Henry

When you are planning a polar expedition or an extended winter camping trip, the gear on your back is only half the equation. The other half is everything else you need to survive and thrive in extreme cold, and that is where a dependable expedition pulk becomes non-negotiable. I have spent years researching and testing … Read more

Nothing beats the feeling of wrapping yourself in a genuine wool blanket when the temperature drops below freezing inside a cabin with no central heat. I have spent three winter seasons testing wool blankets in unheated cabins across the Rocky Mountains, and I can tell you firsthand that not all wool is created equal. The … Read more

When you are standing at the edge of an ice cap with a 100-pound sled strapped to your harness, the skis under your feet matter more than almost any other piece of gear you carry. I have spent years researching and testing Nordic touring setups for cold-weather travel, and the right combination of skis and … Read more

When you are three pitches up a frozen waterfall, pumped out of your mind, and trying to clip a bolt with gloves on, the last thing you want is a quickdraw that fights you. I learned this the hard way on a minus-15-degree morning in the Canadian Rockies, wrestling with sport draws that were too … Read more

When you are standing above 10,000 feet with snow reflecting sunlight from every direction, your eyes take a beating. I learned this the hard way on my first alpine climb in the Wasatch Range, squinting through regular sunglasses until my eyes burned for two days afterward. That experience sent me on a search for proper … Read more

When you are climbing above 5,000 meters, every gram on your rack matters. The difference between a 160-gram helmet and a 340-gram one might not sound like much at sea level, but after 12 hours of ascending through thin air with a 20-kilogram pack, you will feel every ounce. Finding the best ultralight high altitude … Read more

Nothing ends a winter camping trip faster than shivering through the night. I have spent over three years testing sleeping bag liners in temperatures from brisk fall evenings to biting single-digit nights, and I can tell you this: the right thermal liner makes the difference between a miserable night and a genuinely warm one. This … Read more

Cold feet can turn an incredible winter hike into a miserable slog. I have spent over three years testing different liner socks in freezing conditions, from single-digit mornings in the Rockies to multi-day snowshoe trips in the Cascades. The difference between a good day and a bad day often comes down to what sits between … Read more

Nothing ruins a polar expedition faster than frozen feet. I learned this the hard way during a week-long winter camping trip in northern Minnesota where temperatures dropped to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit and my so-called “winter boots” turned into ice blocks by day three. That experience sent me down a rabbit hole of researching every … Read more

When you are standing at 5,000 meters and the wind chill drops to minus 30, your down jacket is the only thing between you and a really bad day. I have spent years testing insulated layers across alpine environments, and I can tell you firsthand that not all expedition jackets are created equal. The difference … Read more