Isis Long Jane
December 18, 2008
Oh, ooooohhhhh the Long Jane. It is a sad day at my house when my Long Janes are too dirty to wear. They are far and away my favorite base layer. So silky smooth, soft, and perfect, they fit under almost anything and are so comfortable you will forget you have them on. They are completely seamless (or so I think, but if they do have a seam, I have yet to notice it) and incredibly comfortable. The legs are long enough and the waist is high, which sounds strange until you actually wear it and realize how awesome it is to have the high waist there to keep your outer pants from chafing your skin. And you know that if I say a high waisted set of pants is good, it must really be good. Trust me, this one time, you WANT the high waist. The waistband itself is essentially just an extension of the pants – no drawstring, no elastic band, nothing to pinch or chafe.
The Long Janes are made out of the same material as the Peony Crew, and as I said before it must be some kind of miracle fabric. How that waistband stays in place seems to defy physics, but stay in place it does. I have worn the Long Janes on super cold days with another layer of tights on top, and I can pull on the second set of tights over the Long Janes without the Long Janes riding up or catching. The fabric is smooooooth and stays soft even after washing. The Janes move with your body like a literal second skin. And no, I’m not one of those people who gets “literal” and “figurative” mixed up. These are LITERALLY like a second skin. You will think they are a part of you. They’re awesome. You can tell I really like something when my vocabulary deteriorates into “awesome”. Sometimes it’s harder to find the words to describe something really great, and these are really great. So with “great” and “awesome” I guess I better sign off before I end up writing “Long Janes good. Buy Long Janes. Long Janes keep Geargals warm. Me like Long Janes.”
Dakine Targa Glove
December 18, 2008
Get your grab on at backcountry.com – ON SALE at $59.96!
One of the most eye-catching gloves in my arsenal, the Dakine Targas have quickly become one of my staples. That could have something to do with how they PERFECTLY match my orange and brown (cooler than it sounds) ski outfit, but it also is because they are sized correctly for women’s hands and are very warm and water resistant. They have a rather rare form-fitting cuff that doesn’t end up pushing your jacket sleeves up your arms. The cuff is also shorter than usual which is nice for getting your sleeves over them. I like its precise fit and the adjustable closure that gives you as close a fit as you want.
They’re fairly warm, though I’d say they’re for milder winter temperatures from upper teens to upper twenties, but their real attraction is their water resistant nature. It took many, many wearings for these gloves to let any water through, and that was after pretty much digging through slushy snow with my gloved hands for a while. They also tend to get wet when I’m working with snow with my hands, because the short cuff tends to let snow in when I reach down into the snowpack. But honestly, most people won’t be plunging their hands into snow so I think you’ll be fine.
I thought they might be kind of gimmicky because of the trendy design, but I was pleasantly surprised and found that they have significant function value as well. I think I use them most days unless I know it’s cold enough to need mittens. And, extra bonus: the flashy design attracts commentary, which is a good way to strike up a conversation with your favorite ski instructor. And what Geargal doesn’t like a good, healthy “conversation”?
