When Trail Running Goes Mainstream & Your Ski Buddies Won’t Stop Drinking Plus: What's In My Pack?!
- 6 minutes ago
- 36 min read
In the latest episode of Gear Abby, host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True kick things off with rattlesnake etiquette, ancient mega-kangaroos, and Olympic “aerodynamics” scandals before diving into three very real listener dilemmas. It’s equal parts cranky industry hot takes, heartfelt life advice, and hydration-gear redemption arcs.
Question 1: Has Trail Running Lost Its Cool?
A mysterious (definitely-not-Colin) listener laments that trail running used to be underground, hip, and blissfully obscure. Now? It’s mainstream. There are documentaries. There’s Barkley hype. There are people talking about fantasy drafts. The horror.
Shawnté isn’t having it.
She pushes back on the idea that popularity ruins a thing. If you love trail running, it’s cool. Full stop. Whether someone’s making a documentary about it or chasing Olympic inclusion doesn’t change the experience of running through the woods bargaining with yourself to reach the next tree.
Colin embraces his inner cranky Gen-X record snob, arguing that exclusivity was part of the appeal. Shawnté counters that coolness is a meaningless metric and that enjoying your sport doesn’t require gatekeeping.
The takeaway: If you’re out there moving your body on dirt, you’re doing it right. Let people watch documentaries. You’ve got miles to run.
Question 2: Sobriety & Ski Season
“Dry Dude” writes in after six months of sobriety but finds his ski friendships heavily tied to après drinking culture. Now that he’s not drinking, the vibe feels different, and not in a good way.
Shawnté leads with praise. Choosing sobriety, especially after years of struggle, is a massive act of courage. Then she offers practical steps:
Consider leaning into sober communities (including sober outdoor groups).
Have direct conversations with friends about boundaries.
Recruit allies within your crew.
Bring your own NA beverages to après.
Explore new ski circles if needed.
Protect your peace.
Colin reinforces an important truth: six months is still vulnerable territory. If your current friend group can’t respect your growth, it may be time to reassess the group; not your sobriety.
The takeaway: You deserve to enjoy skiing (or anything else) without sacrificing your health. Real friends will adapt. The rest? Not your mountain.
What’s In My Pack: The Handheld Redemption Arc
Listener “Gator Man” asks what to replace his ancient, possibly moldy Gatorade squeeze bottle with.
Shawnté uses this as an opportunity to correct a previous stance. After publicly doubting insulated handheld bottles, she was challenged by Hydrapak and decided to test their 500mL Sky Flask; both insulated and non-insulated versions.
Her findings?
The insulated version genuinely works.
The hand strap design allows for hands-free carrying.
The “speed fill” cap makes refilling simple.
Ice stayed frozen significantly longer than in the standard flask.
The insulation kept her hand from freezing and her drink from overheating.
In other words: she’s converted.
The takeaway: Innovation sometimes deserves a second chance. Also, freezing your bottles overnight is a pro move.
Final Thoughts
This episode balances playful crankiness with grounded advice. Whether you’re wrestling with your identity as an outdoor “hipster,” navigating sobriety in a booze-heavy culture, or simply trying to stay hydrated on a summer run, Gear Abby delivers perspective without pretense.
Because at the end of the day:
Trail running doesn’t need your validation.
Sobriety deserves your protection.
And yes insulation can, in fact, be legit.
Until next time: there are no dumb questions, just smart advice.
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Episode Transcript:
The Gear Abby Theme Song!
00:00:03.200 - 00:00:21.280
You got questions going out of your mind. Someone with answers. Now that's hard to find, like the what and the why and the how stuff works or just where to go to avoid all the jerks.
She's Gear Abby. Gear Abby. Gear Abby. Advice that doesn't suck. Gear Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:00:21.600 - 00:01:10.120
Hello there, my outdoorsy friends, and welcome to Gear Abby, where we tackle the controversial, weird, obscure, and taboo topics that other outdoor podcasts refuse to touch.
I'm outdoor educator and writer Shawnté Salabert, and I'm here to answer your burning questions about our relationships with outdoor people, products, places, and pastimes. And I want them all, because, remember, there are no dumb questions, just smart advice. All right, here is how it works.
You're gonna send questions to DearGearAbbyMail.com and I'm gonna answer a couple each week here on the show. And.
And as always, joining me today is my partner in gear, the producer of Gear Abby, and a guy who always pauses to say hello when a rattlesnake crosses his path. Colin. True.
Colin True
00:01:10.840 - 00:01:30.360
I, you know, I appreciate you. You mentioning that.
So the other day, I was out on a little hike on my local trails, and I came across a rattlesnake, and the dude's just chilling, and I got pretty close to the point where I'm like, let me. Because, you know, some snakes actually aren't rattlesnakes, but they look like rattlesnakes. Maybe this is one of those.
Like, I forget what the breed is, but I'm like, then I took my.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:31.380 - 00:01:37.300
Now I'm imagining somebody just breeding rattlesnakes at home. This is the bespoke rattlesnake that I bred for.
Colin True
00:01:38.100 - 00:01:41.540
You know, we haven't had a. An animal mating segment in a while.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:41.540 - 00:01:45.140
We really haven't. Someone send a question, Please, please, please.
Colin True
00:01:45.460 - 00:01:48.820
We were on a real heater for a while there. It's been. Now we've cooled off significantly.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:48.900 - 00:01:50.260
I'm a little disappointed in.
Colin True
00:01:50.260 - 00:02:08.630
In our listeners, but I zoomed in on the tail. There's a rattle, and the guys are just sitting there chilling. And it wasn't like. It was like, full 35 degrees out, and he was sluggish.
And I'm like, you know, I'm just gonna head the other way. Like, yeah, like, it was like he was luring me, and typically, I'm like, okay, he's gonna curl up or she's gonna curl up.
I don't know the gender of this rattlesnake. He's gonna start rattling around.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:08.630 - 00:02:10.350
Did you look at the cloaca? I Bet you didn't.
Colin True
00:02:11.070 - 00:02:14.270
Yeah, I just could. Could you, like, could you roll over?
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:14.350 - 00:02:15.390
I see her cloaca.
Colin True
00:02:15.390 - 00:02:17.630
Please. I don't wanna misidentify you on my podcast.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:17.630 - 00:02:26.810
That's right. Oh, man. Yeah. Good. Good job, Colin. You did the right thing.
