Mountain Hardwear Drystein (Dry-Q) Jacket
December 4, 2011
It’s been a long time since I changed up my jacket situation. There are tons of great waterproof-breathable jackets out there so it does take a lot to catch my notice. Dry-Q is MHW’s new fabric that promises to be so breathable that I wouldn’t experience that uncomfortable overheating sensation before the breathability kicked in. Honestly, every time I’ve overheated I’ve just taken my jacket off, so I’ve no idea whether normal waterproof-breathable jackets really do start venting better once you get heated up. The only time I put on a waterproof-breathable is when it’s actively precipitating anyway; for everything else I wear softshells. So it was a bit of a leap of faith to take this jacket straight out backcountry skiing in our sub-zero November to see how it performed. Funny how, although it’s my job to test stuff out, I don’t like doing it when I’m doing sports I really like, because who likes to flail around with new stuff when you could be having fun?
However, I had really loved the fit of this jacket, which was quintessential MHW perfect; slim in the body, just-shy-of-hip length, and roomy sleeves and shoulders. I cringed at the white color, knowing that the very second I touched it it was going to turn dirty brown, but if they send white stuff, that’s just the way it goes. It feels like a sort of modified softshell and I figured I should try it out in real conditions. Sadly (not) the weather did not cooperate and it was clear and sunny when we set out, no precip to be had.
It was super cold, probably a few digits below zero when we started out, but I like to work hard going uphill so I opted to wear just a base layer with this jacket on top. I could not believe how perfect it was even for that cold weather. I never got too hot and never really got cold. Neutral, unchanging core temperature the entire time. That felt pretty awesome! Since then I’ve made the Dry-Q Elite my go-to for backcountry and it’s done well every time. Bear in mind that I’ve only worn it in reasonable conditions, nothing really insane in terms of precip yet. I don’t know that I’d be able to stack a ton of layers underneath it because it is pretty slim in the torso; maybe just a low-pro puffy, but I think that good fit contributes to its performance, breathability-wise. Baggy stuff just doesn’t breathe as well, and it’s a constant problem finding stuff that has the right fit to maximize performance while allowing flexibility in layers. I also don’t like it when jackets are too long in the arms and that’s what happens if I go up a size, especially in MHW. However, fit is individual so use your own judgment there.
I’m pretty impressed at how relatively clean the white stays; probably whatever finish they use on the jacket helps to repel stains somewhat. I don’t see white as an option at any retail outlets so maybe that’s just a special sample color or something. I spent some time the other day thrashing around in a deadfall and I was surprised that the jacket came out of that relatively unscathed; I kind of expected some punctures but it held up really well and didn’t even get that dirty. Other minor features just solidify the jacket as a good solid choice: it’s got inner cuffs that really ratchet up the comfort factor; since the cuffs are built in you don’t have to mess with keeping the snow out and they’re soft and comfortable against your skin. I took the powder skirt out because of the fuss factor, but there is one if you like that sort of thing. There’s a few inner pockets and the handwarmer pockets are nice and roomy. I didn’t think I could be impressed by a jacket this much anymore, but I’m glad that Mountain Hardwear can still prove me wrong.
Best price on this jacket right now is 30% off at $294 on rei.com, pretty damn good.
Mountain Hardwear Butter Zippity
December 1, 2011
I just saw a picture of someone else wearing this shirt and all I can think of to say is really? Really? My arms are that short? I’m that freaky? How does someone else look so great in this and I’m looking like I’m wearing a base layer designed for a chimpanzee! I’m normal looking, I swear. On the small side. Not short, not skinny exactly, just…compact. Efficient. Why waste energy swinging long, willowy limbs around anyway? I can get my arm around in probably half the time it takes Gisele to land a punch.
You’re probably getting my point; that tall folks or people with high ape indexes will fit this shirt fine, and they’re lucky because it’s a great piece. Super warm and toasty, it’s got an unusually soft texture (probably why it’s got “butter” in the name) and is very quick-drying. It’s simple, with a 1/3 zip (mandatory for any base layer if you ask me) and one simple pocket down by the lower rib cage area. Sadly for me, I can’t really wear it very comfortably because the sleeves are way, way, way too long. I usually endorse adding a little extra length to sleeves because clothes aren’t usually small enough in the body and long enough in the arms for me – I have to settle for too-short sleeves or too-baggy torsos – so this is the first time ever that I think an item has sleeves that are too long. Even the hem of this piece is bordering on too long for me. the good news is that it fits nicely in the torso so you long and lean chicas will be happy with this one.
