Tag: Hiking

Freet Feet

These outdoor adventure shoes are really great for hiking and trail walking. They have lots of very unique features that I’m very excited to have in a shoe.

Freet shoes mirror the shape of feet; toes spread out and are able to be flexed as they should. The soles of the shoes offer protection  while also allowing the feet to be very close to the ground. This allows the foot to still be stimulated by the ground. Receiving and responding to the stimulus from the ground allows our bodies frequencies to be to be slowed down.

The tops of the shoes are specially designed to fit the foot similarly to a glove. This feature enables ‘the foot and shoe to work as one.’ When the feet move freely together they function correctly.

 

The Freet Pace shoe is a multi-functioning sports shoe that allows for many different types of terrain and activities. The shoe features a 6mm OrthoLite insole that gives lots of comfort on hard surfaces and also longer distances.

The top part of the shoe – the upper – is “made from 100% recycled coffee grounds.” This is seriously such a cool feature. The recycled material is called CoffeeFlyMesh and is very durable and breathable. It offers a quick dry because the way it is designed.

As mentioned above, the OthroLite insole is great for shock absorption when on tougher surfaces. This insole is removable too, so you really have a great opportunity to be close to the ground without being completely barefoot.

The Freet Pace shoes can be worn with or without socks depending on the type of terrain you are on. For cold or wet conditions, Freet offers waterproof socks that are a great option for keeping the feet protected.

It is recommended, that when purchasing the Freet Pace, you size  up. I have noticed that the shoes do fit a bit snuggly, especially with a thicker pair of socks on like what would be worn in the winter. When wearing the shoes more consistently I have found that once they are broken in, they fit much nicer. Keep that in mind when putting them on for the first time.

I will say these shoes are not the best looking pair of shoes. If you are looking for a cute pair of shoes, these probably are not what you want.

But, if you are looking for a quality pair of walking and adventure shoes, these are for sure what you want. The Freet shoes are very high quality and I highly recommend them for that reason. They are not flattering at all, but the way they feel overlook that.

The Freet Pace shoes are a good staple shoe to have. They are perfect for hiking and walking and they are so comfortable. Sustainably made, these shoes are even made from recycled coffee grounds! The shape of the shoe is a natural foot shape that allows the toes to spread as they should. This is one of the most important aspects in a shoe, in my opinion.

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Deuter – ACT LITE 65+10 Backpack

Written by guest writer Jason Moore

I was first introduced to the outdoors at a very young age, growing up in Northeast Ohio with a county metro park in my backyard. The countless summer afternoons I spent exploring that park fostered in me a desire to explore everything. At the age of 31, that desire now translates to multiday trips through some of our countries most prominent national parks and forests. I often read blogs like campingfunzone.com to determine where I venture next. The Guadalupe National Park sounds pretty good to me.

As my adventures grow, so does my ability. With that growth, my equipment needs evolve to compensate for new challenges. My last adventure was a five-day hike along part of the Appalachian Trail in Smokey Mountain National Park which I accomplished with a 55-liter pack. I did a little research on what to pack and looked at this guide on How to Pack a Hiking Pack to make sure I had everything I needed before I went on the hike. My next adventure was a hike of the same length along the Trans-Zion Trek in Zion National Park. The differences between the two hikes are that I would need to carry a tent in Zion (the AT utilizes shelters) and at times more water due to the limited reliable water sources along the trail. I don’t have the smallest and lightest equipment so with these two additions I needed a larger pack that could carry the extra load. I was excited when I found the Deuter ACT Lite 65+10 because I was able to increase my capacity by 36% while only increasing my pack weight by 20%.

The ACT Lite 65+10 is the first Deuter pack I have owned and I experienced the frequency illusion as soon as I entered the park. I noticed Deuter packs everywhere and even had another hiker compliment me on the trail because we were carrying the exact same pack. I guess when you are a company with more than 100 years of experience in making packs that have been used in some of the most famous expeditions in history your brand speaks for itself.

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Overall, I am very satisfied with the way this pack performed on the trail. With the help of the bottom compartment and well positioned compression straps it was easy to pack my gear, food, and water in a manner that distributed the weight evenly. I was impressed with the ventilation provided by Aircontact System. I wasn’t aware of how much I was sweating until I took the pack off at the end of the day. Lastly, I was surprised by how durable the pack held up to me dragging it 48 miles over granite and sandstone. After a quick wipe with a damp cloth the pack still looks brand new.

My favorite features of the pack are:

  • separate bottom compartment
  • zipped pocket on hip belt for valuables
  • ice axe and hiking pole loops
  • spacious stretch side pockets
  • compression and load adjustment straps
  • hydration system compatible

I am confident that this pack will be with me for a lot more adventures including more multiday hikes, rock climbing trips, and even the occasional trip back to Ohio to visit my family.

Check out our review of Deuter’s Kid Comfort Air.

