Clothing Reviews

The Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell is a 3-layer waterproof/breathable jacket built for backpacking and technical adventures. Made from Fjallraven’s recycled Eco-Shell fabric, the Keb Eco-Shell Jacket breathes, wicks, stretches, and completely protects against wind, snow, and rain. With a highly adjustable hood, ample chest pockets, side ventilation, and adjustable wrist cuffs, …

Sealskinz Waterproof All Weather Ultra-Grip Knitted Gloves are waterproof/breathable knitted gloves with a silicone grip that are great for keeping your hands dry while snowshoeing or hiking in the rain in three-season conditions. Specs at a Glance Palm material: Nylon with gripper print Fabric: 96.5% nylon, 3.5% elastane Lining fabric: …

The Arcteryx Proton LT Insulated Hoodie is a synthetic insulated jacket that can be used as an active outer layer in cold weather. It’s designed as a self-regulating insulation layer that vents excess heat and moisture through a combination of air-permeable fabrics and insulation. The goal is to eliminate the …

Outdoor Research makes great gloves but their Inception Aerogel Gloves fall short of expectations. Although they are insulated with Aerogel, they’re shockingly cold and uncomfortable to wear in colder weather. If you’re looking for a high dexterity insulated winter glove for climbing, skiing, or hiking, I’d look elsewhere. Specs at …

The Montbell EX Light Down Anorak is an ultralight 900-fill power, down sweater that’s ideal for wearing around camp, during water and snack breaks, or paired with a top quilt for sleeping. Weighing 9.0 oz (in a size XL), the styling is simple but functional, with a half zipper, adjustable …

The Montane Anti-Freeze Jacket is a mid-weight insulated down jacket (available for both men and women) that can be worn as a mid-layer in really cold conditions or as a stand-alone jacket. It’s insulated with 750 fill power Hyperdry RDS-certified down with a fully adjustable hood. A two-way YKK front …

The Outdoor Research Versaliner Sensor Gloves (Men’s and Women’s) are an updated version of OR’s wildly popular Versaliner Gloves, a two-part glove system featuring an inner fleece glove with a pocket to hold a chemical hand warmer and a removable exterior wind shell that can be layered on top for …

Baselayer tops and bottoms are supposed to transport perspiration from your skin into your midlayer clothing so that you stay drier and warmer when you’re working hard in cold weather. That’s the theory behind layering. But how many times have you pulled off your fleece sweater, only to find that …

Outdoor Research Waterproof Liner Gloves are fleece gloves lined with a waterproof/breathable insert to prevent external moisture from reaching your hands. Lined with Ventia, which is OR’s proprietary waterproof/breathable layer, they have a tightly woven external face that’s good for shedding snow and a plush polyester liner for warmth. While …

The Arcteryx Fortrez Hoody (available for men and women) is a Polartec Power Stretch Hardface fleece jacket that has an integrated balaclava to protect your head and face from the cold.  It excels as a mid or outer layer for colder weather activities, with a trim fit and a longer …

Fjallraven Abisko Lite Zip-Off Trekking Trousers are lightweight, ventilated pants for use in warm climates or during the hotter summer months. Zipping off just above the knee and with two front-thigh cargo pockets, these pants are versatile enough for extended use when trekking or hiking in temperatures between 50 and …

Outdoor Research Transcendent Down Gloves provide great warmth and excellent dexterity, which can be a difficult combination to achieve in an insulated winter glove. While mitts and mitten shells are a winter hiking essential, they don’t provide enough dexterity to hold an ice ax, melt snow, or check a GPS. My …

The Montane Future Lite Hoodie is a lightweight, down hoodie that’s insulated with 750 fill power HyperDry RDS-sourced down. It has what manufacturers now call an “under-helmet” hood that’s thankfully tighter-fitting than the Godzilla-sized helmet-compatible down jacket hoods of yesteryear which were designed to fit over climbing helmets. Designed for …

REI’s Merino Midweight Half-Zip Base Layer Top is a 200-gram wool base layer available in men’s and women’s sizes.  It falls between Minus 33’s mid-weight Sierra 1/4 Zip (230 gram) and the Minus 33 lightweight (170 gram) 1/4 zip tops, at a comparable price.   However, REI frequently has these on …