I’m 5’5″ so I’m not super itty bitty, so I’d say that this piece is probably best for women 5’7″ and above, or just very long-limbed. At least make sure to try it on before you buy to make sure you’ll like the fit. Other reviews have stated that the fit is spot-on, so it’s possible that my Butter Zippity is suffering from sample-itis, which is what happens when samples get sent to media and are changed a bit before they’re mass produced. If anyone has their hands on a retail version of this shirt, please weigh in on the fit.
If you just wanna roll the dice, you can order it at Backcountry.com for $69.
Geigerrig Hydration Systems
November 21, 2011
I’ve been working with Bob Geiger to evaluate and test his line of hydration packs, which are different from your regular hydration pack because they put the water under pressure so that it sprays out. The tagline for the product is “Never Suck Again” and who wouldn’t want to be free from the burden of suckage? So Bob sent a selection from the product line and we went from there. I’m going to break this review down to cover the separate components of the line, because the hydration part and the backpack part are unrelated. With me? OK, here we go.
The hydration part is the part that’s been getting huge accolades in the industry. Basically it’s a regular Hydrapak-style hydration bladder with an air bladder heat welded on. An air hose runs from the air bladder to a bulb that the user squeezes when she wants the water to come out of the hydration hose in a pressurized fashion. I thought this was fairly straightforward but when I gave one of the bladders to another tester, he couldn’t figure it out at all. If you don’t use the bulb to pressurize the bladder, it works just like a regular hydration bladder. If you don’t need pressure, you just don’t attach the bulb. Personally I don’t use the pressurized system much for drinking, but it has proved useful particularly on one notable occasion upon which a clot of mud came off my bike tire and hit me full in the eye without even getting so much of a speck of dirt on my sunglasses. My riding partner had to hose my eye out with our hydration hoses, but have you ever tried to get one of those things to work if you’re holding the hose above your neck? It doesn’t. But luckily we had the option of pressurizing the hose and that solved the problem.
That’s a pretty cool idea, but the very coolest idea from Geiggerrig, in my opinion, is the in-line filter hose (pictured above) that one can purchase separately from the hydration packs. It filters water coming from the bladder, so you can fill up directly from the beaver dam overflow and still drink straight out of your hydration bladder. Super cool for those long mountain-pass rides, and for those water sources that people have let their horses take a dump in. There is also an insulated sleeve for winter (which in the temps I ride in all winter, never works but is good for temps in the 20s and 30s).
The backpacks themselves are really nice as well. I was really excited for the Rig 500, which comes in acid greenish yellow, which I really like for some reason. Unfortunately, the packs didn’t fit me well as they are clearly designed for big people (men). The pack itself was of good size for a small torso, but the standard sternum strap issue reared its head and the strap wouldn’t adjust high enough to allow for my female anatomy. Bob was really bummed about the fact that the pack didn’t fit and sent me a Rig BANDO which is a one-shoulder pack coming out next year. This did work better than the Rig 500 because there was no sternum strap, but Bob was amenable to making some changes to the Rig 500 so that it could accommodate smaller torsos and it’s an easy enough fix that I’d expect to see better-fitting packs next year. I hope so, because they are really cool packs.
Castelli CW 3.0 Gloves
November 18, 2011
I got these gloves as part of the swag bag I received at SIDI Press Camp. I didn’t need them on that trip but I took them home to Alaska and have been trying them out. I didn’t really have high expectations because it’s really cold here and even the most insulated gloves don’t tend to keep me warm, but the Castelli gloves have been a huge surprise. I’ve used them in temps from the low 20s to single digits, and I have completed all those rides without cold hands which has to be a first when it comes to winter biking.
I wore them without overgloves or heaters in the low 20s and stayed perfectly comfortable. I usually get cold when riding bikes so this was pretty amazing. On my single-digit ride I put air-activated heaters at my wrists by tucking them inside the cuff of the gloves, and topped off that arrangement with a big pair of overmittens. I took a chance with this one as I doubted I’d stay warm but although my feet froze (again), my hands were perfectly fine the entire three hour ride. Pretty amazing.
The women’s small size was way too tiny for me and I was barely able to even get them on, so SIDI gave me a pair of men’s small gloves which are too big. I think that’s okay though because a little extra air space can be beneficial in the winter (but only a little; slightly big is okay but baggy doesn’t work). My only beef is the Velcro closure. I don’t know why Velcro is so prevalent in outdoors accessories because it’s just deadly on jerseys and base layers. Elastic would be better.
If you can find these and you’ve got the cold hands issue, give them a try; I think they’re pretty good.