Maybe you remember that from the elk episode where someone was like, what do I do when an elk and his harem approached me?
Colin True
00:02:27.760 - 00:02:37.360
No, I did think of you because you said we talked about rattlesnakes before and you're like, have you. Wait usually. Let's move on. I don't think this. This person, this little danger noodle, as you like to call them, was ready to move on. Noodle?
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:37.440 - 00:02:48.840
Yeah. You know what? Sometimes they're not out for blood. They just want to chillax, you know, let a rattlesnake take a day off.
I don't think that's a bad thing. Like, you know, maybe they'll be more calm if they have more rest opportunities. I don't know.
Colin True
00:02:48.840 - 00:02:50.560
I feel like they were looking at me going like, look at.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:50.560 - 00:02:50.680
Man.
Colin True
00:02:50.680 - 00:03:00.140
There's an entire, like, like, nest of rattlesnakes just ahead the trail. I'm here doing you a favor. Just turn around now. This is Trail Network. You'll be fine.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:00.700 - 00:03:14.060
Well, speaking of animals, I have to say I was absolutely delighted you sent me a link to a story on Explorer's Web with the headline. I just have to say this headline. Ancient kangaroos were heavier than grizzly bears but could still hop.
Colin True
00:03:14.220 - 00:03:18.180
Which honestly, has there been a better headline ever in the history of headlines?
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:18.180 - 00:03:22.300
Nope. It just sounds like some sort of animal kingdom diss track. Like, I was really.
Colin True
00:03:22.460 - 00:03:24.220
Yes, it really does.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:24.620 - 00:03:38.090
But they could see. Still hop.
You know, I have to say, like, after seeing how hard they actually kick each other when I was in Australia, I never want to get into any, like, listen, I. I don't want to meet a kangaroo that's heavier than a grizzly bear. Please and thank you.
Colin True
00:03:38.410 - 00:03:58.270
Or you know, when you see, like when you. When you like envision like, oh, my God, like really putting a scale, like what a dinosaur, like, as a giant lizard.
And I know most of them probably had feathers and things like that. We don't know that at this point. But still, right. You look at you like, God, that must have been terrifying.
The idea of a kangaroo being bigger than a grizzly bear is a horrifying. Is pure nightmare fuel.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:58.270 - 00:03:59.910
Imagine how big those haunches were.
Colin True
00:04:00.230 - 00:04:00.670
Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:00.670 - 00:04:01.430
Just giant.
Colin True
00:04:01.830 - 00:04:05.630
Yeah. Just that they're going to squash you. They're not going to bite you like a grizzly bear. They're just going to step on you.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:05.630 - 00:04:07.110
Getting crushed like a walnut.
Colin True
00:04:07.670 - 00:04:08.350
Yeah, for sure.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:08.350 - 00:04:08.870
Oh, man.
Colin True
00:04:08.950 - 00:04:15.790
Well, but I do like that headline. I honestly feel like maybe the Washington Post could have avoided Jeff Bezos desire if they just run more headlines like that.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:15.790 - 00:04:19.350
That would have saved so many journalists jobs. Yes, right. Definitely that.
Colin True
00:04:19.590 - 00:04:21.430
Talking about the ancient kangaroos again.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:21.910 - 00:04:59.860
Oh, you got to give the people what they want. And speaking of headlines, I saw, you know, the Olympics started last week.
We're actually recording this on the day the Olympics start, so we haven't been able to watch anything yet. But there was another great headline, which was, the 2026 Winter Olympics have implemented new rules in response to, and I quote, penis gate.
So I had to investigate, apparently, last year. Who doesn't want to investigate? It reminds me actually of the Olympics. Was it last summer Olympics with the pole vaulter or the high jump guy?
Colin True
00:05:00.100 - 00:05:09.059
Oh, yeah. But I was like, he, you know, the news cycle is real short in this Internet age. He stuck around for a while. He really did.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:09.300 - 00:05:43.000
It was a large story, you know.
So apparently last year, the Norwegians competing in ski jumping at the Nordic World Ski Championships had some extra material sewn into the crotch of their uniforms, too. And I am not making this up. Stiffen them to apparently help a bit with aerodynamics.
And then on top of that, I saw that there are claims that other ski jumpers have gone so far as to inject hyaluronic acid into their penises to achieve the same result. Like I. This is nuts. Like, apparently now they have, for this Olympics, they have very strict rules on what you could do with your crotch.
Colin True
00:05:43.000 - 00:05:45.160
So what does the acid do?
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:45.640 - 00:05:47.880
It plumps it up, I guess. I don't know.
Colin True
00:05:48.120 - 00:05:51.470
Wouldn't you want it to shrink it up? Would you want to have less distance?
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:51.630 - 00:05:58.510
They wanted it. This is why they were adding extra padding. They want it for aerodynamics because they kind of go crouch forward, you know, when you're jumping.
Colin True
00:05:59.070 - 00:06:11.870
And meanwhile, cyclists, like roadies are off on the side going, like, for years we've been catching shit for, you know, dressing like this. We could have just been saying, no. It's. It's actually, it helps our aerodynamics if we. If we let our junk, like, break the wind for us.
Shawnté Salabert
00:06:12.990 - 00:06:16.910
Oh, man. Yeah. Well, you know, some good headlines out there.
Colin True
00:06:17.070 - 00:06:24.250
Yeah, apparently. I like. That's how we're kicking off the Olympics. Penis can. When do we retire the gate? Like Watergate? Is it just perpetual?
Shawnté Salabert
00:06:25.050 - 00:06:25.570
Thanks a lot.
Colin True
00:06:25.570 - 00:06:29.970
For now, there's a controversy. We add a scandal. Yeah, we Add gate. Okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:06:29.970 - 00:06:31.770
It's just like it's lexicon now.
Colin True
00:06:32.810 - 00:06:39.810
I feel like there should be a statute of limitations on gate. We need a new phrase for. For. For controversies. We'll have to work something.
Shawnté Salabert
00:06:39.810 - 00:07:00.710
We'll work on that. We'll work on that. If anyone's got ideas, send them to us. Also, we're. We're gonna. We're gonna introduce some. Some new segments to the pod.
We're just soft launching some new stuff that's gon. Including some. We'll dig into some fun outdoor industry stuff here and there because Colin abandoned the Rock Fight podcast and the people.
