Reviews by User: Karl Meltzer (24)

Optygen is the poor man's answer to blood doping. Completely legal, optygen helps oxygen uptake, increases blood flow (no it's not viagra), and deletes lactic acid buildup in muscles. No other product on the market works like this. Not only does is help on every daily run, it aids in recovery as well, making it an all-around supplement for Ultrarunners and Endurance athletes alike. Look for a 5% increase in performances. Does that not sound like much? Run 100 miles and do the math, it translates to over an hour, the difference between winning and being the brides maid.

I ran in two different LS shoes during the Appalachian Trail Assault (2176 miles of rugged terrain). The Lynx provided great support once broken in. It took a few miles to break them in because of the stiff "rock protector" underneath the forefoot, but once broken in they performed perfectly. The flexibility came around, and with a slightly lower profile I did not once roll and ankle. Something I'm prone to with stiff shoes. When the mud, wet rocks, and roots were slick, the shoe gripped like a vice. From sideways to forward, slipping was a rare option. When winter comes, and running on snow is an option, these will work great!

This garmin does work well, and if you are running roads or trails, the gps works well. The only bad thing about it is the life of the battery is only 7 hours (assuming it is warm out) The battery seems to die faster when it's cold. Also with all these features, the watch does not accumulate vertical feet climbed. Needless to say, it's useless for a mountain runner wanting to know how far up we've gone. It is nice as it's one unit, but not worth the 300 bucks. The Garmin 305 may be bigger, but does have the vertical gain function, which makes all the difference. The HR monitor did not seem to work that well either, once it made the connection.

I've been running in Fireblade now for a year, and no other shoe compares to the sleek low profile. The shoes just seem fast! After recently completing the entire Appalachian trail in 54+ days, I would never go back to another shoe. The stiff plate underneath the forefoot kept the rocks from poking at my arch. The toebox allows enough room for my swollen feet, and along with the bomber construction, they never wore out. I only went through a few pairs the entire 2176 miles of rugged terrain. They last, don't break down and provide ultimate support for any Ultramarathon. No wonder they are ranked at the top as one of the best shoes of 2007!

For racing this pack is a little much. For the longer "fastpacking" trip, it's just right. All the exterior pockets are conveniently located to access gels and other random foods. This pack rides high enough to prevent bouncing too, something we all want in a hydration pack. It seemed to wick moisture away as well, making it cooler than most other "camelback" style hydration packs.

This pack fits great and snug. Some Hydration packs don't mold to the body like this one. The hydration bladder fills from the inside like no other and is super convenient, much better than the top fill process. Just enough pockets to carry what you need too. Simple and efficient, not to mention, it's made bombproof, and won't deteriorate over time.

Not recommmended The lugs break off and the shoe feels stiff, kind of like a 2X4. The mesh wears quicker than you can run the shoes out. Not giving much value to a hard earned dollar.

The crosslites are awesome when it comes to slippery singletrack, whether it's mud or snow, they grip like a vice! And when it's too hard, slip in the hobnails for added bite on the ice. The upper keeps out snow or mud too, Toe room, but not too wide to slip around. Perfect winter shoe.

The Ion Windshirt, while on the Appalachian Trail provided great wind and rain protection. Not recommended for a heavy downpour, but in lighter rain conditions and brutal wind the shirt was perfect. It cinched down tight not to flop around and be annoying. Good product, recommended for those trail runs in the mountains when a little extra protection is needed when the thunderstorms roll in.

This bag holds just enough gear to get thru the short ultras. All running gear fits in nicely, and the few extra sleeves hold all the small stuff. Patagonia makes the best stuff, quality stitching and non-destructable workmanship make it a long lasting piece.

I ran on the At with this shirt alot and it wicked moisture away nicely and didn't snag everything. Many shirts snag even the smallest spider. This one just pushed them aside. Very comfy to say the least.

This ski is great for touring, it's light enough so you're not dragging around dead weight. It handles just about all conditions other than high speeds on groomers. A great medium width powder ski.

I've had a tadpole for 13 years and it still rocks. It's kind of small for two, but that's what I'm looking for. It's light and compact in packing so easy to carry, and set-up is simple....even in the rain. The NF materials are bomber too, even after all these years, it still doesn't leak. Sweet tent!

I used the windshirt this past two months on the Appalachian Trail and found it to work great. It's a water resistant shell, that in mildly wet weather, repels the H20. Not recommended for soaking rains, unless their brief ones. This windshirt dries super fast, and even when wet, will keep in warmth. It sinched down tight when needed instead of flapping all over the place. Good product!

While running the AT this past summer, I needed some extra cushion. John Dewalt (ultra legend) pulled a pair of these out of his worn out shoes. I used them for about 2 weeks. These cushions saved my shins and made the complete difference when it comes to comfort. Worth every penny!

These shoes seem real stiff until broken in. Once they are broken in, they run alright. I tend to roll my ankle with stiff shoes, so I tend to start with soft ones. The traction is good on rocks or dirt, and wisp away mud well when it's real wet. The fabric did not fare all that well, the mesh deteriorates rather quickly.

I've been using these gloves for shoveling at Alta, Utah, and other than the palms taking a beating, they are holding up well. They ain't cheap, but for skiing or any other activity that doesn't include hammering on the palms, they rock. They are plenty warm down to about 0 degrees, after that...use a liner with them for maximum warmth.

I used these chairs when I ran the AT this past summer. Not only do they feel nice and comfy, they are super strong in construction. Not the cheapest chair on the market, but worth the money. The only thing is the small bags for storage, but why store them, they work on the patio too.

Like the others say, they are the staple of the boot market. Comfy, durable, easy to lace, waterproof, warm. What more do you want? They do run a 1/2 size too big, so I recommend dropping down a bit. Don't waste time even looking around.