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The Best Synthetic Down Jackets of 2018

Last Updated January, 2018: We’ve updated our guide of the best synthetic down jackets with the 10 best picks for Winter 2018. Prices and links have also been updated.

Editor’s Choice: Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody

The Micro Puff the lightest jacket Patagonia has ever made. On the outside, it looks just like any other synthetic insulation jacket, if not with just a little extra sheen. The outer shell is constructed from a super lightweight, water-repellent ripstop nylon called Pertex Quantum. Instead of using horizontal baffles, as it does with many of its down jackets, or the quilted design exemplified in its Nano Puff, Patagonia applied a unique stitching pattern to create a mostly-continuous maze of channels that prevent the insulation from bunching. The real innovation is on the inside: Patagonia developed a new type of insulation called PlumaFill that’s made up of down-mimicking polyester fibers that are secured together in one continuous, fluffy line.

The result is a jacket super lightweight jacket that doesn’t quite feel like an “ultralight” jacket — it still has two zippered hand pockets and two interior mesh pouch pockets. Jackets that spare no detail when cutting back on weight don’t have these useful everyday features. The Micro Puff is slightly pricier than Patagonia’s other synthetic puffies, but if you’re looking jacket that’s exceptionally lightweight and warm at the same time, this is a great option.

For a more detailed description of the Micro Puff Hoody, read our in depth review. Tanner Bowden

Weight: 9.3 ounces
Fill Material: 65-g PlumaFill, 100% polyester
Shell Material: Nylon ripstop Pertex Quantum
Waterproofing: DWR finish


Introduction

Synthetic down has traditionally been regarded as a cheaper, less effective alternative to the real thing, but thanks to advances in technology, synthetics have come into their own, rivaling goose down in many areas and even surpassing it in durability and water resistance. Technologies like Polartec’s Alpha fiber, developed for military use, or Columbia’s proprietary TurboDown, a mix of synthetic materials and goose down, are finding their way into a wider range of products. The result of all this innovation is that consumers in 2018 have access to synthetic jackets that are warmer, better ventilated, lighter and more durable than ever. The fake stuff is here to stay, and that’s a good thing.

What to Know Before You Buy a Synthetic Down Jacket

Down vs. Synthetic

A great insulating piece, be it a jacket or a sleeping bag, is warm, lightweight and packable. Both down and synthetic-filled products offer these qualities, but each has its pros and cons.

Down is found in layers underneath the rougher exterior feathers of ducks and geese — it’s what keeps them warm while floating around all winter, so, naturally, it will keep us warm too. Despite that, moisture is the undoing of down, causing it to clump up and lose its heat-retaining qualities. It also should be noted that while large-scale efforts have been made by big brands such as Patagonia and The North Face, not all down is ethically sourced, and animal cruelty does happen.

Synthetic insulation is man’s attempt to copy down with polyester fibers arranged in different sizes that cluster and trap heat much like real feathers. The artificial version gets the job done and maintains packability and a low weight — plus it’s hypoallergenic. The polyester fibers that make up synthetic products have a higher weight-to-warmth ratio, so they tend to be a bit bulkier. Synthetic does have the benefit of being much more water resistant though; it doesn’t clump when wet like down and it dries much quicker.

As far as labeling is concerned, natural down will always be labeled “down.” You may encounter a fancy first prefix, which usually refers to proprietary waterproofing treatments applied to down, such as Q.Shield by Mountain Hardwear. It should be noted that while the industry is getting better at making down resistant to moisture, no feathers are truly waterproof. Synthetic insulation will also carry proprietary names such as PrimaLoft.

Not sure which to choose? Down is great for cold and dry environments but tends to be more expensive. Take synthetic if there’s a chance it’ll get wet, or if you’re just looking for a break on the price.

Active Insulation

Until Patagonia released its Nano Air Jacket in 2014, active insulation flew below the radar (the concept was first introduced by Polartec in late 2012). Now there are enough companies making apparel that’s both warm and breathable that active insulation can officially be considered as its own category.

Technically, active insulation is a type of synthetic insulation, (a water-resistant alternative to down), but because of some fundamental differences that make it unique, active should be considered on its own. The technology draws its name from its intended use — active insulation garments are insulating pieces that are meant to be worn during activity (unlike, for example, a down jacket one might throw on after activity, once the body starts to cool down).

Every active piece has one feature in common: they’re incredibly breathable. How this is achieved depends on the insulation used in the jacket, and every company uses a different version. Some are proprietary, like Patagonia’s FullRange insulation, and some, such as Polartec’s Alpha insulation, which was originally developed for the US Special Forces, are sourced by a range of companies.

As with other types of synthetic insulation, active insulation is highly water-resistant and compressible. In comparison to regular synthetic insulation, active is the most breathable form of synthetic insulation available today thanks to a construction that prevents the migration of fibers within the piece while allowing for extra stretch and superior moisture management. Many active pieces are designed with an exterior shell that’s also more breathable but is often softer and less water-repellent than what’s found in other synthetic apparel.

All active insulation, no matter the brand, is designed to prevent lots of layer swaps so that it can be worn throughout the entirety of an activity like hiking, climbing or skiing.

The 10 Best Synthetic Jackets of 2018



Most Innovative: The North Face Ventrix Jacket



Active insulation has been around since 2014, with nearly every major outdoor apparel brand adopting breathable synthetics and adding at least one piece to their collections. But until late 2017, The North Face was notably (and strangely) lacking. The Ventrix fills that void in the brand’s lineup, and not without some unique innovation. Like other active jackets, the Ventrix is filled with a breathable polyester insulation, but unlike other fills, Ventrix insulation is outfitted with special perforations that open and close with motion. When you’re idle, the perforations remain closed, thereby trapping heat. When you’re active, the perforations stretch open to release heat.

The Ventrix looks and feels like many other active insulation jackets; it’s lightweight, and features a softer DWR-treated outer shell. It also behaves like one — I took it for a ski tour through a cold and windy blizzard and was able to wear it (without another shell layer on top) for the duration of the climb. The breathability isn’t perfect — I did sweat quite a bit — but that’s to be expected of any insulating piece during vigorous activity (especially when you’re wearing a backpack). I was more surprised at how much warmth the Ventrix provided, both during the climb and afterwards when making my descent. Temperatures were in the single digits, and my core was never cold. Tanner Bowden

Weight: 14.8 ounces
Fill Material: Ventrix (100% polyester)
Shell Material: Body: 92% nylon, 8% elastane ripstop Forearm: 75% nylon, 15% polyester, 10% elastane ripstop
Waterproofing: DWR finish

Most Durable Active Insulation: Black Diamond First Light Hoody



The First Light Hoody is Black Diamond’s take on active insulation. These jackets are typically characterized by soft outer shells and a lack of baffles, exemplified in Patagonia’s Nano Air Hoody and Outdoor Research’s Uberlayer. The First Light is notably different from these other jackets because it has a tougher feeling shell — it’s still soft though, with a distinctive lack of shine. Inside is PrimaLoft Silver, an insulation that provides warmth while maintaining a high level of breathability.

The First Light excels in many areas. For one, it’s waterproof — and dirt- and oil-proof — beyond the soft feel of its outer shell thanks to Schoeller’s NanoSphere finish. (Mine has gotten me through many New England Nor’easter downpours.) It also lives up to the promise of active insulation: to be warm when not in motion, and to breath during activity. The perforated interior lining has a lot to do with that. One of my only gripes with the First Light is the cuffs, which are sewn slightly back into the wrists and gave me that uncomfortable feeling of an underlayer getting bunched and pulled up my forearm. On the other hand, I’m a big fan of the slightly-longer zipper pulls on the jacket, which are easy to use when wearing gloves, and the selection of tastefully muted colors that the jacket is available in. Tanner Bowden

Weight: 1 pound 2 ounces
Fill Material: PrimaLoft Silver Insulation Active (100% polyester)
Shell Material: Schoeller stretch-woven nylon
Waterproofing: Schoeller NanoSphere finish

Best for a Classic Look: Haglöfs Essens Mimic Hood



Haglöfs’ Essens Mimic Hood looks and feels like a classic down jacket. Its exterior is constructed from a 30D Pertex shell that’s both water and wind-resistant. That shell is sewn into tight baffles that are stuffed with QuadFusion Mimic synthetic insulation, a warm and lofty material that, as its name states, mimics down. Even though the narrow baffles produce more breaks in the arrangement of the insulation, the jacket is incredibly warm — far warmer than I thought it would be.

