For those of you who, like me, have been skeptical of hardshells, check out the new Axiom Jacket by Outdoor Research. Built using Gore Active, it's noticeably better with moisture transport--NOTICEABLY. That still doesn't mean you should wear it--fully zipped--whilst running on a rainy, humid summer day--there are much better things to wear for those conditions... Rather, it means that the usable range of the garment has increased--it'll be that more comfortable, for longer, when you're working hard aerobically, or you'll notice you still have it on, well after the point most other hardshells are relegated to the pack. You'd be hard-pressed to ever spot me wearing hardshells, only the Axiom.

Now also available in long lengths, OR's Ferrosi Pants just keep getting better. Stretchy, breathable and lightweight--yet stylish enough to impress at the Mountain Room Bar--these are my absolute favorite pants for rockclimbing, as well as for everyday wear. Check 'em out!

Need I say more? These rigs are like stretch-woven board shorts: long enough through the inseam to wear with a harness--and to not feel self-conscious when being lowered--while light and quick-to-dry, making them ideal for an afternoon dip in the Split Rock swimming hole, after cragging all-day at the Trapps!

The original OR Helium Jacket made me change my mind about hard shells... I tend to run hot, especially from the waist up, and so I could never justify the cost, weight or bulk of garment that I seldom would wear--the exception being, of course, in the event of a storm. If I'm cragging and it starts to pour, we're probably bailing, and so one need only to stay dry enough to reach the car at the trailhead. On bigger routes, a quick getaway's not as easy, and so staying dry may mean the difference between waiting out the weather and eventually topping out, or the worst case scenario--a cold, wet and potentially epic descent. At about 6 ounces (men's medium), the size of a navel orange--the Helium II packs neatly into its own pouch with a clip-loop--and at a fraction of the price of most other shells, you'll not only want one, you'll insist that your wall partner buy one, too!