It’s always exciting to see what REI’s cooked up for us in their new lineup, and the products for Fall 2010 are no exception. While their range includes urban lifestyle, fancy travel gear, back-to-school gear, and the like, it’s the hard-core outdoors stuff that catches our fancy. So, with no further ado, here’s the latest on the fun stuff!
The real focus for REI appears to have been controlling moisture from inside & out. Their MTS fabric has been a staple of the line; it’s now updated with a new, exclusive version of Polartec PowerDry fabric. The claim is that it provides improved wicking and faster dry times. Currently, lightweight versions are available, with midweight and heavyweight coming as summer heat fades into winter cold. Based on the numbers, these look like impressive baselayers; REI’s testing shows a 27% increase in wicking, 30% decrease in drying time, and water retention dropped 19% (meaning that you’re dragging less weight around with you while you’re using it). In addition, the new fabric resists pilling better, so should last longer. Not a bad range of changes; we’ll look forward to seeing how it does in real-world conditions! MTS has always been a moderately priced base layer, and that hasn’t changed; the lightweight pieces range in price from $24.50 to $32.50.
Regular readers will know that I love down, and the updated Anitifreeze (men’s) and Davos (women’s) jackets look like winners. With down, the moisture problem isn’t from inside; it’s keeping moisture out. These jackets have DWR finishes, so will stay dry in light showers or in tents dripping with condensation, allowing the down to do what it does best…insulate in the coziest of ways, with light weight and great compressability for packing. The nature of shells that hold down in well is good wind resistance; however, the Avalanche and Davos take that to extremes with the way the double baffle system works. REI claims they’re effective to 50mph. They’ve also upgraded the shell material and added abrasion panels to make sure that the jackets last. The hoods are zip-off and redesigned (and if they’re designed by the same people who do REI’s wonderful sleeping bag hoods, should be VERY comfortable and effective), and the jackets come with a stuff sack so they’re ready to go into your backpack. With 700 fill-power goose down, these should be light (around a pound and a half), comfortable, and cost effective at $179.
REI’s Shuksan & Kulshan (say that 10 times fast!) jackets and pants have been upgraded, as well. The eVent membrane has been upgraded with a new dobby ripstop fabric, which should increase durability. Given that these are designed for serious backcountry use, that’s a major positive; higher abrasion resistance when you’re sliding around on crust is a real bonus. They’ve also added larger, heavier duty zippers, and RECCO reflectors to help you get found if you’ve managed to get caught in an avalanche (Hint: if you’re going to be in an area that’s avalanche-prone, don’t just rely on the reflectors…carry a beacon!). In a nice bit of intelligent design, the reflectors are on opposite sides of the jacket and pants, so if you’re wearing the set you’re more likely to be found regardless of which side you land on. With the jackets priced at $299 and the pants at $239, they should be solid values.
Next, there’s the Evaporator series of ski luggage. Obviously, one of the big issues with packing up after skiing is the amount of snow, ice, and sweat that turns into water in your gear bags, potentially damaging ski edges or just plain making everything you own stink. REI has added mesh panels in appropriate places on the bags to allow them to breathe once they’re in a warm place and everything starts to melt. First, there’s the Ski Bag (available in single at $59.50 or double for $10 more) that’s intelligently designed to carry up to 190cm skis rather than the older 210cm length bags, and allows any excess length to be folded over under compression straps to make a more compact package. Then there’s the Evaporator Duffle ($69.50), which has internal compartments for various ski items (including a goggle pocket with a soft lining), plus a separate compartment for boots that goes beyond mesh to grommets in the bottom to allow better drainage. Finally, for people like me who think their boots are too blasted heavy to sling over a shoulder, there’s the Evaporator Boot Bag, which bucks the current duffel bag trend and actually has shoulder straps so you can carry it like a backpack. It’ll carry your boots and some of your other ski gear; at 40 liters, it should be able to handle a reasonable amount of stuff. Lunch, anyone?
Finally, the Double Diamond and Fall Line backcountry ski packs are designed to get moisture into you, with compartments for hydration bladders and insulated sleeves along the pack straps to limit freezeup. The Double Diamond ($119) is geared toward the hardcore backcountry enthusiast; it includes features aimed at organizing your avalanche rescue gear (did someone mention beacons?). The Fall Line, at $99, is aimed more at lift-serviced areas, and can handle either skis or snowboards. Smaller and easier to work with while getting on and off lifts, it still has the ability to strap your skis or board on when you need to climb to your favorite line. Both have features specific to carrying your boards, including materials to keep the wrong kind of moisture outside.
All in all, a fun and interesting group of new products; REI clearly isn’t letting the recession keep them from moving forward! Keep an eye on their website for the release of the products as fall comes.