At first glance, the Essens can come off as average, but it’s anything but basic. One of the smartest features contained in the jacket are two Polartec Powerstretch panels underneath the armpits that allow the jacket to provide a greater range of movement. It should also be noted that the Essens has a shorter cut that sits roughly at belt line, so the extra bit of stretch keeps it from riding up and revealing any skin to the air. The jacket also is equipped with two hand pockets, an exterior chest pocket and a drawstring hood. One feature I couldn’t quite get a grasp on is a cinch loop on the hood’s exterior, which I can only guess is meant to pull it away from the face and allow for a greater range of vision. Surprisingly, one of my favorite things about the jacket was the tactile puffy feel of the baffles, especially from the insides of the hand pockets.
Tanner Bowden

Weight: 6.5 ounces
Fill Material: QuadFusion Mimic
Shell Material: 30D Pertex Microlight
Waterproofing: DWR finish

Best for the Worst Weather, Ever: Fjällräven Bergtagen Insulation Parka



According to Fjällräven, its new Bergtagen collection is “engineered for a life above tree line where the trees don’t grow but your spirit does,” namely, for high mountain elevations. The entire line places particular emphasis on technical capabilities; it was developed in partnership with the Swedish Mountain Guides Association. As part of that line, the Bergtagen Insulated Parka is built to ward off the bitter cold.

The jacket is constructed with a 100% polyester shell and filled with a hearty amount of Fjällräven’s G-Loft Supreme insulation (also polyester). The jacket is fully-equipped for practical use: there are four large outer pockets on the chest and toward the hem and on the inside are two generous mesh pouches, which make it easy to stash extra gear. There’s also an inner drawcord that allows you to cinch the jacket tight around your waist.

An important thing to note with the Parka is its fit — this jacket is by no means svelte. It’s huge actually, constructed so that it can be thrown over other layers quickly if need be (if the wind is howling at 10,000 feet and there’s no time to fumble around with tight zippers). I usually wear a size medium but had plenty of room in the men’s small. I also rather enjoyed the size of the jacket. It kept me very warm, even on a cold December day when the wind chill brought the temperature into the single digits. Tanner Bowden

Weight: 2 pounds 8.2 ounces
Fill Material: G-Loft Supreme (100% polyester)
Shell Material: 100% Polyester
Waterproofing: N/A

Best Down/Sythetic Blend: BLACKYAK Hybrid Hoody



In the U.S., a handful of outdoor companies reign supreme: Patagonia, The North Face, Mountain Hardwear. In South Korea, however, one brand owns the market — BLACKYAK. The brand’s design philosophies are decidedly forward-thinking.

Instead of crafting another three-layer hardshell, or a standard cookie-cutter insulated puffy jacket, BLACKYAK takes a different approach. The brand’s jackets often use multiple material technologies in concert to create one unified piece. The perfect example is the Hybrid Jacket. It features a host of different materials and technologies, including traceable goose down, PrimaLoft Gold, Polartec Alpha, Cordura Ripstop, Cordura Four-Way Stretch and Polartec Grid. On paper, that sounds like a disaster, but in practice, each material works in concert to create the ultimate winter mid layer. It breathes in all of the right places, insulates where you need it and most importantly, stretches like Laffy Taffy that was left outside on a hot summer day. Regardless of what winter activity you’re partaking in (running, skiing, hiking, boozing), the Hybrid is a close to perfect as it gets. AJ Powell

Weight: 1lb 1oz
Fill Material: 750-fill down (body), Primaloft Gold (sleeves and waistline), Polartec Alpha (back panel)
Shell Material: Lightweight Cordura ripstop, 4-way stretch Cordura, Polartec Grid
Waterproofing: N/A

Best Do-It-All Jacket: Arc’teryx Atom LT



The Atom LT is made with breathable Coreloft insulation, which functions better than down when placed under a shell. Combined with a hydrophobic finish, it does a lot to keep the wearer from getting damp from either weather or exertion. Polartec stretch side panels keep the LT flexible. It’s lighter, snugger fitting, and less bulky than other jackets on this list, which makes the LT an ideal middle layer.

In design and function, the LT is about as simple as it gets, but that’s a good thing. It’s a no-frills insulating layer that’s there when you need it and doesn’t look half bad if when you move from outdoor adventure to local watering hole. The side panels breathe exceedingly well thanks to the aforementioned Polartec stretch panels. I’ve used this jacket for everything from travel, to rock climbing, to snowboarding, to hiking and it still looks the exact same as the day I bought it. AJ Powell

Weight: 13.4 oz
Fill Material: 60g Coreloft
Shell Material: 20D Tyono, Polartec Power Stretch with Hardface Technology (88% polyester, 12% elastane)
Waterproofing: DWR finish

Best Jacket for Ski Touring: Outdoor Research Ascendant Jacket



Unless you’ve done it, ski touring could seem like a practice in misery. And like most endurance activities, it is, to a certain extent — but in touring, the pain only increases the feeling of reward when your bindings are locked and the only direction left to go is down. You still have to get to the top before that reward can be reaped. There are no shortcuts. Elevation gained is elevation earned.

Outdoor Research’s Ascendant jacket lessens the price you pay on the way up. Even in the cold, ascents are fated to be sweaty endeavors, especially when you’re wearing a loaded pack. The Ascendants is a game changer when it comes to active insulation. It utilizes Polartec Alpha Direct insulation, which has no liner. The insulation sits directly on whatever you’re wearing underneath the jacket. The outer shell is constructed from breathable and stretchy Pertex that is also highly water resistant. The jacket insulates your body only where it needs it — so, less sweaty back — while also shedding wind. It’s incredibly packable and fits well underneath a shell while you take those deep blower turns you hiked up for in the first place.

Weight: 13oz
Fill Material: Polartec Alpha Direct
Shell Material: Pertex Microlight (20D nylon ripstop)
Waterproofing: DWR finish

Best Jacket for Climbing: Mountain Hardwear ATherm Jacket



Mountain Hardwear’s ATherm and Outdoor Research’s Ascendant are virtually carbon copies of each other. They the exact same insulating material paired with a lightweight breathable nylon shell. Where they differ is in the stretch. While neither provides a tremendous amount of stretch, the ATherm certainly has the Ascendant beat, which is why we recommend it for cold-weather rock climbing. It’s breathable enough to let sweat and heat escape while still providing enough warmth and wind protection when inclement weather blows in.

Pro Tip: If you can handle the itchiness, try rocking the ATherm as a next-to-skin layer. On ultra-cold days, it’s thin enough to rock under a puffy jacket where a shell can then be layered on top. AJ Powell

Weight: 1lb 10z
Fill Material: Polartec Alpha Direct
Shell Material: 50D matte stretch plainweave
Waterproofing: Weather-resistant shell repels water

Best No-Frills Jacket: Rab Xenon X



UK-based Rab Equipment is a mountaineering brand to its core, but that doesn’t mean its innovative technical outerwear can’t be leveraged for use closer to sea level. The Xenon X is the brand’s premier synthetic insulated jacket and it’s dead simple. It’s an insulated jacket with a water resistant shell and that’s it. But it’s also one of the warmest jackets we tested thanks to a hefty serving of Primaloft Gold. The fit can be a bit boxy if wearing on its own, but if you tend to layer over a fleece or other bulky base and midlayers, go true to size.

Weight: 14oz
Fill Material: PrimaLoft Gold
Shell Material: Pertex Quantum
Waterproofing: DWR finish

Best Ultralight Jacket: Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody



The Micro Puff the lightest jacket Patagonia has ever made. On the outside, it looks just like any other synthetic insulation jacket, with just a little extra sheen. The outer shell is constructed from a super lightweight, water-repellent ripstop nylon called Pertex Quantum. Instead of using horizontal baffles, as it does with many of its down jackets, or the quilted design exemplified in its Nano Puff, Patagonia applied a unique stitching pattern to create a mostly-continuous maze of channels that prevent the insulation from bunching. The real innovation is on the inside: Patagonia developed a new type of insulation called PlumaFill that’s made up of down-mimicking polyester fibers that are secured together in one continuous, fluffy line.

