Bottle or Bladder..?

Conclusion Reached

The water bladder, making hands free drinking a reality sense whenever the water bottle became 'obsolete'. Each has its advantages, but upon further consideration I find myself leaning toward the bottle. On my NOLS trip I brought a 3 liter bladder, it worked well and I didn't have to fish a water bottle out of my pack when I wanted a drink. I got home and noticed some nicks on the surface, which turned out to be holes. A little duck tape took care of the issue, but the thought stayed with me. Had something punctured the bladder, I would not have had any back up. I would have been hung out to dry. It is my opinion that where sharp objects reside, my hydration system will not.

Case closed.

Z

The Right to Vote

The Price to Play

I have found it takes about $2,000 - $3,000 to purchase enough equipment for one to be comfortable in most mountaineering situations. Once you have acquired the gear to make a complete set - in theory - it means no more expenses for gear. As time passes, you refine things and create the 'perfect' system for YOU. Then along comes sweet temptation offering up the latest models and styles with enhanced features, complete with that "new car smell", so to speak.

Staggering back inside from a long day hike you notice that your old rain jacket has a huge tear. So many miles and stories in that coat. But alas, it is time to retire the old gal. Now what do you do? The answer is up to you. It's your system, not mine.

Our world is flooded with products that claim to be "the last one you will ever need". Don't be fooled by the illusion that we as consumers play no part. The SOLE reason companies exist is to meet our demands. Want an ultra-light rain jacket?  Check out OR's Helium II. Want a technical climbing shell?  There's Arc'teryx's Alpha SV.

Companies go out of their way to make products that we tell them we need. Cash is king. We vote by buying their products and supporting their mission statement. While the price to play may seem high, remember that every dollar - no, every cent - that we send to a company in exchange for a product is a vote cast in that company's favor. One of the reasons I write this blog is to advertise for the products I love. One day I hope to be paid well to write for a companies while advertising their goods.  For now, I write because I love it. Since freedom of speech is still around, I shall continue to write, and vote in my own way.

Z

Two Cent's; Issue 7; WAD Tested; OR Ferrosi

In between the land of the soft-shell and the land of the wind breaker, OR's Ferrosi Hoody kept the wind and sun out while remaining breathable.

All I Ask is All You've Got

Different people have their home away from home.  This hoodie was my home for a month. I lived in this thing!  It was always on, sometimes over layers, other times under. Bushwhacking, over the high alpine passes, and countless days traveling on glacier, it preformed wonderfully.

Pro's

• Durable 
• Adjustable hood
• Easy to use zippers, and drawstring
• Comfortable cut  
• It was long enough to slip under the harness of a hip belt and not come untucked

Con

• Pocket placement  
• It was hard to use the front pockets when wearing a harness or a hip belt
• No thumb holes

Conclusion 

This product was exactly as Outdoor Research described. The stand out feature to me was it's durability. This particular weave allowed the piece to stretch and move, going flawlessly from forest to alpine. Layering a light fleece under the Ferrosi provided an unbeatable combination of breath-ability and flexibility.

Another thing that took me by surprise was the hood. It provided that extra little warmth that made life comfortable. It was also thin enough to be worn under a helmet. By doing this, I was protected from the cold tickling winds, and rays from the death star later in the day. 

The Ferrosi was made to be a climbing jacket, so why oh why, OR, did you put the pockets so low? They were unusable with a pack or harness. Another small thing design change that would have taken this jacket over the top would be thumb holes. The sleeves were long enough and easily fell past my wrists. A small change, but a functional one at that.

Go, No Go

Go. Hands down. A light weight wind breaker and soft-shell jacket that is easily compressible. This jacket will be with me on every outing. 9 out of 10. 

Two Cents; Issue 6; WAD Tested; Arc'teryx Rush; Summer Review

The Ultimate Test

NOTE: Any review with 'WAD Tested' in the title means that particular piece of gear was with me for a month in the Waddington Range, a remote Canadian wilderness area. In a nutshell, this NOLS course was why gear like this was made.

It is one thing to use a piece of equipment on the weekends, and another thing to depend on it in the most trying of circumstances. Each piece of which I write in this series was put through the paces of the most extreme environment.

If you would like to read about my journey with NOLS, the full story can be found on my other blog: The Bird, The Bauer, The Bum starting under the January 2016 tab.


