It’s finally happened. We’ve entered the final month of the great Live Outside and Play tour of 2017. It might be 85 degrees today but the leaves are bursting with color here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Fall is upon us and in Colorado, our Elevation Outdoors team is enjoying a bit of early season snow. We’d say it’s bittersweet, but honestly, we’re just a bit bitter. Van life has been good to us and moving back into a real house for the winter seems a little daunting. We’re going to miss it out here on the road! Now, It is with much excitement and great anticipation that we deliver to you our final Gear on the Go for Live Outside and Play 2017.
Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium
When we’re packing for a journey into the backcountry, our Aeros Pillow Premium always makes the cut. At 2.8 ounces this packable pillow inflates to 5 inches thick. The ultra soft, stretch-knit outer covering is WAY more comfortable than the balled up pile of clothes that you hiked in the day before.
Just like you, we like our packs to be as light as possible but a good nights sleep in the backcountry is so much more valuable to us than saving 2.8oz. We wake up well rested, without a stiff neck, and ready to take on whatever adventure lies ahead. The outside material of the Aeros Premium is brushed 50D polyester knit and it is crazy soft. It also features a synthetic fill between the outer pillowcase and the internal bladder that increases comfort and wicks away perspiration. It comes with its own stuff sack and packs down to the size of a small apple. When it’s inflated it fits perfectly into our mummy bags so it doesn’t slide around while we’re sleeping. Last but not least, it features a multifunctional valve that allows you to inflate it quickly, and also slowly release pressure so you can get the perfect firmness.
RovR RollR 60
We affectionately refer to our RovR RollR 80 as our snack machine, fridge, and go-to when the going gets tough and our tummies start rumbling. RovR products have outdone themselves and created a brand new, slightly smaller, generation of cooler. We take great joy in introducing the RovR RollR 60.
RovR Products is relatively new to the cooler market. We’ve been testing their RollR 80 for 7 months now and we couldn’t be happier with it. This ultra tuff rotomolded cooler allows us to keep plenty of fresh meat and produce in the van and we only have to buy ice once every 7-10 days. It’s been certified bear resistant—even grizzlies weren’t able to break into it.
The RollR 60 is decked out with features that coolers have needed since the dawn of the cold beverage market. First and foremost are the wheels. The RovR comes with air-filled puncture resistant tires that makes this cooler a breeze to pull to your campsite, down the beach, or all over a festival. It also features a built-in (and removable) dry bin that allows you to keep half of your cooler ice cold, but free from ice or cooler water. It’s refreshing to be able to organize a cooler like you would organize your fridge.
This thing really is the do-it-all of the cooler world. It has a pop-up bin on top that acts as a wagon and you can even tow it with your bike. There’s still time to support the RollR 60 on IndieGoGo and receive an incredible deal.
Lowe Alpine Tensor 15
The days are getting shorter and we don’t have the time to worry about which pack we’re going to take on our next day hike, ridge scramble, or bike ride. Unless we’re overnighting, our Tensor 15 from Lowe Alpine is the pack we automatically reach for when prepping for the day’s adventures.
This pack has a clean design which is just what we want when we’re high on a ridge because you know it won’t get caught on a rock. It’s lightweight, strong and manages to have all of the features that we want in a small pack. Just like many of our favorite Lowe Alpine packs, it has “Tip Grippers.” These are unique trecking pole holders that have TPU grips for poles with spikes and pull out elastic loops for poles with rubber tips. It has a loop to attach a light if you are riding a bike, and side compression straps to stabilize your load.
The Robic 210D Shadow Ripstop fabric used to make this pack is 10 denier nylon with a 6.6 ripstop grid weave, which makes a crazy strong pack and ensures that the Tensor 15 stays as light as possible.
The Tensor 15 is simple, strong, and comfortable which is why we use it so often. Ours has taken an absolute beating this summer and while it is a bit dirty, we’re confident it will last us years to come.
P.S. – Just because it’s our final month doesn’t mean we’re winding down. We still have two excellent festivals (Roanoke GO Outside Festival and Bridge Day in Fayetteville, WV.) as well as trail building in Greenvillevile, SC and the much-anticipated Pisgah National Forest Cleanup with The Hub in Brevard, NC.
As with every event we attend, we will be repping our sponsors and their awesome gear! You can check out first hand what we use on the road to live outside and play, including gear from La Sportiva, Crazy Creek, National Geographic, RovR Products, Sea to Summit, Mountain House, LifeStraw, and Lowe Alpine.
