Category Archives: gear

01/03/2011 · 4:46 pm

Danner

I acquired this old pair of Danner boots from Tepei in the fall and have since cleaned them up a bit and thrown on a new pair of Sierra boot laces. The Vibram Montagna outsoles (though they now come with a Kletterlift outsole) had a good deal of life in them when they came into my possession and still do today after regular wear and some light hikes.. hope to see these boots hold up for years to come.

• Danner – Mountain Light II
• A Restless Transplant – Danner Mountain Light II
• Archival Clothing – Danner Factory Store Revisited

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Filed under gear, private collection, usa

12/08/2010 · 12:37 pm

first down

The very first American quilted down coat, The Skyliner, invented in 1936 and later patented in 1940 by Seattle’s Eddie Bauer. Classic style still in production today.. in America? Doubt it.

• Eddie Bauer – Skyliner Down Jacket
• A Continuous Lean – Expedition Outfitter c. 1966

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08/04/2010 · 10:03 am

teardrops

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07/19/2010 · 12:20 pm

Klettersack

The newest addition to my pack army is this Purple Label climbing pack, released in Fall 2008 to the Japanese market the pack is covered in a gray herringbone and dark olive cordura bottom. I’ve been putting it to work while running errands around the city on my bike, no matter how fully packed the bag stays slim which makes it more manageable for high activity. The rubber lash points on the sides have been useful for carrying extra-large items on the outside and the daisy chain is a nice way to carry a u-lock without getting in and out of the pack. Funny how these details meant for mountaineering have been coming into play.

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07/15/2010 · 12:13 pm

Well Worn

I’ve been wearing my Quoddy’s since last fall when I received them from South Willard and they’ve been nothing but good to me, supremely comfortable and the stitching is as solid as day one. I haven’t been able to wear my Yuketen’s on a regular basis yet since it’s still too hot to wear a leather chukka around town but one thing I have noticed is that it’s leather is nowhere near the thickness of the Quoddy moccasin. That’s not to say that the leather’s not as good, I just like a sturdy shoe that can take what I can give it.. by no means do I hold out because it was expensive- its expensive because it should be able to hold up!

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04/26/2010 · 3:28 pm

A Kit

So the premier league may be coming to an end but the weather is steadily becoming warmer, also it’s worth mentioning that the World Cup in South Africa is approaching this summer! I haven’t played in a few seasons but I’ve been telling myself that I’m going to get outside and try to get in on some pickup games, unfortunately I can’t say I’ve got the time to commit to a league right now. It’s been a long time since I’ve looked for a new pair of Sambas and I’m surprised to see they’re doing all kinds of things like using fancy suede and leather. My current pair have been pronounced unwearable after wading through a Maryland river..

My jersey of choice is an Arsenal jersey I picked up on ebay some years back while they were sponsored by Sega (!!!) and some nice striped socks are always appropriate while on the pitch (note: never wear these socks elsewhere, you’ll probably get beat up)

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04/15/2010 · 2:32 pm

Bike Camping

If you don’t feel like carrying it all on your back why not let your bike do all [a good portion] of the work? Whether you’re going across country or just out of the city for a couple days there are some obvious basics you shouldn’t leave home without. Aside from a good touring frame you’ll probably want some pannier bags, a saddle bag, and definitely a kit that will fix your flats. Everything else really depends on how long you intend on being away and what kind of weather you’ll be facing. Some people tour with nothing more than a credit card and a fix flat kit, stopping at cafes and bed & breakfasts.. perhaps a bit posh but a lightweight travel option.

A friend of my undertook a great journey this past summer taking him from east to west on a Bianchi San Jose loaded up to it’s maximum capacity. You can track his entire journey with journal entires at each stop reflecting on the best of times and the worst of times, obviously there are pictures too..

pictures from Dave’s great trek.

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Filed under bike, gear, outside

04/12/2010 · 8:27 am

A Swift Boot

So, I’m looking for a pair of hiking boots and I’m between (left to right, top to bottom) the Vasque Sundowner, Merrell Wilderness, Limmer midweight, and Danner Mountainlight II. Right now I’m leaning towards the Limmer’s because they custom make their boots by the unique shape of each person’s foot and chances are I won’t be able to try on any of the other boots before I buy them. Decisions..