot Bag is capable of fitting my helmet, goggles, baselayers, gloves, goggles, and more. And given its easy-to-reach exterior pockets, I often used the Brimhall for other airport necessities such as snacks and a wallet. The boot compartment has ventilation, which I found useful after a long day of wet powder skiing followed by an immediate redeye flight out of Alaska.
The Brimhall has also, so far, seemed quite durable. Its zippers are big and burly, and all the zippers are smooth and easy to close. Given its effective storage, it seems like a great boot bag for car trips to the ski area or even just for keeping all your gear stored in one place at home. In addition to how happy I was with the design and function of this bag, I was also pretty stoked on the price; at $120, I think it’s a great value.
The James Brand Warrick, Holcombe, & Mehlville
MSRP: $85 (Warrick) | $35 (Holcombe) | $59 (Mehlville)
Luke Koppa: I’m a sucker for refined and useful everyday carry products, but I still frequently find myself without a bit driver when I need one, and I’ve been using the same Black Diamond Neutrino carabiner to hold my keys for close to a decade now. I recently got to try some products from The James Brand that I hoped would address both of those things.
On the carry side, I’ve been using their Mehlville and Holcombe carabiners, which are much more EDC-specific than my old climbing carabiner. The Mehlville is a key-lock option with a separate compartment that keeps a keyring from sliding off the main compartment when you open the gate — something I’ve done countless times while unclipping my standard carabiner. And since it has a keylock gate, it’s less prone to snagging on belt loops when taking it off (another complaint about my previous wire-gate carabiner). On top of that, it has a built-in bottle opener, which means I’ll get fewer side-eyes from my mom when opt to crack open a beverage with my belt buckle…
The Holcombe is much more minimalist, being roughly a belt-loop wide and having a single compartment that’s closed by a wire gate. But it is a far more compact package than even a very small climbing-grade carabiner, and it still gets you a functional wedge at the end that can drive larger flathead screws, open boxes, pop bottles, or pry whatever you need to pry (most recently, I used it to get our screen door back on its rails after one of our numerous spring wind storms).
The Holcombe and Mehlville also both come with an upgraded titanium key ring, which should last just about forever while still being very light. They’re also both smaller than I expected, which reduces bulk on a beltloop or in a pocket, and they’re both available in a wide range of colorways / finishes. All of that comes at a premium — even the minimalist Holcombe costs 2x or 3x most climbing carabiners. But the Holcombe and Mehlville have made me realize that carrying my keys with something that was actually designed to do that — rather than hold the weight of an adult while suspended from a rope — makes for a nicer experience on a day-to-day basis.
The James Brand’s Warrick bit driver has also been very enjoyable to use. It’s similarly high-end — there are far cheaper ways to turn screws — but it is a really nicely refined product. Inside its small (3.6” / 9 cm), sleek, all-metal exterior sit four WIHA bits; when you need to use one of them, you just yank out the bit carrier using the paracord lanyard and pop them into the magnetic bit slot.
Whether it’s ski bindings, bike components, or miscellaneous things around the house, I find myself needing — but not having — a bit driver on a pretty regular basis. This year, I finally invested in a Leatherman and 40+ micro-bit set that I can throw in my ski, bike, or fishing pack, but it’s still a fairly bulky kit and I try to keep my outdoor gear separate from my daily essentials (mostly so I’m less prone to forgetting it when switching everything between various backpacks). The Warrick has been a great solution to the more typical bit-driving use cases.
Despite my initial skepticism, given its small dimensions, the mostly flat silhouette of the Warrick actually provides a lot of leverage and I haven’t had any issues getting it to turn even fairly stripped screws. It comes standard with four common ¼” bits (Phillips #1 & #2, flathead 0.6×4.5 & 1.2×6.5 mm) that are secured in the internal (and also magnetic) carrier; you can swap in any ¼” bits depending on your particular use case.
I still keep my fully featured Leatherman and larger bit set in my “go anywhere” emergency kit that I swap between packs, but for everyday use, the Warrick has been awesome. It’s much lighter, more packable, and nicer to use for more common tasks, so the Warrick now lives in the daily backpack (Able Carry Daily) that I carry just about everywhere during the week. Or, if I know I’ll need it, it easily slides into any pant pocket.
Stio Women’s Exploit Hooded Jacket
MSRP: $349
Kristin Sinnott: Between spring break and spring weather in the Gunnison Valley, I’ve recently spent a fair amount of time in the Stio Exploit Hooded Jacket. To give you perspective on how rainy it was the first week of our spring break — my son asked for an umbrella as his souvenir. And he got a lot of use out of it!
When packing for a trip to a rainy destination and where you plan to both explore cities and hike in the mountains, it can be challenging to find the right gear. The Exploit features Gore-Tex’s 3L Active laminate and is waterproof, windproof, breathable, and lightweight. It also has a minimalist design that, in my opinion, makes it look at home no matter the destination.
I regularly wore the Exploit on my trip and, if I wasn’t wearing it, it was always close by since sudden downpours tend to be commonplace in Ireland. Or least from my limited experience. The Exploit kept me dry during numerous downpours, dry and warm when walking around the base of powerful waterfalls, and it was breathable enough to keep me at the right body temperature during numerous hikes. It was also quick to dry, even in damp weather.