The result is a jacket super lightweight jacket that doesn’t quite feel like an “ultralight” jacket — it still has two zippered hand pockets and two interior mesh pouch pockets. Jackets that spare no detail when cutting back on weight don’t have these useful everyday features. The Micro Puff is slightly pricier than Patagonia’s other synthetic puffies, but if you’re looking jacket that’s exceptionally lightweight and warm at the same time, this is a great option.

For a more detailed description of the Micro Puff Hoody, read our in depth review.
Tanner Bowden

Weight: 9.3 ounces
Fill Material: 65-g PlumaFill, 100% polyester
Shell Material: 10-D nylon ripstop Pertex Quantum
Waterproofing: DWR finish

How To Wash Your Synthetic Down Jacket

Most people take their synthetic down jacket for granted, expecting it to perform the same, year after year without any maintenance. Over time though, your jacket becomes compacted and dirty, which inhibits its loft and makes the jacket less warm. To clean your jacket, revitalize its warmth and get it ready for all your adventures, follow our simple guide.

Put your jacket into a washing machine without an agitator. It is easiest to do this at a laundromat, but if your home washer is of the large, front-loading variety, feel free to toss it in there. If you use a washing machine with an agitator, you run the risk of tearing open your jacket — so avoid agitators at all costs.

Wash with Nikwax Tech Wash. Though there are other good tech washes out there (namely Granger’s), we recommend using Nikwax’s Tech Wash. Add the Tech Wash directly into the washing machine, using about three ounces. Follow the directions on the care label of your jacket for specific temperature and cycle settings.

Switch your jacket to the dryer and add tennis balls. Move your jacket over to the dryer, but before you turn it on, add in a package of new tennis balls. As the drier spins, the tennis balls will bounce around inside the drum, breaking up any clumps of insulation and helping dry the jacket completely. This also helps to restore the loft in the synthetic fibers. As for dryer settings, low heat for a long period of time is the name of the game.

Pause the dryer and manually break up any clumps. Every twenty minutes or so, pause the dryer and manually work out larger clumps of insulation. While the tennis balls work well to help break up clumps, you’ll need to put some extra effort in to break them up completely.

Tumble dry until the jacket is completely dry. Dry the jacket until it is dry the entire way through. While moist synthetic insulation still functions well, it’s prone to mold, which will lead to a stinky jacket.

The Gear You Need
Nikwax Tech Wash $10
Tennis Balls $10


The 11 Best Down Jackets of Winter 2018

These top picks for lightweight, innovative down jackets will keep you warm from when the leaves fly until the snow melts next spring. Read the Story

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America’s 60 Best Day Hikes

While states like Alaska, California, Colorado and Montana might get all of the attention for great hiking (not without merit), there are great hikes tucked away in every pocket of the US. Virtually every state in the US has a great hike that can be tackled in a day, and many are even within striking distance of major cities. This summer instead of cowering indoors, sheltered from the heat, get out and embrace it. Hunt down a great view. Take a walk along a serene body of water. Bag the tallest summit in your state. The US is filled with amazing hikes. Use this list as a starting point, but be sure to explore beyond it and seek out the wandering side trail. – AJ Powell

Contribution by J. Travis Smith, Tucker Bowe and Matthew Ankeny.

Alabama

Crimson Tide, Crystalline Lakes

Conecuh Trail

The Draw: Crystalline lakes and one-of-a-kind Southern scenery. Starting from Blue Pond (a swimming hole worth returning to), the northern and southern loops take you past sapphire-blue ponds and a whole slew of Southern flora.
Don’t Miss: The bug spray. You’re passing through bogs and swamps, so you do the math. Visit in winter to dampen the swarm and take advantage of cooler temperatures.

How Long: 13.5-mile north loop and 5-mile south loop (connected by 4-mile link trail)
Found In: Andalusia, AL
Which Is: 2 hours northeast of Mobile; 2 hours south of Montgomery

Alaska

Stare Down the Country’s Tallest Peak

Savage River Canyon Trail

Season: Summer. Depending on snowfall and weather, the trail can be open during the spring or fall. Check visitor center beforehand.
The Draw: A short, scenic hike alongside the Savage River’s whitewater. Since there are few tall trees, it’s easy to explore off the trail. The area’s a popular spot to picnic and sightsee because of its abundant wildlife. Don’t get too close to the grizzly bears.
Don’t Miss: On clear days, stare down Mount McKinley.

How Long: 2-mile loop
Found In: Denali National Park
Which Is: In central Alaska, a good 4.5-hour drive north of Anchorage

Arizona

A Natural Wonder

Bright Angel Trail

Season: Year-round, but check with Park Rangers for current conditions.
The Draw: Wonderful views of the Grand Canyon and its carver, the Colorado River. But be careful: the trail is hot and steep, and being unprepared here can be deadly.
Don’t Miss: Cinematic views of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.

How Long: 12 miles roundtrip
Found In: The Grand Canyon National Park, along the Canyon’s South Rim
Which Is: Just west of Bright Angel Lodge

Arkansas

Where Bill Clinton Inhales

Eagle Rock Loop

The Draw: More river crossings than your Chacos can handle. The path, however long you take it, continually crosses over creeks and rivers, then peaks at various vista points along the way.
Don’t Miss: Locking down bragging rights for the total loop. It’ll be tough to do in a day; take a weekend to complete this razorback rite of passage.

How Long: Up to 26.8 miles
Found In: Ouachita National Forest, AR
Which Is: 2 hours and 30 minutes southwest of Little Rock

California

A Far Cry From LA

East Fork Cold Spring and Montecito Peak

Season: It’s nice year-round. This is Cali.
The Draw: An arduous but scenic hike through a canyon, alongside a creek with infinite opportunities to explore small waterfalls and pools.
Don’t Miss: Southern California’s got more than just beach views. From Montecito Peak, there are fantastic views of Camino Cielo and Santa Barbara.

How Long: Just north of 9 miles roundtrip
Found In: Montecito, CA
Which Is: A 10-minute drive from Santa Barbara

Ewoldsen Trail

Season: Year-round
The Draw: A view-filled hike that boasts a vast canyon, coastal waterfalls, a growing redwood forest and fantastic ocean views.
Don’t Miss: There isn’t one focal point to hone in on — it’s got everything. But if you want something extra unique, look for roosting California Condors.

How Long: 4.5 miles
Found In: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Which Is: Just east of Highway 1. The entrance is about 37 miles south of Carmel or 48 miles north of Ragged Point.

Colorado

Take Off the Skis and Walk

Blue Lake Hike

Season: June to October
The Draw: This is great hiking above the tree line. Blue Lake sits in a bowl-shaped depression called a glacial cirque. The water is deep blue and is framed by the rocky feet of Mount Audubon, Mount Toll and Paiute Peak.
Don’t Miss: At the end of the trail, there’s a fairly inconspicuous path to the north shore of Upper Blue Lake. Routes to Little Pawnee Peak, Mount Toll and Paiute Peak branch off from Blue Lake as well.

How Long: 5.1 miles roundtrip
Found In: Indian Peaks Wilderness Area
Which Is: An hour west of Boulder, CO

Connecticut

Boats and I-95

Lion’s Head to Bear Mountain

The Draw: Bear Mountain is the highest peak in Connecticut, and hiking to it from Lion’s Head — along the Appalachian Trail — is the best way to get to the summit.
Don’t Miss: The 22-foot stone pyramid at the summit and views of the Catskills in New York and Mt. Everett in Massachusetts.

How Long: 13 miles
Found In: Salisbury, Connecticut
Which Is: 90 minutes north of Bridgeport; 75 minutes southeast of Albany

Florida

Bring the Gator Spray

Florida Trail, Hopkins Prairie to Juniper Springs

The Draw: The Juniper Prairie Wilderness, named “the jewel of the Florida trail” for its diverse flora and fauna.
Don’t Miss: Hidden Pond, a quiet watering hole fed by a crystal-clear spring. Do miss (but see from a distance) the sinkholes that line the path, interspersed between the surprisingly flush sand pine forest.

How Long: 10.5 miles
Found In: Silver Springs, FL
Which Is: 1 hour and 30 minutes northwest of Orlando; 1 hour and 45 minutes south of Jacksonville

Georgia

Life’s a Peach

Blood Mountain Loop

The Draw: The route offers a mix of rhododendron-covered pathways and panoramic rock outcroppings — but the peak, sitting on jagged rocks overlooking the valley, is what you’re really here for.
Don’t Miss: Your DSLR, especially in autumn when the deciduous trees take on a panoply of colors, coating the trail with fallen leaves and making the somewhat easy trek entirely photo worthy.

