#and it functions as a grand encounter because it’s stationary

[chaotic-minds-think-alike]

Well I was going to hop on the pressure oc trend with actually making my avatar into a monster buuuut the information we might get to hear about the vacula void mass is stopping me because I want to be canon as possible grrrrrrr

[oswednesday]

i thought about at first like having that town they share have two gym leaders ala older gens where a town might have an unofficial underdoggish type and a Big Fancy official type

 totally aside i think lateral town is in reference to event horizon where time is believed to “split” in a blackhole? so does this suggest like multiple timelines, i like  pkmn game theories like that! 

anyway it was first like allister is just doing his thing in a boarded up run down haunted house ride where a cart goes through but thats sorta less fun then giving him his own thing, i like his design well enough and what little personality we get i want to run with it! i Cannot begin to express that the Most creepiest card in the game is not canon in this nuzlocke,

(in fact its like impossible to get clear photo of him at all, there's always orbs or mist around him, sometimes even his face blurs out and theres always some sort of technical difficulties during his matches) 

(ability: disguise, moves: curse, wood hammer, shadow sneak, mimic)

(while he's still painfully shy, the mask is also a functioning prosthetic, he'll change up the story of the accident and why he has the mask when he is cornered long enough for an interview, an autographed card of his is the rarest of all but the resell value of his cards average less than other trainers, he has fans of course,)

(ability: mummy, moves: protect, memento, crafty shield, night shade)

(he entered the league at 18 and is the youngest gym leader at 22, most believe, even direhard fans of leon and raihan, that allister could take the cup and their rank if he wanted to, only he doesnt, every year he strategically keeps his rank #4 in the region)

(ability: flame body, moves: will-o-wisp, hex, inferno, giga impact)

(he’ll only use this one in the gym battle)

(in the town he reps in, ill figure out a name later, come kind of pun on funeral marches and maybe more nods to his namesake, he lives in in a grand manor along side a massive historic cemetery)

(ability: levitate, moves: shadow sneak, confuse ray, astonish, haze)

(the accident that injured his face also left him without parents and his older sister, he moved in with his great aunt and uncle, who are the title owners of the land and have been keeping care of the cemetery like milo's home town, the residents are mostly older but unlike milo allister doesnt appear interested in bringing new blood into the town)

(ability: disguise, moves: curse, pain split, draining kiss, grudge)

(this is actually the same mimikyu from the gym! he only ever uses four pkmn, i thought id just break the text up by seeing them again, in the gym battle he doesnt dynamax tho the gym supports capabilities to do so)

(he's often absent from league business due to his fears so its not terribly surprising when he doesnt show up)

(his sponsor is biggest provider of funerary services in the region, its actually against the law to use any others, because this provider is the only one with approved sanitation licenses but that doesnt stop citizens of galar in smaller communities from practicing cultural burial practices or from bigger cities to body dump in parks and the like)

(ability: magic bounce, moves: metal burst, dazzling gleam, reflect, mirror coat)

(this is a cup pkmn! im really pro the idea of gym leaders having impossible in regular game play pkmn)

(much less flashy than other gyms, his challenge is basically a self guided ghost tour! with  many locked doors, winding mazes, invisible paths with pit traps, and deep galarian lore; all throughout the city! on the way you may encounter ghost pokemon and just straight up ghosts! when you do get to the end of the city wide maze, the key you find will let you into the manor, before you can claim the key there’s a gangar that dynamaxes on its own that you can find off the beaten path, weird right?? better send it to the prof! )

(allister will be locked in his bedroom, you have to talk with him a while for him to agree to meet you in the study, there might be an item sliding under the door involved? like a hand written note of encouragement on his fave stationary in invisible ink, all of which involves a fetch quest)

(ability: pressure, moves: shadow punch, lick, darkest lariat , conversion 2)

(its the same duskull just all evo’d up now! who’d he even trade with?? fun fact, i use to really really really hate the evo line, but now i have an appreciation the concept and design work! like ancient concepts meet new era imo the dusk stone should be used to get a dusklops, yea i know its a c im ignoring and then having dusklop On The Net somehow to become like a grim reaper for a digital age, like i just dig it so much more)

(they really focused on this thing having fists and not that its a techno reaper with a mouth belly huh)

(by time you get to the study hes already there! he'll show you a secret passage way behind the fire place that lets you two out to the stadium, avoiding meeting any paparazzi and fans on the way) 

