Product Review: AHNU Montara Women's Hiking Boots Initial Thoughts

After years of hiking in the Asolo Women's Stynger hiking boot, I finally made the jump to a new boot- AHNU Montara boot. The Montara has been pretty well received and reviewed and after last year's incredible blisters upon blisters upon blisters, I knew I needed to make a change if I wanted to do longer hikes.

Now last year I just powered through the blisters. They were a regular thing. Weirdly after several hundred miles of hiking they became blood blisters (ew!). I received plenty of advice. I tried the foot guru's at EMS. I tried several foot gurus and I bought the Stynger in a smaller size (suggestion of the sales associate- didn't work and hurt more- ouch!). I had shoe sales people suggesting that I just try to form calluses, which I discovered from 20 weeks of hiking last year with giant blisters and then blood blisters and then blisters on my blood blisters, that forming calluses may take years for me.

SO finally I tried a boot that worked for me. One thing I've discovered is that if you get blisters, you can try a few strategies (tying boots differently, trying different socks or layers of sock), but likely you are in the wrong boot for you. This is tricky because some people can hike in the certain boots with no problem, in fact Adam hiked for years in the men's version of my boots without a single blister. Interestingly, when he got new boots (Vasque's) he started getting blisters.

I would like to scream the following if I may... the women's Ahnu Montara boots freakin' rock!!! They are the perfect boot for me. While I definitely cannot guarantee they will be the right type of boot for other people, they are well worth a shot for those searching for the right boots. I don't get blisters in the Ahnu's!!!! I can't believe how easy it is to hike when you don't feel the scrape of skin against boot.

Ahnu Montara Hiking Boots: Initial Thoughts

Pros so far many...

• I don't get blisters in them. This appears to be because they are somewhat of a "softer" boot, meaning they fell less stiff than my Asolos. This is tricky for me because I love a stiff supportive boot with my super flat feet, but sometimes you just gotta compromise.
• Very lightweight. The Montara's were super lightweight every time I handled them and continued to feel light as I hiked. I literally felt like I could run in them- even ten miles in.
• Great price point.  EMS has them listed at 149.99 and if you wait for a sale, you can score even harder.
• I generally have pretty hot and thus wet feet after a day of hiking. So much so, that I love changing my socks midhike. After pulling these puppies off at the end of a hike my feet were actually dry- shocking. The Montara's utilize EVENT technology for waterproofing which is supposedly more breathable yet just as waterproof. I can definitely attest to the breathability...

Downside so far...

• I feel like their soles may not be quite as sticky on rocks as my previous boots. Still better than most shoes, just not quite so sticky.
• Less stiff and feel less supportive than other boots to me. Like I said, I have very flat feet so I am interested to see how I will do on longer than ten mile hikes.

Things I still need to find out about...

• I haven't had the boots in really wet weather yet, so I'm not exactly sure how waterproof they are. The EVENT technology is touted to be more breathable and still waterproof, but quite frankly I hate wet feet so if my little toes become wet I may be back to ground zero.
• Because they are lighter and less stiff, I wonder how long they will last in comparison to the Styngers. My Styngers lasted forever. Like I said before- trade offs and compromises. I'll gladly take no blisters and replace the boots more frequently instead.
• I'm a little worried about the sturdiness of the top eyelets. I need my boots pretty snug to keep the blisters at bay and these eyelets seem a little flimsy. We'll see....

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The boots were purchased by me.

How to Wash and Care for Your Gear: Outer Layers, Softshells, Waterproof Jackets, and Down

Waterproof jackets such as hardshells, softshells, and other gear with waterproofing can really take a beating without proper washing. Sweat and oil from your body can interfere with the membranes ability to breath as well as repel water. Washing and Caring for your technical gear will improve function and longevity.

(NOTE-- Carefully read your clothing and gears labels and follow them carefully. If you have questions or are unsure of how to appropriately care for an item contact the manufacturer/retail store directly.)

For Outer Layers (softshells, hardshells, waterproof jackets)

How often should you wash your waterproof jacket and gear? Of course it's dependent on usage and the maker's recommendations. I wash my softshells and waterproof jackets every other month if they've seen a lot of usage. A tell tale sign that you are due for a wash is finding that your waterproof jacket "isn't so waterproof anymore." While it probably needed to be washed months, or in some cases, years ago- I have seen jackets come back to life with a good wash in TechWash (NikWax).

