gear

This affiliate deal has come to an end. I hope you all enjoy your packs. Feel free to email me if you’d like another discount code on a Gossamer Gear Pack.

Interested in 15% off awesome lightweight backpacking gear for the summer? If so, I’m happy to announce that I can share a 15% Gossamer Gear backpacking discount with you!

If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed my pack. Scratch that, packs. Last year, a few month after owning my first Gossamer Gear backpack, I applied to be a member of the Gossamer Gear ambassador program. It was a no-brainer for me. I love their lightweight and comfortable packs. In fact, I took the 40-liter Gorilla on the John Muir Trail! I use the 70-liter Mariposa for family trips to hold the bulk gear too! Gossamer Gear make incredibly durable, lightweight packs and other gear, and I’m really happy to be able to announce their 15% off affiliate code.

If you shop Gossamer Gear, using the affiliate coupon ~Sorry! No Longer Valid~ you get 15% off any and all purchases on the Gossamer Gear website for the foreseeable future! Every purchase you make using the coupon also translates to a small credit in the Gossamer Gear store for me too, which means more blog content for you to see on our site.

Regardless of whether you use our coupon, or another Gossamer Gear Trail Ambassador‘s coupon, I strongly recommend you take advantage of this discount on not just a backpack, but on any of their other gear.

Apply the coupon ~Sorry! No Longer Valid~ to your shopping cart at Gossamer Gear to get 15% off:

• Backpacks
• Shelters
• Lightweight Trekking poles
• Cook and Water Treatment

Note: This coupon cannot be combined with other offers.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out some great Backpacking reports on their Trail Blog.

Now, tell us: Have you ever tried a Gossamer Gear Backpack or shelter? What do you think?

Let’s be honest, I’m a Canadian and we call it a toque. That said, even though they call it a beanie, this hat is a nifty, lightweight, packable “beanie” to keep your noggin cool in cold weather and under your helmet.

Let’s look at the features and then talk performance:

Features:

• Fabric: 86% Micro Polyester, 14% Spandex, 180 gram fabric
• Flat seam construction
• Brushed Soft for warmth
• 360 stretch
• Thermo-regulation
• Odor Control
• Moves Moisture
• Midweight
• color: black
• sizes: one-size-fits all
• $14.99

Testing:

I’m a Terramar Tribe member and I requested this beanie for hiking the John Muir Trail last summer. I took it not only on that trip, but on many more in the fall and winter seasons, where it braved cold nights, cold mornings, cold afternoon snowshoeing trips and any other cold or cool parts of the day I could find.

Performance:

Like most of the Terramar line, it’s design to be a base layer. As a beanie that means it’s mean to act as a liner layer. You can wear it solo on cool evenings or morning, or when you’ll be active in winter and need some protection from the cold, but where a full on hat would be overkill. As such, it does a great job.

Because it is low-profile and has flat seams, it can be worn under a helmet comfortably. It has the added benefits of being very light and packable. So packable that I lost it for a day on the John Muir Trail and thought I had left it behind. I blame my lack of organization for that.

Polyester and spandex make it decent for wicking moisture and drying out if you do get it wet. Their odor protection kept away the reasonable levels of stink that comes with a few days of hiking.

The one-size-fits-all model isn’t going to please every head (you know who you are), but I’ve passed it between myself and my 5-year-old and it does the job. Having a small-medium and a medium-large size would give a slightly better performance fit.

Conclusion:

The Thermolator Beanie by Terramar Sports is a no-frills, functional, packable, warm (but not too warm) base layer beanie (I mean toque) that keeps odor levels reasonable, dries quickly and is great for the cool evenings and cold mornings or under-helmet warmth in the winter months.

Check it out on amazon, or in your local gear store.

What do you use to keep your head warm in the cool mornings? We’d love to hear.

Note: I received this beanie free of charge from Terramar Sports. All opinions are the same as I’d give to friends and family.

Summer is practically upon us and that means that it’s time to lather-up with sunblock and/or cover-up with a good sun hat. One I can happily recommend, having put to a lot of use, is the Armachillo Sun Cape cap by the Duluth Trading Company.

Hats are my primary form of sun protection. I try to avoid sunblock because of the chemicals and because of how often I need to re-apply it on long, sweaty hikes. I rely on large brims or capes to cover my neck, so when I got talking to the Duluth Trading Post, it their hat with the micro jade cooling was the first thing I asked for.

