Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan Archives - ��ϳԹ�� Online

6 Essentials for Family ��ϳԹ��s

elessard — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 14:17:26 +0000

I know it’s coming. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, no matter how recently they’ve eaten, I have 15 minutes, tops, until I hear, “Mooommm, I’m hungry!” My kids, ages four and seven, are, shall we say, extremely food motivated on our frequent hikes, boat trips, and nordic ski sessions in our home state of Montana. Woe to the parent who forgets to pack snacks for such outings.

It’s not just food to remember. They say that she who fails to prepare prepares to fail, and nowhere is that more true than on a backcountry adventure with kids in tow. Packing the right stuff, from clothing to bandages to bug spray, can be the difference between a fun family outing and a tear-soaked sufferfest. Trust me, I’ve been on both sides. You already know about the ten essentials—consider this your addendum to that list, family edition.

��ٳܰ��’s Bakery Fig Bars come in six flavors, including apple cinnamon, blueberry, and raspberry. (Photo: ��ٳܰ��’s Bakery)

Snacks (and More Snacks)

The single most important ingredient for success on our family trips? Having enough fuel on hand—and not just any fuel. You want your kids to love the outdoors, so bring snacks they love. Forgetting this simple truth has resulted in my children sobbing, screaming, and refusing to continue down the trail more times than I’d like to admit. But doling out a steady supply of tasty snacks will keep them going—happily! And I’m not above using the promise of food to entice them up those final steps to the summit or back to the car.

One snack that has stood the test of time for us over the past few years: , which come in six flavors, including apple cinnamon, blueberry, and our favorite, raspberry. They’re made with whole grains and real fruit and are delicious enough to satisfy a kid’s palate, and their soft-baked texture means no melting, freezing, or crumbling when shoved into a backpack in any weather. , with their real fruit and cookie-like flavor, paired with whole-grain oatmeal, are also big hits with my kids. also offers brownies in double chocolate and salted caramel flavors, made from whole grains, real cocoa, and dates. Bonus: All of the above are vegan, dairy-free, and nut-free, so they’re great for slipping into my daughter’s lunchbox at her allergen-free preschool.

Oh, and when you’re packing? Start with how much you think your kids will eat, then double it.

��ٳܰ��’s Bakery has a variety of bars and flavors to keep the kids happy and energized for adventure. (Photo: ��ٳܰ��’s Bakery)

Water Bottles

The second most frequently whined about topic on our trips: thirst. Hey, I get it—water is essential for keeping kiddos hydrated and healthy, particularly on hot days. Each of my kids has a reusable stainless-steel water bottle, because these vessels are durable, sustainable, and easy to clean. Mermaids, princesses, and personalized sticker art are highly encouraged. (I swear it helps them drink more.)

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Extra Layers

Of course you want a midlayer or jacket for each little in case the temperature dips or the wind picks up, but don’t stop there. Take it from a mom who once had to cut a sledding trip short because her son managed to a) find the only source of running water for miles, and b) break through the ice on top, completely soaking his boots and socks. It’s not overkill to bring multiple pairs of extra socks and even footwear. Now we pack another pair of secondhand winter boots for each kid on cold-weather excursions, just in case, along with spare mittens. If you have very little ones, also consider a whole spare outfit, even on summer trips. (Pee happens, right?)

Bring some extra layers in case the temperature dips or the wind picks up. (Photo: Getty)

First-Aid Kit

We have a lightweight first-aid kit in a durable zippered pouch, and of course we pack it on every trip. Except the one time I didn’t, and my daughter sliced her finger open on a tree branch. (Luckily, another hiker had first-aid supplies on hand.) You can buy convenient packaged kits or build your own. Be sure to include tweezers for removing splinters or ticks, gauze for bleeding, antibiotic ointment, blister treatment, children’s pain reliever and antihistamine, antiseptic wipes, and lots of bandages.

Sun and Bug Protection

Sunblock is a must, all year round. We reach for a water-resistant, reef-safe type with an SPF of at least 30. My kids squirm through an application of the typical goop styles, but those last much, much longer than spray-on brands. Tip: Try a face stick for easier application. Lightweight long-sleeve shirts also provide tons of coverage, no squirming required. Add a wide-brimmed sun hat and child-size shades on the sunniest days.

Most of us will also need bug spray, particularly in the wettest parts of the season. Picaridin and lower concentrations of DEET are considered safe for children, and both are effective in our experience. (Pediatricians recommend on kids under age two.) Many parents are tempted by “all-natural” formulas, but generally, these just don’t work very well. One that does: oil of lemon eucalyptus products, but note that they’re not considered safe for children under age three.

All ��ٳܰ��’s Bakery products are made with real, wholesome ingredients like hearty whole grains and real fruit into snacks that are plant-based, nut-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO Project Verified. (Photo: Nature’s Bakery)

Toys and Books

Yes, rocks and sticks serve perfectly well as playthings. But just like with adults, special treasures can go a long way. A friend of ours always packs a stuffed animal on hikes; she repeatedly runs ahead and hides it along the trail, then the children have to find it. (They forget they’re even hiking.) Legos and Magna-Tiles on the picnic table have distracted my kids long enough to let me cook camp dinner in peace. And soon after my son learned to read, he loved packing a book to read in the tent.

I can’t promise that following all these hard-won tips will guarantee you a whine-free outing. But I can say that packing thoughtfully will put you in a strong position for making those quality family memories happen. And that’s about as good as it gets with parenting, right?

believes simple, wholesome snacks are the best fuel for active, joyful lives. Founded in 2011, ��ٳܰ��’s Bakery soft-bakes the goodness of real, wholesome ingredients like hearty whole grains and real fruit into snacks that are plant-based, nut-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO Project Verified. ��ٳܰ��’s Bakery products include Whole Wheat Fig Bars, Gluten-Free Fig Bars, Fig Bar Minis, Oatmeal Crumble Bars, and Brownie Bars. For more information, please visit naturesbakery.com or follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

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Why Being in Nature Makes You Smarter, According to Neuroscientists

Kristin Hostetter — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:09:29 +0000

Hendrix Prather had a rough entry to school. When the now nine-year-old started kindergarten, he struggled to focus on his ABCs and counting,��chafing against the expectation that he sit still and be quiet. First grade brought more of the same. “There was a lot of discussion with his teachers about his participation in class, keeping him engaged and staying focused,” says his mother, Lindsay Prather. “He was capable, but couldn’t focus to move forward. He was labeled a problem kid.”

Lindsay pulled him out of his public school and homeschooled him for two years. Then, when Hendrix asked to return to a classroom for fourth grade, she enrolled him at a very different kind of institution: Woodson Branch Nature School in Marshall, North Carolina where she now serves as the school’s director of education. There, he spends the morning working on reading and math in the classroom, then moves outdoors for nature-based art projects, engineering assignments involving branches and rocks, and planting projects��in the school garden. Best of all, though, “Now I have an hour of forest time out in nature, and I get to go to a different place every day,” Hendrix says. “It helps me focus more and get my energy out.”

“Now he’s extremely focused during his academic time,” Lindsay says. “He’s just thriving academically.”

The Evidence Is Clear

At Woodson Branch Nature School, the mission is to grow healthier communities by providing the most effective childhood education through physically engaging lessons and ample time in nature.(Photos: Courtesy Woodson Branch Nature School)

Search the scientific literature, and you’ll find paper after paper reporting on nature’s cognitive benefits. Interacting with nature to pay attention and complete difficult mental tasks. Urban environments have the opposite effect. The nature effect is largely true across—even��with��short exposures to nature or��when subjects just looked at photos of wild places. around homes and schools correlate to better cognitive development in kids and better mental function ��in adults. Researchers have even documented physical changes to the brain with MRI scans: found kids with more access to green spaces had more gray matter, which is linked to higher-level thinking and processing. reported that simply showing people photos of nature improved connectivity between different parts of the brain.

The evidence that nature boosts brain power is “extremely strong,” says Marc Berman, director of the Environmental Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Chicago.��“Our interaction with nature improves working memory performance and executive attention performance—those are the ones that keep replicating,” he says.

Executive attention, also known as executive functioning, simply means our ability to complete higher-level thinking. Being able to plan ahead, work toward goals, weigh complicated decisions, maintain focus, and keep control of emotions—all of these skills fall under executive function.��Neuroscientists think these skills originate in the prefrontal cortex, the front part of the brain that was the last to develop, evolution-wise (and individually, too—).

Rejuvenate Your Brain

The Stress Reduction Theory, proposed by researcher Roger Ulrich 1991, says that nature promotes relaxing physiological effects in the body, like lowered heart rate and blood pressure. And when people are less stressed, they they’re able to be more focused and creative in complex tasks. (Photos: Courtesy Woodson Branch Nature School)

Every school day, Hendrix spends his forest time in a creek, on a hill, or in the woods on Woodson Branch’s 30-acre campus. “You play in the creek–today I built a dam,” he says. “There are really good climbing trees, and you can build bridges. There’s also a big hill that’s really good for hide and seek.”

The case for nature’s benefits on the brain is so strong, Berman says, that the major research question has changed: “Now it’s about nailing down why.”

As anyone who’s spent too long staring at math problems or balance sheets knows: concentrating��on something gets exhausting. Not only that, but daily life for most of us is also full of distractions—everything from an officemate’s cell phone pinging to a flashing banner ad online to email alerts piling up to a screeching garbage truck out on the street—that grab our attention, often inadvertently. Switching attention from one thing to another is also cognitively taxing, says Jason Duvall, concentration advisor and lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Program in the Environment. “We don’t really do multitasking, we do task switching,” he says. “In order to do that, we have to keep each of those things active in the brain, so it can be recalled and we can return. For every task that we add, we get worse at any other subsequent task.”

The outdoors, on the other hand, is in many ways the opposite of the busy, distraction-packed world we live in. One of the leading explanations, , first introduced by University of Michigan environmental psychologists Stephen and Rachel Kaplan in 1989, posits that the outdoors allows the overtaxed prefrontal cortex to rest and replenish. ��Attention Restoration Theory says that nature inherently brings us to a state of “soft fascination”: We find natural settings interesting and pleasurable, but they don’t require a lot of mental effort. “We think nature puts your brain into a rest state, that allows you to rejuvenate your attention resources and get back to work again,” says Berman.

There may be other things going on, all of which could be complementing Attention Restoration Theory. Researcher Roger Ulrich proposed the Stress Reduction Theory in 1991, which says that nature promotes relaxing physiological effects in the body, like lowered heart rate and blood pressure. “When people are less stressed, they tend to be more expansive and creative in their thinking,” says Duvall.

There’s also a concept called perceptual fluency. “The idea is that elements of the natural environment tend to be easy for our visual system to process,” Duvall explains. “One explanation is that natural features have fractal patterns, or repeating patterns at different scales,” like snowflakes or tree branches. “From an information-processing perspective, the brain has an easier time making sense of what’s going on. That may explain why people feel more refreshed after those experiences—the cognitive load is lessened in natural environments.”

The why is important, but perhaps less critical than the simple fact that it just works: If a mountain of neuroscientific evidence tells us that regular nature exposure optimizes brain function, well, we should listen. Whether that means an hour of forest time at school, a daily bike ride, or a lunchtime walk around the park, getting outside is a lot more than just fun or relaxing. It’s essential.

NatureDose is an app that measures your therapeutic time in nature. Set your weekly goal, then go outside and feel good. .

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The Best �´ǳ��’s Shells of 2023

POM Administrator — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:00:22 +0000

Every year, technical shells get lighter, more breathable, and more tricked-out with clever features. This year’s bunch represent a banner year in all departments: Designers have come up with stellar options in pretty much every corner of the category, whether you want a superlight, waterproof shell or a fully featured, alpine-ready shield. These ten women’s technical shells impressed testers enough to rise to the top of the pile.

