Bicycle saddles, like beds, should be firm, with pressure mainly on the sit bones. Lying down on a bed, the pressure is spread throughout our bodies, but on a bike, a good percentage of our upper body weight is bearing down on the saddle area. The problem with a soft bike saddle is that it can create pressure in places where it's not healthy to have pressure. Numbness and other problems can stem from that. A padded short, combined with a firm saddle that fits your dimensions, puts targeted cushioning only where you need it, and minimizes pressure in sensitive areas.

I ride in different ways at different times. Slow, less slow, with groceries, out to dinner at a nice restaurant, for a three-hour stretch or for a quick 15 minutes away from my computer. It's been my experience that the longer I spend on a ride, and the harder I'm exerting myself, the more I appreciate highly technical clothing, commonly referred to as Lycra or a pro kit. The skintight stuff. The contoured, articulated padding (or chamois) in high-end cycling shorts by makers such as Pearl Izumi, Castelli and Assos, can go a long way toward increasing comfort for those who ride road and mountain bikes for hours at a time.

However, a lot of people don't like the look of Lycra, and not everyone can get away with skintight bike clothing. And not everyone needs to. Some riders like to have padded shorts, but also to appear civil when they dismount their bikes and enter a business or their office for the day's work. There are plenty of padded shorts intended to be worn under regular clothing, but I've found them to be generally flawed. They're designed as scaled-down versions of the aforementioned Lycra style and are uncomfortably underventilated.

Andiamo's garment design approaches the problem from the opposite, um, end. It's lightweight underwear, with a pad added. I wouldn't attempt a century in these, or even half that, but I've found them excellent for commutes, errands and other plainclothes spins, less likely to make me miserable if I don't get a chance to change as soon as I'm off my bike. They're more breathable and lightweight than anything similar I've tried.

Look on the hands of the person wrangling chairs or patrolling at your local ski hill. You'll probably see an old-school insulated leather glove made by workwear supplier Kinco. Now, there are slightly warmer and more dexterous technical gloves out there made specifically for skiing, but would you change your oil or weld with $100 Hestra Army gloves? I haven't found a more durable, warm, or better value work glove than Kinco’s for the cold and snow.

The pair I have so far has lasted through four years of welding, skiing, snow shoveling and carpentry. They've been drenched in motor oil, covered in antifreeze, and nearly frozen solid in an ice storm while I was skiing. My hands have stayed happy.

The most care they require is a coat or two of Sno-Seal every season. Unlike synthetic gloves, they aren't fazed by heat and flame. I've found that the Kinco 901 gloves paired with some cheap silk liners is enough to keep my hands warm until it gets below 5F or so.

I often carry far too much stuff in my pockets, and these pants allow me to do so without showing it. They’re durable, and I have not been able to find any other pants that do what these do. I wear these and Scottevest’s Ultimate cargo pants almost exclusively, because after wearing each type a few times, standard pants with standard pockets feel awkward.

The Hidden Cargo Pants are more formal than the Ultimate Cargos, or 5.11 Tactical Pants. The Hidden Cargos feel more like dress pants. The main difference between the Ultimate and Hidden is that the Ultimate have a rougher fabric, cargo pockets, and zip-off lower legs. The main pocket suspension is the same.

Access to pockets is excellent in the Hidden Cargos. The main pockets on each side of the front consist of three pockets in one. There’s a magnetic clasp to access the outer pockets, which are very large (they come down almost to the knee) and are divided into front and back sections.

As long as you’re wearing a good belt it doesn’t really get too heavy. The design of the pockets means it is far less cumbersome than standard pants, but it can, of course, get cumbersome if you really stuff them full-- which would be a feat. Without a good belt, however, the pants can get a bit heavy and slide down if they are loaded with stuff.

What do I fill my pockets with? I always carry around a large wallet, pen, comb, Chapstick, rosary, large thumb drive, Leatherman, phone, palm tungsten T5 (in large metal case) and a handkerchief. I carry it all in the front pockets, as I feel uncomfortable sitting with stuff in my back pockets. These are enough large items to produce a noticeable bulge in standard pants; in the Hidden Cargo Pants, there’s no noticeable bulge most of the time.

I work at a desk, so I don’t often need work gloves. But I’ve been going to Burning Man for 18 years, and the alkali dust is murder on your hands. So I’ve been wearing leather work gloves on the playa for most of those 18 years.

The problem has always been keeping the gloves with me at all times. I’ve tried putting grommets in the gloves and clipping them with a carabiner, but this isn’t as easy as it sounds and is a pain to do all over again when a glove gets lost or worn out.

Years ago I saw someone out there with a large battery-terminal clip holding his gloves, and I’ve been searching for a similar clip for years with no success. This year, though, I found these Glove Guards.

I bought two of these and gave one to my girlfriend. We’ve only used them for a couple of weeks now, but that time in the whirl and bustle of Black Rock City have proved their worth to us both.

The clips have a “breakaway” feature, so that you won’t be trapped if your gloves get caught in machinery or something. This caused me some worry when my gloves got caught in the truck door and seemed to break away too easily but the two pieces of the clip reconnected with ease, and have continued to hold firm ever since.

At less than $5 apiece, I can whole-heartedly recommend getting several if keeping your gloves handy is important to you.

The outer lens of these safety glasses flips down for welding, and when you're done, you simply flip them up. Nothing special. However, I've been wearing the previously-reviewed Mag-Safe safety glasses for years, and the Onix Plus is the only flip-up pair I've found that also has a reader's bifocal lens. The inside lens is available in two magnifying strengths (+1.5, +2.5), and outer lens in two different IR shades (3.0, 5.0). Makes it much easier for me to see while welding. Preferable to spending an arm and a leg for prescription safety glasses. Quicker than switching between protective eyewear and reading specs.

If you wear glasses or use a good camera, the Ultra Spudz is a boon. A square of microfiber cloth just-big-enough for an eyeglass lens is attached to a neoprene pod about the size of a grown man's thumb. Pop the cloth out to clean your lenses, push it back into its pocket when not in use. The Spudz locks to a key ring, camera or bag strap, or a zipper so you won't lose it. My Spudz lives attached to the zipper pull of my wallet's change compartment. Since the Spudz is on a quick-release connector, it snaps on and off instantly. There's nothing special about the cloth itself - it's just always clean and always handy when you need it.

Even if you have the least interest in shoes, do yourself a favor and experience this quirky site devoted to shoelaces. Thanks to an active community of contributors, there is an ever-growing abundance of excellent user photos exemplifying almost all of Ian's already-detailed lacing illustrations. The combination of drawings and photos (and ratings!) has really enabled me to find and create any pattern I wish (Ian's was the source for the previously-reviewed Surgeon's Knot). Every article details the pros and cons of each particular pattern, and sometimes an article is supplemented with "work-arounds" which help readers tackle odd situations not covered originally. Quirky, entertaining, and above all, informative.

Until someone sees fit to design a proper pair of dress pants that can accommodate a mobile phone, I found an acceptable solution in the pages of Galls, my favorite law-enforcement catalog. Beat cops wear dress-style slacks as a basic part of their uniforms, and some of those slacks come with a "sap pocket" -- a small pocket built into the rear of the leg that's used to hold billy clubs, blackjacks, or flashlights. For civilians, however, a sap pocket is also great for holding cellphones.

Every day I carry a wallet, a chunky set of keys, and a mobile phone. I also spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, so I keep my rear pockets empty to avoid discomfort. That leaves me with two pockets in the front, and three things to carry. The alternatives (belt clips and carpenter’s pants) just don’t cut it for me. Personally, I think belt clips are conspicuous and a little bit tacky. Carpenter's pants have a slim pocket on the side that's ideal for carrying a phone. Trouble is, it's inappropriate to dress like a contractor when working in a professional office environment.

Galls DutyPro trousers pants aren't as nice as the dress clothes you'll find at Barney's or Saks. On the other hand, they're uniform tough, they're permanent-press for easy care, and they're cheap — less than $25 per pair with free hemming included. The rear leg pocket is perfectly sized for an iPhone, and my mobile slides in without creating a bulge or altering the basic fit. Alternatively, if I ever need to carry a billy club into a business meeting, well, I expect these pants will be good for that too.

This fleece hood features an extra long neck and can be volded up within itself to form a variety of useful configurations, including a face guard, gator, scarf and mombo hat (see diagram). Unlike a plain balaclava-style headgear, this has drawstrings which enable it to hug the face exactly as tight as you need in order keep the wind out. I've been using mine for five years to be comfortable outside for long periods of time in the coldest days of a typical Ottawa Winter (-35 Celsius or so). I tend to go for the full-face mode until I want to interact with someone more openly, and then just pull down the face covering (I've become quite conscious of just how much I use my face to communicate). Then if I'm inside for a few minutes I put it in neck-warmer mode.

On its own, the Polar Hood doesn't always provide enough protection from particularly harsh cold and wind, but the crucial service it provides in my winter ensemble is its unmatched facial protection. In the pic below, I'm also wearing my coat's faux-fur hood, along with a Nepalese-style winter hat underneath both hoods. The photo was taken near the beginning of a roughly hour-long walk home in what was apparently -24 Celsius weather, -33 with wind chill. I was happy as a clam the whole walk home.

My hood also served me well snowshoeing last winter. I can't vouch for its usefulness while going downhill at high speeds, but I have used it in pretty high winds. It feels like the wind can cut through the top of the hood easier than it can cut through to the face. In any event, a warm hat underneath the hood turns a previously frost-biting wind into an innocuous and even pleasant breeze.

Taiga and others make a similar, but seemingly more complicated and slightly more expensive version. Since mine is just one piece of material, it is simple to use and easy to clean and dry. When it gets moisture-laden from my breath condensing in it, I just pull it straight and lay it over something and it dries quickly because all its surfaces are exposed.

A favorite of cops, troops, construction workers, pilots, extreme sports people, and the just plain clumsy, G-Shock watches are tough, very tough. While I've destroyed common, everday watch after watch, the G-Shock I've worn the last three years is unkillable and always accurate. Mine has been dropped from fourth-story windows, juggled with, trodded on, thrown at walls, survived repeated falls from desks, used while mountain biking and wielding a Fubar, and moonlighted as a cat toy. (Of course, being experimented on by programmers was probably its worst ordeal!)

The ISO standard for a diving watch -- typically costing a thousand dollars or more -- is that it can take a one-meter fall onto a hard floor and still run, albeit with a loss of accuracy. The G-Shock can take a *ten-meter* fall and submersion in 200m of water without stopping or losing accuracy. Enthusiastic owners have frozen their watches in solid blocks of ice, dunked them in liquid nitrogen and boiling water, and passed them through the dryer.

The prices can range from $60 to $2000 (!), depending on each iteration's bells and whistles (memo systems, countdown timers, tide predictors, etc.). All G's are about equally tough. But all other G-Shocks pale in comparison to the solar "Atomic" aka "Waveceptor." For $100, you can buy a model that never needs batteries, never needs maintenance, is much closer to being indestructible than the human body, and is always perfectly accurate because it's re-set nightly from atomic clock transmissions. It will even automatically adjust for Daylight Saving Time. (Assuming you're in range of a signal -- most of the US is covered, I believe.) This is literally a watch you can wear for decades without worrying about winding, servicing, re-setting, immersion in dishwater, involvement in bar fights, motorcycle accidents, or non-fatal hang glider crashes..

Mine is a UK-only model -- Casio are prone to this sort of hyper regionalization -- but it's almost the same as the one Tom Cruise wears in MI3 (though silver instead of black and set to the UK instead of US frequency). Casio changes models so fast that any model that has been worn for a few years will only be available used anyway. Nevertheless, the key internals and shock resist etc. stay the same, which is what matters. If I was buying a new G today I'd probably buy either the Casio GW9000A-1 or GWM5600-1, multi-band atomics that will get signals in the US and Europe. The first is a "Mudman" (pictured above) designed to resist button-gunking in muddy environments; the latter features a lighter and slimmer classic shape (pictured below)

G-Shocks don't have the compass of the previously-reviewed Protrek, but they aren't as bulky, they are much, much tougher and they're also flight-approved for NASA space missions. Only a couple caveats: every G I've used has a lousy alarm beep, because of the sealed waterproof case. While there are G's with hands, the lume is lousy. However, most or all G's have an auto-illumination system that can be turned on to light the watch when it's tilted towards your face.

-- Jonathan Coupe

[also recommended by Brad Reese]

Casio G-Shock - GW9000A-1
$94
Available from Amazon

GWM5600-1
$88
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Casio

Designed as a year-round flight jacket in the 1950's, the MA-1 works great as an all-around durable, inexpensive jacket for autumn, spring, and winter. It is wind-proof, water-proof, well-insulated, and the slick nylon lining allows for freedom of movement inside. The jacket is reversible and the lining is typically high-visibility orange (to help locate downed pilots). Just flip it inside out, and you have a warm, high-vis jacket that's perfect for bike riding in the dark. I have had mine for three years and use it mainly for commuting during cold weather.

