Our founder Billy Brown and I spent the last week in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market to get a sneak peak at gear slated to release in the next year. No trip would be complete without the kind of shenanigans that make us stand out, and the journey had plenty of them. Here’s a quick recap on a week with Trek Tech:

The Ride - Lexus RX 450h

Photo Credit: Lexus

Luxury and comfort come in spades with this hybrid crossover, with smooth matte bamboo accents and soft leather interior; it also looks damn good. The SUV cruised cleanly across desert states, and easily navigated mountain roads, with the powerful 270 hp V6 sipping along at an impressive 25 mpg. The entertainment system was easy to navigate with a tactile joystick system, and easy to read menu layout.  The crossover’s interior had plenty of stash-points, cupholders, and even a cooling section kept frigid with AC airflow. Overall, we arrived in Utah after a 12 hour drive without the brutal travel-lag that accompanies just about every day-long roadtrip, thanks to the über comfort of this luxury SUV. So when you need to drag a ton of gear along for an adventure and you want to look like a boss doing it, the RX 450h is guaranteed to do it in style.

“Do you know why I pulled you over?” - “How long were you following me?”

The First Adventure: Arc’Teryx and Gore-Tex Summit Hike

Arc’Teryx Ascent Alpha FL

Arriving at the Cliff Lodge in Snowbird, Utah was like pulling into an Alpine Bunker complex. The hotel rose like a towering concrete monolith below rock slopes, open meadows, and crisp blue skies. While meeting with the Arc’Teryx, Gore, and Salt Lake City reps, we were  given a look at the new line of shoes which feature a fitted and removable breathable liner, laminated construction, and solid tread. The Gore-Tex models of the shoe feature Gore’s new stretch wrap-around technology for superior waterproof protection and breathable membranes.

We took these shoes for a 4.5 mile ascent to the 11,ooo ft tram peak of the snowbird resort along the ridge trail. The shoes wore well, with no hot spots or uncomfortable binding. While the 6 of us pushed along the last stretch to the tram,  a lightning storm rolled over the ridge and settled directly on the ridge with hail, wind, and lightning buffeting the exposed trail; forcing us to take shelter under the few small bushes clinging to the rocks. After a long, tense 25 minutes, the team decided to bail off the ridge and scramble down the scree towards safer ground and the Lodge 4 miles away.

While the fun began with a sizzle, it certainly didn’t stop there. Keep an eye out for the next part where we talk about mud, blood, and casting a fly like a pro as we wrap up the run-down on Summer OR, Salt Lake City.