Black Diamond's Icon Headlamp Upgrade: This One Goes to 11

When I first saw Black Diamond's Icon headlamp redux for Spring 2012 ($79.95), I was immedately intrigued by its cool metal body. So intrigued, in fact, that I accidentally hit the power button while I was staring into the bulb. It was like getting maced with light.

Getting blasted in the face by 200 lumens really helps you gain confidence in a headlamp.

That's how I met the 2012 Icon's QuadPower LED bulb, whose 200 lumens (versus the current model's 100 lumens) are estimated to throw a beam up to 100 meters, making the Icon the brightest headlamp in Black Diamond's lineup by leaps and bounds. The Icon also sports a 35-lumen setting powered by two SinglePower LEDs for slower pursuits, like camp cooking or setting up your tent. It's also got two red LEDs that can be accessed without turning on the white LEDs to give you a bit of light without killing your night vision. 

The super-bright setting comes in handy with anything from high-speed pursuits like trail running to high-dark pursuits like spelunking, while the lower setttings are handy for mellow campsite activities like setting up your tent or assembling your JetBoil. The one-button functionality is great, too - you can switch between both high and low beam settings and adjust their brightness by holding the button down. The red LEDs are accessed by holding the button down when you turn it on, which bypasses the other two settings and keeps your night vision intact. It runs on four AA batteries, and its max burn times are 75 hours on the highest setting, 175 on the lowest.

I had a friend of mine test it out on an evening trail run while I ran with Black Diamond's new Sprinter model on my head. The Sprinter's 75 lumens lit up the area, but the Icon dominated the dark. With him running behind me, my shadow ran ahead of me in sharp relief for the duration of the run, and I was treated to a sweeping view of the woods around me every time he looked around. The Icon (with the batteries) weighs about 8 ounces, but the topstrap kept bouncing to a minimum, and neither my tester nor I felt like it was uncomfortably heavy. 

Add the aforementioned tough metallic exterior and a waterproof housing (protected against immersion down to 1 meter for 30 minutes), and you're looking at a headlamp that'll take your flashlight's lunch money.

If you want to turn night into day (or you're trying to attract Mothra), you're going to be hard-pressed to find this many lumens for this many dollars.

Just don't look directly into the thing.

Just in Case: Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pak Plus

Every outdoorsperson knows the feeling of being out in the woods thinking "Man, I wish I'd brought...," especially when things go bad. Happens to me just about every time I go out.

It's happening a lot less often, though. Oakland-based company Adventure Medical Kits does its best to cover all of your bases with its Pocket Survival Pak Plus emergency kit ($80).

It's amazing how much AMK managed to fit into a pouch that weighs under half a pound. At 5 ounces and about the size of your fist, it takes up little room and adds a negligible amount of weight to a hiker's pack. When you start taking stuff out of the little waterproof pouch, survival gear keeps tumbling out like clowns (shudder) tumbling out of one of those little cars at the circus.

The pack has a fishing kit with line, hooks, a spinner and weights; a compact backup knife (the RSK Mk5 ultralight knife is one of my favorite features); a PICO Lite LED flashlight; a compass; a signal mirror; and a host of other features. There's even 2 feet of duct tape thrown in for good measure.

Some of my fellow gearheads have noted that a few of the items are unnecessary, and that's probably true. I can barely catch a fish with a full-size setup. But the Pocket Survival Pak Plus isn't designed for everyday use. The packs are made to keep you alive when things don't go as planned. For instance, why bring a flashlight when you've got a headlamp? If you drop your headlamp into a crevasse or its battery dies, that little LED flashlight is going to make a huge difference. In fact, I hope I never need to use it, because that means something went wrong. But when something does, I'm glad I packed it.

Yesterday I went on a 10-mile hike through the Castle Crags Wilderness, and I threw in the PSP Plus on a whim. Might as well, right? About six miles out, I started getting a wicked hotspot in my heel. Boom. Grabbed the PSP Plus, taped up the heel, get back on the trail. Boom.

You don't know what's going to happen when you're in the middle of nowhere, and for an extra 5 ounces, AMK's Pocket Survival Pak Plus is worth every ounce and then some. 

Take a look at the full list of items at adventuremedicalkits.com.

Base Layers: Ninja Suit Roundup for Wired.com

Here are a few outtakes from the shoot.

