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Bic Lighter
Hear me now, believe me later: do not spend your ducats on some fancy-schmancy "stormproof" lighter for high-altitude mountaineering. They will have their way with you and leave you with nothing. No fire. No food. No love. On Denali my partner had his Brunton stormproof lighter and I had some cheap imitation; both failed completely…
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Therm-a-Rest Trekker Chair
On a long expedition you’re guaranteed to spend some time sitting around, whether to plan your next move, eat or repair gear. If you don’t want to sit on the cold, hard ground you need a lightweight solution to keep your delicate derriere protected. The Trekker chair is a sleeve that fits over your existing…
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Nalgene Easy Sipper
"You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya punk?" If the answer is no, pick up one of these. It will be a few bucks well-spent when you’re trying not to spill while drinking out of your Nalgene bottle in your down sleeping bag. This handy little piece of…
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Fox River X-Static Liner Socks
Continuing our base layer extravaganza, you can finish off your stunning winter ensemble with these great liner socks. Going against the grain of the sky-high prices charged by designer sock vendors these days, these are available for a mere $9/pair. They wick well and have a "natural anti-microbial silver coating" that doesn’t wash out. Keeps…
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REI Performance Headliner
This is one of those essential pieces of gear that is always a good idea to have at hand. Or at head. Whatever, the point is a little insulation on your noggin goes a long way towards keeping you from ending up wondering why there’s a date on sour cream. There’s nothing unique about the…
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Jetboil Personal Cooking System
What is it about this thing that makes it so great? If you break it down it doesn’t seem that revolutionary: there’s a stove and a cup with a built-in heat exchanger. Sure, everything stores inside the cup, about the size of a 32oz. Nalgene bottle, but that still doesn’t fully explain its attraction. But…
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Backcountry Access Tour Shovel & Probe
Steer excrement getting too deep? This lightweight shovel with a six foot probe that stores inside the handle will get you out. The handle has an oval cross-section so it’s pretty strong, and the aluminum blade is better than plastic for the hard snow that sets up so quickly after an avalanche. I brought this…
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Mad Rock Flash climbing shoes
These award-winning shoes are good performers at a great price. Mad Rock’s line of climbing shoes is competitive with those of other major manufacturers, and they appear to not be adverse to buying market share; their shoes are smokin’ good deals that often undercut the competition. I wore these shoes for last year’s climbing season…
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REI Lightweight MTS Long-Sleeve Zip-T
If you’re into aerobic activities in cold weather (sicko) this is a great first layer. I’m talking glacier travel, not so much tae bo. It’s got UPF 50 sun protection, and it’s available in white, which is great when you’re baking from a lot of sunlight reflecting off ice and snow. It wicks very well,…
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Black Diamond Dry Tool gloves
I’m a sucker for anything Schoeller, and I had high hopes for these gloves. After using them for ice climbing and cross-country skiing last season I’m not sure they’ll make the cut next year. The fabric works as advertised, shedding snow and water just fine. The problem I had was more with the fit and…
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