FIELD NOTES

O+ members dish on their latest gear-testing experiences.

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FASTANDLIGHT HARDSHELL RAB KINETIC ULTRA

$200 | 10 oz. (m’s M) The Kinetic Ultra is the ideal jacket for anyone who wants the stretch and breathability of a softshell and the protection of a hardshell. Its PU-coated, threelayer recycled polyester knit feels more like a softie next to skin, and offers impressive mobility without any annoying crinkle. Still, the Kinetic Ultra seals out weather: It shed rain and blocked wind on a stormy, 40°F fall jog in Alaska ’ s Chugach State Park. During a strenuous dayhike in the same park earlier that season, it never got swampy when temps reached the mid-60s. This shell is light on features, with one small sleeve pocket for keys and ID and no pit zips, but it packs down to the size of an overstuffed burrito. It did wet out on a late fall sailing trip in Prince William Sound during a torrential snowstorm—but so did my Gore-Tex Pro hardshell. Bonus: A hood with a cap-style visor rolls down into the collar when not in use. Sizes: m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL

RUGGED ENERGY SOURCE GOAL ZERO VENTURE 35 POWER BANK

$70 | 10.1 oz. For those who don ’t want to worry about babying their electronics in the backcountry, the Venture 35 offers power in a package designed for rough use. On a four-day solo trek across Washington ’ s Olympic National Park, the 9600mAh battery fully charged my iPhone three times and still had enough juice to top off my satellite communicator. It proved its mettle against dust, dirt, and impact when I dropped it down several rock steps near Royal Lake, and shrugged off water during an all-day rainstorm that soaked my pack. The Venture 35 also held its charge well when temperatures dipped into the low 30s on the second night. Bonuses include the ability to charge multiple devices at one time (two USB-A ports and one USB-C) and a built-in 50 lumen flashlight. This compact device is the size of two Clif Bars stacked together, but at just over 10 ounces, the main tradeoff is weight. I find its reliability worth the (small) penalty.

GOANYWHERE TROUSER HELLY HANSEN RASK LIGHT SOFTSHELL PANTS

$150 | 11.3 oz. (w’s M) I wore these champions of durability and stretch on late summer hikes around Wyoming ’ s Wind River Range, especially as the weather got cooler and rainier. The DWR-treated polyamide-elastane blend proved extremely breathable on sunny, 75°F hikes in the foothills of the Cascades, and warm and dry on drizzly, 40°F outings around Snoqualmie National Forest. These pants never got sweaty, and fit like a second skin. The Rasks have a clean design, with a stretchy waist, a gusseted crotch, and elastic at the ankles, which kept my hems out of the mud. Articulated knee panels add extra abrasionresistance, while two roomy front zipper pockets plus a vertical thigh pocket provide plenty of space for stashing chapstick, keys, and phone. Even with all of the reinforcement points, these pants are still lightweight and fast-drying enough for rainy day rambles with my dog. Sizes: m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL

Lang Van Dommelen

HOME BASE Anchorage, AK FAVORITE TRAIL Anything in the Talkeetna Mountains

Matt Wise

HOME BASE Bremerton, WA FAVORITE TRAIL Grand Valley Trail, Olympic National Park

Arianne Zwartjes

HOME BASE Tacoma, WA FAVORITE TRAIL All the mountain trails around Leadville, CO FAVORITE TRAIL SNACK Tortillas with pepper jack and salsa