Its never too late to pick up a new passion. Avery Shamek is a man of talents and motivation. He was sort of a late bloomer when it came to art and his passion for it. He works in the Smith and Rogue warehouse by day, does tattoo work in his downstairs studio, as well as digital illustration and all sorts of techniques including pencil, pastel, and watercolor.

Making western hats by hand started as a hobby in his Airstream Trailer, the rest is history. As a Montana brand ourselves, we are always on the lookout for other creators doing rad stuff in our home state. And after meeting John and Gina we had no doubts about a the beginning of a partnership.

Look, the Garment Industry is full of misleading a far-flung claims about these “hot topics.” Most of what is considered “ecofriendly” is made from recycled plastics like water bottles and old fishing nets. This is turned into polyester which takes up over half of the textile fabric produced globally. Recycling is not always an environmentally neutral endeavor. There is the issue of sourcing (collecting) and transporting and the process of breaking down the bottles themselves into a usable fabric. The biggest issue though is microplastics, a problem becoming more and more relevant in today’s world.

How Many Liters do I Need? It all depends on what you use it for, what you want to bring, where are you going, and how long you are going there.

Should you wash your down sleeping bag? Yes, You Should To wash or not to wash? That is the question. Some people claim washing their bag ruins it. But that all depends on how you wash it and what you wash it with.

Clothing you see at department stores and shops across the country is mostly made overseas thanks to economic forces of globalization. Globalization though, in our minds is not always a bad thing. Trade and technology have lifted many nations out of poverty. Food we grow here in the states, (Montana grows a lot of wheat) can be shipped all over the world.<br<br>And just to be up front. We are not black and white on this issue. Some might say all in the US or nothing. But for us, our goal of providing quality goods western amigos + amigas can afford, is not always feasible here in the States. We don’t want our customer spending their paycheck on a jacket, just so they can go back to work to pay for the pants next month. Sometimes it just costs too much to make it in the USA.  

When it comes to buying a tent one of the first questions we get is, how much does it cost? The other question being how much does it weigh? Asking how much a tent costs is a great question. Knowing how much a tent costs can tell you generally how much time and resources a manufacturer put into research and development (design), finding and sourcing quality materials (fabric and hardware), and effort into cutting the trail weight (generally the lighter the pricier). Price is also a personal thing (obviously), so if you need the best of the best, you are often going to have to pay for it. And with respect to each category, expect to pay more for a lighter tent. In our experience, lighter is not always better. But again, that all depends on what your end goal is. Below is list of some of our favorite tents by price. In our opinion...

What are t-shirts usually made of? Polyester, wool, silk, or cotton to name a few, Usually though a combination of polyester and cotton. Polyester is plastic, often recycled from used water bottles. Our tees are made from 100% cotton, becasue we prefer natural fibers whenever possible, especially next to skin. Perhaps one of the most important thing to consider, when considering a tee shirt, is comfort. Comfort is never overrated. And when it comes down to comfort, there are a couple of factors to consider: breathability, hand feel, and fit.

Horses + Mules are a lot of work. But the payoff is huge. There is nothing better, even in the world of internal combustion engines and battery powered Tesla’s, than a train of pack horses in the backcountry. We caught up with the Mills brothers at their home in Augusta, MT. It’s February and they are chipping away at the preparations for summer trips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

We headed out to the foothills of the Little Belt Mountains (Near Utica, MT) in search of a new climbing area. Trent did manage to find a route up to the anchors despite his first day climbing outdoors. Mia did her best, and even after admitting she was only doing it for the camera, ended up surprising herself and having bit of fun. At the bar, Cody and Cody were challenged at the pool table by two hunters scouting the area for the up-and-coming season. There was an abundance of beer, awkward dancing, and the occasional good shot.

Goretex is a patented material, and one of the first materials of its time to be flexible, breathable and waterproof all at the same time. Before that people were either waxing their canvas or wearing plastic ponchos. Our 3-Layer SR3 Fabric (made in Japan) is based off the same principle, creating a fabric that not only keeps the water out, but breathes enough to keep you dry on the inside as well. We'll explain how our shell is different than a poncho, what a 3-layer shell means, and how a fabric is tested for waterproofness. Full disclaimer, our shells are not made from Gore-tex material, just like the tissues you buy from the supermarket might not be Kleenex (a brand). So if you are looking for Gore-tex products specifically, you might try looking at some of our competitors like Arc'teryx or Rab. Other brands like Mountain Hardware an...

Adventure itself is defined by the unknown elements of life. It always involves some headlong plunge into unpredictability, into the unknown. And if adventure were predictable and quantifiable, then well we wouldn't call it adventure. We'd just call it algebra or something. Experts can have a hard time with adventure, wanting things figured, anticipated, and calculated. An expert is a nice thing to have around when expertise is needed, but most times the fun is in overcoming the challenge of not knowing. The need to be an expert often inherently sucks the fun out like a leech sucking blood from its host.