Favorite Gear Features?

[cbcbd]

these are all features I enjoy/have enjoyed.

On Clothes:
-3-way adjustable hoods - I have used all 3 many times on mine. it's great when you're switching from helmet to helmetless and have to keep looking up for the route without the hood getting in the way.

-Zipper pulls on everything. I always make sure the fly in my pants has a nice pull But beware, some zippers don't fare as well with pulls. A small zipper might become damaged from use with pulls.

-long gauntlets on gloves - Doesn't have to be insulated, just a nice long and big enough gauntlet to fit over your sleeve and keep the elements out.

-high pockets on jackets that don't interfere with harness/hipbelt

-sternum-high outer napoleon pocket on jackets - my favorite for camera stowage/access

-idiot cords on mittens

-thumb loops on baselayers (not built in on jackets, though)

-The slanted pockets on my OR Exos pants - their design keeps things in the pockets from getting in the way of your legs.

-suspenders. IMO underrated. I love my gtex bibs and nothing sucks more than feeling a wind gap form between your jacket and your pants.

-longer backs on jackets - the first part to feel exposed when you bend over or stretch up and one of the worst places to feel that exposure.

-Zippered cargo pockets. Still trying to find a replacement for my old Columbia shorts.

On packs:
-ice axe loops - Sounds obvious but I have no idea why EMS' new line of packs have none

-compression systems without many straps - ie. WT Andinista and CiloGear packs with D rings - I just fashioned something on my golite Gust which has few floppy straps once compressed.

-compression for bottom of pack

-gear loop and daisy chains on hipbelt

-removable hipbelt

-removable and accessable framesheet/stays - I like to replace mine with my sleeping pad.

-long top loading extensions - doesn't add too much more weight, it's not always used to the max but it's nice to have when you are hauling stuff and can use the bag as a big duffel. Can also easily double as an emergency bivy.

Sleeping bags:
-zipper vent in foot of sleeping bag - my 0 degree has it and it's nice when warm

-separate draw chord material for hood and collar. My SD bag has thin flat webbing for one, regular chord for the other - easy to distinguish in the dark by touch.

-compression stuff sack - one of the greatest inventions ever. If it doesn't come with one, I buy one.

-Although it would add weight and maybe compromise some of the insulation, dual zippers on the main zipper side and a small zipper hole on the other would be nice for sticking your arms out of doing things from inside your bag in the winter - a la OR/Exped's Wallcreeper.


I'm sure I can think of others, I just need to get back to work now

 

[marty]

I like vertical zippers on jackets, such as on my old Marmot Driclime windshirt and Patagonia Micropuff pullover - see URL for example: Micro Puff Pullover - vertical pocket. You can fish stuff out of these pockets a lot easier than horizontal ones. I've never lost anything by forgetting to zip it either, knock on wood.

Marty

P.S. Nice list, CBCBD!

 

[Paradox]

these are all features I enjoy/have enjoyed. .....
On Clothes:
-idiot cords on mittens

Idiot cords drive me crazy, because they catch on branches and such. What is it about them that you like? do yours catch on things or am I missing something here.

 

[cbcbd]

Idiot cords drive me crazy, because they catch on branches and such. What is it about them that you like? do yours catch on things or am I missing something here.

I haven't had problems with my mitten idiot cords catching on stuff - but then again, if I'm wearing my mittens I am usually above treeline and there's less to catch up there. Plus, I think when I usually have them on I can sometimes barely seem them - because I sinch them on my wrists and my mittens have gauntlets, the idiot cord slack tends to stay inside the gauntlet part - I guess a catching problem could be worse if the gloves had really long idiot cords.

I like them because I can quickly drop my mittens to use my camera or something else that requires some sort of dexterity - and not worry about losing them.

 

[DougPaul]

-high pockets on jackets that don't interfere with harness/hipbelt

-sternum-high outer napoleon pocket on jackets - my favorite for camera stowage/access

-suspenders. IMO underrated. I love my gtex bibs and nothing sucks more than feeling a wind gap form between your jacket and your pants.

-longer backs on jackets - the first part to feel exposed when you bend over or stretch up and one of the worst places to feel that exposure.

