GearFlogger

Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch glove

Spring is in the air, and numb fingers can't be far behind. As usual the glove bin is full of mismatched gear. If you're in the same boat and looking for a lightweight glove for casual or liner duty, the Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch gloves are a great candidate.

Power Stretch recently won a Nobel prize. OK that's not true, but it could be the way they're giving them away these days. MH's gloves are a standard light but not too light design. Their big advantage is the snug cuff; it feels secure while jogging and keeps them on your hands when you pull your mittens off.

Another nice touch is the snaps, which can help prevent lost-glove syndrome. But only if you actually use it. Oops. Keep in mind these are not grippy gloves. Power Stretch is a fairly slick material - not for driving! - designed for light insulation and high breathability, i.e. medium wind blocking. Also these are not constructed like a work glove, so if you're looking for traction, weatherproofitude and durability look elsewhere. For jogging, hiking and liner applications they're great.

$27.00 at REI

Free expert advice on weight training and nutrition

I know all you GearFloggers out there treat your body as a temple. A tequila-sponging, beer-chasing, donut-swilling, bad-taco-eating, projectile-vomiting temple. And it is because of that attitude that I am pleased to bring you this public service announcement courtesy of the American College of Sports Medicine.

As we vainly try to make up for our errant ways by training harder, there is so much junk science out there that (un)informs opinion on exercise and nutrition it's always a pleasant surprise to find gems of theory and evidence. Enter the ACSM official position statements, two of which were recently updated earlier this year in their publication Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

The two papers are Nutrition and Athletic Performance and Progression Models in Resistance Training for Health Adults (that's weight training for all us mouth-breathers). Both are chock full of good advice backed by sound science. Each paper does the additional service of classifying the nature of the evidence from Excellent (double-blind randomized clinical trials involving genetic twins separated at birth) to Downright Shitty (my cousin Dave works out every day in prison and he says...). Free. Expert. Sold.

Download ACSM position stands

Jansport Tahoma pack

Jansport has been quietly making some nice little - and not-so-little - backcountry packs for a while now. The Tahoma is an alpine-flavored 75L/4,600ci pack that weighs in at just 4lb 4oz with plenty of features.

Dual ice axe loops with rip-and-stick keepers, dual water bottle pockets, zippered mesh pocket on the hip belt and even a helmet compatible top lid make the Tahoma suitable for moderate alpine routes. A side zippered stash pocket high up on the main bag is great for maps. The top lid floats and doubles as a lumbar pack, and there are compression straps for dialing in the load. The fit is plenty adjustable and various components can be removed to lighten the load further.

The Tahoma carries nicely, and feels sturdy for such a light pack. The profile is narrow enough that it feels maneuverable, and the zipper pulls work well with gloves. The keepers on the straps are a great touch, as anyone who has been brutally whipped in a high wind by flying pack straps will attest. It's hydration compatible with a clip for your hose, and there's a gear loop on the waist belt as well. The Tahoma is a great deal: lightweight, sturdy and feature complete, and while your load might break your back the price won't.

$198.95 (on sale from $280.00) at Sunny Sports

Datexx ULTRABattery charger

Let's face it, the backcountry experience occasionally requires a little electronic assist: avalanche beacon, cell phone, GPS, laptop, camera, MP3 player, personal massage device (hey man, it's not for me...), you get the idea. But what happens when the battery dries up and the fun goes away? ULTRABattery to the rescue!

The Datexx ULTRABattery is a nifty little unit that uses a USB port and cable with various adapters to charge stuff. I used it travelling recently - did I mention it's the only unit of this type that is FAA approved? - and it repeatedly charged my BlackBerry and camera with no problems. Even after multiple charges it wasn't drained, and the cool thing is you can press a button on the front and a charge remaining indicator lights up.

It comes with a USB adapter and a bunch of common cell phone tips. There's a USB jack as well so you can plug devices in directly. It's funny, I'm always complaining about batteries running down, and now I can't remember the last time I went on that particular rant. Oh wait, I remember now: it was the time I didn't bring the ULTRABattery. Lesson learned.

$26.05 at Amazon.com

Black Crater Cord Lock Light

The small but useful category is getting a workout these days. Black Crater, a name synonomous with Sarah Palin's political future, brings us the Cord Lock Light. You'll never guess what it is or what it does.

It's a light... that locks... on a cord! It's quite cool, a high-visibility yellow cord lock of standard size that contains an LED light and three-position switch. The three lighting options are low, high and flash, although there's not a significant illumination difference between low and high except in battery life: 20 hours versus 12, with 50 hours for the strobe function.

Light output is equivalent to other small LED keychain-style lights, as is cost, but you're getting a perfectly serviceable cord lock in the deal. The Cord Lock Light weighs all of a quarter-ounce and the possibilities are endless: sleeping bags, backpacks, keychains, jackets, nipple ring, you name it. It's water-resistant, but I didn't have the heart to give it a submersive test because, well, it's really quite useful and I don't want to destroy it.

UPDATE: Black Crater said I could submerge it so I did. Turns out it still works. OK, I'm impressed.

$10.00 at REI