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Tag Archives: backpacking apparel reviews
Review: Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody
Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody
Synthetic Insulated Jacket
Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody
$249, 13 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-XXL, women’s XXS-XL
backcountry.com
A lot of people wore this jacket before I did—or, more accurately, a lot of people wore most of this jacket—before I zipped it up at my campsite on a rocky ledge high above Baron Lake in Idaho’s magnificent Sawtooth Mountains. But I wouldn’t know that by simply looking at or wearing my Nano Puff Hoody. I’m speaking only partly metaphorically: Besides having excellent performance qualities, this jacket now contains cutting-edge, synthetic insulation that comes mostly from recycled polyester—which means that it’s not only good for me in the backcountry, but it’s good for the planet my kids are inheriting. Continue reading →
May 20, 2016
Ask Me: How Can You Tell How Warm a Down Jacket Is?
Michael,
With sleeping bags, we have temperature ratings. But with down/insulated/puffy jackets, what is best way to determine if a jacket will be warm or warmer or hot? Is it the amount of fill? Some but not all jackets indicate the amount of fill.
Thanks.
Bruce
Virginia
Review: 5 Super Versatile Layering Pieces
Outdoor Research Deviator Hoody
By Michael Lanza
The more time I spend in the backcountry—whether climbing peaks, taking an ultra-dayhike or trail run, Nordic or backcountry skiing, or backpacking with my family—the more I value and wear lightweight jackets and vests that pull double duty as middle and outer layers. Unlike with heavier, warmer, and less-breathable jackets, you can often wear this type of garment while on the move—while your body is producing heat, but you still need some warmth. That makes you more comfortable and safer. Plus, you get more bang for your buck from versatile layers like these. Here are five of the very best. Continue reading →
Review: Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
Ultralight Jacket
Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody
$229, 9 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-XXL, women’s XS-XL
Here’s a testament to the versatility of this partly insulated, lightweight wind shell: I’ve probably worn it more than any other layering piece I own over the past several months, for virtually everything I do outdoors, in every season: backpacking in August in Kootenay National Park, in the Canadian Rockies, and in October in Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains; scrambling a 10,000-foot peak in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains and hiking to the very windy summit of 10,243-foot Mount Washburn in Yellowstone National Park in September; and numerous times in late winter, skate-skiing for an hour or two in temps from the high 20s to the 30s. Simple and yet uniqueunique—essentially an ultralight wind shell with some strategically placed insulation—it’s one of the smartest pieces of outerwear I’ve seen. Continue reading →
Review: Winter Jackets, Pants, Gloves & Mittens For Kids
My son, Nate, backcountry skiing near Galena Summit, Idaho.
By Michael Lanza
Winter’s cold temperatures, snow, and propensity for getting us wet makes outerwear and insulation critically important for everyone, including kids—especially if your family spends a lot of time outdoors. We have taken our kids on multi-day ski trips to backcountry yurts since they were little, and now my oldest joins me backcountry skiing. Whether we’re miles from civilization, or downhill or Nordic skiing at a resort, I outfit my kids with good-quality winter jackets, pants, gloves and mittens so they’ll be comfortable and safe and enjoy the experience. Because they’ll outgrow it within a couple of years, I look for well-made clothing that delivers high dollar value and could get used by a younger child. I review here the stuff my kids are wearing now. Continue reading →