Gear & Beer: Outdoor Equipment & Beverage Reviews

It's become a monthly tradition around here to answer the question: Is this stuff Overrated, Underrated or is it Properly Rated?  Where our resident gear expert, Justin Housman, rules FOR ALL TIME on the status of some specific pieces or categories of gear. A ruling that cannot be undone! On this edition, compiled with the help of emails we've received from our G&B listeners, Justin and C...

How many headlamps have you owned that you actually remember? For a super fun and functional piece of outdoor gear, the headlamp has been largely unremarkable... until now! Today on Gear & Beer, Justin and Colin talk all about the voice controlled Coast RL35R headlamp! They discuss their personal experiences with headlamps and emphasize how this particular model stands out not just for its fun...

$300 for a pair of trail running shoes?! That can't be right... can it? This episode of Gear and Beer delves into the world of high-end trail running shoes, specifically focusing on the Norda and Speedland brands. Justin and Colin discuss the significant price tags of these shoes, with both models reaching up to $300, and explore whether the investment is justified based on performance and longevi...

Do you have a plan for your tires this winter? If not what is wrong with you?! That's the what most outdoor gear reviews will make you believe in a bevy of tire related articles that get published this time of year. But he truth around what kind of tires you need to get to your outdoor winter adventures is much simpler. Today on the show Justin and Colin explore various tire options while comparin...

We are back with a brand new edition of: Overrated?! Underrated?! Or Properly Rated?! Four-wheel drive, satellite messaging and electric coolers take center stage in this episode of Gear and Beer, where our gear expert and Cicerone, Justin Housman, determines FOR ALL TIME whether these items are overrated, underrated, or properly rated! Today on the show Colin manages the big board of brands and t...

Today on the show we welcome our new women's Gear & Beer correspondents Emily Holland and Angie Marie from Wild Poppy Creative and the Shiny Objects Podcast to discuss two innovative women's outdoor apparel brands, BRANWYN and Seniq . The conversation dives into the challenges of finding functional, stylish clothing that caters specifically to women's needs in outdoor activities. Emily and Ang...

Live from Missoula, MT... it's GEAR & BEER! Today Colin & Justin dive offer their highlights of the Outdoor Media Summit 'gear speed dating' event. The duo share their top 5 favorite items for the event, including products from Old Town, Passenger, Patagonia, Nemo, and Lowa. And after bribing the guy at the hotel bar, they were able to pair all of this gear with a couple of Big Sky IPA's f...

In your mind, build your perfect outdoor kit. You have packs, outer layers, base layers, footwear socks... but do you have your towel?! Today on Gear & Beer Colin and Justin welcome founder Zack Helminiak to talk about the Original Towel from Nomadix . They hit on the history of the brand as well as the versatility and functionality of Nomadix towels, which are designed to meet the needs of ou...

It's time to craft the perfect surf kit for just about everyone. Today on Gear & Beer Colin and Justin start the show by talking about how surfboards have evolved to include the venerable foamie! Allowing for more fun and alternative surfing styles to enter the surf conversation. Then they turn their eye to their new favorite piece of gear: Passenger's Waves Recycled Sherpa Lined Changing Robe...

What are the most important items that you have in your backpacking kit? Today on Gear & Beer we're going to hear about the top 5 items in all-star author and backpacker Shawnté Salabert's pack. Shawnté has already spent over 50 nights backpacking this year, while also writing two new books to go with her PCT Guidebook and entry in Campfire Stories: Volume II . And today she joins Colin &...

Today we tap into Justin’s knowledge and expertise as a professional gear reviewer and leverage his years of experience in adventure and in journalism to play a little game called Overrated, Underrated Or Properly Rated? During the episode Colin throws three items at Justin who has to decide if that item is over, under or properly rated. And there is a lot at stake here because Justin's decision i...

Get ready to wiggle your toes and feel the ground beneath you: barefoot shoes are back! Nearly 15 years after the wave of barefoot running shoes peaked and crashed, barefoot shoes are starting to comeback in new iterations. Friend of the pod Erica Zazo , recently covered the category and reviewed multiple styles of barefoot shoes for CNN and she's back on the show today to tell us about her favori...

A common interest among the human powered outdoor crowd: Fly Fishing! Getting into a new activity can be intimidating especially when you want to try fly fishing but you've been watching A River Runs Through It for your entire life and you think you need go full Brad Pitt in order to make it happen. Today on Gear & Beer we're here to help! Justin was the stereotypical fly fishing newbie back i...

Sleeping in your car used to be a dirtbag necessity and time honored tradition. But these days sleeping in your car usually means thousands of dollars spent on a vehicle or creating a bulky wood platform that's a pain to move around and takes up all your space. Enter the Hideaway from Pacific Adventure Works ! A modular and adjustable sleeping platform perfect for wherever you want to put it. It's...

You ever go looking for a GU gel or Stinger waffle before your hike, run or ride and then realize that you're actually out of all of your sports nutrition? Today's guest on Gear & Beer wants to make sure that never happens to you again! Today on G&B the founder of Fuel Goods , Laura Jorgensen, sits down with Colin & Producer Dave to talk about her new brand that she describes as Chewy...

Today on Gear & Beer: Chicago based outdoor journalist Erica Zazo wants us to get loud and rowdy as she reviews the Turtlebox Gen 2 Bluetooth Speaker ! Erica recently reviewed the Gen 2 for GearJunkie and today she's hanging out with Colin & Justin to tell them why this particular bluetooth speaker is an amazing addition to any outdoor kit. This speaker survived 30 days of being submerged...

What's a training staple of every rock climber who wants to get stronger and also avoid the dreaded pulley injury? Hangboards and Fingerboards of course. And who is the person you want to talk to about these crucial pieces of gear? Power Company Climbing's Kris Hampton ! Today Kris joins Colin to talk about about why Tension Climbing and Fingers Of Fury are making some of the best hang and finger...

Today Gear & Beer is here to take away your arms! The arms of your sunglasses that is because today we're talking about Ombraz , the armless shades that are shaking up the sunglasses world. Ombraz co-founder Nikolai Paloni joins Colin, Justin and Producer Dave to talk about the brand and weigh in on Colin & Justin's likes, dislikes and questions about the company he founded. This weeks bee...

Today Gear & Beer is here to help you make good decisions! No doubt you've heard a lot about how our outdoor gear and apparel contain PFAS aka Forever Chemicals . But what do you need to know about PFAS when shopping for new gear and what should you do about the gear you already own that may contain PFAS? Meg Carney ( The Outdoor Minimalist ) is here to help! Meg recently produced and hosted a...

What do you get when the outdoor's foremost authority on outdoor stuff cracks open a brew? You get GearJunkie on Gear & Beer! Today Sean McCoy from GearJunkie.com joins Colin to run down the top 5 products he and the GJ team saw at the Outdoor Market Alliance Media Show last week (Colin was also there). The two talk about new stuff from: Therm-a-rest Osprey Vasque Mountain Hardwear Thule And t...

When it comes to multi-tools Justin & Colin have so many questions. Who made the original multi-tool? If you want to be outdoorsy do you need to own a multi-tool? What is the best job for a multi-tool? Today we dig into the entire multi-tool category. And because all multi-tools have a lot going on, we needed a beer that also has a lot going. So the boys crack open a couple of absolutely delig...

Chances are that if you do any camping whatsoever you have a lantern. But do you have an OG fuel burning Coleman Lantern ? Justin does and today he is going to break down why you should too. And what is the perfect pairing for the classic lantern? How about a classic craft beer like a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Because nothing is better than sitting outside on a pleasant evening enjoying the warm lig...

Today's pairing that matters most? Topo Athletic's Pursuit 2 and two, count 'em, two wheat ales. Which two? Well that would be Sam Adams Summer Ale and Golden Road's Mango Cart ! After Colin's experience testing the Obōz Katabatic Wind Low he felt compelled to bring some trail runners back to the fore because it has come time for him to find a replacement for his beloved Altra Lone Peaks. Then Gea...

Today's pairing that matters the most? Rad Power Bikes & Lost Coast Brewery's Downtown Brown ! Lately Justin has been tooling around on a Rad Power Bikes Expand 5 Plus and he and Colin go deep on the environmental impact of the e-bike category. Then our in house Cicerone (aka Justin) pairs the perfect post activity beverage to go with the perfect commuter bike on the market: Lost Coast Brewery...

We're back with the pairings that matter most... GEAR & BEER! Most hiking shoes are just overbuilt sneakers and leave you wanting either a pair of trail runners or an actual pair of leather boots. But what if you could truly blend those two worlds into an athletic looking shoe that is well made and built specifically for hiking? Well then you'd have the Obōz Katabatic Wind Low . And if you hav...