Gear Articles tagged ‘layering’

Monday Q&A – Packs, Pads, Boots & Layers

By: Beth Lopez | February 28th, 2011
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Once again, to celebrate the blessed arrival of Monday, we dug into our community’s questions on Backcountry.com and formulated a few replies in hopes of helping the gear-glut masses make the right selection. Take a gander, and please feel free to join the conversation in the comments below or on the products’ Backcountry.com pages.

Arc’teryx Bora 80 Backpack

Q: I am just starting in backpacking and i am looking for a pack. some people in my family have told me this is the pack to go with but are there lighter options with the same durability and is it worth the money and is it truly a great pack? –maughanwe

A: Good question, because buying a backpack is a major purchase—perhaps the most important and expensive one you’ll make—as you get into backpacking. Firstly, I’ll say that yes, if you can afford it, an Arc’teryx backpack would be a fantastic choice. Arc’teryx makes top-quality backpacks that weigh very little, are comfortable, and are smartly designed; they’ll stand up to an incredible amount of wear and tear, so your investment will be a good one. That being said, you need to consider several questions as you decide which particular model is the right one for you. Read More …

Dressing for Ice Climbing

By: Adam Riser | February 16th, 2011
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Dress light to keep from sweating. Rick Vance on a warm day in Maple Canyon.

Very few people would quibble over whether ice climbing is a really cold sport. It has to be; you need ice to do it. But that doesn’t mean that you have to be cold. The difference between someone who shivers all day long and someone who stays warm has little to do with genetics; the difference is a matter of preparation. Learn what to wear and when to wear it, and you can be nice and toasty even when you’re on a frozen waterfall or belaying your partner while he spends two hours battling the steep ice above you.

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How to Layer Properly for the Cold

By: Adam Riser | February 8th, 2010
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Layering for ColdSweat soaks your back on the approach, and it turns to ice as the howling wind steals your warmth. You’re so cold that can only talk in vowels. You’re wearing every stitch of clothing that you brought, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. You didn’t layer properly. Read More …