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Review: SAXX Kinetic HD Boxer Briefs || For higher output activities than original

By Andrew Skurka / January 13, 2020 /

When I learned that SAXX had redesigned its Kinetic Boxer Briefs (my long-term review), I was frankly nervous. Over the past two backpacking seasons I’d worn them for over 100 days in Alaska, the High Sierra, Colorado Rockies, and Appalachians, and I’d yet to identify a flaw. So a redesign struck me as risky, with…

Preview: Showa 282-02 || Winter-ized + black

By Andrew Skurka / January 7, 2020 /

After reviewing the Showa 281 and 282 gloves two years ago (281 review, 282 review), I contacted Showa urging them to develop a more outdoor recreation-specific version. In particular, I wanted to see a rain mitt (not glove) in a subtler color and with a wrist cinch. I got no response and dropped it. Their…

Review: Gore Wear H5 Gore-Tex Shakedry Jacket || The holy grail?

By Andrew Skurka / October 21, 2019 /

Nearly four years ago we first heard about Shakedry, a new “permanently beading” waterproof/breathable membrane technology from Gore-Tex that eliminated the need for a DWR-treated face fabric and that purportedly wouldn’t wet-out. If true, that’d be a big deal, because it would solve one source of failure of modern rain shells. The North Face was…

Long-term review: Black Diamond Rhythm Tee with NuYarn, innovative nylon/merino blend

By Andrew Skurka / April 24, 2019 /

At the end of a Black Diamond media lunch at Outdoor Retailer last November, I was given a t-shirt that we’d been quickly briefed about but that seemed like vastly inferior product seeding relative to the new powder skis and airbag packs that’d really wow’d us. I’m notoriously particular about my athletic clothing, and I expected this…

Long-term review: Saxx Kinetic Boxer Briefs || Pricey perfection

By Andrew Skurka / April 17, 2019 /

After my first trip last spring, I cut out the boxer brief liner of my favorite hiking shorts, which were designed for running and which I’d scored at Marshalls for $15(!) a few years earlier. The elasticized liner had lost its rebound, resulting in an imperfect fit and insufficient support. The shell was still in…

Review: The Packa, hybrid jacket/poncho || A for innovation

By Andrew Skurka / October 18, 2018 /

When I wrote the Core 13 Clothing series, I was frustrated with the existing rain gear options. Manufacturers were (and still are, three years later) unquestioning of waterproof/breathable fabrics, which fall short of their hyperbolic claims; and there was little innovation in format, with everyone stuck on traditional jackets and pants. Subsequently I was contacted by Edward Hinnant (“Cedar…

Running & racing in cold rain: What should I wear?

By Andrew Skurka / April 24, 2018 /

At my Outside Online blog I have shared clothing recommendations for racing in cold rain, inspired by the recent Boston Marathon during which runners endured 40-degree temps, a 10 to 20 mph headwind, and an inch or rain. I wasn’t at Boston this year (or, fortuitously, Barkley, which also suffered from difficult weather), but I’m…

Review: Glacier Glove Ascension Bay Sun Glove || Rare new item in my kit

By Andrew Skurka / February 7, 2018 /

The Glacier Glove Ascension Bay Sun Gloves protect hands not just from sun, but also from rocks, vegetation, and chilly breezes. Here, scrambling on sharp granite to Paiute Pass, 11,800 feet in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.As a native Easterner (and, perhaps, as a naive twenty-something), it took me many years and many backpacking trips to…

Review: Showa 281 Gloves || Inexpensive water- & windproof shell

By Andrew Skurka / December 13, 2017 /

The Showa 281 Glove is an inexpensive (less than $15), lightweight (sub-2 oz), and somewhat breathable shell made of waterproof/windproof polyurethane. Its exterior is textured and very abrasion-resistant. It is the unlined version of the Showa 282 Gloves, about which I have written a more in-depth review. Online availability of the 281 is limited. I purchased…

Giveaway: My Trail Company Chrome Umbrella

By Andrew Skurka / December 6, 2017 /

The My Trail Company Chrome Umbrella is an alternative to conventional rain gear. It’s lighter, more waterproof, and more comfortable in warmer temperatures. Wind, off-trail travel, and poorly maintained trails are a challenge for it, however. Read more pros & cons of backpacking umbrellas. I am giving away one new Chrome Umbrella, which was given…