The Winners at a Glance: Hardshells

Best Backup Rain Shell: Salewa Pedroc 2.5L PTX Light Jacket

Best Lightweight Backpacking Shell: Outdoor Vitals Tushar Rain Jacket

Best All-Arounder: Norrona Senja Gore-Tex Active Jacket

Most Comfortable: Columbia Mazama Trail Rain Shell

Most Stylish: Cotopaxi Cielo Rain Trench

Most Bombproof: Maloja TolpeiM

The Winners at a Glance: Softshells

Editor’s Choice: Crazy Jacket Fly

Best For Trail Running: Montane Featherlite

Most Luxurious Softshell: Mountain Equipment Aerotherm

Best Lined Softshell: Patagonia R1 Cross Strata Hoody

How We Test

Number of Testers: 36

Number of Jackets Tested: 40

Number of Miles Hiked, Biked, and Run: 1,117

Highest Elevation Achieved While Testing: 14,158 feet

Most Consecutive Days of Precipitation: 10 days straight in Anchorage, Alaska

Fastest Wind Weathered: 40 mph in Ram Valley, Alaska

To give this season’s crop of 40 new hardshells and softshells a workout, we tapped 36 backpackers, trail runners, mountain bikers, hunters, and mountain guides across North and South America. These women spent at least six weeks putting their shells through the paces, from cycling in Jackson, Wyoming to trail running in Vermont’s Green Mountains to building a cabin in continuous rain in Sitka, Alaska. Testers evaluated key criteria like weatherproofness, breathability, durability, fit, and features, then reported back their hard-won performance details.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan

Missoula, Montana-based Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan is the women’s shells category manager for ��ϳԹ��. She’s been testing and reviewing technical jackets for 11 years, a gig that has taken her from Turkey to Ireland to Colombia and many points between.

Becca Stubbs

Becca Stubbs has been one of her tried-and-true testers almost as long, and Stubbs’s recent move to rainy Sitka, Alaska bodes well for her gear reviewing future.

Annette McGivney

Southwest Colorado-based Annette McGivney has decades of gear testing experience and no fear of hiking during monsoon season.

The Reviews: The Best �´ǳ��’s Hardshells of 2023

Best Backup Rain Shell: Salewa Pedroc 2.5L PTX Light Jacket ($230)

(Photo: Courtesy Salewa )

Weight: 5.3 oz. (w’s M)
Sizes: XS-XXL
Pros: Superlight and packable, yet breathable
Cons: Small hood, especially with hair in a ponytail; tighter-fitting chest means busty women might need to size up

This shell’s wispy weight was the first thing to draw our attention. But when our Pacific Northwest tester Ciera Shaver reported off-the-charts breathability, we did a double-take. Many shells in the ultralight, just-in-case category can get swampy, but whether she was hiking in humid, 50-degree weather in Washington’s San Juan Islands or bike commuting on misty Seattle mornings, “This shell kept me dry, but enabled me to still exercise without getting overheated,” said The proprietary 2.5-layer fabric amply fended off precipitation, elastic cuffs kept out drips but were stretchy enough to slide up easily, and the adjustable hem was simple to cinch even while on a bike. While it packs down to tennis ball size, you still get two hand pockets and a full zipper. A few dings: The small, elastic-lined hood doesn’t reach to the hairline when wearing a ponytail, and though it zips up to just under the nose, doing so makes the hood too tight to wear. The streamlined cut accommodates a light midlayer, but a tighter fit around the shoulders and chest combined with the 12-denier nylon face fabric “made me worried I’d tear it while biking, though it never did,” Shaver said.

Bottom Line: The Salewa Pedroc is a great pick for active pursuits like trail running, hiking, and cycling. Its weight and packability are ideal for precipitation insurance while backpacking, but it’s not durable enough for extended or rugged wear.

Best Lightweight Backpacking Shell: Outdoor Vitals Tushar Rain Jacket ($230)

(Photo: Courtesy Outdoor Vitals)

Weight: 7.4 oz. (unisex large)
Sizes: S-XXL
Pros: Lightweight and protective, with body-mapped fabrics to enhance durability and breathability in key zones
Cons: Unisex fit means smaller bodies are out of luck; tight wrists and small hood

If you like your shells light and diminutive—this one packs down to the size of a small cantaloupe—yet able to handle backpacking in most weather, the Tushar is a worthy contender. The body-mapped construction pairs a more durable, hydrophobic version of Toray’s Torain 3D membrane on the back and shoulders to prevent pack strap abrasion, with a more breathable, hydrophilic version of the same membrane on the chest and armpits. The result kept sweat manageable when temps were in the 60s and below (breathability suffers in warmer weather, though pit zips help), while also protecting our tester during a downpour in Colorado’s Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. “When it was raining hard, I appreciated the long sleeves that covered my hands and the long drape that covered my butt,” said tester , “though I wished for some type of visor on the hood to shield my face.” The supple, 20-denier nylon face fabric is quiet, not rustly, a roomy cut allows for layering, and you get one chest pocket big enough for a smartphone. But the elastic-lined hood “barely fits over a ball cap” and elastic cuffs “offer no wiggle room, so I couldn’t pull up the sleeve to look at my watch,” McGivney reported. Fit note: Unisex sizing means women should size down (get a medium if you normally wear women’s large), and there are no options for women’s small or extra-small.

Bottom Line: Weight-conscious hikers and backpackers will like the Outdoor Vitals Tushar for mild to moderate weather, but its small hood and moderate breathability aren’t ideal for extended rainy days.

Best All-Arounder: Norrøna Senja Gore-Tex Active Jacket ($549)

(Photo: Courtesy Norrøna)

Weight: 9.7 oz. (w’s L)
Sizes: XS-L
Pros: Fully featured yet lightweight; highly protective; very breathable
Cons: Pricey; some awkward features

When you don’t want to compromise on weather protection, breathability, or weight, the Senja lets you have it all. Its three-layer material with a Gore-Tex Active membrane (Gore’s lightest option) passed the “shovel 4,000 pounds of dirt in the heavy rain” trial for tester “After hours of rain, my clothes were perfectly dry.” It performed just as well on a wet, 50-degree hike to Colorado’s 12,979-foot Mt. Toll, keeping sweat down with the help of pit zips and extra vents: one on the back (with mesh) and two zippered side vents. Features are a mixed bag: Some, like a rump-covering hem and helmet-compatible hood with a sturdy brim, drew cheers. But the small wrist pocket and “butt pocket that allows you to sit on your phone” felt awkward, and an internal waist strap (meant to make stowing the shell in its own back pocket convenient) poked uncomfortably under a hipbelt. The streamlined cut fit a couple of thinner layers, and the 20-denier nylon face proved durable over several months of testing. Of course, there is one compromise: It costs as much as a cross-country flight.

Bottom Line: The Norrøna Senja is a great wet-weather shell for those who want features without too much weight.

Most Comfortable: Columbia Mazama Trail Rain Shell ($230)

(Photo: Courtesy Columbia)

Weight: 14.1 oz. (w’s S)
Sizes: XS-XXL
Pros: Excellent wicking and next-to-skin feel
Cons: Bulky

Kiss that muggy feeling goodbye in this uber-comfortable shell. Not only does the honeycomb lining, made from brushed tricot polyester, feel super-cozy, it also works overtime to banish sweat. “When bushwhacking through thick, wet brush over my head in the Quinault Rainforest, I kept the hood up and pit zips closed,” reported tester Kristen Phillips, a field biologist on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. “I didn’t feel sweaty at all despite the humid, low-70s temperature.” The raised lining wicked moisture and kept the shell off of her skin. “Even in a sleeveless baselayer, I was very dry,” said Phillips. The proprietary 2.5-layer fabric works from the outside in too, of course—it sheltered her in an hours-long rainforest deluge that completely soaked her softshell pants. The 40-denier nylon face shrugged off scrambles through blackberry and devil’s club, while the two-way stretchy material provided full mobility. The streamlined cut works best with a thin layer or two underneath, and the longer-cut hem and sleeves are better for taller, long-limbed hikers. You also get a standard set of features: adjustable hood and cuffs, two pockets (ding: the hand pockets sit under a hipbelt), and pit zips. Weight and bulk sit in the middle of the pack.

Bottom Line: Hot-natured hikers and humid-weather explorers, the Columbia Mazama is for you.

Most Stylish: Cotopaxi Cielo Rain Trench ($200)

(Photo: Courtesy Cotopaxi)

Weight: 14 oz. (w’s M)
Sizes: XXS-XXL
Pros: Long cut for extra protection; stretchy; nice price
Cons: Bulky; not very breathable

Maybe your waterproof gear gets the most use when you’re walking to the subway. Does that mean you need to buy a second jacket for drippy dayhikes? Not with this versatile, trench-cut number, which has the style for everyday use plus the chops for leaving the pavement. The stretchy 2.5-layer fabric (100-percent recycled polyester face) stood up to two days of steady rain and 20-mph winds in Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks, and the long cut adds warmth and protection without impeding mobility. The fit is spacious: “While backpacking in the Buffalo Creek Wilderness, I comfortably wore the coat with just a t-shirt under it during the day, then added a fleece, vest, and puffy,” said tester “I was still able to maneuver to build a fire and retrieve water from a creek.” You get a cinchable hood, waist, and cuffs, plus two huge hand pockets and a freestanding collar for extra wind protection. Tradeoff: Testers steamed up hiking even in 45-degree, windy weather, and there are no pit zips.

Bottom Line: A casual shell that can stretch into wet-weather hikes, the Cotopaxi Cielo isn’t breathable or packable enough for more than that.

Most Bombproof: Maloja TolpeiM ($599)

(Photo: Courtesy Maloja)

Weight: 15.6 oz. (w’s M)
Sizes: XS-XL
Pros: Burly; breathable; fully featured; four-season
Cons: Heavier; spendy

When your objectives include the windiest, snowiest, highest-elevation destinations, reach for the burliest shell in our test. “I got stuck in Puerto Montt, Chile, for a week,” said tester and guide “It was raining like crazy with tons of wind, but I was the only one who stayed dry day after day.” Thank the proprietary three-layer fabric, plus storm-ready features like a two-way-adjustable hood (which fits over a helmet), super-high collar, and adjustable cuffs. And though it’s light and packable enough for summer backpacking—it smushes to Nalgene size— its 50-percent recycled polyester face also handled shouldering skis on a backcountry tour in the Argentinian Andes. But you don’t sacrifice breathability: “I wore this jacket when bootpacking up couloirs and felt like it was very breathable, and I loved the pit zips,” McNeil reports. More four-season features: four pockets (two chest and two hand) that fit skins or gloves and a medium cut that accommodates winter layers. But all that protection comes at a steep price.

Bottom Line: The Maloja TolpeiM is a shell for heavy-duty backpacking, mountaineering, ski touring, and alpine climbing missions.