So, let’s talk the facts and then I’ll tell you how it performs:

• Ultra-light nylon with quick-dry, wicking performance
• Made-in-the-Jade fabric feels cool to the touch
• Antimicrobial finish resists odor
• UPF 40+ sun protection
• Breathable polyester mesh vents
• Polyester mesh sweatband
• Rear bungee with cordlock adjusts fit
• Extra long, wide brim for superior sun blockage
• Removable 11″ long sun cape secures with hidden snaps for a low profile when not in use
• MSRP: $24.50

Testing:

I used this hat extensively last summer, on fishing, backpacking and thru-hiking trips. The most notable test was the 221 miles of the John Muir Trail in 16 days.

Performance:

The Made-in-the-jade fabric has micro amounts of jade embedded in the nylon that it claims provides a cooling effect. The fabric itself is very lightweight as well. The result was that I could wear it in the very hot summer conditions of California without my head overheating. When I started sweating, the wicking effect helped cool down my head. The sun cape didn’t make me overheat or feel uncomfortable either.

The sun protection allowed me to avoid all sun-burns on the trail with just the long, wide brim and overlapping sun cape.

There is plenty of venting on the hat to increase breathability if you choose. It was useful for those times when I wasn’t moving and/or when there was no breeze.

Odor:

Sixteen days averaging 15 mile a days was enough to test any odors, but despite the constant sweating, my hat didn’t pick up the typical B-O that synthetic fabrics are typically known to present.

The sun protection allowed me to avoid all sun-burns on the trail with just the long, wide brim and overlapping sun cape.

Sizing:

Although the cap comes in 5 different sizes, the bungee cordlock is a nice addition to make sure it stays comfortably on your head.

Look:

I’ll be honest, my wife isn’t a fan of the cape. She just doesn’t like capes in general. She does appreciate the functional aspect, but would choose a wide brim sun hat instead.

The cape attaches to the hat by way of some plastic snaps that can be hidden out of the way when not in use. It makes it much more versatile if you’re wearing a rain hood over it, or simply don’t need to wear the cape.

Conclusion:

The Armachillo Sun Cape Hat by Duluth Trading Co. performs really well in the hot summer sun. It provides excellent sun protection, is light weight, keeps you cool and is comfortable to wear. When other companies are charging $60+ for sun hats, the $24.50 asked by Duluth is a refreshing, dare I say cool price for a really nice hat.

I’ll continue to pull out this hat (and my made-in-the-jade Armachillo shirt) in 2014 to fight off the sun and heat.

Check out their Armachillo line of products see what others have to say in the reviews.

Innate Caravan Compartments

One of the big challenges about adventuring with kids is the unbelievable amount of stuff you need to bring with you. Keeping track of what’s where, and keeping daughter A’s clothes away from son B’s can be a hassle, let alone keeping it dry.

Since last summer, we’ve been testing out a set of Weatherproof, RF sealed, heavy-duty storage containers by Innate Gear called the Caravan Compartments. We take these literally everywhere we go, and we have a least one of them on hand 95% of the time, whether adventuring in the back country, or just heading out to town (which can be the most challenging adventure with 4 kids!)

We’ve used these storage containers on canoe and backpacking trips, to the beach, on day hikes, picnics, snowshoeing, you name it, and we’ll be bringing them with us on our adventures next summer as well.

Let’s take a look at the features:

• Weather proof construction thanks to PU coated zips and stitchless welded seams,
• Exterior RF welded grab handle,
• Translucent recycled PU top panel,
• Repurposed fabrics for sidewalls and base panel.
• MSRP: $22 to $42 CAD

Sizes:

• LARGE: 36cm x 24cm x 10cm (14.2″ x 9.5″ x 4″), 80g (2.82oz)
• MEDIUM: 25cm x 18cm x 10cm (9.8″ x 7″ x 4″), 60g (2.12oz)
• SMALL: 22cm x 12cm wide x 8cm (8.7″ x 4.75″ x 3.1″, 40g (1.41oz)
• NEW! EXTRA SMALL: 16cm x 12 cm x 5cm(6.3″ x 4.8″ x 2″), 22g (0.8oz)

Performance:

You’ll notice that these are called, “weather proof” containers. That’s because they all have a weatherproof zipper access. As a result, they’re not truly waterproof, but like a good zipper on your jacket will still keep the majority of the water out. Frankly, that’s been good enough on all our adventures.

We live and hike in the Pacific Northwest and have never had problems with damp clothes or gear. Even while canoeing for a week, all the gear stayed dry, despite several rainy days.

