ExOfficio Give-N-Go Tee

The Give-N-Go® Short-Sleeve Tee, which retails for $36, is available in white, black, and charcoal, so be sure to pick up one of each to mix it up a bit. Also be sure to check out the other great products in the Give-N-Go line, like the boxers and boxer briefs, and on the women’s side the bikini briefs, bras, tank tops, and camis.

As someone who is always out running, hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, etc, having a good pair of boxers is important to me.  I’ve been testing the tasc boxer briefs out over the past few months to see how they hold up in all my activities.  This boxer brief is made out of 55% organic cotton and 40% bamboo which helps keep moisture from building up, and 5% Spandex which gives you form.  The organic cotton creates a soft comfortably feel.

I’ve tested out boxer briefs that are close to 100% polyester in the past and while they definitely do the job and keeping you dry, I’ve found the tasc boxer brief to be one of the most comfortable technical boxer briefs on the market and they only cost $24 which is close to half as much as other competitors on the market.  Not too shabby.  During activity, Chaffing can happen with some boxer briefs. While testing out the tasc boxer briefs, I didn’t encounter any chaffing which was a happy results for me.  Now that I’ve done the testing and found the tasc boxer briefs to be your friend, there is no room to worry.

As we are approaching the fall season and the temperatures are starting to drop a bit for those early morning workouts, a versatile long sleeve shirt is essential to maintain an optimal core temperature.  I had the pleasure of trying out the Helly Hansen Pace LS 1/2 Zip which is one of the most comfortable technical long sleeve shirts that I’ve worn.

The fabric is soft, silky light, and quite stretchy.  It is semi-fitted without much extra bulk which is perfect for layering with a jacket or vest if needed.  The shirt provided an adequate amount of warmth so that I wasn’t cold initially, but also kept me cool and dry during my workouts.  This is due to the HH® Cool™ Fabric Technology and Lifa® Stay Dry Technology to increase both airflow and quick evaporation, which ultimately kept my body temperature at a comfortable range all around.  I tested the product during several run workouts and found the fabric, thus my skin, to remain fairly dry, yet I was neither too warm or cold.  In my testing, here in Colorado, the Pace LS 1/2 Zip performed the best when the outside temperature was below 55℉ during the workouts.  Additional features include the half-zip, which allows for additional control in ventilation, as well as a zipped seat pocket to stash small essentials.

In terms of the overall fit, the Pace LS 1/2 Zip is sewn with flatlock stitching for a smooth feel and I did not experience any skin irritation as a result.  I liked the reflective overlays across the upper back to increase visibility during low light situations.  The fabric also has an UPF 30 rating, which provides good sun protection.  The sleeves are longer than normal to provide coverage over the wrists and hands if needed during cooler and windy conditions.  However, this extra fabric material does bunch up a little aesthetically when not in use, which didn’t bother me functionally.  Please note that this is a semi-fitted product, which may not be preferred by those looking for a relaxed fit.

I am personally looking forward to testing this product more during the fall and winter months.  I believe this will be a perfect baselayer for cool weather hiking/running and even for skiing this winter.

The Helly Hansen Pace LS 1/2 Zip retails for $70.  Although somewhat pricey, given all the technical features and great versatility, it is definitely a worthy choice as a product that can be used almost year round.  For more information, please visit hellyhansen.com.

The temperatures along the west coast stay pretty cool in the summer, so I often needed both pants and shorts in the same day. Lucky for me, I brought along my Patagonia capri’s.  Now I must admit, I was a little skeptical the first 5 minutes I wore them.  I thought to myself, what are people going to think of me?  And once those 5 minutes were over, I decided not to care and carry on with my own style.

I took the capri’s out hiking, sea kayaking, boating, backpacking, and found them to be a great addition to my wardrobe.  What I like about capri’s is that I am often very warm blooded, so having some sort of ventilation is nice.  It seems like 6 inches from your shins to your ankles wouldn’t vent much, but it was just the trick.  They also do seem to do the trick in colder weather they offer just enough protection in most scenarios for spring and fall days.  I would say the perfect weather for man pri’s is in the temperature range of 40-75 F

Now I must admit, not all men should wear capri’s.  Some men just look pretty bad in capri’s.  In my mind, if you are more the slender and athletic, you are good to go.  If you are overweight or “husky”, I advise you consult with your significant other.  There are also places that are safe and not so safe to wear man pri’s.  I suggest not wearing them to the local boot scootin country bar.  Places around the country with a high outdoors population, you tend to be safe.  Places include; Colorado, Washington, Northern California, New Hampshire, and maybe a few others.  Other places around the U.S. might not be so safe, but I say go for it anyways!