I have it in a size Medium and, for my 5’8”, 135 lb frame, it fits just about perfectly. It’s not baggy or oversized but it’s also roomy enough to allow for multiple layers to be worn comfortably enough underneath.
Silky Big Boy Saw
MSRP: $79.99
David Golay: I’ve used (and really liked) a few different Silky hand saws over the years, but after some especially big wind storms dropped a ton of trees on some of my local trails earlier this spring, I picked up their Big Boy saw (in the Large-tooth variety) and have been blown away by how quickly and easily it cuts through even quite-large downed trees.
The Big Boy has a 360 mm / 14.2’’ long blade, and with it, I’ve successfully cut downed trees up to about a foot in diameter (by cutting out a wedge and then making a second cut cross-wise). Those are things I would have assumed would need a chainsaw before I tried the Big Boy. And like all the other Silky saws I’ve used in the past, it cuts more quickly and with less effort than some other folding saws I’ve used.
The Big Boy is a bit much to carry on every ride, but I’ve been thrilled to have it when I know there’s going to be a bunch of downed trees or branches to clear after a storm, and it’s made doing so a whole lot easier than it is with a smaller saw.
ButtnSki OG Shorts
MSRP: $78
Kara Williard: I didn’t realize what I was missing until I got my first pair of fleece shorts from ButtnSki earlier this spring. ButtnSki is a relatively new company that manufacturers their apparel in Los Angeles, California. The OG Short is one of their main staples. At first, I was a little skeptical about the necessity of a fleece-lined pair of shorts, but they arrived just in time for spring skiing, and I was quickly sold on the concept.
The OG Short is a great option for keeping my butt warm, without having to wear a full-length baselayer pant (which often make me overheat in the spring). On spring ski days when it was windy or I would end up sitting on the snow waiting on friends, I found the OG short to offer the perfect level of warmth and insulation. But I also found it easy to cool off when needed, especially if I opened up the thigh vents on my ski pants.
The OG Short is also just really comfortable, and now I find myself wearing them all the time, including at my house while writing this review. The fleece interior is soft and can feel quite warm and insulating, especially against a cold surface, but it’s also pretty light and breathable. The shorts themselves are very stretchy and cozy.
They have a wide, yoga-style waistband and the material is very stretchy / non-restrictive; it also hasn’t stretched out much so far, even after wearing them more than one day in a row.
I have been wearing a size Large, which has offered a great fit for me (5’9”, 170 lbs / 175 cm, 77 kg), but I can still layer them over a wool baselayer for cold and blustery days when I want some extra warmth around my butt.
All in all, I have found this pair of warm and cozy fleece-lined shorts to be a lot more versatile and useful than I originally thought, and I look forward to spending more time in them, including some upcoming camping adventures this summer.
WTB TCS Rocket Plug Kit
MSRP: $44.95
Simon Stewart: We’ve all been there — you’re riding your bike and having a lovely time when, all of a sudden, the sound of air mixed with sealant escaping a tire signals an all too well-known trail predicament. You hastily jump off the bike, grab the wheel in question, and quickly delve into wherever you keep the tire-repair stuff. The cut is easy to find since it’s spewing sealant into the air, so you put a finger over the hole, hoping to keep as much sealant on the inside as you can. Next comes the juggling act of trying to ready some sort of tire plug — often one-handed — while the other tries to keep the precious sealant where it belongs. If luck and maybe a bit of skill are on your side, you get the plug installed successfully, then quickly rotate the wheel so the plugged hole is at the bottom, allowing the pooled sealant to finish the job by clogging things up. Finally, you cross your fingers and hope the hissing sound goes away…
WTB’s TCS Rocket Plug Kit does things a bit differently than other tire plug kits. First, it has what WTB calls the “Extra Hand” tool, which is a tapered metal shaft that’s attached to the underside of the smaller tool cap.
This is frankly kind of genius because, in those frantic moments of trying to stop the sealant spraying everywhere, the Extra Hand tool can be shoved into the hole to create a seal. I recently used this feature, and it was awesome — I could’ve sat down and drank a beer, then loaded the plug and finished the job.
The second thing they do differently is the “Rocket” anchors. These alloy anchors accomplish two things: they insert the tire plug into the tire, then they also stay in the tire and anchor the plug against the inside of the tire casing. This prevents the plug from working its way out due to cornering forces or high pressures, and helps achieve what looks like one of the more durable tire repairs I’ve come across. On top of all this, the Rocket anchors are reusable, that is if you remember to scavenge it from the worn tire when it’s time for a new one.
WTB claims the anchor system can even repair damage to the bead area, which, to be clear, is pretty much always a death sentence for tires. I’d never wish for a bead cut, but I do want to test this claim because it would elevate the TCS Rocket Plug Kit to another level.
The TCS Rocket Plug Kit hasn’t been out long and is a new edition to my tool kit, so I have to disclose that I’ve only used it twice — but it’s two for two so far, and I have enough experience with plug kits to confidently say this one is good.
