winter clothing

My Favorite Black Diamond Outerwear & Gear

We’re at the end of November and many of us are already experiencing the colder weather associated with Fall and Winter. With that comes different outerwear that can deal with the harsher climate. One of the brands I’ve relied on for a while now is Black Diamond. Known for their mountaineering equipment, I never really gave them a thought for the activities I partake in; mainly shooting and hiking. One of the ‘industry’ guys that I follow for no bullshit opinions on gear is Kyle Defoor, which just happens to wear Black Diamond outerwear. After reading his thoughts on their rain shells and jackets, I decided to give them a shot. I’ve been using the following Black Diamond products for the past 2 years and can confidently say they are worth every penny you’ll spend on them. Hell, I might even buy another of each, just to have on standby for when my original pieces get retired.

Black Diamond Torre Wool Beanie

As the temperatures begin to drop, maintaining your body core temperature becomes even more important. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to wear a beanie. On average about 10% of body heat is lost through the head unless it is adequately insulated.

I’ve worn several different brands of beanies over the years; everything from polyester, synthetic, cotton, fleece and wool. The material I have found to work best is wool, whether that is 100% wool or a Merino wool. Merino wool tends to be more comfortable (less itchy). The nice thing about wool is that it can get soaking wet and still keep the temperature of your head regulated.

The beanie that I have found to be the most comfortable and able to keep my head insulated in cold/wet weather conditions is the Black Diamond Torre Wool Beanie. The Torre Wool Beanie is made of 50% acrylic and 50% merino wool. By using these materials the beanie has a nice slim fit, yet is not too tight. It also works well under a helmet for skiing or with ear-pro for shooting in cold weather.

Black Diamond Midweight Softshell Gloves

Trying to find a pair of gloves that will both keep your hands warm, but still provide dexterity and the ability to shoot a pistol has been a long time challenge. I’ve had gloves in the past that do ok at both, but they were not something I would’ve recommended to anyone. If you’re not a shooter or don’t shoot outside in the cold weather, then this subject may be a moot point. Me personally, I always have my Glock 17 in my go-bag/day bag when hiking (in the winter months), so having the ability to access the gun, draw it from the bag and shoot it with gloves on is a must. Those gloves must also keep my hands warm and dry during my normal outdoor activities in the winter months.

Also in really cold weather, you want to try to avoid touching metal with your bare hands (this includes your firearms). To be able to safely and accurately employ your pistol in cold weather, you need a quality pair of gloves that are somewhat tight and thin, but still have the ability to retain heat and keep snow and rain out.

Depending on how serious of an outdoor shooter you are in the colder winter months, you may want to have a few different types of gloves for different temperature variations. For this article, we are going to look at a quality glove that will cover the needs of most outdoor shooters and enthusiasts. That glove is the Black Diamond Midweight Softshell.

With the Black Diamond Midweight Softshell glove, I’m able to get a positive grip on my Glock 17, work the trigger and magazine release with no issues or malfunctions.

Black Diamond First Light Hoody

As most of you know Black Diamond makes some quality gear and clothing for those living an outdoor lifestyle. The Black Diamond name is quite popular among those that rock climb, rappel, ski and snowboard. They are at the top of the food chain for their industry. I also know of several shooters that swear by Black Diamond and use it for shooting in cold weather and other less than ideal weather conditions. Because of their reputation in the outdoor and shooting industry, I had to give them a try. Enter the Black Diamond First Light Hoody.

This jacket is a no-frills, simple yet durable piece of clothing. The jacket does have somewhat of an athletic fit to it which I really like. That translates into less bulk making it more streamlined for rock climbing or running and gunning on the range. I recently had it outdoors during a cooler fall day. The air temperature was hovering around 40 with sporadic rain and 20mph wind gusts. The First Light Hoody kept me protected from the elements and warm. I’m going to continue to wear it through the fall and into early winter. I will give an update of how this jacket performs and how cold I can take it down to and still be comfortable. Stay tuned…

Black Diamond Spot Headlamp

The importance of having a light source in your loadout should never be overlooked, even if you’re only going on a simple day hike. You never know when Murphy is going to visit and turn your day hike into an overnight stay in the woods.

I keep a headlamp in my daily loadout that goes with me to the office, too. You never know when the lights will go out or if you will need to change that vehicle tire at night. The primary advantage of using a headlamp over a traditional flashlight is the fact that it leaves both hands available to use.

There are a lot of different styles of headlamps on the market and many brand names. One of those brands that I trust and use is Black Diamond. The Black Diamond Spot Headlamp is a powerful headlamp with easy on-the-fly lighting adjustments.

f you enjoy the outdoors and are looking for a lighting option for low light or night time, pick up a Black Diamond Spot Headlamp. These are outstanding and won’t break the bank. I’ve used this at night in the rain with zero issues. The fact that it takes the same batteries as my GPS and backup light—AAA batteries—is a nice bonus. This is very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. In fact, I’ve actually fallen asleep with it on while reading a book. This headlamp has found a permanent spot—no pun intended—in my hiking loadout.

