2020 Awards

And the winner is...

Patagonia Strider Pro Pants 

How Patagonia's Trail Running Kit Found its Way into my Pack This Year

Trail running above tree line or in desert winters? Have you seen those YouTubes? Those people are crazy. LOL. 

But the sport's popularity launched a new line of really great products from Patagonia in 2020. 

This year's Black Sheep award ("Black Sheep" was the trail name used by my dog Ben and me on the AT back in the Pleistocene) goes to the Strider Pro Pants. So simple, so functional. I don't think I've worn anything like them in years. And now I find myself wearing them anywhere.

Strider Pros are featherweight bottom layers you can pull on over your shorts and shoes to provide instant protection from the elements. The next to skin comfort and breathability are so good, these have earned a place in my pack every day, in every endeavor. Like the Houdini line, they pack down so small that the biggest problem may be their getting lost in your pack. But they're better than Houdinis because they never stick to your skin. They never feel plasticky or clammy.

Check out the athlete-inspired designs for Patagonia's entire High Endurance Kit collection.

Strider Pros drape beautifully; not too hot in summer, but not too flimsy in winter. In camp on a weeklong BWCA trip, they're all I needed after a long day of paddling. They protected bare legs from sun and wind and kept the bugs off on swampy portages and at sundown. They shed enough water to keep you dry when you're dashing for shelter in a squall. Then they dry in a jiffy. The elastic waist stays put but never binds. They're so comfortable you could sleep in them, which makes them closer to pajamas or sweat pants than traditional "wind pants." From the understated color to thoughtful details, like the finish on the burly lower leg snaps, they're good looking enough for street wear when you're traveling ultralight. And they wash well. Five stars. Well done Patagonia.

Scroll down for more standouts of 2020... 

Despatches: Confessions of a 2020 Nomad

2019 was the year of the digital Nomad, and I did my best to keep up. But that was before Covid. If you’re like me, you took "social distancing" guidelines literally and probably tried to spend as much of 2020 outdoors as you possibly could. 

2020 probably won’t be remembered for ease of starting new relationships, but this has also been a year when I rediscovered an old love—canoe touring.

Rekindling my first love: adventures on the water 

In July, I enjoyed the adventure of a lifetime with two childhood pals from summer camp days in Wisconsin. We needed a fourth paddler and wanted a seasoned guide for the ambitious route we decided on. Our choice of Ely Outfitting’s Boundary Waters Guide Service turned out to be a good one. Putting in at Moose River, we paddled in tandem canoes for Lac Lacroix and Tiger Bay to follow the voyageur route through Bottle Passage to Curtain Falls on a 6 day, 65-mile, 16-portage tour. 

Along the way we visited petroglyphs, fished and swam on crystal clear days, spied mink and eagles, were lulled to sleep by loon calls and beaver-tail slaps. We looked up at wondrous night skies, ate well, drank better, and we even shlepped a bottle of tequila for celebrating a birthday at the "round table" rock on our last night. It was a magical trip where old friends reconnected to kindle new friendships, made even more special by the sense of fragility brought by Covid. Being on the water was a healing balm like no other.

Saving the Boundary Waters

It's always interesting returning to your car after a week in the wilderness. Finding it there is the first rush of euphoria. Finding it undented and not yet colonized by mice is the next big bonus. And for a touchless orgasm, push the ignition button and hear the engine turn over! There's nothing like it. Not till your hot shower, anyway. But you've still got more than an hour's drive into town.

As the girls made a beeline for the Dairy Queen, which passes for gourmet eats in Ely, Minnesota, I put myself on the waitlist for a used solo canoe and planned to return to BWCA in October.

Meanwhile, I became active in community efforts to stop plans for sulfide-ore copper mining that threatens to destroy the Boundary Waters Wilderness and cripple hundreds of species that depend on it. Grass roots protestors made themselves heard. While other pristine habitats received death blows this Fall under Trump administration sellouts, Minnesota voters pushed back. They turned out in record numbers to send a clear message in the November election. They want to protect the Boundary Waters, home to a struggling Native American community and also one of Earth’s top 20 darkest places. So science--cosmology--is yet another important reason to save the Boundary Waters.

By year-end, decision makers will have begun reviewing the rules that decide where mines can be safely situated. It’s a promising start to what will, no doubt, be a long campaign. Ongoing support to ensure permanent protection of this incredible ecosystem will be needed in 2021. I hope you’ll keep this organization in your sights and join me in supporting their efforts. 

