The Magazine of The Sierra Club
Double-Duty Gear for the Trails and Downtown
Gear that works as well in town as it does on the trail
Are you a semi-adventurer who's chagrined by the array of pristine boots, bags, and jackets amassed in your garage? Try these pieces of gear instead. They'll work as well in town as they do on the trail.
While dozens of companies make technical dress shirts, this button-down, from Betabrand's Bike to Work collection, is among the brightest. Its poly-blend fabric and athletic cut are nice touches when you're hunched over the handlebars, but what sets it apart are the reflective yarns hidden in the plaid, lighting up night riders with a striped pattern that drivers can't miss.
Graphite Reflective Plaid Button-Down, about $115, betabrand.com
Photo by Lori Eanes
These Swiss Softshell Jeans from Thunderbolt Sportswear can pass for black denim in any casual restaurant. But their Schoeller Dryskin fabric--used most often in ski and rock-climbing pants--is the antithesis of cotton, making them water-repellent, abrasion-resistant, sweat-wicking, quick-drying, and super-stretchy.
Swiss Softshell Jeans from Thunderbolt Sportswear, $188, thunderboltsportswear.com
Photo by Lori Eanes
Like any good high-end jacket meant for skiing or snowboarding, Mountain Hardwear's Women's Barnsie is loaded with advanced features. It offers full waterproof coverage and lightweight insulation to protect you from the elements, side zips for ventilation, strategic pockets galore, and a helmet-friendly hood. Plus its urban style fits in almost anywhere.
A climbing jacket should move with you. Which is why Outdoor Research added spandex to the rugged, weather-resistant shell of its Men's Winter Bullwheel Jacket. The thin insulating layer keeps you warm, while a zippered chest pocket keeps keys safe. The jacket's flattering, easygoing style translates seamlessly from daytime scrambling to evening barhopping.
In the backcountry or the city, it's every cyclist's difficulty: How to walk in those shoes. For its new Alpineduro boots, Giro enlisted a beefy, no-slip Vibram sole to make them fully hikeable, even with a pedaling cleat installed. The waterproof inner membrane and PrimaLoft insulation keep toes toasty in wet and freezing conditions.
Photo by Lori Eanes
The Idyllwild sunglasses by Zeal Optics wouldn't be out of place on a fashion runway. Yet functionally, they're all business: Large, polarized lenses provide goggle-like coverage during high-glare snow or water outings, and their lightweight, no-slip construction makes for comfortable trail running. Eco-bonus: Zeal's glasses are made from plant-based resin, not petroleum.
Bulging pockets, dangling loops, and preschool colors make most daypacks too juvenile for the financial district. Alite Designs' Pine to the Pacific Rucksack, by contrast, wields serious style. Yet its wide leather straps and foam back insert (all handmade in San Francisco) make it surprisingly comfortable for dayhikes and high-demand commutes. Its waxed-canvas body and rolled top keep your stuff safe in foul weather.