Colin True
00:07:01.110 - 00:07:03.350
Are clamoring his powers at the peak.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:03.510 - 00:07:36.450
At its Michael Jordan best. So, yeah, keep, keep, keep those questions coming too. If they are relevant, we will share them, and if they're not relevant, we won't share them.
We may punt them over to Owen Comerford. You may know him if you know the Rock Fight. He was the consigliery. He is launching a new podcast called Outdoor Insiders. So I think we're.
We just got a recent question that might actually be a good Gear Abby Owen crossover. So we're gonna. We're gonna let the streams cross. That's the new penis gate. And yeah, let's. Let's.
Colin True
00:07:36.850 - 00:07:39.810
I get shy. I'm like, I'm not good at crossing the streets.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:40.690 - 00:07:41.650
Oh, man.
Colin True
00:07:41.890 - 00:07:52.970
But we should say dear gear abby gmail.com. we should say that as many times as possible to make sure people are reaching out. So that's if. If you have, you know, if you want to weigh in on.
On Penis Gate or Owen Comerford or crossing the streams. That's where you send it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:52.970 - 00:07:53.210
Yeah.
Colin True
00:07:53.210 - 00:07:54.810
Or ancient kangaroos. Whatever.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:54.810 - 00:07:58.030
Absolutely. Send me some haunch. Nope. Don. Send me some haunch pics.
Colin True
00:07:58.430 - 00:08:01.630
What was the mating situation of the ancient kangaroo? That's what I wanted to.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:01.630 - 00:08:16.990
That's what we want to know. I want. I want. You know, it's probably just a mammalogist or like a marsupialist, but I like the idea of there being a kangaroo.
Like somebody specifically dedicated to the study of the kangaroo. There has to be in Australia.
Colin True
00:08:17.070 - 00:08:19.390
Yeah. Right. Someone who's just like, God, that's just all I want to do.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:20.190 - 00:08:22.350
It might be all I want to do. I don't know.
Colin True
00:08:22.350 - 00:08:22.750
Right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:22.910 - 00:08:27.480
I might actually. We may have to shut this podcast down too, so I could go pursue my dreams. My very.
Colin True
00:08:27.480 - 00:08:34.320
If you're happy. Yeah. We have for all our Australian listeners, if you're out there like, this is what you do. Please. Dear gearhappy.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:34.320 - 00:08:37.800
Gmail.com. that's right. Invite me. I'll come down there. I'll come check out your room.
Colin True
00:08:37.800 - 00:08:38.600
That would be amazing.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:38.680 - 00:08:52.840
Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, the people are not here for our musings on camera. Well, they probably. At least partially probably. At least some of them are.
But we should probably get into some questions since that is what the show is all about. So kick things off, Colin.
Colin True
00:08:53.500 - 00:09:14.260
Okay, here's the first question for today. I was looking at this. It's oddly familiar. Dear Gear Abby, I have been a trail runner for a long time.
And for all of that time, trail running was arguably the coolest outdoor activity. Hiking is seen by some as for old people, road biking's vanity and. Well, you know.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:14.260 - 00:09:15.420
Okay, keep going, keep going.
Colin True
00:09:15.420 - 00:09:36.800
Road biking's vanity and frequent run ins with cars make it a tough pill to swallow. Frequent resort skiing is seen as seen as badass, but only by those who don't have a badass bone in their body.
Activities like surfing, trail running, mountain biking and backcountry skiing have always been objectively awesome and elicited that amazing gasp from the non outdoorsy when you told them the things you do for fun.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:36.800 - 00:09:38.160
Oh my God, this is a long email.
Colin True
00:09:38.800 - 00:09:39.360
It is.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:39.840 - 00:09:40.720
Okay, keep going.
Colin True
00:09:41.360 - 00:09:58.170
But lately, the loudest voices in trail running have become the most insufferable. People who want trail running to be seen. Be seen on par with the NFL or NBA. People who look to overexposed legends like Lazarus Lake.
People want to see trail running become a mainstream sport. So I ask you, gear Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:58.170 - 00:09:59.690
Oh, yeah? What are you asking me?
Colin True
00:10:01.370 - 00:10:17.040
Silence the growing masses and return trail running to its outdoor hipster roots. Am I simply an aging contrarian looking backwards and yearning for the way it used to be? Nay, I am not. These people suck and they must be stopped.
Signed. It's weird.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:17.040 - 00:10:17.400
There's no.
Colin True
00:10:17.400 - 00:10:18.440
There's no name on it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:18.680 - 00:10:21.120
There's a name on it. There's a name on it. Go ahead and read it.
Colin True
00:10:21.120 - 00:10:23.720
It's signed by not producer Colin, I swear.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:24.680 - 00:10:25.160
Wow.
Colin True
00:10:25.480 - 00:10:27.400
Yeah, fine. I did it. I wrote this email.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:27.800 - 00:10:50.430
Yeah, yeah, not producer Colin. Funny, it sounds exactly like verbal fist shaking. This is like the email version of you. It's real.
This is a real special one to get in the inbox the other day. But listen, we'll give this mysterious writer wink, wink, the benefit of the doubt.
All right, so usually I try not to harass our letter writers all that much, but I might. Might have to let that one.
Colin True
00:10:50.430 - 00:10:51.670
Oh, this is fair game on this.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:51.670 - 00:11:04.870
One feels fair game. So first of All.
As a trail runner myself, I want to know why trail running was arguably the, quote, coolest outdoor activity in the glory days of yore. Colin, any idea why someone would think this?
Colin True
00:11:05.350 - 00:12:00.980
Yes, I, I do, I do. I think it's a.
My point of view, I believe the writer, the emailer's point of view on this is now look at you have running, which is probably the biggest participation, you know, quote unquote, outdoor and indoor. If you include treadmills, things like that, it's so heavily participated in.
And then you have this little cornered off segment of people who are willing to go into the woods, go into the mountains and run on trails. And it's just, I've never had that experience. You're like, oh, I'm going trail running. People are like, oh, that's cool. Like if it's.
And then you put the. The ultra. The rise of the ultra marathon, the rise of sort of the. The fun things to do on trails that aren't just going for a day hike or just.
Or going on a long expedition is kind of this like, kind of like the Venn diagram of like what's cool and what you can accomplish in a relatively short amount of time.
