KEEN Tryon WP: Designed for Adventure, Built to Last

Blurring the lines between hiking boots and adventure shoes, KEEN’s stylish and rugged water proof Tryon lets you hike deep into the backcountry with cool, sure-footed determination. As noted in our First Look, these fast and furious adventure shoes are loaded with features that will give you a much needed assist in tearing up the trails.

The Tryon is built to last: Even after canyon-country abuse, the Tryon’s abrasion resistant and breathable textile mesh upper showed only normal wear and tear, while the sole held up better than average for a shoe this light. Every step on rock-strewn trails and slush-covered slick rocks in California’s Auburn Recreation Area felt secure thanks to the Tryon’s tacky low-profile tread. Add to that the stone-bruising protection plate and patented rubber Toe Guards and our tester’s feet were well protected against those nasty rocks and polished roots on expeditions around Lake Tahoe.

KEEN designed the Tryon with a higher cut providing ankle protection without limiting range of motion while KEEN’s S3 Heel support structure kept our field testers heel locked securely and comfortably providing greater stability and overall traction.

A removable metatomical footbed cradles the natural contours of your foot so your dogs aren’t barking at you the last few miles of your adventure. 
To make the footbed even more comfortable, KEEN adds their ZORB stroble technology providing exceptional shock absorption in the knees and ankles so your legs won't be tired when Lake Tahoe's South Shore night life comes calling.  

The Tryon also features KEEN.DRY, KEEN's proprietary waterproof, breathable membrane that lets vapor out without letting water in. Over the course of our review period, the Tryon’s proved to be exceptionally breathable and remained bone dry whether crisscrossing babbling brooks or standing in a stream to lend a hand to hiking companions.

Now let's get scientific... Research has shown that even 1 or 2 ounces of extra weight on your feet exponentially increases your oxygen use, taxing your cardiovascular system and wearing you out.  Which is why you can trek light knowing your Tryons weigh in at about 13 oz (for a size 9 shoe) - less than many competitors.  

Room for Improvement...
For a company known for providing plenty of room in the toe-box the KEEN Tryon has a more slender front end than some other shoes in the KEEN Trailhead Line-up - something that hikers with a larger-sized foot may notice on long downhill descents. If you think this may be a problem for your particular foot, simply size up 1/2.  

Secondly, while our field team revelled in the competence of these shoes on quick hit mountain and backcountry exploits, the general consensus was they could use a little more arch support for general every day use.

Bottom Line...
Hardcore ruggedness and comfort come together in the KEEN Tryon providing a quick and aggressive platform for your feet on trips where you’d rather cover lots of ground instead of carry lots of gear.  From shimmying down ravines in old quarry’s to rock hoping in Tahoe’s Zypher Cove and tackling trails in between, the KEEN Tryon has proven to be a responsive, versatile and durable shoe for outdoor enthusiasts living by the fast and light motto.

SeasonFive Apparel... Thrive In All Seasons

“Once we rid ourselves of traditional thinking we can get on with creating the future” – James Bertrand

As an outdoor enthusiast you already know that proper layering is one of the most fundamental concepts in outdoor recreation. This method of dressing allows you to regulate your temperature by peeling-off or putting-on clothing layers -- clothes that together wick moisture, insulate and protect from wind and rain. But what if there was a product that truly protected you from all that Mother Nature throws your way, without compromising your freedom of movement or agility?

Enter SeasonFive, a watersports and outdoors apparel start-up is working to introduce a new way of looking at apparel for the water sports and outdoor enthusiast communities.

Warmer than a rash guard, yet more breathable and flexible than a wetsuit, the cornerstone of the SeasonFive apparel line is the Atmost1.0 proprietary fabric blend. Engineered to block outside elements such as water, wind, UV rays the fabric still allows vapor and heat to be released, keeping you comfortable and protected when Mother Nature gets a little aggressive. Developed with minimal seams and muscle supporting stretch, SeasonFive gear also adds an element of compression technology.

SeasonFive offered the Gumption Gear crew an opportunity to test their new Barrier Shorts and Unisex Leg Sleeves both part of the ultimate layering system for extra support, performance and insulation.

