Sean Sewell
Owner and Director of Stoke – Engearment
When Sean was a young boy, he had a paper route. His first purchase from his paper route money? A Swiss Champ knife. He was officially hooked on gear. That was 30 years ago and the knife is still getting used! After thousands of days in the field, testing gear in all kinds of climates, conditions, and activities he is ready to help you get into the best gear for your adventures!
When not obsessing about gear, Sean is a certified personal trainer and owner of Colorado Personal Fitness and Mountain Fitness School. He loves training clients to get into shape to enjoy all outdoor activities and adventures and loves getting them into the right gear so they can make the most of the experiences! If he’s not training his clients in the gym and in the mountains, Sean is consumed with research into the best gear technology and testing it on adventures. Sean is TRX-FORCE, NSCA-CPT, NPTI, NSNF, AIARE Level 2 and a certified gear enthusiast.
He also wrote the book on Splitboarding.
Instagram Sean Sewell Mountain Man
Gear Reviews by Sean Sewell
As Owner and Director of Stoke, Sean’s written output spans everything he touches — splitboards and bindings, alpine and touring apparel, rooftop tents, camping systems, mountaineering poles, nutrition, and training tools. Below are some of his most recent gear reviews. For podcast episodes, interviews, and the full archive of his work, use the search link at the bottom.
Jones Frontier 2.0 Splitboard Review – New Shape and Flex for 2026
January 30, 2026 — Sean reviews the updated 2026 Jones Frontier 2.0 splitboard, digging into the refreshed directional shape, softer 2/5 flex, 3D Contour base, and Traction Tech on Colorado backcountry tours.
Kuhl Dissipatr Air vs Kuhl Silencr Kargo vs Kuhl Uphift Short – Best Summer 2025 Shorts
June 3, 2025 — A head-to-head comparison of Kuhl’s top three men’s shorts for summer 2025, weighing fit, fabric, and use case for each.
Thule Approach Roof Top Tent Review – The Most Luxurious 3 Person RTT We Have Used
August 17, 2023 — After years of hard-sided RTT camping, Sean reviews the soft-sided Thule Approach (Large) with attention to its under-5-minute deploy time, 2″ foam mattress, and four skylights.
Patagonia Houdini Air Review – Super Light and Packable
May 19, 2020 — A longtime Houdini fan, Sean reviews the updated Patagonia Houdini Air with a focus on its ultralight packable design for high-output adventures.
Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault Pack – Military Inspired Civilian Day Pack
March 11, 2020 — Sean reviews the $199 Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault Pack, which pulls from the brand’s military heritage into an urban civilian day pack.
SAXX Kinetic HD Boxer Brief Review – The Best Boxer for Active Guys
March 5, 2020 — A longtime SAXX fan, Sean reviews the updated Kinetic HD as his new go-to for active and daily use.
Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover – Super Cool Windshirt for High Output Activities
March 4, 2020 — First spotted at Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2020, Sean reviews the $129 Patagonia Airshed Pro Pullover from the High Endurance line for trail running in variable conditions.
MSR DynaLock Ascent Carbon Backcountry Poles – Lightweight, Adjustable and Awesome
February 19, 2020 — Sean reviews the carbon-graphite MSR DynaLock Ascent poles as his new favorite for splitboarding, backcountry skiing, and snowshoeing.
HANAH Supplements Review – Authentic and Healthy Ayurvedic Creations
February 11, 2020 — Sean reviews HANAH’s Ayurvedic supplement line, endorsed by athletes including Jimmy Chin, Travis Rice, and Jeremy Jones.
Mountain Hardwear Boundary Ridge Gore-Tex 3L Bib – New, Recycled and Kick-Ass
November 19, 2019 — Sean reviews the Mountain Hardwear Boundary Ridge 3L bibs made from recycled Gore-Tex for heavy mountain use.
Hydro Flask Insulated Tote – Charming as it is Cool
October 12, 2019 — Sean reviews Hydro Flask’s new insulated tote series in 8L, 20L, and 35L sizes as picnic-ready carriers.
WANDRD DUO Camera Daypack – Astoundingly Good At Protecting Your Priceless Gear
October 4, 2019 — Sean reviews the WANDRD DUO Camera Daypack, built from 840D Jr Ballistic Nylon with exhaustive organizational compartments for camera kits.
Roofnest Rooftop Tents – Real World Review
June 10, 2019 — Sean’s detailed review of the Roofnest Eagle rooftop tent, paired with insights from fellow tester Brian Myers on the Sandpiper model.
Spark R&D Tip & Tail Clips – Keep Your Splitboard Together
February 15, 2019 — Sean reviews the Spark R&D tip and tail clips as a fix for the gap that develops between splitboard halves over time.
Patagonia Descensionist Jacket and Pant – Backcountry Touring Covered
January 8, 2019 — After a year-long testing process, Sean reviews the Patagonia Descensionist jacket and pant as lightweight, stretchy, breathable outerwear for backcountry touring.
Karakoram vs Spark R&D Splitboard Bindings 2018
November 26, 2018 — The annual head-to-head comparison — Karakoram Prime X Carbon vs Spark R&D Pro Surge, pitting each company’s flagship binding against the other.