Minus33 In Ashland, NH

[DayTrip]

Is anyone familiar with a company called Minus33, based in Ashland, NH? Came across them looking for wool products. Looks like they've been in NH for awhile (although they outsource overseas now to remain competitive). Curious if anyone has used their products and would recommend, dealt with their customer service, etc. Like to support local companies when I can. For that matter if there are any other local companies VFTT members are strong advocates for I'd be curious to know about. Thanks.

 

[hikingmaineac]

Here I was thinking this was a thread about Monday night's forecasted temperatures... "By Tuesday morning we'll be seeing 10 to 20 below temperatures across the area making it one of the coldest nights we've seen in a quite a while." http://www.wgme.com/weather/

 

[bignslow]

I have been using one of their mid-weight merino crew tops for 2-3 years (for every single winter/cold hike) and it has held up wonderfully. One thing to keep in mind is that the sizing is a bit more casual, so if you want a "thermal" fit, consider sizing down.
I also have a merino balaclava, but I tend to use that a little less (too warm compared to my synthetic ones).

I have been pleased so far, and have actually asked for another shirt for the holidays this year (in a smaller size)

 

[SteveR]

Full Disclosure: The company is owned by a friend of mine so my posts should be considered biased.

That being said... When on winter climbs, I am ALWAYS wearing a Minus33 layer over my base/wicking layer and probably have another dry one in the pack.

Though they have many offerings, my only experience is with the mid-layers ("long johns"). I'm a big fan of the weight and handle of the material and would suggest that you get somewhere where you can actually feel it as well. It's very nice AND functional gear, and I prefer it over pricier Ibex gear.

There are no better people than the long time local family that runs this outfit. I couldn't recommend it more.

 

[DayTrip]

Good to hear. Their pricing seems pretty competitive. If their gear is good I'll definitely give them a shot. Thanks.

 

[sardog1]

Though they have many offerings, my only experience is with the mid-layers ("long johns"). I'm a big fan of the weight and handle of the material and would suggest that you get somewhere where you can actually feel it as well. It's very nice AND functional gear, and I prefer it over pricier Ibex gear.

Yeah, what he said.

 

[sierra]

I'd be more inclined to try their product if it was made in the U.S.A.

 

[DayTrip]

I ordered some mid weight base layers and a hat from them. I haven't tried on a hike yet but they seem to be VERY HIGH QUALITY. The mid weight is quite thick and smooth and the fit is excellent. If they're as warm as I expect they'll be and machine wash like the website claims I'd likely have to give this gear a big thumbs up. Glad I stumbled across their website. Thanks for the feedback.

Sierra: It is unfortunate that our current world business climate forces many US companies to either compromise on their product, ship it overseas or go out of business. At least they started as a US manufacturer and still employee local people in NH. I'm inclined to give them a break for at least trying to make a product that doesn't compromise on quality and adheres to their mission statement even of they have to make concessions to meet their customer's expectations. This doesn't seem to be a company like Wal Mart that is only focused on shareholders and the bottom line. Makes a difference...to me at least.

 

[jfb]

If they're as warm as I expect they'll be and machine wash like the website claims I'd likely have to give this gear a big thumbs up.

I always wash my wool garments by hand with Ivory Snow liquid detergent. Then, roll up in a towel for a half hour or so and dry overnight on a flat rack or on a dry towel.

 

[sierra]

I ordered some mid weight base layers and a hat from them. I haven't tried on a hike yet but they seem to be VERY HIGH QUALITY. The mid weight is quite thick and smooth and the fit is excellent. If they're as warm as I expect they'll be and machine wash like the website claims I'd likely have to give this gear a big thumbs up. Glad I stumbled across their website. Thanks for the feedback.

Sierra: It is unfortunate that our current world business climate forces many US companies to either compromise on their product, ship it overseas or go out of business. At least they started as a US manufacturer and still employee local people in NH. I'm inclined to give them a break for at least trying to make a product that doesn't compromise on quality and adheres to their mission statement even of they have to make concessions to meet their customer's expectations. This doesn't seem to be a company like Wal Mart that is only focused on shareholders and the bottom line. Makes a difference...to me at least.

Fair enough, I understand the economics of it. That being said, all my clothes is Patagonia and I'm staying with Pat. Imo the best clothes for the outdoors bar none.

 

[SteveR]

I'd be more inclined to try Patagonia if it were made in the U.S.A.

 

[DougPaul]

I ordered some mid weight base layers and a hat from them. I haven't tried on a hike yet but they seem to be VERY HIGH QUALITY. The mid weight is quite thick and smooth and the fit is excellent. If they're as warm as I expect they'll be and machine wash like the website claims I'd likely have to give this gear a big thumbs up.

A caution on mid-weight base layers (Re the "I hate down..." thread):

Base layers should be the lightest weight that is practical so you can dissipate a maximum amount of heat when needed. Unfortunately, light, mid, and heavy weights are not well defined or consistent across manufacturers. I use light weight polyester base layers, but light-weight Smartwool is too fragile and mid-weight is a better choice. For comparison, I have some 100-weight fleece* long underwear which may have been called mid-weight but is far too hot for hiking. (I use it when lift-served skiing and may carry it as emergency gear.)

* Fleece used to come in three weights: 100, 200, and 300 (grams/sq meter). Now days, all outerwear seems to be ~200 weight.


FWIW, I wash essentially all of my mountaineering clothing (except for waterproof-breathable shells) by hand using ordinary detergent. If I am doing a big load of fleece, I may spin it in the washer to get most of the water out before hanging to dry.

Doug