Man isn’t meant to stay indoors — our weekly “Trekking” column can attest to that. It’s a column dedicated to the adventurer inside of all of us, the one pining to ditch the office humdrum for a quick surf session or seven-week jaunt in the Grand Tetons. One day we may highlight an ultra-light stove and the next a set of handmade canoe paddles. Life doesn’t just happen inside the workplace, so get outside and live it.
Sometimes it’s best to return to the basics. Although the Manual prides itself in many things — often highlighting the best beard oils on the market and the latest-and-greatest in the realm of hi-fi sound, for instance — we also know that not everyone has the means and the desire to splurge on a $1,500 jacket or pair of designer shoes. Fortunately, there’s a welcome abundance of outdoor manufacturers that revel in more approachable offerings, with the infamous Black Diamond being one of them.
The Black Diamond Cold Forge Hoody ($300) is one such offering. It doesn’t revel in frivolous bells and whistles, allowing it to function as a comfortable midweight insulator for a day on the slopes or a quick ascension up your favorite climbing route. It’s filled with PrimaLoft Gold, a blend comprised of 70 percent down and 30 percent synthetic insulation, giving you the best of both worlds in a single jacket. The lightweight down provides you with high-loft properties and packability, while the water-resistant traits of the synthetic material ensure you’ll retain heat even in wettest of conditions. Furthermore, the sleek jacket boasts an adjustable helmet-compatible hood and two internal pockets for storing a bevy of small gear, along with your standard drawcord hem and pair of stretch cuffs. There’s little more to it than that, aside from a few zippered pockets on the front, but what more do you need?
Check out Black Diamond online for more information, to make a purchase, or peruse the company’s excellent collection of outdoor apparel and wares.
