
Merino wool offers some great benefits, but Ibex really pushes the envelope by calling their new tee GOAT, “the greatest tee we’ve ever made”. So to test this claim we took the Tee on a multi-day 110 km and 4,440 meters of elevation backcountry hiking spree and wore the IBEX GOAT short sleeve crew t-shirt on every hike (and didn’t wash it between hikes) to test out IBEX’s claim.
These shorts are designed with Hybrid-Mapped Materials for optimal breathability, durability, and range of movement. Their proprietary bluesign® approved Ferrosi fabrics are water-resistant, quick-drying, lightweight and stretchy to allow for optimal movement while keeping you cool and dry. They have an internal drawcord and elasticized waist to create a custom fit along with several pockets for storage of essential items like gels, keys and a credit card. There are two front hand pockets along with a zippered thigh pocket for more valuable items. Side slits at the hem increase range of motion while running and hiking and a reflective logos ensures you’ll be visible at dust and low light conditions.
Outdoor Research’s new Stratoburst Rain Hat is not only waterproof and breathable but is made with bluesign® approved recycled materials. The Ventia 2.5L fabric has just the right amount of stretch and has fully taped seams so it’s completely waterproof. The large 360° wrap around brim is large enough that it provides full face and neck protection from the rain so your entire head will stay dry in the wettest of down pours. The Stratoburst Rain Hat packs down super small so it’s ideal for travel and hikes when the weather may not completely cooperate. The floating foam-stiffened brim has a stiff structure so it won’t deform and the adjustable back cinch allows you to tighten the fit to keep it on your head in windy conditions.
Designed for the full spectrum of mountain activities, the new Stellar Softshell Pants 2.0 are incredibly versatile. Whether you're hiking, climbing, glacier traveling, or ski touring, these pants excel. While primarily engineered as comfortable and durable alpine pants for hiking, I personally discovered their impressive performance on a warm spring ski day.
Meindl has been crafting footwear for over three centuries, since its inception in 1683 by Petrus Meindl in Kirchanschöring, Germany. Nestled in the heart of the Bavarian Alps, Meindl boasts a long tradition of quality, unparalleled comfort, and innovation. Their latest trail shoe, the Literock Free, is designed to tackle hiking trails of varied terrain types and in all weather conditions, thanks to their Vibram soles which provide best-in-class traction and durability. The Gore-Tex liners offer added protection when the weather turns wet, and their full wrap-around rand increases their ability to repel water and mud. Cork insoles allow your feet to customize the fit over time for increased comfort and shock absorption on rougher terrain. The Literock Free Trail Shoes have plenty of room up front in the toe box while still ensuring a snug fit overall, especially in the heel. This is due mainly to the last design, but also to their innovative Variofix lacing system which provides ample ankle support and a secure fit.
ZEAL Optic’s new polarized Westwater Sunglasses are designed for paddling, ski touring and glacier travel thanks to their 8-base curvature design which provides great protection and coverage from the elements. Attach the slide-on ventilated side panels and you can instantly convert the Westwater Sunglasses into functional, fog-free glacier glass. These removable side panels are ideal for keeping snow from blowing into the lenses—slide off the side panels and you have a stylish pair of frames for around town all summer long. The photocromic lenses or what Zeal calls their ‘AutoSun Lenses’ adjust to the ever changing mountain light conditions while their polarized properties are ideal for paddling and fishing. With non-slip ProFlex material in the temples and nose bridge, the Westwater Sunglasses will stay put no matter the adventure.
Nemo’s latest addition to their backpack lineup is called the Persist and it comes in 30 and 45L versions for both men and women. We opted to test out the 30L Persist as it fit our technical day-hiking pack needs the best. Don’t let the Persist’s clean exterior design fool you as it is loaded with technical features and tough enough to take on hiking, climbing and snowy adventures. Its U-shaped zippered back panel provides super-quick access to the contents inside and a comfortable padded carry no matter how heavy you go. The CCubed cushioning is made from a recyclable foam which has impressive wicking capabilities thanks in part to the all-new DryWing wraparound back panel design. This unique design is engineered to pull sweat away from the body and move it to the wings where it can more quickly be dissipated. The Persist’s shoulder straps and padded waist belt are also reinforced with CCubed for increased comfort and evenly distributed weight.