Talus Cold Avenger Face Mask
November 17, 2011
Once the temperatures hit the mid teens I turn to balaclavas; if they keep heading south I switch to a face mask. This is the best one I’ve tried so far, since it lets the moisture-laden exhalations out instead of funneling them up to fog up my goggles and build up inside in the form of sweaty slime. It took a full hour to get a fog started on my goggles today in single digit temps which was a nice change from the mere ten minutes of open vision I usually get with my regular balaclava. It was great to have airflow going without getting my face immediately soaked by the blowback from my own breath (don’t worry, I chew gum so at least it’s nice and minty).
I have been taking the ColdAvenger out on my cold weather bike rides, and it has indeed been cold, with temps just now getting back into double digits for the first time in a week or so. I don’t have any asthma conditions or breathing problems, but I really liked this face mask for just plain comfort. It was a little tight over my nose but one can adjust the nose piece if you so choose. I, personally, am too lazy and would rather just suffer. I rode with the valve fully open because all the panting was creating so much condensation but you can adjust the airflow by turning the valve. I never felt as if my breathing was constricted and it really felt quite normal for the most part.
The Cold Avenger fits around your head like a big blood pressure cuff, with a wide swath of Velcro as a closure. This isn’t my favorite part because if you have long hair, as do I, you run the risk of serious tangle-age as well as the standard cautions against bringing such a device anywhere near your base layer. I also found it hard to disengage the Velcro and take the mask off while wearing the requisite giant mittens that such temperatures require, so maybe the addition of a loop or something would be helpful. I took to just pulling the mask down to perform tasks like eating and drinking and the all-important farmer blow. It wasn’t as easy as it is with a regular balaclava, and it messed up the goggle/Avenger configuration a little, and I noticed that I was drinking less due to the hassle factor and that’s probably something to be aware of. Hair management was a problem and I couldn’t do much else other than fasten the Avenger over my hair which was kind of a sweaty mess at the end of the whole thing. This might suck in the backcountry where there’s no easy way to dry one’s hair. Frankly, though, if it’s cold enough that you have to cover up your face you’re better off with this than anything else or at least as far as I can tell.
Merrell Wilderness Remix Boot
November 16, 2011
UPDATE: I just wore these boots again in sloppy weather (strangely enough, one month exactly from the time I wrote the original review and for the same event) and was saddened to find that they’re not waterproof at all. Boots that have an upper sewn to the last are only as good as the glue that holds the upper to the last, and this glue is not good at all. They’ve been worn maybe 4-5 times total and are already coming apart. Too bad! I thought it was worth mentioning this because they are not cheap boots. They’re still worth having, but keep an eye on that glue and maybe don’t plan to wear them in wet weather.
So we had to put off the whole Boot Month idea, which was supposed to take us through October but had to be postponed because none of the boots had shown up. Then I came home from a trip to…somewhere…wow, I can’t remember which is alarming because it must mean I’m traveling too much. Anyway, so I got home from some trip and found the lower half of my house filled with boxes of boots. So now the boots are here, so we’ll continue Boot Month, which I never said would be continuous, with the ones that seem the most apropos for this week’s single digit temperatures.
When I picked out this boot I wasn’t sure whether I’d like it. The quilted part seemed really gimmicky and I didn’t think it would be all that cute anyway. Wrong, wrong, wrong! I took this boot out for First Friday (Anchorage’s would-be art celebration that usually ends up being mostly bar-hopping) this month in the November chill, committing to my project by wearing a dress to fully assess the boot’s warming capabilities. Not being much of a bar-hopper and evidently not knowing my own town very well, I failed to navigate our group in an efficient manner, which made for a lot of walking through snowy streets, going hither and yon, until someone else took over and led the way to the gallery I was trying to find. I wasn’t lost; it was all in the name of good gear test.
The quilted part is actually a separate piece from the boot, so you could wear it with or without. However, it does help quite a bit in the warmth factor so I really like it. The boot itself goes up to mid calf and if you add the quilted part it’s about an inch below the knee. The lugged sole is helpful on winter streets (I can’t understand winter boots with smooth soles. What are those for? No sale) and the upper is waterproof which seems mandatory. The only downside I can imagine is the goofy look you get when you pull your leg out of the boot with the quilted part in. It just slides over your leg with a little elastic stirrup holding it in place, so if you aren’t deft at boot removal you can only imagine the potential for embarrassing 80′s leg warmer look for those few moments. However, it’s a small price to pay for a nice warm city boot.
Discovery Trekking Outfitters Travel Towels
November 15, 2011
I do not have a picture of these towels. All the pictures on the web site of the towels are of the towels under a person lounging on the beach, and since it’s exactly four degrees Farenheit at my house, I think it’s a little unfair to ask me to post pictures of beach-lounging people on towels.