'Tis the season for layering up. Now that the weather is finally cooling off, the timing is perfect for Wired.com to publish my review of I/O Bio's Pilot Suit and Airblaster's Ninja Suit base layers. I still crack up when I read this review.

Tested on location from Mt. Shasta in California to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, my tester and I put the merino wool onesies to the test. After the epic battle, a clear winner emerged. Check out the review on Wired.com to read which suit won and to see some great pics from Wired's photo shoot in San Francisco.

Columbia's Peak 2 Peak Jacket: A Pricey Bargain

High-end jackets are a tough proposition-unless you've got Charlie Sheen money, buying one is a major event. I mean, if you're going to cough up $300+ for a shell, it had better be an awesome one, right?

I've been testing out Columbia's Peak 2 Peak Jacket ($350), and it lives up to its price tag. It's a storm shell, so its main purpose is to keep wind, rain, and whatever else nature is going to hit you with (maybe not lightning) at bay. And it does so in spades.

The Peak 2 Peak utilizes Columbia's Omni-Dry fabric, which is touted to be 100% windproof and waterproof, yet is able to diffuse the sweat that you'll work up during intense activity. As a stormshell, the Peak 2 Peak's bonded liner and taped seams held up like a champ in rain and snow, not letting in a drop. The "Invizzip" zippers are completely waterproof as well, so anything you stow will stay as dry as you do.

Snowshoeing the Peak 2 Peak to the peak. Photo by Matt Moseley

As far as wind goes, I had a great chance to test it out on a snowshoeing trip up Mount Shasta. It was warm enough at the lower altitudes, but once we got past the treeline, the wind really picked up and started making things miserable. I slipped on the Peak 2 Peak, and I didn't feel a thing for the rest of the ascent.

Making a stormshell that keeps the weather out is one thing, but making one that doesn't collect your sweat while you're working is a whole other beast. I worked up a wicked sweat on my way up Mt. Shasta and the the Peak 2 Peak handled it. The Omni-Dry fabric kept things from getting too clammy inside, and when things started to really heat up, the pit vents did a good job of letting the excess heat escape.

Add the jacket's slim cut and articulated elbows to keep the jacket from getting in your way, the adjustable storm hood, the drawcord hem, and the fact that the whole deal weighs less than a pound (14oz) and you've got a jacket that'll work for every penny you spent on it. Heck, you might feel like you ripped Columbia off.

Take a closer look at Columbia.com.

Tough Poly Shell, Soft, Chewy Merino Center: Ortovox Merino Fleece Logo Hoody Review

It usually takes a few years for a sweatshirt to enter the pantheon of favorite articles of clothing. Material must be softened with countless washings, it has to shrink just enough to provide that custom fit, and it has to prove its toughness though a series of life-threatening(ish) adventures. German mountaineering company Ortovox's Merino Fleece Logo Hoody ($159, available Summer 2012) broke into "no-you-can't-borrow-it" status within the first two wears.

No thumbholes? Come on.

At first glance, it seems pretty basic. The only external feature that really distinguished the Logo Hoody from other sweatshirts is the easy-pull drawstring.  A one-piece shock cord loops around the lining of the hood and locks automatically when you give it a pull. Great for blocking out the wind without completely letting go of your handlebars.

Of course, it's what's inside that counts: the Hoody has a super-soft inner layer of merino wool and a wind- and abrasion-resistant polyester exterior. Its combination of breathable materials and extreme stretch make the Hoody a great piece for just about any activity. The merino interior is soft enough to let you wear the Hoody as a next-to-skin layer, and the slim cut lets you layer up over it without feeling bulky. The fleece's stretchiness keeps it from hindering your range of motion in any way, so early morning climbing sessions don't have to be frigid crag-fests.

Pack straps didn't abrade the Hoody's exterior.

The tough polyester exterior proved very abrasion-resistant - it held up to friction from pack straps for miles of hiking without showing any wear or piling. On a series of way-too-early hikes, the Hoody was comfortable over a wide range of temperatures. It was warm and blocked the breeze during the 50-degree early am, but when the sun started heating up, the Hoody breathed well and any sweat wicked away and dried quickly. 

I have yet to survive anything but harrowing downhill bike descents in it, but since it'll be my new go-to layer for cold weather, I'm sure we'll be bonding over how-did-I-survive moments in the years to come.

This is my new midlayer. For everything. No, you can't borrow it.