And it's just kind of this badass little sport that only like a pretty small segment of the outdoor going population seemed like it was participating in and now it's not like that anymore.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:00.980 - 00:12:06.740
Ah, okay, so. So it was cool because people weren't talking about it and doing it.
Colin True
00:12:07.620 - 00:12:08.820
I said it was hipster.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:10.260 - 00:13:18.740
Okay, So I just want to know, not, not Colin, why are so salty about, quote, modern trail runners?
Like, I mean, people talking or writing or making movies or interpretive dance about the Barkley marathons or Courtney Dalt or satisfy or Western states or putting trail running in the Olympics. None of that impacts my trail runs one hour. Okay, I have not once thought about any of this when I'm on a run.
Like, in fact, my head is usually pretty empty except for the part where I'm making small bargains with myself. Like, if you just get to the next tree, you could take a break.
I have to say, I think, and I think some listeners will probably agree with me, I think not. Colin is creeping into record snob territory here where something is only cool when it's underground or obscure.
You feel like you're the only person who knows and digs it. I will never, ever understand the perspective of purists who think that when a thing becomes popular, it's ruined.
At the end of the day, who gives a shit? If something is cool, what is cool? I don't even know what cool is. Listen, do you like trail running? Then it's cool to you? Okay.
All right, listen here. I'm ready for your rebuttal. Not Colin. I mean Colin. I mean, not Colin.
Colin True
00:13:19.460 - 00:13:32.780
I just consulted with the committee and we are revoking your status as Generation X. You are kicked out of the club because, like, knowing something before other people not selling out is crucial to our point of view on the world.
Shawnté Salabert
00:13:32.780 - 00:13:37.780
Shantay, what is this? Are you Jack Black now in High Fidelity? Are we going back there?
Colin True
00:13:38.980 - 00:13:46.620
You are that movie. I love that character. Barry for president now. You're absolutely right. And obviously we talk about this a.
Shawnté Salabert
00:13:46.620 - 00:13:50.100
Lot for a second. Can you just say that one part again?
Colin True
00:13:50.100 - 00:14:01.980
You are absolutely right. Dear Abby. This is the. This is a bit more of an. Probably a little bit more of an industry kind of point of view.
And the way I see people posting about and talking about the category and the things that they're kind of.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:03.820 - 00:14:08.980
You know, it's an industry thing when it's a category and not it's a category thing. Yeah.
Colin True
00:14:08.980 - 00:14:59.760
Because do I expect like this to hamper anyone's good time out running on trails? No.
But also, yeah, I find it tough when that I go out and I see people running on a bike path and they're carrying out like a hydration pack through their, like, morning 5K. It's like, what are we? What is this world coming to? And then also the Barkley. You mentioned them. That's the best example of this.
The Barkley was the coolest of them all. You couldn't just. No one knew about the Barkley for like 20 years. It just happened.
And you had to, like, know someone who knew someone who knew someone else to even find out how to apply to get into the Barkley.
And now we got like, you know, anybody who's making a podcast or a video on LinkedIn or Instagram or YouTube or whatever, put up interviews with Laz and it's just like, just. It's just not as cool. I'm sorry. It's just not as cool as cool.
I want to hear about your not not doing an ultra running fantasy, like runner's draft is. Is cool. That's what I would say.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:59.760 - 00:15:10.340
Oh, my God. Crab ass. Whatever. That was so much. Just like an. An abundance of fish shaking to open the episode really a lot.
Colin True
00:15:10.340 - 00:15:17.300
If you remember last week, you and Lloyd kind of stole my thunder a little bit. So I appreciate you including this email and throwing me a bone here. So I could reclaim the title.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:18.260 - 00:15:44.070
I. Listen. To be honest, you were never in any jeopardy of losing your title. You are the crankiest old man slash middle aged man I've ever met.
But, like, you've got a lot of righteousness inside of you. I. I just feel like you got to put it somewhere else. I feel like there's.
Speaking of lawyers, I feel like there's places you could put that righteous anchor that would not have anything to do with trail running. Also, since I think that's a pretty.
Colin True
00:15:44.070 - 00:15:46.310
Safe place to put it. Who cares about my opinion?
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:46.870 - 00:15:52.710
I mean, I. I clearly don't. If not for this podcast, I would have never responded to that email.
Colin True
00:15:53.350 - 00:15:54.070
Exactly.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:54.390 - 00:16:01.280
Oh, man. All right, how about maybe we've got an email from someone who is not as salty as Not Colin.
Colin True
00:16:01.830 - 00:16:05.670
It's probably a good idea. We should move on to desaltify this episode.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:05.830 - 00:16:06.630
Please and thank you.
Colin True
00:16:07.750 - 00:16:11.110
Let's rinse the salt water off of us. We're at the beach in a little shower.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:11.430 - 00:16:21.110
I mean, the salt is really on you. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm in a fresh water. I'm like a freshwater alligator. I don't know why I said that.
Colin True
00:16:21.430 - 00:16:26.270
Next time I'm on a trade show with you and you're being hypercritical of something that's silly. I'm gonna make sure I remember this conversation.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:26.270 - 00:16:43.920
Well, I'm only hypercritical of things that are actually silly. Who gives a shit who makes movies about trail running or fantasy trail? I don't really care what anybody else does.
I'm just out there running with the wind. Colin. Salty ass Colin. Okay, hit me up. Give me a question.
Colin True
00:16:44.720 - 00:16:50.320
Next question. Here we go. Dear, dear Abby. I'm going to keep this anonymous if that's okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:50.480 - 00:16:51.000
It is.
Colin True
00:16:51.000 - 00:16:51.480
That's okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:51.480 - 00:16:52.240
That's what we do.
Colin True
00:16:52.880 - 00:17:13.380
I used to be a huge drinker, life of the party kind of person. The guy who did cake stands and Jaeger bombs and shots until I blacked out.
People love to party with me, but in reality, I've struggled with alcohol abuse since I was a teen. I'm in my 30s now.
Long story short, after a lot of soulful searching and come to Jesus moments with my family, I made the hard decision to stop drinking. And I'm now six months sober.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:13.380 - 00:17:14.620
Oh, way to go.
Colin True
00:17:14.620 - 00:17:15.140
Good job.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:15.140 - 00:17:15.580
Yeah.
Colin True
00:17:16.300 - 00:17:21.260
The reason I'm writing is because it's really fucking with my ski season. Okay. That took a turn.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:21.260 - 00:17:23.580
Yeah, well, it had to get outdoorsy at some point.
