As an avid cold weather female adventurer, I struggle with keeping my hands from freezing. If you're like me you carry multiple pairs of gloves and mitts with you on outings, use chemical hot packs and have spent the big bucks on battery operated gloves. The struggle to keep my hands warm and dry is real, and if mismanaged leads me to have frozen fumbly fingers that can't manage to do up a zipper. The thawing out process can bring tears to my eyes and can take 15 minutes of straight walking just to re-gain circulation. Another option was presented to me recently that I was desperate to try: UThermic Coldscreen. UThermic is a heat-producing moisturizing body lotion that I tested out over the winter of 2018 while hiking, cross country skiing, ice climbing, and downhill skiing.

UThermic
Price: $24.99 for 5.1oz

My results:
​Reading the instructions for use of the UThermic Coldscreen product is key to its use. Here are my best tips in order to maximize its effect:

Tip #1: Apply before going outside

I found the product worked best by applying about 15 minutes before use. If you are travelling by car or handling gear, wear handwear so that the coldscreen doesn't come off. The best way I can describe the warm sensation is that it is similar to a tingling hot cinnamon candy in your mouth!

Tip #2: Wear your insulated, windproof handwear

A rookie mistake I made is anticipating your hands will get hot and wearing thinner gloves or mitts. I suggest wearing your insulated windproof handwear until the product heats up. If the warmth becomes too hot, then switch out to your thinner handwear.

Tip #3: Don't touch sensitive areas with bare hands

Habits are hard to break . I wiped my nose one day and transferred some of the lotion on to my face by accident. Big mistake!  A male friend of mine had to urinate and transferred some Coldscreen on a sensitive area! I found you had to be consciously mindful of where you are touching!

Tip #4: Move!

I found more rigorous the movement the better the product worked. Higher aerobic intensity winter activities like cross country skiing produced the greatest warming effect while downhill skiing and ice climbing were less. That said, even in activities that are more sedentary, I still found the lotion prevented my hands from getting to the freezing level they normally do. 

Tip #5: Pack your tube in a Ziploc

I mistakenly packed my Coldscreen tube in my luggage on one winter hiking trip. Some residue must have still been on the outside of the tube and was absorbed by the clothing I packed. I had one hike that I suffered annoyingly very hot inner elbow and collarbone as a result of lotion getting on my baselayer! I now pack it in a plastic bag.

Tip #6: Wash your hands in cold water

After exercising it's normal to hop in the shower which I did the first time I used UThermic Coldscreen. It didn't take long before I regretted the feeling of hot water on my hands, which amplified the heating effect. Make sure to wash the lotion off in cold water thoroughly before entering a shower or hot tub!

Pros: 
UThermic Coldscreen works. My hands never got to the point this winter full on freeze and painful thaw. I ditched my battery operated gloves and chemical hand warmers and fully committed to using the product. I continued to pack multiple sets of handwear like normal and swapped out gloves and mitts depending on my output and how hot my hands were.

I like the idea of not producing so much waste as there is with chemical hot packs and spending less money than battery operated gloves. The 5.1oz/150ml bottle lasted me a whole winter and I have some left over for next year!

UThermic Coldscreen is made from 98% natural ingredients. This is important to me as I don't like putting unnecessary chemicals on my body. The bottle is recyclable and so is the box it came in. The lotion is fragrance free and its not tested on animals. It is safe for all skin types. The product's effects lasts 4-6 hours. I never had to re-apply even on longer days in colder temperatures.

When sweating the lotion doesn't come off or lose intensity. I felt like it worked as hard as I do out there! In fact, I felt the product reduced the normal amount of sweat moisture that gets absorbed in my handwear. Thank you UThermic for making such a great product!

Cons:
I spent most of the winter trying to find consistency while using this product. Some of it was user error (not reading the instructions carefully) but also I found that the product varied depending on how much I put on and what I was doing. Hopefully next year I will follow my tips above and find the consistent pattern. I will update this review with any further tips!

While using the product, I found myself in a couple awkward situations in the ski lodge when meeting someone for the first time. I had to explain why I couldn't shake their hand as per social custom.

Lastly, I had some concerns when it came to eating outdoors with the lotion on. I wasn't sure if I should eat my lunch with my bare hands (ingestion concerns?) so I had to wear thin liner gloves to eat. That proved difficult in some situations (ie opening packaging, etc).

Best uses: Active winter wear. If you are prone to cold hands and feet and/or have Raynaud's Syndrome.