Black Diamond Neutrino Carabiner

I never really had any use for carabiners prior to my service in the Marine Corps. During my enlistment, I attended the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center where we learned several methods of rappelling, cliff assaults, and general wilderness survival. We were all issued several carabiners for the course. Carabiners soon became very convenient to clip gear to the outside of my ruck, clip my ruck to a tension line while crossing streams, tying a swiss seat and using a carabiner to clip into the line and the list goes on.

After leaving the military I don’t recall really having a use for them anymore. I still have the two I used at the Mountain Warfare Training Center (man are they heavy), but never used them. Once in a while, I would get them out and reminisce about the good ole times. Fast forward several years as I got back into shooting, backpacking, hiking and general preparedness. With a different mindset, I now see many uses for a carabiner on a daily basis. Let take a look at a few.

You’re only limited by your imagination as to what you can do with a carabiner. They are not just for climbing and rappelling. They come in handy for everyday uses if you think outside the box. I personally stay away from the cheap carabiners sold at the checkouts of hardware stores. For EDC purposes I recommend the Black Diamond Neutrino. It’s a lightweight, low profile, climbing rated carabiner.

Be sure to check out our other reviews on Black Diamond Gear

Loadout Room photo of the day | Winter riding gear – boots

I use the Sidi All Roads boots. Full Goretex liner, good protection throughout, resole-able and they’ll go over or under any pants. I’ve personally used them at 25 degrees for two-plus hours at 80+ MPH with only a normal Darn Tough Vermont wool sock and had no issues. Buy once.

Courtesy of Defoor Proformance

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 very rare to find a quality U.S.-manufactured synthetic jacket capable of competing with the big producers in the outdoor industry. As it stands, it appears NW Alpine is sticking a foot into the industry’s doorway.

You can read more about NW Alpine’s history and vision here.

My goal is to give a quick first impression 0f the fit and features of this jacket, with a full review to follow in the coming weeks.

Colors available: Glacier Blue

nw-alpine-belay-jacket-front — (Image Courtesy: retailstudiopdx.com)

Sizes available: S-XL

Weight: The listed weight of a medium is 21 ounces. I confirmed this on my personal scale to be 20.88 ounces.

In a market where companies are boasting lighter and lighter weights for their products, integrity has slipped, with many posting numbers that aren’t accurate. If a company is not truthful about the weight of the product, what other aspects of the product’s performance are they not telling the consumer? It is refreshing to see NW Alpine post a weight that is rounded up instead of down.

Material:

Shell: 30-Denier nylon
Liner: 20-Denier nylon
Insulation: Four ounces of Primaloft One in the torso and three ounces of Primaloft One in the hood and sleeves.

MSRP: $270

Fit and sizing: When I pulled this jacket out of the box and held it up, I was slightly concerned that it was going to be too boxy for my body type and liking. I am 5’9″ and 170 pounds, and the medium fits me very well.

It is designed as a belay jacket, so there is room to layer underneath, but still retains an athletic fit. I can wear the jacket with just a t-shirt underneath without it feeling like it’s floating around or baggy. The inner liner, as stated on NW Alpine’s website, is very smooth and allows for easy donning and removal without snagging or bunching.

Hood: The hood easily fits over a helmet, but is not so large as to be cumbersome and floppy in high winds without a helmet. There are two pull tabs on either side of the collar for quick adjustments and to really batten down the hatches. However, there is no adjustment on the rear to pull the the sides of the hood and increase peripheral vision.
Sleeves: The sleeves are long enough to allow for fully extended arms without exposing my wrists. The elastic cuffs are tight enough to prevent the sleeves from slipping over my hands or riding up my arms, but have enough give to easily slip over a pair of gloves.

Length: The torso length of the jacket allows me to bend over or squat down and not expose my lower back to the elements. This jacket could be used while climbing in very cold conditions, as it is long enough to be worn under a climbing harness and not come untucked during vigorous movement. The lower hem of the jacket has an adjustable pull cord on either side of the zipper. The only downfall I see with these is that they require two hands to operate. I see no problem with this as I do not continuously adjust the hem of my jackets. I’m a set-it-and-forget-it kind of person.

Features: The jacket has two unlined hand-warmer pockets (probably not a big deal that they’re unlined, since, if you are wearing this jacket, you are probably wearing gloves as well) and one right-sided outer chest pocket. The handwarmer pockets have a 6″ zipper but have a large 7 x 12″ interior. The chest pocket has a 5″ zipper and 6 x 6″ interior—large enough to hold a pair of sunglasses or other small accessories such as a headlamp, but not large enough for items such as maps or goggles.

