This article was originally published in the Here & There newsletter by Kyle Frost. Here & There is now Mountain Gazette's weekly Thursday newsletter.
I don’t write about gear too often, but right around the time the brands who say you should be buying less also start ramping up their email campaigns for Black Friday, I like to do a little post on the things I actually used/wore over the past year. No affiliate links, no pay-to-play buying guides, just a few things I bought this year, and a bunch of stuff that I’m still using from previous years. I’ve pared down my gear and wardrobe significantly so I’ve become increasingly enamored with a small amount of high-quality things.
Raide LF 40L
The ultimate ski touring pack. Founder Kyle Siegel has put a ton of thought into making this an incredible, backcountry-focused pack (there’s a great interview on Second Nature). I toured with it all winter, used it for hut trips, and for spring couloir missions. It’s a fantastic pack, full stop. The construction of this pack is best-in-class for currently available fabrics at the intersection of durability and weight. And, the new version has a couple of additional improvements over the original, including a nifty pole access pocket, new back padding, and more.
Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles
I’m a big pole guy now. Ask me about my poles, I’ll be happy to tell you about my poles. No joke though, I really do enjoy having poles, especially for ‘fast hiking’ sections of long trail days. I was going back and forth between these and the Leki but ended up with the BD at a lower price and because I wasn’t sure I’d like the hand grip thing all the time.
GOREWEAR Shakedry Jacket
I picked up one of these after hearing a raving reviews about their waterproofness + breathability over the years – mainly because I expect to be running a lot more in the rain this year. I grabbed one not really realizing the situation behind these – it’s now a discontinued product and membrane (Shakedry) primarily due to PFA regulations. It’s an incredible product that has vastly exceeded my expectations…and will likely never be made again. It's a bit of an odd situation to be in, given the obvious sustainability downsides and the shift away from PFAs. A topic that deserves a full dive another time, I think.
HOKA Tecton X3
I've owned a lot of HOKA shoes over the years – the Speedgoat is still an all time favorite, I wear the Cliftons for city running (and city style in that all white colorway), I didn't quite click with the Mafate Speeds, and I nearly won a trail race a few years ago in the original Tectons (made a wrong turn, whoops). The X3s are Hoka's latest trail "super shoe", and for me, they're nearly perfect. I like the fit, the gaiter, and the balance of cushion + carbon plate springiness. They take a bit of getting used to, but since I've adapted to the high energy return I've really enjoyed running in these.
What's still GoodEnough?
Roark Bless Up Trail Shirt - This was the best thing I bought last year, and returns here again. Comfortable, breathable, versatile, and just plain looks great. I’ll throw it on for a 20 mile trail run or with a pair of jeans to get dinner. I don’t own anything else that gets as many compliments or questions. I’m overdue for another one to add a little variety.
Rab Vapour Rise Summit Jacket - I wore the Vapour Rise on every backcountry day last year and it’s the jacket I grab the most in the spring/summer months. It’s not a lift-riding, low effort, super cold jacket, but that’s not what it’s designed for. In the winter, I use it while backcountry skiing because it’s extremely breathable. I usually pair it with a t-shirt or light base layer and a rain shell (I’ve been bringing a Black Diamond Stormline Stretch because I don't have a great ski shell right now.
Salomon Adv Skin 12 - This remains the most versatile and comfortable running vest I’ve tried. It goes everywhere with me. I’ve put it through the absolute wringer for years and it’s still going strong.
Injinji Socks - Toe socks saved my toes. They've proven invaluable in decreasing my likelihood of blisters to near-zero. I wear thin ones for road and the thicker ones for trail and really long days.
Rab Veilance Jacket - A winter staple for me. Incredibly warm. Weatherproof. Equally great for freezing walks in Boulder or cold, damp wandering around London. I often wear it with just a t-shirt underneath. I have influenced a number of friends, even the notoriously cold ones, to buy this jacket.
Sony A7c, Zeiss 24mm 2.8 G and RX100vii - After many years and dozens of lenses, my camera gear is basically down to this. I sold a lot of old lenses a few months ago while prepping for the move, but I've pretty much only used these for the last 2 years. I use the A7c for more "real" work, and the RX for ultimate portability. I only brought the RX on a Canada hut trip this year and didn't regret it.
Marmot Aerobora - I swear, I think this shirt is magic. I’ve had it forever and it still looks as good as the day I bought it. It doesn’t really wrinkle, and it nicely straddles casual/nice making it invaluable for traveling. A must-have any time I’m traveling.
Got anything on your GoodEnough® list? Send an email to hello@hereandthere.club. Would be fun to share with suggestions from readers in a future newsletter.