This iconic jacket, of course, received some notoriety from its role in William Gibson's Pattern Recognition. Gibson clothed the main character in a Buzz Rickson black MA-1. Funny thing is the jacket was originally issued only in green or blue, so Buzz Rickson, a meticulous creator of replicas, never offered an MA-1 in black. But eventually, they started making a special edition "Pattern Recognition" black MA-1.

You do not have to spend close to $500 for a Buzz Rickson, though. In order to get a genuine MA-1, you can buy military surplus or get a new one made by Alpha, the original supplier to the government. New Alphas run about $90. I got my perfectly-serviceable, cheap knock-off for $30.

-- John Sullivan

MA-1 Bomber Jacket
$30
Available from Sportsman's Guide

The quest for warm hands in a cold demanding environment is a long and frustrating one. The general rule is it takes carrying three pairs of gloves to have one dry pair on your hands. I have not found that to be true with Glacier Gloves, which is hands down the best glove I have ever used. The 824BK is 2mm neoprene lined with a thin fleece nap on the inside; the two layers feel fused together somehow (not sewn or glued), which gives them a comfortable fit, allows easy on and off, and provides excellent dexterity.

I have bought several different waterproof gloves from various makers, including the previously-reviewed SealSkinz, other neoprene rubber gloves and a pair of thinsulate-filled gloves with a "waterproof" exterior. Some are OK and allow for moderate dexterity, but I find my hands get cold after working in the water and I then have to switch out to a different glove -- and if you have to put some of them on with wet hands, forget it.

With the Glacier Glove, the Velcro strap secures them to your wrist, minimizes heat loss through the cuff, and minimizes water entry through the cuff. I find the cuff, when tucked inside the sleeve of your coat, also prevents rain water from running down your jacket and into the glove from the topside.

My hunting partner bought a pair years ago and was quick to brag about how warm and dry his hands were whenever we complained about how cold and wet ours were. I now wear mine while duck hunting and will generally keep my left glove on all day long, and swap between a thin shooter's glove and my Glacier on the right (that's just my preference; other hunters use them on both hands with no complaints). While I've only used these gloves while hunting, I would recommend them for any cold and wet environment.

On a separate note, I have not tried any of the other Glacier models except the 824BK.

I've lived in Michigan for 20 years and know that whether you're hiking, sledding, skiing, mountain biking, or dog sledding, one thing is certain: parts of your body will get wet and cold. This year I discovered a sealer that makes that less of a certainty: Nikwax Aqueous Wax.

In prior years I put the previously-reviewed Sno-Seal, Mink Oil, or other waterproofers on my boots. While these can last the better part of a season, I found my toes eventually got damp. Nikwax Aqueous Wax is meant for leather boots, and and is approved for use with Goretex or Sympatex membranes.Though it will darken leather, it leaves a very light feel and the leather still breathes. I've found it penetrates better than Sno-Seal and Mink Oil and any of the silicone treatments that are, in my opinion, intended for keeping your dress shoes looking nice, not for protecting your outdoor gear.

Unlike most waterproofers, Nikwax Aqueous Wax can be applied when the leather is wet. On one particularly nasty dog sledding trip, I tried reapplying Mink Oil and Sno-Seal, but the leather was already soaked and neither would penetrate. The rest of trip was miserable. For my toes at least. Not an issue with this stuff. Since Nikwax Aqueous Wax
is water soluble, it naturally concentrates in areas which are more porous and prone to leak. It's available in brown or black, and more or less restores your boots to a factory look, not greasy at all.

After trying Nikwax Aqueous Wax on several pairs of boots, I decided to try it on my SympaTex gloves. The leather palms and fingers were always getting soaked while I was igloo building. Though my hands stayed dry, the leather was soaked, which was compromising my grip on tools. This stuff solved the problem. I've since put it on several
pairs of roping gloves, two pairs of ski gloves, a pair of driving gloves and two pairs of leather work gloves. There is a waxy residue, but after buffing the gloves off with a dry towel, the leather has little to no tacky feel. It's worth noting that Nikwax also makes
something called "Glove Proof," but I have never tried it.

-- Yitah Wu

Nikwax Aqueous Wax
$7
94.2 fl. oz.)
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Nikwax

I have used STABILicers for the past five years for daily outdoor work in the winter. There is no better, more reasonably-priced, long-lasting tool for keeping traction on ice and snow. They feature case-hardened, replaceable cleats screwed into a Vibram Sole with sturdy Hook-and-Loop straps that will fit most boots and shoes (STABILicers come in three sizes). They take just a sec to put on and take off.

I spend my day outside all year delivering residential heating oil, so I am in and out of yards where there is no shoveling or clearing. After my first run-in with ice, I started a hard search for something to keep me from killing myself or, at the least, from getting seriously hurt. First I tried the previously-reviewed Yaktrax. I liked them, but went through my pair in a week ($20 down the drain!). If you want a product for occasional use then go with the Yaktrax. If you want a product that will perform all day, every day then buy the STABILicers. And as soon as I can justify buying another set of traction aids, I will
and see for myself how the Kahtoola Microspikes work.

I put my STABILICERS on in the early AM and do not take them off for eight to ten hours a day. I tend to go from pure ice-covered walkways to snow-covered slopes pulling heavy loads, but I also walk on hard ground between the ice and snow. As such I tend to go through the cleats quickly. I go over my cleats nightly and may go a week without changing a cleat (sometimes it's one or two a day). If you stick to using these on ice, the cleats will last for some time. Easy to change with a screwdriver or electric drill, they sell sell for around $5 for a bag of 50. I recommend buying one or two bags just to keep around. Personally, I buy ten bags at once, which lasts me a couple of seasons easy.

STABILicers are not indestructible. After a few years, I started to wear out one of the straps near the heel, so I bought another pair and now alternate. I find it is easier and less messy to change cleats when they are dry anyway. I also bought a set of the STABILicer Sport model which are rubber and fit over the shoe like a Yaktrax. Since these require a different, more expensive cleat, I use them only for hiking hardpacked snow trails and ice fishing, and never wear them on the pavement.

-- Robert Ferguson

STABILicers
$45 - 50
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by 32north

I often split my days between working in the shop, riding a bike, and working in the office. In addition, I do a lot of adventure sports in the evenings, weekends and vacations. I have long been looking for clothes that can stand up to the rigors of hiking, biking, canyoneering, traveling, and still work for the office. I have finally found it in Rail Riders, a small clothing manufacturer that came out of the sailing world. Unlike a lot of the heavy cotton tactical clothes like the previously-reviewed 5.11 shirts and pants, Rail Riders' synthetic fabrics are all chosen for their light weight, ruggedness, and water shedding capabilities. The added bonus is they offer several styles that can also work in an office setting, without making you look like you're an off-duty SWAT team member.

Prices reflect the high quality and short-run nature of the garments, but I have yet to be disappointed with anything they sell. Their clothes are used by adventure racing teams, Himalayan expeditions, and world sailors. On a recent all-day canyon trip, everyone but me came back with the seats of their pants shredded. While this stuff is extremely rugged, it's not overweight. Many of Rail Riders' fabrics also have a water repellent treatment that has saved me from some embarrassing accidents while eating or drinking in the car or at my desk.

-- Alexander Rose

Rail Riders

Some of my favorites include:

Yukon Work pants (lined and unlined)
$89-$98
These are made of a synthetic fabric that drapes like canvas work pants but feel way better and have great extra stealth pockets for cell phones etc. The lined ones are a fave in the cold weather.

Oasis Shirt
$29-$56
Excellent hot weather button down, that has mesh in the underarms and down the side to keep you exceptionally cool

Back Country Khakis
$49-$74
These work in the office and on the mountain (I wore these for a week in Nevada back country). A little stretch makes them extra comfy, and they are treated to repel water.

Men's Lined Yukon Work Pants

Men's S/S Oasis Shirt

After I lost a pair of very nice sunglasses that slipped off my head during some overzealous dancing, I vowed for my next pair to put function before form. The benefit of these photochromic safety glasses is not only their low relatively-low cost and snug fit, but also their versatility. They keep off glare when I'm driving, protect me from wind when I’m biking -- day or night -- and shield my eyes when I go to the machine shop to work on projects. The lenses run almost perfectly clear to a nice, dark tint in the sun, with nearly 100 percent UVA/B protection. They have an ANSI Z87.1+ rating, which means they’re shatter-proof even when struck by a 1/4-inch steel ball at 150 feet/second. The lenses are polycarbonate, so a significant scrape against sand, ground, etc. would probably scratch them. In the six months I've been using them, I've dropped them lightly a couple times and they're still pretty much like-new.

Over the summer, I worked in a machine shop lathing, sawing, drilling, tapping metal and wood twice a week for 3-4 hours and a couple weekends straight through until Burning Man. Unlike the cheap, standard shop glasses which I'd constantly put on and remove and occasionally forget to put back on, these are so comfortable I rarely take them off. It's important to note they do not seal all the way around your face the way some safety goggles do -- i.e. the ones with flexible rubber sides that press up against the skin. On the one hand, that's why these are much more comfortable, but then again, that makes these potentially unsuitable for tasks where full coverage is recommended. For my usage, though, which is primarily partial-coverage tasks, they're great. Definitely one of the most functional things I own, and considering they're safety glasses, they look pretty good.

-- Eric Nguyen

Mag-Safe Safety Glasses
$40
Available from Amazon

I used to wear contact lenses all the time, largely because they made playing sports easier. Then I bought a pair of Eyephorics. Zowee. At 2.5 grams, these glasses are ultra light and ultra, ultra comfortable. I often lay down to go to sleep totally unaware they are on my face. I chose earpieces that hook behind my ears. They don't slip, even when my face gets sweaty when I run and play tennis. Aside from different earpieces, you can get any shape lens and any color nose piece/ear bar. Mine are seafoam green, which sounds weird but they look normal. I got mine at a local high-end eyewear store. The glasses are costly, but they are also super durable. I am very rough on my glasses. This pair has taken some serious abuse in the past 18 months , but always manages to bounce back. I will never buy any other kind. If you wear contacts or glasses, these glasses will make you swoon.

-- Anne Schuster

Eyephorics
$270
(depending on lens/Rx/color, etc.)
Available from SF Optics - San Francisco

Grand Central Eyewear - New York

Eye Spy Optical - Chicago

QOptical - Boston

Also available for $180 via Optical Needs on eBay

Manufactured by Swissflex

The humble bib, a highly functional item that (usually) keeps a baby's clothes from getting splattered with food, has been around a long time without too many major improvements. Until now. Bibs made of non-porous, moldable, resilient silicone are a real step forward. The key features of the one we have from BabyBjörn are its shape and washability. The bib projects outward and terminates in an upward scoop, which not only covers more of the lap, but also catches and collects most dropped food that would miss an ordinary bib. So food that falls in it needn't be wasted; it's easy to spoon food out of it and back into the baby's mouth. We used to have several cloth bibs in regular use, which we rinsed out after each use and hung to dry. We had one oilcloth bib that was better than the others in that it rinses off fairly easily and dries quickly. But the silicone bib has replaced them all, because it rinses off with supreme ease, has no seams to catch crud, and is dry almost immediately. Although a quick rinse is sufficient, clean freaks can also put it in the dishwasher. It attaches around the baby's neck easily and securely, with a fastener integral to the bib, of the same material. There's an ocean of cuteness in the world of baby gear, but dealing with an infant or a toddler is made more manageable by functionality, not gear decorated with adorable pink butterflies. This bib really makes life easier.

-- Michael Wilmeth

BabyBjörn Bib
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by BabyBjörn

One day while being frustrated trying to install Speed Laces on a pair of sneakers with tiny fabric eyelets instead of larger, metal-rimmed holes, I searched around and found Yankz. Elastic laces, Yankz don't require you to install external fittings/hardware to your eyelets. With Speed Laces, you have to attach separate housings which lock the lace in place at each eyelet. With Yankz, you're simply lacing them through like you would a normal pair of laces and then locking them in place. Putting them on a new pair of shoes takes only a few minutes: begin threading them through from the top (ankle) down to the bottom (toe); lock the ends into the plastic clip that doubles as a loop holder for the excess length of lace that comes from the top of the shoe; adjust the loop with the slide lock and you're done. If the loop is long enough, hook it into the toe clip.

I'm on my fourth pair, most recently for a pair of hiking boots. It's a little more complicated getting them set up on boots using only five or seven pairs of lace hooks/eyelets, but it's do-able, and the result is hiking boots that go on and off almost as easily as bedroom slippers. Since the laces are a bicomponent (elastic core, woven outer), once they're adjusted correctly they stay put, no need to pull them tight when putting the shoes on. Plus, the woven outer creates a lot of friction so the laces resist being pulled through the eyelets. It's worth noting that the elastic does not hold forever. After two years, when my running shoes were worn out and I removed the laces, I noticed my first pair of laces looked over-stretched, much like the elastic waistline of an old bathing suit. Point being, much like a pair of shoes, the laces don't last forever.

