Have you ever observed the guy that is unabashedly walking around the grocery store wearing what he obviously wore to the crag every day for the last week? The pants are ripped to shreds and covered in chalk—most often with…
For two weeks I brought the Rab Photon pants to South America’s tallest peak: Aconcagua. At 22,841’, it is the tallest peak outside the Himalaya. The mountain is large and has a wide variety of environmental conditions. At lower elevations…
Forged through relentless field-testing in the Earth’s tallest mountains, the Himali Altitude Parka is uniquely made for your next expedition. The outdoor gear market is well saturated with quality products. Healthy competition has given birth to an evolution of gear…
It’s 1 AM and the alarm on my phone is already blaring at me. “Is it time, already?” I ask myself as I begrudgingly blink my eyes open. Although this is a familiar feeling for me, my body still hates…
It’s been a long time since I’ve worn any piece of mountaineering gear that I consider to be fashionable. BlackYak is a high-end mountaineering outfitter that is just entering the scene in the USA with their top of the line…
This skiing jacket is made for the backcountry. It blends performance, comfort, and style. Ortovox brings its history of intelligently designed gear all while using industry-leading lightweight and sustainable materials. Backcountry skiing demands a lot from your gear. Rarely will…
“If you don’t like the weather, just wait 10 minutes.” This is a common saying about Colorado’s mercurial weather. The weather is not easy to layer for. From August through October, I tested an Icebreaker Layering System in temperatures ranging…
Puffy coat selection is very personal. Some coats pack down well but lack the necessary fill or features for real winter conditions. Some coats are loftier with more fill, but lack the ability to compress and weigh too much. I took…
Looking for a versatile, insulated jacket to romp in the mountains with? Look no further than the Black Yak Nelore Jacket. Throughout my years of climbing it has become more and more apparent that layering is paramount for performance and…
I received this jacket right as I was headed out the door to catch a plane to Ohio for the weekend. I needed to take a jacket that was lightweight and compact, as I didn’t have much space left in…