Colin True
00:17:23.980 - 00:17:35.680
Yeah, right. My friends still party hard and they're giving me shit for not drinking. That's kind of fucked up.
And honestly, I didn't realize how big a part alcohol played in us hanging out. It's bumming me out, honestly.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:35.680 - 00:17:36.080
Yeah.
Colin True
00:17:36.080 - 00:17:44.400
Do you have any advice on how to salvage my friendships and the ski season as a sober person? Thanks. You can call me dry dude.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:44.400 - 00:21:02.180
Aw, dude. Oh. First of all, a big high five for choosing to go deep and make some changes for yourself, and on reaching six months sober. That is a huge deal.
And it sounds like it was all driven, like you did that yourself. That is amazing. So, kudos. You screw your friends. We'll get to that in a second. But I just. I'm sorry you're having a hard time with them. That sucks.
Alcohol is a huge part for a lot of people. Like, a huge part of ski culture and some other outdoor cultures. Like, it's. But there are a lot of sober skiers out there. You are not alone. So we're.
Let's dive in. Okay, first of all, you didn't mention whether you're participating in AA or any similar kinds of programs.
And if you are, this can actually be a great topic to bring up if you've got a sponsor or to the group as a whole when you're doing your meetings. And I'm not saying that AA is for everybody.
So if you're not a member, and you may want to consider it, there is something powerful being surrounded by a group of people who aren't just struggling, you know, who. Who are struggling with the same things you are, but also who've already been there and can kind of offer support.
And if you're in an area where they're skiing, so I don't know where you live, you're probably going to find fellow skiers in that group. So, you know, living here in Southern California, a lot of the a.
It's kind of like, famous almost here for having musicians and tv, film and TV industry people and everything in the groups. And I know I have a lot of friends who go to aa and they've met a lot of buddies who love doing the things.
And so, like, in music, for instance, lots of drinking and drugs and, you know, carousing, as you will.
So it's pretty incredible because I know friends who have gone and they now have other people they go to concerts with and things like that so that they don't have to be stressed out about it. Now, let's get to those friends, and I'm going to put friends in quotes here. Dicks. I'm Not.
I'm not sure how much you've pushed back on their behavior or whether you're comfortable with that or not. But I think it's time to have a chat with them. If you haven't.
You could try some like one on one conversations with anyone who might have been a bit more understanding about your sobriety. Because it might help if you feel like you've got somebody on your side or maybe a couple somebody's.
And you can talk with them about how you want them to show up when this happens. When you're at the hill, like hey man, if they start razzing on me again, can you back me up? Like, or can we go do something else?
Like have a plan and that could be really helpful. So like how am I going to deal with this when it happens again or if it happens again?
Or you could just set all of them down, just be like it's time for a talk here. We're going to have like a personal TED talk and you're going to talk about what your sobriety means to you and how it shouldn't affect your skiing.
Actually your skiing is probably way better. Like you're not hungover, you're probably not feeling like fuzzy headed. You're probably much more sharp and in tune with your senses.
It's something I've heard from a lot of friends who have gone from being drinkers to non drinkers and do things like this skiing, snowboarding, you know, whatnot. Like it does fundamentally change it, but in a good way, you know.
And tell them like, listen, you could be jokey if you want, light hearted, whatever. But also just set a firm boundary. You are still a fun dude even though you're dry dude.
And you don't want to hang around people who are being assholes to you. Like who would want that? You don't want that in general. You don't want that when you're working on your. Come on man.
Colin True
00:21:02.340 - 00:21:07.780
It's a good rule in general beyond drinking or skiing. Yes, install a no asshole policy.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:07.860 - 00:21:12.990
It's such a good policy. Listen, that's how I'm going to be with my trail running now. I got a note.
Colin True
00:21:13.150 - 00:21:15.390
Thank you for agreeing with me on that topic.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:15.390 - 00:21:19.550
So Colin and not Colin. Neither of them will be invited on future trail runs with me.
Colin True
00:21:19.790 - 00:21:20.350
Smart.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:21.710 - 00:24:01.940
Oh yeah. Well, okay. Dry dude. So I assume your buddies aren't being jerks while you're actually skiing. At least I hope not.
I'm gonna guess it's probably more of an apres thing. Like you guys are hanging out afterwards or you're having lunch or whatever and that's when the drinking starts and that's when they're being dicks.
So like one option is just to dip out altogether, but that just honestly might be a recipe for more FOMO and just feel like a bummer. You don't want to feel like you're an outcast for doing something good for yourself.
Some people I know will actually go prepared when they're skiing, when they're mountain biking, like whenever they're in a group situation that usually ends in drinking, they'll just bring a stash of NA drinks and put them in a cooler in the car and then they've got their thing to open. Everyone else has got their thing to open.
Hell, you could even just buy everybody a round of hot chocolate or cider afterwards if you want to kick things off like a little non alcoholically.
And you might even suggest like, hey, I want to join you guys later for dinner, but I'm going to dip back to my house or my room or whatever right now and I'll see you later. And I'm going to say like, it also is probably worth it trying to expand your ski circle like especially so early in your sobriety.
And since this is becoming such a huge issue and you're not enjoying something that you normally love, there has been a huge rise in sober activity groups that have popped up in a lot of places, including in the ski world. I'm not sure where you live, but there's also a Denver based nonprofit called Sober Outdoors that does in person events.
I think at this point they might just be in Colorado, not sure. But they also have opportunities for online connection, community building. It's a super cool platform.
You can find them on social, their website, check that out. But also see if something local exists in your area. You can even ask at the resort or the hill if they know of anything.
Check meetups and again check any sort of sober, you know, sober focus groups that might exist in your area. Like having just one person, even who you know will understand and will not give you a hard time can be so powerful in reclaiming your joy.
And that's what, that's the whole point here. You've worked really hard to get where you're at. You deserve to enjoy life to its fullest.
Plus you got a leg or two up on everyone else since you won't be hungover the next day. So I, I think you've got options here. I'm rooting for you. As we all know, as we Learned a couple episod.
Again, I'm not a skier, otherwise I'd offer to join you, but. But, yeah, I don't know. I just. It's such a bummer that this is such a huge part of the outdoors. I mean, Colin, you've probably seen it.
Even at trade shows, it's so alcohol focused at the end of the day. And I'm not. I'm not saying I don't like a drink, you know, but it is. I know it's hard for people who are sober and.
