• When someone who has been surfing for 20 years says it’s a good day. Be worried. It turns out I was pretty out of my league for my experience level.
• On the same note, opt for a day with smaller waves. The 3 foot range is good. Too big and it’s just a cause for frustration.
• Wear a rash guard. As fun as wax in your chest hair and painful nipples sound…they aren’t.
• Keep your day short. For someone inexperienced 45 minutes is a long time. Give it a couple of rounds and call it a day.

As you can tell I had a rough day. With the exception of the last lesson, I had to learn them the hard way. All said and done I do plan to dust myself off and try surfing another day. Maybe a day that has smaller swells.

Have a good learning to surf lesson? Post it in the comments below.

• First, you won’t receive advertisements in both issues. It’s one or the other.
• Second, the ads are for companies that have a nationwide audience. Localized companies and bloggers are not eligible, sorry. We’ll work on something else for you guys in the future.

So, if you manufacture or provide products or services to a national group of adventure enthusiasts, this could be your chance for some dirt cheap advertising. If you are interested in this rare opportunity please email erick@adventureinsider.com.

“From coast to coast, the National Trails System helps connect American families with the wonders of the great outdoors,” said Salazar. “These new national recreation trails, built through partnerships with local communities and stakeholders, will create new opportunities for fitness and stewardship while creating a lasting legacy for our children and grandchildren.”

In total, the new designations will add over 716 miles of trail to the program which began in 1971.

What trails have you hiked? What trails do you plan on hiking? And do any of these trails seem out of place?

See the full press release here: http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Announces-31-New-National-Recreation-Trails-in-15-States.cfm

Good luck!

2009 Patagonia Primo Pants

About the Patagonia Primo Jacket and Pants

The Primo jacket and pants are the premier shell from Patagonia. That distinction does, however, come at a price. The jacket rings in at $450 and the pants are a slightly less expensive $350. But, should you decide to put up $800 for the pair you likely won’t be disappointed. Both jacket and pants are

Park City Powder Fall

constructed of stretch-woven nylon with Patagonia’s proprietary 3-layer H2No waterproof/breathable barrier. The 3-layer barrier provides the utmost in durability and the most waterproof, windproof barrier that Patagonia offers. The Primo jacket also features removable hood and powder skirt, which is appreciated on a fair weather outing. A brushed tricot lining around the neck keeps the jacket from chafing. The high neck keeps the wind and precipitation off your back even when you don’t have the hood up or even attached. The chest pocket hides a padded electronics pocket that also provides holes for your headphone cables. The jacket also provides three hooks that attach to any Patagonia shell pants to keep you protected in every condition. The pants are constructed of the same material and feature a gusseted crotch and articulated knees provide a full of range of motion.The high cut back ensures you stay dry and the hook and loop side, size adjustments make achieving the perfect fit a cinch. All external zippers on both the jacket (main zipper, chest pocket, shoulder pocket, pit zips) and pants (crotch zipper, hand warmers, cargo pocket, and thigh ventilation) are waterproof. Check out our first impression of the Patagonia Primo jacket and pants.

Performance of the Patagonia Primo jacket and pants

The Primo system proved to work as designed. From frigid days on the slopes in Park City, UT to rainy days in Seattle the Primo kept the wind, rain, and snow off me while breathing enough to keep me dry inside. I wore the Primo jacket over my Patagonia R2 jacket and the pants over my Smartwool tights, and the combination provided more than acceptable insulation. The full-length gaiters kept the snow out of my boots for several days of skiing, even in deep powder and including more than a few falls. The jacket weighs in at 21.75 oz. and the pants come it at 16.75 oz., about average for these type durable shells. The padded inner pocket on the chest kept my iPhone safe, and although I didn’t use the routing holes for headphones, the feature is appreciated. My one complaint: although the Primo jacket does have a built in lift ticket holder, it’s really nothing more than a plastic hoop you attach your zip-tie to. First off, the holder sits too high forcing you to dig for your lift ticket when you need it. Second I would like to see a buckle attached to a small, thin piece of webbing that will simply go through the hole in the lift ticket. Picky, I know, but when I spend $450 on a jacket, I guess I feel like I should be allowed to be picky.

Final Conclusions

The Primo jacket and pants are for serious people doing serious outdoor adventures but if you are looking for a shell that will protect you for years to come, you could do worse than the Patagonia Primo jacket and pants.

