What I Loved

Effective at Blocking Wind

There’s really not much else to say here. It’s winter in Minneapolis. Winter brings chilly, frigid winds from the north (and south, east and west). Its full softshell fabric is an impenetrable fortress to the winter winds. I can hear the wind. I can see evidence of the wind. But the only way I feel the wind is when its blasting the part of my face that isn’t covered by a balaclava.

Very warm

The Pearl Izumi Versa Softshell has a soft, brushed lining for insulation and its burly softshell exterior impressively blocks the cold wind. Wrist gussets do a great job of also keeping out any wind. Pearl Izumi states on their website that the Versa Softshell Hoodie is “best suited for the temperature range of forty-five to fifty-five degrees”. I found it excruciatingly warm when I wore it in those temps, even with a lightweight long-sleeved Merino wool baselayer. I had to unzip the zipper to quell the sweat. Temps in the mid-twenties with a 200g weight Smartwool baselayer—and only the baselayer—is the sweet spot for me. I wasn’t too hot and I wasn’t the slightest bit cold. Keep in mind I was comfortable because I was riding a bike at a good clip. So Pearl Izumi is a little self-deprecating in their rating. The Versa Softshell Hoodie will keep you warm in much colder temps than forty-five to fifty-five degrees.

Breathable

As it should be, since it’s a cycling jacket. It’s right up there with the better breathable softshells in terms of combining warmth and breathability. I have worn it with 150g and 200g wool baselayers—and once with a mid-layer for snowshoeing. I’ve worn it on commuting rides in temps as low as nineteen degrees and fatbiking in temperatures as high as forty degrees. The forty degree ride was the overheating sweatfest. Still, it kept the sweating and clamminess to a manageable level.

Versatile

During my testing period I also used it for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and trail running in addition to cycling. At taprooms and coffeeshop stops its relaxed fit, longer cut and drop-tail doesn’t scream bike tool. The Pearl Izumi Versa Softshell Hoodie is bikestyle at its best and in an era where the price of quality gear is climbing, it’s important to invest dollars wisely. When a $175 cycling jacket can be used beyond its intended purpose, it helps to ease the pain of higher price tag.

Loaded with Thoughtful Extras

For the commuter cyclist, it has reflective elements strategically placed on the sleeves, chest pocket and rear drop-tail for good visibility. Storage capacity is outstanding. It has a zippered wide rear pocket across the lower back that can hold a bike tool, wallet, phone, iPod, gloves, balaclava, etc. On the front, it has four pockets—two hand pockets and two secured pockets with zippers. The hood is generous, but not useful for cycling since it isn’t helmet compatible. But if you’re standing around after a ride drinking beer, it works brilliantly!

Relaxed Cut Allows Layering

Sizing is accurate. I normally wear a size small in jackets and the Versa Softshell Hoodie size small is the correct size for me. It is not a fitted jacket so it allows for a wide range of options in layering. The bulkiest layering it endured was when I was snowshoeing in twenty-one degrees. I wore a 200g weight Smartwool baselayer and an Icebreaker merino wool vest and it didn’t feel cocoonish or tight. I also wore it with a Kora Shola crew and a Pearl Izumi Pro Merino Thermal jersey and had the same results. So go forth and be creative!

What Could be Better

The Hood

It’s superfluous for cycling because it isn’t helmet compatible. The hood strings are long and ungainly (but reflective) and I have to be tuck deep inside the jacket to quell my fear of dangling strings on a bike. But if you plan to use it for any other activity, like snowshoeing or hiking, then it is just fine.

Final Thoughts

There’s so much to love and nothing to hate about the Pearl Izumi Versa Softshell Hoodie. It’s a jacket designed to be worn on and off the bike. Its style is classic and timeless. For the cyclist, it has the right amount of reflective elements and pockets in all the right places. For all other cold-weather active pursuits it blends the right degree of warmth, wind- and weather-resistance and breathability. For the bike-and-beer crowd, it doesn’t scream ‘bike tool!’ For all, it allows for a wide range of layering and versatility.

