Posts Tagged ski gear
Crazy Mountain Hardware Guys Camp Atop Ski Resort in Chile
So there I was sliding off the ski lift at Valle Nevado resort in Chile a couple weeks ago when I spotted a dome tent with a Mountain Hardware logo on it. Curious, I skied over to see what it was all about. As this guy explains in the video, he and a couple other guys are camped out up there the entire ski season! In the daytime they ski a little, greet visitors, build igloos, and show off their gear. At night, they bundle up.
I think the point is that this gear can hold up well to the elements, even for an entire winter at 10,000 feet in the Andes Mountains. Tents, sleeping bags, insulated pants, and serious puffy jackets.
You can check out Mountain Hardware gear yourself at the following online retailers.
Mountain Hardwear at Backcountry.com
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear on August 31st, 2010
Heavy-duty Travel Watch: Timex Expedition E-Altimeter
After trying a lot of watch brands over the years, I have found that few come anywhere close to matching the value of the Timex Expedition ones. This is especially true if you like analog watches rather than digital ones. Now Timex has come out with one that is an altimeter watch, but still retains the hands instead of a display. This Expedition E-altimeter model feels like a hand-crafted analog watch instead of something cranked out on an Asian production line.
Some altimeter watches, like the Casio PAW-2000 one I reviewed earlier, tell you your altitude, but they also throw in a whole bunch of other features that may or may not be useful. On this E-altimeter one, you don’t have so many buttons to mess with because the functions have been kept in check: time, Indiglo illumination, altimeter, and a second hand. (If you want the full-blown feature set, go for the E-Tide Temp Compass line, which has high and low tide, temperature, and compass readings.)
This is one rugged and hefty-feeling watch—as in 10 ounces on your wrist. This probably makes it better for mountaineering, trekking, or skiing than something like rock climbing. Made in Germany with engineered analog parts, this is no throwaway timepiece. It’s water-resistant to 100 meters and has a stainless steel case with mineral glass crystal.
The altimeter has an operating range of -400 to 25,000 feet (-120 to 7,600 meters). It can record high and low 
altitudes within a specific time period. You need to read the instruction manual to calibrate the altitude and figure out the display mode for the altitude, plus you can set it to read in either feet or meters.
Basically, to read the altitude, you look at where two different hands end up, one for every 1,000, one for the hundreds. This may be a little more cryptic than a simple digital display, but it sure looks less geeky when you’re wearing it around outside of base camp. The one I have been trying has the yellow strap pictured at the top, but there are other choices like the black strap one pictured to the side, as well as ones with a metal or leather strap. All retail for less than $200, with prices dipping down to around $160 for some variations.
This is a large and heavy watch with heft, priced a good hundred bucks above some other Expedition models, but the altimeter performed very accurately in my tests and the E-altimeter watch looks and feels like something costing much more. Consider this a high-end adventure watch at not such a high price.
See more at the Timex E-altimeter site.
Get it at Amazon in a yellow silicone strap style, a black silicone strap style, or a leather strap on a cream and silver version.
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Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear on June 24th, 2010
Bolle Sunglasses and Goggles
“Jackie O!” was what my husband exclaimed when he first saw me sporting my new Bolle sunglasses. Indeed, these shades (style name: Queen) have bigger lenses than I typically wear — but not nearly as oversized as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis did in the 1970′s. I absolutely love the style — I feel rather Hollywood movie star when I’m wearing them out and about. While the sunglasses may not take to the hiking trail or the river quite like my sporty and versatile Native Eyewear shades do, I’d happily wear these sunglasses to the pool and the beach, to shopping malls and city streets. They hug my face, don’t slip down my nose and successfully keep me from squinting in the sunlight.
Not only are the Queen glasses hip, but they protect my eyeballs, too. I appreciate the polarized lenses that reduce glare, as well as the extra anti-reflective coating on the backside of the lens that further reduces eye strain. The polyarbonate lenses are super lightweight and offer 100 percent UVA and UVB protection from the sun’s rays. Thermogrip® rubber temples and nose pads deliver a solid (but comfortable) grip.
