When you think tablet, you think fragile slate for entertainment with big screen and short battery life. Sqigle though more about ultimate survival gadget for the backcountry.

Earl is an interesting gadget to say the least. Its 6″ screen puts it in the tablet category, akin to a kindle. And like it it has an E-Ink screen, perfect to read in sun light. Unlike the e-reader, the screen is flexible and can be read in the dark with its lunar lantern mode. It sports a 1024×768 resolution and is touch friendly, even with gloves.

Sqigle also made its Earl Android tablet smart. It runs on the Jelly Beans variety, the latest iteration of the mobile OS. It can use almost all communication technologies you can think of: Wifi b/g/n, BlueTooth 4.0, ANT+, NFC, radio FRS/GMRS/MURS, GPS and GLONASS. Earl also comes with a lot of sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Temperature, Barometer, Humidity, Anemometer.

If that wasn’t enough, Earl is equipped with a solar panel on the back. So if the 20hrs of battery life are not enough, Sqigle say you can charge Earl up in 5h of direct sun light. The solar panel also doubles up as kickstand. The Earl Android tablet is also tough. It passes IP67 standards meaning water/dust/shock proof. It can stay under 3 feet of water for 30min and should be reliable between 0 and 50 degrees Celsius.

In terms of features I think Earl is a loaded tablet. There is nothing more I would wish from a gadget. The fact that it runs Android is a huge plus. Instead of waiting for developers to make apps for it, it is probably already compatible with a bunch of them. It comes with 100k maps from the US, Canada and Mexico as well. The project is crowd-funded, on Sqigle’s website. Backing the project now will give you Earl at $249, 30% discount off its retail price. You have until June 9th.

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Mammut has two new pieces of kit for this summer to show: the Atacazo t-shirt and the Ultimate Light Jacket.

With the warmer weather around the corner the Swiss brand is complementing its comprehensive collection with new lightweight products. First is the Atacazo Zip-T, a highly breathable short sleeve t-shirt. It is made of Polartec Power Dry High Efficiency fabric which will wick moisture and dry fast. The welcome addition of a zip will allow regulated ventilation. The fabric is also treated Antimicrobial to prevent odours and is bluesign certified. Its is not cheap at the announced 80€ / £60. Weight is given at 155g (I assume for a size M).

Next up is the Ultimate Light Jacket. Here we have a softshell jacket using Gore Windstopper Active Shell fabric. The Mammut Ultimate Light jacket has two side pockets and a chest pocket. Under arms zips and Lycra thumb hoops complete the list. It is available in a wide range of colours. Price: 190€ / £160, weight 330g.

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To follow in the GPS sports watch sector, it is GPS giant TomTom’s turn to enter the market with a pair of watches, this time branded under it own name.

The Dutch company announced a few weeks ago the imminent release of the TomTom Runner and the TomTom Multisport. The first one, as its name suggest, will be designed for joggers while the Multi-Sport will add functionalities like swimming motion sensor or barometric altimeter and will let you track speed, distance, pace and other metrics.

The watches are controlled by one unique button on the wrist. The interface is said to be very simple to navigate and read.

“We know that most GPS watches on the market are too bulky and complicated to use while training”

said Corinne Vigreux, managing director, TomTom Consumer.

“Just as we developed easy-to-use navigation products that changed the way that people move from A to B, we have developed a range of ultra-slim GPS sport watches that are far more comfortable to wear and far easier to use. Runners and multi-sport athletes can now view their performance information at-a-glance, making it easier to achieve their fitness goals.”

Quoted battery life is 10h in GPS mode, which is OK when looking at the competition but nothing incredible.

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Suunto is refreshing its Ambit GPS sport watch with not one but two new models. The Ambit2 S and the Ambit2 share most of their older sister’s features but will each focus on specific activities.

To meet the needs of performance sports-oriented users even better, we felt that a lighter, slimmer GPS with more sports-specific features was needed to complement the Ambit family.

says Suunto president, Mikko Moilanen.

The Ambit2 S is the multisport one with options for running, cycling and swimming. Aside from the GPS  information like speed, navigation and tracking, the Ambit2 S supports ANT+ for linking with other measurement tools like power meters and heart rate monitors. It can detect your stroke rate while swimming and give you accurate pace and distance metrics.

The Ambit2 will provide more outdoor related tools like altimeter, barometer, 3D compass as well as all the features of the Ambit2 S. With a 50h given in battery life in GPS mode, packed in a slim and lightweight glass fiber shell, the Ambit2 seem to have what it take to carry on where the older Ambit left off. Both watches should be available this month. More details on Suunto’s website.

