Mike Opland
Mike is an aeronautical engineer, father, road and mountain biker and all around badass. Fun fact, he is also the 2nd place Red Bull World Champion for Paper Airplanes. Not making that up. Do NOT challenge him to a paper plane competition, unless you want to lose!
Mike builds rockets, sensors and all sorts of things that hurt our brain to think about. He is damn smart and good with his hands. We once built an impromptu rocket out of a beer can and fire. It was quite the party trick!
When Mike is not on dad duty or building things to go into space, he enjoys working on his 1940s Ford truck, named Atlas. We have enjoyed more camping adventures with Mike and his wife Brandi than we can count. If you get a chance to have a beer with Mike, ask him about the escaped donkey of Vail Pass.
Some of Mike’s Articles and Collaborations
Bringing his aeronautical engineer’s eye to gear testing, Mike reviews products built for his Colorado biking and outdoor family adventures. Here are a few highlights from his work on Engearment.
QuietKat Ibex – The Most Capable Full Suspension E-Bike Fat Bike Yet
July 8, 2023 — Mike contributes a detailed POV review of the QuietKat Ibex e-bike, putting it through its paces on Front Range trails and fire roads as “Engearment’s resident rocket scientist.”
Keen Targhee III Waterproof Mid Boot
August 24, 2020 — After roughly 60 days of use, Mike reviews the Keen Targhee III Waterproof Mid Boot and digs into why it has earned its “Best Seller” status.
Kelty Journey Perfectfit Elite Backpack First Impressions
May 29, 2019 — From the perspective of a hiking dad, Mike reviews the Kelty Journey Perfectfit Elite child carrier, with a focus on build quality and thoughtful features for trail-going kids.