(the field is a graveyard! a fake one,,,maybe! your pkmn might flinch or be too scared to move! rattled and other abilities that take effect when hit by a ghost move are triggered by the field, the air is cold which reduces the speed of water moves, reduces water moves by 30%, with a 50% of the move becoming an ice type! fire moves do 30% more damage, dragon type pkmn may randomly fall asleep, ice attacks do 30% more damage and ice type pkmn are faster, grass type pkmn without ice or ghost or fire as a secondary type may lose a small amount of hit points, ghost type pkmn may gain a small amount of hit points)

(ability: mummy, moves: shadow claw, phantom force, destiny bond, cure)

(he dynamax’s this pkmn in the cup, he’ll probs say something like sorry about this, it has a special attack because i said so that’s mummy’s curse which makes the terrain poison type so pkmn take heavy poison damage at the every turn until this pkmn undynamaxs or is knocked out)

[grenith-the-skald]

The Time Traveler Dillema

Time travel is always a guessing game. There are countless theoretical and practical issues that need to be accounted for just for someone to even travel 5 seconds into the past, let-alone 50 years. Most modern literature and film has largely glossed over the sheer unimaginable nature that time travel truly entails. So let's go over some of it quickly today.

Now the most baseline thing one needs to determine is whether time is linear, or if it branches along into multiple timelines based on all possible outcomes or a single influencing event such as traveling through time. Because if time is linear, that means that the act of traveling into the past would erase and re-write all of our current reality/existence. Which we might either never notice actually occur as things would simply change as if they'd always been, or it could remove us entirely and overwrite our existence with a new timeline.

So let us be more optimistic and say that going back into the past simply establishes a new timeline. Well now you have a new problem, which is morality. Because even if you as a time traveler were to travel "back" to your own time, it will never truly be YOUR timeline. Which means that technically nothing you do in the past will actually change your own future, and the act of (as a example) saving a loved one from death will never actually occur. Instead you're simply living in a new reality/timeline and abandoning your old one. Something that leaves behind all of your other loved ones to forever wonder about your fate.

Feel pressured yet? Well now we have some more theoretical variables. Such as: What happens if/when you meet your past self? Would you implode? Cause a rip in space/time? Would one of you cease to exist? Well luckily in a multiple-timeline scenario you would be absolutely fine, as separately functioning realities are self-contained and you would basically just be a older clone of yourself. While unfortunately in a linear timeline...yes...you would have a very high probability of ceasing to exist. As merely encountering your past self would be enough to influence you to change even in the slightest, which likely would disrupt your original time travel in the first place or overwrite your current self due to pushing your original path slightly askew.

At this point we'll just go: There are multiple timelines, I didn't erase myself by accidentally saying hello to myself in third grade, and there is no lingering regrets or self doubt about forever leaving behind my own original timeline. Because that sounds like the best case scenario.

Weeeeeeeeeelllllllllll actually...there's still more.

Jumping through time also requires complex and super advanced calculations likely requiring a degree in the field of mathematics and physics. Why? Well because the EARTH FUCKING MOVES! Our planet is a giant spinning ball moving through space, orbiting a giant flaming sphere of death. Which means that at it's current speed/distance, traveling through time to a stationary point just 10 minutes ago...would not be where you were actually standing 10 minutes ago.

The easiest way to explain it for all of us dummies, is that if I jumped through time 100 years ago...I would be floating in the void of space and suffocating. Because the Earth was not in the same place 100 years ago. Which means that ontop of all this other nonsense, we have to nail down time-travel as a goddamn teleportation device that can tether you through time/space to always end up back on Earth.

Otherwise it comes down to busting out astrological charts and playing a bit of a guessing game to try and slingshot a human across history and into the exact point the Earth was positioned perfectly in a single location. Which again...means many dead time travelers floating in the void of space.

Buuuut, maybe we nail that part. Everything goes according to plan. We successfully send our time traveler we will call Jimmy, through time and he arrives in the past. Well he is still...likely fucked.

Because aside from racial, cultural, economic, religious, linguistic, and political hurdles he will run headfirst into, there is also the butterfly effect. Not like in the movies where killing 1 badguy can save the whole world from ending, but the REAL chain of events that even so much as bumping into someone could create.

Even the act of delaying traffic for several seconds or cutting in line at a goddamn taco-truck could have astronomical consequences. Because EVERYTHING that makes up the current moment that we live in, is comprised entirely of events that required infinite amounts of improbability to line up perfectly together to occur. To offset that in the slightest will spawn hundreds if not thousands or more of branching timelines every time you were to even so much as use up the last roll of toilet paper in someone's house.

