Mountain Equipment Co-Op Reflex Jacket, Photography by gary Davidson
5 great gear picks for winter
Excerpted from our Winter Guide.
Ryan Stuart Featured in our Winter 2009 issue.
6 POC Cornea ($165)
We wear a lot of eye-catching stuff, but nothing has ever received as many positive comments as these goggles. And yet that's not what makes the Cornea special. By attaching the lenses to the face foam with tabs instead of setting them in a plastic frame, POC has almost eliminated peripheral blind spots. What's more, these goggles never fogged up on us, even when we hiked uphill with them on. And the lenses cut through glare and flat light well. So if you wear the POC Cornea, you will see and be seen.
More information: POC
Mountain Equipment Co-op Reflex Jacket ($270)
Nothing says warmth
like the deep
downy good-
ness you’ll
find with
MEC’s Reflex.
Pull it out of its
chest pocket storage
pouch and it seems to inflate with the puff of
800-fill goose down. The original asymmet-
ric baffles lock the down in place for optimal
warmth, and the exterior is treated with DWR
for good weather protection. It’s compact
when packed, and light and warm—perfect as
a belay jacket, a rest-stop layer or for weath-
ering a north wind anywhere.
More information: Mountain Equipment Co-op
Arc’Teryx Gamma SK Pants ($200)
These are the most versatile winter pants we’ve tried. We’ve hiked, ski toured and snowshoed in them. They stood up to blustery weather, wet snow and –25°C cold. The cotton canvas-style softshell breathed well, cut wind, shed snow and, with a DWR treatment, beaded water. There’s no powder gaiter, but the cuffs cinch tight, locking out snow. With a hip pocket—perfectly placed for easy access on the move—the pants look good too.
More information: Arc'teryx
45 Bogs Classic High Autumn Leaves II ($130)
To survive a Canadian winter, a pair of boots needs to be able to negotiate ankle-deep slush, resist salt corrosion, have penguin-like grip and keep feet warm down to –30°C. Doing all that with style is tough, but Bogs boots are up to the task. The women’s High Autumn Leaves II is made from insulated and waterproof neoprene with natural rubber surrounding the foot. This boot is way more comfortable than the classic old rubber model, and the fun leaf prints look a lot better than your old mukluks.
More information: Bogs Footwear
49 Julbo Bivouac (from $130)
Nothing protects eyes from blinding glare better than oversized glacier glasses with leather hoods. And yet nothing looks dorkier than oversized glacier glasses with leather hoods. Enter the Bivouac. Strip these sunnies to their base and they look like a modern sport shade. Now snap on the magnetic side hoods and the included bungee strap and you’ve got a pair of glacier glasses built for the poles.
More information: Julbo
Originally published in explore magazine. Copyright © 2010 by explore. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph, or artwork, for other than personal use, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden.