The materials used are really sturdy and the construction has really proven itself. Despite getting chucked in with kids’ gear, cooking stoves, etc. and jostled around on weekend backpacking trips, portages and car-camping expeditions, we haven’t managed to puncture, tare or otherwise damage them.

Oh, and the translucent window really helps one identify what is inside, so you don’t have to sit there opening everything in your bag to find that dry pair of pants for your son (who yet again thought it would be fun to go wading in his clothes).

Shape:

One thing that separates these containers from other storage options is the shape. All my other clothing and storage containers for outdoor adventures are tubular stuff sacks. I’m sure there’s a good reason for this, but the shape makes it hard to optimize space in backpacks and duffels that aren’t cylinders.

When I pack for backpacking, every inch of space in the backpack matters. I don’t want to carry a 50 liter pack if a 40 liter one will do the trick. Being able to optimize the space in my pack with a cuboid storage container was a useful, and refreshing change. It also meant that the clothes inside endured a few less wrinkles than those in my other stuff sacks.

Carbon Footprint

It’s nice to see that Innate is keeping a bit more waste out of the system.

The Innate website says,

“All woven fabrics used are re-purposed scrap that were previously going to an industrial incinerator. The carbon footprint reduction is significant: 1 kg of re-purposed fabric results in a carbon footprint savings of roughly 1.8 kg that was used to manufacture the original material based on data we have gathered from the original material supplier. Recycled pu film is used for the window panels; data provided from our supplier indicates a significant footprint reduction of approximately 30% after transportation.”

Oh, and there is no compromise in quality as a result.

Improvement:

There isn’t that much room for improvement for these storage compartments. The one thing I would change is making a slightly larger size available for longer adventures (like week-long canoe trips). Kids go through a lot of clothes and you can’t always wash and dry everything the same day.

I’d like to see the price of these come down a bit from the MSRP. MSRPs on weatherproof/waterproof stuff sacks are high typically, but I think there’s a bit of room to drop the price. That said, amazon carries these for about 27% lower than the MSRP.

Conclusions:

The Innate Caravan Compartments are a great weatherproof line of storage containers that have a ton of uses for outdoors individuals and families. The form-factor is a refreshing (and useful) change to typical storage sacks. They are a durable, high quality piece of gear that fills a gap in the weatherproof storage market, and that we will continue to take out this summer on our outdoor adventures.

Disclaimer: I received three Caravan Compartments free of charge from Innate for the purposes of this review. All opinions are just what I’d recommend to friends and family.

When I hiked the John Muir Trail last summer, I needed lightweight base layers that would handle cold alpine mornings were lightweight and breathable enough to handle the hot California summer sun, and were odor resistant, durable and good looking. I chose to bring my Terramar Sports Smartsilk Dri-release base layer crew and tights and I was impressed.

Before we get into the facts and my review I have to say that Terramar Sports no longer produces this product. That said, you can pick it up here on amazon (affiliate link). I’m kind of hoping they will bring it back, because for me it’s the quintessential summer baselayer.

OK, so let’s look at the facts:

• Fabric: 65% polyester, 19% nylon, 12% silk, 4% spandex
• Fabric weight: 140 gram
• UPF: 25+
• Seamless construction (i.e. flat seams)
• Body Mapping (comfort designed for a better fit)
• Dri-release technology
• Freshguard (inhibits growth of odor producing microbes)
• MSRP: Top: $60, Tights: $60 – but available cheaper online

Long term testing: I’ve worn these for close to a year now, and they still perform like new, feel incredibly comfortable and show no sign of wearing out. I wore this almost exclusively on the John Muir Trail while backpacking, as well as on many other hiking, backpacking and snowshoeing treks.

So let’s look at the features and how they held out:

The Fabric

As you can see in the above, it’s mostly synthetic, with only 12% silk. That said, I think they’ve nailed the blend here (which is why I’d love to see them bring it back).

First off, the blend is really, truly comfortable. A combination of the blend of materials, the lightweight (140 gram) and the Seamless construction, I never feel itchy or uncomfortable in these layers. Even when I was in the hot Californian sun, was sweaty and wearing a loaded backpack I never got a rash or developed hot spots. I wear a minimally padded backpack, so flat seams are essential. They’ve done it right with this set.

After 9 months of hard use there is slight pilling in the fabric, but not more than is typical for synthetic fabrics.

One thing to note is that while wearing a front pack on the JMT the seams on the arms started to fray a bit. I trimmed the “fluff” off and it has not affected the look, feel or strength of the seams 9 months later.

