Greatest new gear, devices, and apps for mountain climbing adventures

Whether you’re gearing up for a summer time journey or planning an low season outing, try what’s new for mountain climbing tools and navigational instruments, from adjustable bear canisters and trendy gaiters to an app that reveals you the real-time location of wildfires.

Fun and practical gaiters

An revolutionary mother-daughter duo from Massachusetts has reinvented a preferred “trail-wear” merchandise — the mountain climbing gaiter — to make it extra comfy, light-weight, simple to slide on, and, for individuals who recognize it, trendy. Jody Canavan and her daughter Amy Maugeri, founders of Berkshires-based Gear Envie, have created Hikas, comfortable and supremely comfy gaiters with quilted baffles that assist forestall sand, snow, pebbles, and different path particles from entering into your sneakers — and even shield your calves and ankles from ticks, prickers, and poison ivy. The weather-resistant gaiters — constituted of recycled polyester with a down-like filling constituted of recycled oyster shells and plastic bottles — slip inside your boots or sneakers moderately than over them and have an adjustable wire on the high. They’re mechanically cleanable and odor-resistant and are available in practically a dozen colours from pink to the extra muted however ever-popular deep moss. Just notice: They aren’t absolutely waterproof. Unisex, one-size-fits-all. $79.95. www.gearenvie.com

A multi-size — and multi-use — bear canister

If you’re backpacking in a spot the place bears or different critters could attempt to infiltrate your meals (which means most wilderness areas), you’ll need a bear-proof canister. REI’s new Traverse Modular Bear Canister has been licensed by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee and provides one thing no different canisters do: the flexibility to regulate its quantity to swimsuit weekend to weeklong adventures. This modular canister has a backside chamber, mid-section, and lid. Use all three sections to create a big 11.25-liter container or connect the lid to the underside chamber and also you’ll have a smaller 6.75-liter canister. An even greater bonus: Once your provides shrink on an extended journey, you’ll be able to take away the midsection and pack the 6.75-liter container within it to avoid wasting pack house (the adjustable nylon carrying case holds the sections collectively). The rugged canister, made from laborious PVC-free plastic, makes a fantastic seat whereas tenting and its clear orange coloring enables you to see inside. Divots within the lid make it simple to twist whereas opening/closing. The Traverse Bear Canister isn’t absolutely waterproof, so be sure you pack meals inside watertight baggies or the complete canister in a dry bag. $79.95. https://www.rei.com

A high-tech but inexpensive rain jacket

For a fantastic summer-weight rain jacket with all of the options you want, try Helly Hansen’s new Loke Jacket 2.0. This cozy (not too stiff or crunchy) waterproof shell has pit zips, handwarmer pockets, adjustable Velcro wrists, a drawstring hem, and a spacious hood with an adjustable brim. It’s windproof but breathable so it permits moisture to flee — and prevents you from feeling clammy whereas mountain climbing and adventuring. Its key characteristic: a RECCO Reflector, which is constructed into the hood (and often present in pricier out of doors gear). This passive security gadget, which doesn’t require an influence supply, permits search-and-rescue crew to seek out you in case of an emergency. The new Loke jacket is made from 100% recycled ripstop cloth. It’s accessible in males’s (S-3XL), ladies’s (XS-2XL), ladies’s plus (1X-3X), and junior sizes (8-16; junior sizes don’t include RECCO expertise). $120. www.hellyhansen.com

Super-light and lofty sleeping baggage

It’s simple to query the heat of a sleeping bag that weighs so little, however Mountain Equipment’s new Xenith baggage obtain the proper mix of featherlight and toasty. The UK-based firm — a pioneer of high-alpine gear — has launched three Xenith baggage this yr, all with 900-fill goose down; a proprietary PLASMA cloth, which means tremendous light-weight and breathable with a weatherproof coating; and a mixture of horizontal, vertical, and wedge-shaped baffles rigorously built-in to maximise heat. The Xenith 1, rated to 41 levels (the corporate’s “good night’s sleep guaranteed” temperature), weighs simply 12.7 ounces and saves valuable weight by shedding the hood and providing a three-quarter zip — superb for hotter climates. The more-versatile Xenith II, rated to 34 levels, weighs 17 ounces and has a drawstring hood, a neck collar, and a three-quarter zip. The 19-degree Xenith III weighs 1.5 kilos and has twice the goose fill because the Xenith 1 for additional heat in high-alpine and colder zones. They’re not low cost — $419.95-$679.95 — however they’re assured to maintain you heat to the rated temp or you’ll be able to improve inside 30 days (restrictions apply). us.mountain-equipment.com

