I’ll admit it…I’m a Salomon junkie. I’ve been known to refer to them as my favourite designer and eagerly await their new line of clothing and adventure racing packs as I once anticipated Santa Claus’ arrival. I could care less about ever owning a Louis Vuitton or Gucci purse, but put out a Salomon Raid Revo pack in a new colour and I’ll be lining up for it!
Given this introduction, you can imagine my elation when I won a Salomon gear credit in the annual Running Free team lottery. I live approximately 90 minutes from the Markham store, and I’m pretty sure I made it up there approximately 87 minutes after receiving the email. Having already reached my limit of new Salomon packs for the season, I was excited to pimp my packs out with some of the new accessories designed to allow racers to better customize their pack to their needs.
To give my Salomon XT Wings Vest and Salomon XA 20 Women’s pack added versatility, I picked up two of the custom bottle holders, which snap on to the front shoulder straps of both packs. I used this set-up several times throughout the season and I loved being able to put an electrolyte mix in the bottles and save the bladder in my pack for plain water.
I also picked up the large Salomon Custom Front Pocket, which also attaches easily to any of the 2009 Salomon packs for added space and accessibility. When adventure racing, I’ve earned the nickname “Snacky Pants” for my knack at always having a wide variety of tasty racing snacks handy. This front pocket has proven invaluable for keeping my snacks and other necessities readily and easily available.
Lastly, I chose the super lightweight Salomon Fast Wing Hoodie II jacket to complete my line-up. Since I had already picked up more shirts than I’m willing to admit in the awesome Azure Blue colour that Salomon put out for women in 2009, it seemed only natural that I should add this jacket to my robust collection of Salomon outerwear. Originally, I thought that this jacket would accompany on many adventures throughout the season; unfortunately, I liked it too much to allow it to get too dirty (I know, I know, I’m supposed to be an adventure racer). While this jacket hasn’t made it out on the racecourse with me yet, it did enjoy several long hikes and runs and I was impressed with its warmth and breathability. Weighing in at a scant 4.23 ounces, there is no excuse not to throw this jacket into a pack on a run, hike or bike. Hopefully by next season I’ll allow it to get muddy with me!
I think that Salomon did a great job this year with its customizable pack options and with its colour choices for its women’s clothing. I was thrilled that Salomon came on board this year as a Team Running Free sponsor and can’t wait to see what they have in store for me in 2010!
