Gear up and go

A jacket that dries with a hiker’s body heat.

An expedition-worthy kayak that folds into a backpack.

A cook stove light enough to cart to a mountain top and easy enough to use at the office.

Cutting-edge gear for hiking, paddling and climbing is on store shelves now, and many of the new products are lighter, more durable and easier to use.

We visited with gear guru Adrien Pritchard of Cascade Crags in Everett to find the best bets for the newest fall gear.

Jet Boil Stove

At 15 ounces, the Jet Boil Stove ($80) rivals the lightest stoves on the market and is twice as fuel-efficient. Plus, hikers don’t need to buy a pot set, windscreen or stand because all three are built in.

The stove is about the size of a Nalgene bottle and can boil one cup of water in less than 90 seconds. It looks more like a travel mug than a stove. An insulating layer of Neoprene (the material from which wet suits are made) and a handle allows users to eat or drink straight out of the canister.

While the stove’s light weight is appealing to serious outdoor enthusiasts, commuters and day hikers are snapping up the stoves because they’re easy to use and don’t require assembly, Pritchard said.

Fujita kayak

Japanese-based Fujita Canoe has combined convenience and durability with the kayak PE480, a folding craft that fits into a backpack.

The 3-foot tall backpack has padded straps and waist belt, and weighs less than 40 pounds.

Foldable kayaks aren’t new, but the crafts have been less stable and not as durable as rigid kayaks, Pritchard said.

Inflatable air bladders inside the kayak provide better stability, Pritchard said. And new seamless technology makes this kayak tough-enough to handle sea expeditions.

The manufacturer makes the boat seamless by gluing a fabric strip over the edges of the fabric, rather than stitching it together. Also, the major seams are melted together, making the boat more durable. Because there are no holes, the boat is waterproof and stronger.

At $3,000 this boat is nearly twice the price of a plastic kayak. But for paddlers who don’t have the space to store a boat or who want to take their kayak with them by plane, this product may be worth the price.

Black Diamond tents

Black Diamond offers a line of lightweight weatherproof tents that pack down to about the size of a football.

Black Diamond’s tents include First Light ($300), a two-person alpine “ledge” tent; Light Saver ($180), a bivy sack; and Light House ($370), a two-person tent with a vented opening on the long side and more space than the ledge model.

Pritchard expects Black Diamond’s First Light to be a popular item because it’s an affordable alternative to comparable ledge tents such as one made by Bibler that costs $680.

Super lightweight poles and waterproof, breathable fabric are what make these tents special, Pritchard said. Waterproof fabric is typically made of nylon or polyurethane, which can crack and leak over time. The floors of the tents are made of Silnylon, a waterproof material.

Black Diamond uses Epic fabric by Nextec, which encapsulates each thread in Teflon coating, making the tents more durable. When the tents starts to leak, Pritchard says wash it, throw it in the dryer and the fibers puff up again. Voila, it’s good as new. “It’s wash-and-wear breathable type of stuff,” he said.

Since the seams on this tent aren’t sealed, the tent is considered “weatherproof” rather than “waterproof.” While the fabric holds up fine under heavy condensation and rain, it’s not intended to withstand torrential thunderstorms or super heavy, wet snow, Pritchard warned.

Marmot Chinook jacket

Hikers don’t believe Pritchard when he tells them Marmot’s Chinook jacket ($100) dries with their own body heat.

If it rains, Pritchard said, he takes off the jacket, wrings it out and puts it back on. Even if it’s saturated it dries quickly.

It’s light at 3 ounces and folds up into a ball the size of an apple in its own pocket.

Wild Things’ Epic Windshirt

At 8 ounces, Wild Things’ Epic Windshirt ($108) is made from the same water resistant, breathable fabric as the Black Diamond tents. The wind shirt is a good alternative to a heavy, laminated jacket, particularly for cross-country skiers, snowshoers or others working up a sweat.

Metolius personal anchor system

Rock climbers use daisy chains – a sewn webbing sling with multiple loops – at belay stations. While one loop of a daisy chain can hold a typical climber’s weight, it isn’t strong enough to hold a falling climber, Pritchard said.

Metolius has created PAS, a “personal anchor system,” in which each super strong loop can hold the weight of a falling climber. The PAS ($35.50) doubles as an anchor equalizer or runner when removed from a climber’s harness.

The PAS is bulkier than the typical daisy chain but “the benefits outweigh the bulk” because climbers can use it as an anchor, Pritchard said.

Black Diamond Zenix and Ion headlamps

Black Diamond’s headlamps are some of the first to come equipped with new LED (light emitting diodes) technology that make the lights compact, energy efficient and five times brighter than standard LEDs.

Black Diamond’s Ion ($20) is a headlamp the size of a matchbook. It’s two LEDs run on one 6-volt battery. Pritchard keeps one in his glove box for emergencies because it’s brighter and easier to use than a pen light.

LEDs don’t cast light further than about 20 feet. Black Diamond combined two of the new LED technology lights with a halogen light that beams 45 feet in the Zenix headlamp ($44.50), giving users the best of both worlds.

Herald Writer Debra Smith may be reached at 425-339-3197. Send e-mail to dsmith@heraldnet.com.