How Long: 6 miles
Found In: Chattahoochee National Forest, GA
Which Is: 1 hour and 40 minutes north of Atlanta
The Best Footwear to Take on the Hikes

hiking-boots-gear-patrol-feature-2

This is the ultimate guide to hiking footwear. On this list you’ll find 20 of the best hiking shoes and boots. Get a pair and take them to the trail. Read the Story

Tallulah Gorge

The Draw: A 1,000-foot gorge that slices its way through lush forest growth. There are also naturally occurring water slides scattered along the way, so bring a bathing suit.
Don’t Miss: A hiking permit. The trip to the floor of the falls is restricted to 100 per day, so go on a slow weekday or go early.

How Long: 2 miles
Found In: Tallulah Falls, GA
Which Is: 2 hours northeast of Atlanta; 2 hours southwest of Asheville, North Carolina

Hawaii

Explore Volcano Country

Kuliouou Ridge Trail

Season: Year-round
The Draw: A diverse hike through forests, up ridges and with dramatic ocean views. It gets steep, but that’s part of the challenge.
Don’t Miss: Kuliouou Summit. You’ll have uninterrupted views of the valley, the Pacific Ocean and everything in between.

How Long: 5 miles round trip
Found In: The Kuli’ou’ou Valley
Which Is: On Oahu, minutes from downtown Honolulu

Idaho

Touch Idaho’s Clouds

Borah Peak Hike

Season: Winter ascents are possible, but may require crampons, snowshoes and an ice axe. Try it during any of the other three.
The Draw: The rocky terrain, combined with tough, icy conditions makes for an arduous climb. It’s not quite Vertical Limit, but it’ll test you.
Don’t Miss: A chance to stand on top of Idaho. At 12,662 feet, Borah Peak is the highest point of elevation in the state.

How Long: Approximately 8 miles, roundtrip
Found In: The Lost River Mountain Range
Which Is: in Challis National Forest, central Idaho

Illinois

Land of Lincoln.

Garden of the Gods

The Draw: Hundreds of millions of years have turned the sandstone in Southern Illinois into spectacular rock formations that sit high above Shawnee National Forest to the west and the Ohio River to the east.
Don’t Miss: Sunset.

How Long: approx. 0.5 miles
Found In: Shawnee National Forest, Simpson, IL
Which Is: 2 hours and 30 minutes southeast of St. Louis, MO; 3 hours northwest of Nashville, TN

Indiana

One at the northern tip, one at the southern.

West Beach Trail

The Draw: It’s a beautiful hike among forest and the beaches of the southernmost point of Lake Michigan. Elevation changes are challenging and also give you a tremendous view of the water. Plus, it’s on the beach.
Don’t Miss: Bringing a picnic for cooling down with your feet in the water.

How Long: 3.4 miles
Found In: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, IN
Which Is: 1 hour east of Chicago, IL; 2 hours 30 minutes north of Indianapolis

Adventure Hiking Trail

The Draw: This cleverly named trail is one of the longest continuous trails in the state. The loop takes hikers past four shelter houses, old pioneer houses, cliff faces and sinkholes.
Don’t Miss: Views of the Ohio River from the high bluffs along the trail.

How Long: 25 miles
Found In: Harrison-Crawford State Forest, Corydon, IN
Which Is: 1 hour west of Louisville, KY; 2 hours 30 minutes south of Indianapolis

Iowa

The Hawkeye State.

Sylvan Runkel State Preserve

The Draw: The secluded ridgeline takes you above forests in a 12-mile loop around rolling grassy hills.
Don’t Miss: The “loess” is accumulated wind-blown silt piled up to 200 feet high. The only other places where loess reach these heights outside of the Iowa/Missouri region is along the Yellow River in China — a bit of a longer roundtrip.

How Long: 12 miles
Found In: Loess Hills State Forest, Harrison County, Iowa
Which Is: 2 hours west of Des Moines; 60 minutes north of Omaha, NE

Kansas

Geographic center of the contiguous United States.

Elk City State Park

The Draw: The park offers some of the best hiking in Kansas while the lake and its rivers offer up bass, crappie, catfish and saugeye to fishermen.
Don’t Miss: The Green Thumb Nature Trail loop runs for one mile and empties out onto stunning views of Elk City Lake.

How Long: 12 miles
Found In: Montgomery County, Kansas
Which Is: 2 hours southeast of Wichita; 90 minutes north of Tulsa, OK

Kentucky

The Bourbon Trail

Swift Camp Creek Trail

The Draw: Lots and lots of arches: Red River Gorge carves out the largest concentration of arches east of the Rockies, all packed into tree-crowded scenery. Swift Camp drops you into the heart of things, past arches, waterfalls, and plenty of green.
Don’t Miss: The impact of the logging industry. Before it was declared a national park, the whole Daniel Boone forest was chopped. Loggers used to float trees down the creek; the logging trails and second-growth forest remain a testament to that time.

How Long: 7 miles
Found In: Daniel Boone Wilderness, KY
Which Is: 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Lexington
Meet the Regulus

Nixon’s Regulus watch — shockproof and water-resistant to 100 meters — is built to withstand tough terrain, whether you’re on dry land, high in the mountains or out at sea. Designed with input from special ops personnel, the minimal, 46mm case is made from durable, fiber-reinforced TR90 and the sturdy timepiece is equipped with dual chronographs as well as a five-year battery life. Learn More

What Is it Really Like to Climb Mt. Rainier?

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t’s 1:20 a.m. It’s cold and near pitch black. I’m somewhere around 10,200 feet above sea level, traversing the snowfield above the Cowlitz Glacier on the southeast flank of Washington’s Mount Rainier. Behind me, headlamps begin to ignite; their lights flicker in the distance as other climbing teams back at Camp Muir make preparations for the summit. In front of me, the rope locked into the carabiner at the front of my harness slides across the glittering snowpack. A crevasse looms, no more than a foot across. As I step over, I steal a downward glance — it’s dark and seemingly bottomless in the beam of my headlamp — before the gentle pull of the rope urges me to keep moving.

At the lead end of that rope, silhouetted in the yellowish glow of his own headlamp is my guide, Peter Whittaker. He’s the one setting the pace of our slow assault on the mountain, silently compelling me upward with the steady pull of the rope. Whittaker has climbed this mountain before — 249 times, to be exact. He’s set foot on the tallest summits around the world and has accrued quite the climbing résumé: two expeditions to Denali, 14 to Kilimanjaro, three to Antarctica’s Mt. Vinson, eight to Aconcagua — and the list goes on. But Whittaker is anything but the prototypical grizzled old climber, filled with stoic resentment for how the sport has evolved. He emanates youth with a humor that belies his age. Climbing, to him, is and always will be one thing: fun.

Mountain climbing wasn’t much of a choice for Whittaker. He was born into it; it’s in his blood. His father, Lou Whittaker, was part of the first American team to summit Kanchenjunga, nearly lost his toes on K2 and led the first American ascent of Everest’s North Col. Jim Whittaker, or Uncle Jim, as he’s known to Whittaker, was the first American ever to reach the summit of Everest on May 1st, 1963. Growing up, it was expected that one generation would follow in the footsteps of the previous — he was constantly badgered about climbing Everest. “That bothered me a lot; everybody asked me that,” he says. “It was never really a huge goal for me.” Nevertheless, the allure of the mountain took him — Whittaker has attempted Everest four times and reached the summit once, in 2009.

Peter Whittaker attempted to climb Everest for the first time in 1984.
At age 25, he would’ve been the youngest American to reach the summit.

But it was in Washington, on Mount Rainier, where every climber in the Whittaker family earned their legs. Whittaker’s father brought him to the top of Rainier’s volcanic peak for his first big climb at age 12. “I cried. I hated it! It was really cold; I think I was wearing jeans that got wet and then froze,” says Whittaker. “It’s crazy that I continued doing it, because it really wasn’t a great experience.” Four years later, at age 16, Whittaker became a mountain guide on Rainier, and in 1998 he took over the reigns of Rainier Mountaineering Inc., the guide service his father established in Ashford, Washington in 1969. “Apparently there was something there. A lot of therapy,” he jokes. Now, guiding clients to Rainier’s Columbia Crest has taken a backseat to managing his various businesses, but he makes sure to get in a few climbs every year. This particular climb is the first of the season for Whittaker, and his 250th Rainier summit overall — the same tally held by his father.

