I/O Merino claims to have the softest Merino on earth. And from what I’ve experienced, they might be right. It is pretty darn soft. And pretty darn warm. I am excited to giveaway some for you to try out this winter! First, don’t miss these giveaways: Day 1: Mad Rock Climbing Shoes + Chalk Bag Day…

Merino is all the rage, right? Australian merino is even more so. But why? I am not really “up” on my merino hype and only know that I simply love the stuff. But here is what I learned about I/O Merino: Australian is known for having the world’s best and most advanced wool in the…

I have a love affair with this Stonewear Designs Dryflex Double Cross top. And a funny laundry rotation going with it right now. It looks like this: Wear under a cute black hoodie as casual day wear. Wear as a baselayer on a “low-sweat” adventure. (Ie. Skiing, climbing, hiking) Wear to a “sweat-a-thon” at the…

What a fun week. And today you have another chance to win a pair of climbing shoes and a new chalk bag! You can enter both shoe giveaways, so make sure you do! First, don’t miss this week’s other giveaways and don’t forget to come back tomorrow for a giveaway from I/O Merino, maker of…

If you are just dropping in, don’t miss our great giveaways from earlier this week! Day 1: Mad Rock Climbing Shoes + Chalk Bag Day 2: Chrome Industries Merino Hoodie And today is a great prize package for those adventurous kids in your life, or adventurous families. Hi-tec Kid’s Hiking boots of your choice +…

Who wouldn’t want a merino hoodie that combines all the classic traits of wool (odor resistant, heat regulating, warm when wet) but is sleek and stylish enough to wear all day? This hoodie has all the technical aspects for cyclists and outdoors lovers, including a rear pass-though pocket, thumb loops, and a wrist stash pocket….

Hey fellow climbers today’s giveaway is for you! And I’ll give you a little hint: Check back Thursday for another chance to win a pair of your choice of climbing shoes and a chalk bag from Mad Rock! We’ve worked with Mad Rock for roughly a year now and have enjoyed the shoes we’ve tried….

“In The Open 2014” consists of the gear we choose, use and abuse every time we step out the door. It is the gear we love and need. The gear we’d recommend. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and we have by no means tested or tried every great piece of gear out…

Last week we published a basic guide to kid jackets, collecting and publishing a handful of favorites from other outdoor enthusiasts. This is the follow up post, as today I am sharing #OutdoorFamilies favorite ski and snow pants. Updated as of Winter 2016/2017  Click on the photos below for a link to a more detailed…

In case you are not well acquainted with the term “dirt bagger” or “dirt bag climber,” here it is: 1. Dirtbag Climber A glorified bum, who spends all of his/her time begging for food, drinking PBR, and climbing. They live the traveling life, taking to the road year-round in pursuit of adventure. Often in a van….

I was first introduce to Pakems on the twitter-sphere of all places. A lightweight, water resistant shoe that packs down small initially designed for après-ski adventures. At the time I had my backpacking brain on and I thought, “lightweight, adventure slippers?” Sounds good to me. I was excited to give these a chance, as I…

Enter to win the #outdoorfamilies giveaway!  Simply share a picture of you and your family doing an outdoor activity on Instagram and use the hashtags #OutdoorFamilies and #ThankfulForFamilies. Contest runs from November 19-26, 2013. You can share one photo daily (up to 7 total photos) and winners will be chosen at random and announced on…

I’ve asked my favorite group of #OutdoorFamily Bloggers for their favorite winter jackets and below are the results! This post is newly updated [as 2016/2017] and these are tried and tested, used, spilled on, washed, and (when applicable) passed on to siblings. These are the jackets that tag along on our adventures and we would…

One year ago I started running. Sure, I’d run before, but this was different. I was chasing a goal which for me was unimaginable. I had been tricked into signing up for a race lottery, and now the starting line for my first Half Marathon was staring me in the face. Now for the rub. It was in…

In the fall/winter our choice of footwear for the kids becomes less…forgiving. The low-top hiking shoes and sneakers we usually grab are not quite suitable for our messy, muddy, and snowy adventures. Our first experience with this was last winter when we took the kids snowshoeing for the first time. Well…we strapped that snowshoe onto…

Bring a can of food and get a free tram ride at Snowbird Resort? I am so in. Not to mention the blizzard of snow the Wasatch is getting right now. Can I say we are ready for ski season? This was the kid’s first time on the tram and it did not disappoint. I…

The dust swirls around our Xterra as we negotiate the last few miles of dirt road. Hwy 191 is up ahead, marking our last leg back into Moab. The kids sit sleepily in the back, giving Chris and I time to talk: She was bored. Bored! She told me she wanted to climb and not…

This last week we decided to seize one last weekend before snowfall by going to one of our favorite fall destinations: Southern Utah. And we weren’t disappointed. The leaves were peaking, the temperatures hovered right around 72 degrees, and the skies were cobalt blue. It was perfect. We headed out to a new crag for…

It is still and dark. The clock ticks 5 a.m. and I cannot sleep. I pull out the coffee. Moving slowly, not wanting to wake my exhausted crew still breathing deeply in their beds. Even the dog is curled tightly on the pile of dirty laundry we’ve discarded in the middle of the floor. I…

Last month I received a copy of “Tell It On The Mountain”, a walking documentary of life on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The PCT is 2,663 miles long and extends from the U.S. border with Mexico to the U.S. border with Canada near British Columbia. This movie documents the lives of a dozen or…