The Reviews: The Best �´ǳ��’s Softshells of 2023

Editor’s Choice: Crazy Jacket Fly ($220)

(Photo: Courtesy Crazy)

Weight: 1.6 oz. (w’s S)
Sizes: XS-L
Pros:��Class-leading weight and packability; not clammy; excellent wind protection
Cons:��Few features; fragile fabric

It’s become cliche to describe ultralight windshells as “barely there”—and if we’re talking weight alone, that’s fair enough. But in terms of breathability and comfort, you can definitely tell you’re wearing the average wind jacket. That’s why the Jacket Fly, from Italian brand Crazy, impressed us. Despite smushing down to baseball size and weighing less than two ballpoint pens (the lightest on the market, as far as we can tell), this shell’s most laudable quality is how you don’t notice it when it’s on—but miss it when it’s not. “It’s the first windshell I’ve found measurably more comfortable and breathable than the ultralight rainshells in my closet,” said tester Ariella Gintzler, who loved it for backpacking in breezy, low-60s conditions in New Mexico’s Cibola National Forest and sunny, 50-degree runs near Santa Fe. “And the fabric is incredibly soft and stretchy.” An acrylic resin anti-stick coating on the inside also prevents clamminess. None of that means you’ll sacrifice wind protection: “During a blustery bike ride at 8,000 feet, my core stayed extremely warm,” noted Eastern Sierra tester Lara Kaylor. “It was like the wind was just whipping around me but not actually cutting through to my skin.” Features are necessarily spare in a jacket this light, but the elastic-lined hood adds welcome warmth, the elastic cuffs stay in place, and the collar is cut wide enough not to rub against your chin when fully zipped. Note: The 7-denier, “tissue paper” nylon deserves careful treatment, though we didn’t rip our samples. It all adds up to one more cliche that’s actually true, said Gintzler: “This thing is so light, tiny, and comfortable, there’s never a reason to leave it at home.”

Bottom Line: The Crazy Jacket Fly is the best, lightest windshell we’ve seen.

Best For Trail Running: Montane Featherlite Windproof Jacket ($109)

(Photo: Courtesy Montane)

Weight: 3.2 oz. (W’s M)
Sizes: XXS-XL
Pros: Really is featherlight; great breathability; nice price
Cons: Delicate; few features

Do you own a scale specifically for weighing gear? Then this ultralight windshell should make the cut. And even non-ounce-counters will appreciate the comfortable breeze protection this mandarin orange-sized piece provides. “I wore this trail running in Salida, Colorado,” reported tester . “It was 43 degrees and sunny, so I assumed I’d have to take it off, but I kept it on for a 90-minute run and never felt hot,” though it effectively blocked mild to moderate winds. At this weight, features are few: a full zipper, chest pocket that fits a smartphone, a hem cinch, and reflective spots on the back. It’s slightly stretchy, with a trim fit and long sleeves with partially elastic cuffs that stay in place. The 20-denier nylon with a DWR treatment demands TLC, though we didn’t manage to tear our sample.

Bottom Line: Ultralight trail runners and fastpackers will appreciate this streamlined windshell, especially if they’re on a budget.

Most Luxurious Softshell: Mountain Equipment Aerotherm ($280)

(Photo: Courtesy Mountain Equipment)

Weight: 9.5 oz. (w’s M)
Sizes: XS-XL
Pros: Great weather protection and breathability; full features; comfortable lining
Cons: Expensive for a softshell

This premium softshell does all the things well. Wind protection is dialed, commented tester Miranda Mosis: “This has become my go-to for biking to work in Jackson, Wyoming. Temps are in the 40s, wind speed is 20 to 25 mph, and it does a great job of blocking the wind and keeping me warm.” Details like a full-coverage, rollaway hood (it doesn’t fit a helmet), long-cut sleeves, and effective water resistance to light rain add to the protection factor. As we’d expect, breathability is excellent, and a soft, micro-waffle polyester lining “really keeps it from sticking to the skin,” Mosis reported. The 20-denier nylon, double-weave fabric stood up to snaggy sagebrush in the Tetons. You also get three spacious pockets, an adjustable hem, and elastic wrists, and the stretchy material fits several layers underneath. And even with those features and durability, it still packs down to honeydew melon size.

Bottom Line: The Aerotherm is the Glenfiddich of this season’s softshells, with a matching price tag.

Best Lined Softshell: Patagonia R1 Cross Strata Hoody ($189)

(Photo: Courtesy Patagonia)

Weight: 10.5 oz. (w’s S)
Sizes: XXS-XXL
Pros: In warm weather, it’s a midlayer and softshell in one
Cons: Constricting cuffs

Many jackets claim to work as both midlayers and outer layers. This one actually does. As an outer shell, the DWR-coated, 90-percent recycled polyester, 10-percent spandex double-weave fabric provides excellent wind protection. It kept Colorado tester toasty in 30-mph gusts on top of 14,006-foot Huron Peak. “My other body parts were chilled, but my core was warm and comfy with just a short-sleeve wool shirt underneath,” she said. And it was breathable enough to wear from windy days in the mid-30s to sunny, 60-degree hikes, though we did have to unzip for venting at the upper end of the range. But the Cross Strata also served as a comfortable midlayer under a hardshell, thanks to a light-yet-cushy, fleecy zigzag pattern on the inside and ample stretchiness. That flexibility makes it a true multitasker. “If temps were above 40 degrees, I don’t think you’d need anything extra, like a puffy,” said Mino, who took it backpacking in Wyoming’s Wind River Range. The feature set includes pack-compatible hand pockets, a chest pocket with extra pouch that’s perfect for sunglasses, and an elasticized hood that fits well over ponytails and ball caps. Cut is slim, with a shorter hem (not ideal for taller people) and frustratingly tight wrist cuffs.

Bottom Line: Truly versatile enough to earn its “crosslayer” moniker, the Patagonia R1 Cross Strata will save space in your pack and your gear closet.

How to Buy Shells

Hardshell vs. Softshell

Your first decision: Do you need a fully waterproof jacket, or would you rather have a bit more breathability and a bit less weather protection? If it’s the former, buy a hardshell; if the latter, a softshell is for you. Though technical hardshells are getting more breathable by the season, their waterproof membranes will still impede body heat from escaping to some degree. Another significant difference between the two is stretch. Softshells traditionally have a lot more flex to them, making them more comfortable to wear, but there are a handful of truly stretchy hardshells on the market these days as well.

What to Look for in a Hardshell

Durability

Think about what activities you’ll be doing most. If you’re a hardcore mountaineer, you’ll need a durable shell (check the fabric’s denier; the higher the number, the tougher it is) with high-quality features like a helmet-friendly hood and large pockets.

Weight

These bombproof shells are clutch in mountain weather, but they’re the heaviest and among the most expensive available. If you’re a dayhiker or ultralight backpacker (or just live in a dry climate), a much lighter hardshell will save space and weight in your pack.

Feature Set

Climbing? Make sure your shell fits over your helmet, has a harness-compatible hem and pockets, and enough stretch for you to move freely.

Breathability

Breathability is the major X factor in all hardshells. Different people prefer different technologies, but air-permeable membranes (like NeoShell, Outdoor Research’s AscentShell, and Pertex Shield Air) and the Gore-Tex family of fabrics are all good bets. Pit zips and long side zips or vents allow you to cool down quickly, no matter the membrane.

What to Look for in a Softshell

Softies are further divided into “regular” softshells and windshells. Windshells are the lightest of the light, meant to block wind and add a touch of warmth, and ideal for trail running and dayhiking. More traditional softshells weigh a bit more and often have the same features hardshells do, such as hoods, adjustability, and pockets. They usually provide a decent amount of water resistance, but won’t save you in a downpour.

When it’s time to upgrade your gear, don’t let the old stuff go to waste–donate it for a good cause and divert it from the landfill. our partner, Gear Fix, will repair and resell your stuff for free! Just box up your retired items,��, and send them off. We’ll donate 100 percent of the proceeds to��.

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Is a Clean Environment A Constitutional Right? This Lawsuit in Montana May Set a Precedent

Svati Narula — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:15:08 +0000

Grace Gibson-Snyder’s summer break from college this year will be full of the usual: practicing her kayak roll in the Clark Fork River. Backyard campfires with friends. Hiking the forested hills near her house. Except, of course, in mid-June, when the rising sophomore plans to hop into her dad’s Prius and make the two-hour drive from her hometown of Missoula to the Montana state capital of Helena. There, after huddling with her lawyers, she will take the stand in a historic lawsuit against her home state.

The Backstory: Held v. State of Montana

Gibson-Snyder is one of 16 youth plaintiffs suing Montana over climate change in the case Held v. State of Montana: specifically, the state’s active promotion of fossil fuel interests, which they assert deprives them of their constitutional rights. “The climate crisis is degrading and depleting Montana’s unique and precious environment and natural resources, which the Youth Plaintiffs depend on for their safety and survival,” reads the lawsuit, which a team of lawyers from Our Children’s Trust, Western Environmental Law Center, and a Montana law firm filed on the group’s behalf in March 2020. “Although Defendants know that the Youth Plaintiffs are living under dangerous climactic conditions that create an unreasonable risk of harm, they continue to act affirmatively to exacerbate the climate crisis.” The complaint challenges parts of Montana’s , which promote fossil fuel development, and the in the 1971 Montana Environmental Policy Act, which prohibits officials conducting environmental reviews from considering impacts that stretch beyond Montana’s borders (as carbon emissions do).

When a district court judge in 2021 brushed aside the state’s motion to dismiss the case and allowed it to advance to trial, Held v. State of Montana hit a crucial milestone. Though other groups of young people have filed similar climate lawsuits against states and the federal government, this is the first one that will see its day in court. That success hinges on a key section of the Montana constitution, which guarantees the right to “a clean and healthful environment.” Only six states have similar provisions; Montana is the only one in the West.

Why Gibson-Snyder Joined the Climate Fight

Suing her home state might be a drastic move for a 19-year-old, but for Gibson-Snyder, it was the logical outlet for an environmental passion with deep roots. Like many kids lucky enough to live in a mountain town, she grew up enjoying the outdoors. Hiking and mountain biking trails lace the foothills ringing Missoula, and deep, grizzly-filled wildernesses are an easy day trip away. Gibson-Snyder spent most birthdays celebrating with her family at Yellowstone National Park, and her high school graduation bash with a group of friends involved a bike ride up Going-to-the-Sun Road and hiking the trails of Glacier National Park.

“It’s part of my family’s tradition to be in Montana and be outdoors,” she says, noting that she’s the great-great-great-granddaughter of a settler who traveled the Bozeman Trail in 1866 to build a home near Virginia City, not far from where she grew up herself. “My whole family are hunters and fishers. I’ve been so fortunate to grow up with this amazing access to the outdoors. It’s so close to my heart, and it’s so important to me to try to protect it.”

Climate change is no abstract, faraway threat for Gibson-Snyder’s generation. These young people have experienced it as an obvious and persistent force. At the start of her freshman year in high school, smoke from a nearby wildfire—a natural phenomenon of the West, but supercharged by a warming climate—derailed her soccer season. “We had a lot of practices and some games canceled,” she says. “It’s so unpleasant to try to play soccer in the smoke. It settles in your lungs. It’s like breathing tar. Your nose, your mouth, and your eyes get itchy. It’s to the point of being dangerous because smoke gets so dense in Missoula. I was aware that it was climate change.” Even her graduation trip to Glacier carried reminders of loss. After a 10-mile hike into the backcountry, Gibson-Snyder and her friends stared at a glacier in rapid decline. “Seeing the changes happening in front of my eyes—it was painful,” she remembers.

By then, Gibson-Snyder was already an environmental activist. At 13, after attending a teen leadership forum that encouraged attendees to develop service projects in their own communities, she launched a campaign to get rid of single-use plastic containers in Missoula’s fast-casual restaurants called BYO. After two years of meeting with restaurant owners and health experts to figure out how to incorporate reusable containers without violating public health policies, she’d built up momentum and support—until spring 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic shut the program down. “It’s a valuable idea,” she says now. “I would love to go back there at some point.”

