The Rock Fight x Geartrade Takeover #3 - Tales From The Trail

Welcome back to THE ROCK FIGHT’s Geartrade Blog Take Over! I’m Colin True, the Rock Fight Podcast host and your guest blogger for the next few days. So to catch up, GearTrade sent me a section of UnNew items for me to put through the paces of my normal outdoor life (which you can read about here). Last week I took the gear for a surf and coffee (and you can check that out here). Today, we’re heading out on the trails for a little huck fest and night hike.

Activity #2: Mountain Biking

The Gear:

• O’Neill T-shirt
• The Adventure Kilt?

There might not be any bike-specific kit in this box, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to get a ride in! Even if that means bringing Salsa Sally The Pink Timberjack on my ‘backyard’ trail, wearing nothing but a t- t-shirt and the kilt! Two things about that last statement.

1. 1. 1. If you listened to prior episodes, you might know my stance against mountain bike suspension. So it may come as a surprise to hear I didn’t take Kimmie The Karate Monkey out on this ride. The truth is that the routes on this particular mountain are steep, bouldery, and loose, so I take the Timberjack (which has a front suspension fork) on these trails.
2. After my surfing experience, I figured the Adventure Kilt might have been my good luck idol and I should wear nothing but the kilt at all times. Alas, I had to demur. It was too long and definitely a risk of getting caught in my rear wheel, so I opted for bike shorts instead. I apologize for prioritizing safety over the comedy of zipping around on my bike in a kilt. It won’t happen often.

Report

This was a quickie. A good climb, a good sweat, and thankfully nothing too yard sale about the trail. The O’Neill t-shirt did exactly what it had to do. In this case, fitting comfortably has the right proportion of wicking to exertion, and prevents me from looking like a psycho who goes mountain biking without a shirt on. And isn’t that what the local trails are all about?

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Activity #3: Hiking

The Gear:

• O’Neill t-shirt
• Adventure Kilt
• Nite Ize dog collar

Quick story first. I used to regularly attend the Outdoor Retailer trade show. Back in the day, it was a pretty big deal. With thousands of people in attendance, it was easy for people to blend into a sea of short-sleeved plaid and fleece pullovers. However, there was this one retail buyer from the southeast who stood out every time. It wasn’t his long hair, or ‘hey dude’ aura, rather it was his ever-present kilt that made him stand out on the trade show floor. Not like a traditional Scottish kilt, but a cotton twill utility kilt. As if Carhartt made a kilt for construction workers and outdoor enthusiasts. When I pulled the Adventure Kilt out of the Geartrade box, I couldn’t help but think of this guy and his devotion to utility. While I’ve never felt the urge to even try on a kilt, I have to admit, I was now kind of stoked about the prospect of seeing what it’s like to go hiking in a kilt. Adventure forward… To make the most of my gear, I chose a night hike on another ‘backyard’ peak. With my dog Blue, who would also serve as my headlamp with her new green Nite Ize dog collar. This was supposed to just be hyperbole until I realized I, foolishly, forgot my damn headlamp. Going on a night hike and forgetting your headlamp is how those ‘Rescued Hiker Found Frozen by Fear of Dark’ stories start out. (Unrelated, ‘Rescued Hiker Found Frozen’ would be a great name for your band's next album. Please credit me in the liner notes.) Out of the gate, I thought maybe I would become a permanent kilt hiking convert. While I didn’t go full ‘historically accurate’ (I donned some SmartWool boxer briefs as a ‘base layer’) the freedom of movement was pretty great. Could my appreciation of the skort be just behind? Yes, it just might. Although I promised back in Blog #1 to wear my Bedrock’s, the trail is notoriously steep and rocky. Freestyling might be okay with the Adventure Kilt at night, but I’m a bit more protective of my exposed toes, so I opted for my Altra Lone Peaks instead. Nighttime also made for perfect hiking weather, while decreasing the risk of running into anyone who may wonder if this weirdo hiking in a kilt may murder them and leave them for the coyotes. On second thought, it might have actually increased this perception. Oh well.

Report

As with mountain biking, the O’Neill t-shirt performed as expected (and needed). The Adventure Kilt was fine. I do appreciate the novelty that comes with being the ‘kilt guy.’ But if I’m honest, I’m gonna stick to shorts. Maybe Jorts. I don’t think I’m a kilt guy. However, the real winner on this outing was the Nite Ize dog collar. Blue is a very dark-coated, fluffy mini Aussie who easily blends into the darkness. Not only did the Nite Ize collar cast light that allowed her to be seen by anyone, but it also illuminated her neck in a way that told me that we have to incorporate the collar into this year’s Halloween costume. Can you say, Cujo? What I can also report to you I think I need to be more of a night hike guy. Any time I’ve gone for a night hike, night ride, or night run I’ve loved it. The quietness. The lack of stimulation. The fear of being mauled by unseen large animals. It all makes for a uniquely thrilling experience and something I don’t do nearly enough. Like yoga or getting a massage, and then after it’s over, you say, ‘Man! I should do that all the time!’ And then you don’t for like a decade. Consider me a part of the pro-night hiking caucus.

FINAL SCORE

Geartrade Box O’ Stuff versus The Trail: 8 out of 10 The Adventure Kilt experiment was fun. The O’Neill T-shirt was comfortable. But the Nite Ize dog collar wins the day. Come back on Thursday for the last installment where I wrap up the week's gear. And be sure to listen to The Rock Fight on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rock-fight-an-outdoor-podcast-that-aims-for-thehead/id1654929486