Outdoor Retailer: Mountain Hardwear Preview

The three pitching options of the Skyledge tent, including the way to keep the tent dry in a downpour.

The Mountain Hardwear innovation that will likely garnish much of the fanfare in spring 2013 will be the cadre of active apparel outfitted with Cool.Q ZERO, which boasts “active cooling technology.” Pieces like the Way2Cool Short-Sleeve T ($65) will wick the sweat off your skin, then use a proprietary technology to cool your body before the moisture evaporates. We’ve tested the same tech in Columbia products (the parent company of MH) and so far it works. We’ll continue to test and let you know what we find.

Elsewhere on the apparel side, the Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket ($300) offers 850-fill down insulation in a package that weight a measly seven ounces, but should keep you warm and dry whenever the weather gets rough. As with all down products in Mountain Hardwear’s line, the Ghost Whisperer boasts waterproof Q.Shield DOWN. The Plasmic Jacket should also be a fast-mover on the retail shelves. The hard shell jacket employs MH’s proprietary Dry.Q Evap for waterproof/breathable protection, with a sly-looking exposed water-resistant zipper and a wide array of colors. Priced at only $140, it could become a gateway drug to Mountain Hardwear for the uninitiated.

Finally, on the outdoor shelter front, they’re introducing the Skyledge 2 and 3 ($450, $550). The footprint for both the two- and three-tent is included in the price, which gives you three out-of-the-box pitch options: the tent and fly, just the tent, or just the fly, with the tent frame anchored in place by the footprint (pictured, above). This last option also lets you pitch your tent in the rain; just roll out the footprint, assemble the frame, toss over the fly, and then you can then pitch the tent without worrying about getting the tent interior fully soaked. And for the ultra-lighter go-getter, there’s the SuperMegaUL 1, a free-standing one-person tent that weighs in at 1 pound, 14 ounces for $350.

Prices vary.

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Outdoor Retailer: Arc’Teryx Preview

Looking toward spring 2013, Arc’Teryx will continue to develop some of the best-performing products in the outdoor industry. And while their price points are some of the highest, our experience with their line has proven that you’re buying a jacket, pack, or a lifestyle piece that’ll last a lifetime, not just a season. Here are a few things that have us excited.

The bag line will expand next spring to include a variety of travel packs, which will appear in three sizes, from carry-on to checkable. The duffle-style Covert line will be made of 500D Cordura and a burly double weave for solid weather resistance, and come with stashable shoulder straps, strategically-placed grab handles, and light-colored inner lining to help you find what you need quickly. Meanwhile, the new Haku Rope Pack is destined to become a climber’s favorite crag accessory. The medium-sized shoulder pack incorporates a massive tarp at the bag’s mouth. When you’re ready to haul your rope to the next crag or hike out for the day, you spread out the tarp, dump the rope on it, pick up the tarp by the corners, lift, shake, and—viola—the rope drops into the bottom of the pack. Then you just fold in the tarp, roll the bag closed like a dry bag, and you’re ready to go. No more stuffing and jamming to fit everything in. (We also think it may offer great last-minute travel packing solutions for the less OCD-inclined.) On the backcountry side, the newly designed Aristo packs look interesting; they incorporate “wingman” side pockets at both sides of the pack base for easy, on-the-go access, which lets the pack ride against the lumbar for on-the-trail comfort.

On the apparel side, they’ll playing with a mixture of fabrics, employing patches of Gore-Tex Pro and Paclite in the Theta SL Hybrid Jacket for targeted, on-the-body performance, and mixing up cotton and poly in their 24 lifestyle line. We also love what we saw of the women’s Codetta (pictured), a three-quarter-length hooded jacket made from Gore-Tex, with a hem vent and fashion-forward storm flap over the zipper. This urban, travel-friendly jacket will run for $369.

Prices vary.