 

Girl From the North Country 

I spent more time on the Boundary Waters in the Fall, buffeted by gusty rain and serenaded by swans on nights that fell below freezing. You’d have thought I’d have been miserable, but it was exhilarating, learning how to manage the featherlight and straight-tracking Wenonah Prism in a variety of conditions. I did discover, for instance, that the standard bucket seat is miserable in the rain. Feels like you're sitting in a puddle. I made a mental note to save weight and go back to the old-fashioned bench seat.  

A few days later, luck swung in my favor, and on returning to civilization I learned that my number had come up for the canoe of my dreams. I could take it out of service for a fraction of the cost of a new Prism. The no-frills layup is almost zero maintenance: perfect for beginning soloists. So, as winter snows began to fall on the streets of Ely, I headed for Lake Superior with a 16-1/2 foot wind sock strapped to the roof rack, a little sad to leave, but with dreams of returning when the ice melts. 

Maybe 2021 will be the year I coax my landlubbing family members out on the water with me!???

2020 Standouts

Icebreaker does it again with Cool-Lite

Of all the excellent kit that found its way into my pack this year, another new piece stood out from the premium merino wool specialist Icebreaker. It’s the best wool t-shirt I’ve ever owned: featherlight, soft, warm and stylish. Icebreaker’s 130g Cool-Lite blend of merino and synthetics is that good.

Even on days of 90 degree heat, my t-shirt kept me comfortable and never stank in a week of paddling and portages. I find myself wearing these well-draping shirts day in, day out, year round. The long sleeved version is a great cold weather cycling piece. Plus, Icebreaker merino travels beautifully. For those of you wondering "why not buy SmartWool?" there's just no comparison. Caveat: if you don't like trim fits with a second-skin feel, you should always size up with Icebreaker.

Runner up: Exped dry packs

It’s hard to pick just one runner up this year.  

After all, this was the year when I bought my first hardtail cross country bike (from Scott) and took it everywhere on a game-changing, hitch-mounted, affordable tray rack with built in cable locks (from Kuat). I’ve got nothing but good things to say about that setup. Ditto a pair of cold weather cycling tights from REI that I find myself wearing whenever I have the chance—hiking, paddling, you name it. And where would I be without my Primaloft lobster-claw riding gloves? For cycling in temps below 40F, turns out that these are a must have. 

But this year I’m going to go with a surprisingly elegant luggage solution for solo paddlers. The Swiss-designed products from Exped continue to exceed expectations as the company branches out from what they’re best known for—their amazing insulated sleep pads. 

Exped now makes a dizzying array of stripped-down rucksacks with roll-top closures. These are the best-made dry packs I’ve ever seen, with thoughtful details in abundance, and they are very comfortable to wear. Ergonomic laser-cut design brings the load close to your spine without the need for suspension straps. And bear vaults can still fit inside! I love the rugged and elegant Torrent series.

 

These burly packs with removable, padded hip belts come in 3 sizes—great for trimming loads in my canoe no matter how long my trip. I love how easy they are to work with on portages, from the multiple closure options to the grab handles to the gazilion lash points. 

For travel and summer trips, the Cloudburst series offers ultralight protection for your valuables.

Exped stops at nothing to ensure that in a capsize, your gear will absolutely stay totally dry. So for that sense of total confidence that great dry bags always lend, this year’s runner up gear award goes to Exped for its packs!

See you next year! We can always dream. And when all else fails, get out there! 

 

Modern Poncho

Climb high and dry in Patagonia's Post Foamback
Cagoule. Plus it's got that cool William-of-Baskerville
look in The Name of the Rose. 

AT, CDT and PCT thru-hikers, check it out! Barbour people, this compares favorably:

Patagonia has sent their limited edition, retro classic Cagoule (a long, pullover rain shell) to the Dillon outlet store. Prices have been slashed by a third, and soon there won't be any more left. Who knows if they will ever make this amazing piece again?

GoreTex Packlite provides waterproof/breathability over a wide temperature range with a soft, quiet hand. Perfect for walking in the rain all day with very little else worn beneath. The jacket folds into its own pocket (you can clip it to your harness). In driving rain, for grace under pressure, pull the long skirt down over your knees and sit out the storm.

I started coveting this elusive garment as a student learning to navigate icefall on the Roosevelt Glacier on Mt. Baker, years ago. I awoke on Day 2 to rain pissing down at 36 degrees Fahrenheit, and it never stopped for the rest of the week.

My instructor, on the star-spangled team at the American Alpine Institute (the best climbing school there is, in my view, which puts me in agreement with Jon Krakauer for once!), spent the week shouting encouragement at the base of various seracs, totally dry under an umbrella in a Scottish cagoule from the 1960s or something, and I've never been so jealous. He just rolled it up and cinched the drawcord waist when he needed to tie in. Today's Patagonia version even has side zips for kangaroo access.