And going at it in the outdoors, like, it is such a part of it.
Colin True
00:24:03.060 - 00:24:27.120
Yeah. And. And I think you think you hit all the points. I think, you know, I would. 1. The one thing we don't.
We don't know that I'm curious about is, like, how forceful he. With his friends. I mean, like, you know, have you been. And if you have kind of been very blunt, like, hey, guys, like, this is bumming me out.
I can't be around this. Then, you know, look, it's. It's tough, but you got to protect yourself.
I gotta think six months in, like, that's probably still a pretty vulnerable place in your journey.
Shawnté Salabert
00:24:27.120 - 00:24:27.440
Y.
Colin True
00:24:27.680 - 00:25:03.760
You know, and like, to kind of put yourself in a position, I mean, you know, the peer pressure might wear you down. Like, it just. It's not a good idea.
So, I mean, it's like if they can't be on board with what you're doing, then you have to have a hard think about who it is you're hanging out with. Which is unfortunate, but I mean. But I mean, you know, it. It's. I think it's probably the way you're gonna meet. You may have.
Having to go here, but think about that ultimately. Yeah, it's. It's hard in the outdoors. People. People talk about it a lot. A lot of people like a drink at the end of.
I like a drink at the end of doing something, but I'm also, you know, it's. It doesn't have to be that way. So. Yeah, there are plenty of options for you to have your outdoors fun and. And not have to. Have.
Not have to imbibe if you don't want to. So.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:04.070 - 00:25:04.270
Yeah.
Colin True
00:25:04.270 - 00:25:04.550
Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:04.550 - 00:25:09.350
And if none of that works, just look them all in the eye and say, gear. Abby said stop being dicks.
Colin True
00:25:09.350 - 00:25:10.910
Yeah. Knock it off. The hell?
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:10.910 - 00:25:59.800
That should work. I. It's. Yeah. I remember maybe a couple years ago. No, maybe more than a couple years ago. What is time?
I was at Outdoor Retailer, and I remember when they finally started Doing alternate happy hours because you'd go to these trade shows, and afterwards it would just be like, you know, happy hour in the booths. And it's. It's a fun part of the shows for a lot of people. But there were a lot. A lot of vocal people who said, hey, listen, not all of us drink.
This is actually not fun for us. What could we do to make this more inclusive? So I love seeing stuff like that pop up. I dry. Dude, you got this, man. Oh, well, all right. We.
We are here to solve the people's problems. No, we're not here to solve them. We're just here to give you some friendly advice. So how about we give somebody else some friendly advice? Colin.
Colin True
00:26:00.750 - 00:26:15.270
Okay, well, I think you're about to be excited because it's time for the people's favorite segment, or at least gear Abby's favorite segment, what's in my pack? But of course we're talking about your pack. Gear Abby. So what do you got this time? What is it?
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:15.270 - 00:26:20.910
Your pack, really? You know why I love this segment is just literally you saying that.
Colin True
00:26:22.910 - 00:26:24.750
10 years from, like, oh, my God, she's still.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:24.830 - 00:26:29.990
I'm still. Yeah, that's true. I might let you come on a trail run with me. If you start it that way.
Colin True
00:26:30.310 - 00:26:33.590
I won't want to because I think you. You're. You're just doing it wrong.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:33.670 - 00:26:34.910
I'm doing. I'm cool.
Colin True
00:26:34.910 - 00:26:37.350
You're watching that video about it and.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:39.910 - 00:26:44.710
What? You're the one who sends me videos constantly? Colin, I don't ever send you Instagram.
Colin True
00:26:44.870 - 00:26:46.870
I find funny things and I like to share.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:47.030 - 00:26:47.510
Okay.
Colin True
00:26:47.510 - 00:26:47.910
Okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:47.910 - 00:26:51.870
Yeah, I know you watch content. You watch cycling content and running content.
Colin True
00:26:51.870 - 00:26:52.710
Oh, God, no.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:52.790 - 00:26:53.350
Whatever.
Colin True
00:26:54.230 - 00:26:59.870
Anyway, I got my. My penis skate bike shorts on, so that's all. I can't. That's all I need.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:59.870 - 00:27:05.250
Oh, that's. Missed opportunity. Like having the. Maybe they could have the Team USA logo right on there.
Colin True
00:27:06.210 - 00:27:12.490
It's like an SNL sketch, right? This is like. I'm picturing this giant pyramid, like, over every dude's crotch, you know, like, just. What are we doing?
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:12.490 - 00:27:21.810
Like a fin. That's what I imagined. I imagined that they're like, this is your aerodynamic fin, like a. Like an old car or, you know, a surfboard or something.
Colin True
00:27:21.970 - 00:27:22.450
Spoiler.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:22.450 - 00:27:24.090
Yeah, like a spoiler. Exactly.
Colin True
00:27:24.090 - 00:27:25.170
A dick spoiler.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:26.690 - 00:27:31.070
Oh, I hate it. Okay, I'm gonna answer. We're gonna answer. What's in my pack? Because we.
Colin True
00:27:31.070 - 00:27:31.950
What's in your pack?
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:31.950 - 00:27:38.190
We must move on from this. It's not a dick spoiler. Not to spoil it, but God, that'd.
Colin True
00:27:38.190 - 00:27:40.070
Be great if it was, wouldn't it? What a good segue.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:40.070 - 00:27:58.070
Probably would. I'd have a lot more questions for myself if it was.
But listen, way back in December, which seems like nine light years ago, we did a live recording, it really was. Live recording of the Rock Fight podcast. That again is the highly successful outdoor podcast that you just abandoned and at.
Colin True
00:27:58.070 - 00:27:59.070
The peak of its popularity.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:59.280 - 00:28:08.720
Yes, keep saying that. I answered a question during the live show and why don't you actually read that? Because we didn't do it on the non live show. Yeah, so go ahead.
Colin True
00:28:08.720 - 00:28:20.720
I forgot. Yeah, we wasted all these questions for like, you know, like the hundred don't care. Yeah, exactly. We should think.
Did we ask were there any other ones? Should we bring them back? Okay. Dear Gear Abby. Excuse me?
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:20.800 - 00:28:21.440
Do it better.
Colin True
00:28:22.320 - 00:28:44.120
Dear Gear Abby, I've been using an old ass Gatorade squeeze bottle from my college days on my runs for years now. You may have the run. My wife keeps threatening to throw it away. Go wife.
