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 [...]

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 [...]

This last weekend, caked in mud, sweat and tears, I completed my very first ultra marathon – something I NEVER thought I’d be able do if you asked me a few years ago. This wasn’t just any ultra, this was the insanity that was The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship 50k race in the Marin Headlands of San Francisco. By now, some of you may have heard the stories, the gossip, and the legends of [...]

BROOKS PURE CONNECT I FINALLY get to review the Brooks PureConnect. Its a dynamite reduced-running shoe with a smooth, fast, flexible ride. The BioMogo is super soft and the shoe fills that niche of low-drop and extra-cushioned shoe nicely. The shoe felt narrow at first, right out of the box, but actually running in them proved they do expand enough to be comfortable (those with wider sized feet, try them on first. I’ve heard the [...]

SALOMON XA SMARTSKIN SOFTSHELL JACKET After putting this jacket through the Ginger Runner gauntlet, I’m confident in saying it’s a dynamite piece of gear. I was looking for something to wear on my runs during the rainy months, cold evenings, and early foggy trail mornings. Salomon has a huge variety of choices, all at different pricepoints and features, and this was the perfect choice. Good job, me! It has the right amount of weather resistance, light [...]

I really enjoy running in the Newton MV2 (“MV Squared”). This sucker is light and fast, exactly what it was designed to do. While I love it for anything from 5ks to 10ks (and it’s capable of MUCH more), I haven’t been able to wear it on anything longer than a half marathon without soreness. But that could be due to my weak, weak, ginger legs. One of the major changes from other Newton shoes is [...]

I’ve spent the last few months running trails on and off in this shoe. Salomon does an amazing job with the Speedcross 3. It’s rugged, relatively light, fast, and grippy. Not having run in earlier iterations of the Speedcross, I can’t speak to the changes from the previous versions, but I can stand by the solidity of this model. The lugs allow for constant grip on softer surfaces, even performing beyond expectation on snow and [...]

Wow, I never thought I’d say this, but I may want to marry a pair of shorts. The two of us had a scrumptious, albeit brief (haha, get it!?), love affair over the last 2 months and I think their the one. I’m in love. With a pair of shorts. Now I can’t just say this without telling you why, now can I? Here’s my ye’ olde review of the Salomon EXO II Wings TW shorts. SALOMON [...]