• Wash on gentle cycle or reduce agitation on the normal cycle
• Wash in cold water (check your label-- I happen to prefer washing everything in cold water)
• Wash with like things- be careful of velcro, snaps, clips or anything else that can snag. 
• I like to zip up pockets so they won't snag on anything.
• Unroll hood if it's rolled up
• You can use a very gentle detergent, but I prefer using TechWash by NikWax. I've used it for years and it really has done a nice job time and time again.
• One time I had a jacket that I neglected far too long and I washed it twice with TechWash. This did the trick and it was much more waterproof.
• Hang dry on a rack or chair
• I've used TX.Direct Spray On in the past and found it to be fabulous. I only used it on waterproof hardshells and I actually tried it on my tent. It had a nasty smell (this was years ago that I used it so I am not sure if this is still the case), but it really helped with waterproofing. After the product dried it no longer smelled. I haven't tried their softshell similar product yet.
• Fix or repair any holes, rips, or tears (see your local outdoor retailer for products- depends on the material of the item in repair)
• Always thoroughly dry out your gear when returning from a trip. Even if it doesn't feel wet it still may be damp and need to be dried over a chair or rack.

Also in this series:

How to Wash and Care for Your Gear: Baselayers

How to Wash and Care for Your Gear: Midlayers

Disclaimer: Product Reviews and How to's are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. I have purchased way too many bottles of Techwash and TX.Direct Spray On than I care to recall. 

Product Feature: Bani Bands

I was recently sent a few Bani Bands (see cute red polka-dot) to try out first hand. One thing I have a lot of is hair- thick, sort of mind-of-its-own short hair. Since it's a little too short to put up in a full pony tail I end up going half pony tail or pigtails a lot. Then I get all those wispy things in front of my eyes. No biggie unless I'm on top of a mountain with high wind speeds or riding my bike down a long technical downhill.

These bands were super cute and functional. They have a soft inside velvety layer that prevents them from slipping all around and absorbs and wicks some of the sweat. The band has a fully adjustable clip that allows it to be whatever size your little noggin is. Helpful for me since my hair sometimes makes headbands and even hats too tight.

Overall I found them to be a nice band for girls on the run (or the hike or the bike!) since they fit comfortably under anything (helmet, hat) easily. I just discovered they have sequin ones on their site here! I think I'll have to sequin up my next hike. It never hurts to be a little girly when ripping it up on the trails. Here are some ways to get your own Bani Bands:

Bani Bands website


Disclaimer: Product Reviews and Features are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. When companies pitch me their product I tend to select ones that I personally like and think my blog readers want to read about. The Bani Bands were sent to me.

How to Wash and Care for Your Gear: Baselayers

I know what it is like to spend lots of money on outdoor gear and clothing and not have it hold up to the elements. One thing I've discovered through lots of trial and error is that it is really important how you care for your outdoor gear. While you may love your wicking baselayers, softshell jacket, and waterproof hardshell so much that it is hard to give them a wash--- it is one of the most important things you can do to protect your gear.

All the activity you do while wearing your gear clogs up membranes that are critical for waterproofing and breathability of the gear. By washing and caring for your gear appropriately you will get better performance. Here is some general tips and products that help me keep my gear in top shape:

(NOTE-- Carefully read your clothing and gears labels and follow them carefully. If you have questions or are unsure of how to appropriately care for an item contact the manufacturer/retail store directly.)

For Baselayers (wicking shirts, running tights, hiking pants and shorts--mainly synthetic material)

How often should you wash your baselayers and other technical gear? Depends on how often you use them. I like to wash my baselayers everytime or everyother time I use them. I find that regularly washing these items prevents stinky smells.

• I typically wash mine in cold water (check your clothing label and follow it exactly)
• Wash like items together
• Don't place your base layers in with items that contain velcro or clips. One of the most common ways my wicking shirts get ruined is from snags, many of which are from other pieces of gear.
• I was recently sent BaseFresh by Nikwax to try and find it to be a great addition to my cleaning gear. You know when you can't get that stink out of your favorite running shirt or wicking layer? This stuff's a charmer and seems to deodorize the stinkiest of gear. Recently after a drenching winter hike where we sweated through several layers of gear, froze it, and then resweated in it-- we tried this product. I'm please to say I can finally get the smell out of both my outdoor gear and my gym gear.
• I always hang dry all my synthetic items. If you read the label on your item it may say dry on low, but personally I find that my gear lasts longer and looks better if I hang dry items. I have a large rack to hang dry things or I hang things over chairs and available items.

Check back for upcoming features:

How to Wash and Care for Your Gear: Midlayers
How to Wash and Care for Your Gear: Outerlayers

Disclaimer: Product Reviews and How to's are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. I have purchased way too many bottles of Techwash and TX.Direct Spray On than I care to recall. I was sent BaseFresh recently to try.

