Outdoor Retailer Innovations- Keeping it Clean After the Run: Orange Mud Transition and Seat Wrap, Scrubba Wash Bag Reviews

With thousands of exhibitors and maybe millions of products it is sometimes hard to find the truly innovative products that are useful, simple, and unique. New exhibitors are assigned to 3 huge air conditioned tents across the street from the Salt Palace. Often they are displaying a single or a very few products. Thanks to some good pre show emails I sought out 2 really neat companies: Orange Mud

WmGault Leather IPhone 5 Sleeve and Wallet: Classy, Protective, Well Designed.

My friend Craig Miller and his wife Rita are industrious, creative, active participants in multi day Mountain Man Rendezvous where everything worn and used has to be period 1820-1840's yet they are also very tech savvy. Craig, whose business is real estate, was the first person (other than me!) I saw actively using the iPad day to day, as soon as it launched.

Craig and Rita are incredible crafts

Outdoor Retailer Summer 13 Coverage: Trail and Road Running. Summary of my posts. Other links

I will be posting multiple articles and will be updating this page regularly over the next week or so.
So much to see at OR!

The two big trends I focused on:


highly cushioned lightweight shoes
GPS and smart watches going to new levels of innovation in size and interaction with the ever popular fitness apps on smart phones. (posts to come) 



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Hoka One One Conquest: The

Outdoor Retailer Summer13: New Balance Fresh Foam 980 Launch

I was tickled that New Balance invited me to the launch party for the Fresh Foam 980 road runner.
The Fresh Foam is a 8.8 oz (men 9.5), 7.3 oz (women 7) $110 retail model that will launch in February 2014. 4mm drop.


New Balance Fresh Foam 890 Men

 The Fresh Foam is New Balance's entry into the rapidly growing cushioned low drop light weight category. Quite frankly low drop and cushioned is

Outdoor Retailer Summer13: Salomon Sense Family grows with Sense Pro

Salomon Sense Pro-Center

The Salomon Sense, the minimal light weight trail runner used by Kilian Jornet the last few years, while a fabulous shoe for this exceptional athlete is now logically extended for mere mortal serious athletes and different terrains with the Sense 3, the Sense Ultra, and the new Sense Pro.  The Sense Mantra remains in the line as a "recreational" door to trail model as

Outdoor Retailer Summer 2013 Preview: Run Shoes and Gear, a few of many finds to come this week.

I will be at Outdoor Retailer checking out all the new stuff. This is a preview based on pre show press releases.

Magellan Echo- Smart Phone fitness data on your wrist.


Echo Watch Magellan



The Echo watch coming fall 2013 much like the Pebble is designed to communicate with your smart phone fitness apps via Bluetooth Smart and a Wahoo (sensors) open API. I am particularly excited as it is

Sneak Peak: 2014 Hoka One One Conquest Road Runner Updated.

I was at the SpeedGoat 50K all up and around Snowbird UT last week. A fabulous race which I spectated actively running all over the mountain in my Hoka One One Rapa Nui, review here.


Hoka was the race sponsor and legendary ultra runner Karl Meltzer is the Race Director and a long time Hoka athlete. Here he is awarding Tony Krupicka his second place beer glass and medal in his Rapa Nui. The

2013 Speedgoat 50K Snowbird, UT-Photos and Video

Another incredible Speedgoat on a cool day with occasional sprinkles. Sage Canaday (Scott Sports) takes the win, broke Kilian Jornet's  course "record"  taking the win by less 2 minutes over Anton Krupicka (New Balance) who closed fast in the long downhills.  Anton also broke Jornet's record. Third, Jason Schlarb (Hoka One One) wearing the incredible Rapa Nui I reviewed here. Max King (Montrail)

Wool for Summer Running? Finally Yes! Ashmei Race Vest and Socks

Since the advent of light merino wool running shirts several years ago I have been looking for  true "summer weight" wool. When the weather cools and in winter I almost always run in wool from Ibex and Icebreaker. Come summer and above 60 F I have gone back to synthetics.
Wool has great thermo regulating properties and is practically stink proof so I have been on the lookout for lighter cooler

Great Cases for Protecting Your Phone on the Run: Tech21 Impactology featured in New York Times

The New York Times Gadgetwise Blog has an article " The Science of Protecting your Phone" on my favorite iPhone case company Tech2. Tech21, some models available at the Apple Store,  uses a layer of magic polymer D30 which hardens on impact and redirects shock. Models also available for Android, Nokia, etc...The article talks about their bumpers and bumper and back cases. The author has no fear

Review: Ultraspire Quantum Run Belt-Simple, Effective, Bounce Free Carry Anything Marvel

As more and more of us run with a smartphone, gels, water, keys, etc.. simple ways of toting our gear while running in whatever clothes we chose are needed. I happen to always run with my iPhone to log my miles and performance via Strava. I never look at the phone while I run so I just need a place to tuck it away.  The Patagonia Strider Pro shorts have 2 very effective pockets for that purpose,

New Research: Running is good for your knees! -Outside Magazine

Very interesting Outside Magazine article reviewing a very large scale study, almost 90,000 runners and walkers over 7 years. The runners had half the risk of osteoarthritis and half the hip replacements when compared to walkers, regardless of mileage.
While risk of osteoarthritis increases with age the cause in runners is usually from other sports (tennis, skiing, soccer, basketball and even

First Review: Hoka One One Rapa Nui Trail Runner, Road Too!

