‘Clothing’ Category

OR shirt a good base layer for skiers

Posted on: December 2nd, 2011 1 Comment

For backcountry ski trips, I usually wear three tops: a base layer for wicking away perspiration, a fleece jacket for insulation, and a shell for keeping out moisture and wind. (I also carry a down jacket in my pack.) As I warm up, I remove layers as needed.

When I first started skiing, I experimented with a variety of base layers, but I eventually settled on a long-sleeve T-shirt with a short zipper at the collar.

OR Sequence Zip Tee Shirt

OR's Sequence zippered T shirt.

No doubt many companies make such a shirt, but I happen to wear a model sold by Outdoor Research: the Sequence Long-Sleeve Zip Tee. I was introduced to the Sequence as an OR clothing tester and liked it so much that I bought four or five others, all in different colors.

The Sequence is made of Dri-Release Wool, a blend of Merino wool and polyester. It’s lightweight and comfortable and keeps your skin reasonably dry. OR says the fabric contains something called FleshGuard that prevents odors, but I doubt that anyone would want to sniff my shirt after a ski trip up Mount Marcy.

The thing that sold me on the Sequence is the zippered collar. You can unzip up to eight inches to vent perspiration when you get warm. When fully zipped, the collar is high, like a mock turtleneck, so it keeps you a bit warmer than a regular crew-neck collar.

The Sequence sells for $55 on OR’s website. If that’s too pricey, check out the Techwick shirts offered by Eastern Mountain Sports. EMS says this polyester fabric also wicks well and prevents odors. EMS sells a “Techwick Thermo” long-sleeve T shirt with zippered collar for $49. The company recommends it as a base layer for winter activities. EMS also sells a lighter-weight zippered T for $35, but it is marketed on the company’s website as a base layer for running, hiking, paddling, and “all high-energy activities.” No mention of skiing. 

I also own a Techwick shirt that I bought years ago. I don’t know if it’s the Thermo or the lighter-weight shirt. It works fine, but the OR’s wool-blend fabric has a softer feel.

 

Review of La Sportiva Karakorum boots

Posted on: November 14th, 2011 1 Comment

A few years ago, I was asked to test a pair of La Sportiva Karakorum boots. They’re cool-looking boots, but they struck me at first as almost too rugged for ordinary hiking. I wondered what use I could put them to in the Adirondacks. Then it hit me: slide climbing.

La Sportiva bills the Karakorums as lightweight mountaineering boots, and that makes them ideal for scrambling up the rock slide paths that scar many of our High Peaks.

La Sportiva Karakorum boots

La Sportiva's Karakorum boot

The Karakorums also are great for hiking on Adirondack trails in early spring, when you’re likely to encounter mud, snow, ice, you name it. The boots are waterproof, and their stiff soles can accommodate crampons.

I have worn the Karakorums on a number of hikes, but the three that stick out are my ascents of the Eagle Slide on Giant Mountain, the Placid Slide on Whiteface Mountain, and the Trap Dike on Mount Colden (followed by a descent of Colden’s Southeast Slide). These were tough, all-day hikes, but at the end of each one, my feet still felt comfortable.

Experienced climbers know the approach is often harder than the ascent of the slide itself. If you don’t believe it, click here to read the account in the Adirondack Explorer of my ascent of the Placid Slide. We bushwhacked for a few hours up a streambed, hopping from one slippery rock to another.

The Karakorums truly excelled on the gnarly approaches. The Vibram soles gripped the stone, the stiff cuffs offered support on uncertain terrain, and the leather/rubber exterior kept my feet bone dry despite lots of walking in the water.

The Trap Dike is easier to get to than either slide, but it’s a more difficult climb—a class 4 in the Yosemite Decimal System. It involves ascending two waterfalls in a narrow chasm. Again, the Karakorums were perfect for this terrain. Some people may want to bring rock-climbing shoes for the steep new slide near the end of the dike. Likewise, I usually switch to climbing shoes for the Eagle as well.

The Karakorums do have a place in the Adirondacks, but I wouldn’t say they are useful only for slides and stream bushwhacks. They’d also be great for arduous backpacking trips where you are hiking long distances with a heavy pack.

Outdoor Research Sombrero

Posted on: November 4th, 2011 No Comments
Outdoor Research Sombrero

Outdoor Research Sombrero

By Susan Bibeau

I have learned the hard way over the years to heed my mother’s advice and “stay out of the sun!”

A beautiful sunny day spent paddling without the proper protection will often guarantee a miserable evening tending to singed flesh.

Having said this, I will admit to some vanity in that I would rather suffer the discomfort of a sunburn than look goofy.

Luckily for me the folks at Outdoor Research have created something both highly functional and stylish.

They call it the Sombrero. Features include:

  • A new high-tech fabric that sheds water and also breathes well in high humidity, so it’s great in the rain also.
  •  A sombrero-style brim that is wide enough to provide shade but not oversized in a goofy way like some other hats.
  •  Snaps on the dome and band, so you can put the brim up (when the sun goes in)
  • Chin cord that adjusts.
  •  And if the wind does manage to take it… it floats sweet!

La Sportiva Raptor trail-running shoe

Posted on: November 3rd, 2011 No Comments

If you’re used to running on roads, you should try running on a wilderness trail. There’s something atavistic about racing through the woods that appeals to our primal nature.

Trail-running shoes differ from ordinary running shoes in that they usually have stiff, knobby soles to protect against sharp rocks and provide better grip.

A few years ago, I had a chance to test the La Sportiva Raptor. I put about 130 miles on the shoes and loved them. I used them not only for running, but also for some all-day outings that combined approach runs with mountain climbing. My feet always felt comfortable, even after a long day. La Sportiva Raptor trail-running shoe

The Raptor soles are made of FriXion, a sticky rubber that La Sportiva also uses in its approach shoes. The stickiness improves your purchase when your foot is landing on or pushing off from a rock—a common occurrence on Adirondack trails. The soles also are good at absorbing shock.

I became convinced of the versatility of the Raptors on a jaunt to the summit of East Dix, one of the Adirondack High Peaks. The route follows an unmarked herd path for more than four and a half miles to the base of a bedrock slide that leads to the summit.

For the first three miles or so, the trail stays on gentle terrain and is wonderful running. After this, the trail gets rocky, muddy, and often steep as it ascends a small valley, crossing a brook several times. I hiked most of this stretch.

Next came the slide, which is more than a half-mile long. It varies in steepness, depending on your route. I had climbed it before in hiking shoes, but I felt much more secure in the sticky Raptors. I walked right up most of the slide, occasionally using hands. Just below the summit, the slide got steeper, and I engaged in a bit of fourth-class climbing.

The round trip was about 10.7 miles and took most of the day. I had pressed the Raptors into service as running shoes, hiking shoes, and low-angle climbing shoes, and they performed superbly. I’m not suggesting you should use the Raptors as a hiking shoe, but they fit the bill when needed.

The Raptors sell for about $110.

 

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