Once upon a time, I soaked through my down jacket while snowshoeing. Yep, I’m the type of person who is too lazy to shed layers when I’m moving. I don’t want to stop; I just want to keep going. For days like those, the Black Diamond Deployment Hybrid Hoody is a lifesaver.
As a San Francisco resident who pays too much for a tiny piece of space to store things, all of the things I own need to play nice inside and outside. These are my picks that transition seamlessly from work to play for the weekend warrior.
When you’re outside putting in thousands of miles on your feet and taking customers to epic destinations, you need gear that works flawlessly. Our resident outdoor guide and newest contributor to Little Grunts, AJ Baker, put together a cheat sheet on what to get your outdoor guide for the holidays.
Out in the wilderness with no access to laundry? ExOfficio’s underwear is the answer to your prayers. Lightweight and quick drying, every guide gets a good few days use before maybe it’s time for a washing. The best part? Toss these in a bit of water and a bit of soap, give it a good scrubbing and they’re just as good as new.
The Patagonia Capilene 3 zipneck is arguably the most versatile layer for this outdoor guide. From hot summer days of guiding in the Southwest to four seasons in Michigan, this keeps you warm and protected. Bonus: the zipper lets you open up and ventilate when it’s getting a little too warm.
The Black Diamond High Ball pants aren’t just for climbing. From the crag to lounging around to city streets, these are versatile without looking like you’re about to hike to work.
‘Tis the season for new Chacos. Wait, it’s always Chaco season. Who wants to hike in boots when Chacos can do it all? The best part is winter means all the Chaco sandals are on sale.
Every guide should know his stars. What better way to woo guests than to tell them wild tales about the night sky? National Geographic’s Backyard Guide to the Night Sky and a green laser pointer are hands down a winner. Just make sure the laser pointer is at least 50 Megawatts so you can point it all the way to the stars.
Get the book for $17 from Amazon.
You can’t go wrong with merino wool socks, ever.
REI has just about every brand imaginable along with their own private label line, so you’ve got merino socks for every budget.
Like down jackets, one thing you can never have too much of is merino wool shirts! I mean, these thing get holes so quickly, owning about a million is really just prolonging the life of the shirt or something. At least that’s what I tell myself. When it comes to merino wool, I take the purchase whatever’s cheapest and in my size which means lots of crew necks and never any nice, fitted V-necks… until the Woolx Mia Lightweight V-Neck T-Shirt came along!
If you’ve been following along on Little Grunts, you know how much I absolutely adore anything merino wool. I mean anything that keeps me lazy and stink free (and also helps to conserve water) is fantastic in my book. When Woolx sent me their new lightweight Base Camp Hoodie, I immediately fell in love.