We’ve covered Ibex in the past, including why Merino Wool rocks when it comes to outdoor adventuring.
Ibex recently sent us their Wool Aire Hoodie to review. And it came at the perfect time, just as a cold snap was descending on the Front Range.
Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie
I was surprised opening the package. I knew they were sending me a jacket, but what was this mysterious package and why was it so light? Certainly this wasn’t the jacket! But it was.
The Wool Aire Hoodie is surprisingly light. A women’s medium is only 10 ounces. Mine, a men’s large, weighed in at 12.7 ounces. When wearing it, it is so lightweight that I often forget that I’m wearing a jacket. If feels similar to a windbreaker, but offers a lot more protection from the cold.
Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie
For testing, I wore it for cold morning walks with the dog and on a few hikes. Even on brutally windy red flag days, the Wool Aire Hoodie helped keep my body temperature just right (part of the magic of Merino Wool) and was breathable and moisture-wicking.
During a long hike, I especially appreciated the temperature control of Merino Wool. I was comfortable throughout without experience any sweaty discomfort or chilliness. When it got too warm for the jacket, it was also compact enough to tuck into my pack without taking up much space.
It also fits well. I’m 5’11” and 180 pounds. A large fit true to size and the athletic fit was perfect for my lean and somewhat muscular frame. While it offers great insulation, the jacket doesn’t look like a puffy jacket. It looks really good and sharp!
Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie
It features two hand pockets and a stash pocket on the left breast.
The scuba style hood was great, as well. Not a ton of excess fabric, but it moved well with my head as I leaned from side to side or bent down.
Since we’re publishing this close to Earth Day, it’s worth noting that the Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie is sustainable, as well.
The Wool Aire Hoodie is made from polyester, Merino Wool, and virgin nylon. All Ibex Merino Wool is sustainably sourced and the virgin nylon is made with Bluesign certified nylon, meaning that it using as few chemical inputs as possible. And with it’s wind- and water-resistance, it was made free of poly- and perfluorinated chemicals.
Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie
If you’re in the market for a new jacket, I highly recommend the Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie. It’s the perfect lightweight performance jacket for the backcountry, but stylish enough for listening to live music at the beer garden. It looks great and performs well. It’s overall quality is insanely good and I can imagine it lasting for years.
Something that had been on my Colorado bucket list was backcountry skiing.
I got the itch a couple years back when I went snowshoeing with a friend that opted to be on his skis instead. Every time I looked at him, it was obvious that he was having a much better time than me traversing the snow.
And a much easier time. There was a fairly long stretch where we had lost the trail and I was post-holing constantly—sinking up to my hip—while he skied past me with ease.
The second time backcountry skiing wormed its way into my brain was while driving through Loveland Pass. We kept passing parked cars on the side of the road and realized that they were skiers and snowboarders that were traversing the backcountry instead of the nearby Keystone Resort.
And when I saw those skiers and snowboarders, they looked like they were having a blast!
But backcountry skiing was a lot to bite off.
Where do I start?
How do I start?
Who could I go out with?
Enter: 57Hours
57Hours is a new site and app that connects people with guides for outdoor adventures. The goal of their platform is to provide a seamless experience for freelance guides and adventure seekers.
57Hours Homepage
For clients, it eliminates the hassle of calling around to different guides and companies to find the appropriate scaled adventure, a guide that fits your need, and then all the craziness of coordinating dates.
57Hours matches adventurers with the best-fit guide based on need and skill level. Plus, choosing a day for your adventure is as easy as booking an Airbnb.
For guides, the app provides another avenue for acquiring new clients. Plus, they only take a small percentage of your guide fee.
Because of our own mission to connect people with the outdoors, we were beyond thrilled when 57Hours reached out for us to review their guide service.
The User Experience
Navigating the 57Hours website and app was a breeze.
When you first land on their site, you can select your ideal adventure type and location. You can also browse through all adventure types and locations to see the scale of their platform. You can choose to do something locally or all the way across the world.
For myself, I chose backcountry skiing and selected locations in Colorado.
The closest adventure opportunity to me was in Rocky Mountain National Park, so I chose that.
57Hours Trip Booking User Interface
As mentioned before, the user interface was very similar to Airbnb.
I selected dates that would work best and added a note for the guide about what I was hoping to get out of the experience.