IMO, part of the problem is the new lightweight designs. Shells used to go down to mid thigh length. There was room for big pockets below the pack belt. Jackets used to be a bit longer too.

I've complained multiple times, but the manufacturers don't listen to me...

Doug

 

[Mats Roing]

Second the hip belt pockets. I'm not sure how I ever lived without them.

Not sure why more backpack makers have pockets on the hipbelts.

I used to have a reverse fannypack in order to have front pockets. The problem with that is that you get a lot of belts around your waist (belt for pants, hipbelt for the pack and the belt for the fanny pack).

Especuially the bigger packs which when loaded heavily it's a bit of a hassle to take them off to grab a granola bar.

Osprey and GoLite does a good job on the mid-size packs (The Atmos 50 is my most used pack). Gregory Whitney 95 have pockets on the front although they are very small. The front pockets on the Osprey Atmos 65 I consider to be the benchmark. You can put a lot of snacks there

The pockets you can buy and snap on to the shoulder straps etc are usually pretty flimsy. Does anyone know of a place where they sell good snap on pockets?

I like the Wild Things Andinista pack......light, waterproof, durable and sizable......only reason I'm not using it more is that it doesn't have front pockets. I really like the built-in thin sleeping pad in this pack. But it misses those hipbelt pockets......

 

[Mike P.]

Agree with cbcbd about zipper pulls, if I find something I own without them, I add some cord and make my own.

reversible zippers, if you are a warm hiker, you may want to keep the top zipped but unzip the bottom of your jacket or vest

Full zip (on legs) fleece & rain pants. I hardly ever wear either but the ability to put layer up without removing plastic boots or snowshoes is great.

hybrid crampons, not such a big deal now that the "strap" ons really only have one strap a toe basket & a heel cup.

zip-lock bags - no matter the weather, my gear is dry!

bag balm no really no way do I finish a 2006 Presi- traverse or any other 18+ mile hike & want to do it again.

 

[chinooktrail]

Mike P, I think you mean '2 way' zippers instead of reversible, which has two zipper pulls on same pull so the coat itself is reversable... A two way zipper would be able to open top and bottom. I think you meant the second.

I agree with zip locks! When I did the Pemi Loop a few years ago we were at the Guyot Shelter and this guy pulled this HUGE ziplock out of his pack. I mean big, I think he had his sleeping bag or something like that in it.

I had SERIOUS zip lock envy!

Then one of the Boy Scout kids that were also in the shelter (Made for quite a humerous evening) Said they make them really big, like ten gallons or something, and at his summer job they use them as floats in the water.

Never have found them...

But I think it would make packing the pack easier and dryer all around. Not sure how well they would hold up on a long journey. But I think I will searh for them again.

 

[Paradox]

I agree with zip locks! When I did the Pemi Loop a few years ago we were at the Guyot Shelter and this guy pulled this HUGE ziplock out of his pack. I mean big, I think he had his sleeping bag or something like that in it.

I had SERIOUS zip lock envy!

Then one of the Boy Scout kids that were also in the shelter (Made for quite a humerous evening) Said they make them really big, like ten gallons or something, and at his summer job they use them as floats in the water.

Never have found them...

I saw the 10 gallon ones at BJ's a while back.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I've used the 10gal ones for storing fish. They've held up well on a boat, with lots of sharp or rough stuff to catch on. Don't want them to leak, for sure...

Tim

 

[dug]

I have a pair of TNF pants that the front zipper is down in the closed position. You have no idea how much easier that is when you really have to go and you have your pack buckle on.

 

[Silverfox]

most loved gear features

Second the hip belt pockets. I'm not sure how I ever lived without them.

I am with you on the hip belt pockets which are plenty large enough for bars..compass..all the little stuff you want close at hand..

zipper pulls that you can grab onto

Tack those on to all the other neat features to Osprey Atmos 50 mentioned here already..forward pull hip belt..MESH BACK..easy hydration access..plenty of clever pockets with vertical zippers..hard to remember hiking with the old Kelty external..

Also like zipped pockets on pants though don't have to be cargo type

gloves with gauntlets

lose the idiot straps things for sure..always catching them on something

my favortite feature of hiking gear however is the lightweight wicking windproof non smell absorbing fabric that is available to us these days