Keen has long been known for making really comfortable sandals with high quality materials. Often hailed for being generous in the toe box and having the right support, many have asked Keen to introduce a lightweight line to complement their Newport and other popular styles of closed toe sandals. To answer the call, Keen developed the CNX line of Keen sandals. CNX stands for Connect - their way of saying barefoot. [READ MORE]

The Infamous Stringdusters played live in the Blue Ridge Mountain Sports Charlottesville, Virginia location on September 19 2012. This free concert gave Blue Ridge customers the chance to hear some unbelievable bluegrass from this grammy-nominated band. For more infomation see http://www.brms.com [READ MORE]

Our Knoxville Tennessee crew reviews Big Agnes sleeping pads - an essential for comfort in the woods or on the rock. View our Big Agnes sleeping pad line-up here. [READ MORE]

Dan Stevens, Assistant Manager, of our Richmond, VA location reviews the brand new Patagonia Super Cell Jacket.  Made of GORE-TEX® Paclite®. The Patagonia Super Cell Jacket is available in Men’s and Women’s.

First. I am not an economist. I am an optimist. While gas prices are not as high as they have been in the past several years, the price at the pump still makes fuel - and the price of - a large consideration in our daily lives. When confronted with this new reality one should try as hard as possible to make the best of the situation. Become creative, because I don’t expect things to change. [READ MORE]

At 9:00 p.m. on May 27, Kris Erickson radioed down to base camp to get the final weather report for the next morning, not planning to radio again until departing at 1 a.m. Everything looked good. In a few hours, he and his climbing partner, Jamie Laidlaw, would leave for the summit. Excitement in the tent was high. They were so close to realizing one of their greatest dreams. But as Jamie lay in his sleeping bag over the course of the next hour and a half, he began to develop a low gurgle in his breathing accompanied by violent coughing fits and dry heaving, distinct symptoms of high-altitude pulmonary edema. [READ MORE]

As the season begins to change here on the east coast, we are frequently found gazing through our office windows at the beautiful day just beyond our reach. So, as we patiently wait for 5:30, let’s explore some of the epic trails that will capture our imagination this fall. These trails are long, winding and traverse the east coast with an enchantment like no other. We present our picks of The Great Eastern Trails – in no order of greatness. [READ MORE]

Sitting in the lobby of our hotel, Jeff looked at me with a large grin. “Are you sure about this, Sharvey? This is it.” We sat and waited for Yann Delevaux, a GQ looking Frenchman and an elite French Mountain Guide. Why are they elite? These guys begin training at the age of 14 in all aspects of mountain adventure: skiing, rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, and all other things extremely vertical. While we waited, Jeff and Tracy, both co-workers and both seasoned explorers, quizzed me on my past experience. We’d worked with each other for four years, but together, had never stood on the cusp of such a journey. [READ MORE]

With heart hammering away in my chest, I approached the hulking sign perched on the broad, treeless summit. Wind-whipped Tibetan prayer flags clung to the signposts like ivy sprouting from bare rock. The sign seemed to crouch against the elements, an immobilized animal forever transfixed towards the east and the rising sun. Wisps of low lying clouds soared past, borne on a wind that gusted across the cold summit as the dim mid-morning sun made its first appearance of the day. [READ MORE]

Petzl has discovered that exerting excessive force on the fully extended handle of the GRIGRI 2 can cause internal damage, such that the GRIGRI 2 handle may become stuck in the open position. When the handle is stuck in this position the assisted braking function is disabled. A damaged GRIGRI 2 in this configuration will function similarly to a manual belay device (e.g. tube-style device).Please note that failure to control the braking side of the rope is a misuse of the GRIGRI 2 under any circumstance (See the GRIGRI 2 Technical Notice). As of June 20, 2011, seven damaged GRIGRI 2 units have been returned to Petzl through our worldwide distribution network. Petzl has no knowledge of any accidents resulting from a damaged GRIGRI 2 handle. [READ MORE]

The first time I went hiking was unforgettable. Standing at a rocky outcropping surveying the majesty of the Blue Ridge with the crisp air filling my lungs might have been downright transcendental were it not for my soggy jeans chafing unmentionable places or the blisters erupting in my sneakers.
Coming from the topographically-challenged suburbs of Northern Virginia, I was more accustomed to hiking the steep terrain of Metro escalators, and found myself ill-prepared for a walk in the woods. My discomfort did not diminish my need to go hiking again, but it did provide a valuable lesson in how to prepare for a day-hike. [READ MORE]

This 35 second video explains merino wools' no-melt no-drip attributes. While highly unlikely you'll be exposed to uncontrolled open-flame in the wilderness, the fact that, unlike polyester, merino wool will not melt to your skin. [READ MORE]