Snowshoeing and other winter sports invite millions of people every year into the snow-covered backcountry.  But a trip on the trail during cold, extreme conditions can come to an end quickly.  For example, prolonged inhalation of cold air can cause damage to the lungs and a person's general health.  It can be painful in the immediate and lung-scarring in the long term.  To help combat this phenomenon – and to relieve a person's noggin from the discomforts of the cold – Talus Outdoor Technologies has developed the ColdAvenger Expedition Balaclava.  The Balaclava has received a permanent place in my “ready at all times” snowshoeing backpack.  Indeed, I never leave home without it. 

If you're not into freezing body parts and/or you have trouble breathing in winter's frigid air, Talus Outdoor Technologies has developed the ColdAvenger Pro facemask as a solution.

I'm on the low-maintenance end of the skin care spectrum, but when I find a product that is pure and simple and keeps me protected from the elements I spend so much time in, I can forge an instant appreciation.

It would be easy to jump right into the clichés when talking about All Terrain's WinterSport Skin Protectant/Suncreen. Peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, ebony and ivory… the fact is, this do-it-all winter skin cream really is more than the sum of its parts.

I first heard about a mysterious blue cream from the blogs of some of Canada's top runners who were impressed with how it helped them through the rigors of training.