Which when all factored together means that the very act of time travel will likely result in the fracturing of any singular timeline into a infinite amount of splintering offshoots. A act that could inadvertently lead to the creation of a multiverse if one does not already exist.

Now with all these random possibilities, infinite universes, and a good likelyhood of never actually changing your own future except in alternate timelines, you might ask: Well what's the point? If nothing we do matters and it is all essentially one giant clusterfuck of random chance and unlikely paradoxes, what is the point of time travel? Well you're in luck, because time-travel would essentially become a tourist attraction. The closest thing to experiencing the power of a god. Being able to visit any place and time of your choosing, while never needing to worry about the life you leave behind.

It would be the ultimate escape, and in the grand scheme of the infinite expanse of the universe, nobody would even notice you were gone.

And so to conclude my paper Mrs. Jameson, this is why I couldn't sleep last night after accidentally taking a extra dosage of Adderall. This shit kept me up all night and I feel like the walls are closing in around me as the anxiety of my own universal insignificance is weighing down upon me.

I will have my book report done by wednesday.

[psychidelica-blog1]

The Form-Caster Legend

Within the Yamara island chains, known colloquially as the 'far islands', you may hear mentions of great beings that, in a sense, cured the spiritual sicknesses of many generations. Now an uncommon legend or uncomfortable memory, the last remaining monks isolate themselves on the open sea, waiting for the disillusioned traveler to stumble on their path.

My first encounter with the tales was during my travel of the Yamara, specifically to a fishing village called Illuy (roughly 20 kilometers from the heart-chain) [1]. My guide at the time, a rather large fellow by the name of Gan, sat with a group of fishermen at the peer, laughing and telling bizarre stories with structures so unknown to me. Gan couldn't fish, as traditionally this is an honor bestowed on slimmer individuals, so he made up for this with his much appreciated cynical, but sing-songy nature. I sat, enjoying my tea, and listened to the hearty coughs and snares that spelled out wonderful seafaring tales; tales for another time, I suppose. In unison, the fisherman (plus Gan) reach out into the water, soaked the entirety of their hand, and licked the salt that remained there. I had learned at that point not to think anything too outlandish; this was an out land after all.

"That gesture. What are you doing," I said while the group quieted down. They looked at me with plain faces[2], so I attempted to act out their gesture. One of the smallest fisherman, who I would later know as Sava, slapped the tea from my hand and growled back at the ocean. Gan apologized profusely on my behalf, and for my ignorance of local customs. He later explained to me that it is considered offensive to do that gesture outside of the water[3].

Once the group had settled down, they were determined to reveal this aspect of their culture. Gan explained that as he was laughing and joking, they all saw some distortion on the horizon; some trick of the sun, he wasn't sure, but it invoked a uniform vision in their heads. They saw the long boats of the wizard, calling to spiritually-starved voyagers outside of space. The image was invoked for all of them at once, so it had to be true; as a result, each had to pay some respect by signifying their right to the waters around. I have to mention that the word "wizard" is my own choosing. They have the social function of a monk in our culture, but the way they are spoken about and the legends surrounding their existence give them a 'magical' quality. The true word that Gan used that day was Uga'illa'sunilaba (literally "the form caster that sails the far islands"); as you can see, the actual word is very context dependent.

The common word to describe these beings is "caster of forms." Man is traditionally very skeptical of forms, so the wizard's function is to parse through the helpful and unhelpful ones and skillfully guide a culture through the chaos of reality. How would they do this, you ask? Quite simply, through words! The wizards of the ancient past were skilled orators that could heal the spiritual sicknesses of the people by expanding or diluting forms. Most historians date the emergence of wizards to sometime in the late second era, but some, like Yara Calanin, date them even earlier[4]. By the time of Yara Urila Hi'alya's legendary work[5], the perception of the wizards was on the decline. The nail in the coffin for early-history wizards was an intellectual movement known as 'the moving away.'

This method of thought was particularly damaging to the wizards because it represented a total reinterpretation of convulsion[6] where each individual aspect of experience (as it can be dissected into smaller and smaller 'atom forms') were seen as explosive and temporary, the illusion of form progresses through the cosmic plain, away from the point of convulsion. The nature of time and space were explained as obvious results from this process. The 'moving away' epistemology peaked in the sixth era before giving way to a romanticized orthodoxy. At the time of this writing, it is entirely illegal to take the public position of 'atom forms' or 'moving away.' The methodology was problematic for the wizards because it fostered further skepticism on the function of form. Thinkers like Yara Ulliara (later killed for her conversion to a strict orthodoxy) and Yara Illukum said that any form, no matter how masterfully explained and presented, is illusion. Because the universe was in a constant 'progression'[7], there was no chance for spiritual salvation.

