Posts Tagged skiwear
Women’s Outdoor and Travel Sock Round-Up
A few weeks back, Tim posted a hiking sock round-up for men, and now it’s our turn! If you’ve been shopping for all-weather socks for outdoor activity, you know just how many brands and styles are out there. Early this year, I asked performance sock brands to send me the best they offer for skiing, hiking, and running/biking. After incasing my tootsies in Merino wool (non-itchy and a renewable resource!) and wool blends just about every day for the past two months, I bring you my top style picks from each brand.
Dahlgren:
What they do best: design (both aesthetic and functional). Dahlgren’s Sno sock uses their patented Dri-Stride technology in conjunction with soft alpaca and merino wool to absorb moisture in the toe, heel, and mid-foot section using what they call ‘wicking rings’ and ‘wicking channels’. What’s really cool is the way the sock pattern designs (cherry blossoms in the women’s, neon stripes in the men’s) are actually cleverly disguised ‘super highways’ of moisture removal, helping to keep your feet dry and warm.
This puts a whole new spin on ‘form meets function’! The sock is lighter weight than other wool ski socks I’ve tried, yet just as warm. Plus, the shallow part of me really appreciates the unique designs…you won’t find the same-old, same-old ski sock patterns here! The only downside: the Sno Sock has a habit of sliding down my calf during the course of a ski. I’ll admit: this irks.
Also of note: Dahlgren’s hiking sock line includes five designs from backpacking to ultra light trail running, all made with similar Dri-Stride technology. I tried their Hiking Mid-Weight sock, featuring a fully cushioned leg and foot with the aforementioned ‘wicking rings’ and ‘wicking channels’ around the foot (even more useful in the hiking sock than in the ski and snow-sports sock, in my opinion). I wore these on a winter hike in Southern Oregon, where they performed well, keeping my feet dry (even more important to me than warm) as I exercised.
Bottom line: go with Dahlgren’s for serious warmth in a hiking sock or three-season wear in a sno sock. At $22 for the sno sock and even less for the mid-weight hiking sock, Dahlgren’s is a great value. But you might have trouble picking just one color! See all the colors and styles at Zappos.
Fox River:
What they do best: construction. I’m going to go ahead and play favorites: Fox River’s Outdoor Adventure Strive Ankle women’s sock in their Cross Terrain family is my top pick for an all-activity outdoor sock. It’s padded and substantial without suffocating my feet, and to date, has survived a dog attack (ours loves wool). No, it won’t work for skiing, but name just about any other outdoor activity, and this sock can perform. I’ve worn the Strive running, hiking, and around town all winter and spring. It’s made of nylon, wool, and recycled polyester, features memory-knit construction that helps it keep form (no worries about stretching in the wash), and has spandex compression zones that ensure it won’t slide down and give you a blister on your heel. If ankle-length isn’t for you, never fear: multiple lengths are available. They make a kids’ version as well.
Also of note: Also in the Fox River line is the Outdoor Hiking sock. Thicker than the cross-terrain (and no wonder, at 75% Merino wool), the hiking sock comes to mid-calf, and is incredibly warm, making it a winner for mid-winter, but not so hot (no pun intended) for multi-season wear.
Bottom line: Go with Fox River for a multi-season, multi-purpose sock. The Strive is my go-to sock I snag out of the drawer first, and that says more to me than a bunch of stats or facts. It’s survived many washings, and is only a few months old. You can find all Fox River styles, including the Strive, on at Zappos and the Strive in particular in several colors on Amazon for under $12.
Search Fox River socks at Campmor
Darn Tough Vermont:
What they do best: Well, I can’t decide. Construction? Check: Darn Tough uses the industry’s densest knitting. Design? Check: their colors and patterns are appealing and fun. The minute I saw their run/bike sock, it was love at first sight, with its thin mesh and ultra light construction (while still remaining tough as nails…they’re not kidding about that company name). I took the Mesh No-Show Run/Bike along for a 10 mile run, and when I returned, my feet (and the socks) were bone dry. I made my husband feel the socks for himself so he’d believe me! Darn Tough’s Hike/Trek sock performs just as well (despite the way my hiking boots normally overheat my feet), and it’s the only sock of its category I’ve found in to come in ankle-length instead of mid-calf without sacrificing any insulating bulk.
Also of note: It is darn tough to make my picky 10-year-old happy, but darn it, Darn Tough did it. He hates wearing socks because his feet get very sweaty (gross, I know!) but reported the same dryness I experienced while wearing the Kids Hike. Plus, they’re ‘cushion-y’ and cozy (no itches!). The designs are colorful, too.