$7.50 for solid colors (various available), $8 for reflective. Worth it.

-- Evan Marks

Yankz Sure Lace System
$8
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Sporting Innovations Group, LLC

Whippersnappers have been skating around on these single-wheeled skate shoes since the early 00's. Seeing them coast through mini-malls, supermarkets and movie theaters, I started to get jealous/curious. Turns out we don't have to let kids have all the fun! They come in adult sizes, too. I had to special order mine and they didn't arrive for a few months, but it was worth the wait. Gliding across the pavement is every bit as glorious as it appears. Kids make it look deceptively simple. I've really had to work to balance (Ironically, I've tended to stumble more while simply walking in them -- and yes, these things are potentially dangerous, so be wary). My friends think I'm crazy, but there's certainly something to be said for not letting yourself feel too old to try new things.

-- Steven Leckart

Check out this video for a Heely-er who is way more skilled than I am.

Heelys
$54+
Available from Zappos

Manufactured by Heeling Sports LTD

Feet swell during long bouts of confined sitting. If you’ve ever taken your shoes off during an overseas flight, you've likely noticed they no longer fit when you put them back on for landing. To remedy this, I found my first pair of compression socks in a medical supply store. The owner, an old Russian gentlemen, said “It's like strong cup of coffee,” which is kind of true. They really do work wonders for your feet and circulation, especially for long periods of sitting. But being made of heavy-duty nylon, they were not particularly comfortable. It was always a pleasure taking them off after long flights.

Sigvaris cotton support socks are rated as 15-20 mmHg, the same level of compression as my older pair (higher levels require a prescription). However, this pair is soft and comfy. I travel overseas monthly, maybe more. Putting these on still requires some wrangling, but after a recent 12-hour flight preceded by a one-hour shuttle, upon arriving home there is no burning desire to remove them (though when I do, my legs thank me!). They come in men’s and women’s sizes, in various colors, and are half the price of my original medical compression stockings. Though the instructions say delicate machine wash is OK, I've been hand-washing my pair to prolong their utility.

-- Michael Naimark

Sigvaris Compression Socks
$22 - men's
Available from Amazon

Also available in women's sizes from Amazon

Manufactured by Sigvaris

Russell is a hundred-some-odd-year-old shoemaker I've been ordering from for the past 15 years. In addition to the quality of the workmanship and materials, you get the simple, timeless pleasure of a hand-crafted, made-to-order shoe/boot. Options include any number of various soles, hides (including supplying your own!), styles, insulation, toe cap, steel shank, and other custom options. For me, the Vibram sole was perfect. But others might be after oil resistance, traction, silence, longer life, etc. For instance, I'm not a hunter, but for those that are, Russell also has snakeproof boots and options for preventing thorns/cactus. That ability to customize your sole/leather/style per application is great.

There's a downloadable instruction form for sending in your measurements, which they keep on record for a decade. I am very flat-footed and they were able to accommodate the necessary additional space for orthotics. Not that unusual, but I recommended Russell to a friend with extraordinarily narrow feet (especially for how long they are). They were able to create his size no problem; and he's since ordered a half dozen different pairs over the years. One other thing I'd add is they do repair work as well, so you won't need to toss them as they get really old -- and you get the added bonus of having someone who knows the shoe doing the work. I have both the Cavalier boot and the Buckle Chukka. They're not cheap, but the Cavalier boots I mainly wear now I've had for at least 10 years, and the pair has only gotten better with age.

-- Wrye Martin

Russell Moccasin Footwear
$360 (cavalier)
Available from Russell Moccasin

For anyone requiring reading glasses intermittently, these specs are heaven sent! The frame breaks in the front and clicks together once resting on your nose by way of two magnets. When not in use, they stay out of the way -- the glasses have a hard frame 'loop' that slips around your neck. As soon as you need them, you reach down and pull them up into place. I've tried lanyards -- they get caught on your seat belt strap and tangeled around your collar. I've tried my pocket -- they fall out. Nothing seemed to work, so I ended up buying eight or ten pair of cheap glasses and leaving them all over: habitat, car, at work, etc. CliCs are a wonderful way to avoid all that clutter.

-- Dennis Brittain

CliC Readers
$29
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by CliC

CliC also makes goggles that look promising. If you have any experience with the goggles and can report negatively or positively, please let us know. --sl

Drying clothing on a rack is cheaper and better for the environment than using a dryer, but the design of a lot of drying racks is far from ideal. IKEA's Frost rack is a long series of bars that are horizontally parallel to one another, which maximizes the use for each bar. The closely-spaced bars allow me either to pack in small laundry or put sweaters and thicker laundry across two or more bars to let more air pass around it. On the other hand, many racks are situated with each bar immediately above or below another bar, so if you hang pants from the top bar, they hang down making all of the bars below them useless (i.e. wet). A few companies make potentially-good racks you hang from the ceiling, but they're usually permanent, more expensive and not so nice to look at. The cheap Frost rack can easily fit an entire load of laundry, whether it's socks or jeans, and it folds into a large, flat rectangle when not in use. A few racks can easily fit into the back of the closet.

I bought my first Frost rack when I lived in an apartment. But even when my wife and I moved into a house two years ago, we decided to get by without a dryer for a while, mainly to save money. To our surprise, it wasn't difficult. It's no problem at all in the summer, when we can supplement our drying with an outside clothesline on sunny days. During the winter, our two racks are in constant use (hint: put the rack beside or above heating vents or radiators to speed drying). We might eventually buy a dryer, but only to make it easier to catch up when we fall behind. I've been using one rack for about four years and bought the second about two years ago. I cannot tell which is the old one. They've held up quite well. Granted the rack is not perfect: it could be both wider and higher -- tall people will have to stoop a little bit to use it. Still, it's far better than any of the alternatives I've found.

One unexpected benefit: our clothing seems to last a lot longer. We'd never realized how rough the dryer can be on clothing. I have shirts that are a few years old I wear regularly and they still look new. I suppose all of the lint in the dryer trap has to come from somewhere.

-- Willie Beegle

$20
Available from IKEA

NEOS (New England Overshoes) are basically big insulated, gusseted bags with soles. They fit over my hiking boots, sneakers or, if it's just a quick errand outdoors, my socks. The gusset folds over the top of the foot and ankle with a hook and loop (Velcro) closure. A strap across the instep makes for a snug, secure fit. I discovered NEOS a couple of years ago working as a film extra in rural Pennsylvania. We were outside in cold, wet snowy weather all late fall and early winter. Several members of the crew wore them and the wardrobe folks used them to keep the principle actor's shoes out of the mud and slush. Insulated and uninsulated models are rated for temperatures as low as -20F and 0F respectively. I chose the insulated Explorer version, because I often work and play outside during the winter. As a Scoutmaster, I have worn mine on snowy weekend camping trips when temperatures are down in the teens and kept my feet warm and dry. Last winter ('07-'08) was pretty mild, so I didn't wear them as much, but after two years the NEOS are as good as new. The choices have expanded quite a bit since I bought mine. NEOS also makes light, ankle-high models for commuters with a lining that actually shines dress shoes and heavier expedition weight models suited for intense outdoor activities.

-- Clarke Green

I reappropriated a pair of these boots when my son needed an operation on each leg, requiring recovery in a cast for more than six weeks (one leg at a time). I bought a pair of the NEOS over shoes that fit over my shoes, and it so happened they fit over my son's cast(s) as well. This allowed him to go out during the winter. He could walk to the bus stop, go sledding, etc. It really took some of the suffering out of his recovery, because he could lead a more normal, active life.

-- Alan Brandon

The last time I got glasses, I let the salesman talk me into the UV/Anti-Glare coating, which I'd never had before. After time, the coating began to develop tiny, really fine scratches, which kept building and building. They got so bad, I was going to get new glasses -- until a friend recommended Armour Etch, a glass etching cream you can get at art/craft stores like Michael's or Dick Blick. The way it removed the coating, leaving me with a perfectly unscratched lens, was phenomenal!! I do experience a little more glare without the coating, but I can live with that -- having the scratches was driving me nuts! Instead of having to spend $100+ on new lenses, I got away with spending a little over $10!

A word of caution: this acid (hydrofluoric) solution is for glass etching, so you CANNOT use Armour Etch on glass lenses; otherwise, you will literally etch and ruin your lenses. You must be certain you have plastic lenses. It should be safe on most polycarbonate lenses (it left mine completely unscathed). However, I'd only try this when you have nothing to lose. Always do a small test first, too. After applying the cream to a tiny spot, I went ahead and did the whole lens, coating each side for 1-2 minutes, rinsing and then repeating. While I wore standard latex gloves and did this in a well-vented area, Armour Etch is designed for crafters, so it doesn't require a fume hood or anything. Afterwards, I rinsed the glasses for a few minutes under hot tap water, applied soap and water, and finally used a lens cloth. I was taking a big risk since I'd never done glass etching before and I wasn't certain it would work. But it did, and I got a "like new" pair of glasses for just a few bucks!

-- David Gulbransen

Armour Etch
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Armour Products

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Micro-Mesh Abrasives

Soft Reading Lenses

Simichrome

As a year-round bike commuter, I rely on the previously-untried Glo Gloves, which work as advertised -- great! -- for adding reflective spots. They are a one-size-fits-all, fingerless stretchy nylon glove with reflective patches sewn on. During a winter of bike commuting, with my schedule, that means two hours of riding in the dark each day. When I stick out my arm to signal a turn, the gloves give a strong visual cue to drivers about my intent. I can even twist my hand from vertical to horizontal to make the reflective patches blink in a turn signal pattern. They're intended to be worn over your regular gloves. I've worn them over leather work gloves, fingerless cycling gloves, full finger cycling gloves, Smartwool lightweight wool "liners", and just my bare hands. They're very thin and don't interfere with touch sensation. I have both the original and sport gloves. All models are designed to stretch and fit over your gloves of choice. I consider them as essential as lights and reflective ankle bands for riding at night.

-- Michael Rasmussen

As a bike commuter, I use these gloves to signal to indicate my intentions at intersections, even to wave traffic through. I have the sports version, which I stretch over regular bike gloves. I've found they can even stretch over ski gloves up to about size M or L, depending on the ski glove. After three years of use on hundreds of rides, the stitching on one of the reflective patches has come a little loose, but otherwise they've worn well. The main difference between the regular and sports versions is a patch of abrasion resistant fabric on the palm.

-- Jun Nogami

Glo Glove
$18 - regular
$22 - sport
Available from Wingman, Inc.

Manufactured by Glo Concepts

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

SOLAS Marine Reflective Tape

Ergon Cycling Grips

SealSkinz Gloves

I discovered canvas "tramp" shoes while a friend was attending clown school. They're light, comfortable, easy to take on/off (the tongue/heel are elastic), and wonderful for travel, especially on longer airline flights. The entire sole is a thin, very flexible rubber that's great for slippery surfaces (and turbulence), and fine for in-flight restroom-stepping. Since they can be rolled up, the shoes are rather pack-friendly. In addition to the previously-reviewed Lights Out Sleep Mask and a pair of Smartwool socks, these are at the top of my carry-on list for upcoming flights to Japan and Buenos Aires. They're available in other colors. I went with white. They look just like the anti-gravity booties worn by the Orion III flight attendants in 2001: A Space Odyssey!

-- Steven Leckart

$19
(model: 809)
Available from CartwheeFactory.com

Previously available from Amazon

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

APC Universal Notebook Battery

Doing Circus

SFC Slip-Resistant Shoes

I started wearing these lightweight, relatively inexpensive zip-neck pullovers after I took an EMT-B course. It's less bulky than a sweatshirt, just as comfortable as PJs and very functional. There are two side, on-seam pockets large enough for your hands, a neat large velcro-sealing chest pocket, and a D-ring on the side for attaching a key chain or lanyard. They're very durable as the elbows are reinforced with denim. And they're widely available in three colors (navy, black & gray). Too warm for the summer here in the Northeast, but perfect for the rest of the year as an everyday pullover.

-- JB Woodman

EMT Workshirt
$28-32
(depends on size)
Available from Fatigues Army Navy & Surplus

Also from Uncle Sam's Army Navy Outfitters

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

5.11 Tactical Shirts

Montane Featherlite Smock

Pocket Reference for the EMT-B and First Responder

I've been using the previously-untried soft reading lenses for at least 10 years -- so long, I forgot how cool they are. I used to windsurf and would spend time at the beach repairing and maintaining gear while waiting for the afternoon thermal breeze to kick in, detail work that required reading glasses or Optx 20/20s on my sunglasses. I also used the same pair of sunglasses for driving, skiing and general daily wear. The glasses have to be wet slightly to get the 20/20s to stick, so it can be a little fiddly getting both lenses parallel and then squishing out the air bubbles without moving them around (also, if your frames don't have a rim at the bottom, it's more difficult to get them aligned properly). But once that's accomplished, voila! $300 bifocal sunglasses for just 20 bucks. Once they're stuck down on the glasses they don't move unless you mess with them when cleaning the glasses or if you get them wet. Peel them off with your fingernail if you change your mind. What could be simpler?

