Planning and Prepping for the Sky Islands Traverse
Planning and Prepping for the Sky Islands Traverse Those of us who dwell in southern Arizona are familiar with Sky Islands – the forested archipelago at the tops of the mountains, isolated from one another by a surrounding sea of desert. The Rincons, Catalinas, and Santa Ritas are known to Tucsonans, but there are actually […]
Havasupai On My Mind
Summit Hut Gearhead & Contributing Blogger- Summit Hut Oro Valley Store Manager, Jeremy Asher. February 1st is coming up fast, and you know what that means… This is your opportunity to secure some much sought after Havasupai Permits! I had the chance to go and visit Havasupai for the first time several years ago and […]
How do you layer?
Layering your clothing is a useful technique that is designed to help you get the most out of your outdoor experience. By giving you flexibility in your wardrobe to accommodate inevitable weather changes, layering will keep you comfortable in temperatures that may otherwise send you back indoors. There are three key components to a proper […]
3 Steps to Finding the Perfect Backpack
Consider the Options With so many options available, start by determining overall capacity required, which is measured in liters or cubic inches. Day hikes and overnight trips usually require fewer than 45 liters for most individuals. Longer excursions often require more capacity from 60 liters and up. Volume requirements vary from one person to the […]
Buying Boots: The Importance of the Right Fit
The fit of a shoe can be a major factor in your enjoyment of time spent outside. The last thing you want to have to think about is sore feet. A recent study by the American Podiatric Medical Association found that more than 77% of Americans experience foot pain. Most even think foot pain is […]
Kathy Simko’s Arizona Trail Trek – Entry 1 – The Journey Begins
Hi there! This is Kathy Simko and I am employed full-time by the Summit Hut. I am usually fitting feet in the footwear department, but currently I am thru-hiking the Arizona Trail, which traverses Arizona 800 miles from the border of Mexico to the border of Utah, and my trail name is Utah Zuke. I […]
How To Select The Best Climbing Shoe
Did you go through a whirlwind of thoughts trying to pick out your first rock climbing shoe? I know that I did, without a doubt. It took me forever! I would go to the gym, and I’m sorry, but there is only so long you want to use a rental shoe. There’s just something about […]
Superfeet University
Recently a few Summit Hut staffers were invited to visit the Superfeet Headquarters in Ferndale, Washington for a few days of what is called “Superfeet University.” We were also to visit Northwestern Podiatric Laboratory, the sister company of Superfeet. Thinking we were going to get an in-depth knowledge of insoles over the two days of […]
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket Review
The Ghost Whisperer Jacket is hands down the most used piece of clothing in my closet. This jacket is super warm, versatile, comfortable, comes in great colors, I have the women’s blue and it always gets compliments. To give you some context before reading on, I am an avid hiker, backpacker, climber and work at […]
Exped Dreamwalker Review
Summit Hut has a very unique bag from Exped called the Dreamwalker. We love carrying it because it is a big conversation starter and most people, including myself, get a good giggle out of it the first time you see it. Before you laugh too much and write it off, think about how never having to […]