Softshell pants are, in my opinion, one of the single greatest clothing innovations to come along in quite a while, especially for climbing. I have tried the traditional 3 layer approach on my legs and it fails every time. Hard shell pants simply cannot breathe as fast as I need. The other problem with the 3 layer approach is the climbing harness. I have never heard a good explanation of how someone is supposed to adjust their layers while in a harness.
Insulation inside the Mixmaster softshell pants.
The better solution is one pair of pants that do everything and handle a wide range of conditions. The reality is in freezing conditions, there just isn’t that much water to worry about, so claims of waterproof pants being a necessity are overblown. Breathability and wind blocking ability are the real keys.
My favorite cold conditions softshell pants are the Patagonia Mixmasters. I’ve used mine all over the Andes to good effect. These have a very durable face material that has stood up to granite quite well. Any holes in the outer material are easy to fix with a dab of Seam Grip to stop unraveling, no special patches necessary. The cut is athletic and the material is stretchy and soft, making these some of the easiest pants to climb in that I’ve ever found. The insulation is just right for a wide range of temperatures. I find I don’t even need to wear a baselayer under these pants until it is constantly below zero.
Patagonia Mixmaster pants pocket with Seam Grip repair.
A key criticism I hear about softshell is how long it takes to dry. What I have found after soaking my pants on river crossings is that I continue to stay warm and comfortable even though the pants are wet. I can remove them, squeeze out as much moisture as possible, and then continue on, letting my body heat dry them.
Another nice feature is the cuff design of these pants. I rarely use gaiters anymore. The cuffs seal well around my boots, and there are two loops of webbing in the cuff. I lace some tent shock cord through the webbing loops and run that under my boots to hold the pants down. This creates a nice, gaiter-like seal.
Note: I was disappointed to find out that Patagonia had discontinued the Mixmaster pants a few years ago. DON’T WORRY! I contacted Patagonia, and they explained that they have updated the Mixmasters, and are now selling them under the name Speed Ascent Pants. I’ll buy a pair and review them as soon as I can wear out my Mixmasters!
Tags: climbing, clothing, cold, mixmaster, pants, Patagonia, softshell, speed ascent
A repair kit is incredibly valuable on longer trips in remote areas. Breaking a crucial piece of equipment can not only end a trip prematurely, but put you in a very difficult position. If your means of transporting your food breaks, if your means of obtaining fresh water doesn’t work, if your means of staying out of the elements is damaged, you can be in danger in a hurry.
Here are the basic elements that I carry.
- Leukotape
I’m not joking when I say this is my favorite tape. This has replaced my athletic tape and medical tape in my first aid kit and it has replaced duct tape and/or 100mph tape as my repair tape of choice. This is the best tape on the market I’ve found.
- Needles I carry a small supply of needles in a matchsafe. I still carry some matches as part of my normal load out. Being able to stitch up some of your soft gear is critical. Rip your pack? Stitch it, and seal it.
- Dental Floss I carry dental floss because it is part of my hygiene gear. Yes, I floss my teeth. But, floss is also a very sturdy thread, and it is waxed, so it tends to handle water well. This is what I use to sew together anything that breaks.
- Seam Grip
This is my go to adhesive for everything. I rub a little into holes on my clothes to keep them from unraveling further. If I stitch something, I rub some Seam Grip over the stitches to make sure they last. This is also the glue I use if I need to patch up an air mattress.
- Gerber Multipliers I use these extensively. The screwdrivers are handy if you need to adjust or repair crampons or snowshoes. I also use them to tear down my stove to clean it. The pliers are handy for pushing needles through heavy material.
- Air Mattress Patches This is pretty self explanatory. Most air mattresses come with a few squares of material that you can use to patch it.
- Stove Repair Kit I use an MSR stove, so I carry a full repair kit for it. The important things, in my experience, are having spare O-rings (especially where the fuel tube inserts into the pump), plenty of pump cup oil, and the tools to clean a jet.