Marmot Women's Zion Jacket Product Review: Initial Thoughts

I purchased the Marmot Women's Zion Jacket because I am a softshell loving freak. I love softshells and wear them constantly adventuring and going out and about town. When I first spotted the Zion jacket online I wanted it red but eventually settled with the black color because of the contrast zips and stitching. It's a lot more subtle and easy to sport everyday.

I've worn the Marmot Women's Zion jacket a handful of times on different types of outdoor adventures- from apple picking, dog walking, wind blown mountains in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire, and in windy, snow blowing cold in the White Mountains. Here's how the Zion holds up....

Marmot Women's Zion Jacket: Fit

I've long been a huge fan of Marmot (maybe the biggest), particularly their softshells. I literally have softshells from Marmot that I have worn daily, for years, that look brand new. They're incredibly durable and well worth the money. I caution you to really pick something that suits you though- and isn't just a trend or the latest color. Marmot's stuff isn't cheap and it lasts for years so you may as well get something you are crazy about- and will be just as crazy about in five years.

Lately, I've notice that Marmot's cuts have been getting slimmer and more athletic- not a lot of room for layers in some of their pieces. I was nervous about the Zion jacket since I ordered it online and couldn't try it on ahead of time. Fortunately it fits me well and I tend to be a solid medium in everything by every company. The fits is just slightly athletic in the waist, but allows room for some well thought out layers. The arms are nice and long and stay put while you wiggle and fuss with gear, gadgets, and climbing up stuff. I really love how the zippers are placed slightly higher than your usual pocket. Overall, good clean fit.

Marmot Women's Zion Jacket: The Elements

I started bringing my Zion jacket along this fall as we tackled all the Presidential's in New Hampshire. These mountains are home to Mount Washington, where some of the worst weather in the world including fastest wind speeds ever recorded can be found. We hit some big winds on these hikes including sustained speeds of 45-55 mph and gusts of 75 mph (these knock you right over). 

The Zion was crazy bomb proof on these hikes. The hood is perfect in so many ways- it comes right up around your face with tons of ways to fasten it down tighter. The material itself felt amazing against these winds. The winds blew-- I even fell down a few times from it-- but the jacket completely blocked the elements for me. I tend to layer very carefully- so I am sure this had some part in it too.

Marmot Women's Zion Jacket: Final Thoughts

We just started our winter hiking list a few days ago. Our first hike of the season was cold and snowing and the jacket held up nicely for me. As I brave some new elements I'll let you know my final thoughts on the jacket- particularly the waterproofing.

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The jacket was purchased by me.

Kahtoola Microspikes Product Review: Initial Thoughts

Yesterday we spent the day hiking in our newly purchased Kahtoola Microspikes. We've used Stabiliciers for years and I have to admit are now decidedly fans of the Microspikes. My initial thoughts on how the Microspikes hold up under fairly extreme snow and ice conditions are below.

Microspikes: Fit and Function

We've used the Stabilicers for years on winter hikes and been sorely unsatisfied. Those sneaky little things used to slip off our feet constantly. After trying the Microspikes for only one hike I can already tell a HUGE difference in fit. The Microspikes actually stay on my feet with no adjusting. This is a great thing because when you are above treeline and the elements are pounding you- you really don't want to take your gloves off and fiddle with your footwear.

The packaging for the Microspikes includes detailed sizing info and we followed it to the letter. Since we mainly use foot traction with our bigger winter pack boots we carefully choose the correct sized based on the package and while it seemed a bit big at first- they fit perfectly on our big winter boots. Definitely take into consideration what you plan to use for footwear when buying and sizing these.



Microspikes: Traction on Icy Conditions

First and foremost, let me explain that I don't think Microspikes are the kind of traction you need while walking your dog around town. Microspikes actually need ice and snow to work or else you're clunking around in something unnecessary  For the type of activities we engage in- the Microspikes really held up. They were excellent on a mix of plain ice, snow on top of ice, icy snow, and compact snow.

Microspikes: Final Thoughts

My impression so far is that the Microspikes foot the bill for the type of equipment I need while hiking. I love that they stay on and don't need to be constantly adjusted. I found the sizing to be accurate, but careful consideration and reading of the packaging is needed. I'll post my final thoughts on the Microspikes in the coming weeks and include durability, portability, and more on conditions and fit. Stay tuned!

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The Microspikes were purchased by me.

Ambler Hats

When I was contacted to try out an Ambler hat from the unique, Canadian Rockies based company Ambler- I jumped on the opportunity. I'm totally a hat girl both on my outdoor adventures (still working on the list) and in my everyday farmer market stoppin', dog walkin', Friday night drive-in movie lovin' life.

Ambler hats fit that lifestyle to a T. Super cute. Simple. Yet fun and easy fitting. 