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SmartWool, the Steamboat Springs based manufacturer of Merino Wool apparel have an impressive range of socks. Their latest addition, the PhD Run Graduated Compression is, like its name suggest, a PhD sock with added compression for faster recovery.

Athletes recovery time can be boosted by compressing which improves the blood flow and in turn helps keep muscles oxygenated. It also stimulate the flushing of the lactic acid that formed during exercise to minimise swelling and soreness. Add to that the great natural properties of the Merino wool: fast drying, great temperature control and unmatched odour resistance.

High impact areas are covered with ReliaWool Technology for enhanced durability and protection. We can tell you it works. Like in all PhD socks, SmartWool added the performance enhancing 4 Degree Elite Fit System, elastics that wrap around the foot for comfort as well as ankle support.

The PhD Run Graduated Compression socks are available now in four different colours for around £18 / 35$.

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Asolo, the Italian footwear manufacturer, has released two new models in its approach and via ferrata range. The Salyan and its sibling the Jumla GV are said to offer the best construction and features for demanding days at the crag.

Asolo has a proven track record in crafting great footwear for all type of mountain sports. 30 years ago they created their first lightweight trekking shoe and they have since brought to market successful models in most alpine disciplines.

This spring they are bringing the approach and via ferrata line back to the front line with the Salyan (pictured above) and Jumla GV (below). Both models share the same construction, derby type lacing system and a large front rubber rand for protection. The out-sole is made of Vibram rubber, a standard in the market, with PU insert in the mid-sole for shock absorption.

The upper of the two models is made of water-resistant suede. The Salyan, the lower-ankle sister of the two is lined with velveteen for enhanced breathability, while the Jumla GV has a Gore-Tex lining for waterproofness. From the pictures, both model are looking good with attractive colours and we know from experience that Asolo usually make durable gear.

The Salyan weights 435 grams per shoe and the Jumla GV 465g for a size 8 UK and they are available now from most vendors. Prices: £115 / 135€ and £135 / 155€ respectively.

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When CamelBak announced the new NV back panel system last year, we were a bit taken aback by the design. Instead of using a conventional mesh construction, the California-based company decided to make something new.

The NV back panel consists of pods, for lack of a better word, that are articulated independently to follow the contour of you back in any position. The pods are designed to maximise air flow and are themselves perforated.

CamelBak have released three packs that integrate this new technology: the M.U.L.E. NV 12L, H.A.W.G. NV 14L and the L.U.X.E. NV 8L. All three come with similar features like rain cover, 3L Antidote reservoir and bike tools organiser pockets. Different colours are available.

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Always pushing the limits to make lighter and more comfortable gear, Black Diamond have announced a new climbing helmet, the Vapor.

Like its name suggests, the Vapor is light. At the announced 186g in size S/M it is probably like they claim the lightest helmet on the market today. The sheet of Kevlar and carbon rods sandwich in EPS foam should protect you in any situations without being a burden to carry in the bag. Black Diamond kept the design simple and just added huge ventilation holes for maximum airflow during ascension. The removable headlamp clips will make sure your light source stays with you while you negotiate that next move.

The Vapor is available now from BD’s website for around £ 120 / $140 in three different colours: red, white and grey.

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Spring collection update at Columbia introduced the Million Air Softshell jacket, featuring the companies high-end wicking technology: Omni-Wick EVAP.

If you live in a region where Spring weather brings small showers and drizzle then chances are a traditional hardshell jackets will be overkill to go to the hills. That’s why gear manufacturers invented a few years ago the concept of Softshell. This one from Columbia gets all the classic features, namely high water resistance with Omni-Shield and wind blocker with Omni-Wind Block. But what makes it even better is the addition of Omni-Wick EVAP, Columbia’s own fabric that is very breathable and speeds up evaporation by spreading moisture on its surface.

The Million Air jacket comes with two hand-warmer pockets, an arm-pocket, adjustable cuffs and drawcord adjustable hem. It is available now from their website in Men and Women. The recommended retail price is a bit steep at $150 but this could be a great jacket for Spring’s fast paced activities.

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In the landscape of outdoor gear designers, Patagonia are a bit of a special brand. Their premium prices and different approach to making and selling gear sets them apart. They keep redefining the concept of ‘environmentally friendly’ company and have over the years introduced a lot of changes in their manufacturing processes to ensure the highest standards were met inside and outside of the company.

So what about the gear then? Well, they would tell you not to buy it (see what I did here?), because chances are you don’t really need it. In the case of the Mixed Guide hoody and pants we would tend to agree, not because the quality isn’t there, but because this is not your everyday hiking gear. This is very specialized stuff.

