Icebreaker Women’s Quantum Hood
Keeping warm isn’t too hard if you want to stay inside. But that gets boring pretty quickly. When you want to venture out, wearing an Icebreaker Women’s Quantum Hood can definitely help keep you toasty.
Sometimes the itchiness of wool clothing can cause outdoor fans to conveniently forget their wool garments when it’s time to get dressed. If you’ve given up on wool, consider another try with this hoody. Made of 100 percent merino wool, the mid-weight jacket is cozy and soft—but lacks the itch factor.
Plus, the Quantum Hood can be worn on multiple times before washing without smelling funky. Just think about all that quality hotel sink time you’d be avoiding!
The sleeves come with thumb loops, so you can secure them lower on your hands when the weather’s cool. The reflective front zipper comes in handy for wearing at night, and eyelet gussets in the sleeves aid in ventilation. There’s also a small, zippered stash pocket for cash, keys, or cell phone.
Each Icebreaker item has a “Baacode”; enter the number in a box on the company website to see where your wool came from.
The Icebreaker Women’s Quantum Hood lists for $135 to $180 on Amazon (depending on size and color). It’s also available on Backcountry.com or Altrec.com for about the same price range.
Posted by Jill in Adventure Gear, General Gear on February 3rd, 2012
A Winter Wardrobe from Mountain Khakis
We feature lots of technical travel clothing on here, made from the latest wonder synthetics. But traveling or not, a lot of times what you really want in the winter is something cozy, warm, and comfortable.
Mountain Khakis, based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, puts out clothing for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. Not climbing K2 outdoors, but getting into nature and breathing fresh air. Here are some items I’ve been trying out from their latest winter line. Like the flannel-lined khakis I reviewed a year or so ago, this clothing is tough and rugged, but feels great on your body.
I’ve been especially digging this Trapper Henley heavy shirt that’s your usual cotton henley but with 20% merino wool. That gives it a little different feel, some extra warmth, and some extra odor protection. There aren’t a whole lot of “features” built into this, but it is well-made and good for layering in those times when you’re trying to stay warm, not work up a sweat. It comes in four colors and five sizes and lists for $60. You can order it direct or get it from Altrec.com.
You could pair it with this Stagecoach Jacket and fit right in out west. It’s as tough as their namesake khakis, with cotton canvas material and triple-stitched seams. This is the kind of jacket you could hang up in the cabin and keep coming back to for a decade or two. It’s go angled hand-warmer pockets and hidden zip-pocket compartments for your valuables, plus two snapping chest pockets. The sleeves are lined with nylon to make them easier to get on and off and the body is lined with a tricot weave. It also comes in four colors and five sizes and lists for $155 (or $115 for a vest version). Get it direct or from Altrec.
Mountain Khakis is regularly rolling out other new items, but “new” is a relative term; most of their styles are timeless, not trendy. Like their buttery soft Teton Flannel Shirt or Mountain Denim Shirt. You won’t find lab test results or wind tunnel data in the descriptions of their men’s or women’s collection. Just rugged clothing that can take what you throw at it, whether that’s riding horses on a dude ranch or shuffling through national parks when there’s snow on the ground. No swishy sounds when you walk and no complicated care instructions on the label. Just well-made clothing that you keep reaching for because it feels good.
See more reviews of Mountain Khakis items.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on February 2nd, 2012
Mountain Hardwear Zeus Waterproof Winter Gloves
Want some winter snow gloves that will take anything you throw at them? Waterproof gloves that stay dry on the outside but wick away any moisture on the inside?
These Zeus gloves from Mountain Hardwear perform well on those standards, but are flexible enough to do more than hold onto a ski pole. They’re outfitted with OutDry, which is one of the many breathable waterproof membranes out there competing with traditional market leader Gore-tex. In my wholly unscientific but real-world tests, the combination of OutDry and the waterproofing coating on the fabric did a great job. My tests are putting my gloved hands underwater for several minutes and making sure no water gets through, then putting a wet hand inside the glove and seeing if it dries eventually from the wicking properties. On both counts, these Zeus gloves from Mountain Hardwear passed with an A, so you can be sure they’ll come through for you on the slopes or in Iceland in the winter.
I wore these around in windy weather in the mountains last February (before they hit the market), then recently in Utah during a slushy snowstorm. Snowball throwing and all.
These gloves are bulletproof tough, with Kevlar stitching, Cordura nylon fabric, and goatskin leather at the stress points. They come down far enough that snow won’t get in past the cuff. They have loops to help pull them on and clips to hold them together for carrying. Despite the toughness and fleece lining, they come in at 7.5 ounces and smash down pretty flat, so they’re no burden to pack.
The Zeus gloves come in black or red and list for $95 at the Mountain Hardwear site. You can also check prices with these direct links to Backcountry.com, Altrec, or Moosejaw. No, that’s not cheap by any means, but these are guaranteed for life against defects and they could last you a lifetime—or at least enough winters that you’ll get tired of looking at them.
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Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on February 1st, 2012
First Ascent Igniter Jacket with Primaloft
Looking for a winter jacket that will stand up to the elements—but can be stuffed down into a daypack pouch? This Igniter one from First Ascent is brawny but without the bulk.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if you haven’t heard of First Ascent outerwear before. But it’s the sister brand of one you surely are familiar with: Eddie Bauer. See, when Eddie Bauer wanted to get back to the founder’s mountaineering roots, they knew just putting up some technical pieces next to their famous plaid flannel and mud boots wasn’t going to cut it. So they started this new label and went all in. They put in orders for the best materials, hired the kinds of people who climb K2 regularly for input, and went from 0 to 60 in no time.
