Looking to make your climbing and mountaineering more comfortable on you? Shed some pounds off your gear, and you’ll have more energy to actually climb! Getting to that point is easier said then done, however. Join Mountain Shop and CAMP USA for a presentation of scaling down your gear to maximize your summit attempts and redpoints!

Come to the Mountain Shop at 6:00pm on Wednesday the 5th of August and you’ll get all the details you need! Product Representative Jesse Mattner will be on hand to give you the low-down, and answer any questions that you have.

In Deep – Matchstick Productions

In Deep. from Chris Dickey on Vimeo.

Everyday is a Saturday – Poor Boyz

Flakes – Powderwhore Productions

Contrast – Nimbus

Go to Nimbus Independent for more videos.

The ride ends at Holladay Park just blocks away from one of the ActiveNW.com partner stores, the Mountain Shop. Be sure to pay them a visit after the ride!

I have long used an older Kelty Domolite 2 person tent for all my camping trips.  Although it was considered lightweight at the time the new tents we have destroy this one in the weight arena.  For this trip I was loaned a Black Diamond Mesa ($319.95) which is a two person traditional freestanding  tent, much like my old Kelty but at only 4lbs 9oz is lighter by about 4 lbs.  Even though weight was not  an issue ( we floated a drift boat ) I was mostly impressed with the ease of setting this tent up.  One set of DAC poles, all shock corded together, and a super easy hook system made set up a snap.  Another nice feature compared to my old tent is the large area of mesh providing plenty of ventilation.  Even in the hot weather we had I stayed cool and experienced no condensation even with a light evening shower..  The only complaint I had was that there were only internal gear pockets at the head end of the tent.  I would have preferred sets at both ends because I sometimes like to put stinky socks or clothes away from my face but at the same time off the floor.  If you are looking for a solid 2 person freestanding tent this could be the one for you.

Thermarest NeoAir mattress. Super warm. Super light.

One of the hottest items for this season is the new Thermarest NeoAir sleeping pad ($149.95 regular length).  The sample I had was the regular size version but they also come in small (47in 9oz) med (66in 13oz) reg (72in 14oz) & large (77in 1lb 3oz).  My normal pad is the Thermarest Trail Lite which I have found to be indispensable on any outing, especially with the camp-chair option.  The new NeoAir is not self inflating but took little time to blow up and was ready in a minute.  My understanding is that they also have a anti-bacterial inner material for repeated inflation / deflation which came in handy seeing as how I borrowed this from the rep and have no idea where it had been previously.  At first I found it to be tippy at full inflation.  I sleep on my side and had to let some air out before I felt stable.  I woke up after sleeping soundly and would absolutely recommend this to anyone needing to lighten their load without compromising sleeping comfort.

Now for the best piece of gear, the Princeton Tec Apex Pro headlamp ($94.99)  I’m a big user of headlamps year round, own about 5 different ones, and this is the mack daddy for sure.  Sure it’s pricey but if you need the brightest headlamp known to man I recommend it. I bought one right after this test.  Princeton Tec has solved the overheating of big wattage LED bulbs by venting the backside of the housing so they are able to use a 3 watt bulb continuously.  The others I have with a brighter bulb can only be lit by holding down the button, a way to not overheat the housing, but this limits you  time wise and  to one-hand only use.  With this 3 watt monster I could see way off into the distance and could blind my fishing  partners easily into submission.  It also has stepdown and blink modes along with 4 LED flood bulbs.  Definitely the most fun you can have with a headlamp. Get one before your friend does.

Bill for the Mountain Shop

1st Prize: $50 Gift Certificate to Foot Traffic
2nd Prize: $ 50 Gift Certificate to Mountain Shop
3rd Prize: One month Free Membership at Alameda Fitness Center

Since we made mention of our partner sites, be sure to pay them a visit. Our partners widely vary in their specialties, but you’ll find great people at all of them. From the adventure driven experience of the Mountain Shop to the event planning of Terrapin, we have what you need to get out and be active!
Thanks for dropping by! Be sure to check back with us frequently, as the event calendar will be continously updated with new, fun events throughout the Northwest.

Sign up for the Contest

The oldest member, Mountain Shop, has been involved with the outdoor community of Portland, Oregon for almost 75 years now. Full of wisdom and helpful advice; just like your grandfather. If you need help with Skiing, Snowboarding, Hiking, Camping or just want a new outfit for the coming Summer, Mountain Shop is your man!

Always full of energy and ready to go at a moments notice, Foot Traffic can be counted on for comfortable jogs or intense aerobic runs. While the three locations have a great selection of shoes, they do more as well. Clothing, socks and other accessories are close at hand!

Hood Outdoor is the newest member of the family. This baby is no lightweight though he is extremely friendly, ripe with knowledge and packed with great gear deals. If you have some gear that you’re looking to sell, Hood Outdoor can take care of you with his consignment program, too!

Suggestions for the site? Let us know! Shoot us an E-mail at getactive@activenw.com. We look forward to hearing from you!