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Showers Pass Trailhead Bamboo-Merino Hoodie review

Portland, Oregon based Showers Pass is a small company who make active apparel for people who like to hike, bike and enjoy the outdoors in clothing that will keep them dry and warm without a lot of bulk. They asked if I would like to take a look at their Trailhead Bamboo-Merino Hoodie which I’ve been enjoying for a couple weeks. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

The Trailhead Bamboo-Merino Hoodie from Showers Pass is a lightweight long sleeved base layer top that is made of 50/50 bamboo and Merino wool and is available in both men and women’s sizes and styles.

Design and features

When Showers Pass first asked me to choose a color and size, I asked for the small men’s Trailhead hoodie because I liked the quarter zip on the front vs. the women’s version that didn’t have a zipper. Mainly, I just didn’t want to mess up my hair putting on and taking off the shirt 😉

They obliged and sent the men’s version of the hoodie in small, which swallowed me up because it was too large. But it did give me a chance to photograph it before I returned it to swap with a women’s small version of the hoodie.

The men’s version has a zip front, a drawstring hood, a thin stripe on the sleeves and hood, and zip kangaroo pockets.

The women’s version shown above is similar but has two stripes on the hood, stripes on the shoulder, and zippered kangaroo pockets on the front.

A kangaroo pocket is a pocket is one large pocket across the front of the shirt. If you put both hands in the pockets, you can touch your hands together.

There’s also a pocket on the back right hip that I didn’t even know was there until I was checking product details about the hoodie on the Showers Pass site. This pocket is large enough for a small wallet or your smartphone.

The sleeves of the Trailhead hoodie have cuffs, but the waistband of the hoodie does not, which is fine by me because I don’t like waistbands on my shirts.

The tail of the shirt is slightly longer than the front edge which keeps air from blowing up your back if you have to bend over.


I have some Merino wool socks, but I’ve never had a shirt or other garment made of this material and have never had any type of clothing made of bamboo. So I was pretty curious about how it would feel. I thought it might be scratchy like other wool clothing I’ve worn in the past, but I was completely wrong about that. The 50/50 combination of Merino wool and bamboo is soft and silky with a wonderful cool to the touch feel to it.

This material will keep you warm and is moisture wicking. Merino wool is known for breathability and odor control. I’ve been wearing the hoodie off and on for a couple weeks and it smells that same as it did when I unboxed it.

Here I am wearing the women’s Trailhead hoodie in small. I’m 5’6″ and weigh 130lbs. The hoodie fits me perfectly. It’s not too tight or too baggie and it’s so comfortable that I’d like to sleep in it.

I doubt I’d ever use the kangaroo pockets, but the thin zippers zip up the pockets to hide them from view.

I’m not really a hood on my shirt kinda girl, but the hood on the Trailhead hoodie is not bulky and doesn’t get in the way. It will even fit under a bike helmet and the shirt/hoodie provides UPF 50+ protection from the sun while you’re wearing it.

What I like

  • Very comfortable
  • Natural fibers are moisture wicking and odor repellant
  • Large kangaroo pocket and small hidden pocket on the back

What needs to be improved

  • Pricey

Final thoughts

Before doing this review, I hadn’t heard of Showers Pass or their Merino wool and Bamboo apparel. Now that I have tested and worn their Trailhead Hoodie, I’m a fan of this material combination and their products. The hoodie is well made and comfortable to wear. If the price doesn’t frighten you away, it’s definitely one of those “you get what you pay for” type of products. At least that’s how I see it now. I’ll have to see how it holds up as time passes.

Price: $129.00
Where to buy: Showers Pass
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Showers Pass.

The post Showers Pass Trailhead Bamboo-Merino Hoodie review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

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Showers Pass Trailhead Bamboo-Merino Hoodie review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 12, 2018 at 5:03 pm.

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Look casually sharp (or sharply casual) in an UNTUCKit shirt

Ever tried to leave your smart-looking dress shirt casually untucked? Yeah, for most dress shirts, it looks sloppy because their tails are just too long. The folks at UNTUCKit wanted to solve that, so they did a ton of customer research to determine exactly how long an untucked dress shirt could be before it went from sharp to slob. The result is UNTUCKit, a shirt that is “designed to fall halfway between the belt and the bottom of the zipper, allowing the front pockets to be partially exposed. Our shirts have a curved hemline (not square bottom).” Available in dozens of combinations of colors, patterns, materials and sizes, UNTUCKit has shirts for conceivably any taste.  Visit UNTUCKit.com for more info or to order.