Trew Up Jacket
MSRP: $129
Kara Williard: I have used the Up Jacket in a whole bunch of different scenarios, and it’s ended up filling a niché that I didn’t have a good solution for previously. The Up Jacket is a very lightweight, packable, wind-resistant layer that provides “just enough” protection against gusts and colder temperatures, particularly on the bike.
The Up Jacket really shines on days when I don’t need a fully waterproof rain jacket but also want a little backup protection in case the wind picks up and/or I end up out after the sun sets. It’s extremely packable and lightweight, a lot more breathable than waterproof alternatives, and pretty effective at protecting me from cold spring winds. And when it does end up needing to be my rain layer due to poor planning, it does a respectable job of shedding light moisture and reducing how saturated my layers get underneath it.
This is a unisex piece from Trew and I opted for the Men’s Small / Women’s Medium. In line with a lot of other Trew pieces I’ve tested, it’s a pretty long and roomy fit, but the Up Jacket is a bit roomier and baggier than any of Trew’s women-specific ski gear I’ve tested. Given that it’s a unisex piece, I think they opted for a pretty generalized fit. This works, but considering that I’m on the taller side, the smaller options are limited; for reference, I am 5’9”, 170 lbs / 175 cm, 77 kg, and Trew offers the Up Jacket down to a Women’s S / Men’s XS.
Overall, the Up Jacket has been comfy and super easy to put on over a helmet. It’s not the most flattering piece, but given that I primarily use the Up Jacket as a “just in case” layer to have with me for most rides, I think it’s more function than it is fashion.
It is pretty simple in its overall design, but the Up Jacket does feature a zippered chest pocket that doubles as a stuff sack, plus a large kangaroo pocket with a zippered entrance on both sides. When packed down, it’s about the size of a 12-oz can, and I find it easy to stuff in a hip pack, bar bag, or even a jersey’s back pocket.
Nemo DoubleHaul 55L Convertible Duffel & Tote
MSRP: $179.95
David Golay: I’ve been using the Nemo DoubleHaul 55L as a travel bag for a while now, and am a huge fan (30, 70, & 100-liter versions are also available). As the name implies, it’s essentially a combination duffel / tote / backpack that can adapt to a variety of different carrying styles as needed.
There’s not a ton of internal organization; the DoubleHaul is mostly one big duffel-bag-style unit, with a single small mesh zippered pocket on the inside to keep a couple of small items in place, and another small exterior zippered pocket. What really sets the DoubleHaul apart is its combination of straps and handles — and the ways that they stow when not in use.
The DoubleHaul comes with (1) a pair of normal loop-style duffel straps that stow into pouches at the top edge of the bag, secured with a snap; (2) a pair of backpack straps that can be cinched down to lie flat against the top edge of the bag when not in use; and (3) a pair of low-profile tote handles when you just want to pick up the DoubleHaul and carry it by hand.
It’s super well thought-out and offers a variety of (actually functional) carrying options depending on how you have the bag loaded, what else you’re toting around, and what’s most convenient for a given situation.
The DoubleHaul also feels extremely burly and well-built, including a few semi-flexible support ribs to give it some extra structure, compared to a fully-floppy standard duffel bag. And the main shell of the bag is made from 420-denier, Bluesign-approved, recycled nylon.
I’ve used a whole bunch of general-purpose travel bags over the years, and the DoubleHaul is shaping up to easily be my favorite. It’s excellent.
Untapped Mapleaid
MSRP: $2.19 for a single serving / $36.95 for 20 servings
Kara Williard: After a lot of long days on the bike last season, I started to get a little burnt out on electrolyte powders. To me, they all began tasting the same, though I found them to be super useful and borderline necessary when it came to endurance rides.
This season, I was excited to switch it up a bit by using Untapped’s Mapleaid syrups (mixed with water). It should be said that I love maple syrup and I think it’s one of the most effective options on the planet for workout fuel, so having a bit of maple syrup thrown into the mix has been a nice change from a lot of the other sugar-based mixes out there.
Flavor-wise, I’ve tried the Lemon Tea, Grape, Lime, and traditional Mapleaid options, and I think they all taste pretty good. All of the flavors are fairly toned down, especially because they’re complemented by the flavor of maple syrup. The most surprising to me was the Grape, given that I don’t typically like it (especially the artificial flavor), but the Grape Mapleaid is pretty subtle and refreshing (it has real grape juice in it). The most quenching and refreshing when the weather and/or my water is warm has been the Lime Mapleaid, but so far, they have all been both easy to put down and easy on my stomach.
Mapleaid comes in syrup form (it can get a little messy if you aren’t careful), but it mixes into water well, especially when shaken. Aside from just the sugar and carbs from the maple syrup, Mapleaid also has sea salt and includes 225 mg of sodium per serving, so there are plenty of electrolytes in the mix. If you like maple syrup and/or are looking for an alternative electrolyte / hydration mix, I would suggest giving Mapleaid a try.
Hey Luke, can you get enough torque on The James Brand Warrick flat head to change the DIN on a pivot heel?