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June 02, 2009
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Cruiser (Courtesy of Westcomb)
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I'm heading to Kilimanjaro. What's the best waterproof jacket to take along?
— Jen
Toronto, Ontario
 Eddie Bauer's BC-100 ($169, eddiebauer.com) is a superflyweight waterproof jacket. Unbeknownst to many modern mall crawlers who associate Eddie Bauer with women's pinstriped oxfords, the Seattle-based company got its start in the early 1920s as one of the original outdoor gear manufacturers. This year Eddie Bauer reinvigorated its lineup with help from a few tough climbers, namely Peter Whittaker, Dave Hahn, Ed Viesturs, Melissa Arnot, Chad Peele, and Seth Waterfall, who not only helped design the First Ascent line but are currently giving the highly technical line the Mount Everest test. Fittingly, the motto for the new First Ascent line is: “Everything you need. Nothing you don't,” and the BC-100 is exactly that: waterproof, breathable, streamlined, hooded, with water-resistant zippers, adjustable cuffs, ergonomic pockets compatible with harnesses and packs. Plus, it packs so small and tight that you'll likely forget you brought it—until you need it.
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Do you have a question of your
own?
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A slightly heavier, warmer, and more technical option is the Westcomb Cruiser ($349, westcomb.com). This upstart Vancouver company designs clean, simple, and highly functional gear. The hooded Cruiser, with ample pit zips and four big pockets, is made from waterproof Event fabric that keeps the rain from coming in and allows your sweat to move away from your body and evaporate. With hard-wearing fabric in the shoulders, arms and hood, and lighter fabric on the lower body, the Cruiser will cover you in a wide range of weather events. New this fall is Westcomb's Phantom Hoody ($499), a similar, albeit even more technical, piece.
Stephanie Pearson: The Gear Girl
When it comes to gear, contributing editor Stephanie Pearson lives by one rule: What you own, owns you. That's why the skier, hiker, biker, runner, canoe paddler, and sometimes yogini is on an eternal quest to find gear and clothing that will enhance her life rather than make her a slave to dysfunctional stuff. During her seven-year stint as a travel editor at Outside, Pearson received three honorable mentions in The Best American Travel Writing series for stories on Guatemala, New Zealand, and Bhutan. Now that she's no longer in the office at Outside HQ in Santa Fe, Pearson hopes to be on the road more and is always in search of functional and aesthetically pleasing gear that's easy to use or clothing that's elegant to wear. Pearson is based in northern Minnesota and Santa Fe. Her latest adventure was on the fringe of the Amazon Basin in Brazil.
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