The man pri’s I tested were the Patagonia Nomader Messenger Shorts(Do you notice, even Patagonia calls them shorts so guys don’t get scared??), but they are not listed on Patagonia’s website as they are out of stock for the rest of the season.  If you look elsewhere on the web, you should be able to find them though.

If you have an opinion on man pri’s, we would love to hear your thoughts!

While on a trip on the west coast, I took the Cascade Hoody with me while hiking, backpacking, kayaking, and other adventures.  I found the Cascade Hoody to be a good cross over shirt for a number of activities, so whether you are traveling or not looking to overcrowd you closet, it’s a nice option.  The fit of the Hoody is a little relaxed when it comes to tech wick fabric shirts, so it works well for more relaxed activities such as leisurely hikes, but I wouldn’t suggest it for the hardcore endurance activities.  For storage, the Cascade Hoody has a center zip pocket around the stomach that can carry items such as energy bars, small camera’s, or other items with a similar size.  There is a small pocket on the shoulder in which you can use to store an iPod or other smaller items.  The shirt itself has a 30UPF built into it, so if you’re out in the sun for a long time, it’s nice to have that protection.  For comfort and keeping warm, there are thumb-holes in the sleeve which became popular for runners a number of years back.  This has since transitioned to a number of other sports and activities.  And last, but not least, there’s a relaxed hood to help keep your head warm or block out some of the sun’s rays.

At $59 retail, I found the Redington Cascade Hoody to be a good deal for a tech hoody. The hoody can be used in a number of activities and it also looks good casually.  For more information, please visit Redington.com

While I like hiking pants for their performance qualities, they can often look a little odd/dorky off the trail.  For some reason, the designers at prAna have been able to make a hiking pant that performs great and looks good.  For performance, the Stretch Zion Convertible Pants are made out of a stretch nylon that is coated with a DWR finish.  I recently took these pants on a 2 week trip where I was camping, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, boating, and playing the site seeing tourist.  While hiking in these pants, I ended up getting caught in a few rain storms.  To my surprise, these pants kept me completely dry and shed the water like a champ.  I am assuming this property will eventually wear off through a number of washes, but at that point, all you have to do is wash them with a DWR detergent like the one Granger has and you will be all set.  For traveling, they are pretty compactable and they don’t wrinkle too easy.

One thing I like to see in a pant is for the cuff to cover my shoes or boots.  For some reason, I can’t stand a cuff that is tapered.  Since I have size 12 shoes, finding a cuff that will be wide enough to go over my shoes can be challenging.  The cuff on the Stretch Zion Convertible Pants did just fine, and for those not wanting the convertible pants, the regular ones do a nice job as well.  This helps with style and it also keeps debris from getting in your socks and shoes.  To help with ventilation, there are 3 holes on each side of the crotch that give you a little air flow and help prevent moisture from building up.  This helps when you are in warm climates or are exerting a lot of energy.

These pants retail for $75 and I have rarely seen them go on sale, but if there is something worth paying retail for, it’s the Stretch Zion regular or convertible pants.  For more information, please visit prAna.com

First ascent is the branch of Eddie Bauer that’s built for maximum performance. The line up has outerwear for every need, whether it’s undertaking your first Badwater marathon, or scaling the highest peak in North America. Granted, I put the Mistral through neither of these activities, but I did take it up the side of a volcano located in the Ecuadorian Andes. And guess what? This isn’t your grandmother’s Eddie Bauer.

After a bit of a slow down in the recession, Eddie is back to making superior outdoor product at affordable prices. I honestly didn’t have high hopes for this jacket when I first received it. I admit it was my own bias as a consumer that put me in this frame of mind. Boy, was I wrong. The jacket exceeded all of my expectations, or you can bet it wouldn’t have accompanied me (and protected me) on a climb/hike up the side of Chimborazo.

Check out the smooth nylon and redesigned first ascent logo - flashy.

To begin with, the exterior of the jacket is smooth, lightweight, and easily packable. I was able to fold it into a pocket in my pack that was no larger than your average subway sandwich. There were numerous times when I easily stuffed it into a water bottle pocket as well – this was great for days when I would need to take off the jacket and put it back on numerous times in one hike. The fit is slightly tapered in towards the body as well; this eliminates extra bulk, and creates a warmer feel due to the lack of space on the interior of the jacket. Eddie Bauer says that it’s primarily for days when a fleece was too warm, but a short sleeve shirt wouldn’t do. I disagree – it does all of that, and then some; I was comfortable in colder temperatures due to the close fit and inner liner.

Mesh inner liner - not only does it include all the features below but it's super soft, too.

