Surf's up! Sort of.. Isle Pioneer 3 Paddleboard/Kayak Review

 

Isle Surf and Sup

Hey!  Did you forget about me?  Yes, I know, it's been a while since I've posted or blogged, but looking to get back into it.  I am also looking to get back into running some races next year (I've been volunteering this year), so stay tuned! 

Isle Pioneer 3

So, as we sit here close to Thanksgiving, and having had 2 feet of snow drop in Colorado Springs about a week ago, what better time to talk about summer adventures!   

Thanks to the great folks at Isle, I've been able to go on several adventures with my first experience with a SUP (Stand up Paddleboard), and wow it was awesome!   

I was able to try out the Isle Pioneer 3 (10'6"), with the Kayak conversion kit, which makes it super versatile.  Anyway, check out my full review below.  Happy Holidays!

Unboxing:  

Just a few pics of unboxing the Pioneer when it arrived.  I was impressed with how well everything was packed, and the weight of the complete packages comes in around 36 lbs.   I think my set was just a little heavier as it included the optional kayak seat, paddle extension and dry bag.  Also, the bag doubles as a backpack, or it has wheels to drag it around easily where ever you are headed. 

Here it is unpacked in the living room :-)

This was my first experience with a paddleboard, but it was super easy to set up.  Isle provides some fantastic first-timer videos on YouTube, as well as a set up video, so that made it simple.  I will admit however, that inflating it with the provided pump is a workout, especially at 6K ft above sea level. I did get a chance to do it at sea level, which I'll talk about later.  The D-Ring system along the edges made it super easy to install the seat and foot rest, and very easy to adjust quickly as needed. 

First outing!  

So, for my first outing, I took the Pioneer 3 up to Manitou Lake, which is just outside Woodland Park, CO and sits right around 9K ft.  In several pics you can see Pikes Peak, one of Colorado's 14'ers in the back ground.  Beautiful place, and a great place for a first try at paddleboarding. 

I went with my friend Amy, who has a Body Glove SUP, so it was great to get her feedback on comparing products.  She really liked the self sealing valve, and all the D-ring attachement features of the Isle compared to her board.  

It was also great to have someone there to give me some tips!  I did watch the first time paddleboarding videos from Isle, so that helped as well.  I started with the kayak attachements whichprovides a foot rest, and a back rest/seat, both which were inflatable. I had the additional paddle attachment which converts the SUP paddle to a kayak version.  

I love it as a kayak!  So comfortable and easy to control.   From there I switched to kneeling, after removing the seat/rest, and swapping the paddle back to a standard SUP paddle (which had some super convenient settings (based on height) to get it dialed in right. 

After getting comfortable, I made the shift to standing.  That was tricky!  At first it really feels like its not stable, as my legs were shaking like crazy.  But after standing still for a bit, and then wobbling it back and forth, my brain realized it was way more stable than I thought.  Did get to exercise some new muscles balancing for sure!  

Eventually I got comfortable standing and paddling.... too comfortable LOL.  I tried to make a hard turn by back paddling, and my weight shifted backwards, and next thing I knew I was in the water.  Here I learned that you certainly need to attach the ankle strap as I had to swim a bit to get back to the board.  And then I learned how to get back on to the board, which was good.  At least it was a mid to high 70's day (not bad at that altitude), so the water felt great :-)

woops!

Next outing, road trip!!!

So the next outing was actually during a road trip to the Seattle area.  We were headed out to visit my kids (and grand daughter), so I decided to throw the Pioneer 3 into the car.  We drive a smaller Mazda CX-5, but as you can see above, the full packed Pioneer doesn't take up much room really.  

ALSO, I had a big concern that after I unpacked it the first time, it would never fit back in the bag, as you know how that can be.  Happily, the full set up fits in the bag easily, and I can even squeeze in my PFD. 

We went out to Lake Wilderness in Maple Valley, WA, and it was just so beautiful.  And I found that pumping up the board to the recommended 15lb PSI, was a bit easier at sea level!  Something to do with molecules being more compacted.. science!  

So much fun, and so easy to bring out in the back of the car, set up, and pack up later.  Also, took my 2 year old grand daughter out on it and she LOVED it.   I don't have a pic, because her overwhelming cuteness would break the internet. 

Isle on Facebook

So there you have it, a little summer adventure to share.  If it wasn't obvious, I highly recommend Isle for the best variety and feature laden boards out there.  For a newbie, they made it super easy, and the quality is amazing.  These boards feel bullet proof, and are so easy to work with.   Check Isle out by clicking HERE, and right now the Pioneer 3 is $200 off! 

