This year the Grassroots Gear Closet included some great items from all of our Vendor Partners.  Throughout the year, we tested gear in all sorts of fun locations around Western North Carolina and beyond.  Here are some of our favorites in no particular order!

Outdoor Research Credo Jacket - MSRP: $165.00 USD

The Credo is a light weight softshell with micro fleece lining that is great in the moderate fall/winter conditions here in Asheville.  It stretches and moves well with your activities (especially bouldering) and is fashionable to wear around town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOWA Tibet GTX - MSRP $290.00

This is a great backpacking/heavy load boot that gets the job done.  Grassroots President Dave Matz says,“these are the most comfortable boots I have ever worn.” These long haul boots were tested in the Grand Canyon as well as the Pisgah National Forest.

 

 

 

 

 

Smartwool PhD Line of Socks

Earlier this year, Smartwool introduced the new PhD line of socks.  These follow in the line of great fitting socks from the industry leader in wool technology.  The PhD’s we sampled this year were among the office gear favorites and rarely leave our feet, save an occasional washing.  Great fit, warmth and wicking combine for a sock you can wear all day in the office or out playing in the woods!

 

 

 

 

Patagonia Ladies Down Sweater Vest - MSRP $150.00

The Sweater Vest is an item that we picked up for those cold days to keep the core nice and toasty.  It is extremely packable and lightweight.  It is a  winter staple, and will be on our backs for days to come!

 

 

 

 

 

Marmot Reactor Fleece - MSRP $75.00

This fleece is the most comfortable insulating piece we have tested.  It fits like a glove and is not too bulky to go under shells or to wear a nice sweater underneath.  The full zip is comfortable on the neck all the way zipped, and the fleece cover over the zipper saves the inevitable pull of the beard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mountain Hardwear Mountain Lifestyle Apparel

Mountain Hardwear is known for their Innovative and tough mountain performance gear; including durable winter shells, and gloves as well as tents and sleeping bags. Some of our favorites this year were from the Mountain Lifestyle lines which were all very comfortable clothing that suited us from Spring to Fall.

 

 

 

 

 

Smith Shoreline Sunglasses - MSRP $139.00

For looking cool and protecting your eyes, Smith Optics cannot be beat.  Lightweight, comfortable and very fashionable, Smith’s are always protecting our eyes from the harmful UV rays of the sweet sunny south. This year our Office Manager Hope Buttitta has worn her Shorelines everyday since getting them back in the Spring.  She says “I needed a pair of sunglasses that protected my eyes and looked good no matter where I am.  These look great in the woods or in town.”

 

 

 

 

Smartwool Baby Booties - MSRP $16.05

Smartwool made the list twice due to making a new parent’s best friend, socks that stay on the kiddo’s feet. Marketing Manager Tyler Donaldson welcomed a new little one to the team this summer (during Summer OR) and Smartwool Booties have graced the little one’s feet ever since. “We keep trying other socks in our closet, but these just stay on.” Every bit a Smartwool product, the Booties are warm and fuzzy and just too darn cute!

Thanks to all of our Vendors and Retailers!  2008 was a great year for product and service.  We look forward to a great New Year in 2009!

  “Cold Weather Paddling“

by Bill Mauney - Great Outdoor Provision Co.



Excerpt:
I know you are not planning on getting wet, but capsizes can occur even in the most benign conditions.

Try this. Fill up the kitchen sink with water and ice. Stick one hand underwater and time how many seconds you can remain immersed. Notice the pain. Now stick the other hand underwater and move it around like you are treading water. Note how many seconds you can do this. Notice the pain. Now imagine your whole body totally immersed in this water. Yikes! After a minute or two immersed try to pick up a coin from the bottom of the sink. Now imagine the difficulty of using your fine motor skills when totally immersed in cold water.

Hypothermia becomes a serious problem as you are soaking wet and the wind is blowing across your body. At this point, you are losing body heat to the environment faster than your body can produce it resulting is a drop of your core body temperature. This begins the slippery slope of hypothermia. Both cold water shock, which can lead to drowning, and hypothermia are killers of the unprepared paddler.

If you are adequately dressed and prepared for cold water immersion, your accidental capsize is no more than an opportunity to practice your rolling or wet exit and capsize recovery skills.

  Click here to read Bill's full article on “Cold Weather Paddling“.

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“Paddling Clothing Systems for Cold Water“

by Bittu Ali - Great Outdoor Provision Co.

Winter paddling can be a rewarding adventure if properly equipped. Here is an overview of 4 different clothing systems that will effectively keep you warm while paddling in cold water. Full Drysuit system (Gore Tex Drysuits are preferred) with Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies

• Suitable for all varieties of cold weather padding, including Open Water and White Water
• Suitable for cool November-December & April SE weather if layered lightly.
• Suitable for cold January-March SE weather if layered more thickly.
• Body stays dry and is the most comfortable and flexible of all cold weather systems

Paddler’s Wet Suit system (2-4mm w/reflective coating or 4-5mm with non-reflective coating) with Paddling Jacket, Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies

• Similar suitability as the Drysuit system above
• Less expensive than the Drysuit system above
• Less comfortable than the Drysuit system above since the body stays wet (but warm)
• More bulky and less flexible than Drysuit system above

Hydroskin Neoprene system (.5 mm w/reflective coating) with Drytop, Paddling Pants, Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies

• Similar suitability as the 2 systems above
• Priced in between the two systems above
• Drier and more comfortable than Wet Suit system but not quite as nice as the Drysuit system

Hydroskin neoprene system with Paddling Jacket, Fleece, Skull Cap and Gloves/Pogies

• Suitable for most SE cold weather paddling in November, December and April
• Suitable for non-Open Water and non-White Water SE paddling in January and March
• Not recommended for Open Water or White Water use
• Not recommended for February-like (or similarly demanding) conditions in the SE
• Very affordable and versatile system for most paddlers

In a nutshell: Read Bill Muaney's article so you understand the risks of cold weather paddling but know that being prepared for cold weather paddling is fairly easy to accomplish with the right knowledge and equipment. It’s also highly enjoyable! This article is a follow up to Bill’s “Cold Weather Paddling“

Despite the cold temperatures, Robin and I headed for the High Country yesterday. The top of Virginia was characteristically blustery. I've been ramping up my training in preparation for a third run at Way Too Cool in March as well as a third run at Western States in June. In between those two I plan to make a first run at the venerable Miwok 100k.