Plus, I've got a whole lot of really thick hair that sometimes makes wearing hats a little too snug. The hat I tried out (Valencia- part of the new spring/summer line that will be available online and in stores starting March 2013) was made out of super comfy organic cotton and had just the right amount of stretch in the back to fit over a low pony or my hair down.

Ambler's profile line under twitter says it all "there's only one person like the person under your hat" Love it!! 

Follow them on twitter. Visit their site for hats, stores, and more info. Friend 'em on Facebook.

They have a great story behind their creation/production of their hats as well here.

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The hat was sent to me for review.

Osprey Aura 50 Backpack: Product Review

We did a much longer thru hike of the Wapack Trail this weekend. The weather was ideal- in the high 50’s. I packed an assortment of layers in case we might need something- but didn’t really load the Aura up with a ton of weight. So how did the Aura perform on a longer trip with more gear? Here are my thoughts:

Osprey Aura 50: Balancing the weight

Even though I wasn’t carrying what I would consider a heavy pack for our ten mile hike, I still had a substantial amount of water and food (which as we all know tends to be the heaviest part of our gear). With that in mind I found that it really is all about the weight distribution for the Aura backpack. It doesn’t have the stiffest frame in the world, so how you pack your things really impacts comfort.

Osprey Aura 50: Compartments

The Aura backpack’s real selling point is the well thought out compartments. The top pouch is super roomy which is great for sticky a rain jacket or your mess kit. The waist belt include two small mesh zipped pouches for things like chapstick and tissues. There are also plentiful tie downs for sticking a sleeping pad or tent poles.

The Aura Backpack Final Thoughts

I would definitely recommend considering the Osprey Aura backpack in the 50 if you need a roomy day hiking pack or small backpacking pack. Overall, the pack fits very nicely and has many well thought out features. The only cautions would be to really pack the backpack carefully when not carrying a full load- or else it just gets awkward and wobbly, but then again most large backpacks will when not fully loaded. Lastly, I wish the price point was a bit lower ($199). Osprey’s packs are generally pricier than your EMS brand or REI brand pack- so sometimes that could really hamper your decision.

More detailed specs here and here.

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The backpack was purchased by me.

Asolo Stynger Hiking Boots Product Review: Hiking

Reviewing the Asolo Stynger hiking boots may be old news to some of my readers. I am guessing that many of you already own a pair of the Styngers. Regardless, there are probably one or two of you without a pair of these hiking boots and that needs to change. Here are my thoughts on the Asolo Styngers:

Asolo Stynger Hiking Boots- Waterproof

I know that seems like a given right?! I mean who buys hiking boots these days that are not waterproof. The Styngers have almost a double layer of waterproofing- given that the suede-ish top layer is highly water resistant and inside is a lining of Gore-tex giving these boots a double- pow of waterproofing.

Asolo Stynger Hiking Boots- Supportive

The Stynger's have an excellent, excellent, excellent supportive sole and ankle support. I have what is considered "flat feet" meaning that my feet tend to pronate in when walking. I slide a pair of Sore Dawg's or Spenco Backpacking insoles in and I am good to go.

Asolo Stynger Hiking Boots- Lightweight

I think that the surprising lighter weight of the Stynger's is my favorite part. Somehow Asolo has managed to balance support with weight to come up with the perfect solution. I've trekked hundreds of miles with my Stynger's and never once felt like I had on heavy clunky hiking boots.

How do the Stynger's do backpacking? We'll cover this next week on Betty Mountain Girl! Check back in!

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The boots were purchased by me.

Osprey Women's Aura 50 Backpack Review: Initial Thoughts

I hemmed and I hawed for weeks before buying the Osprey Aura 50 backpack. I've admired Osprey's backpacks for years for the high quality and thoughtful design features, but just never got around to trying one out. I finally took a jump off the deep end this summer and purchased the Aura 50 for day hiking, weekend backpacking, and light traveling. Here are my thoughts so far:

Osprey Aura 50 Backpack: Size and Dimensions

So far I've done an easy backpack weekend and several day hikes with the Aura. I've found the actual pack size (what I can stuff in) to be just right for me. For years I've been a bit of a Goldilocks with my backpacks. I've got some that are just too big for weekend trips and some that are just too small for day hikes (I know really?!).

Osprey makes the Aura backpack in several sizes: 65, 50, and 35. I just the Aura in a 50 because I needed that "in between" backpack size. I tend to be a very light packer for weekend backpacks.

Osprey Aura 50 Backpack: Fit

Most of my outdoor jaunts with the Aura backpack have been on the shorter size (think under 8 miles per trip), so I'm not 100% sure of how the fit would be on a longer trip or with a heavier pack. Since the weather has now turned much colder in New England I plan to try the backpack out on a few colder (thus heavier backpack) trips. More to come! I'll be reviewing more specifics about the fit, compartments, and comfort on both longer day hikes and weekend backpack trips. Subscribe to my blog (see left hand bar) to catch all the details.

