the righteous brew -------- gear or beer?

Pabst Blue Ribbon

therighteousbrew — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:46:43 +0000

Pabst Blue Ribbon. PBR. Hands down, the go to beer for hipsters. Why? Because it’s cheap, tasty, and most of all, trendy. Interestingly enough, Pabst was once the sipper of white-collared somebodies. Then it became the throwback of blue-collared workers. Now it’s the chugger of v-necked nobodies. I am not so sure as to how or when the change happened. I think it’s a combination of two things: marketing and cheapness. Pabst signs are found at many hipster hangouts – indie concerts, basement restaurants, and, of course, patio bars. Second, it is cheap. But not super cheap. All in all it’s a good beer for the buck. Anticipate more posts about or just mentioning PBR.

Go grab your pack of Parliament Lights or your baggie of Bali-Shag and crack a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Beer Specs for Beer Techs:

“American Style Premium Lager
Pabst Blue Ribbon is a premium lager brew crafted with a hefty infusion of 6-row barley in its ingredient package, a carefully balanced carbohydrate profile from corn syrup, and a unique combination of Pacific domestic hops blended with an imported Yugoslavian variety. Fermented with a pure culture of yeast and aged at high gravity, PBR is cellared and finished to the smooth, robust likeness of a fine Pilsner.” (taken from Pabst’s website)

144 calories

12.8 grams of carbohydrates

New Belgium Fat Tire

therighteousbrew — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:12:58 +0000

Remember the bikes we used to ride as kids? They were fixed geared, fatty tired, and rusted. And, you always would have the neon crotch pad on the frame…just in case. Kind of looked like this:

From Boulder, CO, Fat Tire amber ale is slowly biking it’s way to the east coast. I remember when it first rolled into Chicago. I was working at a gear shop and all the buzz from customers and employees, alike, pertained to the anticipation of Fat Tire’s arrival in the city. The day finally arrived and I had the pleasure, nay, the honor, of sipping its sweet amberness in the little Lincoln Park bar: Kelly’s Pub.

The air was still and the conversation was nil as we all partook of pure Rocky Mountain beer gold. As we left that evening, we stopped at a local liquor store only to find out that no Fat Tire sixers were to be found and enjoyed…instead, bombers were abundant. Yes. Tasty. And yes.
It’s been a year since my last Fat Tire. I’m having withdrawals. But, I soon will be moving back to Chitown – which is the farthest east I’ve found Fat Tire.

ENO – Double Nest

therighteousbrew — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:17:11 +0000

Gliding over mountains, weaving around trees, ascending through chimneys etched in cliffs, the eagle finds its way to the nest – perched high above the earth. Did you like that little descriptive sentence? Yeah? That’s because eagles are pretty sweet. And you can be, too, when you perch yourself in an ENO Double Nest.
I bought a single nest first – just for one homosapien. It was so sweet, but I wanted to expand my territory…so I got myself a double nest. Not only can you fit 2 homosapiens in it, but you can cocoon yourself in it when you’re by your lonesome. So if you’re vacillating between a single or double, just go for the double.
The hammock packs up real nice and provides some of the best sleeping comfort you may ever find – sleeping on air. (I wonder if Superman sleeps in the midair…if he does, then you can be Superman, too! How sweet is that? Sooooo sweet.) I have used my hammock inside and outside. You can even use it on a climb by camming, hexing, or nutting it to the wall…just don’t fall (because though it may seem like you are Superman, you really are not).

Do yourself and potential hammock roommate a favor – add the ENO Double Nest to your pack. It may even replace your tent – you can purchase rain tarps, bug nets, and eagle eggs to incubate.

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:
Dimensions: 6′ 8″ x 9′ 10″
Pack Weight: 22 oz
Maximum Weight: 400 lbs
Colors: a freakin’ rainbow to choose from

Petzl e+LITE

therighteousbrew — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:05:26 +0000

Many of you have been asking what headlamp is my first choice, go to, must have lamp. My answer is always the same: Petzl e+lite. First for all you boy scout graduates or cookie dealin’ girl scouts: yes, a headlamp is better than a regular flashlight. It’s hard for me to believe that people are asking that question, let alone still buying handheld flashlights.

Would you want to carry that atrocity around? You’d be fumbling as you used your other hand to rifle through your pack. If you only had one hand, this is a ridiculous choice. Or, imagine trying to read in your tent while holding on to this. Come on people. Headlamps are legitious. Well, the idea is. Many headlamps are horrible – they’re big, heavy, burn through batteries and bulbs. But not the Petzl e+lite. Of course, when guiding a group, it’s best to have a lamp with a xenon bulb. But, for most of us, the e+lite is all we need and more. You can even look like a complete creeper and clip it on the brim of your cap. That’s right, I said “cap”.