Orange is cool

I’ve talked about hybrid gear before and how it is not for everyone. I think the Mixed Guide outfit falls into the ‘only for the right conditions’ type of apparel. It has a very interesting combo of hardshell and softshell materials but it will neither replace your rain jacket nor your wicking softshell. It is marketed for skiing, snowshoeing, ice and alpine climbing, where athletes will make use of both its qualities while not suffering too much from its downsides.

When I pulled the jacket out for the first time all I could think was how bright it was. Dark orange with lighter orange panels for the jacket, dark orange for the pants. It could almost fit in Haglof’s new Monochrome collection. After a few jokes from the guys we all agreed that it looked like a great piece of kit. Well made, functional, tough. The original price of £260/$300 for each piece was definitely steep but you can now find them for around £180/$190 which is a lot more attractive.

Breathability, water resistance and overall durability

We will start by looking at the two fabric that make this jacket the hybrid Patagonia wanted it to be. On one hand we have their own H2No Performance Standard fabric, a waterproof/breathable 3-layer fabric with a classic construction: a water-repellent nylon ripstop shell layer, a waterproof/breathable membrane and a softer inner fabric to protect it from the inside and carry perspiration. On the other hand we have the soft shell fabric, the stretchy Polartec Power Shield paired with their Hardface technology to enhance its resistance.

Both the soft shell and hard shell have been applied a Deluge water-repellent treatment. DWR treatments are an obvious choice to apply on a soft shell fabric, to make it as water resistant as possible without taking away its softness and stretchiness. It is of course also primordial on a hard shell’s outer layer, because keeping it dry is mandatory for optimal breathability. As soon as the face fabric wets out, meaning the fabric starts to retain water in its fibers, breathability of the waterproof/breathable membrane under it will plunge.

The Mixed Guide hoody and pants were used in various conditions, mostly skiing and snowshoeing, and it was clear from the beginning that the combo was made to endure. Falls at high-speed in the snow, sudden encounters with rocks and walks in dense forests did not so much as scratch the fabrics. It can boast some marks of course but nothing that would write it off. I found the jacket surprisingly warm. When the weather was good, with no wind, it proved too warm when going uphill. At least the Polartec Power Shield panels were great at getting the moisture out.

The pants have a lot more area covered by H2No than Power Shield and just didn’t cut it in active situations. The pit zip on either sides can help at the beginning but will quickly prove insufficient for prolonged activity. On bad days, and with a good layering system, both hoody and pants did work wonders and I could not have been a happier skier. You will want to be careful with rain as it will eventually get in. Snow did not seem to be a problem even after a few hours.

The bottom line is, the jacket is versatile enough for all kind of weather, the pants are overkill if you don’t expect snow/rain and wind.

Features, fit, comfort

The Mixed Guide Hoody comes with a pair of hand warmer pockets, lined with soft micro-fleece netting and doubling up as ventilation. They are not huge, just deep enough to put hands and a small item/snack in each. Those pockets are a bit higher than usual and will not get in the way if you are wearing a harness. It also has two small waterproof napoleon pockets with a very stiff waterproof zip. They will fit a smartphone but not much else.

The helmet compatible hood can be adjusted with draw cords situated on the chest area, just above the pockets plus one at the back of the hood. This gives you good control over the shape of the hood which generally stays well in place, even without a helmet on.

The handcuffs are regular Velcro adjustable type and are easy to use. The width of the cuffs allow them to be pulled high on the arm, well past the elbow.

On the inside, the Polartec fabric is luxuriously soft. The H2No parts have a grey nylon-ripstop type fabric, very similar to what you find inside GoreTex Active garments. I would have liked an additional inner pocket to keep batteries or other small items warm but no luck here.

The pants have two side pockets kept closed by two dots of velcro. They are quite roomy and a bliss to operate, necessitating minimal effort. Right next to them are two-way zips for ventilation, easy to open and close as the zips are not the waterproof type. The cuffs are reinforced with heavy-duty fabric meant to protect them from crampons and other sharp objects, plus they are zipped for easier fitting over boots. Last detail, the integrated belt. A great idea and very useful to get the perfect fit. Haven’t had any problem with mine but I read some comments about it breaking easily so use with care. The overall fit is perfect with enough room to move without being too baggy.

Last words

If you wanted a new jacket for escaping to the hills, your money is better spent elsewhere. Patagonia’s Mixed Guide outfit is not for everyone and in the few sports that can make good use of them it is not even for every conditions. If you enjoy what the mountain has to offer in winter, when the weather is good, the jacket is awesome. If you go any day, snowstorm and all then get the pants as well, they’re tough and should last you a while.

A fall while skiing downhill. Landed on my right arm on snow and rocks, no visible damage to the fabric.

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