Intended to be used as a stand-alone piece or with SeasonFive leg sleeves for ultimate layering, the waterproof nature of the Barrier Shorts make them the ideal gear for an outing in the kayak or on the paddle board.  For those longing to satisfy their more adventurous side, these are the perfect attire for that Tough Mudder Race you've been itching to run.  

The Barrier Shorts offer the insulation, breathability and water resistance of Atmost1.0. The men’s shorts have a 10 inch inseam and the women's shorts have a four inch inseam measurement- but neither has an actual inseam meaning you can revel in your adventures and never give a second thought to a potential unfriendly rash from skin abrasion.

Hitting the pavement on those early a.m. sessions before the sun crept up over the horizon, our field team took note of the Barrier Shorts two primary benefits.  First, the Barrier Shorts played a significant role in regulating core body temperature, ergo eliminating the need for excessive layering.  And since the fabric is breathable, you never feel like you're stuck suffering in a rubber suit trying to cut weight for your next MMA appearance. 

Second, the shorts - as well as the leg sleeves provide the fit and feel of compression gear helping to keep the muscles supported no matter what your outdoor escapades entail.  Additionally, if you're a trail runner, the sleeves come with the added benefit of protecting your legs from small scratches abrasions and nasty things like poison ivy on the trail.   

Room for Improvement…
When our team received the shorts we were informed that they were designed with wet and sloppy conditions in mind (ie rafting, kayaking, biking).  While the barrier shorts excel in virtually any amphibious adventure and those cool morning runs, using the Barrier Shorts for an afternoon of bombing down fire trails on your Mountain Bike may not be the ideal use. Our field tester, a former professional cyclist, noted that the two seams running along the inside of the hip flexor could leave the serious rider with potential saddle sores after a three hour ride. 

When it comes to the Unisex Leg Sleeves the biggest grievance offered by our field team was the difficulty in removing them quickly.  Admittedly, our female field guru liked the idea of having stand alone sleeves for the calves - she even enjoyed the compression feel.  However, after using the sleeves on training runs, she denoted her preference for either one piece leggings or the stand alone shorts rather than using the shorts and sleeves together.

The Bottom Line...
SeasonFive has boldly stepped out of the traditional apparel paradigm to bring the outdoor enthusiast a product line-up designed to help you perform in any condition with greater comfort and protection from the elements.  If you're amphibious by nature, or simply looking for a more effective way to eliminate excessive layering without compromising on performance, then SeasonFive has got you covered!

First Look: KEEN Tryon WP Adventure Shoes

You have an epic new day hike planned, but it requires a lengthy approach over a labyrinth of demanding landscape. If that’s the case, you may want to lace up the lightweight KEEN Tryon Shoe and scramble your way to the mountain top.
These fast and furious adventure shoes are loaded with features that will give you a much needed assist in tearing up the trail.

KEEN.DRY™ waterproof breathable membrane keeps your feet dry even when you’re forced to slog through mountain streams. An abrasion resistant and breathable textile mesh upper helps keep your feet cool while trekking or celebrating your impressive conquest of the trail back at the lodge.

The KEEN.ZORB insole readily absorbs shock so that your knees don't have to while a stone bruising protection plate guards feet against nasty rocks and roots on your expedition. Tough rubber outsoles provide ultra-sticky tread that grips like a climbing shoe ensuring you have a solid foot to stand on from the urban jungle to John Muir’s favorite forests.

Initial Impressions…

Open up the KEEN box and the first thing that you’ll notice is the aesthetic awesomeness (a very technical term) of the KEEN Tryons. In the humble opinion of our field team, these might be some of the best looking kicks in the KEEN Trailhead series. Following is a round up of our crew’s initial impressions:

Quality: From the KEEN.ZORB to the patented rubber toe guards, KEEN’s commitment to quality construction and innovation are readily evident in the Tryon shoes.  Another job well done by the KEEN design team.