Heliox makes the lightest, strongest, most comfortable lightweight, packable furniture which includes camp chairs, cots, tables & outdoor equipment. Their innovative designs use the highest quality materials like the proprietary DAC aluminum alloy frames and nylon resin hubs. While strength and durability are at the core of every Helinox product so is the environment, which is why you’ll find bluesign-certified and recycled polyester ripstop fabrics are used which resist tears and are made to withstand the elements.
Roll Recovery is a brand that “empower athletes to optimize their recovery, enhance performance, and play a vital role in their athletic journey”. They sell massage products, rollers such as the Deep Tissue Body Roller and a percussion gun called the R1 Percussion Massage Gun which help your body recover so you can continue to perform at what ever level you want.
Therm-A-Rest’s new Neoloft is a lightweight/packable year round sleeping pad that’s ideal for backpacking or car camping. At 11.7cm / 4.6” thick, the Neoloft is incredibly comfortable—even for side sleepers. It uses a 3D construction with vertical sidewalls that attach the top and bottom fabric which eliminates the traditional tapered edges found on most sleeping pads. This effectively creates side rails to cradle you in the centre of the mat limiting “roll off” and increasing the sleep surface by 20%.
More and more park systems are requiring bear proof storage containers on backcountry adventures and the standard products are made from polycarbonate or other plastics. While these are highly effective solutions the containers are heavy, bulky and don’t pack down as you use up the contents inside. This is where Ursack shines, their 20L AllMitey Grizzly protects your food from not only bear’s teeth and claws but also smaller creatures such as mice, raccoon, squirrels, and pine martens who may try and shew through the bag. The Ursack Allmitey Grizzly Edition is virtually puncture-proof thanks to its Laminated Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWP) and Kevlar construction. The Ursack AllMitey Grizzly Bag measures 20 x 11” when cinched closed and holds 20 litres of food and supplies (about 9 days of freeze dried food), and weighs only 391g. The top of the bag is closed by cinching the 6 foot braided high tensile cord with a double overhand knot. This high tensile strength cord has reflective tracers and is six feet in length so there is plenty of cord to secure the Ursack to a tree.
If you want to protect your food in a lighter more compact bear proof system on your next adventure then be sure to look into the Ursack AllMitey Grizzly 20L Bag.
Features
Bear and critter resistant food sack
Virtually puncture proof
Material: Laminated UHMWP and Kevlar
Water Resistant (treat seams with seam seal or they might leak)
Cord: 6 foot–high tensile strength with reflective tracer
Reflective Exterior Tag for increased visibility at night
Lightweight, flexible, ultra strong
Collapsable alternative to hard sided canisters
Puncture Proof
Tear resistant
Holds about 9 days of food
Specs
Price: $339.00CAN / $245.95US
Weight: 391g / 13.8oz
Capacity: 20L
Size: 14”W x 24”H
Sea To Summit Ether Light XR Pro Insulated Air Sleeping Pad
You know how your footwear never stinks? Well, it does. Sorry. It is the one thing that never gets enough attention and typically needs it the most. At the end of the ski season your liners are in need of some love and Nikwax’s Footwear Refresh is just the thing to make them smell like new again. Footwear Refresh is a powerful deodorizing cleaner designed to freshen and prevent odour build-up in all non-waterproof footwear, insoles, and footbeds. Footwear Refresh cleans and deodorizes most kinds of footwear, including ski boot liners, sandals, and climbing shoes. This PFC free cleaner will eliminate any odours that have build up in your footwear and clean them at the same time—effectively extending the life of your footwear and ski boots. Be sure to show your favourite slides, shoes, sandals and boots some love this off-season and give them a good clean and deodorizing with Nikwax’s new Footwear Refresh.Copyright © 2009-25 Backcountry Skiing Canada. All Rights Reserved.