Ok, that's a wrap.  I hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday season.  I'll check in with you soon!

Happy trails!

Jeff

barefootinclined@gmail.com

BioLite Headlamp 325 and Headlamp 800 Review and Giveaway!

 

BioLite 800

Hello and happy almost Spring!  Not sure about where you are, but here in Colorado, we've had a few really nice warm sunny days, which hint at a departure from winter, but we aren't quite there. 

That being said, while the days are getting longer, there is still plenty of dark out there in the evenings and mornings, so it's always great to have a dependable headlamp. Also, stick around through this review and get rewarded with a chance to win an awesome one!

BioLite

Which of course brings me to one of my favorite companies, BioLite!  If you recall from past posts, I've had the great opportunity to test and review a variety of products from them, including the Headlamp 330/750, the Alpenglow 250 lamp, and the Charge 40 PD Powerbank.  All fantastic products! 

SolarHome 620+

Also, a great friend of mine has the SolarHome 620+ system in his off-grid cabin that a group of us spend at least two long weekends at each year.  Such an awesome system that provides plenty of light for poker playing late into the evening :-)

BioLite 325

So today, I have have the pleasure of providing a review of two new models of headlamps from Biolite. They are the next iteration of the 330 and 750, namely the 325 and 800. 

But before, I dive into that, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention just how cool BioLite is as a company.  You can read all about their mission HERE, and it's a fantastic story. 

The bottom line is, your purchases at BioLite helps drive their mission to "Empower people & Protect our Planet through access to renewable energy."  And the vision is to "provide 20 million people with access to clean energy and to avoid 3 million tons of CO2e by the year 2025."

AWESOME 

BioLite 325

Ok, lets kick it off with a look at the Headlamp 325.  This headlamp is the latest model of what was the 330 in its first iteration.  Below are the specs on this headlamp, followed by a few pics, and then I'll give you the low down on how it compares to the original 330. 

Specs:

• Weighs only 50g
• Max Output: 325 lumens
• White + Dim , Red + Dim, White Strobe, Red Strobe
• Front panel tilts downward with one hand
• 40 hours on LO, 3 hours on HIGH
• Recharge via micro USB
• Backed by the HolyFit Guarantee (try it for 30 days, and a full refund if not happy!)

This has to be one of the lightest headlamps I've tried, considering the punch it packs in a small package.  And so comfortable. I really like the enhancements and updates on this version over the 330.  Speaking of which, lets take a look at what those differences are:

So, as you can see, the 325 has shed a lot of weight by no longer having a rear mounted battery pack, but instead having one integrated unit up front. All without any loss of run time or performance.  Also, the 330 had a two light system that allowed for a spot or a flood, or a combination at 330 lumens.  The 325 sports one mode that does both, and frankly to me it seems to put out more light than the 330, which is cool.  Also the red light feature has a nicer spread in the 325 than the 330 did.   So this is a win-win... lighter and better performing and much more comfortable.  An ideal lamp for just about any outdoor use.  Not quite strong enough for me for dark trail running, or long hours, but for every other situation, fantastic (like being under my car last weekend changing the oil!)

Biolite 800

OK.. and now for the big dawg...  the Headlamp 800.  This is the next iteration of the Headlamp 750.

 Below are the specs, and then I'll give you the break down comparison:

Specs:

• Max output 800 lumens
• Dimmable red, white, strobe & burst mode
• Dimmable rear red visibility light with solid & strobe
• Front panel tilts downward with one hand
• 150 hours LOW, 7 hours HIGH, 8 hours RESERVE
• 3000 mAh li-ion battery recharges via micro USB
• Constant Mode and Run Forever settings
• Backed by our HolyFit Guarantee

Ok, so as you can see, basically the same weight and set up between the 800 and the 750.  The primary enhancements on the 800 include an increased beam distance, better run times, and a better temp use rating. 

What I like most in the 800 is the ability to do a pass through charging while in use, so you can connect a powerbank to the battery pack, effectively allowing you to run the headlamp for a long long time! The 800 also features an enhanced reserve so you don't get left in the dark, so to speak ;-) 

I love the 800 for long night runs (which I am hoping to get back to soon), and would be ideal for overnight trail runs or backpacking, especially with the ability to run the pass through charging. 

There is only one aspect of both the 750 and 800 that annoys me a bit.  Nothing to do with performance, but its the way the tilt function works on the headlamp.  I really wish it worked like the 330/325 which has a distinct ratcheting mechanism to lock the lamp in at each angle.  The 750/800 just doesn't do this nearly as well, so sometimes you have to fiddle with it.  It's a nit, but I sure hope they address in future iterations!