Hoka One One (Europe site showing Rapa Nui Comp trail and Kailua Comp road models) is well know for launching maximalist, super cushioned running shoes while most other shoe companies veered towards minimalist barely there shoes. I have run in Hoka's original Mafate, the Bondi, and most recently the Evo Tarmac. All of these shoes feature a minimum of 30-36mm of cushioning and an approximate 6mm

Boston: Interfaith Healing Service, President Obama's Beautiful, Uplifting Running Metaphors

“This doesn’t stop us. And that’s what you’ve taught us, Boston. That’s what you’ve reminded us — to push, to not grow weary, to not get faint, even when it hurts. We finish the race. And we do that because of who we are and we do that because we know that somewhere around the bend, a stranger has a cup of water. Around the bend, somebody’s there to boost our spirits. On that toughest mile, just

Boston was All In to Save Lives: The Finish Line and the Hospitals.

"The bombs at the Boston Marathon were designed to maim and kill, and they did. Three people died within the first moments of the blast. More than a hundred and seventy people were injured. They had their limbs blown off, vital arteries severed, bones fractured, flesh torn open by shrapnel or scorched by the blasts’ heat. Yet it now appears that every one of the wounded alive when rescuers

Boston Marathon: Please donate to help victims, Interviewed by Park Record(UT).

                                  
The City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts along with other business and civic leaders have established a charity, The One Fund, to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Sadly, I believe we will find out that several of the maimed were runners, especially by that second bomb.

Please consider a donation. I just donated.
Link to donation

Boston Marathon: I did not sleep well last night

I ran Boston yesterday. A magnificent day on the roads ending in tragedy.

I did not sleep well. Not the usual after marathon sleeplessness. Yesterday's events were such a contrast of beauty, effort, and joy followed by fear and tragedy. Grateful that we and friends are safe but deeply saddened and angry about the injuries, deaths, and terror on this particular, highly symbolic day: The Boston

Boston Monday: It's going to cool fun! Gear list

Really looking forward to my 5 or 6th Boston. Had a 25 year gap in there. The weather should be cool, good for me. Not much of a fan of the course but will try for once not to go out to fast!  Love the crowds, the organization, the tradition. Had the goose bumps at the expo yesterday seeing so many fit and fast runners of all ages from all over the world. The Marathon and I am lucky and grateful

Spring Running Favorites: Patagonia Strider PRO Shorts, NorthFace Better than Naked Jacket

With spring trying to arrive I have been enjoying 2 very well designed running items from Patagonia and the NorthFace.

Patagonia Strider PRO Shorts
I like the Strider PRO alot because for the first time I have found a short with decent sized pockets which actually work, no bounce and secure. The Strider has 2 decent size hip pockets: the yellow stretch fabric covers the pockets and is tied into

A Sign of the Times: Vibram Five Fingers Jump the Shark

Vibram Five Fingers-75% off they're giving them away


Vibram Five Fingers on deep discount at the local outdoor and running store. The barefoot, near barefoot, very minimal running shoe has jumped the shark. For many if not most, more than occasional light use is an invitation to injuries. See this NYTimes article on a recent study clearly showing the risks and real injuries from overdoing it

First Look, Run, and Race in the Adidas Energy Boost Running Shoe: More than the "Magic" Boost Material

I received my pair of the new Adidas Energy Boost at end of February :  $150,  9.3 oz, 11mm heel to toe drop. Stack height 17mm forefoot 26 mm heel according to Running Warehouse.



Update 2/28/2013: I took the Boost out for a first run today. The upper is snug and feels great. No hot spots especially around my big toe which isn't liking anything but a wide shoe these days. The Boost is narrower

First Review Pearl Izumi EM N1 Trail: Smooth, Streamlined, Versatile

The Pearl Izumi N1 Trail is a 9.8 oz,  $115, highly versatile trail runner, a prototype of which took Tim Olson to a record win at 2012 Western States 100. Pearl Izumi planned to launch the E:Motion line a few months ago but wisely pulled the first production pairs and destroyed them as the midsole was too firm. At OR they offered to send me the N1 for a second look. They had  earlier sent me a

New Advertiser:Sage to Summit- Mountain Running and Fastpacking

Please go over and visit Sage to Summit my new advertiser. Sage to Summit is a great mountain running and fast packing store in Bishop, CA, the gateway to the Sierras.  They have just started an online store. They also do guided trips, including one of our favorite treks in the Alps,  a Tour du Mont Blanc for runners.




I see on their website that Sage to Summit  still has in stock some sizes

Running at OR Winter 2013: Salomon, Inov-8, Altra, Pearl Izumi, Hoka One One, Topo Athletic, Adidas, Helly Hansen, Ice Trekkers

HH Warm Freeze

With thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of products it would be pretty hard to create a "best of" without a crew of about a dozen and several days. Nonetheless I had a bit of a plan and companies I wanted to focus on. The fun discoveries are the ones you didn't have a clue about and this OR I found 2 useful products which really stood out, Helly Hansen Warm

Winter Run Fun and Gear: Ibex, Salomon, Swix

I have been on an extended stay in Utah and the running conditions have been fantastic this year. Hard packed, groomed and single track trails in Park City's Round Valley have been mint for runs and nordic skis for weeks now. I have run and skied a total or 120 miles, entirely on snow since Christmas with my Hatu Harrier friends.



NoWhere Elks Trail-Park City: view of Park City, Deer Valley,