One of the things I’ve learned over the years is to never go into the wilderness without a puffy jacket. Puffy jackets keep you warm when you’re at a cold belay, they help you survive an unplanned night out, they stave off cold when you’re at the end of a long hard mountain day. Putting… Continue reading Puffy Jackets
Category: Backcountry Clothing Reviews
Hunt Gear Checklist Part 1: Introduction and Clothing
Hunting Gear and Clothing: Intro and Context This is part 1 of my post on hunting gear and clothing. A few notes about this list to provide some context: I hunt deer and elk. My hunts are all self guided. I tend to backpack hunt, generally 3-8 miles from my vehicle. I don’t have pack animals. … Continue reading Hunt Gear Checklist Part 1: Introduction and Clothing
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hooded Down Jacket
The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer line of clothing are pieces that are designed with the overall goal of providing protection with the least possible weight and bulk. I own the hooded down jacket and the hooded windbreaker. This review is of the hooded down jacket Ghost Whisperer Hooded Down Jacket 8.8 ounces (size… Continue reading Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hooded Down Jacket
Patagonia Knifeblade and Northwall Lines: Winter Clothing made from Polartech Powerstretch Pro Fabric
Polartech Powerstretch Pro is a new highly breathable and water resistant fabric from the folks at Malden Mills. Patagonia incorporated it into two different lines of clothing, the Knifeblade and Northwall lines, which are blurring the lines between softshells and hardshells. The Knifeblade line is uninsulated, and the Northwall line has a light gridded fleece… Continue reading Patagonia Knifeblade and Northwall Lines: Winter Clothing made from Polartech Powerstretch Pro Fabric
Eddie Bauer Guide and Guide Lite Gloves
I have 30+ pairs of outdoor gloves and mittens. It seems like every year for the past 20 years, I’ve bought one or two new pairs of gloves, searching for the elusive perfect glove. However, for the past couple of years, I’ve been using two gloves almost exclusively for my climbing; the Guide Gloves and… Continue reading Eddie Bauer Guide and Guide Lite Gloves
2014 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Highlights
The 2014 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market presents an overwhelming array of products to assess and be dazzled by. After a couple of days wandering the halls of the outdoor retailer show, here are some of my impressions: Backcountry Ski Touring: As the winter oriented show, it’s not surprising that there were tons of backcountry… Continue reading 2014 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Highlights
Rab Boreas Pull-On
The Rab Boreas Pull-On is a strange soft shell. It’s not very wind resistant. It’s not very water resistant. Currently, outdoor clothing companies all seem to be making their softshell clothing more and more weather resistant, blurring the line between hard and soft shells. The Boreas goes the other direction. It’s a softshell that provides… Continue reading Rab Boreas Pull-On