Once I hit “continue,” I was taken through a checkout portal and had follow-up emails confirming my adventure and notified me that a guide would be in touch.
Pairing with a Guide
Based on my adventure, availability, and level 57Hours paired me up with a guide and pretty soon we began trading emails to lay out the details of the trip.
57Hours goes through a vetting process for their guides, so when they paired me with Max Lurie from Alpine to the Max, I knew I was in good hands.
Max was great at communicating and making sure that I felt comfortable going into this adventure.
I had a lot of questions about equipment and he was there, ready to answer every single one.
As we laid out details for the backcountry trip, he made sure that I knew exactly where we’d meet up, confirmed that I had all the equipment I needed, and helped me rent additional equipment.
Since we were heading into the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park, it was important that I rented appropriate skis, skins, poles, boots, and avalanche gear that included a shovel, probe, and tracker.
So far, the experience had been great.
As a newbie to backcountry skiing, I felt that I was at a place with my guide that I trusted him and I trusted myself and my ability to go out, have a good time, and not die.
The Day Of
Finally, the day had come. Time to go out into the backcountry.
I met Max at the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park and we drove in. After about 15 minutes we reached our destination: the Hidden Valley trailhead.
We spent some time at our cars making sure the gear worked. Max walked me through how to use my tracker and showed me how to put the skins on my skis.
Backcountry Skiing in Rocky Mountain National Park
The trailhead, at the very base, was flat, so we spent some time familiarizing me with the motion of backcountry skiing, which took a while to catch on. It’s very different from regular skiing and you can’t use the same motion as snowshoeing or hiking.
“Pick up your heel and glide,” I kept telling myself.
Once I had enough confidence in the movement, we started up on the trail.
When we reached switchbacks, Max paused again and showed me how to turn while on a vertical incline.
And we continued on.
Soon we reached the top of a small hill and after removing the skins, Max used that opportunity to check to make sure I could ski well enough.
It was at that point I realized that my ski boot rentals weren’t going to cut it. If there is one lesson here, it is to make sure your equipment is the right fit before you get out to the slopes. My boots were too tight and when I tightened them for downhill skiing my foot would cramp. For this test slope, it wasn’t so bad though. My foot was relieved when I made it down and loosened the boot for backcountry skiing.
Putting skins on
Once skins were back on, we continued on, going up about a mile until we reached the snow covered Trail Ridge Road.
We hydrated and refueled and it was time to ski down.
Throughout the entire process, Max was extremely knowledgeable and patient.
When we made it back down to the cars, we had some time left and Max took the opportunity to do some basic backcountry avalanche training. He familiarized me with my rental equipment and we practiced beacon retrieval.
Conclusion
Overall, this was a great experience.
Getting the experience in the backcountry and avalanche training is something I’ll be able to carry with me and use during my next adventure.
And I know that I wouldn’t have done this without having someone like Max to guide me.
57Hours made is easy to find a guide and an adventure that was a good fit. If you’re wanting to get outdoors for an adventure, but not sure where to start, checkout 57Hours. You won’t be disappointed.
One of the challenges with backpacking in cooler / cold weather is the back sweat.
I’ve rarely had a hike where I’ve been in at a comfortable temperature for the duration of the hike.
And it’s always on my back. I’m either feeling too hot in that spot where my back connects to my pack or I’m cooling down and you get a nice chill in that same spot.
Or I’m shedding layers. Stopping on the trail, taking my pack off, taking my jacket off, stuffing it in my pack, putting my pack on, and then feeling freezing a few minutes later and reversing that process.
It’s a horrible cycle to be stuck in, which is why I have avoided winter backpacking.
Until now.
Pak-Jak: The Best Backpacking Jacket
Pak-Jak took on this exact case study to create the best backpacking jacket.
The Swappable Back Jacket
Their jacket is designed for ultimate flexibility on the trail with an interchangeable and flexible back.
Puffy jacket back
Mesh jacket back
Or no jacket back with connectable straps to secure your pack.
With this flexibility, it is entirely possible to start your hike with the puffy jacket back and swap out the back when you feel too warm. And I think that’s a great option for long, all-day or multi-day hikes.
When I tested this feature, it took around 90 seconds to swap out the back for the mesh back and just over three minutes to fully remove the back and connect the straps to the jacket and the pack.