Deuter – Kid Comfort Air

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review-photo The Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) is a gem nestled in Northeast Ohio and I am lucky enough to be surrounded by it, it’s literally in my back yard. My husband and I have always enjoyed hiking and once our daughter joined our family we loved taking her with us. With so much information on hiking now, it’s so easy to get out there and reap the benefits. For example, you can find some great hiking tips and advice at Outdoorcommand’s website if you’re new to it or wanting to take a big step in your hiking adventures. She got joy from being outside and seemed to love all of the beautiful views. She got all of the benefits of hiking with none of the effort, so my husband and I set out to find a carrier that minimized our effort and allowed us to continue to enjoy our CVNP with our daughter.
For trail hikes when she was little we used a stretchy wrap or a soft structure carrier. These worked great for us when she was first born. My husband and I weren’t taking long hikes or staying out in the heat too long. As first time parents, our feeling towards infants and the elements was the less exposure the better.
Now that our daughter is one, and we realize that kids aren’t made of glass, this summer we have been spending more time on the trails. As this summer got warmer we quickly realized that our soft carriers were not meant for hiking. My husband sweats enough on his own, add a fifteen pound heating pad to his back, and he might as well jump in a pool. This definitely meant we were due a new hiking carrier. I guarantee though a more sturdy one that won’t make us sweat like crazy, will put our balance off a lot too. However I’ve already sorted that one out by searching up the best hiking poles to use so we don’t topple over!d-5-edit
So when my husband said we were vacationing with his family in the Smoky Mountains, I was on the hunt for an actual hiking carrier. We were obviously excited to be spending time with his family in such a beautiful location, but we needed to consider our daughter. We would be hiking, as the smoky mountains are known for the beautiful trails and scenery, so we did need to work out where we could get a carrier from. Whilst we did that, we were also looking for different places to eat in the national park. Luckily, there are a number of different restaurants in the area. This is good news for us and the rest of our family as everyone will want different meals each night. As soon as we find a hiking carrier, we’ll be able to actually plan some more aspects of the trip, then I can really let myself get excited for our vacation in the Smoky Mountains. The plan was to spend most of the vacation on the trails, so I needed my husband to stay dry for more than a mile. I perused my options on the internet and found The Deuter Kid Comfort Air and I couldn’t be happier it helped make great memories on our vacation and kept my husband comfortable and dry while hauling our little sack of potatoes.

About Deuter

“Years of experience and constant development have made Deuter a market leader”
Deuter was founded in 1898 by Hans Deuter in Augsburg-Oberhausen Germany, making them one of the oldest backpack manufactures in the world. Deuter started out supplying the Bavarian Mail with mailbags and post sacks and providing backpacks for the military. They slowly moved into manufacturing mess tents, belts and more. Since the early 1900’s Deuter has used the experience of alpinist and mountaineers as influence for product development.
Deuter has a patent Aircomfort System allowing moist air to escape from 3 sides and is the most popular back support system in the world. Athletes using the aircomfort system sweat 25% less than using conventional backpacks systems. You don’t need to be a athlete to enjoy the 3D Airmesh lining since every pack they make has either the Aircomfort System, Aircontact System or Airstripes System. With Hydration packs, Day packs, Hiking/ Trekking, Biking, Snowsports, Kids packs, Travel packs Deuter is sure to have whatever your adventure requires whether it be a hike through your local parks or tackling Mount Everest. Talk about one stop shop for hiking gear.
From the quality of my Deuter Kid Comfort Air, I can tell you they’re a company that takes pride in every aspect of their products. I don’t think I’ll ever need it, but Deuter offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty on all their products. It covers against defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the product.

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This Mamas Experience

360x500-6507-kid-comfort-air-grey-green Although the carrier is large, don’t let it fool you; it is not heavy (the website says it’s 6 pounds and I didn’t believe it. No false advertising here. I took it to the scale to see for myself and it does weigh 6 pounds, but it feels so much lighter). The Kid Comfort is comfortable for your child but also extremely comfortable for the person wearing the carrier. Features of The Kid Comfort Air that make the baby hiking experience better:
  • The Kid Comfort Air has a sturdy aluminum frame with a kickstand. The stability it creates makes loading your child safe and easy especially with the side access.
  • A padded 5-point safety harness that will adjust to the size of your childd-4-edit
  • Adjustable seat. You are able to adjust the height and width of the seat.
  • Adjustable foot rest, to add to your child’s comfort, although my daughter didn’t use these much since she on the small side, I see the benefit for longer legs.
  • Two grab handles at the top of the carrier. These handles make getting the carrier on and off extremely easy whether you are doing it by yourself or with the help of someone.
  • Adjustable hip belt.

The carrier itself adjusts to the person wearing it easily, simply pull the hip belt forward and it will securely slide into place. Between the grab handles and the easy to use hip belt we were able to effortlessly switch the carrier between my husband and I on the trails without slowing down. I have always dreaded readjusting my other carriers from my size to my husband’s size. It is is a tedious task that just makes me want to invest in our own carriers. Deuter has somehow designed the perfect hip belt.

d-3-edit This carrier has storage too. Our soft carriers lacked the storage this pack offers. It has a convenient zippered pocket on the hip belt, which was perfect for my camera and car keys. There are two elastic mesh pockets on either side. They came in handy to hold snacks, sunglasses and my daughters sun hat; anything we wanted to be able to grab while hiking. My favorite is a large compartment under the seat. It was enough space to pack extra diapers (and cloth diapers take up a bit more room), wipes, a blanket, a water bottle and even our lunch.

The Deuter Kid Comfort Air added to the pleasure of our trip to the Smoky Mountains. Our daughter was able to go to more remote places with us, and my husband and I were more comfortable hiking with her on our backs. We are looking forward to using it on all our adventures and when our family grows again our next hiking carrier will be a Deuter.