For me, this climb is also a first. My first up Rainier, but also my first serious mountaineering attempt of a peak of this caliber. I’ve been to higher elevations in Ecuador and Bolivia, but on mountains that weren’t glaciated (read: no ropes or harnesses, no icefall or bottomless crevasses). When I arrived at Base Camp, I had little idea of what to expect. We spent that first afternoon dialing in our gear and going over our planned route up the mountain. The following morning we set out to Rainier’s lower snowfields to practice using an ice ax, walking with crampons, rope technique, and falling — or more specifically, stopping ourselves after falling. There are half a million ways to fall on a mountain; we practiced three.

On day three, we began our ascent. The slog up to Camp Muir begins in Paradise (5,400 feet) with a mix of paved and gravel paths that carry tourists to the meadows and basins of the lower mountain, where they can view lupines and spot marmots. Climbers mingle with the crowd; it’s easy to tell one from the other based on the size of the pack and the amount of rubber in one’s boot sole. We clunked up these paths through a thick mist until asphalt and gravel turned into snow.

Somewhere between eight and nine thousand feet the clouds morphed and thinned, revealing the full expanse of Rainier for the first time. We were gaining on the glaciers, some now parallel to us and not too far in the distance. I took my last step off the Muir Snowfield to arrive at Camp Muir around 4 p.m. At 10,188 feet, Camp Muir is a small group of stone and wood structures occupying a precariously terraced ridge. It’s home to a ranger station, a public hut, guide service huts and two toilets. The guide shelter, built in 1916, is the oldest stone structure in the park. There was still plenty of daylight when we reached the camp, most of which would have to be used for sleep. We’d be waking up at midnight to set out for the summit.

At Camp Muir I dialed in my kit for the day ahead; it was quiet up on the mountain, and it seemed a shame to spend such a beautiful afternoon sleeping in a dark bunk. I ate a bag of dehydrated beef stroganoff while looking out over the Cowlitz and Nisqually glaciers; my back to the slopes I would need to ascend to reach the summit. Whittaker shared some funny old climbing stories that I won’t repeat here — they’re more suitable for the mountain.

In 2015, more than 10,000 climbers attempted to summit Mt. Rainier.
Less than half made it to the top.

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hittaker never went to college. After graduating from high school, he moved to Utah to join the ski patrol at Snowbird and later became a helicopter ski guide at the mountain. Summers were spent climbing and guiding — he was the prototypical mountain bum. Nevertheless, Whittaker has started more businesses than he can count. Ashford, RMI’s home base, covers only slightly more than two square miles, and yet it’s dotted with them. In addition to the guide service, there’s a gear rental shop, the Base Camp Grill, Whittaker Mountaineering, Base Camp Cottages and a converted garage that now houses Whittaker’s latest venture, MtnLogic.

Whittaker’s first venture, Summits Adventure Travel, was established after a failed attempt at Everest in 1984. The idea was to leverage the loyal clients he had already worked with an international expedition company. “I printed a brochure with like seven trips and I had only been on two of them,” he says. “Suddenly someone gave me $5,000 to go to Kilimanjaro and then there were seven of them and I had $35,000 going, ‘Ok, I gotta make this all work now.’” It did. Whittaker traveled and climbed the world over with wealthy clients for 14 years, picking up an unofficial MBA in the process. “My higher education came from being 16 years old, tied to successful adults,” he says.

Business and climbing are by no means mutually exclusive. A survey of climbers active during the latter half of the 19th century, a period that’s been dubbed “the golden age of alpinism,” reveals no shortage of European aristocracy. In fact, the two align so closely it’s no wonder that denizens of the corporate world today are so attracted by Everest and the rest of the Seven Summits. Terms like inventory, assessment, financing and, most importantly, risk management are interchangeable on and off the mountain, where the primary objective and marker of success is a tangible goal, measured either in dollars and cents or feet and meters.

Perhaps that’s why Whittaker has seen success in both realms. At its height, Summits Adventure Travel was grossing roughly $750,000 a year with a 25-trip itinerary. Whittaker knowingly describes the act of guiding as the perfect joint venture. “A client hires me for my decision-making ability, my experience, my knowledge, strength maybe, and conditioning — I represent the assets. They pay me for those assets and they actually represent the liabilities — they don’t have the experience.” Whittaker, like all mountain guides, makes a binding agreement as soon as he ropes up with a less-experienced client and assumes that risk with their lives. And that might be the line in the sand between mountaineering and business; a rough day at the office might mean project delays or dollars lost, whereas, in Whittaker’s own words, “a bad day in mountain climbing, people die.”

“I would define myself as a good climber, but really as a better guide,”
says Whittaker.

B

ack in the dark, our team trudges onward, upward. I try to identify the main geological features that mark our route, which Whittaker pointed out in the pre-climb briefing. We cross our first snowfield and work our way over a rocky outcropping to the second. Now I can see the looming profile of the Disappointment Cleaver, the jagged spine of rock the route is named after. The stars that make up the Big Dipper are suspended over its craggy horizon, and for a moment, the headlamps of an earlier-rising rope team on the ridge add four new points to the familiar constellation.

The ascent to the Cleaver’s base requires a traverse across another snowfield and threading the needle between gaping crevasses and overhanging seracs. Whittaker described this zone as one of the most dangerous sections on the route — prone to both ice and rockfall. The snow here is strewn with Fiat-sized chunks of glacial debris, proof of the mountain’s fierce and sudden movements. Whittaker adjusts our pace and we traverse the area as quickly as possible. The world couldn’t seem more serene — there’s not even any wind — but my heart begins to reverberate inside my chest and skull in time with our hasty steps. Our crossing is a matter of minutes and before I know it the surface beneath my feet changes from snow to stone.

The Cleaver itself presents a steep, technical scramble through sharp andesitic rock. We gain elevation quickly. Sweat drips from my forehead and my crampons screech against the unforgiving stone with each heaving step — as if making it known that they are as out of their element as I am. It’s only when I reach its apex that the ascent seems a blur. We take a much-longed-for break, the white summit in view, its nearness a deceptive mirage.

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hittaker’s businesses have all been relatively small, with the exception of the RMI, which employs 75 people during climbing season. But that could soon change. His recently launched apparel brand, MtnLogic, is aimed at creating high-performance climbing gear suitable for clients and pros alike. Whittaker is the driving force behind the company, but he’s shored up by the collective knowledge and experience of RMI’s team of 60+ guides — a group that logs hundreds of thousands of vertical feet in alpine environments each year. Every piece of MtnLogic apparel is thoroughly tested by the guide team on Rainier and the tallest mountains in the world to ensure that it’s built to fulfill its intended purpose. “This sounds cocky,” says Whittaker, “but we can build gear as well or better than anyone because we live in it up there. We spend ten thousand days a year [collectively] above treeline. We kind of know what works and what doesn’t.”

To have athletes provide feedback on gear isn’t a novel idea. Brands such as Arc’teryx and Patagonia regularly make use of athletes and ambassadors in product development. Whittaker is no stranger to the process; at various points in his career he served as a sponsored athlete for The North Face, Marmot and Mountain Hardwear. He also played a key role in developing Eddie Bauer’s guide-tested First Ascent line. He describes the process as imperfect, often more for the sake of marketing than for creating the highest-quality gear capable of standing up to prolonged mountain conditions. Whittaker recalls one design review meeting in which the athlete team he was a part of deemed a jacket unusable due to a hood that didn’t fit over a helmet. They were told that a fix wasn’t possible — the piece was already in production. That, to a working climber, was unacceptable.

Mount Rainier is the tallest volcano in the lower 48. Geologists have labeled it as episodically active, meaning that it is expected to erupt again sometime in the future.