Full disclosure: I was given this product for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Tubbs Flex VRT is an aggressive backcountry snowshoe made for mountain use. I tested these snowshoes over the course of 3 months during winter 2017-2018, putting on 62 miles/100km in a variety of snowy environments. As a previous owner of the MSR Lightning Ascents and Atlas Elektra's, I feel I can accurately gauge the performance of the Flex VRTs in comparison to its competitors.

Tubbs Flex VRT- Mens and Womens
Price: $259 USD
Size: 22 (womens), and 24 and 28 (mens)
Weight: 4lbs (22), 4.5lbs (24), and 5lbs (28)

Features: 

The Tubbs Flex VRT features a flexible plastic decking with a flexible tail area, heel lifter bar,  aggressive Viper 2.0 toe crampon and traction rails, and a hinged dynamic fit binding system. 

The binding system uses BOA cinching technology, used in helmets as well as footwear for golf, hockey, snowboarding, hiking and running.

​Pros:
Climbing ability- Upon first glance at these snowshoes, you can't help but notice the aggressive crampon under foot as well as the gnarly side traction rails. After months of testing one thing is for sure: these snowshoes are made for climbing. Hard pack, powder, ice- these snowshoes are amazing at ascending and descending the steepest terrain. My favourite place to use them is the Adirondacks! My husband bent the crampon on his MSR Lightning Ascents (they have now changed the material as this was common) but has yet to have any issues with Flex VRT carbon steel crampons.

Binding system- I am in love with this simple to use binding system. The harness opens up so easily that I can step my foot in and be ready to go in no time. For people like me with cold hands, I don't even have to take off my mitts to get my foot in or out of the shoe. My husband and I both appreciated not having to do up 8 individual rubber straps each time we put on and took off our snowshoes like we did with our MSRs. The BOA system is very easy to use but the cables are exposed and I worry about the longevity in the backcountry and worry if one broke while adventuring. You can buy replacement cables if one does break and so far I have not had any issues. The binding system is hinged, allowing for freedom of movement unlike my old Atlas Elektra snowshoes, which recoiled like a flip flop sending snow up my backside. Lastly, I used the binding with mountaineering boots, hiking boots, and winter boots and the binding fit well on each type without an pressure points.

Stride- The Flex VRT snowshoes have one of the most natural stride feelings I have ever had in a snowshoe. Both my husband and I love how you can just walk normally and not have to adjust how you walk. Efficiency when moving in snow is important and I feel like these snowshoes do not feel clunky or awkward.

Decking- The flexible plastic decking especially in the tail area is useful on uneven terrain. In the Adirondacks, roots and rocks are covered but snow makes travel sometimes awkward on snowshoes except for the Flex VRTs. The torsional decking adapts to the terrain and allows for ease of travel. The only issue I had with the decking is on hard pack terrain when the decking creates a lot of noise making it somewhat difficult to have a conversation with your buddy.

Float- In deep powder I found the float sufficient for my weight. The decking was able to displace my body weight  with a pack and lifting my foot wasn't arduous.

Durability- After putting these snowshoes through some tough environments, the Flex VRTs are showing very little signs of wear. I am very optimistic that these snowshoes will pass the test of time and be able to withstand the abuse that backcountry travel inflicts on them. So far they are bomber!

Price- Tubbs Flex VRT wins the price comparison- The Tubbs Flex VRT MSRP: $259 USD, MSR Lightning Ascent $299 USD, and Atlas Aspect $289 USD

​Cons:
Weight- As a woman who travels in the backcountry I count every gram I carry. The Tubbs Flex VRT 22 inch long snowshoe pair weighs 4lbs vs the MSR Lightning Ascent 22in snowshoe weighs in at  3lbs 12oz. Believe it or not, you can really feel the extra weight- one of my test days involved wearing one of each. If the snowshoes could drop an ounce or two it would make a big difference on long days.

Packability- I carried these snowshoes on a backpack a few times. Due to the bulky binding system, they don't pack together as well as the MSRs but they are better than my old Atlas pair.

Heel Lifter Bar- Although I loved the heel lifter bar and its height, I found it difficult to raise while wearing thicker mitts. To lift it, you had to slide your finger along the a depression in the decking (see photo above) which worked using thinner handwear but not thicker. I would suggest using a bar with a curve it in or creating an easier way to lift the bar up. 

Best Uses: Steep mountain terrain where grip is essential.

Full disclosure: Tubbs provided me with these snowshoes for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed are completely my own.