So I thought this review would be hard to do even as I agreed to do it. A review of towels. What could I say about towels? Leslie Hanes, the founder of DTO, talked me into the towel review idea by telling me about all the awards the towels have won, which piqued my interest so she sent me the towels.
I received both the Ultra Fast-Dry Towel and the Extreme Ultralight Backpacking Towel. The Ultra towel was beach-towel size and the Extreme Ultralight was square and small. I thought this must be a joke because they didn’t feel like towels. They felt like something I’d want a dress made out of. I couldn’t comprehend actually using these things as towels. I waffled about bringing them along on trips because I didn’t want to waste space on something that was pointless.
As luck would have it, though, I went on a work trip to somewhere in remote Alaska and, typically, got stuck there due to weather. I had just happened to throw in the DTO towels because I had a bunch of room in my bag, so I had something with which to dry myself after my shower that wasn’t doused completely in smelly fabric softener (I’m sensitive. Some might know this as “being picky.” I’m sure you’re shocked). So I used the towels, the Extreme Ultralight for my sopping wet hair and the larger Ultra Fast-Dry for my body.
I was pretty stunned by these towels. They sopped up all the water and dried almost instantly. I was very pleased. I’m not really one to have ever carried travel towels in the past. I always figure I’ll find something to use or just make do or air dry or just cope because when was the last time you got wet that you didn’t get dry again later? Besides, who wants to lug around wet towels? But now I feel that travel towels actually do have a place in my travel bag. The big one in particular seems very useful. It could be a beach towel, a regular towel, or a sari in a pinch (if you know how to assemble one of those; I don’t. I can’t do anything personal that involves a “configuration” and that includes clothing AND hairstyles). But the little one is super great too because it crams down to about the size of a baseball and it definitely does the drying job.
So these towels aren’t just hype. If you are a backpacker or just plain like to travel, you would do well to check them out. If I ever get a beach vacation I’m definitely bringing these. I think they might be of good use to triathletes as well though I don’t know why you couldn’t use a regular towel in that case, seeing as you don’t have to carry it afterwards. But your race bag would be lighter if you brought one of these.
D-Fa Puff Doggy (Dog) Jacket
October 30, 2011
[Geardog is not in any of these photos, by the way. These are photos courtesy of D-Fa and their professional photographer Fredrik Larssen, which is why they are really good photos and not the utter crap that happens when I pick up a camera.]
Most of you readers know by now that Geardog, my trained search and rescue/avalanche dog is my most trusted and important partner. We spend a ton of time working and training together, and since Geardog looks to me to make sure all his needs are met, I have the responsibility of making sure that he’s able to do his job at any time in all conditions.
There is a perception that search dogs and handlers go racing quickly into the scene to save the day. This is rarely true in the sense that most people think of it – “responding quickly” is done in an organized fashion that looks painfully slow to people used to made-for-TV drama and action movie scenes. No one goes sprinting into danger, especially when responding to avalanches where, though time is of the essence, there are many scene safety considerations that must be addressed before any responders can go to the scene to start searching. This is especially applicable in training, where there is absolutely no reason to take big risks. Therefore, training (and sometimes responding) can involve a lot of standing/sitting/lying around and waiting. If it’s wintertime, we’re talking about standing around in the deep cold and waiting. And waiting some more.
I don’t know about you, but I get cold standing around waiting, and so does Geardog and his compatriots. All the avalanche dogs around here have some form of coat to wear from what I’ve seen, but Geardog is lucky enough to have D-Fa as his sponsor (don’t get the name? Say it fast, D-Fa Dogs…try it with a Kiwi accent. Got it?) so he’s sporting the fab Puff Doggy when the action is slow. He’s got enough fur to compensate for all conditions but standing around in the bitter cold, and the Puff Doggy is just the ticket.
The Puff Doggy is like a down jacket for dogs, with attention to detail not usually found in doggy gear. Puffy coats for dogs are just not that common; manufacturers usually opting for fleece or something similar. The Puff Doggy is the real deal for the dog in the backcountry, with a water resistant Pertex outer layer and a strap system meant to keep the heat in. I like that the Puff Doggy extends over the chest and down over the dog’s elbows, trapping more heat and keeping important joints warm. When Geardog lies down, the coat forms a little tent over him to keep the drafts out. The Puff Doggy, like your down coat, stuffs down small so it’s relatively easy for me to keep it in my 24-hour SAR pack just in case my furry partner needs a helping hand staying warm someday.