I'm pro wife in this instance, but next time I'm out on a business trip because she says it's probably moldy at this point. They say it's not. Can't verify. We don't know.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:44.120 - 00:28:45.120
We have to see Fair.
Colin True
00:28:45.600 - 00:28:51.920
She did also offer to buy me a new one. Okay, so if I'm gonna say goodbye, what should I replace it with? Signed Gator Man.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:53.120 - 00:29:06.840
Gator Man. Good sign off, by the way. Yeah, so I, when we did the live show, I said, first of all, just, you know, they still make Gatorade bottles.
You can also just replace it with one if you really like it. Just go get another one.
Colin True
00:29:07.880 - 00:29:10.880
That is a bit weird. Like, kudos for trying not to just.
Shawnté Salabert
00:29:10.880 - 00:29:12.880
Throw bottles away, but I appreciate it.
Colin True
00:29:12.880 - 00:29:15.320
Go to 7 11. There's like thousands of bottles.
Shawnté Salabert
00:29:15.960 - 00:29:47.090
The world is filthy with Gatorade bottles. Okay? And I'm talking like not 711 bottles, like they said, still make the branded ones because sports teams use them.
You know, they have the Gatorade like water coolers which I guess are filled with Gatorade. The, the little squeezy bottles. But anyway, do that if you want.
But I said for me, if I'm thinking about this question, I like a handheld when I'm running.
I like it to have some sort of mechanism to keep it attached to my hand because every time I've tried doing it with a headband or a buff, it just feels like I've splinted myself.
Colin True
00:29:47.480 - 00:29:48.080
Yeah, it doesn't Work.
Shawnté Salabert
00:29:48.080 - 00:30:14.890
It does not work. I also really like when they have little backpacks on them, which gives me a place to stash, you know, car keys, wallet, maybe a goo.
If I'm doing that to myself.
So my ride or die historically has been a Nathan speed shot plus, and I bought it because it's supposedly insulated, but honestly, a few minutes into my hand on a hot day, and that flies out the window. Like, I've never. That thing has never kept anything even mildly cold. Yeah, seriously full of lies.
Colin True
00:30:14.890 - 00:30:33.930
Wait now, will you do a handheld hiking or only when running? Because I. It's. There's a weird thing where, like, if I. When I'm running, I have no problem. Handhelds work great.
But if I'm hiking, which even if it's a short hike, why wouldn't I use a handheld? It's like, no, no, no. I would not use a handheld. What is the difference? What is the mental, like? You know what I mean? It's different.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:33.930 - 00:30:40.210
I mean. Yeah, that is funny. It would be easier than, I don't know, carrying an algine or, you know, filling up a full bladder or something like that.
Colin True
00:30:40.210 - 00:30:44.450
I'm hiking three miles. I better put on a pack with a water bottle versus, like, just bitching about people.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:44.450 - 00:30:54.310
Do you. The very first episode of Gear Abbey, when we talked about.
Was it the first episode we talked about running vests, and someone was like, I'm worried I'm not gonna look cool. Did you send that question in?
Colin True
00:30:54.630 - 00:30:58.230
No, but you're not gonna look cool if you're not going at a very short distance.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:58.710 - 00:31:06.310
All right. I feel like in that episode, you pretended to agree with me when I said it didn't matter and that anybody who judges you for what you wear.
Colin True
00:31:06.310 - 00:31:07.870
No one should care about my opinion.
Shawnté Salabert
00:31:07.870 - 00:31:11.100
That's right. Everybody listened to that. Do you want to say that one again, actually?
Colin True
00:31:11.490 - 00:31:12.410
But if you want to look cool.
Shawnté Salabert
00:31:12.410 - 00:32:02.870
You should I just bleep that? That was my bleeping.
Anyway, listen, after we did that live show, a guy from Hydropack came up and challenged my haterade and offered to send some handhelds for me to test. And lo and behold, I am now in possession of not one, but two 500 milliliter Hydra Pack Sky Flasks. I have to. Sky Flask.
That is the most intense name ever for a handheld. Anyway, one of them's insulated. One of them's just a regular ass. Uninsulated flask. Sky flask. And honestly, I've been using them for a bit now.
I'm digging them even Though they do not have a little backpack. That's fine. I can put my keys and my shorts or whatever. So here. Here's what I like about them. The Hydropack Sky Flask. I can't not do that.
Colin True
00:32:02.870 - 00:32:04.150
This segment not sponsored by Hydro.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:04.150 - 00:32:04.590
Not at all.
Colin True
00:32:04.590 - 00:32:06.630
But you should Hydra Pack CZ Hydropack.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:07.510 - 00:32:11.620
Wrong. Hydra. What if it was just sponsored by a hydra?
Colin True
00:32:11.860 - 00:32:15.860
Like Captain America's least favorite. Captain America's least favorite podcast.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:16.100 - 00:32:27.820
Exactly. We got to aim for something here.
All right, so first of all, I love that you don't have to unscrew the cap to fill them because they have flip tops, which they call speed fill caps in addition to the screw top.
Colin True
00:32:27.820 - 00:32:30.500
And it's a speed fill cap. Thank you.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:30.740 - 00:32:32.660
I was waiting for you to Sky Flask.
Colin True
00:32:32.820 - 00:32:34.220
Sorry. Sky Flask.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:34.220 - 00:32:34.660
Thank you.
Colin True
00:32:34.980 - 00:32:36.180
I missed my cue. My bad.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:36.500 - 00:32:42.100
You know, we should really see if they want to sponsor just simply so that we can create some sort of superhero.
Colin True
00:32:42.900 - 00:32:43.540
Yeah, right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:43.620 - 00:32:44.180
Okay.
Colin True
00:32:44.180 - 00:32:48.020
We're crushing SEO for them right now just by saying Sky Flask.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:48.740 - 00:32:50.940
But Colin will do it because I sound demented.
Colin True
00:32:50.940 - 00:32:53.540
Anytime I try to do that, I'm here for it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:54.580 - 00:33:31.460
Probably most people are. Anyway, love the cap. Great time. Second, I love the hand strap, which is.
It's a little hard to describe, but it's essentially kind of like a lightly padded thumb loop and strap. Like a Velcro strap that cinches down over the top of your hand. And these are easily the most comfortable handhelds I've ever used.