Technical Info from Osprey:

• LightWire Allowy Frame
• Breathable mesh
• Side vents
• Medium features roughly 3000 cubic inches of space
• In: 25.5 x 14.5 x 11.75
• Cm: 64.7 x 36.8 x 29.8

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Backpack was purchased by me.

This Week on Betty Mountain Girl

Hey all! I've got some fun posts planned for this week so do check back in! Here is the skinny:

• Osprey Women's Aura Backpack Review
• How to Dress for Fall Biking (almost winter biking that is!)
• Asolo Women's Stynger Hiking Boot Review
• More hiking and biking tales!
  

Disclaimer

The products and services reviewed on Betty Mountain Girl are either provided by the parent company or affiliate or bought for the purpose of content generation for this site.

Product reviews are based entirely upon personal opinion.

Video Review from Betty Mountain Girl

You may remember my three part review of the LL Bean Women's Calypso Kayak a few months back. Well, I really lucked out with this great opportunity to discuss my likes and dislikes (mainly likes!) of the Calypso for this recent video on LL Bean's website.



Does the video location look familiar? You may recognize it from some of my previous posts. It's Pillsbury State Park in NH. Lovely. Quiet. Loads of trails to bike and hike on, not to mention the kayaking.

Anyway, please do check out the video! I'm very excited about it. Cheers.

Jamis Women’s Satellite Road Bike (Satellite Femme) Product Review- On the Road Report

As I mentioned in my initial Jamis Women’s Satellite Review, I went with Jamis because I’ve ridden their mountain bikes before and they make decent trail bikes. The real question was could I find speed and comfort from one road bike and would the Jamis Satellite be the one? Here are some more thoughts from recent road rides.



Jamis Women’s Satellite Road Bike Speed

Coming from primarily mountain biking, it’s no surprise that the Jamis Women’s Satellite feels pretty darned fast to me.

The Satellite comes in at under 22 pounds. Sure it isn’t carbon fiber light, but that’s because this bike is steel. Steel essentially absorbs more of the road so that your body doesn’t have to. My little aluminum Miyata road bike really made me realize how important comfort can be while riding. (More on comfort to come) I think if you aren’t planning on racing road, speed wise the Satellite works.

Jamis Women’s Satellite Road Bike Women’s Specific Details

Okay, I still have a lot to tell you about this bike. How it rides for touring (I took this on my 300 mile recent trip), comfort, and overall thoughts. But….I’m not really sure I am sold on how women’s specific this bike is.

The easiest, most basic way to weasel your way to a women road biker’s heart is to work on the handlebars. These handlebars are the same for men (Ritchey BioMax II Road 31.8mm) which sort of makes me think they didn’t really do research on women. Ideally you want a handlebar with smaller overall diameter for easier holding, a little bit narrower overall, and with drops that are adjusted with this all of this into account. The handlebars are fine though. Let me state that. But you know what? I’ve been riding bikes made specifically for men my whole life, so it is sort of hard to get picky now.

Also the brakes and the shifters are very far away and are impossible to reach while in the drops. This can likely be fixed if you go to the right shop and see if they can help it fit you better.



Please Read More

Don’t take my women’s specific vent to heart quite yet if you are thinking about this bike. I’m actually really liking it so far. It’s just that, well, you’ve heard me say it before. Many companies create a smaller version of their most popular men’s bikes and sell them as women’s specific, femme, what-have-you when really these bikes were never specifically designed for women in mind. This bike would be a perfect example of that.

I think this bike rates pretty high for speed and comfort even if it doesn’t have female specific geometry. I’ll be summing all this up with a list of pros and cons as well. Please check back in for the final review.

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Bike was purchased by me.

Jamis Women’s Satellite Road Bike (Satellite Femme) Product Review - Initial Thoughts

This year I finally took the big jump into road biking having been primarily a mountain biker for over ten years. I ended up choosing as the Jamis Women’s Satellite Road Bike, or more officially, the Satellite Femme. I was looking for a road bike that would be quick and fast for group rides, but also as comfortable as possible for touring since I had a big bicycle tour planned for this summer.

I’ll be sharing what drew me to the Jamis Women’s Satellite Bike, how it works for road rides, touring, and more. Subscribe to my feed so you don’t miss a beat.



Why I choose the Jamis Women’s Satellite Bike

When choosing a road bike at the beginning of this summer, I was looking for two things- speed and comfort. Coming from mountain biking almost any road bike would be lighter and faster. I wasn’t going to be fooled though by a little lighter- I wanted as light as I could afford. I’ve spent enough years riding mountain bikes that were too heavy or just didn’t fit right and I wasn’t willing to compromise on the road either.

