Layering with active wear

For active sportswear I count on some top brands such as REI, Vibram, Merrill and Eddie Bauer First Ascent.


In June 2011 I climbed Mt. Rainier. To do that you have to be prepared for treacherous weather extremes. Warm June summer weather in the beginning, torrential rainfall, freezing rain, blizzard, glacier crossing and 50 mph winds at the summit. This mix is best handled by layering. And, what works on the mountain works for Michigan sports.


Try buying things in the off season to get the cheaper prices, and buy good quality gear to use year after year.

Base layer Merino Wool

REI Fleece Pants

100% merino wool as a base layer, tops and bottoms. There are many brands, Smartwool and Filson to name a couple. I bought Terramar Thermawool because the price was right. Regardless of the brand, the main thing I’m looking for is that it’s 100% merino wool. It’s soft, easy to wear, natural and resists odor.


Cost is anywhere from $60

to $100. Mine were on sale

for about $35.


REI Fleece pants with wind protection. I used wore these pants hiking miles around the U.P. in cold, windy, snowy, rainy and warmer conditions. All within the same day! These pants have zippers on the side for venting, and it definitely works.


They kept me incredibly

warm on the hike to Mt.

Rainier Summit. Again,

the zipper vents were key

as opened them while

climbing and zipped them

shut during the breaks.


Cost is around $50

REI Full Zip Alpine Outer Shell Pants

REI full zip Alpine outer shell pants. The full zipper allowed me to put them over my fleece pants with my muddy boots still on. During one hike wintery hike the sun came out and things started to heat up. I simply unzipped the side a bit and temperatures regulated perfectly. The pants held up

E Bauer First Ascent Down Sweater

Eddie Bauer First Ascent down sweater for a mid layer jacket. This jacket is pretty neat as it’s extremely warm, lightweight and can pack into it’s own front pocket in a nice tight ball. It’s easy to bring with you and cozy to wear. Perfect travel jacket.


Cost is around $160. I got mine for half off.

superbly to the elements, including very wet and icy conditions. My boys weren’t so lucky as their snow pants were soaking wet. I felt pretty guilty for being so dry and comfortable.

Cost is around $100

Eddie Bauer First Ascent Rainier Shell

Eddie Bauer First Ascent Rainier Rain Shell. I debated which outer shell jacket I should buy. After trying this one out, it covered all the bases. Lightweight and packable into it’s own pocket or hood, 100% waterproof, 3 outer and 1 inner pocket, easy adjustable zip cords, hood compatible with or without a helmet, and pit zips to help regulate temperature. The only drawback was price, a

steep $350. But a 50% off coupon helped ease the pain, and I finally bought it. After putting it to test, I’m real glad I did.

Nike Free

Nike Free shoes. I didn’t start running till my mid 30’s. I first ran with my hiking boots, which obviously is idiotic. So I bought the lightest pair of shoes on the shelf - Nike Frees. And then a long time runner convinced me to buy Saucony. I stuck with the Saucony for a few years, and then started looking into more minimalist running. It was then that I realized my now dusty pair of Nike Frees were perfect for that.

Vibram 5 Finger Shoes

Vibram 5-Finger shoes. These shoes look weird, and love them or hate them, they definitely garner attention. I find them very comfortable, and fun to wear. After trying on a number of different pairs, the Komodo Sport felt best. Short runs went well, but when I tried going further than 3 miles I felt a pull in my plantar fascia and stopped running. I might not have the proper form, and maybe that’s something that I could fix, but the problem persisted on future runs. So I use the shoes around town, traveling, hiking, but not running.


Cost is around $100

Eddie Bauer First Ascent Clothes

Eddie Bauer First Ascent is built for and tested climbing the toughest peaks in the world. Hands down these people know what they are doing. The clothes are designed to perform under pressure with quality and simplicity. Weight and functionality are high priorities, so you won’t find any pockets that

you don’t absolutely need. Their clothes worked perfectly on Mt. Rainier, in the U.P. and around the city. Become a member of Eddie Bauer and keep abreast of the sales, but even at full price you’ll get your money’s worth.

The Down Sweater is the grey one under the puffy black jacket. Now First Ascent has come out with an even thinner version.

Merrell Moab Gortex

A buddy turned me onto these shoes. He’s tough on gear, tearing through shoes like they were made of paper towel. I commented on his “new pair” of shoes to find out they were two years old. They hadn’t aged a bit, and with him, that’s nothing short of a miracle. So I bought a pair at Dick’s Sporting goods for about $95. It’s been over a year, and as you can see from the picture, they look like new!

Waterproof and comfortable great all around shoe