A Double Threat

The last article that was written was a post touching on the differences between the OR White Room and the Arc'teryx Rush jacket. Originally the White Room was going to become my winter/skiing hard shell. The Gore-Tex Pro provides extra durability to the piece but doesn't overheat when the user is moving. It is a full alpine jacket; the only tell that it is a skiing shell is the snow skirt. More on that later.


Pro's

• Durable 
• Gore-Tex Pro
• Parka Length Cut
• Snow skirt provided the extra protection that an alpine shell does not have
• Velcro was easy to use
• Full storm hood
• 3 Point Adjustable
• Easy to use pit zips
• Large zipper pulls

Con's

• Main zipper was not two ways
• Cuffs were hard to get on over my gloves

Conclusion 

One feature that was a pleasant surprise was the snow skirt. It seems like a weird thing to get excited about when one is doing an alpine expedition. However, after the skirt was snapped closed it kept moisture and wind out and warmth in. It also kept the garment from riding up under the pack's hip belt. If my jacket was on, I had the snow skirt snapped closed. This feature would have been a nuisance had there been climbing involved as the skirt would have been caught beneath the harness. That would have made life uncomfortable. Since there was no technical climbing on this course a garment riding up was not an issue.

While moving in the alpine, one is always wearing gloves, sometimes liner gloves, other times heavy winter gloves. It was easy to use this garment while wearing gloves.  The Velcro on the cuffs was sturdy and could be adjusted without taking gloves off. Arc'teryx also has sewn tails on the zippers that look and feel big when you use them without gloves, but the size is perfect when you have winter gloves on. Translation: adjusting the jacket did not require the wearer to remove his/her gloves. That makes life so much easier, drier, and warmer.

A few slight sticking points that were more of a nuisance than a problem were; cut of the cuffs, and the main zipper not being two ways. Having a two way main zipper has become more common because of the ease of use. For example, if you have to adjust something on your harness you can unzip from the bottom without having to open the shell and expose the wearer to the elements.  Two way zippers also allow the user to wear the jacket over the harness as opposed to tucking it beneath the hip belt. Arc'teryx describes this shell as a 'ski specific piece for the back country'. That said, after my layers were put on it was a struggle to slide the cuff of the jacket over the glove. However, once it was there it was snug and never came undone. Had there only been one or two layers on beneath the gloves, not four or five, it might have been easier. It just goes to prove that nothing is perfect.

Go, No Go

The Arc'teryx Rush preformed wonderfully. While it did have some small 'stylistic issues,' I absolutely will take it out again. It will perform just as well during the ski season, and in any harsh environment where snow is present. As a winter hard shell this coat passes with flying colors, receiving a 4.5 out of 5. No surprise there.

K

And the Winner Is...

A New World to Explore

As the ski season comes to a close, what will soon be last years model, have gone on sale. I also happened to have the resources to look for another jacket. So the quest began. There are two companies in the running, Arc'teryx and Outdoor Research. OR was first on the list because of my experience with their products, and how their garments fit on my frame. Arc'teryx, because they are the top of the market when it comes to shells.


This search was unique because, unlike other pieces, I did not research the 'best' ski jackets on the market. The only thing that I new about the jackets was that the brands had a reputation of high quality equipment. Only after the excursion was completed was research done reaffirming my thoughts and reactions to each piece.



At A Glance

OR's White Room Jacket

This garment is the closest that OR comes to making a 'resort coat'. With Gore-Tex fabric on the outside, fleece lined interior, and perfectly placed pockets this coat had all of the bells and whistles of a comfortable ski jacket. The fit was a bit snug but not in the way that I imagined it would be, my shoulders felt squished. All of the rest of my OR kit is large, but, after watching my caloric intake, I now am a medium in some companies, and large in others. Everything else about the piece was well thought out. The fabric cut on the sleeves was cut loose enough that they fell over the gloves without the normal struggle. Also the zippers were easily operated even with my heaviest winter gloves on. The jacket felt solid, rugged, dependable, but not comfortable. 

Arc'teryx Rush

There are many ways to describe me, but runners build is not among that list. Companies like Black Diamond and Arc'teryx cut their fabrics differently to appeal to people that have less mass to them. However, the jacket was there on the rack, so off the hanger it came and onto my shoulders. 

It felt good, really good.