Look at that bozo – cub fan. Gross. A die-hard fan for a dying team. That’s why I used that pic – a creeper may clip their light to the brim and a creeper is probably wearing that hat. Go tigers. Wait, what? Anyway, if you are trying to decide what lamp to get, here are a few things to look for:

Bulb type- choose one that fits your needs. If you need brightness, like a spot light, go with Xenon or Halogen. If you want stellar bulb and battery life, go with LED.
- xenon (bright, burns batteries)
- LED (bright when completely dark, but not when it’s dusk; great battery life)
- Standard (decent battery life, cheap to replace, not the greatest brightness)
- Halogen (bright, burns batteries)
Battery – some come with packs, others are AA or AAA or N or some other type of hard to find battery. Check the type of battery life it has.
Headband- this will keep it on your head. Heavier lamps will have a strap that goes over your head. A cool design is a necessity to look bad ass in the mountains and while biking around the city at night.

I have a few headlamps, but overall, my e+lite is most used. And it comes in a super swanky case.

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:

Bulbs: 3 white LED, 1 red LED

Weight w/ Batteries: 0.95 oz

Dimensions: tiny

Brightness Levels: 3

Strobes: 2

Beam Type: flood

Battery Life at 70 degrees: High – 35 / Low – 45 hours

Batteries: 2 CR-2032 Lithium

Updated 2/24/10

Brunton My-Ti Spork

therighteousbrew — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:23:21 +0000

I absolutely love my Brunton My-Ti folding spork. First of all, a spork is one of the greatest cutlery inventions of all time…that and the serrated grapefruit spoon.

The original spoon is the typical go-to utensil for backpackers. It is totally unnecessary to bring a butter knife, fork, and spoon. But sometimes, you have problems taking your Lexan spoon and stabbing a scrumptious delicacy for transport to your mouth. This is where the Brunton My-Ti spork comes in – stab the morsel and bring it to the hangar. I like it so much that I use it at home, in the office, or even on a date. (Yep, I’ve done that before.)

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:
Overall Dimensions: 6.5″ x 1.5″ x 0.8″
Weight: a whoppin’ 0.6 oz
Polished eating surface
Titanium spork with stainless handle … it’s not all titanium.
MSRP: $15.40 (I know, right, when do you ever see 40 cents tagged on?)

Updated: 2/22/10

Mad Rock Phoenix

therighteousbrew — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:17:49 +0000

Gross. I can’t even begin to stress how disgusting these shoes are. Mad Rock’s concept starts good: variable rubber density – flex where you need it in an all around shoe. However, with so many seams in the rubber, the shoe will last you about a month. Believe me. I’ve seen it. When I was working at a gear shop, a lot of custies wanted these shoes because they were cheap and still highly recommended. After about a month, almost every single one of them came back in for a new pair of rock slippers because their Mad Rocks split or fell apart. What’s worse, none of those peeps were climbing outside – all gym. I can’t even imagine what real rock does to these things. Also, for one beginner, I had to take the shoes out to the asphalt and scuff them up in order to get any smear out of them.

If you really want to pay 75 bucks for shoes that will fall apart, go right ahead. But, you could also spend like $25 more and get better quality and performance in your all around or beginner shoe. I cringe at the thought of using these shoes and pity anybody I see sporting them. Gross.

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:
Sole: Fx-5
Heel Cup: 3D molded Hooker heel with descent tread
Rand: 2.2mm Mad Rubber Fx-5
Midsole: 2mm compressed polyester
Upper: 2mm SupaSuede leather
Construction: double stitched, seamless binding, padded neoprene tongue
Entry/Closure: dual external directional pull tabs with dual Locktite hook and loop
MSRP: $74.95

Updated: 2/18/10

Leinenkugel Honey Weiss

therighteousbrew — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:58:45 +0000

Yesterday, I was standing in the beer cooler of my local liquor store trying to decide what to get. My choices are very limited because where I live right now, everybody drinks Busch or Milwaukee’s best. I’ll be totally honest, in no way am I above those beers – in fact, I prefer PBR or Old Style as my cheap beer of choice. However, when I have 7 bucks, I like to splurge on something super tasty. As I stood there looking and debating for about 45 minutes, I settled on Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss. I know, I know…it’s typically a summer brew. But, it’s too good to pass up when you’re looking for something light, sweet, and a little tangy. I can’t physically or psychologically get myself to drink beer with flavors added, like orange or raspberry. But if you add some bee’s business, I’m in heaven.

It may be early in the season, but this beer’s got it goin’ on.

Beer Specs for Beer Techs:

Malts: Wheat & Pale

Hops: Clusters

Alcohol Content: 4.9% by volume

Added: Wisconsin Honey

How Good: So good.

