Adidas Outdoor Terrex Feather Shell and Windstopper Hybrid Jacket
As a family of soccer players, we thought we were quite familiar with the Adidas brand; I’ve been buying their cleats, shorts, and athletic warm-ups for years. But as skiers and winter outdoor enthusiasts, we had no idea Adidas also offers a high quality, high tech line of outdoor apparel.
The women’s GORE-TEX Terrex Feather Shell weighs in at the absolute lightest full-coverage, full-duty outer layer jacket I’ve ever tried. It features a helmet-compatible hood with built-in visor and drawstring adjustment, full-zip closure, zip-ventilation on the sides and under the arms, adjustable cuffs (perfect for fitting over winter gloves), and an adjustable, removable storm skirt. All this, and it folds up to next to nothing for packing.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical before I tried this shell. With a retail price of $495, I figured it had better be lined with gold. But what actually makes the Terrex Feather Shell stand apart is what Adidas calls ‘formotion technology’: the jacket’s design is such that it follows your natural movement. In other words, this jacket will move with you, not against you. I wore it downhill skiing, hiking, and while walking the dog (trust me, that’s an aerobic activity!) and could feel the difference from other shells.
Underneath, I paired the shell with Adidas’ Windstopper Hybrid-Jacket, which, unlike my initial skepticism of the shell, I fell in love with immediately. The Windstopper is roomy without being bulky, thick without being suffocating, and truly such a windbreaker that on all but the most frigid of days, it could pull solo duty as an outer layer. Where does the ‘hybrid’ factor in? The Windstopper is designed with different performance fabrics placed in different (strategic) locations, all targeted to work with the human body in movement. This jacket will definitely be in my luggage for every type of cold-weather travel (and in the meantime, it’s the one I reach for every day at home).
As aforementioned, the Terrex Feather Shell lists for $495, but you’ll probably find it for less at Amazon and REI. The Windstopper Hybrid lists for $200 and is also at Amazon. You’ll find both at some outdoor physical retail stores too, but Adidas just launched this whole outdoor line a year ago so the items aren’t totally widespread yet.
Bottom line: can you outfit yourself for winter travel and outdoor sports for less? Of course. But if you’re truly looking for the best of the best when it comes to performance and comfort, this may be it.
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Posted by Amy in Adventure Gear on January 24th, 2012
eBags Packing Cubes Set
Packing for a long trip can be frustrating for a number of reasons. First, if you are traveling to destinations with different climates, it feels like you are double packing. Second, it is hard to keep things organized in your bag so that you can easily reach the things you need at each destination. It often seems that the thing you need most is always at the bottom of the bag and you end up wrinkling or shifting everything else to get to it.
These packing cubes from eBags are the perfect way to keep your luggage contents organized and your clothing neatly pressed and organized. It is also perfect for separating electronic devices and shoes from delicate clothes or for storing a sweater or charging cable that you might need to access in a jiffy on the plane.
Each durable, nylon pouch has a zippered top with mesh covers to keep the contents visible and well-ventilated. There is also a handle on each pouch making them easy to carry individually. A variety of colors are perfect for families who share a bag and want to color code their packing cubes. They are lightweight and add virtually no additional poundage to your suitcase.
The packing cubes keep clothing from wrinkling and moving around in your bag during transit. They are sold in sets with small, medium, and large cases making them great for both smaller, carryon bags or larger suitcases.
If packing for more than one person in the same bag, these cubes also help to separate things without splitting the bag into two sides. This allows for the most efficient use of space in your suitcase. It also serves a dual purpose because they can be used for laundry to keep your dirty clothes separated from clean clothes.
These make a great gift for busy travelers and are available on the eBags website or on Amazon. They run from $20 to $28 for a set of three, depending on size. They are always in my suitcase now making me feel more organized and keeping my clothes looking spiffy no matter how long my trip.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on January 23rd, 2012
Cushe Boutique Delux Shoes
Urban adventurers aren’t so very different than those who choose to trek in the great outdoors. Comfort and performance are still high on the list of requirements for the shoes travelers take along on either adventure. With the Cushe Boutique Delux shoes, you can meander city streets without needing major downtime to rest your feet.
The leather shoes have some fancy styling that make them far better for blending in with swanky city wardrobe than your average athletic shoes. And the sleek design makes them less bulky and easy to collapse and pack in your bag.
The rubber sole has a pretty good grip, however when I walked with the shoes on a wet, stone walkway, I felt a little slipping. It wasn’t enough to be a major problem, but it definitely made me slow my pace.
The interior of the shoe has a polyurethane insole that’s removable for custom orthotics, which is helpful if you need serious arch support, as there’s not very much in the shoe. The mesh lining is well ventilated, so your feet aren’t in a little puddle of sweat; your skin gets to breathe and stay dry.
Considering that I tend to take my shoes off without untying the laces, I loved the polyurethane below the ankle. It’s supportive enough to keep your shoes on when you want them on, but easy enough to allow you to pull them off without having to deal with laces.
