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TrailGroove Blog

A Blog by the TrailGroove Team

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Contributors to this blog

  • Aaron Zagrodnick 227
  • Mark Wetherington 76
  • Susan Dragoo 23
  • PaulMags 22
  • Steve Ancik 16
  • tmountainnut 12
  • Eric 10
  • David Cobb 10
  • HappyHour 8
  • jansenjournals 7
  • DustyD 7
  • HikerBox 6
  • michaelswanbeck 5
  • George Graybill 5
  • Daniel Anderson Jr 5
  • SparbaniePhoto 5
  • AndreaL 5
  • Wired 4
  • Karen Garmire 4
  • mgraw 4
  • Steven Genise 3
  • JimR 3
  • JimG 3
  • Cinny Green 3
  • eliburakian 3
  • Adrienne Marshall 2
  • sarahtied 2
  • Jen 2
  • Doug Emory 2
  • Kevin DeVries 2
  • MattS 2
  • BSuess 1
  • Peter 1
  • Tephanie H. 1
  • DKim and PatriciaV 1
  • Jessica Smith 1
  • Tucker Ballister 1
  • seano 1
  • Madeline Salocks 1
  • J. Parascandola 1
  • Greg Jansky 1
  • Allison Johnson 1
  • Isak Kvam 1
  • Barbara 1
  • Adel 1
  • SarahLynne 1
  • Rob Newton 1
  • Grace Bowie 1

Gear | Trips | Food | Technique | Reading

Entries in this blog

Mountain Laurel Designs 850ml Titanium Pot Review

While there’s something to be said for getting technical with your backpacking cookware choices – evaluating the benefits of wide pots for heat transfer, aluminum vs. titanium heat conduction, or breaking down various pot and mug capacities and mixing and matching depending on the trip, there’s also a lot to be said for a single solution that does everything well. When it comes to solo backpacking and even on dayhikes, my cookware option of choice over the past few years has been the do it all 8
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

0
Gear

Exped Synmat UL Sleeping Pad Review

A lightweight, inflatable 3 season sleeping pad from Exped, the Synmat UL features synthetic insulation that takes the r-value up to 3.3, with Exped subsequently rating the pad warm down to around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The Synmat UL is available in 4 sizes: small, medium, and the medium wide and long wide – the latter 2 offering a width of just over 25 inches, compared to the standard 20 inch width of the small, the medium, and most other sleeping pads on the market. The sleeping pad
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

4

Mountain House Turkey Dinner Casserole Review

As one of the newest meals they've released, Turkey Dinner Casserole is a meal that's not so traditional when it comes to the Mountain House dinner lineup, but is one that's high on tradition on every other level. The new Turkey Dinner Casserole meal from Mountain House offers up a homestyle freeze-dried backpacking meal that’s ready to eat in just 9 minutes with just a mug-full level of 1.25 cups of water. I’m a fan of mixing in freeze dried meals with other backpacking dinners – but
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

0

Review: Good To-Go Chicken Gumbo Backpacking Meal

Meals from Good To-Go have always been intriguing from my point of view with their focus on delivering backcountry meals utilizing great, real ingredients – their newest meal, chicken gumbo stays true to this philosophy. I’ve always liked their meals as well, but haven’t relied on them too much for my backcountry dinners as all the original meals were vegetarian. Recently however, Maine-based Good To-Go has broken that mold and I had a chance to try one of their new meals with meat – dubbed “car
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

0

REI Co-op Flash 45 Backpack Review

The REI Co-op Flash 45 is a backpacking pack designed for the weekend warrior that has a great set of features at an appealing $149 price point, and that can from time to time be combined with REI discounts to get the price even lower. The top-loading REI Flash 45 features a large main compartment that closes with a drawstring, a hydration compartment and opening, two side water bottle pockets, hipbelt pockets, an exterior mesh pocket, and a zippered lid compartment. Women's Flash 45
Jen

Jen

0

Altra Lone Peak NeoShell Mid and Low Review

While non-waterproof shoes shine for summer backpacking and hiking with their light weight, breathability, and quick dry times, when temperatures fall, and especially when snow is involved I turn to a waterproof breathable solution. This has meant abandoning my usual lightweight footwear approach and turning to heavy Gore-Tex boots or similar, and going from my normal lightweight zero drop trail runners to a heavy cumbersome boot with a raised heel and significant heel to toe drop has always bee
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

0

Summer Giveaway

Note: This giveaway ended 7/28/17. For summer, we're giving away a $100 Backcountry.com Gift Certificate plus your choice of a shirt or hat from the TrailGroove Store! Just make sure you're subscribed to TrailGroove and then like this blog post to let us know you'd like to be included in the drawing. Full details below. How to Enter 1) Like this blog entry in the lower right hand corner of this post. Simply login with your TrailGroove account and like this blog entry in the
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