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Helinox Chair Zero

The Helinox Chair Zero tips the scales at a svelte 1.1lbs and folds up into the size of an overstuffed Chipotle burrito. The reason I love this chair so much is that I can fit it into my Osprey Mira daypack or strap it on the outside for a comfortable seat at the top of a mountain or for a trail lunch and beer. So much better than perching on a rock or sitting on wet grass. helinox.com | $120

Trail Butter

As an all-natural endurance energy food, Trail Butter can be thought of as either a “spreadable bar” or “blended up trail mix”. Either way, it’s healthy, unprocessed nut or seed butter comes in many forms: Single-serve packets, pouches and sixteen-ounce jars. Each flavor has its own unique blend of real-food ingredients and provides a balanced, slow burning energy that is calorie-dense for those long hikes in cool weather. So far my favorite way to eat this is to spread on a Pamela’s Gluten Free Graham Cracker and mix into oatmeal. trailbutter.com | $12 – $20

Kora Shola 230 Crew

Yak wool is the new natural fiber in town and the Kora Shola 230 Crew  is a technical baselayer that is made entirely of yak wool. I put this to good use hiking the Superior Hiking Trail over a long weekend as well as camping on the edge of the Boundary Waters in early October. Fortunately for me, it was cold and blustery with gale-force winds. I wore this under only a softshell windbreaker jacket and was amazed at how warm it kept me and its breathability.

You will especially love how soft it feels against your skin and the amount of wearings you can get in before you start to smell like a yak. kora | $145

Deschutes Handup IPA

Deschutes Handup IPA offers all that I love about a good craft IPA. I find it to be refreshing and hoppy with afternotes of citrus. Although it was brewed to honor Deschutes Brewery co-owner Colby, Deschutes CX team captain who lost his life to pancreatic cancer last fall, it’s still highly relevant for hiking—either as a summit beer, lunch beer or for your après hike celebratory beer at the trailhead. Please remember to Leave no Trace and pack the bottle out with you. deschutesbrewery.com

Garmont Tower Trek GTX Hiking Boots

Although our reviewer Julie didn’t actually bag Mt. Everest, she got close when her Garmont Tower Trek GTX’s took her to Everest Base Camp in October. These boots gave her the feeling of “walking on air” in high elevations and rough, rocky alpine terrain thanks to their beefy and aggressive tread.

They were also comfortable, stable, sturdy and kept her feet warm on the colder days of hiking when the temps plunged to 30F/-1C. garmont.com | $330

Hangtime KOALA

The Hangtime Koala is an ingenious clip and silicone harness system to quell the fears of losing your $1,000 Smartphone on the trail, in a lake, or down into the pongy abyss of a pit toilet. The phone harness is made from industrial-grade silicone that stretches enough to fit any phone. It attaches to your body (or backpack straps, jacket pocket, etc) via a strong polycarbonate clip and urethane tether that stretches up for four feet.

The more you tug on the tether the harder the clip’s teeth sink into whatever you have it anchored to. Simply attach the Koala to your phone, clip it to your pack’s harness strap or a jacket pocket and go. Crowdfunding is going on now and they’ve raised over $300,000 and have over 10,000 backers on Indiegogo. After their crowdfunding campaign ends on November 11^th 2019 KOALA will be available the general public on their site via IndiGoGo. hangtimegear.com | $25

Deuter AirContact Lite SL 60+10

Should your National Take a Hike pilgrimage require a multi-day out the trail, the Deuter AirContact Lite SL 60+10 is the pack that our team member Alli declared, “First and foremost, I’ve never — ever — hiked with a pack this comfortable under a heavy load before. I truly used every last bit of the extended 70-liter capacity, carrying my gear, group gear, and, at times, three full bear canisters and clients’ gear.”

She should know as she tested it on Minnesota’s Superior Hiking Trail, which has its share rugged ascents and descents, roots and rocks, and narrow trails on bluff edges required grace and balance.  deuterusa.com | $220

 Leatherman Free T4 Multi-tool

The Leatherman FREE T4 Multi-Tool could easily be the quintessential knife for the hiking trail. It has twelve different tools packed into a 3.6 inch-long frame making it a lot of multi-tool for the size and minuscule weight of 4.3 ounces.

