Summer Essentials

Gear to get you stylishly and safely through the summer

By Geraldine Stal  //  Illustrations by Taylor-Ann Smith

The Jacket

Altra’s Wasatch Jacket, available in men’s and women’s,showcases the brand’s new ZeroH2O fabric, which impressed us for being as waterproof as it is breathable and having four-way stretch and a soft interior. The Wasatch keeps you dry without feeling (or sounding) like a trashbag. $199, altra.com

The Sound

Because some adventures are better with tunes, the Bullfrog BF100 is water-, snow-, dust-, dirt-, and rain-proof. It can be fully submerged for thirty minutes and has a twelve-hour battery life. $199.95, bullfrog.com

The Travel Cooler

When carrying your picnic and drinks is as important as keeping them cold, go for the Hydro Flask Unbound 15-liter Backpack Cooler. This is exactly what it sounds like—a cooler you carry comfortably on your back. Thanks to thicker insulation at the base, it keeps contents chilled for up to forty-eight hours. $225, hydroflask.com

The Socks

The best pair of socks is the pair you never feel or think about. Meet Balega’s Ultralight No Show, which is made from the brand’s proprietary Drynamix moisture-wicking fibers and has an extra-deep heel pocket to combat slippage. $13, balega.com

The Pants

Whether playing in the mountains means a morning stand-up paddleboard on Jenny Lake, backpacking up Paintbrush Canyon, or climbing the Grand Teton, Arcteryx’s Gamma LT pants are up to the task. They’re lightweight, fast-drying, abrasion-resistant, and have just the right amount of stretch. Also, they look great. $189, arcteryx.com

The Shorts

MONTANE’s Snap (women’s) and Fang (men’s) shorts had us with an inner liner treated with Polygiene, an antimicrobial odor control integrated into the fabric. The shorts overachieve by being super light, stretchy, and fast-drying and by having a zippered back pocket just big enough for most phones and gel-friendly side stretch pockets. (Have you tried GU’s new Hoppy Trails flavor of energy gel?), Shorts, $60, montane.co.uk; GU, $12 for eight, GUenergy.com

The Shirt

Stio’s Eddy Shirt has been a favorite with local men since it debuted several years ago. This year it’s—finally!—also available in a women’s cut. Now everyone can enjoy what we think is the world’s greatest shirt because of its stylish techy-ness: The Eddy has pearl snap buttons and a hem that can be tucked in or not, and it’s made from a
stretchy nylon/poly blend with a water-resistant finish. $129, stio.com

The Running Shoes

With more trademarked features—a FootShape™ toe box, ZeroDrop™ platform, StoneGuard™ protection, A-Bound™ cushioning, TrailClaw™ lugs, and MaxTrac™ rubber tread—than most smartphones, Altra’s Lone Peak 4 shoe could be called gimmicky. Except all of these features combine to make it awesomely comfortable, stable, and durable. $120, altrarunning.com