I had gotten a pair of the Montrail Wildwoods after seeing them for the first time at Mt. Masochist in November. This was their first real test. Grayson Highlands Park has a great combination of wide open grassy balds, rolling single track, rock-strewn double track, and extremely technical ridgelines. Throw in frigid gale-force winds, a little ice, and just enough blowing snow to keep it fun, and you've got all the elements for an adventure run -- and gear trial. We started at Massie Gap and ran a twelve mile loop including the Appalachian and Pine Mountain trails. I added about four miles to head over to Mt. Rogers (VA's highest peak) and back.

When I first got the Wildwoods I was disappointed that the toe box felt so wide. I worried that my feet would slide around inside the shoe making it hard to run on uneven surfaces. I had run shorter and less technical runs with no problems, however, and the shoe was quickly growing on me. I love the smooth and responsive ride these shoes offer. My feet didn't complain about the extra room up front. In fact, I think my little doggies were grateful for some space to finally spread out!

My run yesterday was 2:45, much of that on rocky, frozen, and uneven ground. The Wildwoods felt great throughout, becoming my new favorite shoe. I logged about 2500' of climb, but the heal of the shoe stayed just were it should. I credit this to the flexibility of the midsole. The freedom of movement is well balanced by underfoot protection, though. I've had a tender tarsal (?) since Masochist, and I was stepping on plenty of pointy foot-bending rocks yesterday. The Wildwoods dispersed these forces effectively while still giving me ample feel for the ground. I felt in very good control throughout -- and that's tough for us tall (6'2") guys teetering around technical terrain. I think that must be a credit to the design of the sole, which seems to me pretty rugged without being overly aggressive.

I know these shoes are made to crossover with road running. You would think Montrail had to compromise some trail shoe performance. If this is true, I can't find the corner that's been cut. The Wildwood will be my go-to shoe for trail runs this spring, including Western States.

By Dave Baker, Owner Summit Hut 

I used the SPOT Satellite Messenger during my hike of the Arizona Trail last spring, and wanted to let you know what I experienced using the device. Weighing 7.3 oz (including two lithium batteries), the SPOT device is billed as “Handheld satellite communication and safety device” by SPOT Inc. (a subsidiary of Globalstar, the satellite telephone company).

Power SPOT on, and the onboard GPS chip goes to work determining your location. Press one of the three transmission buttons, and SPOT will attempt to transmit a signal to the Globalstar satellite network, with the unit’s unique id number and the coordinates of your location packed into the transmission. This information is directed to ground-based antennas and then forwarded to appropriate recipients on the ground via email or emergency service notification.

Transmission button choices include “OK”, “HELP” and “911”. After subscribing to the SPOT service and setting up your account, you are given an opportunity to provide email addresses for up to 10 contacts who receive email notices when the OK and HELP buttons are successfully activated. These email messages include a prewritten text note that you, the subscriber provides, as well a link to Google Maps indicating your position as determined by SPOT’s GPS chip. Should you press the 911 button, the subsequent satellite message is directed to local emergency and rescue services. The company claims a “99% or better probability of successfully sending a single message within 20 minutes” using SPOT within their designated coverage areas around the globe. Pretty slick.

My primary motive for using SPOT on the Arizona Trail was to have a simple way of letting family and friends know where I was on a daily basis. I transmitted twice a day; once during lunch and again at the end of the day when I arrived at camp. I took care whenever possible to put my SPOT into its “OK” transmission mode for at least 20 minutes each time I transmitted.

Unfortunately, SPOT cannot tell you whether a transmission has been successfully received by the satellite and ground system. This is because SPOT is a one-way device; it can only transmit messages skyward, it cannot receive messages from the satellite system above. On my trip I soon learned that my transmission success rate was somewhere around 80%. I speculate that the failed transmissions were due to an inadequate view of the sky because of trees and other overhanging vegetation, or being confined by canyon walls or nearby hillsides.

Knowing that about 20% of my transmissions failed, I took care to tell family and friends not to worry if they did not always receive messages from me when expected. In a situation where I might need to use the “911” or “HELP” button, I think I would go to the trouble of transmitting multiple times from different locations if there was any doubt about how good a view of the sky was available.

In spite of the missed transmissions, we were all delighted with messages that did get through; SPOT really can be a good way to keep in touch with people when you are out in the wild. When relying upon SPOT in an emergency however, I think it important to keep its limitations well in mind.

I worried about SPOT getting jostled or compressed in my pack as I hiked, possibly triggering an unneeded rescue effort. So, for peace of mind I removed one of the batteries from my SPOT before stowing it away in the pack, and I took care to carry extra batteries in case I lost the battery I had removed.

By the way, here is the text of the email message that my SPOT transmitted when I reached the end of the Arizona Trail:

SPOT "OK" check in for Dave Baker ESN:0-7364855 Latitude:37.0011 Longitude:-112.035 Nearest Location:not known Distance:not known Time:05/15/2008 16:29:56 (GMT) http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.0011,-112.035&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1