Since age three, I’ve been clumsily sliding down hills with skis attached to my feet. It’s truly a passion of mine. No other sport allows as much freedom, variety and exilleration as Alpine skiing. Well, for me at least. My mother, a Swiss native, spent her winters teaching skiing in Vermont. Sealing my destiny on […]
Outdoor Clothing
The Solo Jacket by Prometheus Design Werx
Prometheus Design Werx, also called PDW, is no stranger to producing amazing outdoor gear and apparel. Founded by Patrick Ma, the founder of Triple Aught Design, Patrick has a long history designing and producing some of the most highly favored apparel and equipment used by professionals all across the world. Based in San Francisco, PDW […]
Triple Aught Design Bastion Hoodie: Quick look
I just received the Bastion Hoodie yesterday and was impressed the moment I put it on. Thanks to the new Polartec Power Fill insulation, the jacket retains all the warmth without all the bulk of traditional winter jackets. I wouldn’t say the jacket is an athletic fit, but there is no unnecessary bulk anywhere. More on […]
Condor Aegis hardshell jacket | Waterproof and under budget
Condor Outdoors has been making products for over 20 years now. Starting with camping supplies, the Irwindale, CA based business soon expanded their product lines to include tactical gear. While their foreign-produced products gained some notoriety years ago for lackluster quality-control, I’ve heard from a number of people that Condor has tightened up their program […]
NW Alpine Belay Jacket: Chosen for it’s warmth, toughness and minimal packed size
The NW Alpine Belay Jacket is a compressible and very comfortable synthetic-fill jacket built for cold and damp environments. What’s intriguing about this jacket is the apparent design quality and the company’s manufacturing location. NW Alpine began in 2010, and has since continued to produce top-quality alpine gear, cut and sewn in Portland, Oregon. It is […]
NW Alpine Black Spider Hoody: Functional in a wide variety of conditions
The Black Spider is the moniker given to a formidable, 1000-foot-tall wall of volcanic rock and ice on the eastern face of Mount Hood above the Newton-Clark glacier. This area contains some of the most sought-after and heart-pounding alpine routes in the Pacific Northwest. NW Alpine has designed a hoody capturing the namesake of Mount Hood’s most […]
Infiltrator Jacket by Outdoor Research | Tactical Outerwear
In 1980, Ron Gregg, a dedicated mountaineer, found himself in trouble on the slopes of Mount McKinley. Due to a poorly designed gaiter, his climbing parter suffered from severe frostbite requiring an immediate airlift to safety. Despite the blown expedition, Rons gears immediately started turning and he began to work on a better solution. The […]
American Outdoorsman | Olympic Trail Vest | First Look
The history of the American Outdoorsman began as a television show back in 1988. It was there that they uncovered the country’s natural treasures for all viewers to see. The show continues to this day, featuring hunting, fishing, and outdoor adventure activities. With the Olympic Trail Vest, AO has ventured into the clothing realm by […]
Runbold HS Thermo Hooded Jacket | from Mammut
Living in a northern climate, I typically get to test a lot of the winter gear here on the Loadout Room. Which has its pros and cons. On the plus side, I get to use some of the latest and greatest outerwear in a climate they’re designed for. Whether it’s skiing, snowshoeing or hunting, I […]
Blackfoot River Ultimate Fishing Shirt | The American Outdoorsman
The American Outdoorsman, a clothing company based out of New York, has recently brought to market a sharp line of innovative garments. While visiting Outdoor Retailer in Utah, the Loadout Room met with this refreshingly young company to look over what they had cooking in the design pipeline. As well as what the company is […]