Matador Blog

We took the new Advanced Series to Alaska to put the bags through some thorough testing on real objectives we've had our eyes on. Check out the new collection here.

Recently a new kind of polymer has hit the outdoor fabric market: UHMWPE or ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. This material has a strength-to-weight ratio 15 times greater than steel and is being used to make modern bulletproof vests, commercial fishing nets, artificial hips and knees for joint replacements, and it's even replacing large steel chains in heavy industries all...

When planning an objective, the difference between an epic day and getting skunked can come down to the quantity and quality of time spent researching beforehand. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of the mapping and routefinding portion of you pre-trip planning. Satellite imagery The 800lb gorilla is obviously Google, and their Maps app is...

We have a challenge for you. Imagine you have to go home and pack for a trip right now. But- you only have 10 minutes to pack, a 30 liter bag, and have no idea where you’re going. Ready, set, scramble! Turns out you’re going to the Galapagos for a week, hope you packed a rain shell. Maybe you missed...

We took one of our best selling products and gave it a complete redesign. Matador founder Chris talks us through some of the design decisions the team made to take the Camera Base Layer to the next level.

UL has been a movement in the through-hiking community for quite some time. Ultralight means much more in some circles than just low in weight, it has grown into a style of travel from trail to jet bridge. Around here, weight is pretty much always front of mind. It’s where we started, and reducing base weight has become a top...

Surf travel has a vibe all its own, one we are looking forward to soaking up this summer. Spending a little time working with Volcom’s team this past year on our collaborative surf travel line has us seriously anticipating our next surf trip. An excellent way to experience a little travel without straying too far from home, we have put...

The term waterproof is thrown around an awful lot.  That’s why we’re taking our waterproofing to a whole new, third party certified, level. IPX6 is one of a few variations of IP code, or Ingress Protection Code.  IP Codes classify protection from both water and dust.  In the case of the new Base Layer Line, the protection IPX6 is referring...