It includes a 2.2 in. carbon-stainless main blade, scissors, package opener, awl, reamer, four types of screwdrivers, a metal and wood file, bottle opener and a set of tweezers. This multi-tool knife has a tool for just about anything you might run into; whether you’re working around the house or out on a wilderness hike. Our writer even used it to start a fire using the file and a fire-steel striker. leatherman.com | $60

The post 8 Hiking Essentials to Celebrate National Take a Hike Day appeared first on gritandgearonline.com.

What I Loved

Multipurpose Style and Use

It’s a given that if a piece of apparel has the Pearl Izumi logo on it it’s geared for cycling. The Symphony Thermal Jersey most definitely is but it’s hardly limited to just cycling. And with a price tag of $140, it could be hard to justify the purchase if it’s specific to one activity. In the month that it’s been cold enough for me wear it, I’ve also used it for trail running. Although the snow hasn’t fallen yet, I can’t see any reason why I couldn’t use it for cross-country skiing.

Fit and Size

The Pearl Izumi Symphony Thermal jersey is semi-fitted, meaning I had no problem wearing a short-sleeved or long-sleeved wool baselayer underneath. I wear a size small in tops and my size small sample seemed to be the right fit. I especially liked that it offers enough room in the shoulders so that I don’t feel constricted when I use it for running. For cycling, the sleeves are nice and long and fully cover my wrists when I’m in the aggressive riding position. They’re also ever-so-slightly flared at the wrists to accommodate cycling or running gloves.

Semi-fitted Cut Allows for a Baselayer

So far the coldest temperature I’ve ridden in the Pearl Izumi Symphony Thermal jersey is 31 degrees. I experimented with three separate wool baselayers to achieve that optimal balance between comfort and overheating: which is a blend of 57 percent merino wool and 43 percent nylon, a Kora Shola yak wool baselayer and a short-sleeved Pearl Izumi Merino baselayer. My personal preference in temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees was the Pearl Izumi’s Pro Merino Thermal Jersey. The Kora Shola was way too warm, although its sweet spot is much colder temperatures. The short-sleeved Pearl Izumi Merino baselayer worked well in keeping my core warm and moisture managed but my arms were cold.  

Warm

On its own I found it warm down to the low-forties regardless if I was cycling or running. The higher collar and long sleeves with angled, glove-friendly cuffs certainly contribute to keeping out drafts.

What I didn’t Like

Nothing. There is no reason not to buy this jersey for fall and winter outdoor activities.

Final Thoughts

Soft, breathable, warm, great for layering. Styled to wear on or off the bike. Fitted enough not to prevent bulky but also allow for a wool baselayer when it gets really cold. The Symphony Thermal Jersey is yet another win from Pearl Izumi.

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Kora Shola 230 Crew

Merino sheep all over the world are baa’ing a sigh of relief. For once it’s not them getting sheared with sharp objects. Yak wool is the new natural fiber in town and the Kora Shola 230 Crew ($145) is a technical baselayer that is made entirely of yak wool. I put this to good use hiking the Superior Hiking Trail over a long weekend as well as camping on the edge of the Boundary Waters in early October. Fortunately for me, it was cold and blustery with gale-force winds. I wore this under only a softshell windbreaker jacket and was amazed at how warm it kept me and its breathability. You will especially love how soft it feels against your skin and the amount of wearings you can get in before you start to smell like a yak. Full review coming soon to a Grit and Gear near you! Kora | $145

Fjallraven Keb Trousers

The Fjallraven Keb trousers are made from weighty G1000 fabric that is reinforced where you’re most likely to come into contact with rocks: The rear, front of legs, knees and inside the bottom of the legs. Despite all this reinforcement and heavier fabric, mobility is superb. I especially like the hem hooks on the legs that secure the legs to my boot laces à la gaiter-style and the wide, flat thigh pockets that are set directly on the front of the thigh instead of on the thighs—as if anyone needs more bulk added to their thighs. Should it start to drizzle on your hike? No worries. The Kebs are fully coated with Greenland Wax, a blend of beeswax and paraffin to resist drizzle. Fjallraven | $225