Why It’s Hot:

• Bombproof
• Durability
• Pants size adjustment

Why It’s Not:

• Lift ticket holder

2009 Patagonia R2 Jacket

About the Patagonia R2 Jacket

The Patagonia R2 is part of the line of regulator line of fleece jackets offered by Patagonia that provide varying levels of insulation and protection from the elements. The R2 is the ultra-compressible high-loft option designed to be worn under a shell. The R2 surprised me with a weight of just 13.625 oz (medium) and the ability to compress down to the size of a large grapefruit. The R2, however, is not your entry level fleece. At $175 the R2 can be a little pricey for someone looking for a fleece to just kick around town in. You can see our first impressions of the Patagonia R2 Jacket here.

Design and Construction of the R2

The R2 is designed for those of us that actually intend to use it outdoors instead of a lot of the ‘outdoor’ clothing that is more for people who want to be fashionable for the après ski. Fortunately, however, this fleece could appeal to both crowds as it’s both functional and fashionable.

I did find the jacket to be a little tight in the shoulders, so you would be well advised to try this jacket on before buying it. The raglan sleeves and lie flat seams minimize chaffing when wearing a backpack, and the R2 stretchability makes it great for high-motion activities like skiing. The incredibly soft feel is nice against the skin and the R1 cuffs and neck lining add durability to those oft-abused places. The one thing I did find to be a little annoying with the jacket is the placement of the napoleon pocket. While I do generally like napoleon pockets, the zipper on the R2 is placed too close to the main zipper and often times I found myself unzipping the pocket when I wanted to unzip the jacket. I would like the see the pocket zipper be moved further away from the main zipper. In short, though, the construction of the R2 is what we’ve come to expect from Patagonia; perfect stitches and not a blemish to be found.

Patagonia R2 Jacket Performance

I tested the Patagonia R2 jacket on ski trips in Utah and on  the streets of New York City. The jacket was extremely easy to pack — it takes up almost no room in your bag. One thing I noticed (during a warm mid-winter stroll) is that this jacket provides almost no protection from the wind. Given the extremely lightweight construction of the R2, I guess this should not have come as a surprise, but it is worth noting. Under a shell the R2 performed great as a lightweight layer when the temperatures weren’t plummeting or during periods of high exertion. Despite strenuous adventures in the R2 I could not get the jacket wet with sweat and when it did get wet from the elements I found that it dries very quickly.

Conclusions on the Patagonia R2 Jacket

The Patagonia R2 jacket is great highly-compressible fleece that provides a superior amount of insulation for the weight. At $175 there may be better options out there for the price, but if the R2 fulfills a specific set of requirements for you then you won’t be disappointed.

Why it’s hot:

• Light-weight
• Highly compressible
• Soft against skin
• Comfort (raglan sleeves & lie flat seams)

Why it’s not:

• Price
• Napoleon pocket zipper placement

Merrell Chameleon3 Stretch

About the Chameleon3 Stretch

The Chameleon3 Stretch shoes are lightweight mesh and nubuck leather, providing superior ventilation. The Vibram sole provides exceptional grip.

First impressions of the Merrell Chameleon3 Stretch

My love affair with the Merrell Chameleon Stretch began when I found a pair on sale at Nordstrom’s Rack during a forced (read: girlfriend-motivated) shopping trip a couple of years ago. I haven’t hiked or backpacked in another shoe since. At the end of last season I was strongly encouraged (again, read: girlfriend-motivated) to throw away my old pair. It was hard, as those shoes and I have seen numerous countries on several continents, a handful of national parks and countless miles, but admittedly, it was time. I just received my new Merrell Chameleon3 Stretch shoes and they are much as I remember them.  The fact that they are wearable right out of the box with no break-in required makes the Chameleon3 Stretch a blessing.  They fit snugly and the elastic tensioners eliminate the need for laces. Keep in mind the Merrell Chameleon3 Stretch shoes are not designed for backpacking with heavy loads over rough terrain. They are basically a scrambling shoe that can be used for backpacking only if you keep your pack weight down. A Gore-Tex version is made by Merrell, however they seemed to be out of stock everywhere I look when I was ready to order, so I settled for the non-Gore-Tex version and waterproofed them myself with Nikwax Nubuck and Suede Waterproofer.

Testing the Merrell Chameleon3 Stretch

We recently returned from Costa Rica where the Merrell Chameleon3 Stretch was put to the test as my shoe of choice (when I wasn’t in flip-flops, of course). It endured zip-lining, hiking, canyoneering, and girlfriend-motivated (sensing a trend?) souvenir shopping.  It is also on my feet on my way to Colorado where it will serve as my approach shoe for two weeks of climbing in and around Colorado and Utah.