Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Most Awesome Sports Cam Videos of 2010
Most Awesome Sports Cam Videos of 2010: "Most Awesome Sports Cam Videos of 2010 | REI Blog: Weblog for an active community of people who love the outdoors"
Monday, December 20, 2010
Solstice Special: Total Lunar Eclipse Tonight
Solstice Special: Total Lunar Eclipse Tonight: "Solstice Special: Total Lunar Eclipse Tonight | REI Blog: Weblog for an active community of people who love the outdoors"
Monday, December 13, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Gear Fest
This July I plan on heading out to Washington to have some fun and learn some new skills from the ladies and gentlemen of Alpine Ascents International. In preparation, I've been gear shopping. A Montbell U.L. Down and Permafrost Parka, Arteryx Alpha Pants and Bora 95 backpack, La Sportiva Spantik boots, and other items are all waiting to be ordered and then tested.
On top of that I am going to have to get into better shape. Not that I'm in bad shape now! I just don't think I can carry a 60 pound pack up a 50 degree slope for hours on end. But I will be able to, now that I have the motivation.
For me it's all about the motivation. Without a goal (a summit, a trip, a race) I can get very lazy. But nothing cures that quicker than imagining myself huffing a puffing my way up a mountain, holding back the rest of the climbing party, or being so whipped that I can't enjoy myself.
Another great motivator is new gear. Shiny new toys to play with and get all dirty. Questions to answer. Like, is Gore Tex Windstopper waterproof at all, how hard can you climb in these "approach" shoes, and what's the absolute minimum amount of clothing you can run in when it's freezing outside without going hypothermic?
UPS truck is here. Gotta go!
On top of that I am going to have to get into better shape. Not that I'm in bad shape now! I just don't think I can carry a 60 pound pack up a 50 degree slope for hours on end. But I will be able to, now that I have the motivation.
For me it's all about the motivation. Without a goal (a summit, a trip, a race) I can get very lazy. But nothing cures that quicker than imagining myself huffing a puffing my way up a mountain, holding back the rest of the climbing party, or being so whipped that I can't enjoy myself.
Another great motivator is new gear. Shiny new toys to play with and get all dirty. Questions to answer. Like, is Gore Tex Windstopper waterproof at all, how hard can you climb in these "approach" shoes, and what's the absolute minimum amount of clothing you can run in when it's freezing outside without going hypothermic?
UPS truck is here. Gotta go!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Arcteryx Venta SV Waterproofness
I have read that the Arcteryx Venta SV jacket, with its Gore Tex Windstopper fabric and tape sealed seams is just about waterproof. So today, when I noticed the rain coming in sideways, I thought, "Why not?"
After an hour long, 3 mile walk in the gusting wind and the heavy rain here's what I found out... it is not waterproof. But it is really, REALLY water resistant.
The shoulder area, hood, and the outsides of the arms of the jacket held out for the full hour, not only holding the rain at bay, but holding the water off the fabric altogether. The DWR did a great job in keeping the material totally dry.
The body of the jacket is made from a different lighter Gore Windstopper material. This stuff wet out in about 30 minutes. That being said, it seemed to keep the water from getting through, but just barely.
The least water resistant part of the jacket turned out to be the stretch panels at the cuffs, the cuffs being the usual weak point in any waterproof jacket's armor. On the Venta SV, these panels wetted out, soaked up, and then leaked through fairly quickly. This lead to the sleeves of my base layer getting wet. Which then lead to wet hands.
So there you have it, the Venta SV is not waterproof. But man it really tries hard to be.
And did I mention that the wind was gusting to 40mph? Did mention that none of that wind made it through the Gore Windstopper, and that I was quite comfy on my little walk? Or that the hood stayed perfectly in place? In fact, if this were a review of the jacket as it was intended, I'd give it a 9 out of 10 for it's fit, quality, looks, and function.
It looses a point for 1, pockets, that while set high so as to be accessible with a pack or harness on, are still so damn deep that items placed in them fall down behind said pack hip belt or harness. And 2, for not having a wire brim on the hood.
After an hour long, 3 mile walk in the gusting wind and the heavy rain here's what I found out... it is not waterproof. But it is really, REALLY water resistant.
The shoulder area, hood, and the outsides of the arms of the jacket held out for the full hour, not only holding the rain at bay, but holding the water off the fabric altogether. The DWR did a great job in keeping the material totally dry.
The body of the jacket is made from a different lighter Gore Windstopper material. This stuff wet out in about 30 minutes. That being said, it seemed to keep the water from getting through, but just barely.
The least water resistant part of the jacket turned out to be the stretch panels at the cuffs, the cuffs being the usual weak point in any waterproof jacket's armor. On the Venta SV, these panels wetted out, soaked up, and then leaked through fairly quickly. This lead to the sleeves of my base layer getting wet. Which then lead to wet hands.
So there you have it, the Venta SV is not waterproof. But man it really tries hard to be.
And did I mention that the wind was gusting to 40mph? Did mention that none of that wind made it through the Gore Windstopper, and that I was quite comfy on my little walk? Or that the hood stayed perfectly in place? In fact, if this were a review of the jacket as it was intended, I'd give it a 9 out of 10 for it's fit, quality, looks, and function.
It looses a point for 1, pockets, that while set high so as to be accessible with a pack or harness on, are still so damn deep that items placed in them fall down behind said pack hip belt or harness. And 2, for not having a wire brim on the hood.
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