Which isn’t bad. When I swapped backs, I didn’t go back to the full jacket. Because I swapped before my base layers were sweaty, I was able to manage my temperature. Plus, my backpack provided enough coverage from the cold on my back.
Options, Options, Options
I don’t call the Pak-Jak the best backpacking jacket easily.
But this jacket earns that title because of it’s flexibility.
I can’t tell you how often I am planning a day trip and I am standing there, staring at my gear closet, trying to decide what to take with me.
Part of that is because I am trying to account for all scenarios.
When you’re above tree level, weather can change very quickly, and I want to be as safe as possible.
But I also want to be comfortable.
On top of the ability to change out jacket backs, the Pak-Jak also had a detachable hood.
The hood itself adds 2.1 oz. to the total weight of the jacket.
With the full back, the jacket weighs in at 15.7 oz; the mesh back is 16.4 oz; and without any back is 11.8 oz.
Now, while there are three options, I do suggest trying out the mesh back versus the no back prior. That way for your hike, you’re only carrying one option to swap out to instead of two.
Features
The Pak-Jak features Primaloft Gold Insulation; one of the best highest performing synthetic insulations.
It has a great warmth-to-weight ratio, which is why the Pak-Jak is so light.
During one of my test hikes, it was snowing. And even with a heavy, wet snow, I found that the jacket had great water-repellency and wet protection.
The jacket also has a no-chafe guard at the top of the zipper near the neck. During my cold weather hikes I really appreciated this feature because I could keep the jacket zipped tight and not feel like my chin was going raw.
For the puffy back and the mesh back, they are connected with zippers. There are guards on the bottom that fold over the zipper so that your backpack doesn’t accidentally loosen the connection.
Pak-Jak Back Strap
If you swap to the no back option, the straps that are included synch the back of the jacket so that it isn’t blowing free. But the jacket also comes with universal shoulder straps to help keep your backpack connected to the jacket and minimize bounce.
Conclusion
I think the Pak-Jak is the best backpacking jacket on the market.
It’s a new company and I think this product is going to shake up this category.
The product designers were very intentional with everything they put into this jacket.
I should note that this jacket does come in Men and Women sizes. I test a Large and I’m 5’11” and 185 pounds.
Outdoor Research sent our team their Skytour AscentShell Bib and Jacket to test. It was perfect timing because ski season had just started.
Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Kit
The Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Kit uses a proprietary waterproof/breathable membrane to provide top-of-the-line weather resistance. The Bib and Jacket combo is the most breathable water-resistant hardshell we have tested. It is comfortable to wear and stretchy. It has a lot of features, making it a great choice for backcountry skiers.
Breathability
Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Kit
The Skytour AscentShell Bib and Jacket provides little warmth. The shell is thin and allows air to pass through the fabric, so that as you’re moving up through the backcountry and working up a decent sweat, warm air can escape easily. This kit needs to be paired with insulating mid- and base-layers (such as the recently reviewed Ibex Baselayers). The warmth of this bib and jacket is comparable to a pair of hiking pants or a heavy rain jacket. But this lack of warmth is ideal for anyone that is wanting to ski hard and elevate their heart rate.
It also has several vents that were easy to unzip and zip with gloves on. This provided additional breathability and didn’t compromise the waterproofness.
Waterproofing
When we tested how waterproof this product was, it held up over our half-day excursion in the backcountry. Outdoor Research’s proprietary waterproof/breathable membrane is called “AscentShell” and is built in the bib and jacket. Both products are fully seam-sealed and the zippers are waterproof. The hood on the jacket provides good coverage, but it didn’t fully cover my ski helmet. Additionally, the bib’s legs are wide enough to fully cover my ski boots while providing enough coverage so snow didn’t pack inside the leg openings.
The Fit
Many of the hardshell jacket and bibs we tested were stiff and didn’t allow for a lot of movement. During testing, we found that the Skytour AscentShell Kit didn’t have that problem. The material is soft and stretchy and the brushed interior fabric is light on the skin. On the jacket, there is a fleece-lined chin guard, which provided an extra layer of comfort.
Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Kit
The fit is straight-cut which was perfect for my body-size and accommodated my mid- and base-layers.
I also found that the jacket and bib weren’t noisy. When I’m out in the backcountry, I enjoy the stillness the snow brings, and crinkly and noising hardshells can easily ruin that serenity.
