GearFlogger

Mountainsmith Ivy pack

The SheFlogger is pleased, and for good reason. She caught me ogling her Mountainsmith Ivy pack, and the irony that men now have to covet women's gear did not escape her.

She has plenty to crow about. The Ivy is a 2lb 10oz alpine screamer "designed for the woman carrying skis, climbing gear and backcountry tools." Let's just read that again: now that is my kind of woman. The Ivy manages to maximize both form and function; despite its good looks there is nothing on this pack that doesn't do something for you.

Where this pack really excels is going vertical. The 1,770ci capacity can be extended using the sleeve to almost 2,000ci, ensuring plenty of room for long gear-intensive day trips and ultralight overnights. You can carry skis in vertical, A-frame or diagonal mode, and a snowboard vertically.

Hydration compatible with gear loops on the back, front and inside the detachable lid that doubles as a fanny pack. The rear tool loops even tuck away. I don't know why that's cool, it just is. The overall geometry of the pack is compact to facilitate arm-swing, so whether you're climbing up or skiing down you won't have to worry about the Ivy cramping your style. It just figures I finally find the technical alpine day-pack I've been looking for and my pesky Y chromosome gets in the way.

$99.00 at Summit Hut

Best Hikes With Kids: Oregon

It has come to my attention that some of you are breeding. Stop it. Stop it right now. Too late? Oh well. Now that the cat is out of the bag, so to speak, you're going to need something to keep that brood busy and yourself sane.

As a relatively new father myself (18 months), getting outdoors often involves the LittleFlogger. He's keen to get on Denali, and while I'm supportive I also believe in the crawl-walk-run approach - literally in this case - as necessary predecessors to the climb-ski-BASE jump activities.

And so I'm happy to introduce a new category at GearFlogger: Kids. There won't be a bunch of baby clothes, I promise, but I will try to point out the occasional useful gear for active parents. Let's start with the basics. Best Hikes With Kids: Oregon is a 2007 title from the ever-indispensable Mountaineers Books, and there are many other states in the series. They show off "100 hikes selected for kid appeal," with the focus on fun: waterfalls, bridges and other kid-cool natural and human-made points of interest.

Just-long-enough descriptions include simple and clear maps, difficulty ratings, distance, elevation and more. A particularly handy list is titled, "How to create memorable outings for kids," and includes pointers we all know but too often forget: take plenty of snacks, avoid electronics to keep them in the moment, and go slow are a few. You can't go wrong with this guide.

$14.00 at Amazon.com