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TrailGroove Blog

A Blog by the TrailGroove Team

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Contributors to this blog

  • Aaron Zagrodnick 197
  • Mark Wetherington 66
  • Eric 10
  • Susan Dragoo 10
  • Steve Ancik 10
  • jansenjournals 6
  • HikerBox 6
  • HappyHour 5
  • tmountainnut 5
  • Daniel Anderson Jr 4
  • George Graybill 4
  • PaulMags 4
  • JimR 3
  • Steven Genise 3
  • mgraw 3
  • Kevin DeVries 2
  • Wired 2
  • Adrienne Marshall 2
  • Jen 2
  • michaelswanbeck 2
  • MattS 2
  • SparbaniePhoto 1
  • Barbara 1
  • SarahLynne 1
  • Doug Emory 1
  • Allison Johnson 1
  • Tephanie H. 1
  • Grace Bowie 1
  • Rob Newton 1
  • Karen Garmire 1
  • Greg Jansky 1
  • Adel 1
  • Isak Kvam 1
  • JimG 1

Gear | Trips | Food | Technique | Reading

Entries in this blog

Altra Lone Peak 2.0 Review, Comparison to 1.5, & Initial Thoughts on the 2.5

For the past few years I’ve almost exclusively used zero drop shoes for nearly any foot-powered activity you can think of, and eventually I suppose it comes as no surprise that I found myself trying out shoes from a company that only makes zero drop shoes – Altra. With the Lone Peak 1.5 (reviewed here), I found a shoe that was zero drop and built for the trail, had enough cushioning to, well, cushion the ride, but also had enough protection underfoot and above, leaving your feet in decent shape
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

5

Premium Membership and New Ways to Read

We're excited to announce the availability of our new premium membership option at TrailGroove as well as new ways to read the magazine. Moving forward, we'll be publishing the PDF version for every new issue at the same time the online version is released. You can download the PDF for $3.50 - Or save by signing up for our new premium membership for $20 / year which includes all PDF issues and all back issues - Plus much more. All the details can be found below, or jump right in and check out th
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

3

August Giveaway

Note: This giveaway ended 8/8/15. With summer backpacking and hiking in full swing, time for a new giveaway! This one will be over pretty fast, so get in while you can. How to Enter Leave a comment below on this blog entry describing your favorite backpacking/hiking destination so far this year, and why. Your comment counts as one entry. Once entered, earn another entry for every post you make on the forum between 8/4 and the giveaway drawing. (Maximum 10 en
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

11
Gear

Casio Pro Trek PRW3000 Watch Review

For several years, I’ve been using Casio watches in the backcountry – specifically the Pathfinder PAW1300 Reviewed Here, and most recently the newer Pro Trek PRW3000. Compared to my older model, the 3000 features an updated sensor promising better usage of power and more accurate readings and a few other convenient features. The form factor is smaller than many multi-function watches and will fit nearly any wrist well, and best of all in my mind it’s a nearly set and forget watch: Aut
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

2

Black Diamond Ion Headlamp, REI, and TrailGroove Giveaway

Note: This Giveaway Ended on 8/22/14. Congratulations to the following TrailGroove members who were randomly drawn as the 3 winners! 1st Place: Gary M 2nd Place: Jawom 3rd Place: Scout We've sent a private message to the winners for an address and for your choice of an item from the TrailGroove store. Let us know and we'll get the winnings in the mail! Thanks to all for participating and keep an eye out for other TrailGroove giveaways to come. With the upcoming rele
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

9

Patagonia Houdini, REI, and TrailGroove Giveaway

Note: This Giveaway Ended on 6/30/14. Congratulations to the following TrailGroove members who were randomly drawn as the 3 winners! 1st Place: rig 2nd Place: TollerMom 3rd Place: Bobo Uzala We've sent a private message to the winners for an address and for your choice of an item from the TrailGroove store. Let us know and we'll get the winnings in the mail! Thanks to all for participating and keep an eye out for other TrailGroove giveaways to come. Although not quite off
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

10
Gear

Altra Lone Peak 1.5 Trail Running Shoe Review

The Lone Peak 1.5 is the latest generation of a zero drop, moderately cushioned trail running shoe from Altra, a company dedicated to zero drop and biomechanically correct footwear. For most of this year, I‘ve transitioned to the Lone Peak 1.5 and so far have about 400 miles of mixed hiking, backpacking, and running use on my first pair. I say first pair, because I like them so much that I actually have a second pair already waiting in the closet for the day that my original pair is r
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

