Live Outside and Play is BACK!

Hello again! It’s Roxy and Ben, your Live Outside and Play Road Team. We are back for another year of adventures, with an incredible summer of travels laid out in front of us. We can’t wait to get back on the road.

As with past years, we’ve got a few awesome companies keeping us going for the next few months. We’ll be rocking their gear and putting it to the test. We want introduce you, and share some fun facts.

• 

Sea to Summit

Sea to Summit has a bunch of exciting things happening this season. They’ve updated and added to an already extensive line of sleep systems; including the addition of women’s specific sleeping bags and inflatable sleeping mats. They’ve also added an exciting product to their fan-favorite line of Aeros Inflatable Pillows to include the Aeros Down Pillow. The new pillow combines the softness and supportiveness of the Aeros Pillow series but with a luxurious down pillow top. Bonus points for using sustainably sourced goose down.

We’ve been using Sea To Summit’s cookware in the van for a while now. For us, it’s as practical as it is packable. This season they have released the Sigma Series. A new line of packable, all stainless steel pots. Keep an eye out for some more cooking videos and how-tos!

Lowe Alpine

Lowe Alpine has been making framed packs for outdoor lovers since 1967. Founded in Colorado by the now-famous Lowe Brothers, Lowe Alpine packs have been a staple in the global climbing community since Greg Lowe designed an external framed pack that gave climbers more freedom of movement in the mountains than ever before. This year Lowe Alpine is launching two new technical backpacks. The Altus and the Manaslu. Both new packs come in both men’s and woman’s versions.

Stio

Stio, born in the Tetons, knows a thing or two about making apparel that’s ready for the mountains. Stio is new to the Live Outside and Play program and we couldn’t be more excited about this partnership. Founded in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Stio specializes in beautiful, functional products infused with a mountain soul. Technical performance, quality, and versatility are what stands out in Stio’s product line. Aside from making top-notch products Stio also walks-the-walk so to speak. They use Bluesign approved textiles in their apparel and do their part to advocate for conservation, climate change, and sustainability.

Mountain House

Mountain House has been with us since the beginning and we’re excited to have them back! If you’ve seen us at an event, then there’s no doubt you’ve gone home with a sample or two of a tasty Mountain House meal. Mountain House has a lot of exciting things in the works this year but what we’re most excited for is their partnership with TerraCycle to offer a FREE recycling program for their used pouches. TerraCycle is an innovative recycling company that specializes in giving new life to hard-to-recycle products. For those who can make it out to Appalachian Trail Day’s, bring us your empty pouch and we’ll give you a new one and recycle your old one!

Roof Nest

The road team has a guest suite! This year we’ve partnered with Roof Nest to show-off their line of light-weight, low profile, easy-to-use rooftop tents. Anywhere you can find the LOAP van you can find a RoofNest. We’ll be demo-ing this awesome tent all over Colorado and the Blue Ridge Mountains. We’re excited to climb up there at night to get closer to the stars, or take a break from the mid-day heat with an elevated nap. Now that we have a guest room, there’s no excuse not to come on a camping trip with us, we supply the sleeping arrangments.

Big Agnes

No doubt you’ve seen Big Agnes gear out on the trail. Their tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads are a staple in most camps. Big Agnes also knows a lot about camp comfort. They’ve been specializing in it for a long time. Now they are bringing their expertise to their new line of Camp Furniture. You’ll find a lot of similarities with their other camp gear; simple and intuitive setup, thoughtful and innovative design, and most of all comfort. When you come hang out with us this summer, you can bet you’ll have a comfortible place to hang out!

Leki

Welcome back Leki! This season we’re excited to show off Leki’s entirely updated line of aluminum and carbon trekking poles. Leki has been at the cutting edge of comfort and performance since they were founded in 1948. Leki has become synonymous with a perfect grip, easy length adjustment, and outstanding support. Throughout our 2019 tour, we’ll have a full demo fleet of poles featuring all sizes and price-points. So, come say hi and see what you’re missing.

Franklin County, VA

This year, for the first time, we’re thrilled to announce a different kind of partnership. We’re happy to say that Franklin County, Virginia has joined our adventure. We’re excited about this because we spend a lot of time in this area of the Blue Ridge. From an outdoor recreation standpoint, Franklin County has something for everyone. Fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding — you name it. We’re particularly excited because Franklin County is home to Smith Mountain Lake and we’ve heard it’s the perfect place to cool off during the summer.

We will be all over the Blue Ridge Mountains and Colorado this summer, attending festivals and hosting meetups. We hope to see you out there!