Phones and water have always been a dangerous mix. As a photographer, I have always been tempted to bring my phone to the river’s edge to capture photos, and more than once the river has ended up with my phone. A watertight housing for my DSLR costs more than the several-thousand-dollar camera I would put in it and risks water damage to my livelihood. The AxisGO, made by AquaTech, provides an incredible solution to upgrade my iPhone into a professional-grade underwater camera.
AquaTech is well known for creating products that protect cameras against the harshest environments and withstand the elements. The AxisGO, designed originally for surfers and divers, is no different. The case is rugged and impact-resistant yet lightweight. The case is closed by a single locking mechanism that is secure but easy to use. A hard-coated polycarbonate membrane allows full touchscreen control, so you can still swipe and zoom and answer a call if you need to (with surprising audio quality). The housing is a little bit bigger than you might expect from a phone case. At 4.9” x 7.9” x 1.4″ it looks almost like a tablet case at first. But the brackets snuggly grip the phone in place, and you are ready to hit the water.
The interchangeable lens port allows a variety of lenses to be used, from wide-angle to domes for split shots where subjects are in focus above and below the water. The lens is made of optically correct glass elements with anti-reflective and hydrophobic coatings. Using the built-in camera app, the crystal-clear glass of the AxisGO improves the quality of the camera phone, capturing tack-sharp imagery. Use the volume buttons, just like you would on your phone normally, or attach the trigger, making it more ergonomic.
The Ultra-Wide 6″ Dome Port is a bubble lens that shows a “fisheye” 140-degree field of view, and since it holds the water away from the lens, you can capture stunning split-shot photos showing above and below the surface. One of my favorites has been shots of fish as they swim out of a net on the river; the detail is incredible. And for those looking to go deeper than our local rivers, the AxisGO can shoot at depths down to 33 feet.
For those looking to jump into the deep end, pun intended, get the Over-Under Kit for $525. But if you just want to dip your toes in, start with just the case and standard lens for $199. Considering a housing for my DSLR would cost over $1,000, the AxisGO is a screaming deal to get underwater photography shots.
Winter finally arrived in the Rockies, and with it temperatures have plummeted there is some gear you need to stay warm this winter. From your extremities to your core, your chances of surviving the cold winter days and nights are much better if you’re are bundled up. So, as the long icy chill sets in over town, these are a few of the must have accessories to keep you warm and toasty.
Whether you are shredding the slopes or hiking the snowy trails, you need to keep your feet happy. With warm toes, just about anything is bearable in the snow. The silky-smooth socks from Le Bent are the answer to your frosty feet. The 
If the winter goal is the stay toasty, then you can’t be losing heat through your head. Enter the beanie that will change your lifestyle, the Ladd from 
Chairlift rides and long skins can get chilly and there is nothing better to instantly warm you up than a hot drink. Using vacuum insulation technology, the 
At the end of a long day in the snow, there is nothing better than bundling up by the fire. The 
And while an ocean deck will do, there are several challenges including buoyancy and the fragile fiberglass. Badfish is a surf and SUP company born on the rivers, and built in Salida. Through years of testing on the standing wave right outside their office they developed a lineup that brings river surfing to a new level. And one of the most innovative is the 
is stiff as a hard board. It has enough volume to rip even the smallest waves, and when you are craving the glassy green face of a wave you will be hard pressed to remember you are just standing on air.
As warming global temperatures begin to impact snow totals, the snow sports industry is changing its ways with respect to the environment. Ski resorts are turning to wind power and solar and ski and board brands are using less harmful materials in construction. But what about our outerwear, do we ever consider what we wear as being part of the conservation conversation? Picture Organic Clothing has brought the issue to the forefront and created an eco-friendly snow sports line dedicated to looking at design, construction and recycling.
The Picture Organic Clothing design team thinks innovatively about the raw materials and the recyclability of a product. Most of the worlds production textiles come from fibers produced from oil. But where Picture is using cotton in their construction it is 95% organic and 5% recycled. For its part, the Cooler jacket is 46% recycled polyester 54% polyester recovery fabrics lining, earning it a Greenplus certification.
The drawstring allows for as much storage volume as you need, in addition to a zippered pocket in the top.There is an integrated tripod/monopod mounting system on front. Which I should say I honestly wasn’t the biggest fan of. But the design of the top compression straps allowed me to be able to put the tripod on horizontally and use the straps there to cinch it into place.