The Fit

I found the body mapping to be excellent for me. The spandex provides a snug fit, but it doesn’t restrict motion or make you feel uncomfortable in spots like the underarms, shoulders or chest.

I lost about 10-15 pounds on the John Muir Trail  and these base layers remained comfortable and well-fitting throughout that transition.

The Odor

2 weeks backpacking? Can anything survive odor free for that long? Well, truth be told, nothing can win against two weeks of 18-24 mile days fueled by freeze-dried meals. That said, they handle odor a lot better than most of my synthetic base layers.

There are no magic fabrics (not even merino) that can hold back odor forever. That’s why we bath and wash our clothes! The Terramar Smartsilk layers do hold their own and help out a lot in preventing the development of body odor.

Weight

These layers weigh in at 6-8 ounces for the top and bottom in a size medium. It’s the perfect 3-season base layer set for those who are conscious of backpacking weight, but who are looking for packable, warm and versatile layers.

The Price

Knowing how well these layers perform and how well they hold up to time, I feel that the $60 price point is actually a steal for these layers.

Conclusion

Because Terramar stopped producing these base layers I wasn’t obligated to write a review about them. I chose to because you can still get them in stores (like amazon) and because I have been so impressed with their performance and quality.

Check them out and check out the other base layers that Terramar Sports has to offer.

What base layers do you use? Do you prefer synthetic, natural or blends?

Disclaimer: I received my Baselayers on request as a member of the Terramar Sports Ambassador program. That said, all opinions are my own and are what I’d recommend to friends.

When out and about, whether in the wilderness or not, there are some items that we like to keep on our person at all times. A sharp knife is often one of those items (for me at least) which can be indispensable to have when prepping meals as well as dealing with the small sticks needing preparation, zip ties and wrappings that are frequently encountered  on outdoor adventures, work, and children’s toys. The trouble with knives though is that some are a bit bulky for everyday use, and some multi-tools are either heavy or don’t cut all that well.

For those who really just want to have a simple blade at the ready for whatever life ends up tossing you, then the Vargo Titanium Wharn-Clip knife may be the knife for you. This knife weighs in at a minuscule 1-oz total (0.7oz knife and 0.3oz sheath) and features:

• A wharncliffe shape to the point (see the sidebar)
• A straight edge single bevel cutting blade
• A titanium alloy construction that is harder and stronger than pure titanium.
• MSRP: $59.95

The Wharncliffe blade, not to be confused with the sheepsfoot blade, is very much like a standard blade shape turned upside down. This type of blade has a totally flat cutting edge, and the spine of the blade drops gradually until the tip forms a point.
source: http://faq.customtacticals.com/geometry/shape_wharncliffe.php

At 5.4 inches long, it is only just barely longer than a somewhat average smartphone, while being decidedly thinner.

This knife has a lot going for it, particularly when it comes to the blade. At 2.7 inches long, the blade occupies half of the knife’s length, giving you a solid amount of straight edge cutting surface. The knife edge is incredibly sharp and I managed to nick myself on it at least once. As a result, cutting through food was absolutely no trouble at all, with the knife easily cutting though a good size steak along with various fruits, vegetables and bagels. On the top surface the knife’s blade tapers into a point giving it a ‘wharncliffe’ shape more gradual than other shapes. The benefit here is that you can comfortably put you thumb on top of the blade for leverage, giving a decent amount of control when creating marshmallow sticks or getting kindling ready for a fire. The point itself is perfect for foods with tough skins such as avocado as well as being able to get the blade into tight spots where zip ties are conveniently placed on electronics and children’s toys.

This knife does make a couple compromises to the handle to deliver its low weight and profile. It feels short in my hand and while you can use the sheath to extend the handle out a bit, it’s still not the ‘perfect’ feel and might even pose a challenge for those with larger hands. The lack of material on the handle is also affects the comfort of the knife. As a whole, while these compromises do make the knife a bit more difficult to handle, I am prepared to accept them given the enhancement to the knife’s weight and pocket profile.

I only have one proper gripe about this knife. Given that this knife is branded the ‘Wharn-clip’ knife, the clip itself has no appeal to me. I don’t really want a knife hanging (swinging) from my pants or pack, and a 5.4 inch knife doesn’t fit well on my key-chain. Finally, I found it easy to pop the clip off, almost without thinking. The best place for this knife is the front pocket, and that’s where it was.

