#ventile-vest

#ventile-vest

"Our heritage is rooted in building gear for people who live and thrive in the mountains, and that includes our own team. Many of us ride; our athletes ride. Mountain biking is part of our culture," Ashley Anson, VP Design at Arc'teryx, said.

The safari jacket owes much of its makeup to this lighter-weight cousin. Safari jackets were worn by troops in all the warm-weather colonial trips made by the turn of the (20th) century European powers.

The kit was developed over several years with input from mountain guides, doctors, and paramedics, and it is meant to cover the kinds of real-world issues backcountry skiers actually run into.

On the outside is a wind- and wear-resistant knitted nylon/spandex/lycra layer, and on the inside is a soft, moisture-wicking acrylic/polyester layer. Lastly, a waterproof and breathable Artex membrane is sandwiched between, keeping your hands dry no matter what. I've worn these down to about 23°F in hail and winds hitting 50 miles per hour, and my hands were warm enough.

While best known for its minimalist camping gear - the brand's instantly recognizable titanium mug is a mainstay in Pacific Northwest campsites and cramped Brooklyn apartments alike - Snow Peak's lineup of insulated, down-filled and fire-resistant styles is criminally underrated. With perfected silhouettes, low-key Japanese detailing and sparse styling, it's slightly different than you're used to, but all in service of a better (dressed) outdoor experience.

The four-finger design is the standout feature of these gloves. Intended for cycling, it leaves your first two fingers free for braking and grip control but pairs your ring and pinky fingers together to keep them warmer than traditional gloves.

The men whose style stand out on the slopes know that difference lies in the details - the cut, the fabrics, the finish. These men won't settle for bulky jackets or purely functional one-pieces; instead they look to luxury men's skiwear that works hard. Designs that are technical enough to handle the cold and the powder, yet polished enough to pass muster in any ski lodge or après-ski bar.

While the lake spares this area much of the bitter cold, temperatures regularly drop well below zero at night. We have weeks where daily highs are in the single digits Fahrenheit. If that sounds miserable to you its because you don't have the clothes to deal with it. In order to get outside and do anything in these conditions you need good gear.

I grew up just outside of Toronto and went to university in Montreal, so needless to say, I know cold. I'm no stranger to below-zero temperatures, snow up to my shins, and slippery strolls to and from extra-curricular activities. And if there's one brand we trust to keep us warmand keep us movingup in Canada, it's The North Face. I've been donning The North Face's parkas, snow boots, and insulating layers to stay toasty for as long as I can remember,

From a safety point of view, it is a lot easier to organize and take stock of the quality of your items on a calm, relaxed afternoon, versus the night before a big hike when you are frantically packing. It's also safer to learn that a rain jacket has a hole when indoors versus discovering the problem while you are miles in on an off-the-grid hike.

When you're touring in the backcountry, you'll want a different kit than what you wear inbounds at the resort. Inbounds, your main goal is to stay warm and comfortable, and you're usually not working nearly as hard as you do on the skin track. Touring generates a lot more heat, so your layering system has to breathe, manage moisture, and still keep you warm when you stop.

Skiing here has given me ample opportunity to test the latest and greatest snow gear, including base layers. But after wearing dozens of thermals in all sorts of weather conditions on the mountain, I still reach for my Kari Traa Smekker top and bottoms over any other pair. Whether it's storm skiing on a powder day or cruising groomers under a bluebird sky, my Kari Traa base layers outperform the other brands by a landslide.

Packing for a truly freezing destination takes more than tossing a few sweaters into your bag-something I quickly learned in the Arctic Circle during polar night, when "daytime" is pitch-black and the temperatures regularly plunge well below zero. Growing up in New York winters, spending the last few snow seasons in the Rockies, and now logging weeks above the Arctic Circle has taught me one key lesson: staying warm in subzero temps is all about smart layers -not necessarily bulky expedition gear.

There's a glorious smugness that can only be experienced by exercising outdoors in winter conditions. The fresh air, the endorphins, the reduced risk of heart disease they're all nice bonuses, but nothing beats that knowing nod from another rain-drenched runner, or the horrified faces of nearby dog walkers as you stride confidently into the sea for a winter dip.

in the Swiss backcountry. They're young men, both seemingly carefree and indestructible. During their run down the mountain, the pair notice an inn, remove their skis, and step inside for a drink and some apple strudel. There's an old stove throwing off heat; cigarette smoke wafts through the place. After Nick orders wine for both of them, he turns to George and says:

Shaped like a seat bag, the monstrous new Old Man Mountain 12L Atlas Rack Pack gives you more capacity with a more stable design...and still leaves room for a saddle bag above it. Well, there's room for one if you have a lot of seatpost extension, but it's also shaped for room to drop your saddle if you're using a dropper post, too. And if this is all you need, it keeps your center of gravity lower and your load more stable.

Arguably, the best feature of this jacket is its versatility. The Expedition Pack Down Hoodie wears wonderfully as a daily driver, is suitably rugged for outdoor pursuits, and is plenty sharp for a romantic date or a night out on the town. It's comfortable enough to join me for snowy sunrises over the ocean or walks along the marsh-yet still feels perfectly appropriate for something as mundane as taking out the trash.