The expansion of civilization and growing distrust of the population drove the solitary monks from isolated islands to long boats. On the day of departure, the wizard would take his long boat (specifically because it can't be controlled by a single sailor) into the ocean and throw away his oar. This literally and symbolically represented the wizard turning away from civilization; falling to the will of the ocean. If any traveler is in need of spiritually guidance, they will find that their path crosses with the path of a wizard, or so the folk-story goes. The wizard was considered extremely rare, even in those times (about the midpoint of the seventh era), and by the eight era, they were virtually extinct due to one cataclysmic event: the Panosols.

From "The Gods Speak on Our Godlessness," '...and from the low hanging clouds, we could see smoke and stars flutter in the infinite. My lonesome creature, they were certainly at war; the stars would descend from the clouds and strike, sending a barrage of flame to all the shattered earth below. Entire islands swallowed up as sea beasts were scalded by the boiling water. The earth seized from exhaustion, then screamed at the timeless pain. Generations of Yara fall deaf to this horror. The oceans turned and turned, digesting the rock debris and flame.From the scorching storms there came great waves that glided across the heart. When they receded, there was muteness.' [8]

Along with consuming 1/3 of all cities in the heart-chain, the event seemed to destroy all wizards out at sea. This was a disappointing fact, as I wanted desperately to meet such an individual. I think about my time in the heart-chain and in the mainland where I listened to the grand stories told by oratorical masters; these men were surely some evolutionary branch of the great 'form caster' tradition. I tried to imagine what it would be like to seek wisdom from a out of touch, sea-faring man. The main selling point of the wizard is that he is outside of society, but understands it better than anyone who could be in it. From what I understand, no one has seen a 'form caster' in the eleven eras since the Panosols (if they even existed in the first place), but rumors spread all the time about fisherman who encounter them alone and return to port with new knowledge. It seems even in death, the wizards are serving a similar function as cultural discussion surrounding their existence serves to instigate discussion on the matter of form in general. The wizards have taken on both a formed and formless state in contemporary society; a perfect representation of their classical purpose.

After the story, we all looked out into the ocean, as fisherman often do after the exhaustion of a long tale sets. I looked over the horizon, hoping that some image would be produced in the expanse, but I saw nothing. Gan seemed quite overcome with emotion; responding to the beautiful complexity of his tradition. I was the first to speak up, "do you think there is any chance at all I could run into one of these individuals one day?" Gan picked my tea cup from the dock, filled it with sea water and passed it back to me. "Not in your life."

[1] The heart-chain is the name given to a group of large islands that host the majority of human beings in the world. Some of the most technologically advanced, but socially corrupted locations can be found here. The name comes from an old myth told by the hill men of Mumran. Before the creationist cultivation, the mainland was ruled by a vicious troll king. In short, his heart was torn and thrown to the sea, forging the first islands for man to settle.

[2] For many humans, particularly far islanders, it is common social courtesy to appear stoic when confronted with a question or statement that you don't understand. Doing this puts the burden on the speaker to explain, but if the listener were to show emotion, this would be considered rude.

[3] For orthodox races of men, all of the cosmos is exposed to some kind of ethereal liquid. Water and air are just two demonstrations of the same form, in a sense. By doing the gesture outside of the water, I was symbolically laying claim to the waters of the cosmos, instead of the localized sea where I would draw from the life.

[4] The full analysis can be found in "Cast Forth from this World," a historical exploration of the rise and fall of localized wizard troupes. Yara Calnin posits the theory that early bands of orators gradually morphed into stationary monastic cultures that eventually evolved into what we can identify as the contemporary understanding of 'Wizard.' She later explains the strange 'coming of age' ritual for blooming wizards that doomed them to a life at sea.

[5] Referring here, of course, to the Third era work "All Form the Deep, Our Bodies Lay." Because of a cultural distrust of the ''walkers,' as they are called, the unnamed wizard of the story is demonized as a symbol in contemporary literature.

[6] Convulsion refers to the origin point of conscious experience, where the first humans emerged from the womb of the cosmos. The universe is described as convulsing just moments before creation. Different cultures have different understandings on how and what convulsed.