The sheath does its job simply and dutifully. Vargo smartly places the rivets of the sheath so that the blade itself will not cut through the sheath, and has a good thickness to it to feel confident that you won’t stab yourself on accident. The sheath’s construction is a single piece of Kydex folded in two, and there is a small section where the blade can be pulled out without having to remove the sheath. However, realistically it takes a lot of effort to get the blade out through the gap. From a parent’s perspective, it reinforces the wise council to not leave the knife out where children can get at it.

In review, I found this to be an excellent general purpose knife that is easy to have with you when you need it. With an incredibly low weight, a slim profile, and the versatility to handle the small stuff with ease, this is the perfect knife to have in your pocket with minimum bulk.There is a large group of people out there who would benefit greatly from the Vargo Titanium Wharn-clip knife. If the most important item on your multi-tool is the knife, if you want to be able to carry a knife without looking like you’re carrying a knife, or if weight is the most important factor you are considering in a knife, then this is definitely a knife worth your consideration.

by Graeme A.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the Vargo Titanium Clip Knife for free from Vargo as coordinated by Deep Creek Public Relations in consideration for review publication.

All opinions are those of the reviewer and reflect our honest thoughts and what we would recommend to friends and family.

Although there are a lot of camping mattress manufacturers, there are few that seem to master their market. Klymit is one of those companies that does it right, and the Klymit Static V is a great example of this.

The Static-V is Klymit‘s entry-level inflatable mattress, but don’t be deceived by the price, it’s performance is excellent.

Let’s start with a look at the specs and move on to my thoughts.

• Weight: 18.1 oz,514 g
• Dimensions: 72″ x 23″ x 2.5″,183 cm x 59 cm x 6.5 cm
• Type: inflatable Sleeping Pad
• R-Value: 1.3
• Packed Size: 5″ x 9″, 12.7 cm x 22.8 cm
• Includes: Stuff Sack, Patch Kit
• Fabric: 75D Polyester
• Warranty: Limited Lifetime
• MSRP: $59.95

I’ve tested this out for close to a year now and have yet to find a fault with it. You will be hard pressed to find a comparable air mattress that offers the quality and comfort of the Static-V at this price-point.

Klymit is big on “body mapping”, that’s their concept of making sure the padding is where you need it, while balancing the mount inflation needed and the overall size of the pad. This pad packs down to the size of a nalgene bottle,  takes no time to inflate (in 10-15 puffs) and it is incredibly comfortable. In three-season conditions it provides plenty of warmth, while not being overly heavy (18.1 oz is better than the majority of pads on the market.

I was a bit worried about the 75D polyester for puncturing, but after many nights it has held together without issue. If it does leak, the included patch kit will take care of any leaks.

I can’t praise Klymit enough for this far too cheap (in my opinion) inflatable sleeping pad that’s packable, comfortable and lightweight. Competitors products are 2 to 3 times the price.

Check Klymit products out here on amazon (affiliate link).

Disclaimer: I requested this item to review via a PR company, but all reviews are the same as I would give to close friends or family.

We know that POV footage of your gopro gets boring quickly, so anything that can help make more use (and better quality footage) of our GoPros is worth taking a look at, especially when it’s as solid as the Go-Scope Extreme.

The Goscope Extreme is a telescopic pole with a head that can connect to up to two GoPro cameras (Hero, Hero2, or Hero3). It packs away small and can extend out over 3 feet when you need it. Let’s look at the features:

• Telescoping – 17″ small to 37″ large
• Lightweight – 6 oz
• Materials – Forged aluminum poles with poly-carbonate locks and head
• Handle – High friction handle for great grip
• Wrist strap – Adjustable, large enough to fit over gloves
• Head – mount up to 2 GoPros directly using standard mounts
• MSRP – $60

What Do I think?

The Go-Scope Extreme is a great tool to add to your arsenal to make your videos look cooler and more interesting to family and friends.

The Construction is very high quality. They haven’t cheaped out on thin aluminum or plastic joints. Everything about the construction says quality. The fact that it’s poly-carbonate and aluminum means it can be used in wet weather, snow, and even salt water.

I was really happy to see a high-quality grip. When you’re hoping to catch a great shot of your stunt, you can’t afford to have your grip slip. The wrist strap adds extra security for those times when you bail on that awesome jump.

Having two mounts means an even greater number of shots. If you have 2 GoPros, you’ll want to have one facing outwards and one facing inwards just to make sure you catch all the action.

If you are looking for a high-quality telescoping pole to mount your Gopro on for any and all of your adventures, this simple, but quality tool is worth a hard look. I’ve found it to be a lot of fun as it means I can get some great shots that you just couldn’t get from a typical helmet or hand mount. Hey, you can even take better selfies… if you’re into that!