-- Evan Marks

I've used this, to great effect. With my prescription sunglasses that I always use when outdoors, I had a problem that I couldn't read maps while driving or hiking. Sticking on just ONE of these bifocal semi-circles was a total solution. The water adhesion has held for two years, and cleaning the bifocal part has not been an issue.

-- Stewart Brand

I've used these, but not in the intended fashion. I ride a motorcycle and wear a helmet (though my state doesn't require it). In my 40's I've started wearing corrective glasses, but during the day I also need some sort of eye protection from the sun. The solution was wear regular sunglasses and use these stick-on reading lenses. But I didn't care for them being on my sunglasses all the time, so I stuck them on the face shield of my helmet. This allows me to read the gauges on my motorcycle and the GPS. The field of view is quite small because the lenses are further out than intended, but it works better than not being able to read anything. I've since purchased prescription sunglasses and retired the stick-on lenses, but these work in a pinch and, IMHO, are on par with the $12 specials from the big box stores.

-- Ken Jones

(also recommended by Michael Rasmussen, Gerald Zuckier, and Bob Zychek)

Soft Reading Lenses
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Optx 20/20

--
Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Maui Jim Sunglasses

Blinkless EyeDropper

Brock Magiscape

I never take my watch off, and this watch band has held up through two years of hiking, yard work, showers, swimming, etc. The original british grey nylon has weathered a bit, but the stainless steel hardware still looks great, and there is no fraying or visible wear on the tough nylon strap. I have the two-buckle version, but there is a a four-buckle version for extra security. The long tail of the strap doubles back through the keepers and stays out of the way. I never liked the way rubber straps feel on my skin, but the nylon in this band has never irritated or chafed.

-- Brad Reese

They take a licking and keep on ticking. Much more comfortable and uncluttered than traditional watchbands, especially for those that work on keyboards all day. Sun, snow, salt: they handle it all. And when they finally wear out, a new one costs $17.

-- PJL

Zulu Watch Bands
$17
(various colors/sizes/buckles)
Available from County Comm

Manufactured by Maratac Extreme

NOTE: CountyComm has adapters and straps for most regular G-SHOCK wearers, but they do NOT have adapters and straps to suit BABY G-SHOCK models worn by those who prefer a smaller watch! -- Jeannie Lu

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Casio Protrek Solar Watch

Cinch Belts

Swatch Original

A watch is a personal thing. Some prefer analog, some prefer digital. I have numerous watches. At last count, just over a dozen watches including a Rolex and an Omega, but the watch that most often stays on my wrist is the Casio Protreck PRG90-1. In addition to being powered completely by solar (no more replacing batteries!) it has a barometer, a thermometer, an altimeter and a compass. Although Casio makes several watches with various permutations and combinations of solar, compass, barometer, thermometer, altimeter, world time, stopwatch, countdown timer, auto-luminescence (the back light goes on automatically when you turn the wrist towards you), mine is the only one with all the features I would want or use. Mine has world time, so it's very useful for traveling. You can set the preset world time at a push of several buttons, and keep your home time in the bottom display. The PAG80-1V, for instance, has a yacht timer, but no world time. The PAG 40-3V doesn't have solar power, a feature which is more than a definite plus.

The PRG90-1 really has the best combination of all the features I would want or use. I recently wore it on a trip to Machu Picchu, and the altimeter function was extraordinarily accurate to markings on the mountain. Although the thermometer could use work (it seems to be affected by the temperature of the wearer) I have calibrated it to measure ambient temperature. The barometer is also extremely useful to determine the immediate weather conditions (quite useful: In Peru I saw the barometric pressure drop so quickly and suddenly that I predicted rain when many of the locals said, "no, it never rains in Lima." Needless to say, they were wrong and the Casio was right!).

If I could get another one, I'd perhaps pick up the PAW1200 series, which in addition to all of the features of the PRG90-1, also has a signal to the atomic clocks in the U.S., Japan and Germany, but those retail for well over $300. Although the PRG90-1 retails for around $250, they sell on eBay for less. I picked mine up brand new from a retailer in Hong Kong for just over $100.

I'm all about wool these days. It's the new polypropylene. Never stinks. Never. All my fancy high-tech fabrics smell like the bottom of a pond when I come in from a ride, but I can ride for days in my old-school wool cycling jersey and wool undershirt and they both smell about as fresh as, well, a lamb, which I can only assume doesn't smell (I live in the city). Recently, I picked up this Swobo cycling hat with fold-down earflaps. It's warm, lightweight, doesn't get stanky and is thin enough to fit comfortably under a helmet. It also looks good to boot. The ear flaps fold away in the heat or can be flipped down when it gets cold -- perfect for SF/Marin foggy to sunny rides.

-- Mathew Honan

Swobo Merino 6 Panel Beanie
(black, black/blue, charcoal)
$35
Available from Skates On Haight

Manufactured by Swobo

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Icebreaker Merino Wool Jersey

Headsweats Coolmax Skullcap

Wool Underwear

Last Chance Heavy Duty Belt

I've never been a fan of notches. But most cinch belts just don't do the job. Inspired by the belts worn by smokejumpers, this one's made of two nylon strips sewn together with a foot-long strip of Velcro running along one side. Once it's on and the Velcro touches, I never have to re-cinch it. Though the nylon is substantial, much thicker than a seatbelt, the aluminum buckle is very light; I hardly notice it. Ideal for everyday casual wear, the belt is plain and quite handsome. I've worn it with a tie and blazer. It didn't fly under the radar -- it looked great. Never again will I hole-punch another post-holiday notch.

-- Steven Leckart

Last Chance Heavy Duty Belt
$23
(small - xl)
Available from Bison Designs

Also available from Amazon
(only med. - xl)

*

Tech Web Belt

Better than the smoke jumper belt (I've tried it) is Patagonia's Tech Web Belt. It's lighter and handsomer, comes in colors, and you don't have the noise and debris-collection of Velcro. I've worn mine for six months at all occasions from dressy to sweaty. Trim your new belt to the exact convenient size you want, flame-melt the cut end so it doesn't fray, and you've got the perfect custom belt.

-- Stewart Brand

Tech Web Belt
$26
Available from Patagonia

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Eagle Creek All-Terrain Money Belt

Duluth Trading Suspenders

Blaklader Heavy Duty Work Pants

When folded into its stuff sack, this Pertex windshirt is the size of a small apple and weighs only about 100g. Unlike a "real" coat, the smock can disappear into a jacket pocket or cargo pocket of your combat pants or it can lurk, weightlessly, for weeks in a backpack until needed. Other than being a carry-all-the-time item allowing minimal bulk, it's extremely versatile. It blocks the wind, preventing windchill, while still feeling as breathable as a lightweight cotton t-shirt. Pull up the neck zip and the smock will trap a layer of air around your body. Because the smock keeps this air dry instead of letting it saturate with sweat, it's a superb insulator: the ground outside has been white with frost recently, but I've been quite happy walking around with the smock over my sweater (about 0 Centigrade). Shower resistant, but not waterproof, it's much more breathable than anything I've tried that is waterproof -- while Goretex may transmit about 25% of water vapour in even ideal circumstances, Pertex scores closer to 100%. As such, the windshirt is a great outer layer for hikers, cyclists and runners to wear in all conditions where real rain wear isn't essential. It's also terrific for commuting and tourism, especially when added to a light umbrella, which allows you to leave heavier-to-carry and sweatier-to-wear just-in-case clothes at home. I have read that if you soup up the water resistance with Nikwax DWR, it makes an acceptable waterproof, but I haven't tested this. Serious outdoor adventurers in serious conditions might want to look at the Featherlite's grown-up, bulkier, heavier cousins like the Montane Extreme, Paramo, and especially various Buffalo products. These combine Pertex with insulating material to provide single-layer high performance clothing for skiing and mountaineering in very harsh conditions. Other brands like Paramo and Marmot offer products similar to the Featherlite. I went with Montane because of their reputation. They're the kings of ultralight, which is what this type of windshirt should be about.

-- Jonathan Coupe

Montane Featherlite Smock
$76
Available from ProLite Gear

Manufactured by Montane Outdoor Clothing

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Duofold Varitec T-Shirt

Schoeller Softshell Fabrics

Gossamer Whisper Uberlight Pack

I basically own three pairs of shoes. One is a pair of flip-flops that I wear around the house like sandals. Another is a fancy pair of dress shoes that I dust off for weddings, bar-mitzvahs, funerals, and schwanky dress-up events. But for everyday wear in professional office environments, during travel, and for general romping about, I keep a pair of 10" Rocky side-zip leather boots on my feet seven days a week.

The handy side-zip means that getting in and out of these boots is loafer-fast -- an essential feature for daily wear or moving quickly through airport security lines. The lacing enables me to customize the fit for my feet, but once that's done, I go months without retying the laces. These boots are designed for use by police officers and other law enforcement and EMS-types, so they're versatile, rugged, and incredibly comfortable (once they're broken in). The black, all-leather uppers have clean and simple lines, so they look good in any casual office environment. The boot styling provides ample ankle support, which is nice for hiking, long walks, or keeping my feet dry in wet, snowy, sandy, or muddy environments.

During a typical week, I'll wear these boots to work from Monday to Friday, then keep them on my feet during the weekend as I wander through the deep snows of Lake Tahoe, or explore abandoned buildings, or stroll along sandy beaches of the Pacific Coast. Yet even after all that abuse, 20 seconds' worth of buffing is all it takes to clean the boots up in time to walk to work on Monday. When new, there's an initial break-in period that lasts for three or four days (during which I carry band-aids to prevent blisters). But the leather softens up quickly, and thereafter they feel perfectly natural on my feet. An occasional dose of shoe polish is all that's needed to keep them looking great. I'm on my third pair now, and with regular shines to condition the leather, I easily get 3 years of daily wear out of 'em before all the cumulative abuse makes them sub-optimal for office wear. I buy mine from Galls. Check out all the testimonials -- kind of hilarious.

-- Todd Lappin

Rocky Side-Zip Paraboots
$120
Available from Galls

Manufactured by Rocky Boots

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Bates 924 Boots

Muck Boots Jobber Work Boot

S.W.A.T. Tactical Sport Boots

Wearing these safety glasses sure beats trying to hold a flashlight and use your hands. I own head-mounted lamps, which I use for certain activities, but wearing safety glasses and a headlamp can be a little too bulky. I got these safety glasses about 6 months ago after some of the guys I work with were using them on the job for viewing plans at dusk/night. I'm a Highway Safety Consultant, however my background is construction and I still do some work in that area, so most of my work requires approved safety glasses. I just wear these on a neck cord and put them on as I need them during the day or night. Each side has its own switch. They are great for working in any low light situation, so I also enjoy wearing them for activities that do not really require safety glasses. I use mine for wiring electrical panels since the light is usually poor in a new house that doesn't have power. Some of the older guys I work with use the bifocal version. I recently got my mother-in-law a pair of the bifocal ones for sewing detail work.

-- Scott Newton

LED Safety Glasses
$13
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Aearo Corp.

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:


Zipka LED Headlamp

Petzl Myo 5 Headlamp

Blinkless EyeDropper

My desire to ride a bike during winter dwindles as the temp drops, but traditional beanies -- aside from being bulky under a helmet -- can feel way too warm, especially once you really get pedaling. This ultra-thin polyester skullcap has cut down on those downhill-windchills without overheating me. The material breathes (hold it to the light and you can see through it), and it dries quickly. It also packs tiny (see below). If you desire more ear coverage, there's the previously-reviewed thermal Maxit beanie or Headsweats also makes a MidCap as well as several other thicker, more expensive options I have not used, including a few in micro fleece. As it is, I get 2/3 ear coverage with this skullcap, which is generally fine for the climate I ride in (San Francisco). Headsweats makes a cycling cap complete with a bill; I prefer being able to carelessly wad mine up and throw it in my pack, plus the lack of a bill affords other uses: I've donned mine with a hooded sweatshirt to play basketball and under a $.99-store beanie to add a bit more warmth. Above all else, this polyester cap makes my helmet much more comfortable.