I went with a Jamis bike because I’ve owned two mountain bikes from them before (Durango and Dakota Sport). They offer decent components at a pretty fair price. The Jamis Satellite had several components that I was looking for: carbon fork (I wanted this for touring), Reynolds 520 double-butted chromoly frame (also for comfort), and solid wheels. All coming in at around 21 lbs. Right off the bat the only thing I wasn’t super excited about was the color- white? Really?

So how does it ride on quick group jaunts? What about bicycle touring? More details to come.

Jamis Women’s Satellite Bike Specs from Jamis

Frame: Reynolds 520 double-butted chromoly main tubes featuring SST tubing diameters, sloping top tube frame design, double-tapered cromo stays, forged dropouts with single eyelets
Fork: Full carbon composite road fork with forged alloy dropouts
Headset: Ritchey LB Aheadset, 1 1/8”
Wheels: Alex AKX R1.0 wheelset, 28H radial front/ 32H 3X rear, sealed alloy hubs 14g stainless steel spokes
Derailleurs: Shimano Tiagra GS rear & Sora front, 28.6mm clamp
Shiftlevers: Shimano Sora Dual Control STI, 27-speed
Cassette: SRAM PG-950, 9-speed, 12-26
Crankset: FSA Vero Triple, 52/42/30, 165mm (48), 170mm (51/54)
BB Set: Sealed Cartridge, 68 x 116mm
Brakeset: Tektro dual pivot calipers with Shimano Sora STI levers
Stem: Ritchey Road Forged, 31.8mm x 6˚, 90mm (48/51), 100mm (54)

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Bike was purchased by me.

Terry Damselfly Bike Seat - On the Trail Review

Why I chose the Terry Damselfly Saddle

You may remember in my initial post about the Damselfly, that I was looking for a better performance type of a saddle. I had switched mountain bikes last year and still hadn’t perfected the fit. My old favorite Terry seat was too wide in the back and it was interfering with my abilities to quickly get on and off the bike.

I was excited about the Damselfly since it was quite a bit slimmer than my former Terry saddle (former was 9.5 long x 6” wide and the Damselfly is 10.5/5.1 inches). It seemed like it would work better, since the widest part, in the back of the saddle was significantly smaller.

My first few rides on the Terry Damselfly Seat

I’m sort of torn right now having spent a few miles on the Terry Damselfly Saddle. Performance wise, the Damselfly is holding up to my expectations. It’s small, I can easily hop on and off, and I can get really far back on steep downhills. So performance wise the Damselfly is pretty sweet.

Comfort-wise, um... ouch. It’s hard as a rock right now. Since I’ve definitely heard that these seats need to ridden a few dozen times, to sort of break up the seat, I guess I need to ride it more. Luckily, I’m in the perfect spot for mountain bike, mountain bike, mountain bike right now. More updates to come.

Specs on the Terry Damselfly Seat from Terry’s Website

Length/Width 10.5/5.1 inches
Weight 230g/8.1oz
Rails Vanox
Cover/Features Leather with damselfly imprint
Best for: racers & sprinters who like the feel of the road

Photos



Read Initial Thoughts on the Terry Damselfly Bike Saddle

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Bike seat was purchased by me.

Terry Damselfly Bike Saddle Product Review- Initial Thoughts

Finding a comfortable bike seat for each of my bikes is really a long term quest. In the process I’ve purchased more bike seats than I’d like to mention here. I recently decided to try out the Terry Damselfly Bike Saddle on my mountain bike for two reasons: I needed a more performance oriented bike seat (I’ll explain…) and I needed it to be comfortable. Can you have both performance and comfort in one bike seat? I’ve got my fingers crossed for the Damselfly….



(Also, check back in tomorrow, for my first post in a new how to series about how to find a comfortable bike seat.)

What I’m looking for in a bike seat and will the Terry Damselfly saddle work?

I finally decided last week that I had it with my bike seat. I was actually riding a Terry touring type seat, and while it was comfortable and I could really put in the miles on it, it wasn’t a great performance seat. When I say performance, I am talking about how easy it is to climb, tackle steep downhills, and tight technical singletrack. I need something that is easy to get on and off and provides a somewhat solid base to use for steering. (To me, steering a mountain bike has just as much to do with the rear of the bike as the front of the bike.)

Why the Terry Damselfly?

I selected the Terry Damselfly based primarily on dimensions (10.5 long x 5.1 wide). I still haven’t quite perfected the fit on my mountain bike. I feel like I am too upright and despite switching out multiple bike components- can’t perfect it. I find I can adjust my balance on most sections, except when I am heading down a steep downhill. Then the feeling like I am too upright becomes a little worrisome.

