Adventure Insider » Mountain Hardwear

Mountain Hardwear Mesa Convertible Pants

Shane — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:56:50 +0000

There are dozens of options for convertible pants from nearly every clothing manufacturer. For this test, I tried the Mesa Pants from Mountain Hardwear (MH). I’ve gained a little weight over the last year, but according to the USAF my waist is still 33 inches. Going by the MH sizing chart, that puts me in the ‘medium’ range of pants. I ordered the long version to make sure the pants would be long enough. When they arrived I immediately tried them on and learned they’re a little snug. The medium size is supposed to fit up to a 34 waist, but that would be a very tight fit.

On our trek through the Raggeds Wilderness in August, these pants performed quite well. They are fairly water resistant, and dried very quickly when they did get wet. The built in drawcord cuffs helped keep the rocks & mud out of my boots since I wasn’t wearing gaiters. The convertible feature is quick & easy to use, the zipper never got stuck at all. It would be helpful if there were some identifying marks on the pant bottoms, since I tried to zip the wrong side on nearly every time.

So far the pants have worn pretty well, but they only have about 50 miles on them so far. The seams are holding just fine, despite the snug fit. The pockets are just right, and managed to hold all of my electronics & other necessities great on the trail. One issue I did notice is that the built-in belt does not hold very well. I had to tighten the slip-through buckle at nearly every stop.

These are a great pair of pants for light backpacking in fair weather. They’re not insulated so I won’t be using them for winter trekking, but they’ve worked well all summer. Since they run a little small, if you’re on the high end of a size, consider getting the next size up.

Quick Review

Design:

Canyon™ Cloth, Lined with Micro-Chamois

Weight:

14oz / 392g

Retail:

$74.95 (buy)

Why It’s Hot:

Easily convertible
Dry quickly
Perfect pockets

Why It’s Not:

Sizing a little small
Belt slips

Mountain Hardwear Duration S/S T-Shirt

Shane — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:56:26 +0000

Backpacking in the summer, regardless of where you go, means one thing: sweat. In the past the standard polyester shirts I’ve worn have had a major problem with odor. I really like the Merino Wool Patagonia shirts, but had concerns about their durability. Enter the Mountain Hardwear Duration S/S shirt.

This shirt features a wicking anti-microbial fabric that’s very fast drying. This means less time for the sweat to soak in, and less odor. On our Raggeds Adventure, hiking to nearly 11,000 feet really put this shirt to the test. I’m glad to say that after three days of sweat & dirt, this shirt was still acceptable in a local restaurant in Gunnison.

Another great feature of this shirt is that the bottom seams are rotated toward the front, so your pack stays more comfortable. They’re also flat knitted, which is less likely to dig in to your skin. The fabric is pick-resistant, so even after quite a bit of off-trail trekking there were very few snags and the shirt held up great.

Quick Review

Design:

100% Polyester

Weight:

5oz / 154g

Retail:

$44.95 (buy)

Why It’s Hot:

Anti-Microbial (low odor)
Well placed seams
Durable

Why It’s Not:

A little pricey for a T-Shirt

This shirt includes features a wicking anti-microbial fabric that’s very fast drying. This means less time for the sweat to soak in, and less odor. On our Raggeds Adventure, hiking to nearly 11,000 feet really put this shirt to the test. I’m glad to say that after three days of sweat & dirt, this shirt was still acceptable in a local restaurant in Gunnison.

Quick Review

Design: 100% Polyester

Weight: 5oz / 154g

Retail: $44.95 (buy)

http://www.usoutdoorstore.com/outlet/mountain-hardwear-duration-ss-tee.html

Why It’s Hot:
-Anti-Microbial (low odor)
-Well placed seams
-Durable

Why It’s Not:
-A little pricey for a T-Shirt

Mountain Hardwear Phantom Jacket

Erick — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:54:33 +0000

Billed as a jacket for superlight expeditions, the Phantom performs as advertised. Nothing more, nothing less. Weighting in at just 1lb. 1/2oz. the Phantom is quite warm despite some of the downfalls associated with ‘superlight’ gear. Stuffed with 800-fill down, the Phantom provides exceptional loft, however the jacket is made using box quilted construction instead of baffled construction. This shortcoming leaves cold spots where the stitching is, especially when the wind is acting up. A lack of windproof zippers doesn’t help this problem, the Phantom only includes a flap of ripstop behind the zipper. The jacket is rather basic as well. It lacks a hood, and the cut is quite small. The bottom of the jacket is so high that the shirt you’re wearing will show under it. You may want to order a size larger than you feel you will need.

The jacket is constructed of 15 Denier ripstop that is very lightweight, at the cost of some durability. It’s also finished with a water repellent to keep your down dry in a sprinkle, although any serious rain will require a shell to keep you dry and warm. If you are looking for a jacket to have in case of cooler weather and are looking to go light, start with the Phantom. If you need anything more, you may be better served with another jacket.

Quick Review

Design: Super light down jacket
Retail: $240 (Buy)
Weights: 1lb. .5oz. (medium)
Why it’s hot:

Weight
800-fill down

Why it’s not:

Quilted construction
Short cut

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/

Mountain Hardwear Gravity Gloves

Erick — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:36:56 +0000

Serving well as either a glove liner or lightweight windproof glove, the Mountain Hardwear Gravity Gloves work like a charm. Made with Gore Windstopper and a leather leather palm, these gloves are great for any activity in less than ideal conditions. Trying them in 90MPH wind on a cold day kept the wind off my hands and retained enough heat to keep them warm for about ten minutes before I needed additional protection. These gloves have found a permanent spot in my cool and cold weather gear lists.

Quick Info:

Design: Windproof glove or glove liner
Retail: $50 (Buy)
Weight: 3 oz. (medium)
Why it’s hot:

Quality construction
Versatility
Leather Palm

Why it’s not:

None

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/