In an effort to simplify, I look for clothing that will serve dual purposes: Quality outdoor clothing that looks good, last long and can be worn outdoors and in the office. After testing out Royal Robbins’ Diablo shirt and Convoy shorts I can happily recommend Royal Robbins as an approved outdoor adventure brand.
Let’s look at the products and then get into the details:
We’ve tested this gear all summer long. The Diablo shirt is now on our short-list of gear to bring on all outdoor adventures. It alternates with Columbia’s Voyager top that you saw in another review.
Why do we like them?
When it comes to clothing reviews we have some pretty clear requirements:
Is it versatile?
Does it look good?
Will we wear it often?
Is it going to last?
Is it worth the price?
We love the Diablo shirt because it checks those boxes. It’s professional enough to wear to the office, comfortable enough to wear on the hottest days, and above all, it’s adventure proof. The stretchable fabric and shirt design means that you have full range of motion in active tasks like canoeing and it’s incredibly soft against the skin. The rollable sleeves and tabs mean that you don’t need to change the shirt in hotter weather or when doing nitty gritty tasks like preparing dinner on the trail or catching fish.
We’re fans of the Convoy shorts because of the heavier duty fabric, multiple inseams and style. They’re built to last and they do. They have triple needle stitching! Seriously these shorts are loaded with features, but don’t look like it. They are comfortable and stylish and have a great fit. We’re not as big of a fan of these as the shirt, but that’s partially due to me feeling conscious showing that much leg 😉
The price-point on these items is in-line with comparable high-quality outdoor and travel wear, and what I find is most important is: they will last.
Conclusion
For me, the proof of whether or not I like a brand is whether or not I wear it often. I’ve pulled out the Diablo shirt 1-2 times a week since I received them in May of this year. When I go backpacking, canoeing, hiking, or just out with friends, this is one of the top shirts I reach for. I’m not a huge fan of wearing shorts, but the Convoy’s have gotten nearly as much use as the Diablo shirt during this hot Canadian summer.
Since being introduced to this brand, it’s a brand we trust, and look for when in the market for quality, durable and good looking adventure wear.
When it comes to backpacking with kids, gear weight, compact size and comfort are hugely important especially when it comes to sleeping gear. That’s why my go-to sleeping bag for nearly two years has been a Therm-a-rest Antares 15 degree down bag. It’s more than just a sleeping bag.
About three years ago Therm-a-Rest (www.thermarest.com) came out with a line of sleeping bags that you can slide a sleeping pad into the back of. This has some major benefits: It cuts down on weight (as you don’t need insulation between you and the pad), it cuts down on pack space (less insulation bulk), and it prevents the sleeper from sliding off the sleeping pad in the night. All of these things make for a warm and cozy night sleep and a lighter load… which is important when you’re packing gear for 4 mini adventurers.
Let’s take a look at the Antares features and then talk about how it performs.
Features (Regular Model)
Style: Mummy bag
Weight: 1 lb 15 oz
Fill: 750+ goose down (14 oz)
Fits: 6 ft
Packs to: 7” x 12” (8 liters) without compression straps
Temperature rating: 15 degrees Limit
Fabric: 30D Nylon
Shell: 30D Nylon with DWR coating
Design Features:
Draft Tubes & Collar
Snag Free Zipper
SynergyLink Connectors
Zoned Insulation
Stash Pocket
Sculptured Hood
Trapezoidal Footbox
Storage & Stuff sacks
UPDATES for 2015: For 2015 the bag was updated with water hydrophobic down and a thermacapture lining.
MSRP: $499.95
The Antares hardly took up any space in my backpack on the John Muir Trail
Field Testing:
This bag has been on countless trips, from a 2-week stint on the John Muir Trail in California to the humid Pacific Northwest and into the alpine. I’ve had this bag for close to three years now and leant it out to many very happy friends. I should mention that I use it with my Neoair All Season sleeping pad (which is another excellent piece of kit from Therm-A-Rest). My wife is currently hiking the enchantments with this same bag and they’re expecting snow!
What do I think?
First, a bit of basic sleeping bag insulation science. Insulation works by reflecting heat back to you and cold away from you. It restricts heat transfer by creating a barrier between you and the cold. With down and most synthetic insulations it does that with loft that creates a barrier of dead air space between you and the cold. The down-side (pun intended) is that compressing that insulation means that it can’t do its job. With a sleeping bag, that means that the insulation that you lie on isn’t doing its job. That’s why Therm-a-Rest got rid of the insulation underneath you entirely.
The Therm-a-Rest bags and sleeping pads work together as a sleep system . The Bag provides insulation on top and the pad provides the insulation on the bottom. By doing it this way, the Therm-a-Rest system saves you a significant amount of weight while giving you better insulation between you and the ground.
For disclosure, I’m a side sleeper… when I’m not rolling around and alternating between sleeping on my back and stomach. Fortunately, the straps that connect the bag to the sleeping pad keep me on the pad all night, which means I stay warm and comfortable, without feeling claustrophobic. They also keep out any potential cold breezes between the bag and the pad.
