My Review of Seirus Hyperlite Stormsocks

Originally submitted at REI

These moisture-wicking, breathable, weatherproof socks are specifically designed for low-bulk warmth.

Seirus Hyperlite Stormsocks

Great for winter running

By sleepytom from Winona, MN on 11/14/2008

 

5out of 5

Gift: No

Pros: Durable, Regulates Temperature Well, Good Design, Comfortable

Best Uses: Running

Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer

These socks are great for layering over another pair of midweight socks for winter running. They are thin enough to still fit into your normal size running shoe and have lasted me several seasons without signs of wear. They help my feet stay warm even when the temperature dips below zero degrees Fahrenheit, and keep my feet dry enough when sloshing through sloppy puddles. It's like a pair of softshell trail shoes at a fraction of the cost.

(legalese)

Tom's Closet - An Illustrated, Annotated Guide

Elizabeth asked me if she could borrow a tripod to videotape herself and Kara making brownies. We went to my closet and she laughed, saying, "Your closet has a bunch of stuff and a few clothes. Mine has a bunch of clothes and a little stuff."

I like keeping my toys in my closet because it make me feel like I do fun things more often than I actually do. If you ever need to borrow anything, here's where you'll find it.

A. Pants
B. Shirts
C. A pair of Lowe Alpine shell pants. I sliced them up with my crampons the first time I went ice climbing, and I loaned them to Tony for his first time which gave them more slices. They’re too full of rips to be worth repairing, so now they’re my official beginner ice climbing pants.
D. A stack of running clothes. This is like hamper purgatory because they’re stinky but they haven't made it into the hamper yet. If I need to use them again before doing laundry, I will.
E. Neon green accessory cord. It’s out because I used some to make a zipper-pull on my Patagonia DAS parka
F. Climbing rope
G. Climbing gear; cams, carabiners, helmet, harnesses, shoes, chalk, cordelettes, webbing, etc.
H. Camping gear; tent, stove, cookware, etc.
I. Shoes; an empty slot for my slippers, dress shoes, loafers, Five Ten Guide Tennies, sandals
J. Photography stuff; Norman strobes, 4x5 view camera, etc.
K. A small shoulder/hip bag, a.k.a. my “man purse”
L. Tripod
M. Sleeping pad
N. Hangers on a bar; the bar doubles as a makeshift climbing anchor so I can practice things like building mechanical advantage hauling systems, counterbalance rappels, passing knots and clipping quickdraws. Ice tools are hooked over the far left end of the bar.
O. Water bottles
P. Crampons
Q. Sweaters
R. Hiking boots
S. Two pair of Saucony Triumph 5 running shoes; these are a new brand for me and I’m getting shin splints sometimes. I hope it improves.
T. Duffel bag sitting on top of some new socks and the lid to our hamper

7 miles, 32 degrees

I don't know remember the last time I ran in 30-degree weather. Spring feels like it's on the way. It's not the kind of spring weather where the birds are singing and the grass is getting green, but the kind where a glaze of ice covers the streets between huge cold puddles. Still, I'll take it.

Today's outfit was an Arc'Teryx short sleeve shirt covered by a Marmot Driclime Windshirt. On the bottom I wore lightweight capilene bottoms with Montbell windpants. OR Airfoil gloves were enough by themselves today, as was my trusty Marmot hat and summer weight wool socks.

Aren't you glad you asked?

5 miles, 5 degrees

My winter running log is pretty pathetic. For the first time in about 5 years I've had a hard time motivating myself to get to work without a car. We've had quite a number of below zero mornings, with some in the double-digits below zero. Add a brisk wind and my thermometer just reads, "You don't want to know." So I've been catching extra winks and in some ways have enjoyed being a little lazier. But daylight is getting noticeably longer in late February, and I've learned to cope with the cold weather, so now I'm making more of an effort.

Staying warm isn't too hard most days; all you need to do is pile on the layers. I do see people out running with their bulky winter coats on. But feeling like the Michelin Man when you run isn't much fun. Don't let his happy face fool you - he just doesn't know any better. Besides, wearing a bunch of bulky layers only works for short runs. On longer runs, it is hard to hit that happy medium where you're tolerably warm in the first 10 minutes, and tolerably cool for the rest of the run.

So here's the outfit I ran in this morning. It was a 5 mile run in 5 degree (Fahrenheit) sunny weather. I like wearing 2 pair of gloves so I can strip down during the run if I want. One is a thin windproof pair and the other is a thin insulating pair. I also brought 2 hats so I could switch to a thinner one after warming up. I wore medium weight Smartwool ski socks and expedition weight long underwear tops and bottoms. Topped it off with lightweight shell layers, this system works pretty darn well.

Jacket Fetish

If I tallied up all of my jackets and Margaret tallied up all of her clocks I'm not sure who would have the bigger count, but the numbers would be big. Still she sometimes comes home with a new clock, and I sometimes come home with a new jacket.

My latest jacket obsession is a thin softshell for spring/summer/fall. Breathability is paramount, and it has to dry quickly; I don't want to overheat the way I did hiking in to do the North Ridge of Mt. Baker in a constant light rain last August. I was wearing my eVent hardshell jacket that day, and my glasses steamed up so badly that I wanted to stomp them with my crampons. I suppose that wasn't so bad, really, because it got me thinking about the gear in my pack and I realized I hadn't grabbed my glacier glasses. That gave me a chance to drop my pack and run back down the trail to grab them. But by the time I caught back up with Pablo, I was extra steamy.

The combined effect of getting so hot, along with the constant smell of garlic that had leaked out of its container in the food bag, and then falling into one of the swollen rivers on the way to camp made me feel sick and grumpy by the time I got to Hogsback.

So I've picked out the Patagoinia Ready Mix jacket as the perfect all-purpose "action jacket" partly on a recommendation published by American Alpine Institute. But I couldn't find a size medium, because the jacket is no longer part of the Patagonia line-up. Another good choice is the Cold Play Shock from Beyond; a nice-looking (as long as you like black or hunter green) custom-made Schoeller 3xdry jacket for the same price.

I wrote to Patagonia to ask if they have anything in their current catalog similar to the Ready Mix, and got this very nice reply (on a Sunday, no less):

Hi Tom,

Nothing we have is similar to the Ready Mix, but it will be available again in the Spring. You can backorder the jacket now by calling customer service at 800-638-6464, be sure to speak with a Patagonia representative, and our website will be updated at the end of this month, and the jacket should also be available at that time. Let us know if you have further questions.

Have a good day!

Kevin
Patagonia Customer Service

Sweet! It looks like the Ready Mix will be available afterall; probably in more appealing colors than the Beyond offering.