Bottom line: Without doubt, I’d opt for Darn Tough for a running or biking sock, or any time a major workout is on the books. As a bonus, Darn Tough socks are unconditionally guaranteed, and though you probably won’t need to test them on this policy, it’s nice to know it’s there. Pick up many of their styles, including the run/bike at Amazon for around $14, or at many outdoor specialty sites. For example there’s a wide selection if you get Darn Tough Vermont at Campmor.
Posted by Amy in Adventure Gear, Kids and Family on March 20th, 2012
Snow Angel Veluxe Graphic Zip T-Neck
Women’s thermal clothing often has a hard time striking the balance between pretty and performance. But the Snow Angel Veluxe Graphic Zip T-Neck is both powerful enough to wear as an insulating layer for long outdoor adventures and pretty enough to wear out to coffee.
Made of 88 percent antimicrobial polyester and 12 percent spandex, the shirt is breathable and wicks moisture—so it can easily handle that long hike or ski session without making you want to quit. The fabric is also lightly “peached” on both sides for a soft, cozy feel. Once you put it on, it’s difficult to want to take it off. But because the shirt has an antimicrobial finish to keep the athletic aroma away, you can keep it on for hours.
The long, raglan sleeves have thumbholes, so you can keep them in place under other long-sleeved garments, or just pull them down to keep your hands warm. In some clothing, the thumbholes aren’t optimally placed, and they end up making you feel as if your sleeves are about an inch too short. Not so with this shirt. Use the thumbholes or don’t use them, but you’re perfectly comfortable either way.
The graphic print and hourglass fit may make you want to wear this shirt on the outside, too. Nothing’s wrong with looking good while you’re on an adventure.
The Snow Angel Veluxe Graphic Zip T-Neck lists for $70 from www.snow-angel.com. You may be able to get it for less at Amazon.
See more reviews of travel clothing for women.
Posted by Jill in Adventure Gear, General Gear on March 2nd, 2012
Quality Girls’ Jackets at a Good Price From Columbia
It’s always a dilemma: you want to put your kids in decent outerwear, but you don’t want to spend a fortune on something that won’t fit a season or two from now. Your best bet is often to hit the sale rack (physical or virtual) and look for the Columbia Sportswear logo.
I’ve talked before about how Columbia Sportswear is not timid about the “out with the old, in with the new” retail discounting philosophy, with this post on inexpensive travel staples. Whereas most companies act like the list price is sacred on their own websites, these guys aren’t afraid to mark down items to move them out the door on their outlet site.
This winter my daughter has been the guinea pig on two jackets that have already gone from a good price to a better one. First up is the cute Pearl Plush Full Zip fleece you see pictured at the top, in two of its four colors. My daughter being the girlie girl she is, naturally went for the pink. Besides the color, she loves how soft and fuzzy it is, like a favorite stuffed toy. They call this fleece “Luscious pile,” and it’s a good description.
Although kids don’t sweat out the armpit area as much as we do, this does allow some venting there to keep the little ones from getting overheated and also makes this fleece look more like mom’s more expensive outdoor wear. It’s also got the same kind of zippered pockets and zipper pulls.
This jacket originally sold for $60 to $75, but now you can find the regular or hoodie version for under $40 if you shop around. That puts it in the range of no-name brands that don’t look or feel as good. And this is a great jacket for this spring, next fall, and beyond. Just go a size or two up to allow for growth because it’s slim-fitted. Follow these links to check prices at Backcountry, Department of Goods, Campmor, or direct from Columbia.
Omni-Heat for Girls
I also like how Columbia has incorporated some of the technology you find in their most expensive adult jackets and put it into kids’ versions you can pick up for far less. At the top of that list is the silver-dots Omni-Heat technology, which reflects body heat back and thus saves on the amount of bulk needed.
This Red Hottie jacket incorporates that technology plus the Omni-Shield water repellent, but is currently selling for $60 on Columbia.com. This has 100 grams of insulation, so it’s not meant for blizzards and sub-zero weather, but is a good layering piece for less trying ski days and playing outdoors.
As with the fleece, this is meant to look like something mom would wear, with its quilted design, slim fit, and pockets in all the right places (including an interior zippered one). But it’s 1/10 the price…
Check sale prices on the Red Hottie at Altrec.com, Zappos, and Columbia’s outlet site.
See more kids apparel at Columbia Sportswear.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on March 1st, 2012
Merino Wool Sprint Baselayer From Icebreaker
I was told I could wear this Icebreaker Sprint Crewe base layer for a week without it getting stinky. That’s a challenge my slovenly side could not ignore.