22
Giveaways

Spring Giveaway

Note: This giveaway ended 6/2/17 For spring, we're giving away a $100 REI e-Gift Card plus your choice of a shirt or hat from the TrailGroove Store! Just make sure you're subscribed to TrailGroove and then like this blog post to let us know you'd like to be included in the drawing. Full details below. How to Enter 1) Like this blog entry in the lower right hand corner of this post. Simply login with your TrailGroove account and like this blog entry in the lower right hand co
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

28
Giveaways

Winter Giveaway

Note: This Giveaway Ended 3/15/17. For our winter giveaway (and just in time!), we're giving away a new Helinox Chair Zero and the choice of any shirt or hat from the TrailGroove Store! This new camp comfort seating solution from Helinox is a comfortable chair that's both packable and light enough for those backpacking and hiking excursions where some extra comfort might be on your list of priorities - for more info on the Chair Zero, take a look here at REI and read our recent review. 
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

13

Marmot Plasma 30 Sleeping Bag Review

Prior to becoming what could politely be described as a fanatical backpacker, I might have questioned the wisdom of spending as much on a sleeping bag as I would on a new full-sized mattress. But when your main hobby involves hiking around with everything on your back that you need to be safe and comfortable for days a time, your perspective on such purchases tends to shift. This shift in perspective directly influenced my decision to purchase a Marmot Plasma 30 degree down sleeping bag in sprin
Mark Wetherington

Mark Wetherington

1

Altra Lone Peak 3.0 Initial Review

Hiking and running in the various models of the Lone Peak trail running shoe from Altra for the past few years and across several different versions I’ve become well acquainted with the nuances of each model, and after a short but rugged trip to the Ferris Mountains of Wyoming early this past summer I did find one thing on the 2.5 model I’d like more of: support. On that trip while consistently side-hilling with a pack my foot slid around side to side more than I’d like, and even resulted in a b
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

5
Giveaways

ZPacks Multi-Pack and REI Gift Card Giveaway

Note: This giveaway ended 7/12/16. For summer, we're giving away a new ZPacks 4-in-1 MultiPack filled with a $50 Gift Certificate to REI and a choice of shirt or hat from the TrailGroove Store! If you're not familiar with this versatile storage solution from ZPacks check out our Multi-Pack Review from back in Issue 17 for all the details - I personally use one as a ~3 ounce solution to keep my camera easily accessible (in chest pack mode) on every hike. Just make sure you're subscribed
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

8

Altra Lone Peak 2.5 Review

After a quick first look and comparison to the previous model here, and with the updated Altra Lone Peak 3.0 on the horizon, I’ve now been doing everything outside from hiking to backpacking to running in the Lone Peak 2.5 trail running shoe for a nearly a year and wanted to share what I’ve experienced with this version of the popular Lone Peak trail running shoe from zero-drop shoe manufacturer Altra.  Although initially undecided on the fit of the 2.5 compared to the 2.0, I’ve grown
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick

2
Giveaways

REI e-Gift Card & TrailGroove Giveaway

Note: This giveaway ended 5/16/16. This month enter to win a $100 REI e-Gift Card plus your choice of a shirt or hat from the TrailGroove Store! Just make sure you're subscribed to TrailGroove and then like this blog post to let us know you'd like to be included in the drawing. Full details below. How to Enter 1) Like this blog entry in the lower right hand corner of this post. Simply login with your TrailGroove account and like this blog entry in the lower right hand corner
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

7
Gear

Exped REM Backpacking Pillow Review

The Exped REM backpacking pillow is a newer pillow from Exped that's a hybrid air pillow with a layer of foam above. The REM foam layer (That's recycled extracted modules, not the band or the sleep you'll hopefully get) consists of chunks of soft foam that make this pillow a little closer to a non-backpacking pillow you might find at home. The foam layer is all contained in a soft pillow case, with an inflatable air chamber underneath than can be removed for washing or even if you wanted to use
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Gear

0
Giveaways

Fall Giveaway

Note: This giveaway ended 10/30/15. For fall, we're giving away a brand new Helinox Ground Chair, (Reviewed here in Issue 23) a ~22 ounce chair that's great for those more relaxed backpacking trips, day hikes, or even while car camping or just about anything else you can think of. We'll also throw in a TrailGroove hat or shirt of the winner's choosing! How to Enter: Leave a comment below on this blog entry describing the single backpacking/hiking luxury item you'd never l
Aaron Zagrodnick

Aaron Zagrodnick in Giveaways

124

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

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