Video: Exploring Ireland's Donegal Region

Ireland's remote Donegal region, located in the remote northeast section of the country, is home to some amazing landscapes, including a series of impressive sea stacks just off the coastline. Over the past few years, climber Iain Miller has been exploring the region and climbing those stacks, while documenting his adventures online. He has even created a series of YouTube videos to better show off the area. The one below will give you sense of what Donegal has to offer, and I have to say, it looks like quite a destination.

Adventures in... Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia isn't a destination that typically ranks high on the list of places for adventure travelers to visit, but my friend Richard Bangs recently shared his experiences there, which included visits to museums and historical sites, camping in the Empty Quarter, and a dizzying array of other wonders, both modern and ancient.

Richard describes the Kingdom as the "hardest place in the world to visit," but yet he finds plenty of friendly, accommodating people that welcomed him. Along the way he had the opportunity to explore some truly amazing places, including the Lost City of Qaryat Al Fau – the remains of a civilization that dates back to 1 B.C. – and the tombs of Qasr Al Farid, which are carved out of a single giant sandstone monolith in the desert.

Most visitors to Saudi Arabia come on a religious pilgrimage, although there is a tourism sector there that is growing slowly. The country has very restrictive visa restrictions, which include requiring visitors to have a sponsor before they arrive. Most visa are issued for business purposes only, with general tourism still remaining mostly off limits. In fact, the only company that currently offers regular tours of the Kingdom is Mountain Travel Sobek, which Richard is a co-founder of.

Read more about his adventures in Saudi Arabia in this article from HuffPo, and if you're looking for something a little closer to home, Richard also has details on what he calls "far and away, flat out, the West's best road trip."

Gear Closet: Altra StashJack Lightweight Running Jacket

Fall is here, which means cooler weather and unpredictable conditions that can make it much more challenging to know how to dress for our favorite outdoor activities. On some days you need a jacket, and on others you don't. And then of course there are those times when unexpected rain showers strike, making you wish you had brought a jacket with you even though you didn't think it was needed. That's exactly where the new StashJack from Altra comes in handy. It is a super lightweight option that has been so well designed that you won't ever have to decide whether or not you should bring it on your adventures.

A quick look at the technical specs for the StashJack provides some insights into why it is such a nice piece of kit. For example, it weighs just 3.3 ounces (93.5 grams), provides protection from both wind and rain, and it features a loose, tapered fit that gives your body room to move while taking part in fast-paced activities. It also includes some reflective highlights to help keep the wearer more visible in low conditions, and it is made with trimmed and flat locked seams that make it more comfortable to wear.

But, that is really just the beginning. Because what makes the StashJack so special is its ability to be stuffed into a tiny carrying pouch that comes complete with a built-in adjustable belt. This gives you the ability to wear the jacket around your waist until you truly need it, at which time it can be deployed in a matter of seconds without ever having the need to stop moving at all. The jacket even features an open back that is designed to wrap around your pack so you won't even have to remove it to put the jacket on.


This clever design comes our way from the team at Altra, a company focused on making excellent products for runners and hikers. Already this year I have reviewed both their Superior 2.0 trail running shoes and Lone Peak 3.0 hiking boots. In both cases, I came away very impressed with how comfortable and well made those products are. The StashJack doesn't disappoint in anyway either, only further increasing my confidence in Altra gear.

I've worn the StashJack on several runs this fall when I thought there was a chance of rain. On a couple of those occasions I managed to put in my milage before the bad weather set in, which normally would have annoyed me since I had brought a jacket along for no reason. But in this case, the StashJack attached securely to my waist, and because it is so lightweight, I pretty much forgot that it was even there. The included belt kept the jacket from bouncing around while I moved and it did nothing to impede my natural running movements.

On a couple of other occasions dark clouds did decide to open up and drop some rain on me while I ran. It was at those times that I was very happy to have this jacket along for the ride. I was able to quickly and easily pull it out of its stash pouch and put it on, taking just a few seconds to wrap myself in lightweight protection from the elements. This allowed me to happily continue with my workout without getting soaked to the bone.

It should be pointed out that the StashJack is made to be wind and water resistant, which means in more severe storms it can soak through, and heavy winds will still bring a chill to your body. But considering the fact that it weighs just 3.3 ounces, it performs quite well, even in those more demanding situations.

You don't have to be a runner to appreciate what the StashJack brings to the table. Hikers will certainly find this an appealing product as well. It's combination of convenience and svelte design make it a great choice for travel too, allowing you to wear it where ever you go, and instantly have a light jacket that you can pull on at a moments notice.

