This Spring, Columbia introduces the Compounder 2.5 layer shell. As we often get to test products before they hit the market, I was able to test this jacket out for a number of months in a number of activities. The Columbia Compounder Shell is 2.5 layers which can be a little hard to tell from [...]
The Aerial Arson Shell from Columbia Sportswear is a light-weight, high-performance ski jacket that will also serve you well while hiking, snowshoeing, or grabbing dinner in your favorite mountain town. The ultra-breathable, waterproof Omni-Dry® slub fabric outer shell will cut the wind and seal out the rain, and the Omni-Heat® thermal reflective liner will keep you nice and warm. The [...]
With snow starting to turn to rain in many parts of the US, it’s nice to have a rain jacket that can handle the elements whether you’re hiking the Appalachian Trail or hiking up one of Colorado’s 14′ers. I’ve been testing out the Columbia Peak 2 Peak Jacket over the past few months to see how [...]
As The North Face Zephyrus Pullover has been a go-to piece of gear for me on many occasions, I feel I must share my thoughts on this piece. The Zephyrus pullover is a windproof Primoloft insulated jacket that is perfect for activities such as hiking, climbing, cold weather adventures, skiing, and camping. What makes this [...]
Over the past few months, I’ve been testing out the Arcteryx Stingray jacket in activities such as backcountry skiing, resort skiing, snowshoeing, and cold weather hiking. As most of us know by now, Arcteryx has a history producing products of great quality and innovation, and the Stingray jacket is no exception. And while I have [...]
If Vail, Beaver Creek, or Dear Valley are the ski resorts you only frequent, we might have found the jacket for you! The Enigma Flow Down Jacket by Helly Hansen is packed full is features and technology that isn’t available in the majority of jackets on the market, but we must caution you, this jacket [...]
The Obsidian Jacket is Mountain Hardwear’s answer to the technical backcountry shell. The jacket is highly breathable and waterproof, making it a great outer piece in inclement weather. It is also cut with room for adding layers underneath, which is essential for any shell. I tested the jacket as both a ski shell and a [...]
Running in the cold can be a refreshing and eye opening experience, but having the right gear is extremely important. When the temperatures drop and you want to get your run in, sometimes running tights or shorts just don’t cut it to keep the cold out. If you have ever been caught out in the [...]
The Civetta Jacket from Mammut is more than your standard ski jacket. For instance, the Civetta jacket is extremely versatile for those that are seeking to head out into the backcountry-sidecountry-or stay in-bounds, because with the Civetta you get three jackets in one. The outer shell features Pontetorto® No Wind® that acts as a windblocker; [...]
A stylish jacket that gets you second looks in the high-country will ultimately end up tossed aside if you’re constantly asking yourself: “what were the designers thinking? Do they even play in high alpine environments?” The Marmot Cat Track Jacket will leave you convinced that the designers spend more time playing in powder and ducking [...]
When the temperatures drop below freezing and you have to get in your workout, it’s important to the have the proper gear to keep you warm while not impeding your movement. I’ve been testing out the Craft Storm Jacket which is a performance fleece jacket that works great in outdoor aerobic activities in colder temps. When [...]
With the changing of seasons and the temperatures starting to dip, it’s that time of the year when we start adding layers as the temperatures begin to dip. The North Face Krakatoa 1/2 zip Hoodie is a new and perfect solution, whether you are braving the unexpected harsh conditions or trying to keep in a [...]
When a company names a product Ultimate, immediately the performance bar is set pretty high. Mammut’s Ultimate Hoody is pegged as wind-proof yet breathable softshell jacket that can just about do it all. In my testing I found that this softshell delivered on every promise. The fit is close to the body, perfect for alpine climbing, [...]
April showers might bring you May flowers, and the Marmot Super Mica Jacket offers you protection from April showers so that you hike on to enjoy May flowers. This super light waterproof rain jacket is the perfect piece of gear for those of you that like to go ultra light, but don’t want to sacrifice [...]
The Colorado weather is fickle and can change in 10 minutes. This is true year round and is compounded as you gain altitude. This fact makes clothing decisions crucial. You may encounter wind, rain, sun or snow, during a trail run or day hike. I don’t want to pack 3 shells, but I don’t want [...]
Finding a good shell these days isn’t hard to do with a number of brands making quality products. Finding a great shell on the other hand is a little harder to come across, the Sierra Designs Mantra Fusion is a GREAT 3-layer shell. We tested this shell out while skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, dog walking, and [...]
The Sierra Design’s BTU Jacket lived up to its name as we tested this jacket with temperatures sitting in the single digits and dropping well below zero in the wind. The BTU is designed to be extremely warm and weatherproof with 800 series goose down and a Tropozone waterproof/ breathable shell. We tested the BTU [...]
For those of you that are familiar with goose down fill, you know that it is extremely warm, lightweight, and soft against the skin. The problem with down is when it gets wet, the warmth factor goes way down. This problem has been solved by Mountain Hardwear with the release of the Synchronicity jacket which is [...]
The Brooks Wanganui Softshell is the perfect jacket for cold weather running this season. The Wanganui is waterproof and windproof, sure to keep you sheltered from the elements and keep you dry and warm on the run. This jacket has a waffle like inner liner that is soft against the skin and adds warmth for [...]
