Five Ten Anasazi Lace (header)

Five Ten Anasazi Lace Review

Last Updated: October 23, 2019

The Anasazi Lace—aka the “Pink”—has been a mainstay in Five Ten’s lineup since the ’90s. And with notable improvements throughout the years, it still holds its own in today’s modern market. Boasting a medium-stiff build and powerful edging platform...
Outdoor Adventure Book Hall of Fame (header)

Outdoor Adventure Book Hall of Fame

At Switchback Travel, we love stories. Nothing moves or motivates us quite like artfully written and insightful accounts of the world. And while the online format is great, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t have a soft spot for books...
La Sportiva Genius

La Sportiva Genius Climbing Shoe Review

Last Updated: October 14, 2019

La Sportiva calls the Genius “the most advanced performance-built design on the market.” Climbing companies love to make superlative claims, but coming from La Sportiva, this one definitely gets our attention
Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoody

Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoody Review

Last Updated: October 11, 2019

Piggybacking off the popularity of their functional Uberlayer jacket, Outdoor Research introduced the Ascendant as a lighter and more breathable option...
Patagonia Stretch RainShadow jacket

Patagonia Stretch Rainshadow Review

Last Updated: October 4, 2019

There’s no shortage of high-performance rain jackets that will keep you dry when the weather turns, but the Patagonia Stretch Rainshadow stands apart from the competition in one crucial way: stretch...
The North Face Apex Flex 3.0

The North Face Apex Flex GTX 3.0 Review

Last Updated: September 26, 2019

The North Face Apex Flex GTX 3.0 is a versatile jacket that doesn’t fit perfectly into any one category. The 3-layer Gore-Tex build provides excellent waterproofing, although it certainly is heavy for...
Arc'teryx Sidewinder ski jacket

Arc'teryx Sidewinder Ski Jacket Review

Last Updated: September 23, 2019

Arc’teryx’s hardshells sit at the top of the market in terms of weather protection and build quality, and the Sidewinder is yet another impressive offering from the Canadian brand. We took the Sidewinder...
La Sportiva Solution climbing shoe

La Sportiva Solution Review

Last Updated: September 22, 2019

The La Sportiva Solution is a high-performance shoe designed for sport climbing and bouldering on vertical and overhanging terrain. Updated last year, the time-tested Solution got a new look, more durable closure system...
La Sportiva Skwama climbing shoe

La Sportiva Skwama Review

Last Updated: September 22, 2019

It’s getting harder and harder to stand out in the saturated climbing shoe market, but the La Sportiva Skwama is quite unique. This flexible and sensitive slipper is ideal for the steep terrain commonly found on sport routes and boulders. But perhaps...
Scarpa Instinct VS climbing shoe

Scarpa Instinct VS Review

Last Updated: September 20, 2019

Scarpa’s Instinct climbing shoe lineup includes a lace-up model, two variations of a standard slipper, and two versions of a Velcro slipper. The Instinct VS—the stiffer of the two Velcro versions—has received rave reviews since its debut, and I was...
Escalante Route (header)

A Guide to the Grand Canyon’s Escalante Route

Last Updated: September 17, 2019

Adventure in the Grand Canyon is most often associated with rafting the Colorado River. But while there’s much to be seen from the canyon floor, the vast and undulating walls of The Big Ditch hold...
Huemul Circuit Patagonia

A Guide to Patagonia’s Huemul Circuit 

Last Updated: September 16, 2019

The Huemul (pronounced [wey-mool]) Circuit is a challenging, 40+ mile hike located in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, just outside of the Patagonia trekking mecca of El Chaltén, Argentina...