|
|
|
GearCheckMarch/April '05 Diva Yi Shun Enlists Some Help A girl gets very lonely checking gear by herself. So we enlisted a few friends to help us out in the very first-ever, definitely to-be-repeated Divas Gearcheck Retreat. Friends of Divas Kristin, Jen, Sara, and Jody all helped us out to take a look at some very important snow-gear. (We don’t know about you, but we just got seriously dumped on here in the Northeast, and we’re going to be using some of this gear this very weekend.) So without further ado, here’s the list of must-have stuff in order to best navigate the white stuff! First: The Softgoods. We’re Divas. Our friends are Divas. We know it. So when we went looking for the best-looking slopeside gear around, we turned to the company that we knew had a solid background in creating gear that looked super-hot (read: snow-bunny wear), and put it to the test in frigid northeast temperatures. Obermeyer was the lucky choice (Diva Yi Shun has a white Obermeyer snowsuit from years ago, with orange and pink flames appliquéd on it and those fabulous stirrup pants that were so popular). Fortunately, the folks at Obermeyer are still the premier brand for great-looking slope wear—but does it stand up to the wear and tear that the Divas will put them through?
We all went like crazy for the 007 ski jacket and its corresponding Bond Pant. It is very very hard for a ski suit to feel sleek but this one does it. Seeing as how it was close to freezing in Maine when we went up, we actually wore the whole suit out snowshoeing. The shell and pant are both softshells, and we really appreciated the flex and the inside soft material on the pant. The material was great for the high level of aerobic movement involved in snowshoeing, and great for shedding wet snow while still allowing our skin to breathe. We should note that the suit is most definitely a spring skiing suit. We know this because we took the thing out in January to Sunday River, where it was 16 degrees at the base and 12 degrees up top, where we spent most of our time, we could only really squeeze in a few hours of skiing before we got too cold and had to stop in for some hot chocolate. Still, it kept us appropriately warm for a few runs, and isn’t that what being a snow-bunny is all about? We were thrilled to hear, as we passed folks on the slopes (whizzing by gracefully, as proper snowbunnies are wont to do) very nice comments, like, “Hey! Your jackets are beautiful!” and, “Are you part of a ski team?” We did have a few comments for the Obermeyer folks: First, more pockets, please. Diva wears a backpack when skiing, so it’s not horrible—but we needed something handy to keep wallets, spare cash, lip balm—you know, stuff you have to get at. Now, we’re aware that too many pockets ruins that line of the garment. So we guess it’s a toss-up. But still. One more can’t hurt. Another thing: The zipper pulls do need to be a bit bigger. It’s not easy to grab those little things with mittened paws. Also, we didn’t find a good place to put our lift ticket. We did find that you could loop the ticket wicket through a loop in the pocket (we think that loop was meant for gloves), but then you had to either keep that pocket open or pull the ticket in and out all the time. Not convenient. In terms of performance, though, we all really enjoyed this suit. We particularly liked the sealed zippers on the suit—we think they kept us very very warm. Bond Pant, $189.50, 007 Jacket, $189.50.
Obermeyer also sent us their X-Ray insulator, which, although too bulky to fit under the Bond suit (we wore that with UnderArmour’s Cold Gear, below), were also a good choice for highly aerobic activities, or for just mucking around town. One more reason the X-Ray insulator is a good choice for aerobic activities: The nylon shell “interrupts" at the armpit and is replaced with mesh, making for great breathability. FOD Kristin believes it’s “perfect!” for snowshoeing. X-Ray Insulator, $99.50.
Diva Yi Shun went skiing with a pair of Swany “Lioness” gloves that just plain tickled her pink, and not just because of the funky faux-fur cuff. I used this glove for dusting snow off the car, for trekking through the woods, for driving, even. The rolled-finger construction and the leather pad on the palm meant that I could maneuver with great dexterity and grip things pretty well, and the barrel-lock cord in the cuff locked out wind and snow really well. The glove doesn’t stand up as well to windy conditions as I’d like, but it should be noted that it was 12 degrees at the top of the hill, not counting windchill, and that the Diva has horrible circulation. The Underarmour Cold Gear base layer, top (Daybreak 1/4 Zip) and bottom (Frosty Tights), quickly became our all-around. We wore it in the house, out to grocery shopping, and out on the slopes and on the snowshoeing trails. Its fleecy underside was perfect against our ravaged winter skin, and it didn’t seem to retain much odor, either (we went three hard-working days before we put it in the wash). Kristin had an issue with the neckline, however, mentioning that the fabric used for the mock turtleneck was thicker than she would have liked, especially when worn under a shell that zips all the way up, like the Bond shell. And Jody noted that, although there is a flap that covers the zipper when it’s zipped up there is no flap to protect against chafing when you unzip and are still running. We understand—who wants to walk around with a mark like a hickey on your neck, when all you’ve been doing is going for a long run? Both Jody and Diva Yi Shun note that Underarmour has amazing wicking qualities that we really appreciate.
