Product Recommendations Part 1 - Apparel

We get asked a lot about what our favorite products are so thought I'd give a quick rundown for those looking to give a gift for the Adventurer this holiday season and beyond. This will be a series of posts and we will start with apparel. These are in no particular order and are actual products we constantly use.

1.) Prana: I can't stress enough about how wonderful it was to find the Prana Stretch Zion pants/shorts. Not even lying, I pretty much don't wear anything else now. I wear them to work, hiking, camping, around town, etc. Most comfortable, good looking, versatile, durable pants EVER!!! We have had so many people ask us about them, end up buying them for themselves and adopt the exact same outlook we have on them immediately, it's crazy. Beyond the pants/shorts, Prana also has a huge variety of other awesome clothes like their plaid button-ups (I own a couple and love them), hoodies, etc. Check them out, you will not be disappointed. www.prana.com

2.) Astral: We have found what we believe is the holy grail of shoe companies. I personally own and rock at least 5 pairs of Astrals. I use them for kayaking, hiking, around town and everything in between. Besides an occasional pair of chucks and some hiking boots, I don't wear anything else anymore. One of the main reasons is because of their insanely grippy soles but also because they are stylish, comfortable, light and crazy versatile. But be prepared to get some attention while wearing them because we are constantly getting questions about them. No one can believe that they(most) are water shoes or at least water capable. We probably add a sale for Astral once a week lol. Also like the Prana Zions, pretty much all of our friends (and even parents!) have started wearing Astrals. They are simply the best, period. Oh lol, also, and if you are a paddler, you probably already know, but their lifejackets are topnotch as well. I use the Green Jacket and will probably never change to a different one. You just can't go wrong with Astral products. www.astraldesigns.com

- Check out our Astral Brewer review here.

- Check out our Astral Hiyak review here.

- Check out our Astral Rassler review here.

- Check out our Astral Loyak review here.

- Check out our Astral Green Jacket review here.

- Check out our Astral Bird Dog PFD review here.

3.) Five Ten: Now we don't do a ton of climbing (just a bit of bouldering) but we do tons of hiking (often near water sources) and thus traction is super important to us (see Astrals above). That is where the CAMP FOUR GTX MID comes in and really shines. It has the crazy grip Stealth 1 rubber on it in addition to Gore-tex liner. Just a killer hiking boot that keeps you upright and with dry feet. www.fiveten.com

4.) Kokatat: Surely you probably know at this point, but when it comes to keeping you dry on the river, Kokatat is hard to beat. While drysuits are pricey, Kokatat's are soooooo worth it. With premium construction of Gore-tex and Cordura, and a lifetime warranty, the G'MER has been my drysuit of choice for a long time now. Absolutely indispensable piece of kayaking gear that extends our river time to all seasons. In addtion, Kokatat makes other great gear including the Maximus Prime lifejacket. www.kokatat.com

- Check out our Kokatat GORE-TEX Rogue Drytop review here. 

- Check out our Kokatat Maximus Prime PFD review here.

- Check our our Kokatat GORE-TEX Legend Dry Top review here.

- Check out our Kokatat Maximus Centurion review here.

- Check our our Kokatat Hydrus 3L Mythic Shorty Dry Top review here.

5.) Sweet Protection: Another fantastic technical brand, Sweet Protection's products just ooze quality. I have a SuperNova dry top made out of Gore-tex Pro and god is it good. The material is amazing and dry and the cut gives you so much freedom of movement. Pair those with the Shambala shorts and you have a killer river setup. I also use the Sweet Strutter helmet for all but the hardest (full-face worthy) rivers. The baseball style bill helps keep the sun out or your eyes as well. On top of that, Sweet's products are just stylish as hell. And looking good on the river is at least half the battle right?
www.sweetprotection.com

- Check out our Sweet Protection Shambala Paddle Shorts review here.

6.) North Face: OK, so they make pretty good jackets and whatnot, but you know what's epic to have as an adventurer (kayaker, hiker, whatever)? Versatile camping slippers. I know, I know, you may be thinking that's lame. I did too for a while. But that's because you haven't tried them. The North Face Traction Mules are amazing. Insanely comfortable, warm, durable, decent traction and kinda weird looking. It's like puffy jackets for your feet. They really are great for wearing around the house, running shuttle at the river, camping in colder weather, etc. There are also some new Teva Ember Mocs out now that we'll be trying out soon... www.northface.com

7.) Immersion Research: For cold weather paddling, camping and adventuring in general, the Immersion Research Union Suit is incredible. I have owned mine for forever now and it works just as good as new. Super comfortable, warm, easy to layer with, great neck entry system, etc. Like putting on some warm pajamas, you'll love it. Pair it with a dry suit and some thin bottom layers for all day comfort in seriously cold conditions. www.immersionresearch.com