GearFlogger

MontBell Mountain Trainer jacket

Looking to complete your Schoeller ensemble? Your search is complete: the MontBell Mountain Trainer jacket features the latest in gear-porn: Schoeller Dynamic fabric complete with little furry mountain elves invisible to the human eye but industrious enough to wick away all moisture on contact.

I went for a high-angle fast hike wearing this jacket next-to-skin, and despite a 30lb load and a warm day this jacket easily vented heat while repelling wind at the summit. I've said it before and I'll say it again: soft shells rule.

This piece is minimalist. No hood, but two low zipper pockets for your hands and one on the chest for your crack pipe condensed King James bible. Plus, my new favorite feature on tops: arms cut long with stretchy snot-absorbing cuffs with thumb-holes. Aptly named, the Mountain Trainer will find friends among the no-hood, no waist-belt on their packs crowd engaged in consensual high-output activity in adverse weather.

$179.00 at MontBell

MontBell Mountain Strider pant

Y'all know I get all round-heeled at the mere mention of Schoeller. But I do discriminate, and the MontBell Mountain Strider pant is a good example a la Suisse.

Constructed of Schoeller Dryskin these pants weigh in at only 18oz. They are tough, weather- and abrasion-resistant, and at the same time plenty elastic. These pants remind me of the Italian bra commerical: the only thing softer is your skin. The particular appeal of Dryskin is the soft inner wicking layer combined with a weather-resistant outer layer. Chocolate and peanut butter, baby.

So to recap: weather-resistant, flexible like a dancer at the Seventh Veil and about as tough-skinned, and reasonably priced to boot. For light-and-fast duty in the mountains where integrated gaiters and suspenders would be overkill, these pants hit just the right note.

$169.00 at MontBell

MontBell U.L. Down Inner Snap Neck Vest

Vests are great for keeping the core warm while venting well, but for some reason vendors seem to think of down vests as an outer layer and make them too bulky. The MontBell U.L. Down Inner series turns this on its head with the Snap Neck Vest, an ultralight (4.5oz!!!) piece that fits just perfectly under a shell.

The vest has no front zipper to compromise the insulation, just a small opening at the top with a couple of snaps. It goes on and off like a t-shirt quite handily. The cut of the DWR nylon shell is a tad boxy and there's no collar or pockets, but overall it's a brilliant alternative to fleece, adding a lot more insulation for less space and weight: it compresses to smaller than a 20oz Nalgene.

I was belaying ice climbs from a crevasse in Alaska this past weekend. When the sun disappeared over the lip the temperature dropped accordingly, but I just threw the Snap Neck vest on under my soft shell and all was toasty.

$99.00 at MontBell