Expensive, but worth every penny.

If there's only one gift you ever give the long distance hiker in your life, this is it.  But hurry, because they'll soon be only just a dream once again.

Sideways: check. Climbing? Not. This is an ass-kicking
17th century downpour from
Brotherhood of the Wolf.
The Patagonia Cagoule protects from these, too.

How Many Packs?

Springtime in Virginia: almost time for my annual service project in memory of my childhood friend, Lolly Winans, who was murdered in Shendandoah National Park on Memorial Day weekend back in in 1996, four years after I spent my year on the trail. Time to pack the overnight gear, shoulder the burden and head up to the Appalachian Trail to commune with this year's crop of thru hikers on their way north from Springer Mountain, Georgia. They'll be hungry; it has been a very cold spring.

Photo: Chad, trailname "Stick,"
courtesy sticksblog.com.

Like most outdoorsy types, I've got a few rucksacks. People ask how many. Here's what I carry on my back and what they're for.

Just remember that, as with clothes and shoes, packs are designed with model users in mind, and not all packs fit everyone well. Torso length, back breadth and the cut of the shoulder straps are the three main fit issues in backpacks.

Sometimes you have to rule out an entire manufacturer. Doesn't mean they don't produce tricked-out, high quality soft goods. Cold Cold World make some terrific alpine rucksacks, for instance, but they don't fit my body. Same with the super rugged crag packs by Mountain HardWear and Marmot. Obsessed with ultralight, I carried big heavy winter loads with an ultralight MontBell pack for a few years until I simply got fed up with the poor fit. I remember the day I had to give away my expensive, off-the-rack McHale Dyneema pack because it had been hell to carry on a couple trips in the Sierras. (Custom is the only way to go with acclaimed McHale, who are superb craftsmen, just like Feathered Friends who have the happy hand with custom down bags and apparel, and so I look forward to trying out a McHale rucksack again someday.)

Other times, certain lines just don't' feel right, while others fit like a glove. I've had this issue with both Patagonia and Black Diamond. So there's no substitute for trying on a fully weighted pack (loaded with your own gear) before you buy. And since this is such a hassle, just accept that you'll make a few mistakes before you settle on the perfect rucksack.

Packs and their uses are best laid out by size. Back when I trekked the Appalachian Trail, the standard volume measurement was cubic inches. The world has switched to liters now:

9 L Black Diamond Flash

The Patagonia Ascenionist
ready for Chamonix.
I bought the light grey
version because I like to
see what's inside.
Choose bright colors for
alpine routes. 

Basically an adventure racing or trail running pack. Barely enough room for water, snacks, essentials and a windbreaker or safety blanket. Light as a feather and disappears into your travel luggage. Great for running up the Sky Meadow blue blaze to the AT, cycling around the Mall, half days along the Hudson or rollerblading in Santa Monica.

20 L Black Diamond Bullet 
The breed standard climber's pack, this goes inside my crag pack or approach pack on rock and ice climbs. It has two haul loops, a whistle on the sternum strap, works with a water bladder and carries everything you need for a long day. Rugged, reliable, intuitive enough to give to your partner, stripped down. A bottomless pit. Can never work out why trad leaders need the bigger size.

32 L Black Diamond Sphinx 
My crag pack. Carries a full rack, rock & ice gear, helmet and a rope to the bottom of your route in addition to all your personal gear (stuffed inside the 20 L lead pack). The stiff lower back pad anchors the heavy 45 lb loads you'll carry in winter. 

35 L Patagonia Ascensionist 
The new kid on the block. Perfect for fast approaches, warm weather overnights or winter day trips where you keep moving. Ice tools attach easily but there are no haul loops, no floating lid and not even a place to secure your keys: this is a seriously minimalist design aesthetic. Flexible fabric suspension, tensioned by a light aircraft aluminum grade rod, moves with you and the shoulder straps/hip pads are comfortable. Don't overload it, and this will be an ultralight joy to carry.

The Osprey Variant 52 and a paddle
gets you to your route in Norway.

52 L Osprey Variant
Short winter alpine trips are no problem for this lightweight, full-featured workhorse. I can pull a sled from the gear loops on the waist belt (no harness needed), carry skis, haul the pack, and lug all the climbing and camping gear I need for a couple days in the backcountry. Side pockets accommodate pickets and wands. Has a similar suspension system to the Ascensionist's, only this one is burlier, extending through the lumbar  pad. Also features my favorite detail: a whistle on the sternum strap. (Dude, no not separate from your pack when you are cold, injured and lost!) Easy and secure ice tool attachment system. I love the dedicated med kit pocket in front of the shovel pocket. Everyone on your trip can get to it in an emergency. Plus this pack fits me like a glove and carries great even without back stays. (BTW, I've noticed Ospreys dominate on the Appalachian Trail. Great mix of quality, value and intelligent design.)

