Head to Toe for the Adventurer

Published on 08/09/2012

By Peter Reese

If you plan to spend your days in the outdoors, you aren't going to be taking as many showers as you should. You need your clothing to keep up with your lifestyle, and that means clothing that can wick sweat and stink, and keep you comfortable while enduring the elements. Here is your next outdoor outfit.

EXOFFICIO NIO AMPHI PANT

Lots of stink and few sinks when traveling backcountry or internationally. Pushing back at stains – and drying fast -- is part of a thoughtful travel pant. Pocket proliferation counts as does a comfortable fit with boots and sandals alike.

ExOfficio is the standard in packable, wearable clothing. The NIO AMPHI PANT fits the two season plus category with enough substance to handle brisk winds as well as blasting sunshine. Testers praised the pants for the instant and easy fit and a non-plastic feel from this 100% nylon piece: The Teflon treatment helped keep up appearances and aided wrinkle recovery. Even late afternoon showers won’t stop AMPHI from being ready to roll the next morning. Dive in on the rest of the NIO AMPHI collection to assemble an ultra light wardrobe that wisely avoids attracting attention in foreign lands. Don’t forget the NEPTUNE BRIM HAT if the rays rule where you’re going.

Earn cash back on the ExOfficio Nio Amphi Pant

MPG MOMENTUM PANT & SHORTS

Toggling between activities, looking good but ready for urban and aerobic pursuits. Jeans and khakis come up short on function and weigh in heavy. Hiking pants can struggle to fit it for trail runs, hitting the farmer’s market and then staying relevant at night. When fewer pieces mean greater freedom, the choices become scarce.

The MOMENTUM line from Canada-based Mondetta Performance Gear (MPG) is as close to hybrid, multi-purpose clothing as Active Junky has found across the entire marketplace. Their PANT, for example, stood up to morning runs, cycling and errands at home and during travel. Yoga practitioners love the easy-flowing fabric, and fit conscious wearers voted with big smiles for the trim lines and hidden ankle zips. Warmer settings called for the SHORTS. A built-in hanging loop and integrated compression brief made MPG SHORTS a catch-all given their medium rise design that’s clean, athletic and practical. Testers explored the collection’s jacket and top options but repeatedly gravitated to the MOMENTUM PANT and SHORTS.

Learn more about the MPG Momentum Pant

Learn more about the MPG Momentum Shorts

EXOFFICIO RAIN LOGIC JACKET

Move fast, light and with respect for joy-sucking weather conditions. The capacity to flow with weather changes is the mark of a seasoned traveller and gear birthed by experienced product designers. Fortunately, technical fabrics create opportunities to turn someday sketches into road-worthy apparel.

ExOfficio was the wild card in the rain shell category. Testers associated the brand with solid, sensible mid-market pants and shirts rather than techno threads. RAIN LOGIC, at nearly $200, tips it at only 12 oz. despite a squall-fighting squadron of features in a solid 2.5 layer fabric core. Driving rain and sleet beaded up on the body and took only a little shake to clear. A long body and extended sleeves gave testers confidence as the piece failed to flap or hum in high winds. Rated at 15,000/20,000 waterproof breathable, RAIN LOGIC showed up with easy-operating zips, hem and hood adjustments that, despite the company’s catalog description, handed a mountain bike helmet smartly. Consider LOGIC as a total shell solution in moderate conditions and worthy weather armor in wetter conditions.

Earn cash back on the ExOfficio Rain Logic Jacket