You may have landed on this site and be confused about where PureOutside went. We’re still here!

PureOutside is now Pack & Trail!

Everything about Pack & Trail is the same as before. We still play outside and share our best adventures and gear reviews with you, just with a different name.

We’re doing our best to move over the to the new name for the website and social media channels but we apologies for anything that doesn’t work. There may be some links or images that need to be fixed. Let us know in the comments or the Contact Form and we’ll get it fixed up.

Be on the lookout for some new content and reviews later this year as we reset and get our bearings with the new name.

~ Ross

The post Welcome (back) to Pack & Trail! first appeared on Pack & Trail.

“Based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the mountains, rivers and trees of BC hold a special place in our hearts,” says Ross Collicutt, founder of Pack & Trail. “A percentage of all Pack & Trail income from ads, products, sponsored projects and affiliate revenue, goes to buying trees. Saving the places our wild, the places we play, is really the purpose of all the work we do.”

One Tree Planted has tree planting projects around the world. When you donate you can plant where it’s needed most or pick a specific location. From the British Columbia page on One Tree Planted:

“Notably, BC is home to incredible and iconic biodiversity like the Canada Lynx, Snowy Owl, Moose, and more. Forests cover two-thirds of the province – an area of almost 60 million hectares. Sadly, insect pests and diseases have decimated enormous areas of forest. These dead trees become fuel for wildfires, and in summer 2017 B.C. experienced its worst wildfire in history, with over 1.2 million hectares burned. You can help recover this essential wildlife habitat when you plant a tree.”

Every time you read an article on the Pack & Trail blog or use a product link on the site, you help plant more trees. You can also purchase trees directly from One Tree Planted.

You can also help our Tree Planting Team out by buying a tree through our team.

The post Pack & Trail Plants 150 Trees with One Tree Planted first appeared on Pack & Trail.

1877 sea captain Helly Juell Hansen was trying to stay warmer and dryer out in the harsh Norwegian weather.

launched his waterproof outdoor apparel business with linen soaked in linseed oil.

Since then Helly has innovated with outdoor materials creating one of the worlds first fleece jackets, LIFA base layers, LIFA Merino, H² Flow, LIFALOFT, LIFA Infinity Pro and Helly Tech waterproof membranes.

Today Helly makes some of the best sailing, outdoor and outdoor work apparel in the world, combining their many technologies to keep us warm and dry.

2022 is no different as they come back around with new pieces and old favourites for yet another winter in the sailing, outdoor and work spaces.

Here’s our favourite picks from Helly Hansen going into the fall and winter of 2022.

Our Favourite Helly Hansen Gear from Fall Winter 2022

Verglas Down Insulated Jacket

You can never go wrong with a good down puffer. It can be worn on its own on cold days or as a layering piece when it’s wet. I never go hiking or skiing now without one.

The Verglas Down Insulated Jacket is a simple lightweight puffer from Helly Hansen with 700 fill responsibly sourced down, PFC-free DWR coating on the outside and bluesign® approved manufacturing.

The whole jacket zips into the large left hand pocket forming a small 9″x11″ pillow. Another zippered pocket is inside the chest.

The cut is long so it keeps you covered even when reaching or bending. There’s a hooded version as well.

Mens without hood $320 CAD ($275 USD)

Mens with hood $370 CAD ($300 USD)

Womens without hood $320 CAD ($275 USD)

Womens with hood $320 CAD ($275 USD)

Cascade Low Cut Helly Tech Hiking Shoes

As the cool weather rolls in with fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest, so does the rain. Some locations in the area can get 7 feet of rain per year. That’s a bit of water. How do we keep our feet dry through that?

You may not know Helly Hansen has a line of shoes. Drawing on their expertise with waterproof clothing and sailing shoes, they’ve put together the Cascade Low Cut Helly Tech hiking shoe.

Helly Tech is the waterproof membrane that’s sandwiched in between the inner and outer layers. A whole host of other tech in the Cascade creates a shoe that’s stable, durable but lightweight. At 800 grams for the pair, they’re great for fast adventures.

I’ve been testing the Cascade over the last month and they’re great for on, and off, the trail. The fit is standard street size.

Mens Cascade $160 CAD ($140 USD)

Womens Cascade $160 CAD ($140 USD)

Odin 9 World Infinity Shell Jacket

Most waterproof jackets have to have a Durable Water Repellency (DWR) coating on the outside to make the water bead off. If the water doesn’t bead, it blocks the moisture from evaporating out from the inside.

The LIFA Infinity Pro layers in the Odin 9 World Infinity jacket don’t need a chemical coating on the outside. Helly has taken all their moisture management experience and created an outer layer of LIFA fibres that permanently beads water on its own. There’s no DWR (with flourocarbons) to wash off or re-activate in the dryer.

Mens Odin 9 $725 CAD ($600 USD)

Womens Odin 9 $725 CAD ($600 USD)

LifaLoft Hooded Insulator Jacket

Thin insulator jackets are great for around town, on the trail and under a shell. Usually thin means less insulation. After 4 years of work, Helly and Primaloft have created LifaLoft, a warm insulation that’s lighter than most other synthetic insulation. It packs down smaller and thinner for the same warmth.

The LifaLoft fibres absorb less water and dry faster than other insulations. The whole jacket is bluesign approved and is covered with PFC-free DWR to keep water beading off.

Mens LifaLoft Hooded Insulator Jacket $270 CAD ($220 USD)

Womens LifaLoft Hooded Insulator Jacket $270 CAD ($220 USD)

Lifa Merino Midweight Half-Zip Base Layer

Under all these jackets, we need a good base layer and Helly Hansen knows those well. Their LIFA base layers have been around since 1970. To add some warmth to the equation, they add 100% merino wool to the outside on the Merino versions (used to be HH Warm). LIFA fibres on the inside wick moisture away from the skin. Merino on the outside prevents the stink and keeps you warmer.

Mens LIFA Merino Midweight Half-zip $120 CAD ($110 USD)

Womens LIFA Merino Midweight Half-zip $120 CAD ($110 USD)

Transistor Backpack

Every adventure needs a backpack and 30 litres is a perfect size. It can hold lunch and a couple layers when it’s colder for 1 or 2 people. Weighing only 900 grams, the Transistor won’t weight you down either. Bungies and trekking pole attachments on the outside holds extra gear if you need.

Transistor Backpack $210 CAD ($170 USD)

Check out more of the Helly Hansen Outdoors and Ski collections.

The post First Look: Helly Hansen Fall and Winter 2022 Gear first appeared on Pack & Trail.