Time to Gear Up: "Baby, it's _ _ _ _ Outside!"

Get it in Gear: Even in the years of B.C. (Before Computers, the 'boomer' generation) and w-a-y before Mr. Gore and others claimed their share of fame in bringing us the information highway, the internet, we were accustomed to and welcomed getting several catalogues this time of year, chock-full of cool stuff to give each other as holiday gifts (way before "Seinfeld" featured 're-gifting'). And, a few months prior, we could look forward to those featuring fall fashions and 'Cool Gear' - clothing to keep us warm as our climate cooled in these northern climes, or literally cool, if we were among the lucky ones to have a holiday vacation planned to warmer climes. Then there was the the apparel to simply make us look COOL, no matter the outdoor temps, including sunglasses of course. I am reminded that this trend has only increased in both 'breadth and depth' -- that is, gear that is tailored to a wider range of places, altitudes (as well as attitudes'),and temperatures. Such as when I leafed through this month's Costco "Connection" and my "Outside" magazine, which is accompanied by their semi-annual "Buyer's Guide: 271 New Gear Essentials" (I only found 5 or 6 things essential to my outdoor passions, so my family gets off easy). In turn, I am using this space to remind us all that, no matter what the season, climate, or circumstances we find ourselves in (including 'pande-monia'), we have gear to help us enjoy the Great Outdoors. So, let's put the Goldilocks in all of us ("it's too hot, it's too cold...") in hibernation, Gear Up, and Get Out! Just a few out takes from the mags to entice you:

Duck, duck, ...GOOSE! Down, that is. I remember (at least approximately) when 'down' came 'up' in popularity, which was later high school to early college. The first adds were about this new way of filling outerwear and sleeping bags (sure could have used this when shivering in my cotton filled sleeping bag in our Boy Scouts early spring and fall campouts). Now, it almost the exception rather than the rule to not see high tech variations on this, plus updates on cotton, wool, and other natural fibers. More recently, we have gotten use to ads incorporating such lines as "responsibly grown or obtained" (I wonder who exactly is going to the 'source' such as the goose, to see if they consented). The main point is that this gear can now keep us warm and toasty down to almost those the new vaccines require for storage -- I said almost. On the lighter side, in 2007, an enterprising teen, in part fed up with the number of peers he knew wearing "North Face" who had never scaled a hill outside the local park, made a small fortune over a few years with his counter culture "South Butt" line of apparel (when North Face attorneys sued him, he went on national TV and his apparel line took off even more). Lots of great gear, no good excuses.

These shoes are made for...Walking, running, hiking, trekking, skiing, mountaineering,...shoes, sandals, boots for everyone, every activity you can imagine (and those the marketing folks from these mags are brainstorming on our behalf right this minute). When I began cross country and track in high school (which I initially tried to do in my Converse high tops, not only dorky but painful!) there were only a few shoe manufactures specializing in gear to help us be fleet of foot. Now, what a dizzying array, and you don't even have to spend 'an arm and a leg' to obtain a decent pair. And, since there are so many on the market now, there is literally a constant clearance -- no excuses. 

Wake up and smell the...Yep, among the "Survival Gear" featured in "Outside" you can find "The coffee grinder built for adventure". Grinder, did you say?! Yep, so if you are not only going to lug a coffee maker but a grinder to sustain your enjoyment around the campfire, you're going to..."need a bigger pack!". A staple of all outdoor adventure for centuries, we now have a line of stuff to stuff all our stuff in, a line that could extend from the north to south pole. Whether you're going for a stroll through Central Park or preparing to scale Everest, there are now fanny packs, day packs, back packs, and duffels to assist you in your journey... with no room for excuses.

Chill out! "My underwear has holes" (doesn't everybody's?) - "Brynje Mesh... the lightest, warmest, driest base layer you will ever own!" So claims the ad, brought to us by a Norwegian company, specializing in an open-weave ('fishnet') construction. If it's good enough for the Norsemen, it's good enough for us, who grew up in the "Make sure to put your long underwear on" generation. So, from top to bottom (literally) we're equipped for the outdoors, fully covered. Any excuses are full of holes.

Time, place, and...You! I've already shared with you in a previous post how a basic mental exam consists of a brief survey of one's awareness of their whereabouts, time, and identity, in whatever order you prefer. Now, in addition to the time tested method of (usually our moms) stitching our names in our gear, there is a vast assortment of gizmos that let you know where you are at (down to the exact latitude and longitude), what time it is in a bunch of time zones (including the newest "atomic clocks"), and all your vitals. Where you are coming from and where you are going, is up to you to figure out.