The Cushe Boutique Delux shoes list for $90 on the Cushe website. They’re also available on Amazon, for $68-$91, depending on color, and at PlanetShoes.
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Posted by Jill in General Gear on January 20th, 2012
Cheap Survival Insurance: $15 Adventure Medical Kit
With this kit, you can prepare for unexpected problems without carrying a lot of extra weight and bulk.
If you’ve ever been on a guided tour or hiking trip, you’ve probably noticed that whenever something goes wrong or someone gets hurt, the guide has a Hermione-like magic bag filled with all the right bandages and first-aid supplies. You almost never see a professional guide without some kind of daypack because they need to be prepared for whatever nature can throw at them.
How prepared are you when you go hiking, kayaking, biking, or rural road-tripping on your own? Are you prepared for getting stuck somewhere for the night—with no heat?
It’s hard to justify a big and bulky kit that covers every possible bad situation. But I’m digging this little 4-ounce, $15 Survival Medic packet from Adventure Medical Kits. It’s got some first aid supplies in it, like antibiotic cream, an antiseptic towelette, and bandages. The real high-value items though are things you would probably spend much more than $15 on if you were to buy them individually and pack them up yourself. (And they wouldn’t fit so well together.)
This kit has their cool little firestarter that makes sparks, tinder to light up from those sparks, and an emergency blanket to retain your body heat while all that gets going. There’s a compass to keep you from wandering in circles and a signal whistle to alert anyone around that you need help. You also get 26 inches of duct tape and some very useful survival instructions in a small booklet.
All this packs into a waterproof plastic bag that’s about the size of one hand. It takes up about as much room as a solar charger, so it’s not going to be a packing burden or weigh you down.
You wouldn’t know it from watching 24-hour news channels, but I read that more tourists died in U.S. national parks last year than died in all of Mexico. But people don’t usually warn you to be careful when you say you’re going to go hiking in Yellowstone. Pack one of these—it’s cheap insurance. Order it direct or get it from Amazon here. It should also start showing up at stores shortly.
If you go backcountry hiking on a regular basis, check out this heftier kit I reviewed earlier from the same company: Origin SOL Survival Kit.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on January 19th, 2012
Eagle Creek Swift 22 Carry-on Suitcase
The Swift 22-inch rolling bag is another winner from Eagle Creek—if you prefer an open compartment over multiple pockets.
With most airlines sticking it to you for checking a bag on domestic flights, but only one in the U.S. charging you for a carry-on, most frequent fliers have gravitated to a 22-inch bag. These generally fit into the overhead bin okay and if you’re just moving around airports and hotels, you’ve got wheels to make it easy. If you pack well, you can get by for four or five days with one this size, or longer if you do some laundry. This Swift one from Eagle Creek has a capacity of 45 liters or 2,750 cubic inches.
There’s nothing fancy about the organization of this bag. Apart from a mesh section on the flap, it’s just one big compartment inside. This is because it’s meant to be used with Eagle Creek’s Pack-it cube system. (Watch for a detailed review of those cubes next week.) There’s a little diagram in the instructions tag telling you the most efficient way to pack using these. As I’ve posted before, I’ve got mixed feelings about packing cubes, so most of the time I don’t use them; I can stuff more into my bag without them. If you’re going to be moving from hotel to hotel though, they can help you keep organized. Here’s a quick rule of thumb: if your favorite retail outlet is The Container Store, you’ll love packing cubes. If you have a messy jumbled sock drawer, maybe not.
A set of compression straps will keep everything in place inside, then on the outside you’ve got one large pocket running the length of the bag and one small zippered pocket. This suitcase weighs in at 5 pounds 11 ounces (3kg), despite having a good handle system, heavy-duty large wheels, and rugged material with trademarked names like Stratus, Helix, Cordura, and “900D Bi-Tech.” It’s not advertised as waterproof, but the material did repel water in a drizzle and all the zippers are either covered or sealed.
There are two cushioned handles, which always makes me happy: one on the top and one on the side. One odd omission though: there’s no built-in luggage tag holder. It’s been a while since I saw a quality suitcase without one of those.
Overall this bag performed admirably on my trips, with smooth rolling action, a good handle mechanism, and a surface that can easily be wiped clean. As with all Eagle Creek luggage, it comes with a “no matter what” lifetime warranty—not something you see very often with wheeled suitcases.
This bag only comes in a black/gray combo but it’s different enough looking from the other sea of black bags that you can easily pick it out on the airport carousel. You can’t easily see it in this photo, but the surface has an attractive subtle striped pattern. It lists for $200, but goes for $130 or less at most online retailers. That’s a good value for something that will last a lifetime.
Find the Eagle Creek Swift 22 at Sierra Trading Post or buy the Swift 22 at Campmor.
See more Eagle Creek travel gear reviews
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on January 18th, 2012
