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Tag Archives: backpacking gear reviews
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Lodestar Gloves and Ibex Point 62 Gloves
Outdoor Research Lodestar Gloves
Winter Gloves
Outdoor Research Lodestar Gloves
$89, 5 oz. (men’s large)
Sizes: men’s XS-XL
outdoorresearch.com
Ibex Point 62 Gloves
$85, 4 oz. (medium)
Sizes: unisex S-XL
shop.ibex.com
What’s your winter activity? Nordic skiing? Snowshoeing? Hiking? Running? Whatever you do, you can bet there are gloves made specifically for it. Both of these models have become go-to handwear for me in moderate temperatures (20s and 30s) this winter, but for different activities. Continue reading →
January 10, 2014
Ask Me: What’s A Good Tent For Cold, Wet Weather?
Michael:
I just got turned to your site today and have enjoyed reading your gear reviews. I plan to return for more reading soon and learn of your adventures. I noticed that we like a lot of the same brands of gear and particularly thought you might help me with my dilemma. Continue reading →
Gear Review: The North Face Radium Hi-Loft Jacket
The North Face Radium Hi-Loft Jacket
Fleece Jacket
The North Face Radium Hi-Loft Jacket
$170, 15 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XXL, women’s XS-XL
thenorthface.com
Given all the modern choices in outdoor apparel for the backcountry, is the classic fleece jacket obsolete? Not hardly. An insulating layer that’s highly breathable remains indispensable when you’re active in cold temperatures; I always have some kind of fleece layer when out backcountry skiing, cross-country ski touring, hiking, or snowshoeing in winter or any time of year in temps in the 30s or colder. The good news is that advancements in fabrics have transformed your father’s fleece into a more versatile outer or middle layer—like The North Face Radium Hi-Loft Jacket. Wearing it quite a lot while cross-country skiing on a four-day, December yurt trip in Idaho’s Boise Mountains, and as a middle layer while resort skiing as well as around town, I found it impressively warm, comfortable, and functional. Continue reading →
Gear Review: Perfect 20-lb. Weight Vest
Perfect 20-lb. Weight Vest
Weight Vest
Perfect 20-lb. Weight Vest
$80, 10 oz. (vest without weights)
One size (adjustable)
perfectonline.com
You want to become a stronger hiker? A number of years ago, after I’d gotten into hiking 20, 30, even over 40 miles in a day, I learned that becoming a stronger hiker isn’t just about having strong legs. I realized that overall fitness—including good core strength—holds the key to being able to knock off bigger miles on the trail. Plus, I don’t have the free time to train by hiking multiple days a week. So I get in shape for dayhiking, backpacking, climbing, and Nordic and backcountry skiing through high-intensity, resistance workouts indoors. That’s why I’ve become a big fan of training with the Perfect 20-Pound Weight Vest. Continue reading →
Gift Guide: Top 25 Picks in Outdoor Gear & Apparel
Gregory Contour 70
By Michael Lanza
Looking for a gift idea for a hiker, backpacker, climber, skier… or maybe something special to suggest to someone shopping for you? I test a lot of adult and children’s outdoor gear and apparel every year for Backpacker Magazine and to review in this blog, and friends and readers ask me regularly for advice on buying gear.
So here’s my annual list of my top 25 favorite new pieces of outdoor gear and apparel—with links to my original reviews of these packs, boots, tents, jackets, and other gear—plus a new backcountry food my entire family loves, and a terrific book for traveling families. If you’re dreaming of big adventures in 2014, get busy prepping your gear for it.