GORE R3 GORE-TEX Active Hooded Jacket

It’s brutally hard—impossible really—to condense the GORE® R3 GORE-TEX Active Hooded Jacket’s sheer amazinglyness (<<yes, it’s a real word now) in a snippet for this list. A full review is coming though. Until then, the high-level highlights will have to suffice. My first time using this jacket was the weekend of the Superior Hiking Trail in early October. I couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was either drizzling or raining non-stop all day and frosty, miserable gales blew from all directions. The non-GORE R3 GORE-TEX Active Hooded jacket-wearers of my group waxed endless poetic about the less-than-perfect hiking conditions. Me? I didn’t feel a thing. I’m always astounded at how GORE can produce a piece of gear so light and miniscule that works as brilliantly as it does in blocking wind and keeping one dry. Gorewear | $200

SOG Terminus XR Knife

The SOG Terminus XR is a lightweight (3.2 ounces) “EDC” knife that virtually disappears into your pocket but still inspires plenty of confidence on the trail. With a three-inch blade length and 7.2-inch overall length, it is just right. It travels very discreetly due to the deep-carry style and reversible pocket clip. The material is D2 allow, which was created for making the dies that stamped out metal parts for World War II aircraft. This means it is tough and very resistant to abrading – even against other metals. SOG | $70

LOWA Aerano GTX

The nimble and lightweight  LOWA Aerano GTX day hikers can’t be any more ideal for fall hiking, thanks to their Gore-Tex waterproof laminate and side ventilation outlets that allow foot sweat and other moisture to escape from the bottom. Fit and stability is outstanding and traction is very good. Although the lugs aren’t as aggressive as full-on hiking boot, they work well at shedding mud and debris. And wow, the comfort. These are boots that you won’t race to kick off at the end of the day or plunge your feet into a cold lake. LOWA | $210

DRYGUY Travel Dry DX

The DRYGYT Travel Dry DX is a shoe and boot dryer and warmer that dries and warms your shoes and boots after, say, a day of hiking that turns to rain. The reason we love this piece of gear so much is its portability. It plugs into an outlet at home, it plugs into your car, and it fits neatly into a carryon or daypack for when you travel. Brilliantly easy to use, too. Just put the fan piece that blows heated air in to your shoe and plug it into your home or car. DRYGUY | $40

Katadyn BeFree

The Katadyn BeFree is an ultra-lightweight and compact/collapsible water bottle with an integrated microfilter that allows you to filter water for drinking. The reason I love this so much for hiking is that it’s water filtration at its most nascent and basic core: Just unscrew the cap, dip the bottle into a lake or river, re-screw the cap and drink. The filtration process takes place with each suck or blast and filters the invisible fluvial zoo that is lake and river water. The container decreases in size, allowing more room in my pack. I’ve been using this since 2016 and not just for day hikes. I take it on travels where I’m staying in hotel rooms so I can filter hotel room tap water into something that is drinkable. I have yet to be admitted to the ER with “intestinal discomfort” from Cryptosporidium, Giardia, E-Coli and Salmonella. Yay Katadyn BeFree! Katadyn |$40

MSR DynaLock Explore Backcountry Poles

While the MSR DynaLock Explore Backcountry Poles are sturdy and versatile for hiking on just about any terrain or conditions, we love them most for their functionality in all seasons as well as their collapsibility. Sometimes on the trail, you need sticks. Other times you don’t. For the times that you don’t, they squish down to a size that is easily stashable in your day pack. The handles are comfortable, and with each strike, we can feel the lateral stiffness and durability. MSR | $100

Mystery Ranch Coulee 25 Backpack

Other than the fact that the Mystery Ranch Coulee 25 is a “kick-ass pack with easy access to your gear and perfect for a good, long day-hike with superb durability”—as stated by writer Erica–it doesn’t hurt that it’s a sharp-looking pack. For those fall-color day hikes, it holds all your necessary items like snacks, GORE R3 GORE-TEX Active Hooded Jacket, Katahdyn BeFree, MSR DynaLock Explore hiking sticks and your SOG Terminus XR knife. MysteryRanch | $169

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