The inner liner (shown above) is made of an ultra soft moisture wicking material. It’s mesh in order to provide maximum breathability. This moisture wicking system is two fold: one, it does just that, wicking excess moisture away from the skin and out of the jacket; two, in doing so, it regulates your body temperature by keeping you dry during exertion. I thought this layer worked great as well, and due to how packable the jacket is, I found myself reaching for it on those days when I knew my trail run would start really cold and end really warm. Even on drizzly days, I took this jacket out for a spin. In a mist or light rain, the ripstop nylon shed water with the best of them. However, don’t expect a rain jacket out of this material. While running in a heavy rain, I quickly became drenched. The plus side of this experience was that I found that once out of the rain, it dried quickly.

There are also a number of smaller details included on this jacket that makes it a very nice choice for all manner of outdoor activities. Eddie Bauer is great at thinking of this type of add on, and it really helps to complete the overall design. There are gussets in the armpits to allow for maximum mobility and function; you can comfortably run, bike, or hike without restriction of movement. There are two lined hand-warmer pockets on the front that double as storage. To top it all off, the neck of the jacket is also line with a plush material to keep in heat on the cooler outings.

I wore this inside a sleeping bag on the side of a volcano; it kept me warm and comfortable.

Just about the only thing I would have desired out of this jacket is a lightweight hood, but I can live without it for all of the other features. Its become a go to jacket for me when I have no idea what the conditions might be, and have just a small amount of extra storage space. I honestly rarely make a trip or outing without it. The MSRP on this jacket, even with all of these features, is even more shocking – less than seventy big ones. At this weight, this price, and this functionality, you might not be able to afford NOT having it. Check out this jacket (and the whole first ascent lineup) at www.eddiebauer.com.

Now that summer is here and the temps are heating up, the ability of technical clothing to help you stay cool and dry is more important than ever.

This shirt kept me relatively dry during running workouts outside with temperatures well into the 80‘s.  What I love about the fabric is that it is extremely soft, light, and stretchy.  It is semi-fitted and because the sweat evaporated quickly from the fabric, it did not cling to my skin as much as some of my other shirts when drenched in sweat.  I am 5’11’’ and 140 lbs with a thin build and this shirt (I wore a size medium) definitely hugged my skin more than many of my other technical T-shirts.  However, it certainly was not too tight and allowed complete freedom of movement.  Although running was the main activity that I used in testing this product, I also found this shirt quite functional in other pursuits including yoga and other cross-training sessions.  For those of you that know yoga, this shirt remained next to my body when I was in “downward dog”, even though it was not tucked.  It is also long enough to go underneath shorts and pants which allows for more versatility as a layering piece.

The shirt retails for $45 which is on the high side for a technical T-shirt.  However, with all the features and versatility, the Pace SS T-shirt definitely deserves some serious consideration.  For more information, please visit hellyhansen.com.

The Patagonia Wavefarer Board Shorts are made of a lightweight quick drying nylon that has a DWR (durable water repellent) coating.  The lightweight nylon works great for traveling as it is super light (4.3 oz.) and they pack super small.  With the DWR finish, the Wavefarer Board Shorts don’t absorb water much, allowing them to dry out super quick and helps reduce chaffage over a long day of activity.  The length of the shorts hits right above the knee which gives you the classic board short look without looking like a young punk.  I tested out the brown Cattail and I received a number of compliments on the shorts. There are over 2 dozen Wavefarer Board Short styles to choose from, so if cattails aren’t your thing, then no need to worry.

To keep your valuables to yourself, there is a zippered pocket that fits on the side of your thigh which in my mind is a perfect placement.  I like that if I put my wallet or phone in my pocket, I don’t have a big bulge out on the front on my pocket.  The backside would have worked out ok for me, but backside pockets don’t always work the greatest when sitting on a surf board or sitting in a kayak.  The Patagonia Wavefarer Board Shorts retail for $59 which I find to be about average for a good pair of quality board shorts.  For more information and to see other styles, please visit Patagonia.com

For hiking and the gym, these shorts were perfect.  They offered plenty of support, flexibility, and moisture wicking, and they were long enough to cover my white pre-summer thighs.  For pockets, the Phase Multi-Sport Shorts have two pockets on each side and one zippered pocket in the rear that could carry a wallet or other valuables.  The short is cinched by a tie-up draw string instead of a zipper or snap.  I am typically a 32 and medium in most shorts, but a medium in these shorts seemed to ride a little lower than other shorts I have worn in the past.  That is something to keep in mind if you are interested in purchasing these shorts. Overall, I’ve been very pleased with the shorts as they are something I can wear in almost any activity, meaning I get a lot of use of them and plan to use them more and more as the temperatures get warmer.  For more information on the Pearl Izumi Phase Multi Sport Short, please visit PearlIzumi.com