Good call on the tights- simple, warm, clean, light, fast. Your three leg items look pretty solid, the Speedwork tights are surprisingly warm, dry quickly, and move moisture away from the skin very effectively. Paired with the powerstretch knickers you should be pretty toasty, moving at least.

Those tights are awesome. Dual fabric denier gradient knit FTW!

I was going to ask about those speedwork tights...I've been eyeing those for a while. Are they warm like winter only warm or could they be an acceptable substitute for soft shell type pants for the rest of they year as well?

I won't flog this any more after this, but it seems that hot food has different effects on different people.

Sure I love a hot coffee on the trail or some whole wheat pasta with pesto, but I also get stoked off of a delicious pepperoni stick, a triple chocolate Power Bar or a big salty piece of beef jerky. Maybe I would get a little down on morale if I had to eat GORP the whole time though.

When I'm wet, cold and bummed out, I just want to eat something tasty - whether it's hot or cold. Often in these situations I wind up eating more cold food because I don't want the hassle & wait of prepping something hot. It seems people are different on this though, and you gotta do what works for you.

Edited by dandydan on 12/08/2011 21:26:40 MST.

Brendan, they're not winter-only warm. I'd say comparable to the old Traverse pants. And they come in not-black.

Keeping the stove at home? What about just using an open fire? When it's super wet out, I just eat cold until I get to camp at night, and spend the effort getting a splitwood fire going to dry off all my stuff and eat a hot meal.
If you are going through tundra though, then that might not be an option.

Has anyone else actually tried out Rab’s new Boreas, which may be unique, the only garment on the planet that is a hooded base layer plus a rain-resistant wind shirt? I often wear mine as my only upper-body garment. My experience means nothing, but noted mountain climber Nils Nielsen says: “The last month I’ve been in the French and Swiss Alpes climbing and guiding. Almost every day I’ve been wearing the new Boreas top…. The Boreas is a thin pull-on with a hood, it breaths well, but is still quite windproof. And the hood is super good when it’s windy. The stretchy fabric makes it fit good both with and without a helmet. And the small chest pocket also works well as a stuff pocket and is easily clipped to the harness on warm pitches in the sun.” I believe the Boreas also won an award from some magazine. I liked my first one so well, I bought a second, larger one to go over a Pata-Gucci R1 Hoody. If it’s windy but not cold, I flip up only the Boreas hood, if it’s cold but not windy, I flip up just the R1 hood, and for cold, windy… well, you get the idea.

Robert, I'm a huge fan. It's been a great layer for BC skiing thus far. I expect it to be fairly bug proof too.

Your camera weighs nine ounces. Tough to leave at home I know, but it accounts for 8% of your carried weight (excluding rafting stuff). How about bringing a four or five ounce point and shoot? It will still capture the trip, be less bulky, and shave a 1/4 pound.

1) Sleep socks? Nobody sleeps during the Classic. =)

2) After you figure out the 7K calories at 140 cal/oz, could you PLEASE post that?? I'm highly interested!

Dave, I'm trying to get a better understanding of your legwear. Are the Speedwork tights basically mid-weight running-style tights? So your layers are the tights as baselayer, then your "Powerstretch knickers" added as extra warmth (I'm envisioning cut-off Patagonia R1 pants) and your boating pants if necessary? Do I have that right?

Not leaving the camera. Might bring a different (waterproof) one.

Justin, you have the legwear correct.