[7] The atom form advocates' use of 'progression' here is a bit more nuanced. The universe appears to be in constant progression to us, as dissolving forms without constitution, but is more like a cyclical falling down. Imagine a waterfall that is always descending, but is, just the same, always reconstituting its own state. [ See Yara Caa’s Treatises on the Basic Material Forms and their Habits]

[8] The event created a cultural self-awareness, the cosmic terror manifesting as panic in this moment of what seems to be vindication on the parts of the gods. No one is quite sure what happened, but many are partial to the meteor theory. The excerpt here demonstrates that within the cultural understanding there is still an anxiety about the nature of the cosmos; an anxiety about the hierarchy implied by such destructive events.

[j0sgomez-blog]

A backpacker on a rainy and windy day high in the Olympic Mountains.

By Michael Lanza

Think of your layering system of clothing for outdoor activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, and skiing as a musical instrument. When you’re first learning how to play, you practice one chord or note at a time. But you only begin to produce music once you link chords in a way that sounds good. Similarly, only by treating your layering system as a dynamic, interconnected whole can you move more comfortably and safely in any weather. In this freshly updated article, I offer 0 specific tips for making your layering system work better—which ultimately helps you spend your money smartly.

A layering system is, of course, the various pieces of clothing we wear when active outdoors, including base layers, insulation, and outerwear. Especially for outings that last several hours to several days, that layering system has to keep you mostly dry, warm, and comfortable most of the time, through a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions.

In other words, there will very likely be times that you are wet—or preferably, only damp, usually from perspiration. An efficient and effective layering system is one that keeps you warm even if damp and dries out quickly so that you don’t become cold.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Get whatever you can afford (read my tips on how you can afford more) that is versatile and appropriate for the weather conditions you typically encounter. And then adjust it for each outing or trip depending on your activity, the weather forecast, and how long you’ll be out there.

Thinking about your layering system more smartly also means buying apparel that you can use more often, across seasons and environments. It may result in the rare circumstance when less really is more.

Please share your own recommendations in the comments section at the bottom of this story. And you can support my work on this blog by clicking any product links in this story to make a purchase.

  Click photo for my Tips For Staying Warm and Dry While Hiking.

Pack For This Trip, Not the Last One

Make your layering system dynamic, adapting it to every situation. What’s the forecast? How much time will you spend moving as opposed to stationary? Will your exertion level be low, moderate, or high? All of these factors affect your needs in terms of weather protection and insulation. We can encounter myriad circumstances in the backcountry, but I’ll focus on three common ones for me to illustrate this point.

My backpacking trips commonly fall into one of two categories: either with my family (moderate pace and daily mileage, range of three-season weather, plenty of down time in camp), or with a small group of friends (strong pace, range of three-season weather, big-mileage days of long hours).

0 Pro Tips For Staying Warm in a Sleeping Bag.

With my family, I need insulation I can wear moving around during long periods of inactivity in camp—particularly on cool mornings, because my family doesn’t pack up camp early. But when hiking long days with friends, I spend most of every day on the move, with my body generating heat; I actually require less insulation because in camp, I’m usually either in my sleeping bag by the time cool night temps set in, or I’m packing quickly to start hiking early the next morning.

My third example: On many ultra-dayhikes, when I’ll hike from early morning until evening and not stop much, I’ll just plan to feel a little cold for the first to 0 minutes or so—early morning is often the coldest time of the day (but check the forecast). After that, my body and/or the air temperature will have warmed enough that I’m no longer cold wearing all of my layers (which may only be a short-sleeve and long-sleeve plus an ultralight jacket; see tip

Because my ultra-hiking strategy includes hiking as light as possible, I’d rather feel a little chilled for the hike’s first 0 minutes than have to carry the weight of an extra clothing layer in my pack when that layer becomes unneeded for most of the hike. But that strategy changes, of course, if the forecast calls for cooler temps later or all day.

The takeaway: You don’t have to be an ultra-hiker to think about when exactly on a trip you’ll need warmth or weather protection and how critical it is.

  Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside, which has made several top outdoors blog lists. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Subscribe now to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Please follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

  Live In Your Base Layers

Ready For That Big, New Adventure? Questions to Ask Yourself

Don’t think of short- and long-sleeve base layers only as pieces to be worn separately; integrate them so that they function like three pieces instead of two.

I typically bring one synthetic T-shirt and one, midweight, long-sleeve top on three-season backcountry trips in moderate temperatures (see tip and there are many trips where the T-shirt almost never leaves my body. I wear it alone or under the long-sleeve top in cooler temps, so that the short-sleeve’s wicking ability keeps me and my long-sleeve top drier.