Kristin wasn’t overly enamoured with the waistband on the Cold Gear bottom, and suggests a winder band that won’t dig into your belly. Overall, though, these pieces performed really well. We’re thrilled that they passed the test for many different levels of activity. Great all-around pieces. Daybreak 1/4 Zip, $60, and Frosty Tights, $50. Now for the hard goods. Way back, a long time ago, Diva ranted about not being able to run in the snow. We gave you one solution back then—and now, for the next generation. We’re utterly enamoured with YakTrax. Essentially an everyday version of Crampons, they’re great for walking to the train station and back, or just going to get your mail. They’re also great for long walks in the woods, and essential for runners who regularly venture onto snow-and ice-covered roads. Jody noted that they “should be a requirement for walking or running on slippery terrain.” We quite agree. Yaktrax Pro, $27.95. We also had the opportunity to try out two brands of MSR’s really fabulous snowshoes, the Denali Evo and the Lightning Ascent. We were looking specifically for snowshoes that we could race in, and while both pairs worked well for running through the snow, we were utterly thrilled with the Lightning Ascent’s narrower footprint and the ease of its buckling system, as well as its super-lightweight aluminum construction.
We all agreed that the buckling system on the Denali Evo and its wider, more square footprint was considerably better suited to true back-country work where you might have to blaze your own trail—and never unbuckle the shoe. (There are four straps on this thing.) We’ll leave the Denali Evo at home on races and take the Lightning to any race, any time. Denali Evo, $169.95, and Lightning Ascent, $249.95.
There is, of course, one more category to run through, and that is the really really soft goods category. Way back when we started to put together our Gearcheck weekend, we stumbled upon an amazing company that practices sustainable agriculture and is based on true love. (What more could you ask?) James Pereya, all of 32 years old, went on a mad search for the perfect sunscreen to shield his fiancé, who has lupus, from the California sun. A few short years later, Fenix Cosmetics is the darling of the Hollywood set and available in every hot dermatologist’s office, but we’ve commandeered it for our own use.
Diva Yi Shun and Kristin used the Fenix sunscreen, which is specifically formulated to be a moisturizer, when we went skiing and snowshoeing, and although it’s not waterproof or sweat-resistant, it boasts the incredible property of not feeling at all like sunscreen. Diva Yi Shun uses it every single day now, in place of her usual moisturizer, and wouldn’t think of going without it, ever. We’ll make our next purchase online at Fenix’s web site. We also tried out Fenix’s incredibly luxurious lip balm. It comes in a big, fat tube (lasts a long time) and the version that comes with SPF 20 has rapidly become Jody’s favorite. She says it lasts longer than other lip balms she’s tried and that it’s ended up being her premier choice for lip balms. Diva Yi Shun has been wearing the non-SPF version and she likes that too, but I think I’ll go the SPF route next time—walking around with my face so protected by Fenix but not my lips feels funny. Kristin noted that the balm is a great base for lip stick. Spoken like a true Diva. Fenix Lip Treatment with SPF 20, $15, and Fenix Rehydrating Sunscreen with SPF 30, $28.
In true Diva fashion, we’ll leave you with a long, hot shower and even tell you how to get the most out of it. We recently discovered Morning Indigo, a great line of body products created by Taylor Sparks, a triathlete who was fed up with the dry skin that results from training and showering, training and showering, training and showering… She created two products we like a lot, the Tri-Body Wash, which we love in a muscle-relaxing eucalyptus blend, and the Tri-Body Spray, which we tried in her Relaxing blend of ginger and sandalwood. The Tri-Body Wash smells just incredible in the steam of the shower and is made of good old castille soap (yes, the stuff that Doc Bronner’s is made of) that’s gentle enough to use on your hair and face.
The Tri-Body Spray is fully oil-based, which is great for dry winter skin. It feels very emollient and stays on longer than other lotions do, which makes everything feel very protected. (Our test: Get into pool. Get into shower. Get into just-laundered and line-dried pair of blue jeans.) Also, the spray smells good enough to eat, which is just what everyone looks for in the locker room. One lady said, with her nose in the air, “I smell ginger. It smells wonderful.” Yes. Thank you. And now, thanks to Taylor, we smell wonderful too. Tri-Body Wash, $14. Tri-Body Spray, $18.
|