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Look casually sharp (or sharply casual) in an UNTUCKit shirt originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 30, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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Ravean’s new Rugged heated jacket is as tough as you are

Ravean already has a puffy heated jacket, but their customers asked for a heated jacket that was rugged enough for work, so they developed the Rugged Off-Road, All Terrain, Any Weather Heated Jacket.  They have a crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter seeking only $1000, perhaps as a way to judge interest in the jacket.  Interest is apparently quite high, because they already have $112,088.00 in pledges, with about two weeks left to go. 

The jacket has a water- and wind-resistant shell and a soft, breathable lining.  It has heated chest, back, and thumb-hole cuffs so you can heat just your core, just your hands, or both zones.  Each zone has high/medium/low heat settings, and the controller is part of the logo on the front of the jacket, so it’s always easy to find and use.  The jacket can be powered with a Ravean 10,050mAh curved battery that fits inside the jacket, or it can be powered with most power-tool battery packs (which fit in two external zippered pockets).  The Ravean battery can also be used as a powerbank for your phone.  There are five pockets for storing your gear, and YKK zippers and two waist cinches help keep out drafts.

A pledge of $74 nets you a Ravean battery pack only; $169 gets you one heated Rugged jacket but no battery; $199 gets you a jacket and a Ravean battery.  The Ravean Rugged campaign ends December 14, 2017 at 4:16am EST.  Delivery is expected for September 2018.

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Ravean’s new Rugged heated jacket is as tough as you are originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 30, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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OROS Discovery jackets review

Like flipping a switch on a lamp, it’s turned from summer in the 90’s to what already feels like winter in the 30’s here in Southern Indiana. When the leaves start turning and the mornings get crisp, it’s time to grab a jacket. OROS apparel sent me some jackets and outerwear to check out that use the same technology that protects astronauts in space to keep you warm on earth without weighing you down. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

OROS jackets use a thin breathable insulating aerogel material called SolarCore which uses the same technology that NASA uses to keep astronauts warm and toasty in outer space.

OROS sent me two jackets and a pullover shirt let’s take a closer look at each one.

OROS Women’s Essential Quarter Zip

When OROS sent me the samples in September, it was still in the 80’s – 90’s here in Columbus, Indiana. It took a few weeks for the weather to cooperate enough so that I actually wanted to try on the gear for more than a few minutes at a time.

The lightest item that they sent me was the Women’s Essential Quarter Zip which is more like a shirt than a jacket and is perfect for 60-degree weather, drafty office buildings, or even on flights. That is is how I tested the Essential Quarter Zip a week ago. It was the only long-sleeved clothing that I took with me on a vacation to Sanibel Island Florida.

I always get a little chilled waiting at the airport gate and also on the plane, so this shirt was a perfect remedy for that. You can see that Jeanne is wearing a bulkier hoodie and I am wearing the Essential Quarter Zip which is much lighter but still kept me warm.

Just looking at the shirt, you wouldn’t notice that there’s anything special about it. It looks like an ordinary gray knit shirt. But it has a special layer of the SolarCore material between the front and the back panels of the shirt, and even around the neck. Note that the sleeves and side rib areas of the shirt do not have SolarCore.

The shirt feels heavenly to wear. The sleeves are silky smooth and feel like they are lined with microfleece inside even though they really aren’t.

The Essential is made of 88% polyester and 12% spandex. It only comes in the gray color that you see here in sizes XS to 2XL. Their sizing might run slightly large. I was sent a Medium and I think I would have been better served by a Small.

The shirt has a quarter zip nylon locking zipper at the neck and the collar has a flap that covers the top of the zipper to prevent it from rubbing your neck or chin if you like to wear it completely zipped up.

In the image above you can see the OROS logo on the left shoulder. There’s also a second logo on the back right hip.

Another feature of the Essential Quarter Zip is the thumb hole in each sleeve cuff that makes it easy to keep the sleeves from sliding up your arms if you put another layer over the Essential.

