{"id":35266,"date":"2019-10-28T06:00:04","date_gmt":"2019-10-28T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=35266"},"modified":"2019-10-31T11:33:58","modified_gmt":"2019-10-31T17:33:58","slug":"himali-a-gear-company-with-great-ideas-and-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/28\/himali-a-gear-company-with-great-ideas-and-products\/","title":{"rendered":"HIMALI: A Gear Company with Great Ideas and Products"},"content":{"rendered":"

How often does a new company enter the highly competitive market for quality outdoor jackets and clothing \u2026 and succeed? Well, Boulder, Colorado-based HIMALI<\/a> has done just that and judging by their second-generation line, they are excelling.<\/p>\n

\"\"Full disclosure, company founders Dave Schaeffer and Tendi Sherpa provided at no charge all the gear I have used for evaluation. I\u2019ve been using their first-generation down jacket for over a year now and it has become my goto jacket here in Colorado, on Nepal\u2019s Island Peak last October and this year in Ecuador and Bolivia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The second-generation is full of small improvements and maintains the quality and durability of its\u2019 predecessor. Here I am on a crisp October day in Colorado\u2019s Rocky Mountain Park about to climb the 2nd<\/sup> of the Ptarmigan Fingers next to the Tyndall Glacier.<\/p>\n

A quick list of features that I find well designed and implemented include large, large pockets that are strong and suitable for almost anything you need outside your pack, well-sized and fitted hoods for helmets, very strong exterior materials and easy, reliable zippers.<\/p>\n

Now for a quick rundown on the new products I\u2019ve been using for a month or so.<\/p>\n

The Altocumulus Down Jacket 2.0 Men’s Hooded\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

This is my go-to down jacket. One of my favorite features is that you will never lose the stuff sack, it\u2019s sewn into an outer pocket! The outer material is Pertex\u00ae Quantum ripstop nylon that is truly durable. It\u2019s filled with 4.5 ounces of 850 Hyper DRY\u00ae down meaning you don\u2019t have to worry as much if the jacket gets damp from sweat or wet snowfall as it will maintain its warmth. As for the tiny improvements, they include a bit of fleece around the section of the jacket, when fully zipped, that softy touches your mouth and a tiny \u201czipper garage\u201d, again when fully zipped, keeps the end from poking you. These details show that Dave and Tendi are paying attention to climber\u2019s needs. It retails for $294.95. It also comes in a nonhooded option.<\/p>\n

Altitude Down Parka\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

This jacket is a step-up in terms of fill weight. It shares many of the same features as it\u2019s little brother, the Altocumulus but\u00a0is twice as warm with 8 ounces of down fill for those extra cold and windy days up high. One nice addition is the fleece-lined front pockets. Overall this is a solid piece that will do the job when called upon. It retails for $394.95.<\/p>\n

Ascent Stretch Hoodie\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

The Ascent Stretch Hoodie is\u00a0a synthetic insulation layer <\/b>filled with 100g of Primaloft\u00ae Gold Active+ Insulation wrapped in a Toray\u00ae Primeflex Nylon Stretch Shell. This makes it one of the most insulated softshells on the market and thus one of the warmest. This piece meets the needs for warmth on a coldish day even in a brisk wind. They say it repels a decent rain but I haven\u2019t tested that. It\u2019s a bit bulky but wears well underneath with one the HIMALI down jackets. I wore it on an ice climb recently and was very pleased. It retails for $249.95. It also comes in a nonhooded option.<\/p>\n

Guide Flex Pants<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

While these pants are only available through their outlet store, for now, I highly recommend them. I wore them on my recent ice climb and now they are my goto winter to shoulder-season pair. They are made of spandex and nylon resulting in a 4-way stretch softshell layer that are incredibly lightweight yet warm and wind-resistant. They excel at repelling water yet breathe well. There are bottom zippers for boot access and an integrated belt tension system to allow you to get the right fit. Overall a great pair of pants.<\/p>\n