-- Steven Leckart

Headsweats Coolmax Skullcap
$12
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Headsweats

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Patagonia Travel Beanie

Tilley Winter Hats

Knifty Knitter

I bought this jacket three years ago while shopping for welding supplies, but it now doubles as a motorcycle jacket. Convection is the enemy of anyone on a motorcycle. Leather is naturally wind proof, so its brown cowhide suede finish has kept me warm while riding around on my Harley. The jacket's really well made and an amazing value for about $55. I'm just learning how to weld (my particular interest is to build furniture), so my experience is rather limited. However, it's my understanding the sparks created from arc welding have a tendency to melt through most synthetics, and that heavy cotton and leather seem to work best at shielding sparks. The cheaper welding jackets made by Black Stallion are made of cotton and may work fine, but because they can allow air to pass through, they wouldn't work well as a motorcycle jacket. With this one, I get two jackets for the price of one.

-- Velemir Cicin

Black Stallion Cowhide Welding Jacket
$55
Available from Working Person's Store

Manufactured by Black Stallion

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Eastwood Supplies

Aerostitch Suits

Ultimate MX Hauler Motorcycle Carrier

Slip-on shoes are incredibly convenient, but of course, they don't always provide much support or padding. These sets of individual elastic bands convert standard lace-ups to slip-ons. Each band has triangular-shaped anchors to keep them from slipping out of the eyelets. The bands can be tricky to squeeze through, but once they're in, they stay put in my experience. They're available in three sizes (small - large, depending on the desired fit) and a variety of colors, including fun neons (!) but also white and black if your step doesn't need the added flash. It's really a wonder no one thought to invent these sooner. After a friend gave me a set, I salvaged a pair of running shoes from the back of my closet. Call me lazy, but because I can easily kick 'em off and slip 'em on, they're the only shoes I wear on the weekend.

-- Steven Leckart

Golaces
$10
Previously available from Jibbitz*

Manufactured by Golaces*

*NOTE: Golaces founder Brian Witlin says these already-nifty elastic laces are being re-tooled and will once again be available in the spring of 2009. We'll be checking out and reporting back on the new Golaces then, so stay tuned... -- SL

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Speed Laces

Nike Free

Shoe Goo

Most people know to buy acid-free photo albums for old family snapshots, but the same care goes for old garments. For years I've been relying on inexpensive, unbuffered acid-free tissue paper to ensure some dear family heirlooms will remain in tact for years to come, including a piece of beaded silk from my step-grandmother's dance costume from the '20s. Regular tissue paper is acidic and will yellow over time and damage fragile fabrics, especially silk. Unbuffered, acid-free tissue paper is completely PH neutral. If you want to spend a little more, you can also buy acid-free cardboard boxes from an archival supplier, but as long as you have a buffer of tissue between the plastic and the contents, a standard plastic storage bin is an easy and inexpensive solution. Just make sure to keep the lid slightly ajar to avoid creating a microclimate of heat and moisture. I also separate each garment with additional tissue. The textiles themselves need to be positioned as they are intended to be worn, with as few folds as possible (sharp folds will eventually turn into breaks in the fabric). If I must fold a piece, I go back and refold it every six months in order to avoid permanent creasing and tearing. I also use the acid-free tissue to pad out the inside of the garment in order to maintain its original shape. There are a few important environmental conditions that must be maintained, but this is not particularly difficult: store bins in a dark, cool place (65 degrees Fahrenheit) and maintain the relative humidity level (50% is ideal).

A cardboard box carelessly stuffed with baby clothes or a wedding dress that's left in a non-regulated environment can suffer a variety of damages: disintegration of delicate fabrics from contact to acidic surfaces (i.e. cardboard boxes); breaks in fabric due to creases, folds, and tight storage; fading from exposure to light; swelling and distortion of the fabric and the running of colors due to moisture; whereas too dry causes brittleness and breakage; and, of course, insect infestation. Moth larvae will eat just about everything: wool, feathers, fur, hair, leather, lint, dust, paper and occasionally cotton, linen, silk, and synthetic fibers. They're also attracted to blood, sweat, and other biological substances, so you MUST clean your clothing prior to storage. You can also get stiff, buffered acid-free tissue, which is specifically intended for balancing the PH of cellulosic textiles such as cotton and linen. However, unbuffered really is the way to go if you're dealing with a range of organic material, especially if it's going to be housed in one box -- it's also slightly cheaper. I took graduate classes in museum conservation, but didn't decide to properly pack away my own treasures until I assisted with the treatment of a rather large 20th century costume collection infested with moths. We rehoused literally hundreds of garments, ranging from turn of the century wedding gowns to 80's silk shirts with shoulder pads, using the same unbuffered acid-free tissue paper you can get from any archival supplier.

-- Linda Leckart

Acid-Free Tissue Paper
$20 - $68*
Available from Light Impressions

Also $20 - $230* from University Products

*price depends on quantity

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Plastic Storeage Containers

Instant Period Costumes

University Products

I've been wearing Titanium Sport frames from Maui Jim for about 5 years. I use them for driving, sports, walking, just anytime. Many people prefer more substantial sunglasses, but these are especially comfortable for wearing under my biking helmet. They weigh about 11 grams and feel minimal and I don't get as much sweat on them. There are also no hinges to break or tighten. I was rock climbing in the Dolomites when these glasses slipped off my neck (I often keep them around my neck when I don't need them). They seemed to almost float down 120M of rock. They wound up landing with only a small scratch on the lenses and I wore them for the rest of the trip. I got my first pair after a friend recommended them. I'm on my third pair -- lost one, gave one to a friend -- and I just ordered my first prescription pair (prescription is a fairly new offering). I can't wait. I happen to prefer the Wailea's, but the Titanium Sport line has two other models with slightly different shapes and two sizes. I prefer the smaller size. Maui Jim's are expensive, but worth it.

-- David Siegel

Maui Jim Titanium Sport Sunglasses
$260
(Wailea)
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Maui Jim

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

SwiMP3

Micro-Mesh Abrasives

Adventure Hat

I was bothered by insect bites above my socks and beneath my trousers after doing yard work, until I remembered the British Army wore thick, knee-high socks in Africa during WWII as protection against fleabites. So I found a great source for extra long ("over-the-knee" or OTK) socks that I roll over into a cuff below the knee, as the British did. These are 85% cotton, 15% Lycra, so they do shrink, but there's enough extra length in them that they will stay up even after going through a dryer.

These OTKs have proven effective for me and aren't too hot to wear in the summer in Seattle, where it rarely goes above 90 and the humidity is low. Elsewhere, heat might be a problem. In cooler weather, I've found I appreciate the extra warmth, so I'll stick with them when the buggy season ends.

Before finding these, I tried a variety of socks from several military clothing suppliers. I ordered five pairs of two different types of "boot socks," a cheap three-pack ($2.60/pair) and a Kevlar sock ($5.95/pair). The problem was that all of these came only 3/4 or maybe 4/5 of the way up to the knee (before washing). I next tried $5 men's "knee-highs" from Sock Dreams. They were effective at first, but shrank after going through the washer and dryer to two inches below my knee, so I still got bug bites above their tops (I'm 6'2"). If you are 5'8" or less, the knee-highs should work.

Sock Dreams has no shipping charge, regardless of order size. They also offer an incredibly wide variety of colors, including plum and bubblegum; I went for navy and charcoal.

-- Roger Knights

Over the Knee Socks
$6
Available from Sock Dreams

Knee-High Socks
$5
Available from Sock Dreams

The idea of combining the virtues of a trainer and an off-road, combat or hiking boot isn't entirely original, but my Classic 6" Swats continue to impress me. The sole has masses of cushioning, all-terrain grip, and a steel shank for stabilization, making it the equal of a high-end trainer (the company says they set out to design what they call a "cross trainer for law enforcement"). But the Swats actually do a better job for me than trainers costing several times their price. I get more ankle support than a low trainer and lose hardly any flexibility or cooling. And these let me walk and run through mud in a rainstorm for two hours with perfectly dry feet and a secure grip.

I'm 220lb, with an ultra high arch foot and hyperflexible ankles. I need maximum stability and shock absorption, a tough combination to find. The boot is docked with a tough leather and Cordura upper that stops at ankle level, giving most of the protection and support of a boot, but still leaving you more flexibility. The result is a shoe that's good for almost every type of ground and lets you hike, walk, run, jump, wear it all day, and drive in it. Water resistance and breathability are excellent.

The Bates are obviously tough and provide extra ankle support off-road carrying a heavy pack, but it's a higher boot. There are high-cut, full-on military boot Swats, too. I haven't tried them. My 6" lower tops answer a different need. They're more of a universal shoe you can hike, drive or run in, and still wear at the office without feeling out of place (unless you work in a very formal environment). Another nice feature is these shoes are available in wide and women's fittings. They're also surprisingly cheap -- less than $80 a pair.

-- Jonathan Coupe

S.W.A.T. Tactical Sport Boots
$64
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by The Original Footwear Co.

I travel a lot and often forget to pack my eye mask because it's so flimsy. The back section of this snug, warm beanie is split so that you can turn it around and use it as an eye shield that provides greater eye coverage without the fuss of uncomfortable elastic bands
at the back. There is a small pocket in the rim for stashing things, like a couple of sleeping pills for a long flight. And there is also a drawcord in the rim that you can pull tight to make the beanie into a small bag.

I suppose you could modify a beanie with a (nose)slit, but I am not the most adept seamster. Arguably, if I could find a tight knit beanie I would be willing to try and mod it, but this one has been the best find in my opinion, because of its fit as much as its additional features.

I can be quite persnickety about beanies. I have two other beanies -- one is Polarfleece(r) that I only use for camping because it has a fold-over brim that isn't exactly fashion-forward. The other is a surf-brand beanie I bought easily 10 years ago, which features a tight knit and snug fit. I ardently looked for a replacement for at least three years before I found this very comfortable Patagonia beanie. The Patagonia beanie fulfills both roles I need a beanie for: camping (I
wore it recently at a mountain biking race in the Vermont backwoods), as well as urban wear (I wore it last week in cool weather in downtown San Diego).

I really like the tight-knit fabric and can nap/sleep fitfully while traveling. I have used it flying from California to Carolina and then again up to NYC and Vermont, but I fly transatlantically at least once a year and am really looking forward to using this beanie on one of my longer 16-hour trips.

-- Chris La Rose

Patagonia Travel Beanie
$34
Manufactured by Patagonia

[Unfortunately Patagonia says they are no longer offering this beanie; there are apparently a few left in stock which can be obtained by calling customer service at 800-638-6464 (you could also try the Patagonia outlet in Dillon, MT 406-683-2580); a cursory search showed that 3rd party vendors seem to be sold out, too; if you know of a reliable source that still has these in stock, or if you find a comparable beanie from another manufacturer, please let us know -- sl]

The Sock Pro is a little rubber disc perforated in the center to allow the toes of a pair of socks to be slipped through its center. The perforations hold the socks together through laundry and drying, and they keep socks paired in the dresser drawer. I've been using these thingies about a year and half and they really save me time and annoyance at the laundromat. For those with families, you can buy them in different colors and assign one color to each family member. It takes some effort to drag heavier socks through the hoops, but I have been able to use them with Thor-Lo maximum padding running socks and they work fine.

-- Rhea Jacobs

$5
(20 discs in one color)
Available from and Manufactured by SOCKPro, Inc.

For many years I suffered with a "creeping boat" wallet, consistently growing in size from year to year. Not only can sitting on such a thick wallet be bad for your back, but it also leaves an unsightly bulge in your back pocket (not to mention stretching the pocket out, thereby increasing the chances of your wallet falling out). The All-Ett billfold, while not stylish, solves all of those problems. The wallet has two pockets -- a deep one for receipts and a shallower one for bills - and a four-card slot system that holds a ton of cards without adding much bulk. Right now I keep about 20 cards (I've had up to 30), and it's about a quarter inch thick, with a few bills/receipts.

With my old wallets, I used to keep out cards I didn't use as frequently, but now I take them all with me. The wallet is made of a nylon that feels like a parachute, which helps keep its slim profile, dries quickly (unlike leather), and is breathable. I've had mine for about 2 years and it's held up pretty well so far -- no tears etc. The price is a little high, but comparable to most standard leather wallets I've seen.

It's worth noting that some people have expressed concerns about cards falling out of the slots. It is true that the more cards you keep, the more secure the cards will be in each slot. But I've never had an issue with this. I find that if I open up the wallet and tip it sideways, the cards can come out, but I've never experienced this in real usage due to the fact I hold my wallet horizontally like you'd hold a normal wallet. If I tip it some while looking for bills, the cards still don't fall out as the slots open towards the fold. It seems the only way to actually have them fall out is to open the wallet all the way up and then hold it vertically. Again, if you have several cards in each slot, this doesn't happen, only when there are a few (I've tried it with two in a slot and they slipped out). That said, if I were to be storing only a very few number of cards, I'd store them in just two of the slots, ensuring a more snug fit. Nevertheless, this wallet is intended for those of use who like to carry more than a few.

-- Brian Houle

ALL-ETT Billfold Wallet
$20
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by ALL-ETT Billfold

Tired of lint balls breeding on your clothes making you look like you have some fiber disease? This small pumice stone works much better than the electric fiber shavers I've used in the past. It's also about 2x3 inches, so it works quicker than any lint comb for covering larger surface areas. Lightly brush the stone over any problem areas and the stone's rough edges trim off the excess pilling and lint.

