Apparel

Water-Resistant, ‘Impenetrable’ Down-Insulated Jacket

Wear this big, puffy down jacket in “the wettest of conditions.” That’s the pitch from Brooks-Range, which is offering a treated water-resistant down in the…

Written by Stephen Regenold January 16, 2012

Holy Grail? ‘Hydrophobic’ Down Insulation by Sierra Designs

The company backs off just short of saying “waterproof.” But a new down-insulation treatment used in a line of to-be-released sleeping bags and jackets from…

Written by Stephen Regenold January 15, 2012

Loki ‘Shape-Shifting’ Parka for Women

Superlative warmth, hidden (integrated) mittens, a face shield, and a long, insulated body make the Stockholm Jacket from Loki LLC unique. Our writer gave the…

Written by Stephen Regenold January 03, 2012

Retro ‘Extreme!’ Steep Tech Line Lives on at TNF

Remember Scott Schmidt and the early ’90s? The famous proto-freeskier was known for his sick drops and a signature North Face ski suit, which the…

Written by Stephen Regenold December 28, 2011

Colored Goose Down as ‘Bling’ in See-Thru Jacket

A transparent shell fabric and dyed goose down create a unique look for Hi-Tec’s 2012 Timaru jacket. New “Color-Tec” treatment increases loft of down as…

Written by Stephen Regenold December 23, 2011

Redux: ‘Don’t Buy This Jacket’

Love it or not, Patagonia’s recent “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign added a new voice to the holiday shopping conversation in one bold and opinionated…

Written by Stephen Regenold December 07, 2011

Arc’teryx Makes ‘Capes’ for Homeless

For the third year, Vancouver-based Arc’teryx will give capes made of Gore-Tex fabric to the city’s homeless. Called the Birds Nest Project, the annual charity…

Written by Stephen Regenold December 07, 2011

Gloves, Shirt Sold as ‘Sun-Wear’

The harsh sun of tropical places demands clothing that can protect. A new shirt and gloves fight UV rays and yellow sunbeams all the same,…

Written by Stephen Regenold December 05, 2011

Canine Coats and Jackets for Dogs

Your dog needs warmth and protection in the winter months, too! Our editor looks at two “doggie jacket” options for his Weimaraner, a fit dog…

Written by Stephen Regenold December 02, 2011

Review: Wool-Based ‘Active Jacket’

For those not-so-cold active days, this wool-blend Ibex jacket has become a Gear Junkie favorite. A streamlined, hood-less design, a thin breathable back, and a…

Written by Stephen Regenold November 23, 2011

The North Face: ‘Commitment to the Core’ for 2012

Significant technologies for 2012, including a new down insulation alternative, were unveiled in Colorado last week by The North Face. Gear Junkie was on site…

Written by Stephen Regenold November 14, 2011

‘Performance’ Underwear made of Cotton

Cotton kills? No longer, according to Polarmax, which touts a new treatment that makes old-fashioned cotton a viable material for performance wear. In this column,…

Written by Stephen Regenold November 04, 2011

Not Your Daddy’s Softshell: 2011/12 Jacket Review

Gear Junkie founder Stephen Regenold tested more than two-dozen jackets in 2011 for this site as well as Outside magazine, for which he coordinated the…

Written by Stephen Regenold October 27, 2011

Mesh Jacket Cited as ‘Bug-Proof’

We test Columbia Sportswear’s new airy bug jacket in the depths of the Great North Woods, a.k.a. Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Our intrepid reviewer…

Written by T.C. Worley October 04, 2011

‘Maize-Based’ Compound Adds Cooling Effect to Columbia T-Shirt

Gear Junkie tests a T-shirt with embedded crystals set to go through an endothermic reaction that issues a cooling effect each time sweat soaks into…

Written by Stephen Regenold August 29, 2011

Paracord Bracelet Unravels to 16-Foot ‘Mini Rope’ for Outdoors

“Wear it, unravel it, survive!” That’s the somewhat melodramatic but highly illustrative tagline for Survival Straps’ namesake product, a bracelet made of paracord that can…

Written by Stephen Regenold August 26, 2011

Ultimate Summertime T-Shirt?

Quick-wicking, sun protective, and durable in the outdoors, the Eco-Speed-T from RailRiders is among Gear Junkie’s favorite shirts for activity outdoors in hot weather.

Written by Stephen Regenold July 25, 2011

Euro Rockstar Outdoor Jacket

Softshell material up top, and goose down insulation below. That’s the premise of a unique new jacket for 2012 from the Swiss skiwear company KJUS.…

Written by Stephen Regenold July 19, 2011

GearJunkie/YogaSlackers Visits Ibex Outdoor Clothing

This week, in the sleepy town of White River Junction, Vt., we visited Ibex’s headquarters to meet the men and women (and dogs!) behind the…

Written by Stephen Regenold July 14, 2011

Haute Outdoors? Columbia Hires New York Fashion Designer

In an unlikely partnership, Columbia Sportswear has announced a collaboration with Jeffrey Kalinsky, a New York fashion designer, to deliver an “ultra-premium” outerwear and footwear…

Written by Stephen Regenold July 07, 2011

High on Argon: Q&A with Founder of Inflatable Jacket Company

Handheld cartridge air pumps are usually reserved for bike tires. But Utah-based Klymit thinks it’s found a better way to insulate jackets and sleeping pads…

Written by Stephen Regenold June 21, 2011

Stingrays and Pixie Dust: Columbia Sportswear 2012 Product Peek

Last night, at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, amid dinosaur bones and live stingrays undulating in a shallow pool, Columbia Sportswear previewed…

Written by Stephen Regenold June 15, 2011

Waterproof Cotton ‘Rain Shirt’

Among the strangest apparel products we have tested all year, this button-up cotton shirt is touted as a performance piece for city biking. Its strange…

Written by Stephen Regenold June 03, 2011

Haute Tactical: Triple Aught Design

TAD is known for stealthy, high-end — and military influenced — products made for the outdoors. The company’s sleek new San Fran storefront, a wood-floored…

Written by Stephen Regenold May 20, 2011

See-Thru ‘Wisp of a Bike Jacket’

It packs to the size of a hockey puck. It weighs just 3.5 ounces, as scant as a single Clif bar. But unfurl this Castelli…

Written by Stephen Regenold May 19, 2011

LG Cycling Kit: ‘Designed for Pros’

This crazy-expensive bike suit was tested in a wind tunnel and touted to “exceed the standard for aerodynamic performance and speed.” Our writer gave it…

Written by T.C. Worley May 18, 2011

Primer: CORDURA Fabric Explained

A quick post about the brand behind our ‘Search for the Most Durable Person’ contest this month. CORDURA makes fabric for everything from bike-messenger bags…

Written by Stephen Regenold May 16, 2011

High-Tech Running Clothes: Salomon ‘Sensifit’ Line

You might look like Spiderman all dressed up in the EXO clothing. But any weird looks you get are worth it for the performance gains…

Written by Stephen Regenold May 10, 2011

Outside ‘Gear of the Year’

In its next issue, due on newsstands at the end of this month, Outside magazine will announce the Summer 2011 winners of its Gear of…

Written by Stephen Regenold April 17, 2011

Test: 3 oz. Jacket

It weighs about 3 ounces and packs in a tiny stuff sack smaller than a fist. But the Cirrus Pull-On from Rab can add enough…

Written by Stephen Regenold April 07, 2011

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