Skytour AscentShell Kit comes with a lot of pickets that were easy to access and use. On the jacket, the two hand pockets and two external chest pockets provided tons of storage. The jacket’s left sleeve pass pocket was useful for accessing RFID turnstiles without stalling. On the inside, it has a mesh stash pocket and another zippered chest pocket. I was able to easily store and access snacks and my iPhone.
Conclusion
Outdoor Research Skytour AscentShell Kit
If you’re looking for hardshell jacket or bib or both, the Skytour AscentShell Kit is a great value. It provides terrific weather and water resistance at a much lower price. Plus, it has some amazing features and storage. If you’re heading into the backcountry, this jacket and bib will be the perfect companion for you.
The Skytour AscentShell Kit is available in Men’s and Women’s sizes. I am 5’11” and 185 pounds and I wore a large in both the bib and jacket comfortably.
Backcountry radios occupy an interesting niche in the outdoor community. They’re used operationally by heli guides, ski guides, mountain rescue teams, some mountain guides and ski patrol, but rarely by recreational users. I think the vibe is that they’re too sophisticated for whatever mellow multipitch we’ve decided to do today. In a word, embarrassing for weekend warriors, but I’ve seen so many people yelling at each other from rope lengths away, often making life-or-death decisions based on the muffled cry of their partner. Wild that people do that.
The established radio in the outdoor world is the BCA Link, which helps the above phenomenon make sense. It’s a 2-piece unit, and it’s burly. Beyond being a little intimidating, finding a place for all that in your pack feels like a lot. And it’s expensive ($180).
In the smaller, single body radio world, there’s not much on the scene, apart from crappy Motorola and Chinese radios. Having used both options for mountain guiding a number of times, I can say that they are unsatisfactory. Poor, poor battery life and functionality not built for the mountains makes them far from my first choice. With cell service, I would rather use my iPhone.
Enter the Rocky Talkie. It aims to bridge the gap, offering a slim, backcountry oriented design without all the bulk and presumption of the BCA offering. It’s marketed not only as a skiing radio, but a climbing radio, making long, windy alpine routes a touch less scary. With huge battery life and range specs and a much lower price point that the Link, I was highly intrigued.
Performance:
In my first two months of use, I’ve found these radios to perform on par with larger units. My local ski area is two large basins divided by a prominent ridge, and the radio has had no problem receiving or transmitting signals several miles through this ridge, and the fidelity has been strong. The performance is comparable to the larger sets used by patrollers across the mountain. Even in tight, rocky gullies facing away from the rest of the ski area, I can still pick up what’s going on.
The battery life has also been quite impressive. I’ve not charged them once since I picked them up two months ago, taking them out at every opportunity (maybe two dozen times). They still sit at about 70% battery life. While they will not sit ‘on’ for hours on end, they will stay on for about an hour without input before sleeping. If you are base comms, this is a little inconvenient, but these radios are designed for on-route on-demand communication.
Design:
I’ve also found the design quite inspiring. Attaching radios to backpacks is always a pain. Where do they go? Do I just cinch them on crane my neck in to speak? How floppy is the attachment? How large and obnoxious is the unit? Do I have to run cords to my backpack? The Rocky Talkie has two attachment points, with one pre-setup on a spiral extension cord. This means I can keep the radio secure on my bag, and unclip the main carabiner easily to bring the radio right up to my mouth. While orienting the radio initially was a bit of a pain, once I found my spot, it has lived on my bag ever since, even on ski tours where I didn’t need a radio.
The single unit design has also been quite nice. When I do find myself swapping bags often (Black Diamond Cirque 35 to Mammut Pro X, depending on avalanche conditions and terrain), it is really convenient that I don’t need to rethread the mic and transceiver through a port in the bag with every swapover. It clips on and clips off. Done.
Will I keep it on my backpack?
What Rocky Talkie set out to do, which was to create a safety tool that climbs and skiers would carry every day, is a daunting task. For people cutting grams out of their equipment lists, creating a radio that could be compelling for disasters yet still sleek enough for a recreational is hard. But I think they did it. This is a no-frills radio that doesn’t seem handicapped by that feature. It’s powerful and will go on my bag deep into the backcountry without (much) complaining from me.
