The winter/snow boots I ordered last week came in today. I ended up getting the Merrell Snowmotion 8 lace-up boots. They fit me very well and are very comfortable. I’m hoping to give them a good workout this weekend both hiking in the snow and also doing some snowshoeing. Hopefully the Polartec keeps my feet warm 
We received at least a foot of snow at my house last night and during the day today. The roads were messed up most of the day and a lot of people called into work. When I got home after work, I figured it would be a perfect opportunity to try out the snowshoes I picked up a few months back
Amanda snapped a few quick pictures while I was out in the yard trying them out…
It was also a great opportunity to try out the new Columbia Whirlibird 3-in-1 snow parka that I picked up last week for skiing this season.
A few weeks ago when Amanda and I were at Fantasy Canyon, I went to pull my tripod out of the Jeep and the head broke off.
With our upcoming annual trip to Cedar Mesa and Comb Ridge, I knew it would be a good idea for me to get another tripod. After a lot of research, I ended up ordering the Manfrotto 730YB Tripod.
While most people recommend one of the bigger and more expensive tripods, I knew that if I got one of those, it would spend more time in my Jeep than out being used. I know that this one will be with me just about everywhere I go, and it will be plenty sturdy for my current Canon XSi with any lens that I have (or want to buy in the future).
I setup the tripod when I got home from work today, and I am very impressed with the quality. I can’t wait to use it next weekend!
I finally got a lens that I have wanted ever since I bought my DSLR…..and ultra wide angle lens I was originally planning on getting the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM SLR which is a very nice lens. However, after comparing the Canon to the Sigma, and their prices, I found that the Sigma 10-20mm lens was pretty close to the Canon in photo quality…..plus it cost almost $300 less. Another nice addition is that the Sigma came with a lens hood and carrying case….the Canon does not.
I ended up buying the Sigma, which allowed me to use the money I saved to buy the Remington shotgun yesterday 
Getting ready for winter already! I’m looking forward to doing some snowshoeing on the Grand Mesa this winter, and when I came across a great deal on these snowshoes, I just couldn’t pass them up. Now I just need to wait for some snow
Since I’m planning on trying skiing for the first time this winter, I also got a great deal on some ski pants a few weeks ago from REI. Those will come in handy with these snowshoes, too. I ended up getting the North Face Freedom Pant in my favorite color….dark gray
I recently decided it was time to get a hat for when I am out in the sun. After some shopping around, I ended up ordering the Outdoor Research Transit Sun Hat in the Fossil color. It arrived today and fits well. I’ll be wearing it Sunday when I go hiking at the Colorado National Monument to see if I like wearing a hat or not…
Well, it looks like my footwear needs are finally met for a while (until I need something warm for the snow this winter…). I have needed a good pair of sandals for a while, and I finally picked up a pair today from REI.
I ended up getting the Chaco Z/1 Unaweep sandals in black. Made by a company located in Paonia, CO (not too far from GJ)….unfortunately they are no longer made locally.
So far they are comfortable, but only time will tell how much I like them, and how well they hold up. I just wish I had them yesterday on the river!
Since I’ve been doing more and more hiking, I decided that I wanted to give trekking poles a try and see how well they work out for me. Obviously I didn’t want to go out and spend a ton of money on something I may not end up using, but I did some research and found out that Walmart actually sells some poles that are pretty decent by Outdoor Recreation Group. They have camlocks, are height adjustable and seem to be of pretty decent quality for the price (only time will tell on that, though).
Hopefully I’ll get a chance to try them out very soon and can give them a better review.
Since Friday I have worn my new Keen’s to work, in the mountains and in the desert. Yesteray in the mountains, I made sure to test the waterproofness by walking through a few streams. I got to do a few miles of hiking in them this morning in the canyons and washes at the Colorado National Monument. I also did some minor climbing in them on some sandstone.
Overall, I am very pleased with their performance and their comfort. Now I just need to see how well they hold up in the longer term
Time for some new shoes and boots. I have been wearing Dr. Martens boots for the last 12+ years, however, they were bought out a few years ago and changed from being hand-made in England to being made in China. From that point, their quality had gone way down. I finally decided it’s time to try something different, especially since I am doing more hiking and other outdoor activities.
After some research, I ended up going with a light weight and waterproof hiking boot, along with a pair of waterproof cross-trainers.
The hiking boots I got are the Keen Targhee II Mid:
The cross-trainers I ended up getting are the Merrell Moab Gore-Tex XCR:
Both pairs are very comfortable. I’m looking forward to testing them out Hopefully they live up to their waterproof and breathable claims. If I have any issues with either, I’ll be sure to post up my problems here.
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