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Helly Hansen Odin Fastpack Jacket

shop.hellyhansen.com, 8.4 ounces
Unlike your offspring, you can play favorites when it comes to gear. But it’s also easy to get lost in all the different attributes that inspire that affection. The Odin Fastpack Jacket makes it easier for you by hitting a particular sweet spot: a go-to jacket when conditions carry some threat of rain but you still want to go as minimal as possible. At a feathery 8.4 ounces, it’s the lightest jacket in Helly Hansen’s line, with two wide zipper pockets that double as vents, thin Velcro closers on the sleeves, a chord at the hem, and an easy-to-adjust helmet-compatible hood. That’s it—and that’s all you need in a jacket that disappears into your pack until the weather takes a turn for the worse. The hood felt a bit loose when not worn over a helmet—we were able to adjust it to fit a bare head by pulling in the draw chords, but you may want to wear a visor or baseball hat underneath to add structure. The jacket’s thin fabric boasts HH’s proprietary waterproof/breathable treatment, which kept us dry in a moderate downpour, with only sweated out in really hot, humid conditions. Waterproof zips add to the coat’s moisture-repelling properties. The lightweight fabric won’t stand up to rigorous bush-whacking; those needing a more durable jacket (with the corresponding increase in weight) should look elsewhere.

$300

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Outlier Storm King Shell Parka

shop.outlier.cc
Every so often, we find ourselves splurging for the best with the hopes that the initial investment will be far outweighed by functionality, durability, and the evergreen style of an item. Outlier’s Storm King Shell Parka is such a piece. With taped seams, pockets galore, and Egyptian cotton fibers, it’s a supremely cut and navigable alternative to synthetics that promises to last. Full-sleeve and invisible pit zips allow for extra ventilation, a clear-view hood gives you an unobstructed view of the road ahead, and a high collar eliminates the need for annoying draw cords. Whether you weather your storms on your morning bike commute, treks through the African savanna, or weekends spent on the water, this Parka reigns supreme. What really makes it stand apart, although curated and produced in New York City, is the unique 100% Supermarine Cotton sourced from Switzerland. Outlier calls the fabric a 21st-century edit on a storied fabric that reaches back to World War 2 pilots. We call it soft, durable, water resistant, and almost completely windproof. If you’ve ever rationalized a technical article of clothing with “price per wear,” the Storm King can weather the elements of regret. An important note is that the sizing runs rather large, I suggest ordering an entire size down.
-Chadwick Crutchfield

$675

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Obermeyer Kenai Ski Jacket

www.obermeyer.com
With age comes wisdom. Just look at the Kenai shell, which seems to benefit from every brain cell of knowledge that Klaus Obermeyer has learned in his 60-plus years of making cold-weather clothes. The jacket’s poly exterior is laminated with Cocona—activated carbon derived from coconut shells—that delivers some of the most breathable/waterproof fabric on the market, and lends the fabric sly vertical striations that are refreshingly different from most jackets you see at the resort. The all-natural treatment also increases the overall durability, and boasts both UV protection and odor resistance. In short, this jacket can take anything from a deep-freeze blizzard to soupy spring slush. A mixture of nylon and spandex compliments the durable outer layer by provided the perfect measure waterproof stretch, which allows the jacket to fit snugly and flex when conditions demand. Waterproof pit zips offer quick-access temp adjustment, Velcro cuffs let you dial in the fit, and you get a bevy of pockets: hand, sternum, and the arm on the outside; a zipper pocket and a stretch-mesh pocket tailored for your goggles on the inside. The jacket even comes with an attached lens wipe. Overkill? Perhaps…until you need it. Features that speak to a life beyond the slopes (like a zip-off powder skirt and reflective trim) hint at the Kenai’s four-season versatility (and makes the price more approachable). Just a head’s up: for those with longer arms and torsos (like one lanky tester), the fit can prove a bit tricky. The large was too big, while the medium fit everywhere, save the arms; extending the arms pulled up the sleeves, but gauntlet-style gloves kept things covered.

$400

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