- Aaron (Arizona)
- Rob (Texas)
- Tyler (Washington)
- Walter (North Carolina)
Last weekend was the hike of all hikes for us. We trekked 13 miles up 3,748 feet to reach the peak, Pointe de Banc Plat (6,257 feet).
While it is not the highest peak you’ll ever hike, it does provide spectacular views of the Lac d’Annecy, the Mont Blanc, and other major mountain ranges of the Alps.
The trail definitely offers a few challenges – like cliffs, animals, and long, upward segments – so if you want an adventure with stunning views, this is the hike for you.
We explored this beautiful 5-mile loop trail near Brison-Saint-Innocent, in Savoie, France. It is just south of Geneva, Switzerland, and directly east of Lyon, France.
The trail is considered a moderately challenging route and takes an average of 2 hours 53 minutes to complete, based on the All Trails app (see more details about the trail below).
I returned to the Dentelles de Montmirail to complete a full circuit around two ridges, the Grand Montagne and Dentelles Sarrasines.
The last time I was here, I started from the northwest side of the Dentelles and only went around the Grande Montagne.
The Dentelles are the foothills of the highest peak in Provence, Mont Ventoux, which is situated just to the east.
The dramatically jagged shape of their peaks was formed by horizontal strata of Jurassic limestone being folded and forced into a nearly upright position and subsequently eroded into sharp-edged ridges and spikes.
The great outdoors didn’t disappoint last weekend.
I trekked nine miles around the picturesque village of Montagne, France, and discovered some remarkable landmarks. Its 15th-century windmills, Les Moulins De Calon, reminded me of the Dutch countryside. I’d never seen windmills in southern France before but when I reached the hill where they stood, I understood why they were there: there was a lot of wind!
I hit the hiking trails in Southwestern France in late May. While the town of Saint-Émilion is known for making some of the finest red wines in the world, I must say the trails through the vineyards equally deserve applause.
Backpacking around the vineyard allows you to uncover the hundreds of years of agriculture this region has traditionally enjoyed.
Not every backpacking adventure has to be in the great outdoors, right? We often take a backpack with us when vacationing, too.
I recently took my Vaucluse Gear Cool-Dry Backpack Frame with me on vacation to Bordeaux. Located in southwestern France, the city is best known for its wine.
Mike’s feedback on how the Vaucluse Cool-Dry Frame performed in Saguaro National Park just outside of Tucson, Arizona:
“With the warm temps my back didn’t sweat at all…nice! So far, I like what I see. It’s well constructed, lightweight, flexible, and doesn’t feel odd when wearing it."
Here is Joe’s feedback on how the Frame performed:
"The difference in heat buildup became evident almost immediately, though. My back was not getting hot as it otherwise would, and it stayed much more comfortable than I would have expected."
This week was the ultimate sweat check. I took the biggest (55L) backpack that I own on a hike in Austin, Texas, in some seriously humid weather. In fact, there was so much humidity, there was no way I was not going to sweat.
The test was, could I keep my body temperature cool and save my backpack from getting soaked in sweat?
I partnered with a Backpack Gear Test to test out the Cool-Dry Frame. With over 15 years of testing equipment, BackpackGearTest.org (BGT) is a premier source for online backpacking, hiking, and camping gear reviews. They proudly offered to conduct a comprehensive review and test the Frame. The first field test was conducted in warm and sunny Grant, Alabama.
Warm weather is officially here. Last Saturday morning, I took a fantastic 7-mile hike through the Greenbelt outside Austin, Texas, with a hiking group of around 15 people.
I brought my Deuter Speed Lite 32L pack on the three-hour hike. Of course, the backpack is bigger than what I needed for a half-day hike, but I wanted to put my Cool-Dry Frame to the test with a large pack.
I traveled from Austin to Kansas City for the weekend with my Ebags Mother Lode Travel Backpack. The backpack is fantastic for packing everything I would ever need for a long weekend in Kansas City.
I brought my Gregory 40L pack on an 8-mile hike through the Greenbelt just southwest of Austin, Texas. The pack is much bigger than what is needed for a day hike, but I wanted to put it to the test with the Cool-Dry Frame.
You could say Texas is the perfect place to test the frame! The three-hour hike started in low temperatures but crept up to the 50s, feeling more like the 60s.
Who cares if it's 70 degrees... when it's this humid, you are definitely going to have some problems.
As the heat starts coming, here is how we are staying cool and dry.
Our customers are sharing their experiences of how the Cool-Dry Frame is keeping them sweat-free on their hikes.
Stay current with our latest news. Production is limited, and those who order will receive exclusive access and discounts.
Vaucluse Gear is a new outdoor adventure company that has just released its patented Cool-Dry Frame. Made in the USA, this lightweight frame keeps you cool by dissipating heat and evaporating sweat between your back and backpack. You, therefore, sweat less and stay cool.
© 2022 All Rights Reserved