Design meetings at MtnLogic operate differently. Whittaker assembles the team — designer, managers and guides — at Base Camp. There’s pizza (sometimes sushi) and plenty of beverages. Every guide who signs on to the program, from first years to veterans, has a voice. Naturally, constructive criticism transforms into heated debate. “There’s yelling, people get pissed. It’s passionate,” says Whittaker. No detail is too small — pit zips are a particular point of contention — and no piece, no matter how far along into development it is, is protected from condemnation. As was the case with a softshell jacket that Whittaker was particularly excited about making. The guides tested it, found it to be heavier than they wanted and refused to pack it on expeditions to Denali. So that was the end of that. Whittaker stands by his word: “If our guys aren’t going to wear it then we’re not going to build it.”

The Guides Behind MtnLogic
I wore and tested the full MtnLogic 2017 range while climbing Rainier. Every piece performed on the mountain and met the high expectations I held going into the trip. But don’t take my word for it; take the guides’.

Jess Matthews RMI Lead Guide, 25+ summits of Mt. Rainier, 2 expeditions to Denali, Mt. Baker via the North Ridge and Coleman-Deming routes — “We beat our gear up and know the ins and outs of what works for us and what doesn’t. It was refreshing as a guide to sit at the table next to designers and see our feedback directly translated into the design process. I’ve been packing the Alpha Ascender hoody on every single climb this season and I also love our NeoShell Nuker. It feels like a softshell, but performs like a hardshell. I find that it really does breathe, keeps you dry and maintains a better level of comfort temperature-wise while you’re climbing without making you feel clammy. It never leaves my pack!”

Mike King RMI Lead Guide, guides 200+ days per year on Rainier, Denali, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, and in Mexico and Peru — “Guides use gear at a level that testers and weekend users simply cannot replicate. We have an understanding of what is functional and thus essential — what is a frill designed to advertise and sell more gear. We use the gear more than any other end user and depend on it in the world’s harshest places to protect us, so why should we not expect the same for the climbers we guide and care for? My favorite piece that is in production is the Nuker Jacket which is made of Polartec NeoShell. It breathes better than any shell on the market, and it doesn’t sound like you’re wearing an empty potato chip bag when you move in the mountains.”

It falls to Diane Sheehan Egnatz, Design Lead at MtnLogic, to take the raw information gleaned from those guide meetings and translate it into functional mountain apparel. Egnatz earned a degree in apparel design from the University of Delaware, just down the road from W.L. Gore, and after a stint of retail work at Eastern Mountain Sports, began designing outdoor apparel for Railriders, the U.S. Special Forces, Eddie Bauer and K2. Egnatz has worked collaboratively with athletes and end-users, but never on a scale with so many opinions at play.

The Best Gear and Survival Tips for a Paddling Trip

Spanning over 1.5 million acres, the Everglades is the tenth biggest national park in the United States. But of that top ten list — seven spots on which are large swaths of Alaskan wilderness — it also is quite possibly the most accessible. Visitors can be inside the park boundary within a few hours of landing in the Sunshine State; from Miami International Airport, Route 41 makes a westward beeline across the peninsula, and strip malls and suburbs quickly fade to cypress and grassland.

It’s not long before billboards and homemade signs for airboat rides and gator wrestling begin to pop up. These are the more obvious activities newcomers will stumble upon, but they should be regarded as cheap tourist fodder along the lines of viewing caged grizzlies in Yellowstone. The best way to see the Everglades is by boat, and if you don’t want to spook the wildlife you’ll have to ditch the motor in favor of a paddle. You’re also going to need at least a few days, and a lot of gear.

I recently had the chance to make this journey with a crew lead by Andy Cochrane. Before becoming the director of marketing at Oru Kayak, the San Francisco-based makers of foldable polypropylene kayaks, Cochrane guided kayak and canoe trips; he’s amassed nearly two years’ worth of cumulative time on the water, from California to the Arctic Circle. Some of those trips were as long as 45 days. We only spent three days among the mangroves in Florida, but that was enough time to get lost in the maze and baked by the sun. We also spooked alligators, paddled with dolphins and pitched our tents on an empty key. Needless to say, a lot of lessons were learned.

Below, you’ll find our gear recommendations for a weekend of paddling and camping. Even if you aren’t dodging gators in Florida, this list can serve as a general guide for any trip, but you’ll want to plan accordingly depending on the waters you plan to explore. The route, your group and the weather will all come into play when you plan and pack. And as with any adventure, the unpredictable is what fuels memories, but we’ve gathered some of Andy’s basic survival tips, just in case.

The Boat

Yeah, you’re going to need one of these. The boat is your means of travel, your entry into the streams, lakes and bays you wish to explore. But a boat is nothing if it’s not outfitted properly; you’ll need a PFD and spray skirt for safety and a paddle for, you know, paddling.

Survival Tip: Navigation: “Triangulation can be difficult on the water; your perspective is much lower, and often the shoreline has limited topography to use as reference points. My trick is to leave the maps and compass in front of my seat and check them more frequently than when in the mountains. Use small landmarks like shoals, bays, islands and steep cliffs, when they’re around. For experts in navigation, a good nautical chart is a game-changer. Using bathymetry (topography for the seabed), you can quickly locate yourself, just by the shape, size and direction of waves and current around you.” — Andy Cochrane

Kayak: Coast XT by Oru Kayak $2,499

Spray Skirt: Oru Spray Skirt by Oru Kayak $149

Paddle: Skagit FG by Werner $165

PFD: Clearwater by NSR $100

On Deck

Conditions on the water can change in a matter of minutes, and you’ll want to have a few key things handy — a raincoat, sunscreen and water, to name just a few — to safeguard yourself against the elements. You’ll also want to keep your navigational tools close so you can get to where you’re going.

Survival Tip: Exposure: “Paddling trips involve a lot of sun — from above and through the reflection off the water. A wide-brim hat, sunglasses and sunscreen become critical pretty quickly. When the weather turns, a raincoat stashed nearby will keep you warm while paddling. The biggest factor in any paddling trip is wind. Almost all paddlers fall in love with early mornings, as that’s when the wind is typically the calmest. If you do find yourself battling a cross or headwind, you may want to re-route a bit, paddling in more protected areas like small channels, or on the lee side of islands during big crossings.” — Andy Cochrane

Maps: Waterproof Map Case by SealLine $15+

Compass: MC-2 Pro by Suunto $60

GPS: Oregon 700 by Garmin $400

Sunglasses: SeafarerX Polarized by Dragon $220

Hat: No Zone Sun Hat by Dakine $30

Water Bottle: Eclipse by Vapur $14

Sun Protection: Active Sunscreen by Beyond Coastal $6+

Insect Repellent: 30% DEET by Ben’s $6

Rain Jacket: Torrentshell by Patagonia $129
Binoculars: B3 by Maven $525

Whistle: Rescue Howler by SOL $9

First Aid Kit: Watertight Medical Kit by Adventure Medical $8+

Stowed Away

The great thing about boat packing is you don’t have to carry anything on your back. That means you’re free to bring all the camping comforts that’ll fit, like that extra swimsuit, or all the ingredients you need to cook a pizza. Just try not to forget the tent.

Survival Tip: Packing: “Keep your weight low and centered with the heaviest stuff towards the middle. Use dry bags to organize your gear, and keep your most important stuff in your best bags! It’s easier to pack with many small dry bags as opposed to a few large ones. Always assume the inside of the kayak will get wet, so bring spares of the essential gear. Keep the deck free of gear if possible and pack the kayak backwards (i.e. keep the stuff you use the most close to you in the cockpit).” — Andy Cochrane

Dry Bags: Stopper Dry Bags by Sea to Summit $25+

Stove: CampStove 2 by BioLite $130

Bowl: X-Bowl by Sea to Summit $16

Cutlery: Alpha Light Utensils by Sea to Summit $7

Water Treatment: Adventurer Opti by SteriPEN $90

Waterproof Lighter: Stormproof Torch by UCO $16

Shelter: Sunda Tent Hammock by Kammok $399

Insulation: Firebelly Trail Quilt by Kammok $299

Sleeping Pad: EvoLite Plus Sleeping Pad by Therm-a-Rest $150+

Light Source: Storm Headlamp by Black Diamond $50
You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat

American-made SAFE boats are trusted by the US Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force (to name a few). Read the Story

The Story of the Man Making the Best Hiking Boots on the Planet

From Issue Five of Gear Patrol Magazine.
Discounted domestic shipping + 15% off in the GP store for new subscribers.