Gibson-Snyder also served as the president of her high school’s environmental club, which led her to the Held v. State of Montana��case. A guest speaker gave a presentation to the club—Gibson-Snyder doesn’t remember her name, or even what she was talking about—and mentioned a lawsuit in the works that needed young plaintiffs to sign on. “I was like, ‘That would be me,’” Gibson-Snyder says. “It was a really, really lucky turn of events for me. I had been doing some local environmental work, so to have this opportunity to learn about Montana as a whole region and more policy oriented, at a slightly larger scale that was still so close to home both literally and emotionally, was just a perfect opportunity.”

Adding her name to the lawsuit as a 16-year-old (the other 15 plaintiffs ranged from ages two to 18 at filing) would carry emotional weight in ways Gibson-Snyder didn’t fully anticipate. “I’m empowered in a way I wasn’t before to protect Montana,” she says. “One of the things I’m very grateful for is to have the support on our case, from Our Children’s Trust and from people all over the country and the world. It means emotional support that I didn’t know I needed in this line of work. It’s so emotionally challenging to be working to protect something you care about so much.”

But the case has also stirred up plenty of frustration and anger for her. When the Montana government attempted to dismiss the case, a spokesman for Attorney General Austin Knudson essentially called the young plaintiffs pawns to an out-of-state “To me, it’s so evident that the whole point of government is to protect its citizens,” Gibson-Snyder says. “To see them, in my perception, actively disregarding that duty and ignoring the needs of their citizens…in favor of maintaining the tradition of fossil fuel dependence is agonizing.There’s definitely this sense of betrayal.”

Courtroom Activism for Climate Change

This June, when Held v. State of Montana is finally set for trial, Gibson-Snyder will take the stand to describe how climate change has been and is affecting her life. She hopes��to convince the court to issue declaratory relief—which would mean ruling Montana’s energy policies unconstitutional. Gibson-Snyder believes such a ruling would “result in a transition away from the active promotion of fossil fuels.”

The case could resonate far beyond Montana’s borders. “It shows a type of action that people can take that’s different from protests or lobbying,” she says. “It demonstrates to the wider community how many ways there are of fighting for our constitutional rights and to combat climate change. I hope that it can be inspirational, to say the least, and motivate people to act.”

No matter what happens in court, Gibson-Snyder plans to make tackling the climate crisis her career. “I decided long before I got involved with Our Children’s Trust that I was going to be involved in climate work my whole life,” she says. Whether that means working within the system, as a politician, or outside of it, for a non-governmental organization, she’s not sure. She expects to start with a major in global affairs, concentrating in environmental policy. “I have no plans, in short, but I have a lot of hopes and dreams,” she says. “I’ve wanted to be President for a really long time—we’ll see about that.”

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How Time in Nature Can Improve Your Relationship

jversteegh — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 17:39:35 +0000

Becca Droz still remembers how anxious she was on her first hike with her now-partner, Nikki Nichols. The rock climbing instructor, 32, who is based in Boulder, Colorado, was used to a constant stream of conversation on the trail—but Nichols was quiet. “That made me really uncomfortable,” Droz says. “It made me wonder, do we not have something to talk about? It stressed me out.” No such problem existed, it turned out: Nichols, 29, simply liked quiet time to think. That personality difference, made obvious by their trail time, quickly led to a conversation about communication. The couple, together for two and half years now, figured out a potential relationship tripwire right away. Today, if Nichols wants silence when they’re together, she says so up front—and Droz knows that doesn’t mean their relationship is in trouble.

It’s no accident that Droz and Nichols figured out their communication styles through spending time outdoors. Years of research has documented how time in nature benefits individuals, and clued-in couples therapists across the country know that exposure to the outdoors translates to stronger relationships, too. If you love the wilderness, it probably feels obvious that spending time hiking, skiing, or catching a sunset with a significant other will nurture your bond—maybe even help you through a rough patch. But what, exactly, is going on under the surface?

��ٳܰ��’s relationship-healing powers begin deep in each partner’s nervous system. Think about how you felt during your last unproductive argument: heart pounding, fists clenched, rapid breathing. This is the fight-or-flight response, a hardwired human reaction to a perceived threat. Though it’s invaluable in helping us survive true emergencies, fight-or-flight gets in the way of healthy communication and conflict resolution.

Nature works as an antidote to that stress response. Study after study going back decades suggests that outdoor time leads to , , and Researchers even found that watching a or simply looking at are associated with reduced blood pressure and relaxation. Doctors now prescribe outdoor time to patients as a way to activate this part of the nervous system, with benefits for immune, digestive, reproductive, and psychological health. So being outdoors together sets the stage for tackling issues productively. Megan Newton, MA, LPC, LPCC, NCC, and co-owner of psychotherapy practice, counsels couples on public lands in and around Boulder, Colorado. “That implicit connection to nature allows the nervous system to calm,” she says. “We’re operating in the therapeutic process on a completely different level just to start with. We’ve decreased the perceived level of threat in someone’s body. Most people will name that right away: ‘Oh my gosh, it feels so good to be out here.’”

The outdoors also has a way of quickly tapping into our emotions, says Jeff Adorador, LMFT and founder of Earthwalker wilderness therapy practice in Northern California. He leads three-day group backpacking trips for couples called Relationship Quest, guiding clients through outdoor exercises promoting cooperation, communication, and intimacy. “Nature very much gets us into our bodies in a sensory state,” he says. “That will get you out of your head and into your feelings.”

Doing an outdoor activity together like climbing, mountain biking, or skiing can extend that effect. “Our bodies are moving in sync, like dancing,” says Emily Isaacs, MA, LPC, who practices in Boulder and Golden, Colorado. “It’s a body-up way of connecting, rather than talking—that’s mind-down. It’s a different thing from the body up, with nervous systems and bodies syncing, that translates to, I really feel connected to this person.”

Outdoor activities also tend to shine a spotlight on ways partners aren’t connecting, as that first hike did for Droz and Nichols. “How we are one way, is how we are everywhere,” notes Isaacs. “Our core issues manifest. Any couple that has recreated outdoors together knows this stuff will come up.” Maybe one person is hiking too quickly, or not listening to the other’s feedback on the water. Being outdoors together can make those relationship issues obvious, she says. That’s partially why Adorador incorporates backpacking into his Relationship Quest. “Backpacking really reveals a lot about the power within a relationship,” he says. “Who’s leading, who’s following? How does a couple communicate? Is there more compassion or contempt? [How much] joy, happiness, and play is there, versus a strategic, mission-driven mindset?” What Adorador observes on the trail then plays into each couple’s therapeutic sessions.

This effect can work in reverse as well, where couples cultivate healthy relationship habits outdoors that then move into the rest of their lives. “The beautiful thing about outdoor activities, like paddling a raft or climbing, is they’re really collaboration-demanding activities,” says Isaacs. Similarly, communication is crucial. “People need to state their needs,” she adds, noting that a climber with a partner on belay can’t beat around the bush if she needs more slack on the rope. You’ve gotta be pretty direct.”

Perhaps the most fundamental way spending time in nature supports love, though, is the simplest one: it’s fun.��“Nature is a beautiful place where couples can engage in play together,” notes Newton. “We know that reconnection and learning happens through play.” You’re out doing some of your favorite activities, bathed in endorphins, and sharing that joy with a partner—powerful stuff.

These benefits aren’t confined to only romantic partnerships, of course. Nature can also work its magic on any relationships, particularly family connections. has demonstrated that time outdoors together can boost parent-child connectedness and communication and improve parenting skills.

Ready to reap the benefits? Nature-based couple’s therapists suggest these practices to intentionally incorporate the relationship-building qualities of the outdoors into your adventures together.

Make It About You Two, Not the Activity

It might sound obvious, but getting too hung up on a goal can cause more relationship problems than it solves. “There’s a big difference between saying ‘I want to summit all the Fourteeners in Colorado’ and ‘I want to go out in nature and be with you,’” Newton says. Figure out a way to get out there that makes you both feel connected to each other. If one person lives for black diamonds and the other is nervous on the bunny slope, then skiing probably isn’t it. “For some people, it feels really connecting to be like, I climbed this thing and you were with me the whole way, supporting me on belay,” Isaacs says. For others, snuggling in a tent and stargazing is the way to go.

Take the Tough Talks for a Walk

For some people, trying to have a serious discussion while facing a partner can be triggering and lead to a deep-seated fight-or-flight response.�� Instead, , Adorador says, “Walking shoulder to shoulder with a partner can be really beneficial to process intense emotions.” So the next time you need to work through a problem, take it outside—and side by side.

Be Rookies Together

Stretch your comfort zones a bit by trying something new, be it mountain biking or orienteering. “The process of discovery itself shared with another person can be such a powerful connection point,” Newton says.

Build a Routine

Once you find your favorite ways to bond in nature, make a habit of it. “To cultivate intimacy requires returning to connection over and over,” Newton says. The trick is to make it manageable—two weeks on the beach in Tahiti will probably make you feel closer, but a nightly after-dinner walk or weekly ski date will ultimately benefit you more. Such routines can also open the door to better communication, says Adorador. Many of us suppress emotions just to get through daily life, but setting aside this time with a partner gives them space to surface. “Sometimes you don’t even know that stuff’s there until you take that evening walk,” he says. “Then, you get real.”

It works for Droz and Nichols. The duo take a regular hike five minutes from their front door, climbing into the foothills to one of their favorite spots to sit and take in the view. “It gives us the spaciousness to stop and talk about things that probably wouldn’t have come up during the busy-ness that our minds are in during everyday life,” Droz says. “We process much better while outside and moving.”

NatureDose is an app that measures your therapeutic time in nature. Set your weekly goal, then go outside and feel good. .

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Patagonia Sues Gap Over “Iconic” Fleece Design

jversteegh — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 21:39:21 +0000

Patagonia sells its Snap-T fleece for $149 or less—but the colorful midlayer could be worth a lot more than that if things go the brand’s way in court.

Last week, Patagonia filed a lawsuit against Gap, accusing the apparel company of copying its longstanding Snap-T fleece design. The complaint includes a photo of one of Gap’s pullover fleeces, calling it a “look-a-like product” that is “using a highly similar rectangular logo, all designed to make it appear as though Patagonia is the source of Gap’s products or has collaborated with Gap.” Both garments feature a bright, colorblocked pattern; a snap-closure neck; a triangular, snap-closure chest pocket; and a rectangular logo above the pocket featuring a mountain skyline. Gap’s version is currently available for $79.95.

(Photo: Courtesy Patagonia; Courtesy Gap)

According to the lawsuit, which the brand filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Patagonia launched the first version of the pullover in 1985 and added the snap pocket four years later, “and an iconic design was born.” The piece appeared in a 2017-2018 exhibition called at New York’s Museum of Modern Art; the show’s catalog noted that the Snap-T’s “functionality and bright color palette took fleece out of the woods and onto the street.” The Snap-T was also featured in the “Values of Design” exhibition, which debuted in 2017 at the Victoria and Albert Gallery in Shenzhen, China. The fleece has remained in Patagonia’s line for decades.

“A brand’s value is in its distinguishing features,” says Sarah Hartley, a partner at international law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner who specializes in part in outdoor industry legal issues (she is not involved in this lawsuit). Not only can trademark infringement take away a brand’s sales, she notes, but it also devalues a company’s reputation. “Particularly with Patagonia’s forward-looking and progressive political stances that they’ve taken, there are people who want to be associated with them. That consumer connection is really valuable. You want to make sure that you don’t have people trying to trade off of the goodwill that you’ve built up with your customers over many years.”

The document, which does not name a specific dollar amount for damages, lays out a long list of harms Gap has caused, including making the public falsely believe Patagonia has partnered with Gap, damaging Patagonia’s reputation, diluting its trademarks, and deceiving customers. It even includes a one-star Gap customer review for the pullover calling it an “Obvious Pata*gonia ripoff” and noting “I had to zoom in just to ensure that the logo was Gap.”

Patagonia’s lawsuit also alleges that “there is no question that Gap’s copying has been willful and deliberate,” based on how similar the two designs are. It adds that Patagonia has warned Gap in the past to stop infringing on its products and logo. A spokesperson for Gap declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation; a Patagonia representative also declined to speak with ��ϳԹ��.

This legal action joins a similar lawsuit Patagonia filed against Walmart and one of its suppliers, Robin Ruth USA, in early October. That suit accuses Walmart and Robin Ruth of copying its famous “P-6” trout logo on products like a T-shirt bearing the word “Montana” instead of Patagonia. “In the nearly-50 [sic] years since Patagonia’s business started, PATAGONIA brand and its P-6 logo have become among the most identifiable brands in the world,” the lawsuit states. “Defendants’ actions have caused and will cause Patagonia irreparable harm.”

(Photos: Courtesy Patagonia; )

“This is not an out-of-the-ordinary kind of lawsuit for a business to bring,” Hartley says. “In order to maintain the value of your company, you’re going to do what you need to do to protect your brand.”

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The 20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor Industry

objmigrationbot — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 19:00:11 +0000

Even if you don’t know all of their names—yet— you’ve felt the presence of the changemakers, trailblazers, and dreamers on this list. All 20 are making their mark on the outdoor industry, whether through passionate advocacy for diversity and inclusion, opening doors of opportunity for others, pushing the limits of what’s possible, or expanding our minds through art and storytelling. And though we’ve broken them up according to their corners of the industry, these winners transcend easy categorization. With these pathfinders leading the way, the future of this business is in very good hands.

How’d We Choose?

First, ��ϳԹ�� Business Journal crowdsourced nominations from every corner of the industry. Our team winnowed more than 300 nominees down to 50, based on an evaluation of four criteria—vision, ethics, measurable impact, and ability to inspire others—and then turned the process over to our panel of judges. The judges considered the same criteria while making their selections. To compensate our judges for their efforts, OBJ will donate $1,000 in their names to The Outdoorist Oath, a nonprofit working to broaden inclusion in the outdoors and empower individuals to become better allies to the planet.

Meet the Judges

Jon Dorn, VP/Outdoor Group GM, ��ϳԹ��
Mandela Echefu, owner of Wheelzup ��ϳԹ��s in Cumberland, MD
Stephanie Maez, executive director of Outdoor Foundation
Kim Miller, CEO of Scarpa North America
Mirna Valerio, ultrarunner, author, and inclusivity advocate

Athletes

(Photo: Courtesy of Andrew King)

Andrew King
Explorer and founder of The Between Worlds Project

Andrew King, 34, is well on his way to becoming the first African-American climber to conquer both the Seven Summits and the world’s seven tallest volcanoes. But he’ll be the first to tell you that those successes pale in comparison to his work uplifting others. “What gets me out of bed is progressing humanity forward,” the Los Angeles-based athlete said. That’s why he started The Between Worlds Project, a nonprofit focused on helping people facing racism, sexism, climate change, and other challenges; it’s why he’s working to make giving back to community a key part of athlete sponsorship; and it’s why, in his own estimation, one of his biggest accomplishments is negotiating with Subaru to hire a BIPOC filmmaker and donate to a local Indigenous nonprofit when the brand made a promo video about him this year.

Next big project: “This year I’ll be climbing some of the highest peaks in the Alps to speak out about climate change and the lack of diversity in mountaineering,” King said.

(Photo: Courtesy of Emily Sierra)

Alex Showerman
Professional freeride mountain biker and advocate

Alex Showerman went from working for congressional campaigns and lobbying to doing public relations for outdoor brands to her current job, competing on the women’s pro freeride circuit—what she sees as a natural evolution. The move “really fell in line with what I’ve been wanting to do in the industry, which is breaking down barriers for underrepresented folks, and advocating and creating space for women and LGBTQ+ folks,” said Showerman, 32, who is a queer trans woman. “Being an athlete, I can use my voice and platform to advocate for bigger systemic change across the industry.” Her vision: an outdoor industry that proactively invests in communities that have traditionally been excluded from outdoor pursuits. “It’s everything from paying underrepresented athletes what they’re worth to investing in products that work for different body types and different genders,” she said.

Next Big Project: Producing a film about her journey that challenges traditional attitudes about who can be an action-sports athlete.

(Photo: Courtesy of Connor Ryan)

Connor Ryan
Hunkpapa Lakota skier and Filmmaker

Connor Ryan, 29, is proud of the way his 2022 film, Spirit of the Peaks, allowed him to start a conversation about how having a spiritual connection to a place through recreation also means having an obligation to it. Even better: the way the movie has created real-world change, allowing Ryan to send film proceeds to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and start a scholarship for Indigenous skiers and snowboarders. “That process of having a vision, putting it out there, and then seeing the ripple effects of positive change—that’s the blueprint I want to build from,” Ryan said. The pro skier, who’s based in Boulder, Colorado (Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute ancestral lands), wants the outdoor industry to reckon with the country’s dark history regarding its original inhabitants. “My goal is to help make the outdoor industry not an extractive industry, not a settler-colonial industry,” he said. “If we’re going to make all this money off of being on this land, a lot of that needs to come back to tribal entities and Indigenous people.”

Who Influences Him: Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass. Filmmaker Isaiah Branch-Boyle. Dr. Len Necefer, founder of NativesOutdoors. Biologist Ellen Bradley.

(Photo: Katie Steinharter)

Trevor Kennison
Professional skier

Perhaps you know Trevor Kennison, 29, for sending Corbet’s Couloir at Jackson Hole Resort’s Kings and Queens of Corbet’s event in 2019 in a sit ski—the first athlete to do so. Maybe you’ve heard of him as the sit skier to hit the X Games Big Air jump this year—another first. Soon, you’ll definitely know him as the star of Full Circle (scheduled to premiere this fall or winter), a documentary that follows his journey back to the spot in the Vail Pass backcountry where a 2014 snowboarding accident paralyzed him from the waist down. “It’s been three years in the making—a lot of time, a lot of patience, a lot of hard work,” said Kennison. “I really believe it’s going to touch so many people, whether they ski or don’t ski, disabled or not.”

Who Influences Him: “Roy Tuscany [founder of the High Fives Foundation]. He’s such a great leader. He’s helped so many lives. I look up to how hard he works.”

Advocates

(Photo: Gregory Mountain Products)

Jenny Bruso
Founder of Unlikely Hikers

For too long, “outdoorsy” people were represented as thin, white, and straight—and Jenny Bruso had had enough of it. So in 2016 the Portland, Oregon, resident founded the group Unlikely Hikers, an Instagram account, hiking club, and now podcast that welcomes and celebrates people of all body types, races, sexual orientations, and abilities to the great outdoors. Membership and followers skyrocketed, leading Bruso, 40, to be invited to help create the industry’s first plus-size line of backpacks with Gregory Mountain Products (released spring 2021). And Bruso’s just getting started: “I want to see plus-size clothing taken to whole other levels. I want to see more representation in brands’ feeds about plus sizing. I want to see more people who don’t fit the mold. And, of course, I would love to see the outdoor industry actively create employment that’s more representative of the racial demographics of the United States.”

Next Big Project: “Look out for more outdoor gear for the plus-size adventurer,” Bruso said, rather cryptically. “Something is coming out in fall 2022, then spring 2023.”

(Photo: Bethanie Hines / Outdoor Afro)

Rue Mapp
Founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro

Few in the outdoor industry celebrate and support Black connections to nature like Rue Mapp. The Vallejo, California, resident, 50, has been on the outdoor scene since 2009, when she launched Outdoor Afro as a blog; in 2015, it became a nonprofit dedicated to the education and development of Black outdoor leaders. Since then, Mapp has been invited to the Obama White House, helped advise Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, overseen the Stewardship Council’s Foundation for Youth Investment for two years, earned a National Geographic fellowship, and now serves as chair for The California State Park and Recreation Commission (to name just a few accomplishments). She can add author to that list when her book, Nature Swagger, comes out in October. “It’s several essays from me and contributions from over 30 people around the country who represent so many different facets of Black joy,” she said. “And it’s filled with gorgeous photography.”

Who Influences Her: “Oprah, obviously. And I have a lot of admiration for Steven Rinella [of MeatEater]. He really has changed the narrative about hunting. He’s widened the aperture of who can participate.”

(Photo: Tim Davis / Patagonia)

Teresa Baker
Founder of the In Solidarity Project and co-founder of The Outdoorist Oath

Another giant in the outdoor DEI space, Teresa Baker is the force behind the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge, an initiative that asks brands to commit to inclusion. She also founded the In Solidarity Project, a DEI organization that works with industry leadership. And she’s one of the faces behind the new Outdoorist Oath, along with Pattie Gonia and José González, a program that rallies everyday recreationists to commit to “planet, inclusion, and adventure.” (That’s not an exhaustive list of Baker’s bona fides, either.) But more meaningful to her than her impressive résumé is serving as a role model to her niece, 12. Baker recalled a recent time when she advised her niece to start an environmental campaign with her girlfriends: “She said no, that will not work because it’s not inclusive of boys.”

Next Big Project: “We need to move beyond these conversations into action,” Baker said. “We hear so many conversations and see too many panels. I think if we can weave inclusion into our everyday work, then we can see it, versus constantly just hearing about it.”

(Photo: Courtesy of José González)

José González
Founder and director emeritus of Latino Outdoors and co-founder of The Outdoorist Oath

José González, 40, calls himself a “Green Chicano”—a combination of conservationist, environmentalist, Chicano, and educator. The outdoor industry calls him a pillar in DEI work. González, who lives in Sacramento, California (ancestral lands of the Maidu and Mi-wuk), founded the nonprofit Latino Outdoors in 2013 to help connect Latinx families to nature. Last year, he joined with Teresa Baker and Pattie Gonia to launch The Outdoorist Oath. That’s on top of his work as a partner at the Avarna Group, a DEI-focused consulting firm for outdoor clients, and as an illustrator. González envisions an outdoor industry truly inspired by nature: “Nobody goes outdoors and says, ‘What a beautiful monoculture of a forest.’ The awe, the stoke, the restoration— it all comes from a place that’s so interconnected, interdependent, and holistic. That’s my vision, for the outdoor industry to be as reflective and representative as the very spaces that it’s in.” In other words: “We take down structural oppression.”

Who Influences Him: Filmmaker Faith Briggs. Writer and cultural geographer Dr. Carolyn Finney. Ynes Mexia, a Mexican-American botanist and Sierra Club member in the early 1900s.

Goods & Services

(Photo: Columbia Sportswear)

Andrea Kelly
Divisional merchandise manager for inclusive sizing at Columbia

Andrea Kelly remembers well the first time she went snowboarding in pants that actually fit. On a 2015 trip to Mt. Hood Meadows near her home in Portland, Oregon, she wore a pair of stretchy, plus-size pants made by her employer. “For the first time ever, I didn’t find myself getting off the lift and adjusting,” she said. “The only thing I cared about was how the snow felt under my board.” That’s exactly the experience Kelly, 52, has been fighting to provide for people of all body types through almost a decade of advocating passionately for size inclusivity, helping Columbia expand product choices, and pushing for better representation of body diversity. “Nobody should have to settle for sub-par product to get them outdoors to do what they like to do,” she said.

Who Influences Her: “I have met so many people on trails in Portland, through social media, and online, folks who are just getting after it regardless of size and shape and race and age. Those are the people who keep me on track,” Kelly said.

(Photo: Courtesy of BioLite)

Jonathan Cedar
CEO and co-founder of BioLite and co-founder of Climate Neutral

BioLite’s headlamps, stoves, and solar lights are its most visible products in North America, but that’s only half the story. Brooklyn-based Cedar, 41, uses “parallel innovation,” a business model in which BioLite’s camping gear sales fund and support its development of clean and affordable stoves, lights, and chargers for off-the-grid homes in Africa and Asia. “We’ve built a company to solve big issues around energy poverty outside the U.S.,” he said. “But we’ve also found a way to connect the passion of outdoor consumers to drive that mission forward.” Cedar also co-founded the nonprofit Climate Neutral in 2019, which helps companies neutralize their carbon emissions. To date, it has certified more than 330 partners.

Who Influences Him: Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard and social entrepreneurs motivated by making the world a better place, like Sam Goldman and Ned Tozun, founders of the global solar energy company d.light.

(Photo: Alyssa Ravasio)

Alyssa Ravasio
CEO and founder of Hipcamp

Ravasio’s Hipcamp connects campers to glamping tents, farm stays, and idyllic lakeside retreats. But there’s a lot going on under that simple premise. “I’m really proud of the business model that iterated into Hipcamp,” said the Marin County, California-based Ravasio, 33. “It solves a really important problem for outdoor enthusiasts by creating new places to play while also creating income for rural communities and landowners to better steward their resources.” Expanding natural spaces underpins Ravasio’s nine-to-five as well as her vision for the outdoor industry: everyone advocating not just to protect what we have, but to push for more. “We need to be on the front lines of creating more of those protected spaces for supporting nature for the future,” she said.

Who Influences Her: Jay-Z: “Confidence in marching to the beat of my own drum.” E.O. Wilson: “The hypothesis that we need 50 percent of our land and water protected for wildlife.” Jane Goodall: “The emphasis she places on hope.” Rue Mapp: “Her insight and her vision.”

(Photo: Courtesy of Abby Dione)

Abby Dione
Owner of Coral Cliffs Climbing Gym

Abby Dione may have bought her business, Coral Cliffs Climbing Gym in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, back in 2011 on a whim, but she sure doesn’t run it that way. As the first queer Black woman in the country to own an indoor climbing gym, Dione has been intentional about creating an inclusive, welcoming climbing community for everyone who walks in the door, with an emphasis on mentoring young climbers. Her community has her back, too: when Dione had to close her doors during the pandemic’s first year, she raised $120,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to keep the business afloat. She’s an American Mountain Guides Association-certified climber, has taught clinics at outdoor festivals like Color the Crag and Flash Foxy, and serves on the Access Fund’s board of directors. Dione couldn’t be reached for comment because, as part of the Full Circle Everest project (the first Everest summit by an all-Black American team), she was high in the Himalaya at press time, making the final summit push.

Media

(Photo: Courtesy of James Edward Mills)

James Edward Mills
Author, journalist, and independent media producer

“All I do is tell the stories of other people,” said Mills, 56. We say he’s selling himself short. Over his decades-long career in the outdoor industry, Mills, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, has dedicated himself to highlighting underrepresented people and communities, from writing his book The ��ϳԹ�� Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors to co-writing and co-producing a documentary about the first all-African-American ascent of Denali (An American Ascent). Mills’ vision for the industry is, in short, better representation: “There won’t be any substantial change in the industry until the effort is made to have more people of color, women, and people with disabilities in positions of power.”

Next Big Project: Two upcoming books: a look at Black history through the lens of the National Park Service and a chronicle of the Full Circle Expedition, the first all-Black American team to summit Everest.

(Photo: Andrew Kornylak)

Latria Graham
Writer

As a writer, Latria Graham, 35, trains her lens on everything from farming to the Grammys to mental health to e-bikes. Many will remember how she took readers by the throat in “Out There, Nobody Can Hear You Scream,” an unflinching look at being Black in nature, first published in ��ϳԹ�� in September 2020. The Spartanburg, South Carolina, resident draws inspiration from “folks who are relegated to the margins of history,” she said. “The fact that they were able to craft a life for themselves and exist in a space that was incredibly hostile to them is no small thing. I think about them a lot in the work that I do.” Behind the scenes, Graham asks magazine editors for more diverse representation in images and requested a Black artist to illustrate her steady column for Garden & Gun. “Most of the stuff I’m really proud of is invisible. It’s not, ‘I did this thing.’ It’s the vibe shift at large that I hope I’m a part of.”

Next Big Project: Uneven Ground, her first book, scheduled for publication in 2024. “It’s about my personal story with Black land loss, my family farm—what that place becomes, how we lose it—and all the ins and outs of heirs, property, and rural gentrification,” she said.

(Photo: Clayton Boy)

Jimmy Chin
Filmmaker, photographer, and professional climber/skier

Outdoor-industry types don’t often show up onstage at the Academy Awards—as Jimmy Chin and his wife, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, did when their film Free Solo won Best Documentary in 2019. But for alpine media’s biggest star, making Oscar-winning films is just part of a résumé that includes first ascents and ski mountaineering feats across the globe, widely published photography, and the release of his first book, There and Back: Photographs from the Edge, in late 2021.

Next Big Project: Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi are co-directing their first narrative scripted film, Nyad, starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.

(Photo: @mprphoto.co)

Parker McMullen Bushman
Founder of Ecoinclusive and CEO of The Inclusive Guide

Parker McMullen Bushman’s 200,000-plus TikTok followers know her as Kween Werk, the “social media diva” talking up inclusion and environmental justice while hiking mountains and soaking in alpine hot tubs. That’s also the focus of her day job as head of a DEI-centered consulting group for outdoor organizations, Ecoinclusive. “I feel like this is the most important thing I can be doing right now to save the planet,” the Denver-based founder said. “To be able to solve big environmental issues like climate change, we know we need everyone at the table.” McMullen Bushman, 43, also founded the annual Summit for Action, an event aimed at moving DEI initiatives from talk into concrete improvements. “A truly inclusive outdoor industry is what I’d like to see,” she said, one that “honors and values the different ways people use and connect to the outdoors.”

Next Big Project: Growing her Inclusive Guide, a Yelp-like, crowdsourced resource about how welcoming and accessible parks and other public spaces are to diverse visitors.

Retail & Community

(Photo: Heather Dawes)

Jahmicah Dawes
Co-owner, co-founder, creative director, and head janitor of Slim Pickins Outfitters

When Jahmicah Dawes, 35, and his wife, Heather, opened Slim Pickins Outfitters (SPO) in 2016 in Stephenville, Texas, it was the only Black-owned gear shop in the country. Not anymore: over the past few years, Intrinsic Provisions and Wheelzup ��ϳԹ��s have followed their lead. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that we were the first, but we’re not the last,” Dawes said. “We definitely want to leave a trace of how this can be done, how this can be scaled for owners of color.” Opening up doors for people to reconnect to nature through his shop is just as important to Dawes—“to undo the toxic narrative of ‘Black people don’t blank in the outdoors,’ swim, hunt, fist, car camp, slackline,” he said. “Not only do we do that, but we’ve been here from the discovery of these lands, before they were America.”

Next Big Project: SPO recently launched a clothing line in partnership with Public Lands, and the Daweses are serving as two of the first leaders in the Outbound Collective’s community-building City Project initiative.

(Photo: Devaki Murch)

Devaki Murch
Tradeshow Producer of Grassroots Connect

“Connecting people is really one of my special powers,” said Devaki Murch, 47. That’s been a throughline of her career, from her days managing athletes for prana (2003- 2007) to her stint coordinating Outdoor Retailer attendees (2012-2015) to her current gig pulling off the annual Grassroots Connect tradeshow. One of the best parts of her job, said the Southern Utah-based Murch, is strategizing creative ways to present new entrepreneurs and artists to the industry. “That’s what makes it all worth it, to be able to bring in these new brands and energy in a way that allows them to thrive when the time is right,” she said.

Who Influences Her: Sally McCoy. Rich Hill, former executive director of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance. Beaver Theodosakis, founder of prana. Kenji Haroutunian.

(Photo: Kenji Haroutunian)

Kenji Haroutunian
Director of The Big Gear Show and principal of Kenji Consults

If you’re part of a brand, retailer, media outlet, sales agency—or any corner of the outdoor industry, really—then you’ve probably felt Kenji Haroutunian’s influence. As the former vice president of Nielsen/Emerald Expositions and show director of Outdoor Retailer (from 2007 to 2014), the Culver City, California-based Haroutunian has his fingerprints all over the way we do trade shows, from floor plans to tech to sustainability. And in launching The Big Gear Show in 2021—“one of the most audacious things I’ve ever done,” he said—Haroutunian, 61, introduced a new trade event to the industry, one that includes activities like cycling, paddling, and overlanding. He also served on the Access Fund’s board from 2011 to 2020 and runs his own consulting firm focused on business and diversity solutions. Overall, “I’m proudest of my ongoing work encouraging equity and inclusion in the outdoor industry,” he said.

Who Influences Him: Yoon Kim (founder of Outdoor Media Summit). ��ϳԹ��r Steve Edwards. Skip Yowell. Sally McCoy.

(Photo: Courtesy of Mark Boles)

Mark Boles
Owner and CEO of Intrinsic Provisions

Mark Boles, 52, started his Hingham, Massachusetts, outdoor shop in 2019 to highlight a different approach to retail: a thoughtful, highly curated one that partners only with brands that have a positive social impact. “When I started, I fully intended to fly under the radar,” Boles said. “I did not want to have a conversation about being a Black-owned business.” Boles—whose maternal grandfather is legendary civil rights leader Whitney Young—changed his mind during the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, particularly as he watched his teenage daughters grapple with what was going on, and decided to lean into it. Both moves are paying off. As e-commerce boomed during the height of the pandemic, “I started getting orders from everywhere,” Boles said. “That told me that the message we were putting out there about values and having really quality stuff was resonating with people.”

Next Big Project: Expanding his warehouse space this summer, and looking into opening two more locations in Boston and Portland, Maine.

Runners-Up

These changemakes also stood out during the nomination process, and were all finalists during the judging round.

Athletes

Jeremy Jones
Caroline Gleich
Ryan Montgomery (@ultra.ryan)
Melissa Arnot Reid
Eric Larsen
L. Renee Blount

Advocacy

Jessica Wahl Turner
Stacey Bare
Leah Thomas (The Intersectional Environmentalist)
Mikah Meyer
Ron Griswell
Wyn Wiley, a.k.a. Pattie Gonia

Goods & Services

Earl B. Hunter, Jr.
Ryan Gellert
Leo Tsuo
Davis Smith (Cotopaxi)
Jake Lah
Kimberly Ang

Media

Chris Burkard
Gale Straub
Faith E. Briggs
Ali Carr (Basecamp Outdoor)
Brooklyn Bell
Irene Yee

Retail & Community

Dana Howe (Grassroots Outdoor Alliance)
Todd Spaletto
Wilma Wallace
Rich Hill (Grassroots Outdoor Alliance)
Emily White (Roads Rivers & Trails)
Brendan Madigan

The post The 20 Most Influential People in the Outdoor Industry appeared first on ��ϳԹ�� Online.

The Best Shells of 2022

jversteegh — Fri, 27 May 2022 13:00:39 +0000

Picture Organic Abstral 2.5L ($165)

(Photo: Courtesy Picture Organic)

Most Versatile Hard Shell

If you’re looking for a solid jacket for most conditions, at less than half the cost of the competition, this is your hard shell. From Appalachian drizzles to Rocky Mountain downpours, the Abstral kept us protected. It offers the full suite of features, including an adjustable hem and cuffs, a helmet-compatible hood, and two zippered hand pockets, and it packs up to the size of a grapefruit in its stow pocket. The catch? The details aren’t as dialed as they are on more expensive shells. The zippers are finicky, the cuff-adjustment strips are uncomfortably stiff, and the hood struggles to stay up over a ponytail. The 2.5-layer construction kept us comfortable on a rainy run in Montana, but got steamy backpacking on steep stretches of Virginia’s Appalachian Trail in the sixties. But these are annoyances, not deal-breakers. You get enough stretch to move freely, and the polyester interior feels smooth, not sticky, on bare arms. As for eco cred, the Abstral’s polyester face fabric is 46 percent recycled, and the DWR is PFC-free. 13.8 oz (men’s S–XXL) / 10.5 oz (women’s XS–XL)

Goldwin Fast Shell Light ($290)

(Photo: Courtesy Goldwin)

Most Breathable Hard Shell

Despite what ads tell you, no waterproof shell is completely breathable—blocking water requires some impediments to vapor transfer. The best jackets simply minimize that compromise. The Fast Shell Light does just that with Pertex’s new, air-permeable Shield Air fabric, which has a membrane made of randomly assorted nanofibers. The fibers crisscross each other, forming tiny pores that allow air to escape directly (unlike membranes that allow only moisture vapor to pass through, like Gore-Tex). It was the most breathable material we tested this year. That, plus the ultralight nylon face and lining fabrics, kept us from overheating, even on tough slogs. “While hiking a ridge in Gatineau Park with my toddler on my back in 40-degree weather, I was happy I could keep the elements off me without getting soggy inside,” said a Canadian tester. Still, we stayed dry in a three-hour downpour at Mont Tremblant National Park, helped by the hem, cuffs, and nonadjustable hood—not bad for a jacket that fits inside a coffee mug. Boo: no women’s version. 5.9 oz (men’s S–XL)

Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic ($200)

(Photo: Courtesy Mountain Hardwear)

Best All-Around Hard Shell

The Stretch Ozonic lives at the nexus of price, performance, durability, and light weight. Its three-way adjustable hood (not helmet-compatible) amply covers the head and zips over the chin, but is small enough to remain unobtrusive when not in use. You also get a chest pocket big enough for light gloves, plus two mesh-lined hand pockets and a cinchable hem and cuffs, all in a package that smushes down to the size of a large tomato. The 50-denier, 100 percent recycled polyester fabric has a PFC-free DWR and feels soft, not plasticky. One tester appreciated its stretchiness on a scrambly, brushy traverse from Lilian Lake to Ribbon Lake in the Canadian Rockies and found that it held up without a tear. And the 2.5-layer proprietary construction sheltered us from all-day rain on Pennsylvania’s Bucktail Path and wind-driven drizzle on the shores of Lake Erie. The moderate fit worked well with multiple layers underneath, and the longer cut of the sleeves and hem kept drips out while biking. 11.3 oz (women’s XS–XL) / 10.9 oz (men’s S–XXL)

Marmot Precip Pro 3L ($150)

(Photo: Courtesy Marmot)

Best Value Hard Shell

When the going got tough, this shell kept going, without hurting our wallets. One New Hampshire tester brushed its 75-denier polyester face through poky young evergreens, shouldered an ax, and sawed branches while doing trail work on Mount Moosilauke. “No signs of wear at all,” he said. “I’m confident wearing it for bushwhacking through thick brush.” Weather protection is equally bombproof. We stayed dry in full-day rains, thanks to an adjustable hood, effective storm flaps over the zippers, and a cinchable hem that turned back cold White Mountain winds. That toughness comes with a breathability tax. Marmot’s three-layer NanoPro material “felt a bit steamy on a drizzly, 60-degree trail run in Massachusetts’s Middlesex Fells Reservation,” said a tester. Though, pit zips do help. We loved the relaxed fit, which accommodates a puffy underneath, and the plentiful features, including smooth-running zippers, adjustable cuffs, and large chest pockets that swallow gloves. The whole package rolls down to the size of a water bottle. 14 oz (men’s S–XXL) / 13 oz (women’s XS–XL)

Adidas Terrex Agravic Pro Windweave ($170)

(Photo: Courtesy Adidas)

Lightest Soft Shell

This soft shell is about as close as you can get to an invisible wind-blocking force field. The Agravic Pro weighs as much as a couple of string cheeses and packs to tennis-ball size, yet it held its own against gusts up to 30 miles per hour. It was all that one tester needed to keep going comfortably when the wind kicked up halfway through a trail run in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The shell’s woven material combines two different densities of nylon, with a more air-permeable weave on the torso, upper arms, and shoulders. The combo jettisoned our tester’s body heat on days into the forties, though we felt clammier when temps and humidity climbed. The DWR kept one Sedona, Arizona, mountain biker dry in a 15-minute shower, but we probably wouldn’t push it beyond that. Adidas somehow managed to cram a few features into 2.7 ounces, too, like a head-hugging hood and asymmetrical (read: no chin rub) half-length chest zipper that’s great for venting. The lightweight, 10- and 30-denier fabric needs TLC, but it stood up to daypack straps and brushes against piñon branches without visible wear. 2.5 oz (women’s XS–XL) / 2.7 oz (men’s S–XXL)

Rab Windveil Pull-On ($100)

(Photo: Courtesy Rab)

Most Breathable Soft Shell

For highly aerobic days spent trail running, mountain biking, and steep hiking, we reached for this überlight, super-stretchy shell. “It prevented me from getting swampy, protected me from the occasional drizzle, and kept the wind bearable on the cooler summit,” reported one tester after a 16-mile, 50-degree hike outside Jackson, Wyoming. Polyester mesh jersey fabric on the upper back, sides, and armpits proved highly effective at moving heat even under backpacks and running vests. That’s helped by the deep, half-zip front, which has a snap closure that keeps the shell’s chest panels from flapping around in the breeze when you have it unzipped for ventilation. The Windveil’s trim, body-hugging cut moved with us and fit best over just a T-shirt or base layer, and it packs down to peach size. Trade-off: there’s no hood, but you get an inner pocket that fits a smartphone or headlamp, a cinchable hem, and half-elastic cuffs that are cut long over the hands for extra protection against the elements. The 20-denier nylon fabric on the main body keeps weight down, yet we suffered no snags when running on overgrown trails. 4.1 oz (men’s S–XXL) / 3.5 oz (women’s S–XL)

Montane Krypton Hoodie ($155)

(Photo: Courtesy Montane)

Warmest Soft Shell

Cozy doesn’t often come to mind when you think of shells, but that’s exactly what testers said about this extra-comfortable jacket. The polyester-elastane fabric is woven to be smooth on the outside and brushed on the inside, and it kept us warm into the low forties on day hikes, bike rides, belay sessions, and camping trips. “The fuzzy lining and warm, fleecy pockets felt so inviting on early-morning hikes,” said a tester. “And the hood was so cozy to pull up while camping in Washington’s Twanoh State Park.” Trade-off: all that fluff means it’s heavy, bulky (packing down a little smaller than a football), and not breathable enough for intense exercise. But it’s perfect for mellow activities in cool or variable weather. The DWR-treated fabric shed drizzle for 45 minutes along Washington’s Hood Canal and blocked gusts up to 30 miles per hour at Snoqualmie Pass. We particularly liked how the helmet-compatible hood’s wired brim kept rain out of our eyes. You also get two hand pockets, a chest pocket, and a high collar that seals out breezes. The cut is trim and short, so consider sizing up to wear it with more than a base layer. 15.9 oz (women’s XS–XL) / 18.9 oz (men’s S–XXL)

Mountain Equipment Firefox ($475)

(Photo: Courtesy Mountain Equipment)

Best Alpine Hard Shell

Whether we were perched on Liberty Bell in the North Cascades, descending from the Grand Teton in a thunderstorm, or hiking Alaska’s Eagle Peak in a deluge, we were always glad to have this shell. It proved impenetrable to precipitation, and it struck the ideal balance of mobility, toughness, and packability for above-treeline exploits. The Firefox’s smart design features shine in the alpine: hand pockets sit above a harness and hipbelt, articulated sleeves and a longer-than-average hem let us reach freely without hiking it up, and the three-way-adjustable hood fits over streamlined helmets. Caveat: the hood was too small for one tester to belay comfortably, and the trim fit works best over a base layer and light midlayer. The 30-denier nylon face shrugged off granite scraping, and the latest Gore-Tex Active membrane (one of Gore’s lighter, more breathable offerings) plus 11-inch-long pit zips (on the men’s jacket) give above-average breathability. “Winds were gusting at 30 miles per hour with temps in the thirties as we left the saddle of the Grand Teton at 9,000 feet,” reported one tester. “Even then, this jacket kept me protected and comfortable.” 9.9 oz (women’s 8–16) / 11.6 oz (men’s S–XXL)

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Opinion: Climate Grief Is a Good Thing

objmigrationbot — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 02:39:53 +0000

Last summer really sucked.

Across the planet, deadly heat waves, storms, flooding, and wildfires put an exclamation point on the reality of the climate crisis. And I felt it on a local level: in my hometown of Missoula, Montana, smoke from megafires across the West rolled into our valley in early July and lingered for weeks. We canceled our usual camping trips, trail runs, and hikes as I obsessively checked the air quality, hoping for a window where I could at least let the kids play in the backyard.

Then, in August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a new report. It warned that the world must achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 if we’re to avoid irreversible damage to the planet. Which brought our collective hurtle toward catastrophe into high relief.

I’ve known and cared about climate change for decades, but the combination of living under that cloud of smoke and science’s most dire warning to date reached me on a new, more emotional level. I found myself awake at 3 A.M., worrying that every summer from now on would be this bad—or worse. Would the air ever be clean enough for my two small kids to experience a bluebird mountain summer? Would those ecosystems even be around when they hit the prime of their lives? It got harder and harder to concentrate at work, as dark thoughts about society’s imminent collapse intruded on my deadlines. Once, talking about climate change with a near-stranger, I burst into tears.

Plenty of us are experiencing climate anxiety, grief, and guilt. It’s terrifying, depressing, and uncomfortable; nobody wants to hang out in that mental space. But as I’ve grappled with my own climate grief over the past months, I’ve come to believe that it’s actually a good thing.

It took real panic to spur me to action. I used to care about the climate crisis in a kind of detached, helpless way. But last summer’s smoke left me with a pressing sense of responsibility. Since then, my family has committed to biking and busing as much as possible, and we’re shopping for a used electric car. Solar panels are going up on our garage roof. I got involved with a local climate action group, and I’ve taken my kids to three environmental rallies so far. I make regular calls to my Congressional reps. I’m switching my IRA to a fund with zero fossil fuel investments. And I used my influence as deputy editor of this magazine to put the global crisis front and center.

I’m not going to save the world by myself. But taking action has helped me shake off that awful sense of climate paralysis. And we need everybody on board to save the places we all love.

So join me: don’t sink into denial or despair, but keep the urgency you’re feeling. Use it as fuel to do something, anything, everything you can to fight for a better, more livable future.

Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan is a Montana-based journalist, teacher, and OBJ contributor.

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Business Playbook: How to Work Toward Net-Zero Carbon Emissions

objmigrationbot — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 04:30:59 +0000

The science is clear: we must get to net zero by 2050. It’s a big objective—truly, a mission—requiring ambitious action starting right now. But taking a stand on climate doesn’t have to be a budget buster; in fact, leading outdoor businesses see it as a path to assuring long-term sustainability. What’s more, the global transition to clean energy is already underway, and brands that aren’t evolving risk getting left behind. “The sooner you get started on it,” said Bruce Usher, co-director of Columbia University’s Tamer Center for Social Enterprise, “the more likely you can do it at a lower cost and more intelligently, and come up with the best practices for your business.”

How, exactly, do you start? We put together the strategies that will have the greatest impact on your company’s carbon footprint, from leaning on factories to produce your gear with renewable energy to upgrading appliances at HQ. Some steps are entirely within your control. Others require collaborating with industry partners and using your economic influence. Do that, and your business can make significant strides right now.

Step 1: Measure Up

The first step in any net-zero plan is taking an inventory of your business’s carbon footprint—a process divided into three levels, or scopes.

Scope 1: The first one is fairly easy. Look at the direct emissions that occur from sources that you own or can control— known as Scope 1. These can include emissions from company vehicles, boilers and furnaces, and on-site equipment.

Scope 2: The next step is examining indirect emissions, which don’t occur at your facility, but are part of your energy footprint nonetheless. This is Scope 2. Some examples are electricity used for lights and on-site heating and cooling.

Scope 3: This scope, which covers emissions from your supply chain and product use, is the trickiest—and most important. Whether you make tents, water bottles, or wool socks, Scope 3 likely accounts for 65 to 80 percent of your company’s total carbon footprint. These include emissions and waste from raw-material extraction, factories, shipping, manufacturing, employee commuting, business travel, customer-to-store travel, investments, and product end-of-life.

Accurately measuring the scope of your emissions is a necessary first step in achieving net zero. (Photo: Getty Images)

Jeannie Renne-Malone, vice president for sustainability at VF Corporation, and her team have found that raw material extraction, processing, and manufacturing account for the majority of the company’s climate impacts; VF Corp’s direct operations only account for 1 percent of total emissions across their inventory. “So now we know to put the majority of our emphasis on raw materials and factory operations,” Renne-Malone said. That includes a vision to source 100 percent of their company’s top nine materials from regenerative, responsibly sourced, renewable, or recycled sources by 2030.

So how do you figure out your company’s total emissions? Bring in the experts. The nonprofit Climate Neutral has so far helped 337 brands measure (as well as reduce and offset) their carbon emissions. REI’s director of sustainability, Matthew Thurston, said the co-op joined Climate Neutral because the nonprofit brought a high level of methodology and standardization to the process. Another option is Cooler, the company that ��ϳԹ�� Inc. selected to measure and neutralize the footprint of OBJ and the other brands in its portfolio. Cooler uses peer-reviewed calculators to help businesses figure out their total climate impacts, and its software enables brands to display product footprints and carbon reduction data at checkout.

Step 2: Commit

Your next step is committing your company to science-based targets* for reductions. But making a lofty promise isn’t enough—you need interim goals to keep everyone accountable. “By not setting interim targets, many companies fall short of the climate ambition needed,” said Amy Morse of the Environmental Defense Fund. “They’re just setting a distant goal of net zero by 2050 without having a robust near-term action plan.”

A meaningful pledge must include:

Interim goals, such as cutting emissions by a certain amount each year and by 50 percent by 2030
Concrete plans, for near-and long-term reductions in specific segments of your business
Transparency, through public progress reports that create accountability and share valuable findings

*Greenhouse gas-reduction goals that are in line with the latest climate science. They require cutting emissions in half by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The Science-Based Targets initiative helps businesses make meaningful commitments.

Step 3: Reduce, Reduce, Reduce

Once you’ve figured out your company’s emissions, it’s time to slash them as aggressively as possible. Your plan of action will depend partially on what you’re selling, but these measures are both significant and entirely under your control.

Switch your company fleet to electric vehicles
Move to 100 percent renewable energy. Consider direct solar and wind installations in all buildings and/or power-purchase agreements with utilities.
Make your building as energy efficient as possible. Take steps like installing LED lights and efficient appliances
Commit to zero waste. Enhance your recycling and composting programs
Support sustainable employee commuting. Provide incentives for biking and using public transportation, and/or expand work-from-home policies

Step 4: Embrace Better Design

Use the most sustainable raw materials possible. “If you can use the recycled equivalent of raw materials—nylon, polyester, aluminum—that can take out a big chunk of emissions,” said Michael Sadowski, a research consultant at the World Resources Institute (WRI) and for Outdoor Industry Association’s Climate Action Corps. Beyond recycled, look for biobased and regenerative material substitutions. Though some ingredients may cost more initially, a recent WRI report notes that greater demand will increase production and drive down prices.

Support the R&D of innovative green materials,��like mushroom-based leather (as adidas is doing with Bolt Threads) or fabric made from recaptured waste-carbon emissions (a project lululemon and LanzaTech have partnered up on).

Reduce or eliminate the need for textile dyeing and finishing. Many textile mills rely on coal-powered boilers to produce the heat necessary for fabric processing, but “there are plenty of design things you can do [to reduce emissions],” Sadowski said, including waterless dyeing, no dyeing at all, and minimal finishes.

Eliminate single-use plastic packaging in favor of greener alternatives like reusable bags and compostable wrappings.

Step 5: Make Less, and Make It Last

“Ultimately, even if we reduce emissions, we’re still creating impacts,” said WRI’s Sadowski. “So we have to make less stuff in the beginning, and figure out a way to keep goods in life for longer. If you can make one jacket that lasts for ten years versus making ten jackets that last for one each, you’re going to dramatically reduce the impact of that jacket.”

Yes, your CFO will immediately recoil at this idea. But conscientious consumers will pay more for higher-quality, lower-impact gear. And many brands are taking the climate crisis as a challenge to diversify their businesses. Some are streamlining their designs and operations to reduce costs (and carbon). Others are setting up rental programs, adding repair services, and adding used-gear sales to create new revenue streams.

Step 6: Push Your Partners

The more ambitious outdoor businesses are in their climate goals, the stronger the message they’ll send to manufacturers, materials producers, shipping partners, and providers of renewable energy: business customers want zero-carbon options and expect the industry to rapidly accelerate its decarbonization efforts. Why is this so important? Because the number-one source of emissions for most manufacturers is the energy used to power the factories where our gear and apparel are made.

This transition won’t be easy. Most manufacturing happens overseas, and therefore depends on each country’s supply of renewable energy. “You want to go to your manufacturer and work with them to install rooftop solar,” Sadowski said. “Historically, that’s a challenge because brands haven’t necessarily paid for it. But if we want to green the supply chain, we have to make investments.”

The Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA), a public-private partnership, can help by turning company funds and purchase commitments into new renewable-energy projects. REI is now working with the CEIA on the clean-energy transition in Vietnam and Indonesia. “We think there’s a substantial opportunity to expand renewable energy access in those countries,” REI’s Thurston said, “and we want to make sure it’s clear that part of the value proposition for us working in the countries is that they are going to be progressing toward fully sustainable or fully renewable energy.”

Therein lies the stick, as opposed to the carrot: let manufacturing partners know your business depends on their decarbonization.

Step 7: Find Strength in Numbers

And what if manufacturing partners don’t agree to switch? “If you’re a large brand and have a good portion of a facility’s production, you can go to the factory and say, ‘This is what we’d like,’” Sadowski said. Smaller brands with fewer orders don’t have that leverage. “That’s where multibrand collaboration becomes really important.”

OIA’s two-year-old Climate Action Corps is working on just that kind of joint effort. Led by Amy Horton, senior director of sustainable business innovation, the initiative brings together brands to investigate the scaling of lower-carbon materials like recycled nylon within the industry’s supply chain; get more accurate carbon footprint data; and push factories to embrace renewable energy.

Step 8: Ship Greener

How products travel from factories to your stores and warehouses is a big source of Scope 3 emissions. Currently, annual maritime container shipping emits as much carbon as the entire national output of Germany—but cleaner fuels exist. The Aspen Institute’s Cargo Owners for Zero Emissions Vessels coalition brings together companies to push for decarbonization in their shipping partners. Members—including Patagonia, Brooks Running, and Frog Bikes—commit to ship only with vessels powered by zero-carbon fuels by 2040.

Shipping—and other supply-chain logistics—often account for a large portion of a company’s emissions. (Photo: Getty Images)

Step 9: Speak Up

Nick Sargent, president of Snowsports Industries America, says that advocating for strong climate policies is the most important thing the outdoor industry should be doing. “It’s great that our industry is reducing its own corporate emissions, but frankly, we’re not going to solve climate change if that’s all we do,” he said. “It’s vitally important that we use our voice to drive systemic change as part of a much broader climate strategy.” That means making noise in Congress to support climate-smart legislation, like the renewable energy and electric vehicle provisions in the recent infrastructure bill, and donating to candidates who support strong action.

Money talks beyond Capitol Hill, too. Banks compete for big corporate accounts: by choosing to bank with institutions that don’t invest in fossil fuel development, companies can use their financial leverage to reduce emissions. “As businesses move funds away from the banks funding fossil fuel projects, executives, boards, and stockholders will begin to see financing fossil fuel projects as a liability to their bottom line,” said Mario Molina, executive director of Protect Our Winters.

Step 10: Now, Forget Climate Neutrality

We’ve been hammering the importance of climate neutrality for pages now, and the latest IPCC report* told us to cut emissions in half by 2030 and be net zero by 2050. But let’s do one better. OIA’s Climate Action Corps has chosen more ambitious targets by focusing on a “climate positive” goal, Horton said. That means that companies shouldn’t just cut emissions—they should actively seek ways to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than they emit. “We need to ratchet down the timeline much earlier for this industry,” Horton said.

The Corps seeks to get the entire outdoor industry to climate positive by 2030. A key part of that goal is investing in projects that use nature to sequester carbon (which, incidentally, may have dual benefits for recreation through better water quality and wildlife habitat). Examples: forest regeneration, soil carbon sequestration, regenerative agriculture.

*IPCC Reports:��periodic warnings about the accelerating risks of the climate crisis from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Step 11: Be Fearless

At the end of the day, said Sadowski, what we need most is courageous and visionary leadership. “It takes bold leaders at companies to just put stakes in the ground and say, ‘This may cost us more, but we’re going to do this because it’s the right thing to do, and the economics will catch up.’”

The post Business Playbook: How to Work Toward Net-Zero Carbon Emissions appeared first on ��ϳԹ�� Online.

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Andrew King
Explorer and founder of The Between Worlds Project

Alex Showerman
Professional freeride mountain biker and advocate

Connor Ryan
Hunkpapa Lakota skier and Filmmaker

Trevor Kennison
Professional skier

Jenny Bruso
Founder of Unlikely Hikers

Rue Mapp
Founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro

Teresa Baker
Founder of the In Solidarity Project and co-founder of The Outdoorist Oath

José González
Founder and director emeritus of Latino Outdoors and co-founder of The Outdoorist Oath

Andrea Kelly
Divisional merchandise manager for inclusive sizing at Columbia

Jonathan Cedar
CEO and co-founder of BioLite and co-founder of Climate Neutral

Alyssa Ravasio
CEO and founder of Hipcamp

Abby Dione
Owner of Coral Cliffs Climbing Gym

James Edward Mills
Author, journalist, and independent media producer

Latria Graham
Writer

Jimmy Chin
Filmmaker, photographer, and professional climber/skier

Parker McMullen Bushman
Founder of Ecoinclusive and CEO of The Inclusive Guide

Jahmicah Dawes
Co-owner, co-founder, creative director, and head janitor of Slim Pickins Outfitters

Devaki Murch
Tradeshow Producer of Grassroots Connect

Kenji Haroutunian
Director of The Big Gear Show and principal of Kenji Consults

Mark Boles
Owner and CEO of Intrinsic Provisions