The thought that crossed my mind was, 'its just the name that has gotten you excited.' But the longer I had it on, I became more convinced that it wasn't just the name, but that it fit better then the OR. The sleeves were a nice fit over the gloves, but it was a struggle to get them over the cuff. With a little bit of work they slide over, but did not fall into place like the sleeves of the OR. Two other nit-picky things that the White Room had was; a) a two way zipper, and b) removable snow skirt. 

That night was spent researching the two products.

Now What?

A stalemate was all that came from my research. The Rush is a high end ski shell that was both simple and practical. The White Room, a solid jacket is geared toward the resort rider but can also function in the back country. Never before have two pieces been as equally suited to me needs. In the end it was the Rush that pulled through. Foremost was that the piece felt like an extension of my skin, it fit really well and was incredibly comfortable. Also, the Rush worked well with the kit that I have assembled. The Rush is a Gore-Tex Pro shell with no insulation. I already have enough layers to stay warm outdoors. OR's jacket had the fleece lining would have made the jacket hard to use in mild conditions where a shell could be used to keep the elements out. 

I look forward to using this next season on the slopes. 

K

Two Cents; Issue 5; Outdoor Research Transfer Hoody

-This standard winter soft-shell that is anything but average, providing versatility that view soft-shells can match.



Its Role

When I started looking for a soft-shell I didn't really understand what I was getting into. So, I took a shot in the dark, and got lucky. This was my first experience with Outdoor Research, and that is when I fell in love with them. The Transfer Hoody has become my favorite winter jacket, just one stop short of a hard-shell.


Pro's

• Durable
• In excellent condition after two seasons of climbing, and one ski season and has survived many falls.
• Well Balanced 
• The fleece lining and soft-shell fabric that OR used has enough insulation to be warm, but not so much that it is unwearable
• It's a Hoody
• While some soft-shells do not have a hood, it provides the extra little warmth reducing the number of layers you need

Con's

• The garment is two inches short
• It covers the waistline, but just barely
• Requires the correct layers beneath to operate effectively 
• Just something to take into consideration

In Conclusion

The Transfer Hoody is a fantastic winter soft-shell that is versatile just about anywhere. With a durable outer fabric, and fleece lining it works as both the outer layer or a mid-layer depending on the weather. A couple of things to keep in mind is that the sleeves would be uncomfortable to wear with an other the cuff glove. The Velcro tabs are easy to use with gloves on but that fact makes them bulky. You might be able to get them under a full gauntlet glove but it would be a stretch. Something else I noticed is that you have to have your base layers figured out if you want to add anything benieth this layer. A fleece, 1/4 zip, effectively doubles the warmth of the system. Not a bad thing to be sure, but something that should be taken into account. My 'biggest' complaint about the Hoody is that the garment length is cut too short for my tastes. It covers the waistline when standing but offers no protection when you bend down to get something or adjust a pack. What made me fall in love with OR, is when they cut the fabric of their garments they don't make them athletic fit. I'm in decent shape but am no where near what some companies think is the ideal body for the mountains. I'm not the ideal body build, but the gear I use should fit my build. My shoulders fit comfortably and I have a full range of motion. Their apparel just fits on me. 

Go, No Go

This product receives a 9 out of 10. It is my go to jacket for mild days. I would recommend this jacket to anyone that needs a winter soft-shell that is good buy itself but also slim enough to fit under a hard-shell. The Transfer Hoody receives a go.

K

A Perfect Review, Huh.

A Note of Clarification

I recently reviewed BD's Dirt Bag Glove and gave it a 10 out of 10, and the thought crossed my mind, can something truly be perfect? The answer, something can be perfect for one person or scenario and not for another, so the answer is both yes and no. For what I use them for, the system of equipment that I have, and the weather that I am out in, they are perfect. I have a heavier winter pair for when conditions are nasty but I don't use them very often. All of my coats do well with an under the cuff glove, in fact that is what they are designed to do. Had I, for example, bought BD's Guide Glove, my review would not have been as good. Not because the quality of the glove, but because it would not have worked well with my system. I try and take that into consideration when I write my reviews, did the product fail me, or was it buyer error? BD's Speed 30 was buyer error, the pack didn't fail. TNF Hedgehog the product did not hold up and I gave my thoughts on both as honestly and respectfully as possible. The goal is not to go after a company because I don't like "x" about them, the goal is to relate my experience of their product to the reader. If you have had a different experience with a product that I have reviewed, please post a comment and I will address the comment accordingly.



I look forward to hearing from you.


K