Winter OR Round-Up: Eddie Bauer and First Ascent

www.eddiebauer.com
www.eddiebauer.com/EB/First-Ascent

This year, Eddie Bauer is making a big deal about, well, a big deal as 2013 marks the 50^th anniversary of Jim Whittaker becoming the first American on the summit of Everest. To commemorate the historic achievement, Eddie Bauer is offering limited-edition, commemorative versions of the iconic Downlight Jacket and the Karakoram Sleeping Bag. We expect both pieces to be fantastic in a classic-retro way and something that we expect to maintain value for another 50 years. There are no photos of the new pieces yet, but we expect to test them in early summer, so we’ll report back before they hit the shelves in the fall. One piece that is available now that is a must-have is the BC MicroTherm Down Jacket 2.0 ($299). The warm but extremely well-venting jacket speaks to Eddie Bauer’s expedition creds—the 800-fill down parka is worthy of alpine storms, with waterproofing rated to a bomber 20K (that mean’s it will withstand a hard rain), but it weighs in at only one pound and four ounces. We love the long tail to kept snow, wind, and cold from sneaking up our backside, and the snug (but not too tight) cuffs. Plus, the hood fits over a helmet without restricting side-to-side movement or peripheral vision.

Also, at a recent dinner at Outdoor Retailer Winter 2013, Eddie Bauer and their PR team from Backbone Media hosted Jim and his family (his adventure-parnter-wife Dianne, and youngest son, Leif, who has summited Everest twice), a red-carpet list of media personalities, and an all-star cast of big time guides and mountaineers. Keep an eye out for Eddie Bauer (and its talented offspring, First Ascent) for fall ’13 celebrations of Everest’s first ascent—including a film clip of fantastic footage of the 1963 Everest expedition.

Prices vary.

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Winter OR Round-Up: Black Diamond Introduces New Apparel Line

www.blackdiamondequipment.com

SLC-based Black Diamond has been on the outdoor scene since 1957, and their products have won the loyalty of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and a long slew of awards for gear innovation and design. From hard goods like magnetic carabiners and backcountry skis to soft goods like cold-weather gloves and the Avalung backpack, which has saved countless lives during avalanches, BD has stepped up its game each season. And this continues as we look into fall 2013 with an all-new line of apparel.

The first in a three-year plan of…let’s call it “focused domination,” Black Diamond will deliver a line of men’s soft shells, base layers, and insulated fleece next fall, working with a variety of textiles including Schoeller, Primaloft, and Polartech. We got a sneak peak…

The Dawn Patrol Hybrid Jacket ($349, pictured left) employs a Schoeller stretch-woven nylon shell with body-mapped, three-layer waterproof laminate and NanoSphere Technology, which encourages dirt and water to run off the fabric much like the self-cleaning effect of certain plants. The jacket boasts backcountry- and climbing-friendly features like two massive chest pockets, zippered hand pockets, and an adjustable, helmet-compatible hood. The Access Hybrid Hoody ($249, pictured center), meanwhile, melds a nylon shell with Primaloft insulation and Schoeller stretch nylon side panels to insulate on ice and rock, and will be built for movement and warmth. It’s got a chest pocket, stretch-gusset cuffs, a drawcord hem, and internal drop pockets, and is part of their Primaloft-centric Stance and Access line. Pieces like the Coefficient Hoody ($159, pictured right) fill the need for base- and mid-layers, described as the Crag, Solution, and Coefficient line. This zip-up layer uses Polartec Power Dry fleece (80% poly, 12% elastine) to provide athletic stretch, fast drying, warmth, and breathability. It has a single chest pocket, stretch cuffs, a smooth-to-the-touch feel, and an under-the-helmet, clean-fitting hood.

At first blush the color patterns and overall designs are impressive—it’s clear that Black Diamond spent a lot of time considering every detail, rather than rushing these 24 style to the market. (Creds for this go to former Patagonia clotheshorse, Tim Bantle and an A-list design team culled from other apparel powerhouses). Some decisions, like the tight elastic cuffs on the fleece, may relegate the product to solely to the field, as the feature doesn’t lend itself wearing it around around town as much as it does to hanging at the crag. This single focus may make the also A-list price points somewhat dear. But the designers’ inventive use of multiple fabrics could be a smart collaboration in creating truly high-performance pieces that could easily find a place in an already-crowded market.

In spring 2014, Black Diamond will introduce men’s alpine and climbing products, with the first women’s outwear coming in fall 2014. Ski wear will follow in fall 2015.