4

Custom Hybrid Cuben ULA Circuit Backpack

I’ve tried a few packs over the past couple years, including the larger Catalyst (also from ULA), but keep going back to an old standby – The Circuit from Ultralight Adventure Equipment (ULA). The volume (4200 cubic inches total) and carrying capacity (~35lbs) have been versatile enough for 10 day trips and shorter trips alike across all seasons. 2013 Hybrid Cuben ULA Circuit Though for some shorter excursions it might be a little on the large side, if I end up with extra space I
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

8
Gear

ZebraLight H52w Headlamp Review

After using the H31w from ZebraLight, (Reviewed Here) which uses a single CR123A battery, I eventually made the move to ZebraLight’s H51w. The lights are fairly similar, but I decided to make the move to the H51 series since it operates off a single, more easily sourced AA battery. The H51w worked well, and an update to the light was recently released – The ZebraLight H52w. For me, the best thing about the H51w, and now the H52w is their ability to run off Eneloop batteries – No more
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0

TrailFinder

Looking for a place to hike, the perfect backpacking destination, or need a way to quickly navigate all the great places that have been featured in TrailGroove Magazine? Check out the new TrailFinder - A map-based, visual way to look at all of our past destination oriented articles. Best of all, it's continually updated each time a new issue is released. Check it out Here on the TrailFinder Page, or just take a look below. Click the green map markers for a link to the article and to the issue it
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

3
Giveaways

Joby GorillaPod Micro 250 Tripod & Campsaver Gift Certificate Giveaway

Note: Contest Ended 7/30/13. Congratulations to TollerMom, the randomly selected winner of our Joby Micro 250 & Campsaver.com gift card giveaway! Big thanks to all who entered and for all the great trails and trips that were shared. Missed out but still need the gear? Check out Joby Tripods here at Amazon. We’re celebrating the release of Issue 9 by giving away a Joby Micro 250 tripod and a $20 E-Gift card from Campsaver.com to one lucky TrailGroove reader. Entries to the cont
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

12
Gear

Powermonkey Explorer Solar Charger Review

After reviewing the PowerFilm USB+AA solar charger back in Issue 7, I thought I’d take a look at a different lightweight solar charging solution, this time from Powertraveller - a UK based company that offers an assortment of solar and other electronic products. Their Powermonkey Explorer kit consists of 2 main parts – The battery (Powermonkey) and the solar panel itself (Solarmonkey). The solar unit is comprised of two separate solar panels encased in plastic that fold together in a clamshell a
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

2
Gear

Exped Air Pillow UL Review

I’ve always wished I could use the spare clothes in a stuff sack method to create a pillow while backpacking, but like a lot of other lightweight backpackers out there I’m usually wearing the majority of my clothes in my sleeping bag at night to increase warmth. There might be a rain jacket and pants still packed away, (Though sometimes I wear those for warmth too) but they just don’t have enough bulk to really offer much support, and I might be utilizing those in an attempt to keep my dog warm
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

2
Gear

Vivobarefoot Ultra Pure Shoes

Recently I picked up a pair of superlight minimal shoes made by Vivobarefoot – The Ultra Pure. I’ve been into minimal footwear for a while now, but the Ultra Pure is definitely the simplest and lightest footwear I’ve had a chance to check out that still offers something close the feel of a real shoe. The entire shoe, including the sole, is made from EVA foam. They cut out a lot of material in the upper for ventilation and to save weight, and utilized a stretchy shock cord and cord lock lacing sy
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

10

REI e-Gift Card Holiday Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the 3 winners of our REI e-Gift Card Holiday Giveaway! Using a random number generator, the winners were drawn on 12/25 at Noon Mountain Time. Here are the 3 winners of the $50 REI e-Gift cards in the order that they were drawn:   JasonByers Uncle B TollerMom   The winners will receive an email containing the e-Gift card within 24 hours. Thanks to all who entered and congratulations to the 3 winners - Happy Holidays from TrailGroove!
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

5

New TrailGroove Sticker Stash

Our free TrailGroove sticker offer continues to be a big hit and has been so popular that our old sticker stash was quickly exhausted. A new load of freshly printed stickers have now arrived - These are high quality waterproof stickers with white lettering and a clear rectangular background for easy application. A single sticker is always free to a good home - Just fill out this form with your mailing address and we'll get one right out! Need more than 1? Check out the TrailGroove Sto
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