For me, after a couple months of use, the stone started crumbling around the edges leaving some small bits to clean up afterward. However, the amount of crumble is determined by how aggressive you are at de-linting -- and actually, the soft, porous nature of the stone helps you avoid damaging your clothing. If you snag the fabric, the part of the stone that's caught can give, instead of just continuing to tug on the garment. If you brush really fast you may also start to detect a sulfur-like smell, but it's very subtle and you may never even notice it -- especially if you aren't too aggressive. This is great for people who want to keep their sweaters, scarves or any clothing with pilling looking nice longer, but also those who want to cut back on dry cleaning.

-- Adrienne Rodriguez

Sweater Stone
$7
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Sweater Stone, Inc.

[Sweater Stone, Inc. offers "free" samples, meaning you pay $5 for shipping and handling to the U.S. ($7 non-U.S.). - sl]

MBT Shoes may be goofy-looking and pricey, but they really work. By mimicking the unstable natural environment we lived in before paving over everything, the shoes strengthen your feet and improve your gait (other claimed improvements include posture and even weight loss, but I can only attest to foot strengthening, and also that I'm more aware of my abdomen and posterior muscles - you have to tighten them a bit as you walk). The MBTs (Masai Barefoot Technology) aren't meant to mimic "barefoot" shoes like the Nike Free, Vibram Five Fingers or the VIVObarefoot. These are a great option for someone with compromised feet (or ankles) who might have problems going the barefoot route at first. Also, they aren't really meant to be worn off paving as they intentionally cause instability that isn't appropriate for hiking (though they do come in a "hiking" boot and other styles).

A rounded midsole creates the "pivot" of the shoes. This curved bottom makes it so that your heel and toe cannot hit the ground at the same time. As you walk, you step on your mid-foot, not the heel, and roll over the pivot. This not only distributes pressure with each step, but also trains you to focus on balancing. When I'm standing around I'll find myself pivoting back and forth on them, which I imagine must also help your back and legs as you change angles. Standing up on the subway in the MBTs is quite challenging sometimes. The best way I've found to stabilize myself is to keep one foot flexed forward on the toes and the other back on the heel. I wouldn't want to run full out in them, but you can jog a bit to catch a light before it changes. When I started karate a few years ago I began having pain in my feet, which I eventually attributed to plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of the thick tissue that supports the arch). I went to a podiatrist who prescribed custom orthotics, but I felt they were just treating the symptom, not curing the problem. Eventually I found the MBT shoes, bought a pair and went to an hour-long training class. The class isn't necessary, but it helped me understand why and how the shoes should work (the shoes also came with a DVD, which wasn't as informative). I learned there are several muscles along the bottom of the foot, and they weaken from lack of use over time, causing the foot to lengthen and flatten, and eventually causing a pulling of the fascia. The MBTs require you to use those muscles again (and even cause your foot length to decrease somewhat), which alleviates strain. I've had my shoes two years. I wore them much of the time for a couple of months, and now I wear them a few times a week. They're still going strong, and my foot pain has disappeared. This fall I tried a 5-mile hike barefoot for the first time ever. While my feet were a bit tender, they felt strong the entire way.

-- Stanton Teters

MBT Physiological Footwear
$160 - $265 (depends on style)
Available from Walker's Warehouse

Also Amazon (only some models)

Manufactured by Swiss Masai

Sno Seal waterproofs leather products. The beeswax formula is long lasting, doesn't harm or weaken leather like animal fat waterproofing products do, and still allows the leather to breath. Easily applied by heating your leather boots with a hair dryer and simply rubbing Sno-Seal into the leather.

I haven't seen or used another product as good. I've been using it for the last tens years on the four pairs of prospector Gortex/leather boots that I've owned. Because of the Sno-Seal I wear out the soles (multiple times) before the leather shows any kind of deterioration.

A 3 1/2 oz. (100g) tub of the stuff will last me two years for one pair of boots, reapplying every three to four months, depending on use.

-- Dave Babcock

Sno-Seal
$3.50 for 8 oz.
Available from Amazon

Also from REI

Manufactured by Atsko

My second time snowboarding I got a concussion and lost memory of the day. Since then, I wear a helmet as much as possible when boarding. However helmets are hot and bulky, and if I am traveling, or if it's a nice soft powder day, I have always wanted something that offers protection without the hard shell. D3o Labs has come up with a new foam that is soft in general use, but gets rigid when impacted. This material was used in Olympic slalom ski suits to take the sting out of the on-coming gates and to offer crash protection. A Swiss company, Ribcap, has licensed this material for a set of very nicely made knit caps. These hats have this smart foam sewn in to make them effectively a soft helmet. This is by no means a substitute for a rated hard shell helmet, but I like having the option, especially when traveling where a helmet is bulky. The hat I just got from a retailer in Canada (so far the only place I have found them) is really nicely made, and has a built in balaclava.

-- Alexander Rose

Ribcap Protective
$80
Avialable from XX Inc.a

Video demo
Manufactured by Ribcap
Manufacturer of smart foam: D3o

Architects love to build walking surfaces that are horrible to walk on when wet. I found the elegant and foolproof answer to that -- Shoes for Crews. This company has a shoe that I defy you to try to skid in when on slippery wet surfaces. They come in 50 or so styles for men and women, for work, play, casual and formal situations. The work models have steel toes. These darn shoes really work!

-- Don Bierey

Shoes For Crews Slip-Resistant Shoes
$30 and up
Available from Shoes for Crews

I have fallen in love with Duluth's Twill Presentation Jacket. The catalog picture above doesn't do it justice. It is just dressy enough to work for business meetings, but enormously versatile to wear for just knocking around. In the last month, I have worn it everywhere from going to the movies to staying two days in a swanky hotel in Morocco for business meetings, hiked part way up an 11,000 ft mountain, and slept on a long flight. As this implies, it is a dreamy traveler's jacket -- never looks wrinkled (it is treated to resist wrinkles and stains), is tremendously comfortable, and has 13 pockets including zip-up pockets inside the outer patch pockets. Enough space to fit a moleskine in an outer pocket, a cell phone inside, a wallet safely zipped-in, some pens -- and suddenly I don't have to carry a backpack when I am going out for a quick meeting. And credit where credit is due: I first spotted this jacket on Tim O'Reilly, and promptly copied him, though in a different color. (I recommend the khaki color.) Although the jacket comes in other fabrics (canvas and denim), I think the twill is far and away the most versatile.

-- Paul Saffo

Duluth's Twill Presentation Jacket
$120
(size: regular)
Available from Duluth Trading

I was recently travelling in Norway, and found that the construction workers were almost all wearing these unique pants made by Blaklader. I found a pair in a hardware store, and have barely taken them off since. They have ingenious pockets, bombproof construction, and are completely unique from anything else I've ever seen. The pants are like wearing a toolchest wrapped around you. All the front and rear pockets have bellows. The big pouch pockets pull out and essentially replace a toolbelt. They have a great set of cargo pockets that are attached to the waist belt that can be tucked into the front pockets when you aren't using them. They can at least replace a set of nail bags. The pants have hammer loops, and knife pockets and a cell phone pocket and chisel pockets and pencil pockets. They've got a ruler pocket, and as best as I can tell a calculator pocket (mine fits perfectly). The knee reinforcements have a gap in the bottom where you can insert a set of kneepads too (which they make in two different thicknesses).

They make my Carhartt pants seem so *useless.* They are reasonably priced too. I brought back extra pairs as gifts to a couple of friends of mine in the construction industry and they are really happy with them. The pair of Blakladers I purchased were the Heavy Duty Work Pants, in two tone khaki and black. I think they are #1680 in the catalog. They are almost a little too heavy, and I'll probably order a pair of the cotton ones #1630 later this week from their distributor in Minnesota. Indeed they aren't exactly fashionable. While Carhartt pants can be worn around town, these are a little too much for casual wear. It's workwear for sure. I'm planning on giving mine a coat of waterproofing and trying them at the ski area where I volunteer in the winter.

-- Craig Davis

Blaklader Heavy Duty Work Pants
#1680
$80
Available from New Worker

Manufactured by Blaklader

The new Tilley Hat is beautifully made of nylon microfiber. It is much lighter (3 oz. total weight) than the original canvas hat and is extremely comfortable to wear, even on the hottest days. The crown is well ventilated and the brim holds its shape well. There is an effective chin strap. It is not suitable for heavy rain wear due to the crown ventilation; use the OR Seattle Sombrero for that. The new hat is guaranteed "forever", even against loss.

-- Carl Bradford

Tilley LTM6 Airflow Hat
$70
Available from Tilley

Similar to the 5.11 cop shirt you have reviewed on Cool Tools, the 5.11 pants are the best tactical (read cargo) pants I own. When you have cool tools you need some way to carry them! Used by the FBI and many other law enforcement agencies, I find that these pants wear well and look great. I've purchased mine at Brigade Quartermasters, US Calvary and Galls.

-- Charles Kinnear

Tactical 5.11 Pants
$40
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by 5.11 Tactical Series

Filson's gear is made in Washington state and is superior to almost all of the winter/outdoor gear I've used. They are a bit spendy but spectacularly well made, and they wear like iron. I imagine my Filson Mackinaw will be handed down to my daughter and then to her children before its usefulness has departed. The woolen gear is quiet in the woods, keeps you warm even if damp or wet, and smells just fine to boot. Thumbs up.

-- Tex

Filson's Mackinaw Cruiser
$265
Available from Filson

These pull-on rubber boots are made more like a wet suit than a standard rubber boot. The bottom shoe part is semi-firm and waterproof and the high part is somewhat porous like a wet suit. If you are a scuba diver, picture the wetsuit booties with a firmer shoe part. They are really comfortable and very easy to pull on and off. If you don't go in water over your ankles, they keep your feet dry. The porous uppers mean your feet don't get clammy and stink. They make doing chores on a wet day so much better. They are so comfortable I think I could hike in them, although I have not tried it.

-- John Coate

Muck Boots Jobber Work Boot
$80
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Muck Boots

I spend much of my time outside. Especially backpacking. And this hat always goes with me. It looks a little different, but I've come to like that. Its function is unequaled. Light weight at 2.5 oz and crushable into the pack when not in use. It blocks sun all around with a 4" front brim and a long back tail that can be velcroed up if not needed. It breathes well through side mesh panels and will even scoop water out of a stream to douse your head on a hot day.

-- Carol Corbridge

Adventure Hat
$37
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Sunday Afternoons

It was while training for a triathlon that I first heard about quick-tie shoelaces. When transitioning from biking to running you want to get your Nikes on fast. So I went to the running store and bought a pair of elastic laces with a spring-loaded plastic thingy like you find on a cinch sack. It worked well enough for my first race. But then a funny thing happened. I kept using the shoes for my regular runs and found I lost nothing in support and gained a few welcome moments each time I put on, or took off, my shoes. Why would I ever want to go back to regular laces?

Later I googled and found Speed Laces. They've taken the idea up a notch with low-friction eyelets you can screw into your shoe's eyelets, plus neater cinch mechanisms. I bought half a dozen and began retrofitting my family's running shoes.

"I don't want those things on my shoes!" said my wife. But she relented once I promised to put her old laces back if she wasn't won over. Now, she admits I was right. (I was careful to match the color of Speed Laces to her shoes.)

The company makes claims for better comfort and support, which may be true, but I find the time savings alone worth the $8.95. Plus I'm wearing running shoes more often around the house because they are nearly as easy to slip on as loafers.

-- Steve Leveen

Speed Laces
$9
Available from
Speed Laces

Bellaband is an accessory that allows women to wear non-pregnant clothes longer, and fun maternity fashions a little sooner. It is a seamless, stretchy, comfortable knit band pregnant women can wear over their unbuttoned pants to keep them on. It works like a charm and is supercomfy! As far as I know, there's nothing similar out there. It is perfect for that 'in-between' phase where you don't fit into pre-baby pants but you're still to small for maternity clothes.

-- Tina Roth Eisenberg

Bellaband
$26
Available from, among others,
Pregnancy Store

Manufactered by
Bellaband

This is probably the single most wonderful item of clothing I've ever owned. It's 100% Merino wool. Soft, useful, light, washable, warm, stylish. I've been wearing this whenever it's cold, over a cotton or silk t-shirt. Or if colder, over a lighter weight Merino wool shirt.

I used to wear mostly natural fibers. Then along came Patagonia and other outdoor outfitters with some great artificial (usually polyester) products: fleece, Synchilla, Capilene, warm lightweight coats, polyester shirts for travel that could be rolled up in a backpack, and look wrinkle-free when worn. Now I'm back to layering with natural fibers. 100% wool in various combos works wonders. Icebreaker has an elegant line of products (in spite of the very weird cover photo on their home page). They have testimonials from athletes who wear Merino wool clothing in various combos (there are 3 weights): climbing Everest, on kayak trips, wet or dry, hot or cold. How great, natural fibers outperforming artificial! Also check out Smartwool clothing, another line of beautiful Merino wool products. Go to Backcountry and do a search for "smartwool."