The interior of the jacket has two very roomy fine-mesh stretch pockets that measure at 10 x 12″. This is a standout feature of the jacket due to the pocket size and breathability. These pockets enable the user to dry out wet climbing gloves while wearing their dry gloves belaying. Back to climbing? Boom, dry gloves. I have even utilized this pocket style on other jackets to dry out a damp pair of socks around camp. The inner stretch pockets are perfect for keeping items dry, warm, and out of the elements.

Belay Jacket Inside Mesh Pocket — Inside stretch mesh pocket

Two-way zippers allow for the lower portion of the jacket to be unzipped and moved out of the way when using a belay device, while still keeping the upper half of the torso protected from the elements.

The jacket is very compressible for its warmth and fill weight. Although I have not had the opportunity to use it with a compression sack, I managed to fit the jacket into a 7 x 6″ accessory bag with room to spare.

Application: As the name suggests, the NW Alpine Belay Jacket is intended to be used as a belay jacket or be worn during activity in very cold conditions. During the short time that I have had the jacket, it has been in the rain multiple times and kept me dry and warm. Though not meant for use in a squall or downpour, I plan on testing this jacket in a variety of conditions outside of the norm.

Pros:

1. Lightweight

2. Warm

3. Super cozy (my wife keeps stealing it to wear when reading in the evenings)

3. Packable

4. Plenty of room for storage and drying out wet items

5. Two-way zipper

nw-alpine-belay-jacket-zipper — Center zipper with chest pocket

Cons:

1. No rear hood adjustment

2. Hem adjustment requires two hands

3. Chest pocket will not fit larger items such as goggles

Bottom Line: Upon initial inspection and given the short duration I have been able to use this jacket, I am very impressed with its warmth and features. The durability factor is, at this point, an unknown, but will be found out shortly and covered in the full review. I have reason to believe that this belay jacket is one of the best synthetic jackets of its kind on the market and would serve the seasoned alpinist to the northern dweller very well.

Rating: 4/5

The NW Alpine Belay Jacket can be purchased online at nwalpine.com.

NW Alpine Black Spider Hoody: First Impression

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 notorious wall. The NW Alpine Black Spider Hoody is a form-fitting base, mid, or standalone layer intended to keep you warm and comfortable as your favorite ratty old sweatshirt.

NW Alpine Black Spider Hoody: Functional in a wide variety of conditions — (Image Courtesy: cascadeclimbers.com)

Colors available: Charcoal or Tomato Red

Sizes available: S-XL

MSRP: $110

Weight: 11 oz. (Medium)

Material: The Black Spider Hoody is made from Polartec Power Dry high-efficiency material.

Fit and sizing: The Black Spider Hoody has an athletic fit that moves with the body, but is not restrictive or overly tight in any region. The sleeves are cut a little longer than most base layers and give adequate coverage, especially with the sewn-in thumb-loops. The hoody is long enough to stay tucked into trousers and adds a little extra warmth to the backside. There is a single right-sided chest pocket that is used for smaller items such as sunglasses, headlamps, or a gell packet. The pocket is best utilized when the hoody is worn as a stand-alone or outer layer in warmer or active conditions.

I am 5’9″, 170 pounds, and the medium-size fits very well. The Polartec Power Dry material is very stretchy, smooth on the outside, and the tiny checkerboard lining of the material is soft and seems to aid in vapor transfer. The hood has full coverage with a balaclava-style neck that reaches to the chin when fully zipped.

For those that have used the Patagonia R1 Hoody, you’ll find the Black Spider Hoody is much thinner. If you are an individual that tends to overheat when moving, like I am, take a look at this hoody as an alternative. Plus, the price is $40 cheaper than that big-name brand.

Application: In the week that I have used the Black Spider Hoody, I have found that wearing a tech t-shirt under the hoody enables me to use the garment in a wide variety of conditions. I have worn this item for six days straight while hiking, running, and sitting around the house. When sedentary, and when the air temperature drops below the 40° F mark, I will throw on another layer and remain very comfortable.

Pros:

1. Warm

2. Light

3. Thin

4 Stretchy

4. Thumb loops

5. Balaclava-style hood

6. Accessory chest pocket

7. Deep zipper for temperature regulation

Cons: None apparent at this time

Bottom Line: I believe this item is well suited for high-demand aerobic activities in cool and frigid conditions. This item would be perfectly suited as a base layer on an overseas mission or while behind a long gun. Whether you’re on the way up a remote alpine wall, backpacking, or putting rounds downrange, the Black Spider Hoody will help keep you focused on the task at hand and not on your attire.