We have a few prototypes in our testers’ hands right now, and will report back as we approach the official release of the new product to the masses.

Prices vary.

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Winter OR Round-Up: Julbo Vermont Mythics Sunglasses

www.julbousa.com
For three generations Julbo has been producing some of the best in mountaineering eyewear, and to celebrate its 15^th anniversary, the family-owned, Euro-based manufacturer will release limited-edition shades modeled after the ones that were originally used to hunt crystals in the Alps back in the late 1800s. The special edition Vermont Mythics will be released, with leather shields, curved and wrapped temples, and all-glass lenses in a wonderfully retro cardboard boxes. This spring Julbo will also launch an online prescription program, offering custom performance eyewear with three lens technologies (the Zebra, Camel, and Falcon) in such models as the Bivouak, Explorer, Dirt, Pipeline, and Zulu, with prices that range from $400 to $600, with a two- to four-week turnaround. Sadly, the coveted Vermont Mythics will not be part of their Rx campaign.

$120

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Big Agnes Blackburn SL Sleeping Bag

www.bigagnes.com, two pounds, 13 ounces
When you’re camping in winter, a nice warm place to rest can be hard to come by. That’s why I love the Big Anges Blackburn SL down sleeping bag. As the temperature dropped into the single digits I found myself happy to crawl into this zero degree-rated bag. The Blackburn utilizes vertical baffles that run the full length of the bag to great effect. Only moments after crawling into this bag you feel toasty warm. Big Agnes does some clever things here, starting with the integrated pad sleeve; instead of adding insulation to the bottom of the bag that just ends up getting compressed and becomes useless, the Big Agnes system relies on the sleeping pad to provide lower insulation while you sleep. This also cuts down on the weight and packed size of the bag. But if you go from a 1.5-inch-thick, self-inflating foam pad to a three-inch pad, you’ll definitely lose room inside the bag. This bag has a few other trick up its sleeve. The drawstring around the face closure is stretchy shock cord, so as you move around inside the bag the opening can flow and move with you. The top of the bag boasts a pillow stuff sack, perfect for their $30 inflatable Air Core Pillow, or for a rolled-up fleece. And the horseshoe-shaped draft collar tucks comfortably around your neck to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. You can choose between two lengths (regular and long) and which side on which you prefer the zipper. The rectangular fit further enhances the loose feel of the bag; if you hate feeling trapped in mummy-style sleeping pads, but worry about sacrificing warmth by introducing “empty spots” in a more traditional rectangular bag, the Blackburn is the perfect solution to truly comfortable cold-weather slumber.
-Chris Boyle

$490 (regular fit)

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Petzl Meteor III + Helmet

www.petzl.com, eight ounces
Light is right when it comes to most backcountry gear, and light is even righter if it’s an item you carry as often as you use, like helmets. Petzl’s Meteor has long been a standard for climbers and alpinists seeking an ultralight bucket, and like most collapsible foam and shell climbing helmets (think beefed up bike helmet design) it’s rated as a CE-certified helmet for cycling, inline skating, light kayaking, canyoneering, and adventure racing.

The Meteor III+, a modest upgrade, tipped our digital scale at exactly 8 ounces. That makes it lighter than every climbing helmet aside from the equal-weight, but less comfortable, Camp Speed. Black Diamond’s (cheaper) Tracer and the (pricier, less ventilated) Kong Scarab are a bit heavier. The weight differences aren’t much, but we found them obvious during wear – and glaring in relation to hard shell helmets.

“The Meteor III+ also felt cooler during bike rides and hot weather canyoneering than my other helmets,” our tester reported. “It’s a tad hotter than most bike helmets weighing two to three ounces more, but I really like the best-in-show upward vision, which is critical for route-finding and rock-fall avoidance.” Four outside clips hold headlamps very securely, better than any other climbing helmet we’ve tried.

Size range is another strong point. The Meteor III+ adjusts from 20- to 25-inch head circumferences—a huge range. Our 23-inch melon-headed tester was at the limit of his Kong, but easily had room for sweatbands or balaclavas under the Meteor III+. The only drawback was that the ultralight rachet sizing mechanism made back-and-forth layering adjustments fussy. Forward-backward, and lower-higher chin harness adjustments were easy.

The main downside to using a helmet like the Meteor? It’s fragile, so you need to baby it a bit during knock-around use. This isn’t some hard shell bucket you can sit on around camp. Like all helmets, it should be retired after taking a significant hit. Fittings like the head circumference adjustment could be broken if you get impatient, but spare parts are available.
-Steve Howe

$110

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