The Gear You Need: Mountain Trekking in Peru

Peruvian Pachamanca Photo Gallery

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The Jacket: Marmot Leadville Soft Shell Jacket
When it came to selecting the right jacket, I wanted something light yet durable, warm but not Charmin-puffy—and, given high-altitude gales—it had to be windproof. My extensive search led me to Marmot's famed Leadville jacket, a smooth-to-the-touch, no-frills, affordable soft shell made of stretchable Gore Windstopper fabric. Details like fleece-lined zippered front pockets and collar, an inside zippered pocket with a headphone port, and thinner-material side panels for easy venting compliment the jacket's overall sleek, fashion-meets-function cut. And while the M2 softshell fabric wouldn't have stood up to a six-hour deluge, it handily repelled the spritz of moisture encountered on the trip, and kept me warm when the temps suddenly dipped.
$150, marmot.com

The Rain Pants: Outdoor Research Foray Rain Pants
I thank the Andean Gods that it never rained on us while we were trekking over the passes, down the dusty valleys, and through the cloud forests. But if the skies had opened up, I'm confident that the Foray rain pants from Outdoor Research would've kept me dry, warm, and eternally comfortable. The Gore-Tex Paclite fabric offers the waterproof/breathable shelter you've come to expect, but the three-forth waterproof zips on each leg endeared them to my gear-loving heart, making them a breeze to don when the wind really kicked up. And if things got too steamy, venting to your legs' content was a simple matter of adjusting the zips. When not in use, the entire 11.6-ounce pant can be stuffed in its rear pocket.
$150, outdoorresearch.com