Updated: 2/17/10

La Sportiva Ganda Shoe

therighteousbrew — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:16:13 +0000

I saw someone wearing these. He wasn’t approaching or sending. He was just hanging out. I wanted a pair – but I want to actually climb in them. I don’t think I would use these as a pair of bumming around sneaks. The soles would disintegrate in about a day. What would I do? Well, I’m glad you asked. Here’s my “perfect scenario” story: It’s a gorgeous morning in Buena Vista, CO. I wake up, pack some bouldering gear, and head out to Bongo Billy’s for a cup of the best coffee in the world and a spicy breakfast burrito. After people watching the locals, rafters, and backpackers, I decide to make my way out to the chalk cliffs. I get out of my car (Pat the Suby), remove my Chacos, and lace up my La Sportiva Gandas. It’s gonna be a good day because these shoes kick crag ass. I load up and hit the trail. As I’m hiking along, I am at peace in the wilderness – my mind is not stuck on my feet…why? because my La Sportiva Gandas are the perfect approach sneaks and cause no pain. (For those of you who hike a lot, it’s a good thing to not be thinking about your feet – it means you’ve got good kicks and your mind can ponder other things instead of your aching phalanges.) The Chalk Cliffs and I finally meet. Typically, at this point, a shoe change would be in proper order. But not so with my La Sportiva Gandas. I set my crash pad, chalk up, and start to play.

If only that were true. I guess I need to work on saving up money for a pair of these killer kicks…and move to Colorado…and have a job that allows me a day to climb.

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:
Weight: 14.74 oz
Last: Approach Tech
Construction: Slip Lasted (Forefoot); Board Lasted (Rear)
Upper: Leather/Vibram Rubber Rands/Synthetic Leather
Lining: Mesh (heel only)
Midsole: PU Lite
Sole: Vibram Dot Rubber
MSRP: a whopping $215

Updated 2/15/10

Osprey Atmos 35 Pack

therighteousbrew — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:52:49 +0000

I am a die hard Arcteryx Bora fan. They fit me super well, celebrate simplicity, and have superior materials. Osprey packs were too busy for me – too many zippers, pulls, pockets…in other words, too much to break. But, I started to look into their packs after I heard a little more about the company. After being made in Colorado for years, Osprey was moved to Vietnam. My first thought – horrible move. After being sold to K2, Dana Design packs were moved from Bozeman, MT to Vietnam and the quality of their pack construction fell from awesome to lousy. But, my critical nature was challenged upon hearing that the owner/lead pack designer, Mike Pfotenhauer, moved his entire family to Vietnam to oversee the construction of his packs. After the move between 2000-2003, I did not notice any differences. So, I picked up a couple Osprey packs to experiment. My favorite of the group is the Atmos 35. It’s a perfect crag pack – handles the weight of a rope, rack, and beer like a champ. One time, I was hanging out in a field with some friends. We left our packs over to the side. Some jack ass drove over my pack, dragged it for about 100 yards, got out of his car, threw the pack to the side, and kept driving. I couldn’t believe it. I picked up my pack and inspected it – had some holes, frame was bent, waist belt buckle was cracked. Sounds horrible, but after 5 minutes, I popped it back in shape and now it has some sick nasty battle scars.
I enjoy all of my Osprey packs, especially my Atmos 35 and 65, but I think I’ll always be a stubborn Arcteryx believer.

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:
Ideal Carrying Weight: >40 lbs (but I’ve carried 60 comfortably)
Medium Torso: 2100 cu. in; 35 L; 2 lbs 14 oz
Frame: Lightwire Allowy
Ventilation: Air Speed
Hipbelt/Shoulder Straps: Thermoformed and perforated
Women: check out the Aura – same thing, just lady specific.

Updated 2/14/10

Pass The Pigs Game

therighteousbrew — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:32:42 +0000

The greatest trail game I’ve ever played. It’s so good, that I practice in the “off season.” The game is easy to understand and will bring out a type of competitiveness that you didn’t know existed. Pass the Pigs involves throwing miniature Babes (remember that movie, it was amazing) and scoring points for how they land. Here’s a pic of the different positions:

It’s so much fun. Just bust out your frying pan and “Pass the Pigs.”

You can play the game online, too: click here

Gear Specs for Gear Techs:

Roll 2 cute pink piglets; you gain or lose points depending on how the critters land
Includes 2 pig dice, score pad, score guide and 2 pencils
Makes an ideal travel game
Comes in an attractive plastic carrying case
Fun for all ages
Manufacturer’s Suggested Age: 7 Years and Up
Length of Play: 30-60 Minutes
Number of Players: 2 or More Players
Travel Size: Yes
Dimensions: Length: 8.62 “; Height: 1.1 “; Width: 5.6 “; Depth: 1.1 “
Product Weight: 8.6 Oz.
MSRP: $12.99

Updated 2/12/10