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the Queen style in dark tortoise (pictured) is $139.99, but I found them on Amazon for $111.99.
I also tested some Bolle goggles on the slopes of Keystone, Colorado, a couple weeks ago. While the bright orange stripes of the Quasar Coral Snake frame with Fire Orange 50 lenses aren’t exactly my first choice of hues and style (should have asked the friendly Bolle marketing rep to please send a pair in solid black without the mirrored lenses), I very much appreciated all the fancy features of this technologically advanced goggle.
First, they cover a lot of my face — which is good when the wind is whipping at 11,000 feet in elevation. In comparison to my years-old Bolle goggles (which are narrower in solid black with rose-colored lenses) they just seem to offer more protection. Though I get the feeling I’m channeling Shaun White, or some other sort of rad teenage snowboarder when I’m wearing them, I do like how “solid” and protective they feel.
Second, in a side-by-side comparison with my older Bolle goggles, the orange Quasars blocked out a lot more of the sun; in my old pair I squinted when facing the setting sun, whereas with the Quasars I didn’t have to. The thick, triple-layer face foam is super comfy and cushy, and special coating on the lenses prevents fogging and most scratching (love that, since somehow we lost the nifty pouch that came with the goggles for storage — darn).
Overall, I appreciate the quality of these goggles, but the style is better suited to boys or men. See my husband sporting the goggles while tubing in this Keystone video — he can pull off the look so much better than this 40-year-old, non-flashy, mother of two.
These Quasar goggles (pictured above) retail for $119.99, but I’ve seen them as low as $79.99 on Amazon.com.
Browse a great selection of Bolle styles (and sale items) at Campmor.
Posted by Kara in General Gear on March 5th, 2010
Performance Socks Made in the USA
Before I attended the Outdoor Retailers show last month, I thought it was pretty much a lost cause to still find socks that were made in the USA instead of in some developing country. I was wrong. Among the sea of sock manufacturers there I found a few that are still employing Americans and using facilities on home soil. In comparing their prices to some of the others shipping things over from China, the prices aren’t all that different either—these are, after all, quality socks that cost more than $10 a pair anyway.
So get your Chinese cotton tube socks for a buck a pair at Wal-mart, but turn to these brands for working out, hiking, and travels when you’ll be walking a lot. Here are a few I’ve been trying out and some info on what makes them special.
Swiftwick
A company that announces they make “the best sock you’ll ever wear—guaranteed” is obviously confident that they’re putting something good on your feet. 
These guys are based in my home state of Tennessee and they set themselves apart in a few different ways. Their Olefin fiber socks retain less than .01% of their moisture and they’ll even float they’re so light. Naturally these sock dry quickly and they resist deterioration from perspiration and detergents. They make a compression sock (which I tried out) that uses 100% olefin, plus other sizes where it’s mixed with other fabrics. Thicker models use merino wool with a mix of nylon and lycra, making them comfortable but stretchy. Naturally the thicker the sock, the more strategic cushioning is built in.
Swiftwick socks start at a list price of $11 and go up to $23 for full-blown thick compression socks rising to your knee. They aim to be carbon neutral in their practices and use a bare minimum of packaging. They have a ballsy guarantee too: if you don’t like what you bought, send it back and they’ll replace it with your choice—including a competitor’s product from off their shelf. You can find their products at many independent bike shops: see this dealer locator.
Goodhew
Not to be outdone on the bold claims side of things, Goodhew’s products are billed as the “the finest socks you will find anywhere at any price.” I can’t vouch for that since I haven’t tried them all, but these are certainly comfortable and high-performance. Their socks feature “flat toe seams, ring-toe cushioning, Y-heel construction, arch support 
and turn welt tops.” Sure, that’s gobbledygook to most of us just looking for some nice socks for hiking on mountain trails, but let’s trust that all this adds up to something you’ll love.
