As a climber, most of my weekends are spent in the mountains where the rock is prime and the views are unbeatable. Local crags like, Castle Rock, Indian Rock, are my playground on days where I can’t make the 3+ hour drive out to the Sierra. Sometimes it’s hard to give up that play time, and sometimes, the stars align and I have that opportunity to give back to the places where I play.
The mountains are a fickle place. Too hot, too cold, incredibly sunny, raging winds, all the weather that makes packing sometimes damn near impossible. Especially when you want to be prepared for all the things. When the mountains can’t make up their damn minds, there’s the Outdoor Research Whirlwind Hoody.
This past summer has been the summer of weekend road trips. Friday nights we were tossing our gear in the back of the car and driving for hours. I’m basically the best sleeping road trip partner you can possibly find, and I do it in comfort. The Black Diamond Dawn Wall Hoody was my best friend for those sloth-like hours and hours in the front seat.
Sometime last year I went through a purging spree. Everything I didn’t really use within the last few months had to go. Of the casualties, my REI Flash 18 Pack was the one I missed the most. Worst idea ever. I kept meaning to pick one up but never did, making do with the packs I had at the time (hi, Scrambler 30). When Outdoor Research came out with the Isolation Pack this spring, I knew that it was time for me to pick up a summit pack replacement.
Puffies have been my friend lately. With ambitious sufferfest mountain days, I often find myself hitting the trail early in the morning and slowly trudging out late at night when the sun is long gone. For days like these, I need insulation that moves with me but also doesn’t take up much space. The Adidas Outdoor Flyloft Jacket fits that bill.