R

ising up from the heart of New Hampshire, where the state’s main highway intersects the Appalachian Trail, are the woodlands and ranges of the White Mountain National Forest: a mix of rolling hills blanketed by trees and exposed ridges dominated by the cathedral of Mount Washington. Standing 6,288 feet above sea level, it’s the largest geological feature in the region, and the highest peak in New England by nearly 2,000 feet. Ever since the summit was first reached by the Englishman Darby Field in 1642, the mountain has been a lodestone and proving ground for hikers, climbers, skiers and every other elevation-seeking adventurer.

Compared to the peaks of famous American ranges like the Rockies, the Sierras and the Tetons, Washington’s height is modest. But the mountain is not to be taken lightly. For most of the 20th century, Washington’s barren summit held the record for the highest surface wind speed ever recorded — 231 miles per hour — until a tropical cyclone passed over a weather station off the coast of Western Australia in 1996. And despite its seemingly unimpressive elevation, the mountain is deadly. Washington has claimed more than 150 lives since 1849, making it statistically more perilous than Denali, which, at 20,310 feet, is North America’s tallest peak. But when the weather is fair, Mt. Washington is an idyllic backdrop for the surrounding region.

In the shadow of the mountain, 15 miles to the south, lies the village of Intervale. It’s one of those waypoint towns common in New England’s northern states: less a town, more a group of buildings along a major thoroughfare and a scattering of homes spread across a spiderweb of roads both dirt and paved. That thoroughfare is Route 302, also known in the region as the White Mountain Highway, or, deeper into the mountains, the Crawford Notch Road. And less than a quarter mile from 302 sits Peter Limmer & Sons, a decades-old, family-operated shop that makes what is possibly the most coveted hiking boot in the world.

Limmer family history doesn’t start in the White Mountains. It reaches far beyond that, across the Atlantic to the small Bavarian town of Peterskirchen, Germany, in the green hills that eventually rise into the Alps. This is where Peter Limmer Sr.’s father, the original Peter Limmer, made footwear in his small shop and founded a tradition that would span four generations and counting. Limmer Sr. eagerly followed in his father’s footsteps, earning his Master Shoemaker’s Certificate from the shoemaker’s guild on August 25, 1921 — a distinction that commanded the same respect as a university degree.

Unfortunately, Limmer Sr. wasn’t able to leverage this honor for very long. Germany’s economy was devastated after WWI; hyperinflation and unemployment were on the rise as the government struggled to make reparation payments to Western nations. The political climate wasn’t faring much better. Limmer Sr., in an effort to avoid a dire economic situation and a second war he saw as inevitable, packed up his family and left his home in Bavaria for the United States.

The Limmer family landed in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Limmer Sr. immediately worked to get his trade up and running again. A certificate from the German shoemaker’s guild didn’t carry the same weight in America as it did in Europe, but the skill it signified shone clearly in the quality of the products he furnished. These included two styles of traditional European costume shoes and a hiking boot — each made by hand. The business lived on, and Limmer Sr. remained in the Boston suburb for the next 25 years.

In 1939, Limmer Sr. was awarded the sole right to produce a new piece of footwear by the United States Patent Office. The design was for, as the patent states, “a ski boot” that Limmer made from stiff leather and custom fitted to the customer’s foot. Limmer Sr. had been making these leather ski boots since his days in Europe, but the patent legitimized his work in the U.S. and gave him the important historical distinction of being the first in the country to “officially” make footwear designed specifically for alpine skiing.

The leather ski boot played an important role in getting the Limmer business to where it is today. For the elite members of Harvard’s outing club, the top-of-the-line ski boot was a status symbol. “If you didn’t have a pair of his [ski] boots, you weren’t anybody,” says the present-day Peter Limmer. But then, Robert “Bob” Lange, founder of the Lange ski boot company and creator of the plastic molded ski boots still used today, glued strips of fiberglass cut from his boat to his pair of Limmers in order to further fortify and stiffen them. It was the first pair of plastic-reinforced ski boots ever made.

Limmer Sr. quit making his famous ski boots when plastic replaced leather, narrowing his focus to costume and hiking footwear. But skiing remained an important part of the family culture. Limmer’s two sons, Peter Jr. and Francis, regularly hauled their wooden skis, often mistaken for bed slats, through Boston on their way to the nearby Franklin Park, the city’s largest public green space to this day. The brothers eventually ventured north and out of the city to New Hampshire, in pursuit of mountains. After the Limmers discovered the White Mountains, they made frequent weekend trips to hike and ski in the region, and in 1950, Limmer Sr. moved the family to New Hampshire permanently.

The mountains and woods of Intervale and the surrounding region were a virtual facsimile of Bavaria, and every member of the family felt a natural draw toward the area’s wilderness. “It’s just amazing how much it’s alike,” says present-day Limmer. “When I drive up Interstate 93, that’s just like driving into my grandfather’s hometown.” When his grandfather arrived in the area, he bought a compound of houses on 20 acres, which eventually got divvied up. The shop is the one thing that’s remained. It’s here, in the mountains of New England, that the shoemaker’s trade was passed from father to son twice over. It’s here that the current Peter Limmer — no Sr. or Jr. added — carries on making the boot his family has made for a century.

The Intervale workshop is easy to miss — its only marker is a small wooden sign — but most who visit seek it out as a destination. The barn-like building is an amalgamation of old and new; clapboards with peeling paint and a partially rusted sheet-metal roof contrast with those of the newer brewery that’s grafted to its flank. The original structure was built in 1754 as a stagecoach stop and was accompanied by a four-story inn that was frequented by President Franklin Pierce. Today, the smell of barley and yeast permeates the outer entryway, but inside, the dim workshop is all leather, oil and dust. Sounds range from the clink of a mallet striking a lace hook to the roar of an industrial-grade sander trimming excess rubber from a new sole. The shop, and the majority of the tools inside it, haven’t changed much since Peter Limmer Sr. bought it back in 1950.

Limmer is an artisan. He grew up learning how to make boots and willingly accepted the task of perpetuating the family trade. He doesn’t have a master bootmaker’s certificate because his grandfather learned firsthand that, in America, they’re insignificant. But he is a master. Limmer estimates that he’s spent roughly 86,000 hours working on boots in his lifetime; if Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-Hour Rule is to be believed, then that makes Limmer a master eight times over. He navigates the perceived clutter of the workshop knowingly and wields his tools with the same familiarity one might associate with taking up a fork or spoon. Hiking boots have a specific purpose, and it’s to that purpose that he works.

Limmer is also an artist. He builds metal sculptures out of old machine parts and interesting scraps encountered at the dump. That creative exploration is saved for home, though; Limmer has no plans to expand his offering with another style of boot. “I’d rather rebuild the motor in your car than make another pair of shoes,” he says. He has built some experimental footwear, but only on very rare occasions, like when he needed to test out the leather from a new supplier. There’s no reason to change or adapt the design of the Limmer Custom; the boot hasn’t changed since 1950, when Limmer Sr. moved the seam from the heel to the side of the boot, where it still is today.

The Limmer Custom hiking boot has endured because, simply put, it was built to. In appearance, the boot is simple enough: a black leather upper with a white interior welted to a sole made from a hearty chunk of Vibram rubber. (The Limmers became the first to import Vibram to the U.S. when they redesigned the hiking boot to incorporate a rubber sole instead of a metal hobnail one.) A closer inspection reveals some of the boot’s subtleties. The construction uses as few pieces as possible; the exterior of the upper is made of one uncut piece of leather — which means there’s only one seam (a natural weak point on any shoe). The boot is heavy in hand and sturdy, with leather whose exterior texture feels close to the cow skin it was tanned from, though the inside is incredibly soft and supple.

The boot-making process begins when a customer walks through the door. Without asking, and without even the slightest exchange of words, Limmer gathers details on his customer, from their natural gait to which foot is bigger than the other; the ability is innate, like a sixth sense. Then he delves further with an immediately familiar interaction. The customer sits on one of the wooden benches in the retail area, and Limmer pulls up his well-worn cobbler’s stool. The shoes come off. Limmer’s voice drops from its normal boisterous baritone to a softer tenor. He gathers more details about the customer’s walking and hiking habits and traces the outline of the customer’s foot onto a standard yellow legal pad. He takes an array of circumference measurements and jots them down. Like a doctor, Limmer is methodical and direct. The entire process takes no longer than five minutes.