The names of mountain guides who take people to the world’s highest peaks adorn the tag attached to this Igniter jacket at retail. There’s a whole line of First Ascent jackets to choose from, but this one is built for tough conditions that are cold and damp. Down is nature’s great insulator, but it doesn’t work so well when it gets wet. So this jacket is filled with Primaloft, the synthetic substitute that’s lighter, less bulky, and able to keep working well even when it gets soaked.
I wasn’t able to test this out in blizzard conditions on a mountain, but I wore it around during two slushy snowfalls in Salt Lake City last week and, as advertised, it still kept me super-warm through it all. It didn’t get very damp anyway since there’s a good DWR waterproofing coating built in, but it let the heat out fairly well other times when the weather warmed up. When I got back to my room after getting hit with wet snow and some rain for a half hour, it was dry again in no time.
If you look at the reviews on their site though (click the photo or the link at the bottom), you’ll see positive comments from people who have worn this in sub-zero weather in Alaska, on northeast ski slopes, and on Mt. Rainier. The one negative that comes up consistently is the fit. For me this Igniter jacket fits perfect in the large size and I love it. But I’m not fat or overly musclebound. For reference, I’m 5’11″ and 180 pounds—usually a medium for jackets. So go up a size or two if you’re not skinny because this one follows the recent trend (blame the Europeans) of making outerwear form-fitting, without much extra space. The marketing spin on this will be that you don’t need to layer as much anymore, but it seems to ignore the fact that the world’s population is collectively getting larger, especially here in the land of car commutes and strip malls.
Everything about this jacket feels thought-out and well-made, from the easy-pull zippers to the quality stitching to the nice feel of the fabric that’s not too “swishy shishy” like a lot of nylon outerwear. The adjustable hood can work with or without a ski helmet and there are cuff adjustments to get the fit right around your wrist. A locking cinch strap at the bottom allows you to tighten the waist. There are three zippered pockets on the outside and one on the inside.
For travelers heading to cold places, this jacket can give you extreme warmth in extreme conditions, but without taking up your whole suitcase. It packs down into its own included pouch, which is about the size of one for those super-thin sleeping bags. I carried it in a daypack for three days recently and still had room for whatever else I needed.
In every respect, this feels and looks as good as many jackets I just saw at the Outdoor Retailer show going for $350 or more, but the price tag for the Igniter is $199. It comes in blue or black for men, black or dark plum for women.
Get the Igniter Jacket direct from EddieBauer.com or at their retail stores across the U.S.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on January 26th, 2012
Fun, Funny and Downright Useful New Travel Gear
What’s on the way in travel gear? I just got back from the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market held each year in Salt Lake City. It’s a place where retail buyers come to see what’s new and different for the upcoming fall season and place their orders. For us media types, it’s a chance to get a sneak peak at what’s going to be hitting stores later.
Over on our sister Cheapest Destinations Blog I already posted a rundown on new trends in travel gear that you should go check out before or after reading this post. It’s all about light gear getting lighter, but basic materials costs driving up prices. Plus some buying advice and a rant about retro bags.
When covering this show, most gear and outdoor publications get all serious and dive into the technical specs for all the new wonder jackets and slightly changed backpacks. I’d rather cover those items here in detail later—the ones fit for normal travelers—after they hit the market. I saw three developments that might be true game-changers though.
1) Lightweight shoes that are not just for runners. We’ve had ultra-light running shoes for quite a while now, thanks to the barefoot running style craze. But now the technology is making it to the mainstream. The post I mentioned before has some very packable winter boots from Teva. The picture above has some ultra-light Nike running shoes on a scale—and a pair of comfy Rockport shoes that weigh less.
2) Treated down that repels water. I saw two companies talking about this process, where down is subjected to a microscopic polymer that repels water, before it goes into a sleeping bag or jacket. Sierra Designs is the one that’s leading the way on this and is putting the most marketing muscle into it. From what I saw at the demos, it really works.
3) More and better rechargeable devices. I’ve tried some solar chargers over the years with mixed results, but now I’m seeing some solar panel/battery combos that pack some serious juice, like enough to charge a laptop once or an iPad multiple times—after a few hours of sunlight. Plus there are more items hitting the market that can be charged via USB instead of having to deal with AA batteries. The SteriPEN Freedom is a hit already and as this year goes on you’ll see more flashlights, lanterns, and purifiers that plug and charge. I’m especially excited about a Camelbak bottle coming in March that has its own UV purifier lamp built in.
Bring on the fun!
Enough serious stuff. Here are some of the items that I found more interesting to take shots of than yet another waterproof ski shell.
First up, two new face warmers to give you a cozy beard while on the slope. The left photo is me with a sample from 5 O’Clock Shadows. On the right are sample styles from Bearded Apparel.
I’m a sucker for silly winter hats for kids. The ones at the top of this post are from Knitwits. The ones pictured here are from Nirvanna Designs—made in Nepal.
Actually most of the gear that makes you smile is geared to kids, which means I think we all need to lighten up a bit. I mean how can you not smile when you see this backpack from MadPax? Or these fun mittens that look like bear paws (and have an opening where you can get your hand out to pull up a zipper) from Bear Hands & Buddies?
Okay, okay—I’ll put some photos of some serious gear to watch for on our Facebook page if you really want to know what’s coming to a store near you in six months. So go like us there and watch for pics the next few days.
Meanwhile, stay tuned the rest of 2012 as we review the best travel gear for your money.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family, Travel Light on January 25th, 2012
