Mammut聽Wall Rider Helmet ($100)
For head protection聽to do its job well, it has to fit perfectly. 罢丑别听聽has multiple adjustable straps. Bonus points聽for the ultralow weight and big vents to keep your noggin cool.
Black Diamond鈥檚 Alpine Light Soft颅shell Pants ($99)
The built-in belt on聽 lets you quickly take the waist in or out a few inches鈥攈andy聽for bathroom breaks. Shout out to the designer who shaped and placed the zippered pocket, which聽is ideal for sunglasses or a topo map.聽
Cotopaxi聽Teca聽Full-Zip Windbreaker ($80)
The won鈥檛 blend in with the landscape, and that鈥檚 just fine with us. The 4.5 ounces of repurposed 20-denier nylon is enough to fend off light showers, while elastic at the hem, cuffs, and hood shuts out drafts.聽
Eddie Bauer Resolution Quantum SS Shirt ($60)
If James Bond were blitzing a fourteener, he鈥檇 wear the . Moisture-颅activated polymers聽expand and contract with sweat levels, letting cool air in and vapor out. Smartly cut vents kept us chilled in direct sunlight beyond the trees, but beware awkward tan lines.
Adidas鈥檚 Outdoor聽Terrex聽Scope GTX Hikers ($160)
Lacing up聽聽is like putting on soccer cleats: this Gore-Tex newcomer is a bit more aggressive than most day hikers. But give it time and it will win you over with a combo of just-right cushioning and Stealth rubber outsoles (the same used on Five Ten climbing shoes) that enable mountain-goat scrambling on loose rock.
Platypus聽Duolock聽2L Bottle ($12)
A rugged, easy-fill, compressible plastic hydration pouch like the聽 is one of those thing you don鈥檛 think you need until you have it. With its two-liter capacity, locking valve, and carabiner clip, it鈥檚 equally at home stuffed deep inside your pack or clipped to a harness loop.
Thule Stir 35 Liter聽Pack ($140)
We loaded up the聽聽with everything we needed for a one-day ascent, then cinched the top drawcord, and… wait, there鈥檚 still room in there! Thule combined a removable waistband (and sternum strap) with a side-access zipper, rain cover, internal bladder pocket, and enough nooks and crannies for a day or two on your feet.
Leki Micro聽Vario聽Carbon DSS Poles ($220)
Leki鈥檚 slickly designed unfold and lock into place in seconds. Thin wrist straps decrease heft while trekking, and the foam grips don鈥檛 slip when your palms get sweaty. Nice: a featherweight stuff sack keeps these shiny carbon beauties from getting tangled in your pack.
Camp USA Jasper CR4 Harness ($68)
罢丑别听 is engineered with six millimeters of foam in the waist and four in the adjustable leg loops, for comfort without too much weight. The beefy nylon outer layer offers confidence when scraping along a via ferrata.