Fit and Feel: The Tryon delivers the lightweight, flexible and protective feel you want in a rugged off-road performance shoe. A removable metatomical, dual-density EVA footbed aids in a comfortable fit while a built-in S3 (shock, suspension, stability) support structure effectively supports the feet on impact and dissipates shock.

On initial field tests the shoes keep your heel locked securely and comfortably providing greater stability and overall traction.  Out of the box the Tryon’s felt a little snug across the top of the toe line, but time will tell if that is merely a feature of the “break-in” process.

Sizing: While not as wide in the toe box as the KEEN Targhee II, the Tryon fits true to size in terms of both length and width. That being said, if your excursions have you blitzing steep downhill terrain you may consider going up 1/2 size.

As advertised, the Tryon’s have thus far proven to be fast and aggressive without sacrificing the responsive feel you want out on the trail. Over the coming weeks our field team will continue putting the KEEN Tryons to the test to let you know if they have the gumption you need, not simply to tackle the trails, but to conquer your escapades!

Hi-Tec’s V-Lite Infinity HPi Adventure Shoes: Aggressive, Stylish & Technologically Awesome

Today, the choices when walking into a specialty outdoors or running shop can be overwhelming--the number of brands, styles and types of shoes on the market can leave even the most educated consumer flustered and confused. 

Thanks to the introduction of the Hi-Tec V-Lite Infinity HPi trail running shoes, all those other options may no longer be necessary.

Out of the box, the first thing you’ll notice is the HPi’s gorgeous exterior which brilliantly balances the aggressive technical nature of the shoe with aesthetically pleasing lines.  Our own pair of HPi’s are similar to the Dark Grey/Infinity Green/Silver version, pictured on the right.  There are two other color options Olive/Taupe/Sunflower and Red/Black/Silver.  We dig our green/silvers, but you can’t go wrong with any of the color schemes. 

But the HPi’s are more than just another pretty face in the world of adventure/trail shoes.  Developed with extensive input from Martin Dreyer (world adventure racing champion) and the shoe of choice for trail runner Mike Fanning, everything about these adventure shoes screams “technologically gifted”.

To start with, the shoes utilize ion-mask hydrophobic technology - what Hi-Tec refers to has a “breakthrough in surface enhancement”.  Ready for this nugget?  Ion-mask™ was originally developed for military clothing designed to repel chemical agents but now Hi-Tec is on the forefront of pioneering the introduction of ion-mask™ in the footwear industry.   

According to the Hi-Tec website ion-mask works at a molecular level, binding invisibly to the surfaces of products, giving them an extraordinary ability to repel most liquids.  While this doesn't make the shoe waterproof, it does mean you'll end up carrying less of the muddy water from the trail around with you, keeping your running shoes light.

Speaking of weight, the V-Lite shoe construction utilizes innovation materials and technology to reduce the weight of the trainers without compromising on performance or comfort.  The HPi’s weigh in at a stellar 300 grams per shoe ensuring that it’s not only light and fast on the trail but provides for a stellar transition from path to pavement and serves the runner equally well on both.

Problem with hotspots and blisters?  Not anymore!  Seamless Upper Zone Engineering reduces hotspots and blisters by minimizing joins and edges inside the shoe while exclusively-designed dual density Vibram outsoles provide incredible traction and durability even over some of the most technical and wet terrain.

Whether intentional or not, we felt as though the traction provided by these quality outsoles pay great homage to the history of Hi-Tec’s hiking boots.

Moving to the midsole, Hi-Tec's custom dual density midsole helps control over-pronation, harnessing the runner’s energy by distributing the stride force through the pressure in the shoe and maximizing the running gait meaning you can run more effeciently for longer periods of time. 

And just in case you got lost in all the finite details, all you really need to know is that these shoes provide consistent, comfortable stable footing over any and every kind of terrain. 

Designed to be breathable, comfortable and technical, the HPi easily tackled whatever obstacle we put before it making these the perfect multi use shoes for everyone from the casual trail runner to the elite adventure enthusiasts.  A job well done by Hi-Tec!

We've posted Hi-Tec's video discussing the V-Lite Infinity series below... it's well worth the watch: