How to Wash Outdoor Clothing?

Outdoor clothing is performance wear, which is made to make you perform better in the great outdoors whether it is in the form of a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating mid-layer or a shielding shell layer. However, as all other apparel, outdoor clothing will get dirty eventually – from within as well as from without….

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How to Wash Outdoor Clothing - washing tags can be annoying and confusing, but are vital for taking proper care.

2.5-Layer VS. 3-Layer Rain Jackets: What is a better option?

Rain jackets differ by layering construction and before purchasing a new rain jacket you should definitely check which layering construction it utilizes. Why? Well, the thing is that there is a big difference between 2.5-layer and 3-layer rain jackets in terms of weight, protection against the elements, durability packability and price. Both types of jackets…

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2.5-Layer VS. 3-Layer Rain Jackets: Left Montane Minimus 2.5L jacket and right Sherpa Makalu 3L jacket

How to Repair a Down Jacket

Outdoor adventures can be hard on your gear, as both cliffs and vegetation expose it to abrasion and tears. We always recommend that you repair your current gear and apparel rather than buying new products incessantly. We have previously made articles about how to repair holes and tears in Merino clothing and how you can…

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How to Repair a Down Jacket - down is fleeing

Windbreaker VS Rain Jacket – What is a better option?

Windbreakers have become increasingly popular in the last years and many hikers have switched from rain jackets to these minimalistic shell layers. Windbreakers are lighter and pack smaller than rain jackets and are thus perfect for lightweight hiking. Nevertheless, it’s important to know that a windbreaker performs quite differently than a rain jacket. A rain…

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Windbreaker VS Rain Jacket – What is a better option?

Fleece VS Synthetic Fill Jackets: What to choose?

Over the last couple of years, the popularity of fleece jackets has decreased, and many hikers have replaced their fleece apparel with jackets insulated with synthetic fill. While synthetic fill jackets are indeed warmer for the weight and pack smaller, fleece does have certain advantages over synthetic fill. I own a fleece jacket (Mountain Hardwear…

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Fleece VS Synthetic Fill Jackets

How to repair Merino wool clothes?

It is no secret that we are big fans of Merino wool base layers. But the kind of thin fine-knit Merino shirts and apparel which are great for all-year usage are unfortunately also very prone to durability issues in the form of small holes. These holes can be caused by anything from friction, for example…

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With the outside out, carefully connect the two healthy edges around the hole by sewing horizontally.

How to re-waterproof your rain jacket and other rainwear?

If you often wear rain jacket, rain pants or other waterproof clothes, you probably noticed that the performance of these garments decreases with time. While your new rain jacket kept you dry for hours, it can’t withstand more than half of an hour of rain after half a year of intensive use. That’s most often…

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Re-waterproofing rainwear with DWR spray

What are flatlock seams and when are they useful?

If you are buying new sports clothes such as a hiking shirt or underwear, it is very likely that you will stumble upon the feature called flatlock seams. Clothing brands typically explain that flatlock seams eliminate chafing and increase the durability of the garment. But is this really true? In the last couple of years,…

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What are flatlock seams?

Experiment: Does Polyester Really Dry Faster Than Merino Wool?

High quality hiking base layers are these days made either of polyester or Merino wool and online you will find a lot of information about these two materials, especially pros and cons. Polyester is labeled as quick-drying, durable, light and cheap while Merino wool is considered breathable, pleasant to the touch and extremely moisture-wicking. Many…

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Polyester vs Merino Drying Time - Experiment

Rainwear: Hydrostatic Head and Breathability (MVTR)

If you are buying a new rain jacket or any other waterproof garment, you may have come across terms like hydrostatic head and MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate). While clothing brands and online shops are usually great at listing the values of these two parameters for their products, they rarely explain what MVTR and hydrostatic…

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Rainwear - Hydrostatic Head and Breathability