Eco-Friendly Gear

Have you measured your carbon ‘handprint’ lately?  With the reduce & reuse green movement in full force, the Swany Eco-X Glove caught my attention as the first fully recyclable winter hand protection.  The multiple layers of the Insert, Insulation, and Lining are 100% recycled Polyester.  But the story doesn’t stop there.  Once the recycled glove reaches the end of its useful life, the user can send it back to Swany (they include the envelope) which will then break them down to their original polymer state through a chemical process in partnership with Teijin, t

I tested the Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket on a few early season backcountry ski tours. Weather conditions varied from bone-chilling fluffy powder, to a face stinging grapple, to a cool, clear blue bird morning. The Down Sweater Jacket kept me toasty as intermediate layer beneath my shell and as a outer layer. The jacket weights under a pound and can compress to the size of a Nalgene bottle. The shell material is made from 50% recycled polyester.

Tech Specs:

New for 2009. The Seattle Sports Active Trax is an eco-friendly portable speaker. The Active Trax is powered by a hand crank and/or a solar panel. The speaker is compatible with most music players, and also can tune in FM, AM and Weather Band Stations. The Active Trax comes with a protective case for the speaker and music player. You can find the frequency of the weather station in your area by visiting the NOAA website.

The Seattle Sports Audio Micro Dry Bag provides splash-proof water protection for your portable music player. A watertight audio jack allows you to plug your headphones into the outside of the bag, while keeping your music player(and other items) dry on the inside. The Audio Micro Dry Bag is made of an eco-friendly urethane-coated 70 denier ripstop Nylon. The bag protects your electronics from the elements and from abrasive forces you'll face in traveling.

Testing on the Snake River