The Astra 62 by Canadian
quality masters, ArcTeryx.
Hi tech with thoughtful details
like helmet compatibility
and a jointed hip belt.
The color is tasteful enough
for trekking.

62 L ArcTeryx Astra
People say it's over designed and maybe it is. I take this on trips of 3-5 days, on shoulder season trips when I need a warm bulky sleeping bag, and on all deluxe backpacking trips where extras like big tents, chairs, lanterns, wine, whiskey, camp shoes, cooked breakfast and French Press coffee are non-negotiables. Friends tell me it's the best trekking pack they've ever owned, with a horseshoe zipper that makes it easier to play Town & Country. It's not the lightest, at just over 4 pounds, but it organizes and carries 50 lb. loads like nothing else. If you've ever had to play superhero, camp with kids or haul somebody else's gear off the mountain, you know what those bulky, unexpected loads can feel like. The hip belt is jointed at the lumbar attachment point--a bit high tech (requiring silicon lubrication)--but the pack moves with you, and you feel very agile under the weight. Beautifully designed down to the last detail, although the side water bladder pocket is a bit skimpy; only big enough for a 2 liter platypus bladder.

115 L Dana Designs Astralplane
Old faithful. Highly customized fit. Most reparable in the field. Very useful for field medicine and search and rescue: side zips allow you to carry out a sick or injured person in this pack. Alaskans and military types swear by this thing. Carried one in winter on my 1991 AT hike after my trusty old Mountainsmith blew out. For hunters and white gas stove people fearing leaks, the separate fuel pockets are worth the weight. NOLS people: this is the kinda thing you want for those trips. Big enough to pack the kitchen sink. Heavy at like 8 pounds but carries 60-100 lb. loads like a porter. (Some smartass on the internet writes, "if you have to ask how heavy that is, you won't be able to pick it up." Not true. There's a trick to it.) Dana Designs are now manufactured by Mystery Ranch in Bozeman, Montana.

These packs keep their place in my gear loft because they all add to the pleasures of self-sufficiency off the grid. So experiment with rucksacks of different styles and volumes and get out there!

Wear it Out!

Meet my kind of people. Their clothes is their gear.

She hiked ten thousand miles with nothing but these clothes on her back. He wears his jacket to work on an organic farm every day. The ass end of his shorts blew out on Baja long ago; he replaced them with a fabric from a tired beach umbrella. Those fleece bibs have been worn by four of her kids on a maple sugar farm--and by half a dozen of her cousins across the country. And that National Geographic photographer can hardly wear out his clothes in African jungles.

They're all here in the thirty-minute documentary released today by Patagonia, WORN WEAR, giving thanks for who we are and where we've been in the clothes we already own. Yvon Chouinard shares a thought or two from half a century of being in the adventure business.

As for me, if somebody told me I could no longer wear my Senders, which are those irreplaceable lightweight Patagonia cotton trousers with the gusseted crotch, the harness friendly hips and and the soft wicking waist band, I would freak. In my household, the reason we end up being the poster family for Patagonia is...this stuff just doesn't fall apart!!

"Stuff that works. Stuff that holds up. Stuff that you don't just hang on the wall."

So get out there and wear it out! And enjoy the film.

Summer Sales: Calendar this!

Spokane based Mountain Gear has a sweet sale going on in celebration of 30 years in business.

You still have until midnight tonight, August 1 2013, to snag a single wall Black Diamond Firstlight for under $230, or a HiLight for $280. This is one of the lightest, toughest one person mobile lounges around. It's a bit snug for two without the vestibule.

I just picked up a HiLight on sale, my first single wall tent since I gave my old Todd-Tex one-person Garuda to a mentee as a high school graduation present. He was off on a motorcycle ride across the country. Man, I loved that tent. But it didn't survive the beatnik adventures of the great Dylan Comstock. 

The very studly Patagonia Nano Puff Hybrid jacket

And have you tried this? Patagonia has redesigned its Nano Puff Hybrid Jacket for fall 2013, so I'm taking a flyer on last year's model. Its precursor, the R2 half zip pullover, with beefier insulation in the chest and lightweight R1 stretch around the hips and on the forearms, served me well on backcountry ski trips and under bibs on lift access days.

Until they invented the Nano puff.

Then, ever since Ed Viesturs designed a lightweight down hybrid jacket with stretch panels for Eddie Bauer, hybrids with lightweight, "body-mapped" insulation have become the rage. 

