Gear Reviews – Trail to Peak

La Sportiva Bushido Gear Review Shoe Trail Running Hiking Backpacking

by Drew Robinson July 4, 2017 2

Gear Review: La Sportiva Bushido

The La Sportiva Bushido is an aggressively built shoe that’s equipped to handle the toughest of trails. The low-volume upper allows for very precise foot placement with zero slop or movement. The 6mm drop midsole is stable and handles very well with a heavy pack. The FriXion Red outsole provides phenomenal traction on a wide variety of surfaces, and although the outsole pattern isn’t the most aggressive, it provides more than adequate grip when things get sloppy.

by Drew Robinson June 28, 2017 15

Footwear Reviews

Gear Review: The Nike Wildhorse 4, Is It Better Than The Wildhorse 3?

The Wildhorse 4 is a trail shoe from Nike offering loads of comfort, protection, and performance. At just over 13oz (12.5 US), the Wildhorse 4 manages to stay light for the amount of trail protection it offers. Built on an 8mm drop platform and having a last with a wide toebox, this shoe has a stable ride, and is one of the only non-zero drop offerings with enough splay room upfront. For the Wildhorse 4, my standard size 12.5 fit true to size.

Gear Review Ultimate Direction Fastpack 35 and 45 Backpacking Hiking

by Drew Robinson June 14, 2017 12

Tent, Backpack, and Sleep System Reviews

Gear Review: Ultimate Direction Fastpack 35 and 45

A few years ago, Ultimate Direction changed that by combining running vest comfort with backpacking capacity for their Fastpack 20 and 30. Ultimate Direction is best know for their running vests and hydration products that are used by some of the world’s elite ultra runners. This year, Ultimate Direction has released a revamped lineup of packs they’re calling the Trail Collection. This includes the Fastpack 15, 25, 35, and 45. For this review, I’ll be taking a look at the 35 and 45.

Gear Review: Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN E-Mount Sony

by Drew Robinson June 10, 2017 0

Camera and Electronics Reviews

Gear Review: Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN E-Mount

The Sigma 19mm f/2.8 is an affordable wide angle prime lens that’s available for Sony E-mount cameras and micro 4/3 cameras. I will be reviewing the E-mount version of this lens. In this review, I will cover the build quality, construction, and handling of the Sigma 19mm, as well as provide sample shots from a wide range of exposure settings.

Gear Review Salomon Sense Pro Max Hiking Trail Running

by Drew Robinson June 10, 2017 0

Footwear Reviews

Gear Review: Salomon Sense Pro Max

The Salomon Sense Pro Max is a max-cushion trail shoe from Salomon that comes in at 12.8oz (12.5) and has a 6mm drop. With 33mm of midsole stack height in the heel and 27mm in the forefoot, the Sense Pro Max provides a lot of underfoot protection. Unlike the softer max-cushion offerings from Hoka and Altra, the Sense Pro Max feels pretty firm and responsive on the trail.

by Drew Robinson June 8, 2017 1

Camera and Electronics Reviews

Gear Review: Neewer (Meike) 35mm f/1.7 Manual Focus Prime Lens

At around $130, the Neewer 35mm is a tempting alternative to Sony’s $450 35mm offering. The two key features that account for the $300+ price difference is a lack of auto-focus and image stabilization on the Neewer 35mm. The Neewer 35mm is a lens that punches well above it’s weight though, providing impressive build quality, optics, and performance at the $130 price point.

iPhone 7 Review for hiking, travel, photography

by Drew Robinson May 9, 2017 11

Camera and Electronics Reviews

Gear Review: The iPhone 7 for Hiking and Travel

When the first iterations of the iPhone were released, the camera performance left a lot to be desired. With the latest version of the iPhone 7, there aren’t too many situations that leave me wishing I had packed my Sony a6000. I’ve had my iPhone 7 since it was released in 2016. Over the past few months, I’ve been able to test it in full and will share my experience in this review.

Review Sony E-Mount SEL16F28 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle Alpha E-Mount Lens

by Drew Robinson May 8, 2017 2

Camera and Electronics Reviews

Gear Review: Sony 16mm f/2.8 Pancake Lens

The Sony 16mm f/2.8 is a lens that’s all about compromise. There’s a lot to love about this 3.5oz pancake lens that can turn a Sony mirrorless camera into a pocketable hiking and travel dynamo. At only .8″ in length, only the Sony 20mm comes close as a pancake lens option for a Sony a6000/6300/6500. The best part about the Sony 16mm, is that it only costs $250.

by Drew Robinson May 4, 2017 2

Footwear Reviews

Gear Review: Under Armour Horizon RTT

The Horizon RTT is a new trail shoe from Under Armour that’s built to provide cushion, comfort, and protection for long days on the trail. The Horizon RTT comes in at 14.1 oz in a size 12.5 and has a 7mm drop. I’ve been putting the Horizon RTT through their paces this spring and will detail my experiences in this review.

Gear Review: La Sportiva Akyra Hiking Running

by Drew Robinson May 4, 2017 0

Footwear Reviews

Gear Review: La Sportiva Akyra

The Akyra is the newest trail running shoe from La Sportiva. With a burly upper, plush 9mm drop midsole, and an aggressive and grippy outsole, there is a lot to love about the Akyra. I wrote a preview post for the Akyra after a few outings with the shoe. Now that I’ve logged a few more outings, I’ll be adding additional thoughts in this full review.