- Tent Parts I’ve never actually had a damaged tent. I carry a spare bit of guyline these days because it is useful for a lot more than my tent. Other people I’ve met carry pole repair sleeves, zipper repair kits, etc. I’ve never damaged a zipper or a pole, so I’ve removed those bits from my kit. I may not be in the environments that tend to damage those things, although I’m often in serious wind.
That is what I carry for field repairs of my gear on extended duration trips.
Tags: gear repair, repair, repair kit
I enjoy trail running quite a bit. The surface is softer than concrete and asphalt, the terrain is less predictable, and the scenery is more beautiful. I really only run on trails I know very well, but I still take a small kit with me that contains some essentials.
- Leukotape As I’ve mentioned, this is my favorite athletic tape. Should I sprain an ankle, get a cut, or get some hot spots on my feet, I will use Leukotape to patch myself up.
- Foot powder in a Nalgene squeeze container I keep some foot powder in a very small Nalgene squeeze container. This is essential for dusting the Leukotape after I apply it, as well as keeping my feet dry on longer runs.
- Small med kit I carry a very small med kit that I keep in an Aloksak. It contains: BZK wipes, Benadryl, Immodium, small butterfly bandages, and Motrin.
- DEET Bug spray is essential.
- Headlamp I keep a Black Diamond Gizmo Headlamp
in my kit. It is small and light, and has a blinking function in case I need to signal for help.
- Knife A small sharp knife is useful in case I need to cut tape or anything else.
- Lighter Just in case.
- REI Doubleshot waist pack This is what I use to hold everything. It is a belt pack that holds two water bottles and has a small pouch to contain my trail running kit, cell phone, and a few gels. It also has an elastic cord to strap down some extra socks if I’m in wet conditions. I find it nice and stable.
And that is what I carry on my trail runs.
Tags: first aid, gear list, headlamp, leukotape, trail running
I’m always surprised when I see people using alkaline batteries in their devices in very cold weather. These batteries need to be kept warm constantly to avoid draining them.
Lithium batteries don’t seem to suffer the same problems as alkaline. They are lighter too. This is especially handy when you have a variety of devices requiring batteries.
Tags: batteries, cold weather
Belay jackets are an essential piece of mountaineering gear. I picked up the idea from Mark Twight’s excellent book Extreme Alpinism: Climbing Light, Fast, and High
Climbing involves one of two states; climbing or belaying, or to put it another way, motion or stillness. When moving, you work up a sweat. When you stop moving, you can easily be chilled as the sweat evaporates due to the high efficiency synthetic fabrics most of us use these days. This necessitates a big warm jacket that can be used over the top of all the existing clothing to help dry the sweat and prevent chilling.
Of course, such a jacket must, by the very nature of its use, be made with synthetic insulation. Down will not work when used this way. It will get wet from your sweat. It will get wet from snow and ice coated gloves that you stuff in the pockets to dry. Lots of people will be upset by this because synthetics are not as lightweight as down. I’m a huge fan of going light, but assessments must be made about the suitability of materials for the conditions.
Backpacking, snowshoeing, skiing, etc are all similar activities. You will move, and work hard, creating sweat. Then, you stop for rest breaks, for lunch, etc. During these times it helps to have a warm jacket that can also dry out your wet layers.
In very cold conditions, a pair of synthetic insulated belay pants will be necessary as well. These items should be carried stuffed in readily accessible locations in your pack.
My choices are the Patagonia DAS parka for the belay jacket and the Patagonia Micro Puff pants for the belay pants. The fit of both of these is generous without being overly baggy. It is easy to fit them over all of your other layers while still being able to move. They withstand the repeated stuffing and general hard use that they get from climbing. In very cold conditions, I often integrate these pieces into my sleep system to get some extra warmth.
Tags: belay jacket, belay pants, cold, DAS, Patagonia
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