Plan your journeys with this app

Navigate via the wilderness with onX Backcountry, a useful GPS app. Under Trail Mode, you’ll be able to plan mountain climbing and backpacking routes, even avoiding lively wildfires and monitoring air high quality and smoke forecasts should you’re out west. Choose satellite tv for pc, topo, or hybrid view (hybrid view consists of topo strains overlaid actual photographs of the bottom satellite tv for pc view), after which choose 3-D to get a superb have a look at the terrain options. The maps present you factors of curiosity reminiscent of trailheads, nationwide monuments, and campgrounds, whereas a climate characteristic enables you to monitor present circumstances — from temperature and wind velocity to barometric modifications — and upcoming weekly forecasts. New this yr, the app offers guidebook-quality data from native specialists on 40 areas in seven western states, providing descriptions, route particulars, and even path studies. It’s additionally added HD Topo, displaying real-time element of ridgelines, drainages, and different elevation and terrain options with precision to assist with navigating. $34.99-$99.99 yearly; free trial accessible. www.onxmaps.com

A mattress for added consolation on the path

Make slightly additional room for this cozy sleeping mattress that can make path nights extra fulfilling. Sea to Summit’s new self-inflating Pursuit tenting mattress blends light-weight and luxurious really feel. The mattress is available in 4 variations: “regular” size and width (72-by-22 inches) or “large” size and width (78-by-25.2 inches) — in each contour or rectangular shapes — so you’ll be able to select what fits your measurement and luxury stage. The Pursuit measures 2 inches thick, has an R-value (heat score) of three — excellent for summer time adventures — and comes with horizontal foam-supported air channels that make for a extra secure and cozy mattress (select the Pursuit Plus, with its 4.2 R-value and three inches of thickness, for colder temps or added consolation). The XPEL Multi-Function Valve makes it simple to inflate/deflate the mattress, whereas the side-loading stuff sack with drawstring wire makes it a cinch to pack. Base weights begin at 1.3 kilos for the Pursuit and 1.75 kilos for the Pursuit Plus. $139-$209. https://seatosummit.com

A high tent that’s residence on the path

It’s good to have additional wiggle room in your tent — for gear storage in moist climate, to unfold out these 25-inch-wide camp mattresses, to slot in a furry path companion, or to easily have slightly distance out of your tent-mate (it occurs). Big Agnes now makes XL backpacking tents for simply that: slightly additional elbow room. One of our high picks — the Copper Spur UL2 XL — provides 6 inches of size, 2 inches of width, and three inches of top over the common UL2 so you’ve gotten some room to stretch or sprawl (it is available in a three-person XL model, too, that provides 8 inches of size, 2 inches of width, and 4 inches of top). The up to date Copper Spur has a brand new HyperBead cloth that’s lighter, stronger, and extra waterproof than earlier years’ supplies. It units up shortly and simply with a important (four-way) tent pole and a cross pole, and has color-coded buckles that assist with orienting the rainfly. The tent has two massive and two small mesh gear pockets inside, and two doorways and 9-square-foot vestibules. A high characteristic: Unzip the 2 zippers on the head finish of the fly and use your upside-down mountain climbing poles and additional man strains to arrange an awning. The tent provides 36 sq. ft of flooring house — and is noticeably roomy for these used to a conventional two-person house — and weighs simply 2.8 kilos (minus stuff sacks). $579.95. www.bigagnes.com

Kari Bodnarchuk could be reached at [email protected].

Kari Bodnarchuk could be reached at [email protected].