February in the frozen tundra of Northern Michigan and 115″ of snowfall can only mean one thing. Time for what has become my annual “puffy jacket” review. This month we’ll take a look at the Cold Forge Hoody from Black Diamond. I consider this jacket a solid middle weight when it comes to down insulated […]
Outdoor Clothing
Prometheus Design Werx DRB Woodsman Shirt
The Woodsman shirt by Prometheus Design Werx (under their Danger Ranger Bear line) is billed as being “like your grandfathers favorite outdoor shirt he wore to the cabin”. True to form, trying this on was very reminiscent of borrowing my father’s, or grandfathers, wool shirts for hunting in the Alaskan wilderness when I’d grown big […]
Columbia Heatzone 1000 TurboDown: The world’s warmest jacket?
The Columbia Heatzone 1000 TurboDown Jacket is touted as the world warmest jacket. That’s quite an ambitious claim considering the myriad of high-end down jackets available from manufacturers like The North Face, Mammut, RAB, Arc’Teryx, Marmot, and more. Columbia claims that the construction of this jacket is what sets it apart from its competitors. With a […]
Triple Aught Design Sentinel Jacket | Designed for the Violent Nomad
There have been quite a few written words about being the grey man, but what is it exactly? Being the grey man is a term for going unnoticed or being neutral in the environment in which you are in. You can find many of these grey man concepts in the book 100 Deadly Skills by […]
Outdoor Retailer 2017 | Outdoor Research
Seattle based Outdoor Research, known for their amazing outerwear, is applying its knowledge in another direction. Hidden behind closed doors at Outdoor Retailer 2017 is a preview of their upcoming Tactical line of equipment. Although not for public consumption, Hurricane Media was allowed behind the scenes to get a closer look. As the vault door […]
Unchartered Supply Company | The Hideaway Rain Shell
Nobody expects to be lost, stranded, or unprepared, but it happens. From freak storms, to plummeting temperatures, most of the time we are not properly dressed for the impact of mother nature. The Hideaway Jacket from Unchartered Supply Company can be that piece of gear that gets you through and keeps your motivation high, as […]
Grangers Performance & Down Wash | Quick Look
There’s nothing quite like that “dirty feet” smell of a down sleeping bag after a week on the trail. Or that funk emanating from a performance base layer post workout. Most commercially available garment washes are of the one-size-fits-all variety. But not all garments are created equally. In fact, the fabrics used on Gore-Tex outer layers, […]
Duckworth – The Working Man’s Wool
Duckworth’s wool is grown, spun, knit, and sewn in the US. Check out some history and our review the Duckworth Maverick Snorkel Hood. Is it the best merino yet?
Tru-Spec H2O Proof Jacket | Review
It’s cooling off outside in most of the northern US as fall is upon us and winter is fast approaching. In these “fringe” months, it can be 38F and drizzling in the morning yet clear up and reach temps in the upper 60’s by afternoon. The challenge is leaving the house with the right jacket […]
Mammut Nordwand Pro Jacket
When it comes to high-end alpine outerwear, most people haven’t heard of Mammut. But Mammut Sports Group AG, a Swiss company founded in 1862, has been supplying the outdoor enthusiast and mountaineer with high-quality equipment for over 150 years. Although popular in Europe, it’s remained under the radar in the U.S. for some time. But recently, […]