I have been trying out two pairs from Goodhew. One pair is made with a mix of lambswool and Alpaca wool—but with the requisite synthetics blended in to make them form-fitting. The other is 75% merino wool, in a soft version they call “Cashmerino.” (Catchy eh?) These are more all-around winter socks, as are many of their styles—meant to be cushioned enough for long days of walking but look good enough to wear with a pair of nice pants. Like Swiftwick, these guys are based in Tennessee, but in Chattanooga. They have a full product quality problem replacement guarantee and besides manufacturing in the U.S., are trying to source all the materials they can from domestic sources as well.
Get them for $12 to $20 online at Rock Creek or check this retail locator.
Darn Tough Vermont
Heading up north to Vermont, this company says, “If our socks aren’t the most comfortable and durable socks you’ve ever worn, return them for your money back.” Of all the ones I tried on for this round-up, I have to say I liked these the best. 
In all fairness though, they were the thickest and it’s been a darn cold winter. This company was a favorite of many retailers at the Outdoor Retailers show too, so this brand is the easiest to find of the three, available at Backcountry.com and Campmor.
Their material of choice is soft wicking merino wool but they also make a Coolmax blend. All feature “form fitting toe boxes to sculpted heel pockets and knit-in elastic support at the arch.” Darn Tough socks come in a wide variety of styles and as you’d expect from a company in Vermont, there are plenty of ski socks and hiking socks to choose from. They don’t have to go very far to test them out. Most are priced in the range of $10-$22 per pair depending on how much material goes into them.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on February 10th, 2010
Spyder Base Layer – A Week With No Stink
As I’ve mentioned before, one byproduct of a lot of wicking shirts and base layers is that, well, after sweating in them a while people can smell you coming 20 yards away. The better ones are treated with something, usually involving silver, so that the odors and bacteria are eliminated.
I’ve been unwilling to test how long this fabric treatment would actually work, however, until Spyder sent me this high-end wool crew baselayer. They told me it was worth $100 because it had extra stinkproofing and I could wear it for a week without washing it. Oooh boy, that’s a challenge I couldn’t leave standing.
So I did wear it for close to a week, in that time going sledding, going snow tubing, and taking some brisk walks in sub-freezing weather. Then for good measure I left in on inside a lot with the heat on. After day 6 it was starting to get noticeably “less fresh” smelling, so I threw it in the hamper. But hey, six days—that’s pretty impressive. I don’t think I have another shirt that would make it that long, especially a wicking shirt.
Spyder suits up a lot of skiers and other athletes you’ll be seeing at the Winter Olympics soon though, so I knew this would be a quality piece of cold weather clothing. My torso didn’t look quite as buff as the one in this photo, but I did like the fact it clung to my body tightly while still letting me move around. It looks pretty cool too, with the spider webs on each side—you can feel like a superhero. Spyder incorporated an extra nylon fabric weave that acts as a pillar, lifting the wool slightly off the skin, plus they incorporated venting here, extra padding there to make it especially comfortable. I have to admit I was never itchy wearing this baselayer, even though it’s made of wool.
Here’s the official rundown on the odor-fighting features: “Textile fibers permanently bonded with pure silver are woven into the fabric. This construction has huge anti-microbial and anti-odor benefits. You can literally wear this top for a week long trip and it won’t smell. Silver is the most conductive metal, so the heat transfer benefit of having every surface of your upper body covered by it is great as well.”
But still, is a baselayer worth $100? This being Practical Travel Gear, for most people probably not. But if you were going on a cold-weather camping trip in the backcountry or hiking to the top of Aconcagua, your fellow travelers would probably be quite happy that you made this investment—especially if you were sharing a tent. In all fairness, this Spyder one is only about $10 more than a lot of similar high-end baselayers from the likes of Arc’teryx, Ibex, and CW-X. And it looks to be going for $75 at this ReliableRacing.com ski site.
See more at Spyder.com
Search baselayers at Backcountry.com
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on January 6th, 2010