D-Fa is not your typical line of dog clothing. It’s designed for big dogs to use in tough conditions. Many of D-Fa’s testers are ski patrol dogs, search dogs, and other working dogs who really do need good gear. This isn’t for the Sunday stroll kind of dog; it’s for the working dog, and in my experience the gear really does deliver.
D-Fa is not too easy to find on this side of the pond but you can buy it directly from the D-Fa USA store here.
Kelty Pawnee Pack
October 19, 2011
This handy pack surprised me. I test so many packs that sometimes it just seems like a pack is a pack and unless they look super amazing snazzy out of the box I kind of feel like I have it all figured out. The Pawnee is understated; not particularly superlight or super-equipped or fancy. But I reached for it when I needed a blueberry-picking pack. Believe me, that is a bigger deal than it sounds. In Alaska, we’re big on finding our own food. We hunt, fish, and gather and that pretty much consumes all of August and September so that we have enough food to last until next summer and fall. Blueberry picking is one of my favorites because it activates my rarely-tapped OCD tendencies. There are so many berries, I want to get them ALL! I’ve been known to bring home multiple gallons of berries in my marathon 8-10 hour blueberry quests.
So I needed a pack that could stabilize a heavy load (YOU carry five gallons of berries, your lunch, your dog’s lunch, and some water and extra gear), and especially a heavy load in odd-size containers, for I fill up all my poor-girl’s tupperware (you know, that crappy stuff you get for 5/$5 at the grocery store) and I’m not picky about the container as long as it holds berries.
It’s tough for a pack to meet these specs because I’m kind of tough to fit for backpacks. I evidently have a tiny torso on which most packs fit strangely. My biggest problem is usually a chest strap that is juuuuust placed exactly WRONG, if you know what I mean. If they don’t adjust high enough, I can’t use them. The Pawnee has room to spare, and though I have to wear it on its smallest adjustments, it fits great and carries a load well. And it’s got more carrying capacity than I would have guessed from looking at it.
Organization was easy with all the pockets. I’ve noticed that lots of packs are going the “streamlined” way, meaning that they don’t have any damn pockets, making packing all the little things I need for things like search and rescue and other backcountry work kind of a pain. I prefer a backpack to be more than just a big sack, so, I liked the easy-access front pocket and especially the front panel zip-out on the Pawnee. That’s the feature that turned this pack from a blueberry-carrier to a 24-hour SAR pack for me – panel access is rare on all but winter packs and I really need to get to my stuff quickly. The technical pack I was using looked really cool, but couldn’t compare to the Pawnee for pockets and access. The tougher fabric means it can take a bit of a beating, which is also nice.
As I mentioned, the pack adjusted well for me and fit my torso nicely. It has a bendable stay that can be torqued for a more custom fit, but I haven’t yet been bothered to do so. I’m quite happy with this pack and due to the price point, most people would find it a good and inexpensive choice for backpacking. Note that it’s billed as a day pack but if you need to bring enough stuff to fill this pack when you go on a day hike, you’re really doing it wrong unless you’re planning on bringing home the bacon in the form of blueberries. No, this is way better for multi-day backpacking in my opinion.
At backcountry.com for an affordable $135.
Gore Bike Wear Power 2.0 Shorts
October 18, 2011
Bike shorts are a piece of gear that you should not skimp on. Your most delicate flesh is at stake – treat it well! I generally believe that when it comes to bike shorts, you get what you pay for and the cheap ones are just not worth it. Gore is not cheap but not extremely spendy either, so it’s a great option considering the shorts are super high quality, on par with Rapha if you ask my delicate bits. I really like the chamois; it seems to have more padding than most and doesn’t chafe as much as other chamois. I tend to have problems with chafing so I have promoted these shorts to the top of the pile, as much because of the fit and material as the chamois.
The material is super awesome, matte-ish spandex without the ugly shine and without the squeeze factor. It’s very soft and silky feeling without being slippery. I live in fear of snags in beautiful fabric like this, so if you want to keep these shorts looking nice, keep velcro well away from them! I have to hand it to Cynthia from Gore who sized these shorts for me – I usually wear a small so at first I was a tad affronted when I saw the L on the label…but Cynthia assured me that the sizing was a little off and she was right; they fit perfectly. I’d recommend sizing up at least one size in these shorts.
I really love that I can’t feel the silicone grippers. I usually dislike grippers but these are really unobtrusive. The waistband is wide and comfortable with no drawstring, which I really like as well. Comfort is the deciding factor in making these shorts a real winner – you can hardly tell you’re wearing weird diaper-like bike shorts. All in all, a super comfortable short at a reasonable price.