-- Lloyd Kahn

Icebreaker Sport 320 Wing Zip
$130
Available from
Icebreaker

For the past year and a half I have become fascinated by feet, their function and potential, particularly. I explored the "barefoot running" scene, and found a wealth of information regarding footcare and advice for those who wished to traipse 'round unshod. Unfortunately, without the proper sensitivity and calluses, it's near impossible to walk/run in urban areas unafraid.

Thus, I went looking for a shoe that would emulate the foot as closely as possible. I tried the famed "ninja" tabi-boots as well as Nike's much hyped "Air Rift" running shoe, without satisfaction. I wondered, what would be the most effective material to construct a sole that would make for a thin, yet durable shoe...and hit upon the jackpot: kevlar. I googled "kevlar sole", and came across a mention of the company "VIVO barefoot" in a podiatry forum by the CEO and creator. Upon further investigation, I found that the only locations peddling them were Terra Plana in NYC and their headquarters in London, and while they were available online, I was wary of that route after having been foiled before... I asked a friend of mine living in the Big Apple to swing by their store and give 'em a try. He did and was blown away. Upon his coming to visit me, I slipped 'em on, and knew my search had come to an end.

They are without a doubt the most lightest and most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. Their lack of "arch support" and elevated heel is actually a boon, as it allows you to walk/run normally and regain natural posture. They also have a wide toe-box, to accommodate your feet without crunching, even have a zippered sole so that you can just replace them when they wear out, instead of buying a new pair! While the zipper tab does have a tendency to snap off, (a design flaw I hope will be remedied in future runs) I've never felt any discomfort from wearing them, and surprisingly enough, they even kept my feet darn warm in the most recent Maine winter time with their removable "insulated sole insert". They also come in a variety of designs from slip on loafers to casual tennis shoes and look like totally normal shoes. While they generally run on the more expensive side ($120, give or take) I managed to find a pair on eBay for fourty-five bucks.

-- Josh Samuels

VIVObarefoot Shoes
$115+
Available from Amazon

Also from Terra Plana

Two months ago I bought a pair of those new Nike Free shoes that are marketed as a sort of anti-shoe for training how to run barefoot, or closer to barefoot, which supposedly helps strengthen your feet and legs in some manner. I wasn't interested in this benefit since I already run barefoot on the beach and am not a serious runner anyway.

I bought the shoes because they squish nearly flat and hence are easy to carry in my rollaboard.

Normally I just go to a fitness center when I travel and the Free are just fine for that, but recently I found the lightweight and minimal Free just as comfortable running on concrete as my regular big, structured running shoes.

The two Free squish down to about 3-1/2 thick, which is half the thickness of my conventional running shoes. They are also lighter. Nike doesn't mention these benefit on their website, which seems otherwise quite comprehensive. The price is $85 for a standard color combination, which I bought, or you can customize your colors for $95. Pretty slick.

-- Steve Leveen

Nike Free
$45
(men's, 5.0 version)
Available from Amazon

Or $70 for women's 7.0 version from Amazon
href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UI0A92/ref=nosim/kkorg-20">Amazon

Manufactured by Nike
Nike

I've worn several pairs of Reef sandals for more than 10 years now, and they are simply the most solid "flip-flops" I've owned. I've tried other brands, but they fall apart in stressful conditions or delaminate after a few months of wear. Reef consistently holds up, and I usually wear mine until the rubber is paper thin on the bottom. Right now I'm wearing the "Leather Smoothy" in black - the leather top seems to hold less odor. They have many different styles and colors to choose from for guys, girls, and kids.

-- Camron Assadi

About $35
Available from
Reef

Also from Amazon

I recently conducted a survey asking readers what technologies they have relinquished. Much to my surprise, watches topped the list (replaced in most cases by the clock in a cell phone). Personally, my watch is my most used mobile equipment. Always on, featherweight, quick to read. Every couple of years I check out what's available for watches as tools and I come back to the model I have worn 24/7 for 20 years: a classic Swatch Original. I wear it in the shower, swimming, and while I sleep. It's what a watch should be: waterproof, nearly indestructible, accurate, and radically legible. Clear, black-on-white glow-in-the-dark numbers (no hour ticks) in an analog face. Day/date optional. And best of all, at $40 the Swatch is probably the cheapest rugged watch you can buy. Luxury watches perplex me: what are you getting extra? Sure, the plastic wristbands of the Swatch wear out and are cheaply replaced every five years, but you'll lose a Swatch before it crashes. There are other models for making a fashion statement; for a straightforward design worthy of Apple, look for the Original (or Classic) Gents or Ladies. It is still the best bargain going for a personal timekeeping tool.

-- KK

Swatch Original
$50
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Swatch

Many varieties of synthetic underwear claim to shed perspiration, breathe easily, and provide great comfort. I disagree.

On a recent winter backcountry skiing trip, I finally swore off wearing synthetic underwear due to the horrific body odor generated. I don't care what the manufacturers say in denial (I have sampled nearly every brand and variety from Patagonia to REI to North Face) -- they all smell. All of my skiing companions notice the same with their clothing, so it's not a personal quirk.

In their place, I have been very pleased to substitute underwear made both by Smartwool and Ibex. The difference in comfort is palpable - wool simply doesn't hold an odor, and they breathe and dry about the same as the best synthetics. I find wool also feels less clammy when soaked with perspiration. The only downside is a slightly increased cost, but you can cover that by buying only one or two shirts and washing them easily by hand on an extended trip. While I do use wool for underwear and longjohns (although synthetics aren't too bad for them), you'll see a dramatic difference in using a wool longjohn shirt because of the decrease in pit odor.

I've extended my woolen wear to T-shirts worn under sweaters during urban travel in the winter and find them entirely comfortable and easily washable on the road.

Highly recommended.

-- Douglas O'Heir

Ibex Wool Briefs
$28
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Ibex

Smartwool Underwear
Available from, among others, Campmor

Manufactured by Smartwool

Often copied, never quite equaled, the Tilley Hat is the most all-purpose chapeau I know. Its broad brim keeps the sun or light rain off, the bit of foam in the flat crown pads the skull against light whacks and keeps the hat floating in water, and the double strap defeats all wind. (Use just the rear strap behind your head to hold the hat in all but strong winds; the front strap under the chin is effective but dorky looking.) The Canadian behind the Tilley line has generated a humorous but effective fetishism around his durable hats. With one or both side brims snapped up to the crown you get a rakish look which also stiffens the front brim against wind. The Tilley packs well and does last for many years; however, a lot of hot weather use will stain it incurably with sweat. You may not mind.
-- SB

Tilley Hat
About $60.00
Available from Tilley Endurables

Also from Amazon

Aerostich is a kind of the whole earth catalog for the long distance, world touring motorcyclist crowd. They have a variety of stuff for sale, but they are best known for their heavy duty, weather resistant Aerostich riding suits with ballistic padding. These riding suits are expensive but awesome - I use my Darien suit for both motorcycling and snowboarding. Ten years ago they had no competition - Aerostich was synonymous with riding suits - but now they are often imitated with varying degrees of success. All of their suits are made in America - in a small factory in Duluth - and their excellent customer service sometimes includes interaction with the owner - Andy Goldfine, who seems to be a great guy with a great sense of humor. [Also suggested by Jim Priest]

-- Steve Fox

Aerostich Darien Jacket and Pants
$300 - $500 each

"These pants are made for working, and that's just what they'll do," it says in the catalog, and that is no shit. These pants are vastly sturdier, longer-lasting, more comfortable and beautiful than jeans. They have pockets below the knee that accommodate their custom-fitted light-weight kneeling pads. Those pads alone are worth the $60 price. I never realized how often around the house, tractor, and woods, I found myself holding my body at an uncomfortable, back-stressing angle until I had these pants that made kneeling easy and restful. They have pull-out pouches for nails or screws that are reverse slashed so you can get into them with either hand. In a marvelous example of intelligent design, these hang outside--unless, if they're not full, you want to tuck them inside the regular front pockets. An array of other pockets can hold everything from a cell phone to a wrench. They're the ultimate cargo pants.

A word of caution: I had to send my first pair back because I was fantasizing about my waist size, using the size from my last pair of jeans. These pants are brutally honest, and they want to fit up around your belly button, which is a problem if you no longer have as much of a waist as you did when you were 23, but like to think you do. So don't suck it in. Stand like you will be when you're holding a chain saw and when in doubt, buy one size larger. You can always burn the tag.

For this and other extraordinarily desirable gear, go to my favorite wish book, the Duluth Trading Co. catalog.

-- Joel Garreau

Skillers Duckweave Pants
$70
Duluth Trading Co.

This hat is ultralight, crushable, breathes well, and keeps the sun off round the head. I've had a hemp Caribe hat from Watership Trading Companie for about four years and I don't go out in the sun without it. It is much lighter than any other hat I've seen with a full brim.

When I'm kayaking I periodically dip it in the water. The off-white hemp dries faster than cotton canvas, doesn't have a leather band to bleed color or get sweaty, and always looks good.

The Tilley hat you recommend already is a great hat too, and I notice it now comes in hemp. But it isn't as simple and light as the Watership hat. (I wish the manufacturers listed the weights of all their hats.) If the strap were cut off (and if you can get one to fit as well as mine, the strap is unnecessary) the Watership hat would be essentially rotationally symmetric while the Tilley has a narrower brim on the sides, and is generally narrower all around. The Tilley hat seems designed to have a vented airspace above the head (and is thus stiff enough to stay erect) while my hat fits snug on top of my head.

Lastly, the Watership is $13 cheaper. Made in the US (my hometown of Bellingham, WA), from sustainably grown materials, I can't recommend the hemp Caribe hat enough.

-- Ian Taylor

Hemp Caribe Hat
$56 from
Bay Hat & Canvas

Manufactured by
Watership Trading

French and expensive, Mephistos are what walking sneakers should be: good looking, hard wearing, and very comfortable. I wear the basic black model all the time, so much that I now take advantage of Mephisto's offer to resole their shoes indefinitely. Since the shoes are leather, they adapt to your peculiar foot (such as my bunions), and they're robust enough to carry on for many years with occasionally refreshed soles. I own two pair, so one is working while the other is in the shop.

-- SB

Mephisto Shoes
About $200, from places like
Mephisto Great Lakes

Also from Amazon.

A friend turned me on to these fabulous shirts about five years ago; now I won't ever wear a cotton tee-shirt for any strenuous activity. These synthetic fabric shirts dry super-quickly, keeping you cool during intense activity. Conversely, in colder weather, the quick-drying feature keeps you warmer.

After I'm done, I wear mine right into the shower, give it a quick wash with soap, then hang it up to dry. It dries in a few hours and is ready for the next workout.

-- Jonathan Steigman

Duofold Varitec T-Shirt
$13
REI

Also from Amazon

Cooler than shoes, warmer than sandals, and ready for water.

-- KK

Keen sandals have a solid shoe-like toe covering that I've never seen in Tevas-like amphibious sandals. This covering keeps the sand out and eliminates stubbed toes. They're warmer than Tevas and almost not sandals at all. I think of them as very sturdy water shoes. They have arch support and sturdy, gripping soles. They lace with an elastic gizmo that fastens easily and securely. Best of all, water runs right out of them and they dry very quickly. No more dreading the wet footwear as I head off on my daily trek on the beach. I've put about 300 Miles on the current pair and they show little sign of wear. My beach has some steep vertical climbs that I traverse without fear of slipping. They seem to carry me easily between the water and the land. It took a little while to adjust to the idea that I could wear socks with them.

-- John Sumser

I've searched for years for give-me-everything sandals and after trekking with my pair of Keens through Europe and a hot New England summer I actually ordered another pair of them, just in case I can't find them again in ten years when my current pair wears out. My Keen sandals are easy to slip on and off, and provide that cooling breeze as I stroll along. If I want to run, bike, hike, or climb a wall, I just use the handy cinch, tighten them up, and go. They are waterproof and quick-drying, which makes them beach-useful as well.

-- Scott Walker

Keen Sandals
$90
Available from, among others,
Cabela's

Also from Amazon

Manufactured by Keen Sandals

I have five now and plan to get more. The 5.11 does everything I want in terms of comfort and pockets and yet looks dignified enough to serve as duty shirts for police, who are its primary market.

The 5.11 Tactical shirt is based on Royal Robbins' excellent Expedition Shirt (which I've praised elsewhere in Cool Tools); the main difference is that it's 100% cotton. The most appealing functional features for me are: 1) large document pockets hidden on each side of the shirt front (my cell phone/PDA lives in one, my Levenger notepad in the other); 2) a subtle vent on the back, with non-cotton wicking lining for the back and shoulders (which makes it a four-season shirt, good with or without a T-shirt underneath); and 3) the best keepers for rolled shirtsleeves (also a help for four-season use or variable weather).