So, leave a comment down below and tell me what you would use the Goscope for?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Go-Scope Extreme for free from Go-Scope as coordinated by Deep Creek Public Relations in consideration for review publication.

All opinions are my own, and are what I’d recommend to any friend.

This winter our man-on-the-ground Joshua Riggins packed his schedule full trying to dig up as many impressive new products at the Winter Market of the Outdoor Retailer Show as possible. Over the next few days, he’ll be sharing some of those highlights, starting with Soleus‘ Go Activity Tracker.

A silicone band that wears like a sports watch and tracks your fitness. Calories burned, distance, pace/speed, it even tracks your sleep patterns. Tracking your daily activity through a personalized app and has a rechargeable battery . Keeping you tuned in to weather alerts, incoming calls and texts on your cell phone via blue tooth. You can be climbing a wall and the GO! Band will vibrate when an incoming call comes through. Which works great for someone like me with my on-call schedule at my 9-5 day job. It can track your REM sleep (deepest sleep) and your light sleep, including how many times you got up in the night. With a vibration alert that can wake you with a silent wake-up alarm, great for people who work less than normal hours without waking the rest of the house hold. A light weight, stylish watch, that’s more than a watch. Perfect for anyone who lives an active lifestyle.

The Soleus Go! is available for presell at www.soleusgo.com the official nationwide launch will be on February 10th, 2014. MSRP is $129.00 and includes Soleus GO! Band, USB Charging Cable, and Dedicated Mobile App.

About Joshua Riggins:

This winter our man-on-the-ground Joshua Riggins packed his schedule full trying to dig up as many impressive new products at the Winter Market of the Outdoor Retailer Show as possible. Over the next few days, he’ll be sharing some of those highlights. Today we’re looking at the Snow Lizard Slxtreme.

Here is the 3rd item I was really excited to show.

• Solar Panel
• Battery pack
• Weight- 150g
• Headphone- 3.5mm audio jack
• Compatibility- iPhone 5/5s
• MSRP: $149.99

About Joshua Riggins:

This winter our man-on-the-ground Joshua Riggins packed his schedule full trying to dig up as many impressive new products at the Winter Market of the Outdoor Retailer Show as possible. Over the next few days, he’ll be sharing some of those highlights Today we’re looking at Aime’s new Jigabot.

One of the newest products from a company I was previously unfamiliar with, is the AIME by JIGABOT. A light weight (under 1 lb.), water-resistant, robotic gadget that is said to be durable, and operates hands free. You place a beacon somewhere on your person, and the AIMe directs your camera to follow its target. The best part is, the AIMe can follow more than one beacon. With a rechargeable battery, and mounts compatible with GoPro, smartphones & other cameras/camcorders. As someone who loves action sports, hiking, canyoneering and life in general, I unable to express how syked I am on this product. This could revolutionize youtube videos.

• Range 150 feet
• Battery Life – 2 hours
• Weight: 9.5 oz (1 oz for beacon)
• MSRP: $299
• Available June 2014

About Joshua Riggins:

^{Katie Boue from http://themorningfresh.com/ showing off her mad skills in Columbia’s new Turbo Down. Photo Credit David Creech of http://wildernessdave.com/} 

This winter our man-on-the-ground Joshua Riggins packed his schedule full trying to dig up as many impressive new products at the Winter Market of the Outdoor Retailer Show as possible. Over the next few days, he’ll be sharing some of those highlights, starting with Columbia‘s Turbo Down.

Turbo Down comes to retail stores this fall. Columbia Sportswear’s new light weight jacket, featuring Down + #Omniheat Synthetic technology. Keeping you warm without overheating, it comes in 3 different collection’s Gold (550), Platinum (800), and Diamond (850)  Down fill.  Testing came through at 8 – 22% warmer than the competition. Stylish and comfortable, weighing in at less than 1 lb., it makes for a great touring jacket. Oh, and did I mention Turbo Down won best Gear Junkies “Best New Gear”. OVERALL!

Turbo Down comes in three lines:

GOLD COLLECTION 
550 Down Fill + 100g OMNI-HEAT® Thermal Insulation = 650 TD
PLATINUM COLLECTION
800 Down Fill + 60g OMNI-HEAT® Thermal Insulation = 860 TD
DIAMOND COLLECTION 
850 Down Fill + 40g OMNI-HEAT® Thermal Insulation = 890 TD

Pricing ranges from $130 – $325

About Joshua Riggins: