Black Diamond Head Lamps SHINE Big Time

Need a headlamp for your Summer adventures?  Black Diamond has some excellent choices, but I've narrowed it down to two favorites, the Storm and the Spot.  A great (I think necessary) feature in a headlamp is the red light feature.  With the red option, you are able to enjoy light around camp without blinding your camp mates. It also helps to preserve your batteries and works great for reading without messing up your night vision.  I'm also very fond of the various colors and patterns, this way each person can easily see which is theirs, and it also makes them stand out in your pack amongst other gear.  Highly adjustable light output makes both options ideal for your lighting needs.

The Storm Headlamp (pictured above) is made specifically to handle bad weather conditions.  It's water resistant to the point of being able to submerge it under water for 30 minutes, nice if you accidentally drop it in the lake, and great for the rain.  This headlamp (like Black Diamond's awesome lanterns) has a dimmer, so you can get your light just right and conserve battery power.  You just hold the button down after turning it on and it will dim to your desired brightness. The lamp also tilts so you can position it where you need it.  It takes four AAA batteries and is rated for 50-200 hours of use, depending on mode such as red, high, low, and strobe which is great for signaling or for visibility while biking in traffic. 

There's a battery life indicator to let you know when you are running low and it also has a lock mode to keep it from coming on in your pack accidentally and draining your power.  When you turn it off, the headlamp remembers the last setting, this is especially nice when you're using the red beam.

The Spot Headlamp is the Storm's little brother, not quite as bright or tough but it has most of the features.  The Spot has a dimmer switch and the red light option to preserve night vision and batteries.  This headlamp also has a strobe.  It has a maximum light output of 90 lumens as opposed to the Storm's 100, and the brightness levels are adjustable for a flood beam and a spot beam for focused task lighting. 

Battery access is easy, no tool required as with the Storm, and it takes three AAA batteries and battery life is 50-250 hours includes the indicator and the lock mode. 

Both of these headlamps are very intuitive to use, very comfortable to wear and easy to adjust for fit.  Both come in many colors and designs, both have the features that make them ideal.  I've had several headlamps, both of these win for the best hands down, though I am partial to the Storm.  You just can't go wrong, they're great for power outages, and outdoor activities like camping, and one belongs in your day pack on hikes as part of your 10 essentials.  A headlamp is a must have, so why not have a really good one? 

You can find them on the Black Diamond website, or you can find them on REI where this weekend they're having a sale with one of their 20% off coupons.  This would be a great way to use it.

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Go Lite this Summer

Are you planning any trips for this Summer?  Or outdoor adventures?  If you like to travel light, and most of us would rather have less to carry, especially with airlines charging so much for luggage.  And if you're headed for the woods, you know that every ounce counts.  Check out GO LITE for some fantastic options in clothing. I've just discovered them, and let me just preface this by telling you I don't think I have never been so excited about travel-outdoorsy clothing.  It's affordable, it's cofortable, and they even list the weight in the clothing descriptions for those that are really conscious of weight for packing. 

Now, what women want to know, are they--flattering?  I've only tried on three pieces so far, but I can answer that with a resounding Yes!  And I'm excited because I find this rare in adventure-wear.  I am not an athletic clothing type, I'm more of an Anthropologie type, and I also like very clean lines and simple cuts.  Yes, I love to get my hands dirty and get out there in the woods, but I want to look cute doing it.  Right?  Don't you?  So much of that type of stuff is cut in an unflattering way, or just looks frumpy and even if no one is going to see me, I still want to feel comfortable and cute out there on the trail.

Also, I have a curvy body type.  I wear an 8 on the bottom and a 10 on top,  Mediums usually do great, sometimes smalls in things like yoga pants, and in athletic clothes, sometimes a large on top.  I don't like my clothes to be tight fitting, I want that comfort but I don't want to look like I raided my man's closet either.  There are little things clothing designers can do to add femininity, subtle things.

Take the Manitou Longsleeve Hiking Top.  The neckline hints at a Mandarin which is not only feminine, but comfortable, it has diagonal lines sewn in on the sides that create a slimming look, and the sleeves come down at a slight point on your hands.  These details are flattering and make you feel like you're not just wearing a boring wicking top.  It also has a reflecting logo on the back and one on the front left side.  Functional, but still cute.  And the cut is generous too.  This is perfect for hiking and backpacking and biking, and comes in a bright orange (the Paprika is brighter in person), which I love for visibility.

The Yunnan Hiking Pant is probably the very first pant in this genre that just fit perfect at first try.  You know it can be frustrating trying on pants like this.  For me, I'm either swimming in them, or to get a length that works, it's too tight everywhere else.  These are the perfect length (I'm 5'5) and they are just right.  They are flattering!  I've had some luck with Patagonia in this area, but overall, I find it very very difficult to find pants appropriate for the outdoors that still look good.  And by appropriate, I mean not cotton, no jeans or any material that will stay wet.  You want wicking material that will dry quickly if you're caught in the rain.  They're also very light.  The photo does not do them justice at all, they are a lower-rise than what it looks in the picture and have a great shape.  You could wear them on the trail and then out to dinner, perfect for traveling and everything else.  I would say they are a Must Have, and I hope that Go Lite keeps this style and offers them in black soon, I want more pairs of these.

And finally, check out this Cayambe Reversible Dress.  You get two dresses in one, it's very flattering, butter soft, and perfect for the suitcase.  I love the ruching at the top and there's a little flounce at the bottom making you feel very feminine.  It's very light, you won't even know it's in your bag.

On top of carrying awesome functional clothing, GoLite is a socially and environmentally conscious company.  They're having a 50% off sale right now, so head over there and see if there's anything that you could use for your Summer adventures.  Find them HERE.

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PORTLAND DESIGN WORKS Awesome Radbot-Spaceship Headlight Set for Your Bike

Though my five year old son and I ride mostly on trails, there are some busy streets we need to take and cross to get to the trail opening.  A blinkie is a great idea for riding anywhere around cars.  This is obvious for commuters, but I think it's a good safety feature for kids or adults riding with kids, even if you're mostly on trails.

Portland Design Works has a great light set in the Radbot 500-Spaceship Set, which is "built to withstand rain and meteor showers to keep you safe from blastoff to touchdown in all conditions."  The light set makes me feel more secure crossing busy streets--sometimes people have a hard time stopping at the crosswalks and the light really helps to get their attention.  It's very well made and solid, I've taken it on bumpy trails clipped to my trunk and everything has stayed on just fine.  It's also done great in the rain.

The Spaceship Headlight takes two AA batteries and has two modes, solid and flashing light.  We don't ride at night, so I can't say how it does for lighting the way, but it really adds to your visibility, particularly in flash mode.  I love the cool blue light on the top.

The blinkie takes three AAA batteries and consists of a 0.5 watt Japanese LED and has three modes--solid light, pulse, and pulse with flashes.  The built in reflector is another safety feature and conforms to regional requirements to have a tail reflector.  You have to press and hold down the button to get it to turn on, so it won't accidentally turn on and run down your batteries.  The set comes with several attachments and hardware to mount it virtually anywhere you like.  Mounting couldn't be easier.

For Halloween, I'm going to clip the blinkie on to my son's costume during trick or treating to make him more visible both to cars and to me.  On a holiday note, I think this would make a wonderful Christmas present, the packaging makes a great presentation and this would work well under the tree or in the stocking.

Portland Design Works' website is wonderful--very organized, easy to shop, and visually appealing.  I love their product selection and the demo videos. They have a modern and fun look, but the products are serious.  Find the light set and other cool bike accessories HERE.

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