OV Blog

Most UNDERRATED Piece Of Gear - When To Use A Windbreaker

What if I told you that throwing on extra jackets & layers when you are cold might be the WRONG thing to do? That's right. While extra insulat...

You've Been Lied To About Sleeping Pads (Understanding Sleeping Pad Warmth & the ASTM R-Value Standard)

Sleeping pad R-value ratings can be all over the map. When one company tells you their pad has a 5 R-value, another company might have a pad with a...

10 lb. Gear List for Hiking The Appalachian Trail

Knowing what to bring when planning a thru-hike like the AT can be daunting. Not only do you need gear that's light enough to carry for months, bu...

Gifts Under $50 For Ultralight Backpackers - 2023

Ultralight backpacking could be considered by some to be a fairly affordable hobby... But getting the best performance gear for backcountry experie...

Outdoor Vitals Brand New Gear From 2022

Ever since March of 2020, there has been a boom of interest in getting outside more to enjoy time in Mother Nature. The most effective way to have ...

20 BEST Gifts For Ultralight Backpackers - 2022 Gift Guide

Shopping for ultralight backpackers means you've got to know what performance gear & technologies to look for. Any clunky or heavy sleeping ba...

10 Clothing Items Are All You Need - Adaptive Layering In the Outdoors

As backpackers, we need a collection of clothing that functions as tools to allow us to remain active in the backcountry as long as we want, in any...

Kinetic Layering - What You MUST Know About Active Clothing

The kinetic collection consists of the clothing worn while active and on the move. Some clothing in the Kinetic collection will be worn more frequ...

Protective Layering - Staying Safe & Comfortable in the Backcountry

The protective collection's purpose is to reduce or prevent heat loss from evaporative cooling and convection, and provide protection from insects....

Static Layering - The Right Temperature On Every Trip

The clothing pieces in the Static Collection are worn when we’re stationary, not active. Any time we stop throughout the day for more than a few mi...