4
Gear

Platypus Pre-Filter Cap for Sawyer 3 Way SP122 Water Filter

Back in Issue 3 we Reviewed the Sawyer SP122 3 Way Water Filter and since that time I’ve used the filter on several additional trips. It’s still working quite well provided that clean water sources are selected and the water is pre-filtered before using it inline or while in gravity mode. During the review, we tested the SP122 against 100 liters of average mountain stream water (With no pre-filtration) that dramatically reduced the flow rate of the filter. With Sawyer’s 1 Million Gall
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0

REI e-Gift Card Holiday Giveaway

Note: Contest Ended 12/25/12. Results can be found Here. Happy Holidays from TrailGroove! To celebrate the holidays and the end of the year we're giving away 3 $50 REI e-Gift cards! We're mixing it up a bit this time with multiple ways to enter... Here's the scoop: 1. Respond to this blog post with a comment on your favorite piece of backpacking or hiking gear that you used in 2012 to enter, with a brief explanation as to why that piece of gear worked so well for you
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

13
Gear

Marmot Precip Shell Gloves Review

With colder weather officially in place over the Rockies, I recently found myself plagued with chilly hands again as fall moved to late fall and on towards winter. Normally to combat the issue while backpacking, I’ll go to the waterproof eVent Rain Mitts from Mountain Laurel Designs that we reviewed in Issue #2, combined with a pair of DeFeet Duragloves for warmth as a liner. With the eVent mitts seam sealed and with the liner gloves thrown in, this combination comes in at 3.9oz altogether. (Siz
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0

TrailGroove Sticker - Free to a Good Home!

New goods have arrived! Interested in a free TrailGroove sticker? Just fill out this form and we'll get a sticker right out - Great for the car window or for sprucing up the gear closet! Need more than 1? Check out the TrailGroove Store, they're just 75 cents each!  
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

0

Winners: Camp Kitchen Contest: Titanium Gear from Evernew, Snow Peak, Vargo Outdoors

Congratulations to the winners of our Camp Kitchen contest! Using a random number generator, the winners were picked at 8 P.M. Mountain Time. Winners: Grand Prize: Stick Runner Up: ADKinLA Second Runner Up: TollerMom Special thanks to everyone that entered the contest, there have definitely been some very interesting and highly entertaining entries / comments on the original blog post that announced the contest Here. I know that I have a few more destinations to pu
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

3
Giveaways

Camp Kitchen Contest: Titanium Gear from Evernew, Snow Peak, & Vargo Outdoors!

Note: Contest Ended 9/20/12. Results can be found Here. Missed out but still need the gear? You can check it out here: Evernew at Amazon Snow Peak 450 Single Wall Mug at Campsaver Vargo Titanium Long Handle Spoon If your camp kitchen is in need of an upgrade, you'll want to check this one out! 3 Winners! Grand Prize: Ultralight Evernew Titanium Pot (Choose From 3 Models) Snow Peak 450ML Titanium Single-Wall Mug in Blue Vargo Long-Handled Titanium
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

15
Gear

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Jembe Seat Kit Review

A camp chair is definitely an item not often seen on most lightweight or ultralight backpacking gear lists, and is indeed something I gave up on long ago. These days it doesn’t seem that Jen and I spend too much time lounging around camp anyway - If we’re not working to cook a meal and setup the shelter, we’re probably already asleep. For those times when we do have a bit of spare time, a log, rock, or simply the ground itself usually serves the purpose - Situations where a foam sleep
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Gear

ZebraLight H31w Headlamp Review

For the past year or so I’ve been testing out the H31w headlamp from ZebraLight, a company that makes a wide selection of higher-end LED flashlights and headlamps. Prior to picking up this light, I had always been a dedicated follower of a few of the more mainstream headlamps that are out there, and even though I had heard a lot of great things about ZebraLight, I had my doubts that it would end up making it to the #1 spot on my gear list for backpacking trips. But with all the good feedback tha
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

5
Giveaways

Winners: Harmony House Backpacking Kit, I Hike, & Trail Tested Giveaway

Congratulations to the two winners of our Harmony House Backpacking Kit, I Hike, and Trail Tested giveaway! The winners have been contacted via email, please check your inbox and let us know where to ship the loot! Using a random number generator, the following winners have been selected: Grand Prize Winner: EX121 Runner up: Stick Grand Prize: 1 Harmony House Backpacking Kit + Signed copies of I Hike & Trail Tested. Runner up: 1 signed copy each of I Hike &
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

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