That yellow paper, and the measurements it holds, is just one page in Limmer’s guide to making the custom boot. Limmer has reams of these foot tracings in filing boxes stacked floor to ceiling in a corner of the workshop. Some pages go back 40 years. Each sheet is a map for constructing what’s called a last: a model of the customer’s foot, around which the boot is constructed. The last has to be a near-perfect reproduction of the foot in order to achieve the perfect custom fit that Limmer, like his father and grandfather before him, guarantees. There is no room for mistakes. “If it’s not right, there’s no sense in going any farther,” says Limmer. His allowance for error is two millimeters — roughly the thickness of a vinyl record.

“Reading the leather is just like reading wood when you split it.”

Limmer estimates that 10 percent of the workshop’s total floor space is devoted to a library of lasts, and that doesn’t include the storage container at his home. He has made thousands of them over his tenure. Most are made from wood; some are nylon; all contain a metal hinge that mimics the bending of a foot as it enters a shoe. To build a custom last, Limmer starts with one that’s a size smaller than a customer’s foot. He uses a moldable high-durometer rubber that softens with heat and hardens when cooled in order to sculpt a model that contains all the nuances of the customer’s foot. It’s the trickiest part of the entire boot build — and the most important.

Once the last is complete, the boot can then be constructed around it. Limmer makes the upper first, layering it on from the inside out: soft oak-tanned leather, then the black, nigh-impenetrable chromium-tanned leather. Chromium, which is otherwise used as a coating for products like car bumpers and is a key ingredient in stainless steel, tightens the leather, making it more dense and resistant to puncture and dents. The resulting sturdiness provides the structure and support the boot is known for. “Reading the leather is just like reading wood when you split it,” says Limmer, noting that each piece can behave differently.

After the layup of leather is created, the other pieces are punched, stitched and sewn. The tongue is inserted, the hardware is punched, the heel pad is glued and the styrene toe cap is put into place. The leather, wetted with an alcohol solution, can be stretched over the other layers, as well as the last, before it’s stitched to the sole. The entire process takes roughly 40 hours and Limmer typically works on 12 pairs of boots at a time. If the process sounds slow, that’s because it is. Limmer estimates his output during an especially productive year to be between 150 and 175 pairs of boots — or, as he’s fond of saying, “What Nike does by coffee break.”

Because of Limmer’s backlog of orders, the time between that initial legal-pad fitting and the beginning of production currently hovers at roughly two years. The price tag is also high; custom boots start at $750. For many, the wait and cost would be unsurpassable barriers to entry. But despite that, the wait for a boot has never fallen below a year. It’s most functional to keep it around two years, but he admits it’s been as high as four. Once, a customer offered Limmer $10,000 to be placed at the top of the list.

“I started laughing,” he recalls, “but he wasn’t joking.” Limmer turned him down. That’s not how it works.

Limmer’s okay with the fact that he isn’t supplying his boots to everybody who wants a pair. “Our boot’s not for everybody,” he acknowledges, fully aware that the heavy-duty hiking footwear — and the rigorous break-in period that can take weeks or even months — simply isn’t suitable for every pair of feet. In fact, Limmer is likely to dissuade someone from buying the boot if he doesn’t think it would be appropriate for them. He also has a keen eye for collectors, people who might view a pair of Limmers as a luxury item or a status symbol — and he’s not afraid to turn them away. “With two years’ worth of work, why make a pair of boots that are going to sit in a closet?” he says.

It’s not about the money; that much is clear after only a few moments in the workshop. If it were, Limmer would’ve sold the brand years ago. He would’ve given up when he had to switch from a European tanner to one in Chicago, or any of the times the massive green Landis stitching machine decided to quit on him. To understand what it is about, one simply has to visit the workshop. It’s about the customers whose photos cover the walls of the fitting area: photos of Limmer boots on summits just a few miles up the Notch Road and as far away as Kilimanjaro; photos of boots near iconic trail signs; even photos of grooms in suits and brides in white dresses, both with black boots on their feet. (“Our boots have outlasted probably seventy percent of the marriages,” Limmer quips.) It’s about the boots, and the heritage embedded in their seams.

“I was never talked into or pushed into the business, so I never did that with my kids.”

Until recently, that tradition was uncertain. Limmer has two sons in their late twenties. They’ve both spent time in the workshop learning the trade, but after attending college, they decided to enter the lucrative landscaping and timber businesses. “Their intentions at one point were certainly to come in here,” Limmer says without remorse. He’s happy to see them forging their own paths and finding success doing so. “I was never talked into or pushed into the business, so I never did that with my kids. They understand the uniqueness of the business.”

Limmer found himself without a familial heir to help out in the workshop and carry on the business. But luckily, he had taken on an apprentice. Before taking up boot making, Ken Smith was employed at a pet store. He put his heart into the craft and worked alongside Limmer for 18 years. Then Smith, who is older than Limmer, reluctantly decided to retire, and the future of the business became uncertain again. Limmer’s oldest son offered to take over when he was too old to haul timber. But at that point, Limmer feared he’d be too old to teach him. A retired lawyer from Connecticut offered to work as an apprentice, but was unwilling to take over the business when Limmer decided to call it quits; he suspected she just wanted to mine the master for his skills. “I was starting to think that this was going to be the end of the business,” he says.

In preparation for the worst, Limmer confided his apprehension in his local bank manager, Adam Lane-Olsen. “He started talking about how his boys were not really into the business,” says Lane-Olsen, “and how he wasn’t quite sure how things were going to end up.” Lane-Olsen, who holds a graduate degree in historical theology, had worked numerous jobs in numerous states before landing at the bank in New Hampshire. The White Mountains were right, and the money was sufficient, but he wasn’t happy. “[Managing a bank] is probably for some people, but it sure as hell isn’t for me,” he says. “It was killing me.”

When Lane-Olsen heard Limmer’s doubts, his disquiet reignited in response to a perceived opportunity. A week later he approached Limmer about an apprenticeship. “You could tell he wasn’t really sure. I was the bank guy,” he says. Three months later, he quit his job at the bank in order to apprentice in what many would consider to be a dead trade.

“I’ve never worked on boots before. But it just felt right,” Lane-Olsen says. “When I first walked into the workshop, there was something about it.” When asked if he recognizes the significance of his commitment to perpetuating the Limmer tradition, Lane-Olsen is firm in his response. “I don’t look back for a second.”

What happens in Intervale, New Hampshire, at the Peter Limmer & Sons workshop goes against every characteristic of the outdoor-footwear industry today, and it’s because customers know what they’re getting: durability, longevity, character, history, tradition. These qualities define the boots and the motivation and process that produce them. They define the workshop itself, and are made tangible by Peter Limmer Sr.’s ski boot patent and master bootmaker’s certificate hanging framed on the shop walls. It’s these things that bring customers whose grandparents wore Limmer boots to the shop to get themselves a pair of boots, or to fix up the pair that’s been passed down through their own families. Limmer boots are a rare example of heirloom footwear: They’re never broken — just beat up, and always repairable.

Every so often, a customer walks through the shop’s screen door with a pair of decades-old, worn-out boots made by Peter Limmer Sr., which Limmer identifies immediately. “You can feel him in there,” Limmer says quietly. It’s not just him, either. “I came in here one day and Adam was a little bit ashen,” Limmer continues. “I looked at him and said, ‘What’s up?’ And he goes, ‘Man, there’s just weird shit going on here.’” Lane-Olsen was working on a pair of boots that were made in the Jamaica Plain workshop back in 1948. Limmer’s solution, whenever he feels his grandfather’s presence in the shop, is to crack open a can of Opa — an Oktoberfest beer made at the brewery next door, and salute him. “He’ll take off,” Limmer says. Coincidentally, Opa, German for “grandfather,” was Peter Limmer Sr.’s nickname. Opa was a big beer drinker.

Whether the ghost of his grandfather shows up or not, Limmer isn’t opposed to cracking open a beer at the end of the day. It complements the genial atmosphere and unbuttoned pace of life in the workshop. Notably, the thoughtful process of the boot making, however slow, overrules any motivation for expansion and profit. “I love the fact that it’s laid back,” Limmer says. “I generally don’t walk out of here pissed off. I walk out of here ready to go do something, give it my best, because my day was fun. A lot of people don’t understand that. That’s important to me.”

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