I wondered how the SolarCore material would stand up to being washed, so I ran the shirt through the washer and dryer. I’m happy to report that it came out looking and feeling no different than when I first unboxed it.

The OROS Essential Quarter Zip saved me when we came home from Florida and got off the plane in Indianapolis to 35 degrees and rain. I hadn’t been smart enough to bring a coat with me would have frozen if it hadn’t been for this shirt.

Price: $120.00

OROS Women’s Discovery Fleece

The next heaviest jacket that OROS sent me is their Discovery Fleece which is available sizes XS up to 2XL and in Charcoal, Green, and Reflecting Pond colors. No, I didn’t name that color which is blue 😉 I was sent the Charcoal version.

The Discovery Fleece is made of 100% polyester with a 100% nylon lining.

The jacket has a stand-up collar and a nylon zipper with a large easy to grab zipper pull.

There are two pockets on either hip that have small zipper pulls.

The image above shows one of my favorite features of this jacket. Can you guess what it is? It’s the longer waistband in the back. It really helps keep your lower back warmer.

Like the Essential Quarter Zip, the Discovery Fleece also has SolarCore on the front and back. The sleeves and side rib area of the jacket do not have SolarCore which keeps the jacket lightweight and comfortable.

I really like the OROS Discovery Fleece multi-season jacket. It has a nice understated look, is very comfortable, and will keep me warm in the spring and fall temps.

Price: $150.00

OROS Women’s Discovery Jacket

The Discovery Jacket is the heaviest jacket of the trio. It is designed to be versatile and to withstand various cold, wind, rain weather conditions. The jacket is available in black, green (what you see here), and gray. It’s made of 90% polyester/10% spandex and has a 100% nylon lining.

The exterior of the jacket has a water repellant coating and there’s a hood to keep your non-water repellant coated head dry. Note that the hood is not removable and does not have drawstrings.

The jacket has a tall collar that’s lined in a silky short pile “fur”.

The sleeves have an extended knit cuff that keeps the wind from blowing up your arms. This jacket also has a longer hem at the bottom like the Discovery Fleece jacket.

OROS put an inspirational quote inside the lining of the jacket that says:

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.

Although I didn’t show an image, this same quote is printed inside the Discovery Fleece jacket too.

In addition to the zippered pocket at each hip, there’s a zippered chest pocket inside the jacket that is large enough to hold a phone, sunglasses, wallet, etc.

The OROS Discovery Jacket not only looks nice, but it’s comfortable to wear, moves well, and really keeps you warm with the SolarCore thermal material.

Price: $215.00

Final thoughts

I’d never heard of the OROS brand before being offered the chance to review the Essential Quarter Zip pullover, Discovery Fleece, and Discovery Jackets. Now I can say that they are quality made outerwear that will make you look and feel good while wearing them.

I’ll update this review in a month or two after we’ve had temps in the 20’s and lower.

Source: The samples for this review was provided by OROS. Please visit their site for more info.

 

Product Information

Price: See above
Manufacturer: OROS
Pros:
  • Very comfortable
  • SolarCore insulating material does a good job of holding in heat while remaining thin
Cons:
  • Essential Quarter Zip is expensive

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OROS Discovery jackets review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2017 at 12:00 pm.

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Twinkle, twinkle, little skirt – you’ll look heavenly at holiday parties wearing this!

If you need a festive outfit for upcoming holiday parties, look no further than the Twinkling Stars Skirt at ThinkGeek.  With the lights turned off, you’ll have a skirt with a chiffon top layer printed with star charts.  There’s also a white gauze layer for floatiness, and a white liner for opacity.  The chiffon layer has snaps that allow you to attach three 15-ft strings of EL LED lights (with more than 250 bulbs total) that are powered by 3AA batteries (not included); the power pack fits inside the skirt’s waistband.  The lights are not as heavy as Christmas tree light strands, but they are sturdy enough to withstand being sat upon.  The lights can be turned off, on steady, or twinkle;  a set of batteries should power the skirt for three continuous days.  The skirt is made of 100% polyester fabrics, and it can be machine washed and line dried after the electronics have been removed.  The Twinkling Stars Skirt is available in a wide range of sizes for $59.99 from ThinkGeek.

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Twinkle, twinkle, little skirt – you’ll look heavenly at holiday parties wearing this! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2017 at 11:00 am.

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