Appearance features: 1) nifty upper-sleeve pen pocket, an improvement on noising up your chest with metal in a breast pocket; 2) shirt buttons that are colored to blend in with the fabric color, so you're not a row of dots; 3) velcro pocket closures, less conspicuous and handier than buttons; 4) sensible colors. There are optional features of interest to cops but not to me---hidden button-down for collar, sew-on epaulets, sew-on badge holder.

The shirt is available for women as well as men. Also comes in a short-sleeve version. Colors are white, sage, khaki, olive green, charcoal, navy blue, and black; I most like the green and black. (There is a variation of the 5.11 shirt called "A/B" which I suggest avoiding. It's too coppy---sewn-in pleats, epaulets, and badge-holder, and an unpleasant synthetic material emphasizing rayon. Get the cotton.)

-- Stewart Brand

The 5.11 tactical shirt is simply the best field/hiking shirt I have owned. If you are the kind of person who juggles maps and notebooks while outdoors, this is the only shirt to wear. At first glance, it looks like a typical hiking shirt, but the difference is in the details.

For example, the "Napolean" pockets ( large horizontal velcro-closed slash pockets behind the visible breast pockets) are huge --7-inches by 8-inches. Large enough to comfortably hold a folded topo map and notepad in the field or a wallet and and a PDA in town. The pockets were originally designed to hold pistols for cops, so one can comfortably carry heavy objects in them. Other details include pen slots on the left pocket and the upper left sleeve. The right pocket has a hidden zipper to securely store small items, and the sleeves have the first practical roll-up keepers I have found.

This is a truly versatile shirt, that fits in anywhere from the Sierra to casual business meetings. I was grateful to have all those pockets recently while standing on a wilderness ridge in a driving rain at midnight, juggling a radio and map and scribbling on a rite-in-the-rain pad. But I also wear my navy blue version of the shirt (I own five) as my standard casual business dress. It goes nicely with khaki dockers and lets me carry my wallet and other junk without resort to the usual pants-pocket bulge.

-- Paul Saffo

5.11Tactical shirt
$40
There are a number of suppliers. Brigrade Quartermaster is as good as any.

Also try Amazon

Manufactured by
5.11 Tactical

Warm wool socks that don't itch. Using a terrycloth weave of 100% Merino wool, these socks are blister-proof, machine washable, and come in four thicknesses, from a very light liner, to a heavy mountaineering sock. I use the Light or Hiker styles, which give incredible comfort with no feet moisture. They stand up to wear and repeated washing amazingly well. I haven't had a blister yet, even with new boots. And they really don't itch. Well worth the extra dollars.

-- KK

Smartwool Socks
$16
From, among other places
Amazon

Manufactured by Smartwool

Ya-shure, winter in Minnesota is cold and dry --and sometimes sunny and lovely. It can be a blast if you know how to get out and tromp around. As a non-native it took me 30 years to learn what to wear up here. Don't wait that long. Here's a key to Minnesota winter survival: Steger Mukluks. I cry when I think about the first time I put on a pair of these. Lightweight, warm, and comfortable -- at minus 20F! It's an incredible feeling of winter freedom. Like wearing your favorite bedroom slippers as you hike over the tundra, all day long. I rarely take them off once I hike to the office.

Steger and company, and the original Inuit designers, should be blessed by the Pope for finding a cure for frozen feet. The secret is in the soft (moosehide) sole which allows nerve endings in the feet to be constantly stimulated by movement, so more warm blood goes to that area.

My favorite style is the Arctic Weathermate which has "traveled to both the North Pole and South Pole on the feet of expeditioneers and others." At $159, they're well worth it. I'm thinking of getting a shorter, moccasin style, too. Get the right size by sending a tracing of your foot up to Ely, MN. The crew there is fantastic.

-- Ann Potter

Mukluks

Shoes of any sort. Wide, kids, vegetarian, everything. Zappos has flat out the best web shopping/catalog experience on the Web. They have awesome policies -- free shipping on most orders AND free shipping on returns up to 365 days! Click on the "sale" link, select your size, sort by price and shop until your heart's content.

--TDW

Zappos.com

I'm bald, and my father was a hat hobbyist, so I come by my hat interest biologically. Furthermore, I grew up in the northern midwest---I know about cold ears.

These two wool-plus hats from Tilley are the best winter headgear I know for wear-around use.

The "Winter Hat" is a tweed marvel, with short sloping brim all around, fold-down ear flaps, and a fold-down forehead warmer (a great comfort against a chill headwind, but invisible to others, being hidden behind the brim). The ear flaps are slightly cupped around the ear for further wind protection. The wool is teflon-treated, so rain and snow pretty much bounce off. The hat can be folded into a jacket pocket, yet retains its shape perfectly. In two varieties of tweed, plus black, it's a surprisingly handsome hat---"friendly," Brian Eno called it. People call out: "Nice hat!"

The "Winter Cap" looks like your basic New England wool deer hunter's cap, with big baseball-cap brim and ear flaps. But it has the Tilley augmentations---forehead flap, teflon treatment, excellent construction. I love it under a hood in cold precipitation---keeps my glasses dry and clear. Black or red; get the red.

--Stewart Brand

Tilley Winter Hats
$85 (worth it)
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Tilley

Maxit is an amazing material for workouts (and staying warm and dry in general). Maxit is what NFL players wear under their uniforms in winter games. It's a stretchy 92% polyolefin, 8% lycra material that looks like tights you can get in running and biking stores, but it's a different product and not easy to find. My friend Bob Anderson (of Stretching fame) lives in the Rockies near Colorado Springs and goes on 5-7 hour bike rides and all he generally wears is Maxit. I wear one layer when the temp is as low as the '40s. It's a bit cold starting out but as soon as your blood is moving, you're warm (and dry). I think it's better than any of the Pategonia, North Face etc. type hi-tech clothing. I have hats, zip-up shirts, gloves, and tights. My favorite is what's called the QBZ, long-sleeved with neck zipper. Bob sells Maxit gear, along with other body tools.

-- Lloyd Kahn

Full Length Motion Tights
$54
QBZ Long Sleeve Zippered
$70
Maxit

Available from
Stretching.com
Also from Amazon

I'm a big fan of the work clothes from Duluth Trading Company. My lastest score is a set of $16 suspenders that I can highly recommend. They are uncommonly comfortable, because the straps are two inches wide. They attach to your pants with buttons, not clamps. I hate clamps. They loosen, they break, and they're ugly. The harnesses that hold the straps onto the buttons of your pants are nicely made of leather that is a good balance between handsome and sturdy. My galluses are an attractive red. (They also come in navy.) These braces are best used with a $4 set of brass buttons to attach to your pants. And best of all -- best of all -- these buttons are actually rivet-like affairs. You don't sew them on. You put them on your pants by taking a little nail that comes as part of the kit, pushing it through the waistband of your pants from the back, then sticking that nail into the brass button that you wear on the front, and whamming it home with a hammer. I can't tell you how entertaining I find it to tailor my clothes with a 16-ounce hammer. I wish all my clothes were this satisfying.

These suspenders are best used, I think, with the Skillers 12-oz. Brown Duck Work Pants with the removable knee pads and the nail pouches that fit inside your front pockets when empty. (I think they�re better than Carhartt -- how's that for heresy?)��

I wonder how pissed my wife will be when I hammer my next set of buttons into my suit pants.

--Joel Garreau

Duluth Trading Button Suspenders
Item No.90107

Eight-pack of Brass Buttons
Item No.90203

Skillers 12-oz. Brown Duck Work Pants
Item No.20993

My latest revelation in gear: all the new outdoor clothes I really like share this common thread, that they are made of hi-tech softshell fabrics produced by the same Swiss company, Schoeller. Softshell outdoor clothes are more than just stretchy. They mark a better way of constructing the clothes that you wear while exerting energy. Essentially the Schoeller fabrics are similar to GoreTex but they are more permeable and they stretch. This allows much more free motion, more breathability, and allows the clothes to fit tighter saving material weight.�Softshells shed moister/heat/sweat *much* faster than GoreTex and they are super comfy at the end of the day around camp or even in your sleeping bag. However my favorite characteristic of these new fabrics is that they act similar to fleece so that they keep their ability to insulate and feel good against the skin even if they are saturated with water, whereas hardshell fabrics just feel like wet plastic bag against your body. These Schoeller fabrics are super good for cycling, climbing, and mountaineering... basically sports where you sweat. I still like hardshell garments for sailing and snowboarding where for the most part you are being eaten by the wind and weather.�

-- Alexander Rose

The best softshell clothing companies I have found:

Cloudveil
Excellent pants and tops

Arcteryx
Bad web site, amazing gear all around. They also have hybrid soft/hardshell clothes that I have yet to try but look very promising.

Beyond Fleece
Allows you to customize the gear you order. Add pockets, hoods, waterproof zippers etc...

Much of this gear is prohibitively expensive, like $300 for a jacket. I usually go to local dealers and figure out the sizing and then shop around on the outlets.

Try Sierra Trading Post or Schoeller

Inadvertently they've become my all-purpose boots---work boots, hiking boots, running boots, bushwhacking boots, ford-two-miles-up-the-creek boots.

I originally got them on a whim to check out the special boots used for Navy SEALs training, where the trainees run in the surf with them, then run in deep sand and on pavement, wear them on the obstacle course and then on the calisthenics asphalt, for three months of 20-hour days. Even in hot San Diego the boots are worn with heavy wool/cotton socks, their tops cleverly turned down to protect the boot lace ties.

The Bates 924 is basically the Army tropical boot. It makes no attempt at waterproofness but (like softshell jackets) arranges things so you don't care if your feet are soaked. There are little weep holes with fine mesh screen near the instep for water to run out. Most of the upper part of the boot is Cordura. The shock-absorbing insole comes out handily to ease drying. The boots are thus VERY light---each of my size 12s is only 24.5 ounces. (An equivalent lightweight Danner Cordura boot with GoreTex is 10 ounces heavier.)

The most spectacular feature using the boots is INSTANT lacing---one tug and you're good to go. No other laced footwear has a fraction of this convenience. Consequently it's a breeze to do the important chore of taking your boots off every hour or so to refresh your feet and head off blisters. The thick socks also help protect your feet yet are surprisingly comfortable in hot weather. Unlike most boots now, the Bates 924s have very firm and snug heel cups (that's what protects your ankles). The 8-inch tops shield your socks from burrs and ankles from scrapes.

The easiest place to get the boots is a SEAL pre-training source on the Web, GetFitNow.com. At $80 the boots are inexpensive enough you don't worry about trashing them. The GetFitNow site also has the excellent heavy white SEAL socks ($6), though I find that Mountaineer Socks from Smartwool (of course) feel even better. (GetFitNow also features SEAL training books and tapes. To see the whole line of Bates uniform footwear, check the Bates site.)

-- Stewart Brand

Bates 924 Boots
$100 streetprice
Yahoo Shopping

Navy SEAL Dive Socks
$6
Yahoo Shopping

SmartWool Socks
$20
REI
Also previously available from Amazon

Bates Footware

*

If you're as interested as I was in the full legend of the selection pressure of SEAL BUD/S training that made these boots great, you'll enjoy THE WARRIOR ELITE: The Forging of Seal Class 228, by ex-SEAL Captain Dick Couch (2001).
Amazon

Travel underwear. These very lightweight, super quick-drying, comfortable briefs are made of a blended material with a new finish that is unusually resistant to the growth of bacteria. You wash them in cold water in your hotel room at night and they are dry before morning. In a pinch, they can be dry in a couple hours if you roll them in a towel and squeeze the water out before you hang them up. I reused one pair of underwear three times on a recent trip.

--Howard Rheingold

Exofficio Underpants for Men
$18
Also available from Amazon

Exofficio Underpants for Women
$10
Also available from Amazon

Recently Paul Saffo and Stewart Brand were raving about the Buff, the all-in-one garment. I am picky and a minimalist when it comes to clothing, but the Buff, in addition to being a shape-shifter, also weighs almost nothing, so I thought I should try it. It's pretty neat, now part of my pack. --KK
Here is what Paul Saffo wrote:

Y'all probably have known about Buff forever, but in case not, this thing is way cool. Described as "the original multi-functional Seamless Wear", it is a stretchy microfiber tube that can be a neckerchief/neck-scarf, headband, wristband, foulard, bandit-mask, hand-warmer, balaclava and more. I mostly use it as a neck-scarf when biking, and on hikes when it turns cool. Because it is microfiber, it has great thermal and wicking properties -- and it is a great glasses-cleaner.

Stewart Brand adds:
Do see their online movies of the ways to rig a Buff.

Buff
About $18
Available from Amazon