The bag comes with a Durable Water Resistant shell, which while being breathable also sheds light rain. The DWR coating on the bag meant I could comfortably handle rain splash from a heavy storm a year back when I was sleeping under a tarp.
The Bag design is very comfortable for a 5’ 10” average guy. I didn’t find the footbox restrictive, and the mummy hood was the perfect size for me. The Draft collar is key to keeping the warmth in and the cold out. A good draft collar should be a feature you look for on any bag you buy.
Therm-A-Rest distributes the down in their bags “zonally”. That means they put more where you need it. The result of this is an accurate 15 degree rating. That should be qualified. It’s accurate for me. All bags are rated on an average and you should take into account if you’re a warm or cold sleeper.
Oh, and take advantage of the extra storage bag included. When you’re not using the bag, a storage bag will help preserve the loft of your down.
On top of all the stellar features and performance of this bag, it’s extremely small when packed. It packs down to 7×12 easily, and without compression straps. You could probably squeeze an inch or two off that with compression straps if you had to… That said, I was able to pack this bag, the Therm-A-Rest Neoair all-season (an excellent pad), a BV500 Bear Vault Bear Canister, stove and pot, and clothes for a two week hike of the John Muir Trail inside a 40 liter backpack. Yah, it’s small.
Room for improvement?
My bag is two years old now, and still performs excellently. If I was to find some improvement for the bag it would be to upgrade to a water resistant down, and even increase the quality of down to an 800+ loft. That said, those features would drive the price of this very economical bag up higher.
SONY DSC
Conclusion
Therm-A-Rest’s entry into the backpacking market has been done correctly. The quality, design and performance of the Antares reflects that of the Therm-A-Rest brand that many of us know and trust. Everyone I’ve lent this bag to has raved about its comfort and performance. I would and have recommended this bag configuration to anyone. Combine it with the neo-air all-season pad and you’ll be warm well into the fall in this excellent 3-season bag.
The idea behind the paracord is that it does a better job conforming to your foot. There’s a cool example in the video above, but the result is something that hasn’t given me any sore spots on my feet. The only other thing in the upper is the microfibre used in the tongue and heel strap, which is super smooth and soft.
The sole includes razor siping, which adds flexibility to the shoe as well as increasing traction.
The result of all this is a very breathable, comfortable shoe that provides great traction and that looks unique.
So… about the “magic loom” look. I work in an office building where some people wear suits and others shorts. I got a lot of looks and a few comments when I wore them the first time, a few chuckles, and now everyone is cool with them. Honestly, they remind me of boat shoes… albeit much cooler and brighter boat shoes. After a few days, I didn’t think twice about putting them on. Once you get past the concept challenging style you’ll just relax and enjoy how incredibly comfortable they are as you go about your adventurous life.
Conclusion
Keen’s new Uneek sandal is a pretty cool concept and is a pleasure to wear. It’s breathable, comfortable and provides good traction over a variety of terrain. The $100 price tag won’t strike a note with some readers, but is in the range of other higher end sandals. That said, if you try them on you’ll be impressed with the feel and if you give try them out for a few days I think you’ll start to like the look.
These shoes are definitely causing some controversy. What are your thoughts on the look and on the concept? Leave your feedback below!
Pretty much every backpacking gear list includes base layer bottoms, tights, pants… or whatever you choose to call them. A good set of baselayer pants are comfortable, keep you warm, wick moisture, prevent odour build up and dry quickly. These Altitude Tights by I/O Merino are all that.
Let’s take a look at the features and then slip them on to see how they perform.
Features:
‘Enigma’ fabric – 96% Australian Merino wool and 4% elastin
18.5 micro soft and lightweight 160 gsm Micromerino®
Elasticated waist band
Tag Free
Flat-lock seams
Fit: Tights
MSRP: $79.50
Again, these are Merino wool, so they carry all the standard benefits of that natural material:
Sustainable and Renewable (Good sheep!)
Naturally Antimicrobial
Resists Odour build up
Great Thermal regulation with its naturally hollow fibers
Moisture wicking – Quick Drying
Insulates even when wet
Super soft
Machine Washable
What do we think?
We’ve tried our share of Merino wool baselayers and we’re happy to say that these are some of the best. The Fabric is really comfortable to wear with its micromerino threading.
The Flat stitched seams and wide waist band means you don’t get pressure points or sore spots when wearing them with other layers, or when active.
The absence of a sticky-out tag is a benefit. There’s really no need for those now-a-days with on-fabric printing.
Summary
All round the quality of these tights is great. The wool is comfortable, the attention to detail, the choice of merino, the comfortable elastic waist and the fit all add up to a great choice for a merino baselayer tight. The price is perhaps a bit high, but this is no doubt due in part to the high demand we’ve been seeing in merino wool.
The Outdoor Adventure Giving you tips, tricks & recommendations to help make adventuring in the Outdoors fun, safe & exciting for you and your kids.