Priced at $130, the StashJack is more expensive than many will probably want to pay. But it is surprisingly durable for its size and packs in a high level of performance. If you're a daily runner (like me), you'll find this is a jacket you'll want to own. Having it in your gear closet for other occasions, like going on a day hike or traveling to a foreign city where rain is in the forecast, extends its value beyond just my regular workouts. Yes, it is possible to find a rain jacket at lower price, but you'll be hard pressed to find one that offers such versatility as well. For me, that makes the asking price well worth it.

Get one for yourself at Altra.com. And don't forget to grab one for the runner on your holiday shopping list too.

Video: Ultrarunning - The Pleasure and the Pain

"If you're going to be an ultrarunner you need to embrace suffering." So says 65-year old ultrarunner Errol "The Rocket" Jones, the subject of this excellent video from REI. In the 5-minute clip we get to meet Errol, learn about his philosophy of running, and watch him as he trains on the spectacular Bay Area Ridge Trail near San Francisco. Over the years, he has picked up quite a bit of wisdom about the sport, and it can serve as inspiration for the rest of us, even if we're running more modest distances. This is a story of perseverance and persistence, which can see you through just about any challenge in life.

Video: A Photographer's Search for the Perfect Moment

If you're even remotely interested in photography, you probably have, at times, gone to great lengths to capture the perfect moment in an image. In this video, we join photographer David Fontneau as he travel into remote and wild places to seek those same moments himself. Along the way, he captures some amazing photos and video of landscapes that are simply breathtaking to behold. Capturing these images isn't easy, but the rewards can be seen in the final product. These are the moments that many people don't even notice, but the camera captures oh so well.

 In Search of a Moment - 4K from David Fontneau on Vimeo.

Outside Gives Us the 5 Best Pieces of Gear From Interbike

A few weeks back, some of the top brands in the cycling industry descended on Las Vegas for the annual Interbike International Expo conference. Each year, that convention lays out the latest trends in the cycling industry and gives us a sneak preview of the best new products that are coming in the months ahead. And while reports indicate that attendance was a bit down this year, there were still some interesting things to show of. In fact, Outside magazine has collected their five favorite items that they saw at Interbike, and has posted them online for eager cyclists to discover.

The list includes a $20 bell from Kong, a sweet bike from Rawland Cycles, a new hitch-rack from RockyMounts, a light from Fabric, and a bike helmet with bone-conducting technology that allows you to safely listen to your tunes on a ride. Each of the products on the list is distinct and different, but each brings some good innovation to the table as well.

While not quite as exciting as Outside's list of favorite gear from Outdoor Retailer back in August, cyclists will no doubt appreciate these items nonetheless. After all, technology is making our rides safer and more enjoyable than ever before, and this is just a small sampling of what is to come in the weeks ahead. Plus, each of these five products was impressive enough to catch the attention of Outside editors, which should tell you that they are all very impressive in some way.

Fall may be in the air, but it isn't time to hang up your bike just yet.

Adventure Tech: The iPad As Mandatory Mountaineering Gear

There is no doubt that technological advances have altered expeditions to the remote corners of the globe, giving us lightweight, yet powerful gadgets that we can take with us to the ends of the Earth. This is especially true in mountaineering, where satellite Internet, lightweight laptops, and tablets have become more prevalent in recent years. The iPad in particular seems to be a popular device for those kinds of adventures, something that even Apple has taken notice of.

Recently, Apple launched a fantastic ad campaign with the theme of "What will your verse be?" The crux of the campaign is that we all add a "verse" to the poem that is life, as we share the things that we are passionate about. The iPad can be a tool to help facilitate how we write our own verse, whether its in filmmaking, photography, music, or even mountaineering.

Yesterday, Apple updated their website with a new page dedicated to showing how their tablet can be used on a mountaineering expedition. The story is entitled "Elevating the Expedition" and it shares how climbers Adrian Ballinger and Emily Harrington use their iPads on the mountain. It discusses how the device helps them prepare for a climb, how it aids during the acclimatization process, and how it plays into the summit push. Other interesting segments include a look at their essential gear – iPad included of course – and profiles of some of their favorite mountains, such as Kilimanjaro, Ama Dablam, and Everest.

While this may be a marketing piece for Apple, it is also an interesting case study for the rest of us. It offers interesting insights into how the iPad can be put to good use on a climb. Definitely worth a read for anyone interested in expedition technology.