After a few “chuck my bike in the woods” moments, I figured out that I didn’t like the width in the back on my current seat. It was hard to get far enough back on my bike to be aggressive on the downhill sections. I knew that I wanted something slimmer than my current bike seat (9.5 long x 6” wide) and the Terry Damselfly is definitely a slimmer seat.

Will the Terry Damselfly saddle be good for both performance and comfort?

This is the question that only several more rides will answer. I’ll tell you that 10.5 x 5.1 looks pretty darn skinny. Will that tiny seat be comfortable? I’ll be back with an On the Trail Review soon.

About the Company

Terry Cycling is a women’s specific bike company. They design bike skorts, bicycles, seats and more specifically for women.

I’m not 100% sure exactly how they are with their return policy yet, since I’ve never returned anything to them before. Their website has 100% satisfaction guaranteed, but the tag on the bike seat said that they’ll accept a return for another bike seat.

They ship things super fast!

Specs on the Terry Damselfly Seat from Terry’s Website

Length/Width- 10.5/5.1 inches
Weight- 230g/8.1oz
Rails- Vanox Cover/Features Leather with damselfly imprint
Best for- racers & sprinters who like the feel of the road

Photos



Read My Butt Hurts: Ideas to help with Biking Butt Pain

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Bike seat was purchased by me.

Shimano SPD Pedal PD-M424 Product Review Final Review

I wasn’t able to race in my new Shimano SPD Pedals this weekend since this seems to be the summer of cancelled mountain bike races. I did manage to get out on a couple group rides, where clipping in and out and frequent stops helped me decide if these Shimano pedals were keepers.

Tension on the Shimano SPD Pedals PD-M424

If you caught my on the trail report about the Shimano Pedals last week, you’ll remember I was having problems with the tension on the clips. I took the pedals out for their maiden voyage, only to discover half way up a tricky section that they were too tight and I couldn’t clip out. I’ve had my share of crashes due to clipless pedals, but typically you seem to pop out somewhere in the air and land unattached to your bike. Nope, not that time. Still completely clipped in.

After fiddling with the pedals some more, I think I’ve finally adjusted them correctly. I have to say, this whole debacle was due to my inexperience working on pedals. I definitely recommend checking the tension before you hit the trails.

Replaceable Resin Platform on Shimano SPD Pedals PD-M424

Since I’m only half a dozen rides in on these pedals, I can’t completely attest to how well the replaceable resin platforms will hold up. Like I mentioned before, I owned a similar pair of Shimano SPD Pedals and had them close to eight years with absolutely no problems. On the other hand, the most common complaint I hear from other riders about these pedals is that the platform breaks easily.

To Go SPD or Not?

The clipless pedal market has been evolving, thanks to great new companies creating new technology. It used to be that the only decent clipless pedal you could buy was a Shimano and an SPD. Now there are companies sporting, friendlier clipping in and out and easier mud shedding. I considered this before reinvesting in my old favorite Shimano pedal, but in the end my shoes worked with SPD and I had fond memories of my old pedals so back to them I went.

I ride some very muddy trails, especially this summer. I found that while the Shimano may not be the best at shedding mud, it get the job done. A little touch up work post ride with a brush helps keep them clean too.

Final Thoughts on the Shimano SPD Pedals PD-M424

Overall, I’m still smitten with these pedals. Once the tension is adjusted correctly, they’re easy to get in and out of. They are also dual sided, making getting in and out even easier. The great wide platform, made from the replaceable resin cage, helps riders who like to unclip for technical terrain.

My past experience tells me that platforms should hold up to how I ride, but if you’re a crasher and burner type of rider, you may need to replace the cages more frequently. While the Shimano pedals aren’t super for shedding mud, with careful cleaning post ride they stay manageable.

Pros

Easy in and out
Platform for casual riding
Decent price point
Work with my bike cleats

Cons

Resin cage may break easily
May be difficult to keep clean


Photos





Even shooting a Panda with my pedals.

Read On the Trail Report about the Shimano SPD Pedals
Read Initial Thoughts about the Shimano SPD Pedals

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Pedals were purchased by me.

Calypso Women’s Kayak Review: Moving Water and Final Report

My last review of the LL Bean Women’s Calypso Kayak rated it a perfect kayak for open water paddling with great portability, decent speed and tracking, and not so great stability. Since I mainly paddle open waters, the Calypso has quickly made its way to the top of my list. Occasionally, I do paddle on moving water and I was interested in how the Calypso would fair going up current and around small obstacles.