Let's see if this really is the best of all possible worlds.

If not, I can always go back to reading Candide. At least I'll look cool in the café.

Happy anniversary, Mountain Gear! Bin good to know ya.

Get a sweet deal and wasabi dreams
with the Black Diamond Hilight
Sale ends midnight tonight
call (800) 829-2009

Best Kept Secret

Gear hounds and backcountry types keep a lot of good secrets.  I know a man, for instance, whose lifelong dream is to build solar-powered luxury loos with the best wilderness views in the British Isles. How’s that project going? Can’t tell you.

One of the best secrets I can tell you about is the Patagonia Outlet shop in Dillon, Montana. 


That’s the place where Patagonia offers seconds, overruns and discounted items year-round. They run weekly specials, too. You can find these on Patagonia's web site.

If you’re in Montana and anywhere nearby, it’s worth stopping in to browse. Here you’ll find basic items we always need to stock up on in my household, like children’s clothing, socks, hats and underwear, not to mention the diamonds in the rough. That's the deeply discounted apparel you’ve been waiting patiently for at your price range in your size, like down jackets, technical shells, a new pair of waders or the DAS parka.

Everything is sold as is. But still comes with the famous lifetime warranty. What could be better?

The Patagonia Outlet fulfills orders by phone or fax.

The Patagonia Outlet

16 South Idaho

Dillon, Mt 59725

Phone (406) 683-2580

Fax (406) 683-2619

Wool: take the plunge

“New Wool” has been cool for a few years now. So what’s the big deal with Icebreaker? And why am I posting this with mercury rising in the Northern hemisphere?

Because if you're into natural fibers against your skin, the time to switch to wool is in the spring, when it will truly amaze you. Unless you’re heading to the tropics, you’ll get more wear out of your wool t-shirts this summer than you ever dreamed of. This wool performs great as a base layer when you need it, and offers insulation when you need that. Great for travel too: the stuff always looks fresh.

Overpriced merino wool base layers and insulation from New Zealand? At twice the cost of Smartwool? Am I kidding?

Super thin, great fit, quick-dry:
totally worth the sticker shock

Nope. It really is the bomb. I am no wool specialist. But I can say from experience that whatever they’re doing out there down under, this is now my underwear of choice. By far. 

I’ve never had better-wearing, faster-wicking, sweeter-smelling or warmer socks for their thickness (VERY thin) than these. And I've done head-to-head tests against Patagonia and Smartwool. The feel of this specific wool against my skin is much softer than comparable garments. So I’ve replaced all my silkweight Capilene t-shirts with Icebreaker ultralights.

Here's a sneak peak of the new
styling for the GT series

There’s no stink. No itch. The temperature range far exceeds competitors. I work out in my ultralite GT on all but the hottest days. It's even got mesh side panels for breathability, 3M reflectors and a GU pocket. Very simply the coolest technical shirt ever made. On cold mornings, pulling on one of these is like adding a radiator to your core. The ¾ length tights go with me everywhere. Yep, I much prefer wool to silk now.

Stick with weights in the 150 range. The midlayers (240-weight and up) take on too much water when you sweat. They’re warm when wet and handsome but slow-drying. My backcountry skiing pal did a parallel test and he agrees.

The big bonus is how easy it is to launder this stuff. On the road, hand wash with Woolite, roll it up in a towel then lay it out to dry. At home, throw it in your front-loading washer and set it on wool or delicates. Don’t put in in the dryer. At room temperature, the thinnest layers will be ready to go in a matter of hours. You’re done. Now get out there.

When in doubt, Woolite

Have You Tried This?

"Water-repellent down."

Hmm. I wonder.

It's no purist's heavenly cloud, but this new Encapsil down belay parka from Patagonia looks pretty sweet.

500 grams is definitely the right weight, putting it alongside my go-to RAB synthetic hooded belay jacket.

But $700? And how breathable will it be? And I've got to send it back to Patagonia for liquid CO2 cleaning?

First Ascent came out with a bantam-weight prototype using this technology a while back, more like a down sweater. I haven't tried it. The RMI guide I talked to, who had worn his all season on Mt. Ranier, said it's the best cruiser he's ever worn.

I'd love to hear from you if you've tried this new pairing. Or know anyone who has.

For readers just getting into alpine gear, you definitely need a belay jacket. And you probably need two. One for summer flare-ups and epics. Another for winter trips and ice climbs. The four main features you should be looking for in any belay jacket are:

1. Packability
2. Hood that fits over your helmet
3. Two main zippers for warmth plus access to your harness
4. Chest pocket; handwarmer pockets that don't interfere with your harness