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…
In the beginning of 2019 we got in touch with French brand CimAlp because we were interested in testing their winter gear. While my boyfriend received the CimAlp PrimaLoft jacket (reviewed here), I got the CimAlp Quebec 2 F softshell pants. I’m pretty excited over these pants as I always have a problem getting cold,…
Several months ago, we got in touch with the French company CimAlp which makes apparel for hiking, skiing, trail running and other outdoor sports. I was especially impressed with their jackets because they utilize high-quality materials and are lightweight. Therefore, I asked them for a sample of CimAlp PrimaLoft jacket. I had been wanting such…
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…
For aerobic activities such as mountaineering and alpine climbing you need highly breathable rainwear so you don’t soak in your own sweat during exhausting ascents. Polartec NeoShell is by all accounts the most breathable waterproof fabric currently available. Polartec launched the NeoShell fabric in 2011 and soon it became clear that it offers better air…
Regular hiking pants might not provide sufficient warmth for your legs in cold weather. To keep your legs warm you can use either softshell pants or long johns. However, long johns are not the best option for hiking (except in super cold weather) as they restrict your movement and rub against your pants. Furthermore, they…
Socks are one of the most underrated pieces of hiking clothing. Hikers often spend a lot of money on advanced hiking gear but when it comes to socks, they somehow forget how uncomfortable it is to have wet/moist feet. Not least because moist feet increase the friction between the skin and socks which often causes…
As the temperatures rise and you store your warm hiking hat or beanie at the back of your closet, you might consider bringing a sun hat for your outdoor adventures instead. Even if you are not old enough to remember the iconic Slip-Slop-Slap sun protection campaign from 1980s, you can probably recall from various other…
Overexposure to sun light is not only harmful for your skin, but also for your eyes. Spending a long day out in the sun without sunglasses will cause most to have tired or slightly burning eyes – and the sun can indeed burn the eyeball and be a contributing factor to various eye issues such…
A softshell jacket typically combines the qualities of a fleece jacket and a rain jacket by offering warmth as well as decent wind- and water-resistance. It is worn directly over your base layer or on top of an insulating mid-layer in cold weather. Wearing a softshell jacket for hiking is a lot more comfortable than…
