Gnarly

“Go gnarly.” That’s their catchline. Gnarly Nutrition makes clean, natural nutrition for gnarly athletes. Anyone who does some wild adventuring knows that fueling up is serious business. When it comes to the business of fueling up, Gnarly has you covered. They make a whole bunch of different products designed for before and after getting gnarly. I used a good handful of their products over the last month. Gnarly mixes well into pretty much and liquid. I mixed mine into my daily shake. Out of the two flavors I tried, I found chocolate just a little tastier than vanilla. Mixed with some peanut butter, milk, and a banana, it’s incredible. Gnarly Feast is a total meal in just a few scoops of powder. Mix it into your favorite beverage, and you’re good to go. Usually meal replacement supplements leave me feeling like the tank is running on empty, but Gnarly Feast kept me full all morning. The pre-workout fuel, Pump, was one of my favorite products. I could feel it kick in a few minutes before my workout, and it didn’t wear off until well after I was done. Top it all off with their post-workout Gnarly Whey to recover faster after getting gnarly. Overall, I found the people at Gnarly really know nutrition. They make a top-quality product for athletes and adventurers looking to get the most out of their nutrition.

Ribz

The people at Ribz know their stuff. Designed by gear-toting gurus to keep your essential items in an accessible spot, the Front Pack does just that — and then some. I used this innovative pack for fishing, skiing, hiking, photography, and even trail running. It’s pretty darn comfortable and holds a surprising amount of gear. Plus it fits nicely under most backpacks you might need for your adventure. Sure, you might look a little like ski patrol, but hey, when you’re out in the wild, practicality trumps looking pretty.
First of all, the Front Pack comes with its very own, properly-sized stuff sack. I didn’t have to use every last limb and tooth trying to get the pack it up. It may seem like a small gesture, but like they say, the devil is in the details. It took a minute to sort out all the straps and figure out how to put this thing on, but once I got past that small, hurdle it was smooth sailing. I found it surprising how much gear you can cram into the Front Pack. This seemingly infinite pack must have been designed by Merlin himself. Everything from cameras and keys to granola bars fit comfortably in the two large pockets. By filling the Front Pack with some of my heavier items instead of just cramming them in my backpack, I was able to more evenly distribute the weight over my shoulders.

Jetboil

My whole backpacking and camping life I’ve jealously looked at the Jetboil cooking system as some sort of gimmicky marketing ploy. That is until I got my hands of the Jetboil Sol. In the past I ignorantly packed a stove, fuel canister, titanium pot, lighter, mug — the list goes on. The space and weight it took up in my pack was getting a little out of control. The Sol consolidates all of those items into one small, lightweight cooking system. Everything — including the fuel — fits inside the insulated mug/pot. If the draw of fewer ounces in your pack isn’t enough for you to convert to Jetboil, then the reduced cooking time might. Jetboil uses some fancy schmancy technology to make their stoves some of the most efficient on the market. I’ve never seen water boil so fast. The Sol has a pretty robust ignitor that works in freezing temps. I’ve used mine in the middle of a snowstorm with zero problems.