Is the women’s specific Calypso Kayak as good on moving water as open water? Here is my report:

Maneuverability

Being more fitted for women paddlers certainly helps this boat with maneuverability on open water, but it isn’t the most maneuverable for moving water. I paddled this a bit in some moving water, nothing too fast, just a bit of current and found that it did perfectly fine in these conditions, but I couldn’t avoid every obstacle in time. Should the water get any faster than just moving, or the obstacles any more, this boat wouldn’t be your first choice.

That said, it’s designed to be an open water boat and it gets an excellent review from me for fit, ease of portage, and tracking in open water conditions. The idea that I could even try this boat out in moving water, and it could perform

Other Factors to consider about the LL Bean Women’s Calypso

Cock pit size

I thought the cockpit was pretty easy to hop in and out of. The cockpit size is: Cockpit 35½"L x 18½"W. and the max weight for this boat is 225 lbs.

Adjustable foot pedals

I found them hard to adjust while on the water, but once you’ve tried adjusting them a few times on dry land, you should be able to get the hang of it.

Seat

Okay for comfortableness. My back started to get a little achy on a 3 hour plus ride. Consider buying an inflatable pad to help prop you up where you need it.

Durability

I purchased this boat a few years ago and use it three times a week during the season. It hardly shows the wear. The seal on the bulkhead needed to be redone the first year, but that’s expected when you use it a lot.

Summary of the LL Bean Women’s Calypso

Open Water

This boat is an ideal boat for the female kayaker that spends a lot of time on the open water with really decent tracking, speed, and stability with excellent portability. The 12’ version has one bulkhold for storing gear in the rear, so you can’t really do any touring with it. Given the chance, I think I would start off buying the newer version, which is 14’ and has two bulkheads, allowing you to take it touring. My next trip is to Lake Umbagog and I am still scrambling to find the right boat.

Moving Water

This boat performed nicely in slow, moving water conditions. Given that it isn’t designed in to hit the rapids- this boat still works well for easy paddles on local rivers. If you mainly paddle moving water, you may consider other styles designed specifically for this.

Women’s Specific Details

Companies often brag that they have women’s specific models, but on careful inspection their gear tends to still be men’s gear, just made smaller. Not true with the LL Bean’s Women’s Calypso Kayak. I’ve paddled for years and I instantly felt the differences when I got into the Calypso- lower platform, so I easily could control and paddle, perfect width so that I didn’t have to stretch at all to paddle, comfortable all day kind of boat.

Plus, I looooove that I can load it on my truck by myself.

More details

From LL Bean, who has a great return policy
Comes in two lengths 12’ and 14’
Cute colors too



Read Initial Thoughts on Women's Calypso Kayak
Read Open Water Report on Women's Claypso Kayak

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Kayak was purchased by me. I have no affiliation with the manufacturer. 

Calypso Women’s Kayak Review- Open Water Report

When I first was able to paddle the LL Bean Women’s Calypso Kayak on a local lake, I was extremely pleased with the size. I easily loaded the kayak on top of my truck, unloaded it, and carried it down to the waterfront without any back pulling or spectacular scenes. This boat was starting to look perfect for me- but how would it handle on the water?

Having mainly paddled 16-17 foot kayaks, that were not specifically designed for women, I thought the main things that would bug me about the Calypso would be the short length (12 feet) and thus the kayak’s speed and tracking. Here is the low down:

Portability

The major plus factor to this boat is that it is extremely lightweight for an open water, touring type boat. This is mainly due to the shape and design, keeping things low and tight for women friendly design also helps reduce overall weight. I am able to easily load this boat onto my car and to portage points.

Speed

Being pretty short for an open water kayak, I was concerned that I would feel like I was paddling to nowhere. While I have ridden in faster boats, mainly due to their more narrow width, this boat manages to stay fairly slender (24 ½” wide). Overall, while this boat isn’t the speediest one out there, I feel like it goes pretty quick.

Tracking

So, the boat is short, would I be constantly correcting my course or paddling in circles? No- this boat gets a big fat check, leaning towards check plus, in the tracking department. While my boat doesn’t have the optional rudder kit, it stays a pretty fair course and doesn’t require many corrective strokes.

Stability

Being somewhat slender this boat has the potential to be more on the unstable side. If you fit within their size range, I think you’ll find it moderately stable. You can certainly find more stable boats out there, but they won’t be women’s specific, and they won’t be as fast.



Overall

Portability- Excellent
Speed- Decent
Tracking- Decent
Stability- Decent

Kayak Details

12' x 24 1/2"
weight: 38 lbs

My final Calypso Women’s Kayak review will include a summary and a run down of performance on moving water. Check back in or subscribe to my feed for the details.


Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. Kayak was purchased by me. I have no affiliation with the manufacturer.