GearFlogger

REI Snoqualmie cap in eVent

No joke, there I was, knee deep in hand grenade pins and lookin' for wabbits. OK, that's not true, but what is true is that you can now get your Elmer-Fudd-in-the-Afrika-Korps thing on with the REI Snoqualmie cap in eVent.

If you're looking for an alternative to the ubiquitous Sherpa cap for keeping your brain housing group from getting wet and cold, the Snoqualmie has you... covered. The eVent shell is weatherproof and as a bonus breathes like a overweight harrier chasing down dinner.

Warmth is guaranteed by generous helpings of PrimaLoft Sport everywhere but the brim, and the microfleece lining is rabbit-fur-soft. The earflaps snap up to stow away, but there's nothing keeping them down if you're facing into a stiff wind. A keeper cord would help, as well as secure your haberdashery whilst you're cuttin' up the slopes. Awesome gift for hunters, dads and retro-hipsters.

$39.50 at REI

Triathlon Revolution book

So you all know what I think about running. And swimming. Biking I actually like, but two out of three, with apologies to Meatloaf, is not all it's cracked up to be. And yet I feel compelled to train for a triathlon, which is latin for "sucks to be you."

Luckily there's Triathlon Revolution: Training, Technique, and Inspiration by Terri Schneider, the latest in the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert series. I'll tell you up front this is not a technique book, with the exception of the running chapter, which is the only one of the three sport-specific chapters that actually does contain a good chunk of valuable info on running technique.

The strength of this book lies in the wealth of information covering all the non-technique subjects: gear, nutrition, training, motivation, psychology and the all important transitions. There are sample routines and schedules, and frequent guest blurbs from accomplished triathletes about the finer points of all of the above. Rounding it all out is a very useful glossary and bibliography. Triathlon Revolution belongs on the bookshelf of anyone, novice or master, crazy enough to want to participate in this peculiar yet seductive form of self-abuse.

$13.57 at Amazon

Patagonia R1 Hoody

Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits. Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. Chuck Norris once roundhouse kicked someone so hard that his foot broke the speed of light, went back in time, and killed Amelia Earhart while she was flying over the Pacific Ocean. Chuck wears the Patagonia R1 Hoody when it's time to go ninja.

Want to get your inner Chuck on? The R1 is a base layer with a few really nice alpinist-friendly touches. First is the integrated 'clava-style hood, eliminating cold spots 'twixt neck and noggin. Second is the extra-long hem, which will stay put under a harness. Third is the thumb-hole on the end of the sleeves, which keeps your cuffs in place when you're sliding gloves on. There's a single zippered chest pocket in case you want to wear the R1 as its own piece for high-output aerobic activity.

The R1 may be the ultimate mid-weight layer. It fits like a second skin and moves effortlessly, thanks to Capilene 4 stretch panels under the arms. The checkerboard style interior weave picks up sweat and moves it out extremely efficiently. The face is smooth enough that layers will slide over it. And it's made of 60% recycled Polartec Power Dry. I think I need another one, because I'm going to wear this one into the ground. Thanks, Chuck!

$125.00 at Backcountry

Java Juice Pure Coffee Extract

We first reviewed the original "Adventure Travel Coffee" two years ago, and it's just gotten better. There's nothing quite like a pounding, blinding, please-god-kill-me-now caffeine withdrawal headache at altitude, brought on by the weak-ass instant coffee you packed because you didn't want to deal with the royal pain of pressing the good stuff.

No more, I say. Java Juice is a liquid coffee extract made from fair-trade, shade-grown, 100% organic kosher Arabica beans, probably packed by little lawful good hobbits with velvet gloves. The individual single serving packages are nitrogen flushed so they can go to altitude safely, and they have a PSI rating of 190lbs, so they won't break in your pack. It's true, I tried to crush one with my ginormous posterior and it successfully resisted.

The new flavors are just the right intensity, not too overpowering: you've got a choice between hazelnut, french vanilla and original. Oh yeah, and decaf, purpose unknown. The taste is great, as close to fresh-brewed as you're going to get. Preparation is simple: just add hot, but not boiling, water. No fuss, no muss, and best of all: 100mg of caffeine straight to your brain.

$1.30 at REI

Sierra Designs BTU jacket

New from Sierra Designs is the SheFlogger-approved BTU jacket. BTU stands for "better than u" which is the attitude you will get when she puts this very chic piece on and stands next to you, just to remind you how crappy you look in your army-surplus fleece jacket.

The BTU is much more than just a pretty face, however. It's packed with 700-fill goose down inside a fully down-proof DWR shell. The adjustable hood is roomy enough for a low-profile helmet, so you might even be able to use the BTU as a belay jacket. The full length zipper flap has a garage at the top to protect your chin, and a soft tricot lining on the inside of the collar. The zippered chest pocket is also fleecy inside so you can throw your shades in there with no worries. There are two zippered hand pockets, an interior zippered mesh pocket and an interior open stretchy mesh pocket.

There are even zippered arm vents for when you're working it. The zippers are concealed with small pulls, so you won't be working them with your gloves on, but that's about the only compromise to style on the BTU: despite the haute-couture looks the BTU is not over-quilted like some insulated coats out there, so the down has plenty of room to loft and do its job to keep you toasty warm. And the cherry on top is the english-metric conversion chart stitched on the inside. As we're heading into the holiday season, all this adds up to a get-out-of-the-doghouse rating of 5 out of 5.

$249.95 at Summit Hut