The Hoka One One Kaha 2 GORE-TEX was my go-to hiking boot in 2023. The excellent cushioning with the great fit made it the ideal package for most of my hikes this year. Hoka is marketing the shoes as an adventurous boot delivering peak performance with peak plushness. The GORE-TEX membrane kept my feet dry even while hiking one week in rainy and wet conditions. For my usage, the boot did pack a good balance of warmth for hiking above treeline also in summer. The boot was so comfortable that I even stopped bringing camp shoes for the easy time at dinner around my tent. The grippy sole i ..read more

  For two winters straight, I was a heavy user of the Salomon S/LAB XA Alpine 2 trail runner. The shoe performed quite well but came with two minor flaws: 1) the shoe or more the gaiters are water-resistant but not waterproof and 2) the sole is rather stiff. Both aspects can be good as in 1) it can be more breathable and 2) it bites better in snow covered terrain. I mainly used the Salomon in deep winter below freezing and in snowy conditions. For that, the performed well to excellent. This fall I got my hands on the new La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX. They did catch my eye, mainly due to ..read more

  A good headlamp is key, especially during the darker month of the year. I regularly go outdoors in the dark for a run, an extended hike or ski mountaineering. I’m always looking for something light, strong and long-lasting when it come to my headlamp. I’m not too fond of bulky, heavy torches and headlamps that feel like a brick. At the moment, the Nitecore NU25 is one of my favorite headlamps. It ticks all the boxes - or almost. With 360 lumen the lamp is powerful enough for my needs, even trail running in the dark. The lamp is fairly light with close to 30 gram. The tiny package even ..read more

  Hoka One One released this Spring a new version of their very successful Speedgoat trail running shoe. I was looking forward to getting my hands on one of the new Speedgoat 5, as I’m pretty fond of the series. About two weeks ago I was able to order a pair and got them two days later by mail. At first, the shoe looks like a typical Speedgoat - with some key differences: Totally different upper: The upper of the Speedgoat has received a fundamental change. It is some sort of “knitted” upper that feels quite airy and flexible. Stretch panel: Below the laces, in the forefoot (on the u ..read more

  This Winter I was on the lookout for a new ski touring backpack that would offer some features I deemed important: Lightweight: In general, I’m a big fan of lightweight backpacks. Same for ski touring. I already have an avalanche safety backpack, but use it less and less due to the added weight penalty. Safety equipment compartment: I always bring a probe and a shovel in my backpack when in the backcountry. But I’m not a big fan of having (esp the shovel) in the main bag together with e.g. my puffy jacket. Easily accessible drinking bottle: Ideally, I can easily access my water b ..read more

  The 4FRNT Raven has been highly rated by a number of ski reviewers and powder magazines. With the new skin attachment system, this ski could be my new backcountry touring weapon. Enough reasons to give it a try and order my pair to add to my quiver. I will provide some first insights after about 10 days of skiing these babies. To get the full specs please see the 4FRNT Raven 4-LOCK product page. The ski was developed together with Hoji - the legendary freestyle skier. It has a pretty unique shape, being a full rocker with reverse camber and almost no sidecut. A very interesting powder ..read more

  In late January 2022 Garmin finally introduced the long anticipated new member of the Fenix line. Next to the Fenix 7 (in multiple models) Garmin also introduced the new Epix line - in the simplest terms a Fenix 7 with on AMOLED screen. For the last two weeks I had the pleasure to test the Epix in the Saphire black version. I will share my take-aways based on this (still short) time of usage. Check out the Garmin video showcasing the Epix. To take a conclusion right away: After more than 5 years of Fenix usage, I love the Epix and think it is the better Fenix for most users (and especi ..read more

  Garmin launched the new satellite communicator inReach Mini 2 on the 2nd of February 2022. A much anticipated little device allowing around the globe communication. The inReach Mini 2 is the successor of the inReach Mini (as reviewed here). I will only highlight the key changes, si if you are not familiar with the inReach family I recommend reading the inReach Mini review first. Or simply watch Garmin’s marketing video to get a short overview. For everybody out there being quite familiar with the inReach you might ask “what has changed”? On a first glimpse, the devices look identical ..read more

  The Hoka One One Evo Speedgoat (in short Evo for this review) is a trail running shoe close to the Speedgoat 3 but with some nice changes. Especially the upper is different - also to the Speedgoat 4. After some initial “break-in” (first 50km) the Evo became my favorite running shoe pretty fast. The shoe is nicely cushioned but still feels responsive. The upper is great as it is some sort of flexible material, allowing your foot to spread during the run. The lacing is also very nicely done with some sort of elastic laces. I usually go for a tight lacing in this shoe. With the available ..read more

  Are you looking forward to the next winter season and hitting some pow? If you’re into ski boots (in my opinion the most important piece of ski gear) you’d love to listen to the Gear:30 podcast with Matt Manser. Matt is the product manager for ski boots at Atomic and is such a great guy. One thing I liked especially is the aspect around the fit of a ski boot and Matt saying that the instep height (being tight) is the most important aspect of a ski boot fit (to keep your heel tightly locked in the back of the boot). I can’t agree more - and I’m just a novice when it comes to ski boot te ..read more