Let’s be honest, I’m a gear nerd. I love trying new stuff, reviewing it, and sharing my experiences with you. I remember when I started running I was always asking the question, “What gear would be good for what situation?” and what’s funny is I’m getting that question a LOT from a lot of you! Now that I’ve trained and race in all sorts of conditions and distances, I’m getting more confident in my decisions [...]

Hello, my name is Ethan Newberry and I am an Ultra Runner. Hot DAMN, I’ve been waiting to say those words for awhile now! After running (we’ll just call it “moving”) this race, I feel comfortable saying them and damn it feels good to get it out there. The Leona Divide 50 Miler was my very first 50 miler race, my first run longer than 32 miles, and it gave me a taste of what [...]

Well, the announcement just came through my inbox and I have verified that it’s true, Newton has announced a new shoe to their line-up due July 17th. They are calling it the Newton EnergyNR. Well, I can say without a doubt that these excite me. I’m only going off of the small press shots that they’ve included, but the shoes have the 5 lugs I’m familiar with on the MV2 (and that I like), they also [...]

This pack is awesome. While it fits more like a vest (which I’m glad to see is the new general trend in hydration packs overall), the XA Skin Pro 10+3 pack has quite a few bells and whistles that take this pack to the next level. I’ve been playing around a lot with various hydration systems and so far, this one is my go-to for the long runs. I’ve managed to stick pants, a jacket, [...]

It takes a bold man to wear tights, and an even bolder man to wear 3/4 length tights. Lucky for you, I am that man. I’ve rocked these suckers for a few months now through the brutal SoCal winter (sarcasm) and love ‘em. They definitely proved durable and comfortable through various weather conditions/climates so I give them kudos. I definitely recommend these for those in-between days where it’s too cold for shorts and too warm [...]

It’s no secret how much I love the Brooks PureGrit 1. Despite that shoe having a major traction flaw, I still consider it one of my favorite trails shoes – especially for the dry socal trails I run on. When the PureGrit 2 was released, I was stoked to learn they almost certainly addressed all of our traction concerns. Unfortunately, that’s not all Brooks changed. A stiff outsole, a hefty upper made of thick and [...]

First of all, this review is a little different than normal. StrideBox isn’t a product so much as it is a service that provides products. The idea – which has existed in other industries for awhile – is simple. The customer pays a monthly fee – in this case $15 – and is delivered a box of surprise goods each month. The question I wanted to determine was if the $15 box was worth the [...]

How can one complain about a run when they were surrounded by a breathtaking ocean sunrise, rolling hills straight out of Jurassic Park, and brutal ascents followed by rollercoaster downhill singletrack. The Ray Miller 50/50 was a week ago, but the race was so beautiful, it’s been stamped in my brain (and my aching muscles) like it was this morning. This was my second ultra (The North Face EC 50k was my first) and despite [...]

The new 2013 Injinji Performance 2.0 line of toe socks are AWESOME. I’ve worn my fair share of these foot-beasts and can vouch for not only their comfort, but their ability to get you through long races unscathed. I was hesitant about toe socks after a pretty bad experience with Five Fingers, but once you get them on and log a few runs with them, you’ll see what I mean. Also, with the new 2.0 [...]

Hell to the yes! I’m giving away an awesome Injinji prize pack to the reader who follows all of the below instructions, submits their responses on my facebook page, and is deemed the winner by their peers!! This will be a 3 part challenge: Pic Identification, Fill In The Blank, and Likes (specifics below!). PLEASE FOLLOW THE STEPS PRECISELY! This is the first time I’m doing an interactive giveaway like this, so it’s more of [...]