Last year Pam reviewed some stylish merino wool separates from Icebreaker and Jill tried out their Quantum Hood earlier this month. So those performed well and they’re pretty, but what about the menswear? Is a guy really going to pay $70 to $100 for a baselayer?
My automatic answer would be no, but then the company got the attention of my practical, light-packing side.You see, merino wool from New Zealand is naturally lightweight, naturally wicking, and naturally quick-drying. But the real advantage for travelers is it can do all those things like synthetics do, but is also odor-resistant without chemical treatment. OK, so there’s 3% Lycra in this to make it more stretchy (or make your workout enhanced muscles look good if you’re more buff than me), but otherwise it’s finely spun, renewable sheep’s coat.
Here at Practical Travel Gear we take our gear reviewing duties more seriously than your average magazine. It’s not just a photo shoot, a cutesy paragraph of copy, and on to the next batch. We like to give everything a real workout. So first I wore this around in cold conditions a bit, with just a jacket on, to see how well the warmth part worked. Check on that, and check on when I got sweaty from changing temps and had to shed the jacket. The shirt quickly dried without leaving me clammy. My temperature regulated quickly in a variety of conditions.
But then I wore it for seven days to see if that odor-fighting claim was for real.
I work out of a home office when I’m not on the road, so this was no big deal really. Let’s just say I don’t normally contribute a whole lot to the weekly laundry load. Still, a week in one shirt is pushing it far, so I didn’t expect to go more than a few days. Surprisingly, nobody told me, “You stink!” even after a week. Maybe the Sprint Crewe didn’t smell as fresh as the day it came out of the washer, but better than I’ve ever managed with even a treated synthetic one.
So maybe this thin, 200-gram Icebreaker merino wool top really is worth paying as much as a pair of shoes for. If you can go for days without washing it and you can wear it in temperatures from barely cool to Actic, that’s a fine thing to be packing when you need to pack light.
The only drawbacks to this shirt, besides the price, are the ones inherent in wool. Even merino wool can feel a tad scratchy to people with sensitive skin, though to me this stuff feels not quite as nice as cotton but a whole lot better than nylon or polyester. Velcro tends to stick to it, which can be trouble with some ski shells. This base layer is keeping its shape and size well after repeated washings though (washing machine is okay, but avoid the dryer). I like the flat seam stitching and the cut of this—it feels like a quality garment and flatters your figure if you’re not overweight. It’s also got thumbholes in the sleeve so you can pull part of the sleeve over your hands.
The Icebreaker Sprint Crewe base layer is available direct with free shipping, is widely available in gear stores, or you can order online from Backcountry, Amazon or Altrec. Prices vary depending on the where and what size, so check around to save a few bucks.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on February 29th, 2012
28 Winter Beanies From Outdoor Research
I’ve talked before about the staggering number of hats put out by Outdoor Research, so it seems kind of unfair to just review this Town Wall Beanie I’ve been wearing for two winters without talking about the other 27 styles you can pick from instead. So first this one, then a few others for your consideration.
This Town Wall Beanie is very warm, very comfortable, and doesn’t get sweaty. For me those criteria matter far more than the look, so I haven’t been too bothered about the fact that I look like a walking OR billboard with the giant logo integrated into the design. Mine is at least black and white (only green and orange shown on their site now), so it’s a little more subtle.
What makes this hat worth it’s $28 list price is the construction: there are two layers of treated Dri-Release poly/wool, a blend that is very warm but isn’t itchy. In my experiences skiing and hiking in cold conditions, it has performed well in wicking the sweat away. It’s also treated with “FreshGuard” to keep it from getting stinky. You can get yours at Backcountry.com or Altrec.com and both have all three colors.
If you don’t like this style, there are plenty of others to choose from. Follow this link to see the whole OR beanie collection.
Overall these aren’t meant to be outrageous or funny like some of the skiwear marketed to those who need to be the center of attention at all times. They’re serious performance wear that will look good with a variety of outfits. Even when you’re just walking around town and need to keep your ears warm. What’s great about beanies though for travelers is that they pack flat in your suitcase or pack and provide a lot of warmth without a lot of bulk.
The one that’s not flat is the popular one pictured here—the Transcendent Beanie. It’s fun, funky, and as warm as a sleeping bag. It’s got 650 fill down to protect your head in frigid conditions. It’s still easy to pack though: it compresses down and will pop back up like the Aflac duck when you get to your destination. It’s also got stretch stitching, so it’ll adjust to multiple head sizes.
The Transcendent Beanie comes in three colors and retails for $40, but you can find it for a bit less at Moosejaw.com and Zappos.
See other travel hat reviews from past posts.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on February 8th, 2012