Because of it, you don't have to grip it at all. It just kind of hangs out there. So, like, I've. I've reached and grabbed my phone. When I stubbed the flask on my hand, I've grabbed my keys.
It's kind of amazing because then you feel like you have four hands and, well, I guess three hands, because most people aren't double fisting like I have been to test.
Colin True
00:33:31.460 - 00:33:33.540
Use Hydra back. You'll grow hands.
Shawnté Salabert
00:33:34.100 - 00:33:55.480
Exactly. That's right. We're really going deep on this. Definitely there will be an asterisk risk when we do that ad because we can't promise anything.
But there's also. Let's talk about the insulation factor, which was my entire point, what I was bitching about during the live show. So Hydropack uses a proprietary.
You're gonna say this, Colin.
Colin True
00:33:55.480 - 00:33:57.360
Isobound ISO Bound.
Shawnté Salabert
00:33:58.720 - 00:34:24.890
That's their technology, which they claim keeps liquids, quote, at an ideal temperature 38% longer than a standard water bottle. It's essentially a double wall construction. Uses some open cell foam Inside. And they kind of liken it to a drink. Koozie.
So I decided in order to test these and kind of see whether or not that insulated thing was doing its job, I went out a double double fisted. This is how I've been using double fisted, not in capital letters.
Colin True
00:34:25.130 - 00:34:25.810
Oh, sorry.
Shawnté Salabert
00:34:25.810 - 00:34:37.419
No, but you can still do it. I went out double fisted. My little Sky. Sky, Sky. We've ruined it. I can't say that anymore. Sorry.
Colin True
00:34:37.419 - 00:34:38.099
That's my bad.
Shawnté Salabert
00:34:38.659 - 00:35:31.800
I filled them about 3/4 full with water, popped them in the freezer overnight, and then I took both of them. I. I would take both of them out, and I.
This was a great way to test them because I have to say, not only does that insulation actually work, but it works really well. Like, really well. The hand. So I had the insulated one in my left non insulated, My right uninsulated one got cold or got like melty super quick.
And my hand was super cold. Um, my hand that was holding the insulated. I.
It took me a minute to realize that hand wasn't cold at all, which means it was insulated from the cold, and the cold was insulated from the heat of my hand. So actually doing its job. And the ice in the regular bottle, like I said, started melting right away. I.
Several hours later, there was still ice in the hydro pack. Sorry. In the insulated sky flask with the ice bound.
Colin True
00:35:32.280 - 00:35:34.200
Good job. Hydra pack.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:37.400 - 00:36:08.420
Yeah. Oh, man. Yeah, it's. I have to say, it's a little mea culpa for me because I really never believed in insulated handhelds because you.
You generate a lot of heat in your hands. And as y' all know, I've mentioned many times that I am a sweaty bet when I'm out there, so trust me, my hands are hot as it's. I love them.
I. I am super excited to keep using these. And as a bonus, I noticed that on the packaging, these come with something called a beyond lifetime guarantee, which.
Colin True
00:36:08.660 - 00:36:10.420
Beyond lifetime guarantee.
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:10.500 - 00:36:16.940
Thank you. It just made me think that they should probably carry me into the afterlife. I was like, beyond lifetime, that's the best.
Colin True
00:36:16.940 - 00:36:21.220
That's right. You're going to live forever now. You have the hydropat guy to thank for it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:21.220 - 00:36:46.650
Thank you.
It just, it, you know, it turns out they'll just replace any defective products, and that's manufacturing defects, material malfunctions, not user error for life. So I. You know what? I'm gonna give this one an A plus. This might be one of the most enthusiastic things I've tried So far, and I love it. I'm excited.
I'm like, excited now. I hate running in the heat, but I'm. I'm kind of weirdly looking forward to it now, honestly.
Colin True
00:36:46.650 - 00:36:51.020
The two frozen bottles will probably actually keep you. I'll cool you off a little, I think.
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:51.650 - 00:36:53.090
Just like, hold on to my head.
Colin True
00:36:53.490 - 00:36:58.770
Just strap one on there. You see those hats the Ultra Runners wear where they literally. It's like a little baggie on top of a hat and they fill it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:58.770 - 00:37:00.770
Is that the cool Ultra Runners or the play?
Colin True
00:37:00.850 - 00:37:05.250
It's definitely not cool looking. I think it's. It's very functional, but not a great look, I would say.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:05.250 - 00:37:05.930
What is Lazarus?
Colin True
00:37:05.930 - 00:37:31.510
I gotta see that in Paris Fashion Week or anything. No, but do you think that there's a. Like, we definitely tend to focus on. For all the activities we do outside, at the minimum, even on a.
At the most basic level activity, there's usually some level of discomfort, whether that's, you know, burning muscles or sweaty or whatever. And yet we're really trying to solve all the little tiny things that make us more comfortable as to. To like, almost to a. I mean.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:31.510 - 00:37:34.510
Isn'T that what humans have done since humans came into existence?
Colin True
00:37:34.510 - 00:37:46.510
Probably right? The complicated cook system so that when you're backpacking for 10 days, where you're gonna be uncomfortable most of the time. Well, hold on.
Your meal could be a little warm.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:46.830 - 00:38:12.890
Listen, having one comfort is kind of nice. Listen, I'm out there running, lungs are burning, my legs are like, why must you treat us like this?
But if I can have a cold, you know, maybe I put Gatorade in there. No, I won't. Maybe I could have some cold electrolytes. Or just water would be a thrill. So I can have a little comfort thrill.
I don't think that's a bad thing. I'm not out there running and like, you know, I don't know even what would be comfortable to run in. Because running's not comfortable.
Colin True
00:38:15.050 - 00:38:17.730
Because you're doing it wrong. Because you're not doing the cool hipster version of it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:38:19.000 - 00:39:01.030
I hate you. Well, that is it for this episode of Gear Abby.
Until next time, send your burning questions, not you, Colin, about your relationships with outdoor products, people, places and pastimes over to dear gear abbymail.com I'm going to do my best to answer them or find someone else who can. And of course, head over to your podcast listening service of choice and subscribe, rate and review to support the pod and make my day.
And follow us over on Instagram at Gearabypod. In the meantime, today's episode was produced by David Korstad and this guy, Colin True. Art direction provided by Sarah Gensert. I'm Shantae Salibair.
And remember, there are no dumb questions, just smart advice.