BioLite

OK! If  you've made it this far, thank you.  As a reward, thanks to the kind folks at BioLite, I'm giving away a new Biolite Headlamp 325 to a lucky winner!  Just review the Rafflecopter doohickey below and enter!

Contest will run through midnight MST, Tuesday March 21st, 2023 and is open to US residents only. Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks again for tuning in, and happy trails!!

Jeff

barefootinclined@gmail.com

Xeroshoes Fall Release 2022!!

 

Xeroshoes!

Hey!  

Can you believe it?  An actual blog post, versus just sharing stuff on Insta or Facebook!  Yeah.. realized that my last real post was a gift giving guide last year, and here we are almost being that time again! 

Anyway, hope any of you out there that have stuck around are doing well.  I'm doing ok... I'll admit the last 3 years have been rough. Pandemic aside, I've also lost both my parents over this time, and I've just fallen out of the realm of trail running.  However, I am feeling inspired with Fall here to get going again.  I did manage to zombie walk the 24 Hours of Palmer Lake this year after a 3 year hiatus..  I stayed awake and managed 44 miles, and that gave me a boost, so time to do some work on myself and perhaps get back to those trail ultra's I fell in love with. 

Here's a few pics :-)

Anyway.. enough about me... time to get back to reviewing some cool shoes!!

Xeroshoes!!

It's time for the Fall Release from Xeroshoes!  If you have been a follower for a while, you know I've done a lot of reviews for them, and I've been fortunate to be an affiliate partner with them since the beginning (10 years!), and the original DIY sandals! Check out my original review from October 2012 HERE!

Xeroshoes has come so far in the last 10+ years, continuously expanding their line of sandals and shoes, and continuously improving them as well.  

Today I'm excited to give you some initial impressions of three new styles out for Fall 2022 (but be sure to check them all out HERE). 

So today I've got an unboxing and initial impressions on the Mesa Trail II, Denver Boot, and the Forza Runners.  

Xeroshoes Mesa Trail II

First up is the Mesa Trail II. This is a new version of the original Mesa Trail that was released last year, and yes, they did pass the Mr. Chips seal of approval after he had a minute to sniff them :-) 

So whats new? Well, the upper has been restructured to have a softer toe cap and overall upper by using a fusing versus stitching method for the reinforcements.  So far, all great improvements over the original Mesa's.   Check out the video below for the unboxing and side by side compare:

Xeroshoes Forza Runner

OK, now we'll move off the trail and back to to road.  I know I know... but sometimes you can't get to the dirt and fun stuff and you run roads ;-)

The Forza Runner is a really cool road running shoe that has a super light and minimal feel (which is the goal!).  Also, you can see that rather than a tongue, the Forza is design more like a sock or bootie, and they are very soft inside.  As always you can remove the insole for an even more minimalist feel. 

The Forza's sport a 6mm stack height, plus a 3.5mm removable insole.  The shoe is very comfortable with or without the insole for sure.  While these 11's come in right at 8 oz, they feel much lighter. The only tricky part about these, is that they can be a little snug to get on at first, since there is no tongue to loosen, however the heavy duty loop on the heel certainly helps!  Once on though, really comfortable. 

Check out the unboxing below:

Xeroshoes Denver Boot

Ok.. finally we've left the trail for the road, and now we leave the road for a casual wear boot! The Xeroshoes Denver Boot.  This boot is made with real leather, and includes a nice and cozy flannel lining, and a super flexible minimalist sole. 

In addition to the lining, they also include a heat reflective sole, so they should be nice and warm this winter!  Also, they are water resistant, although I haven't had a chance to try that yet since the weather has been reasonably nice. 

And as you can see, a decent tread (but not crazy), and the super flexibility that you would expect from Xeroshoes.  

So, as a casual boot, these are awesome, and I look forward to wearing them more in cooler weather.  However, I did have a recent business trip (first one in ages), and I decided to snag these boots and pair them up with my business attire.  They work!  I think they look good, and better yet, they feel great.

Here is a quick unboxing of the Denver Boot:

 

So there you have it!  A quick peek into 3 of the 5 different styles just released for Fall 2022!! Check them all out by clicking HERE, and let me know what you think!

As always, feel free to leave a comment here, or find me on Instagram or Facebook. 

Happy trails!

Jeff

Barefootinclined@gmail.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: Products provided by Xeroshoes. I am proud to be a Xeroshoes affiliate and may receive compensation for referrals. #ad