RUX Product Testing in Yosemite

I was lucky enough to get to Yosemite again this July.  This was my third trip to the park, and although nothing will replace my first trip experience as I entered the Valley, this trip was still very special and packed with adventure.  I booked three nights at Yosemite Lodge (no tent this time) as this provided the best value for our trip and needs.

Product testing was at the top of my list as was some rigorous hiking and boulder climbing.  My business partner, An To, met me there for one of the days to document our testing. 

For most of the trip, I was outfitted in our new Crossover pants prototype and our Classic Merino Tee.  Our Crossover pants were fresh from our cut and sew facility with a few new design changes.  Our pant fabric is a synthetic material that is extremely comfortable and durable and is made by a high performance textile company called Toray.  The fabric has great stretch characteristics for an active lifestyle, yet vary durable and snag resistant.

One of my missions this visit was to take the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls.  My son, Christopher (he is nine) and my wife Annemarie joined in the trek.  Although the mist was not nearly as noticeable as in July 2017 (due to the enormous amount of snow melt in the high country last summer), it was still a great hike.  Toward the top of the hike there are roughly 600 plus steps carved out of the granite.  It's a bit strenuous as you approach the falls, even for the experienced and adventurous.  Well, as anyone who has climbed to the top can attest, the view of the falls and the canyon are amazing and awesome. Part of the difficulty in the high season that adds additional challenge is navigating the large volume of visitors on the narrow trail path at the top.

An and I also did some boulder climbing at the base of Yosemite Falls.  This involved a lot of sliding and rubbing against the rocks as we reached and stretched both ascending and descending the canyon.  The Primeflex fabric really performed well!  So did our gusset we designed in the inseam of our pants.  

Both our shirts and our pant prototypes met and - to some extent - outperformed our expectations.  An and I wore small packs that day and the shoulder panels on both the long and short sleeve shirts really helped eliminate any shoulder rub from fabric seams.

We were also lucky enough to get one of the last few days rafting down the Merced River this season.  The river was getting pretty low and we had to free ourselves from the riverbed several times on the three mile journey.

Biking was also something we did around the Valley floor.  

Such a great trip and experience.  I hope to get back soon!