In camp, I swap those two base layers around, putting the damp short-sleeve on over the drier long-sleeve top, so that my body heat dries out the short-sleeve without having its dampness against my skin, which might make me feel cold. I’ll wear the T-shirt, the long-sleeve, or both while sleeping.

Base layers I recommend:

Patagonia Capilene Midweight Zip-Neck Smartwool PhD Ultra Light Short Sleeve ($0) and Smartwool PhD Light Long Sleeve ($) Arc’teryx Satoro AR Zip Neck LS, $ Ibex Woolies  Short-Sleeve, $0 The North Face Men’s Warm Long-Sleeve Zip Neck, $0 REI Screeline Half-Zip Long-Sleeve, $

Kids base layers I recommend:

REI Midweight Crew Long Underwear Top, $0 Patagonia Capilene Crew, $

See my picks for the best base layers in my “Review: The Best Base Layers and Shorts For Hiking and Training.”

  One Word: Vest

From cool to very cold temps, a fleece or insulated vest delivers warmth to your core while letting your arms ventilate, so that you don’t overheat easily when your body cycles through the normal periods of feeling warmer and colder with changes in your exertion level (going downhill vs. uphill, etc.). Without adding much weight to your system, you can wear a vest over any base layer or under any puffy or shell jacket. It’s like adding a removable, insulating liner to every jacket you have.

I like the Patagonia Nano-Air Vest (available in men’s and women’s versions); read my review.

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  Two Words: Light Layers

While getting a heavy, bomber waterproof-breathable jacket or a huge puffy jacket can feel like insurance against the worst-case scenario, in reality, you’re not likely to wear that security blanket nearly as much as lightweight or midweight base and insulation layers—which are much more versatile because they’re interchangeable and can be worn in more combinations.

When you’re producing heat while active, light and midweight layers provide a happy medium level of insulation that keeps you warm without overheating and causing you to sweat—bearing in mind that wet equals cold.

Similar to a vest, you can wear lighter layers year-round, making them a more cost-effective use of your money. On a limited budget, it’s even more important to invest in layers that you’ll actually wear a lot—and they sometimes even cost less.

Light insulation layers I recommend:

Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody (read my review) Outdoor Research Deviator Hoody (read my review)

  Me (in front) with my friend Jeff Wilhelm on The Catwalk in the Olympic Mountains. Click on photo to visit my Ask Me page.

Breathable and Water-Resistant Insulation

Yesterday’s fleece, synthetic, and down jackets were outstanding for adding warmth, even when wet in the case of fleece and synthetics, while remaining highly breathable; their downsides are that wind cuts right through fleece, and it doesn’t have much water resistance, while down feathers became useless once wet. But today’s new generation of breathable, active-insulation layers and water-resistant down have changed the way we use insulation.

With breathable synthetic insulation like Polartec Alpha and PrimaLoft, which also wick moisture and dry quickly (unlike traditional down feathers or fleece), you can wear these insulation pieces on the go, standing around, or in camp—greatly reducing the repeated putting on and removing of layers. Water-resistant down feathers eliminate down’s Achilles heel—now you can stay warm even when that down gets damp, and it dries faster. Shell fabrics are often treated to repel light rain, too, adding to the protectiveness of these garments.

What’s this mean? You can wear the same lightweight, breathable insulation sitting around in camp in warm temps and on the move in cold temps. You can wear that midweight puffy jacket stuffed with water-resistant down feathers in a light rain in summer—meaning people out frequently in wet environments don’t have to shy away from down—and as an outer layer skiing in falling snow. It makes sense to think about finding the right insulation piece that suits your typical environments and how to marry it to other pieces in your layering system.

Breathable insulation I recommend:

Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket, $ (read my review) Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoody (read my review) The North Face Desolation ThermoBall Jacket, $, (read my review)

  Plan your next great backpacking trip in Yosemite, Grand Teton, or other parks using my expert e-guides.

  Get a Sleeping Bag That Doubles as a Puffy Jacket

Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy 00

Backpackers have known for years to use gear that performs multiple functions, reducing your pack weight by eliminating duplicative gear. One of the most obvious places to do this is getting a sleeping bag that doubles as a puffy jacket to wear in camp. With sealable arm ports and a foot end that opens and closes, and a way to roll or fold the foot end up so that it hangs on your body like a long, down coat, these bags allow you to walk around and use your hands.

You’ll still need warm sleeves that offer wind protection in chilly temperatures (a long-sleeve shirt and a shell jacket worn inside the bag-jacket can suffice), and it’s comfortable enough for moving around in camp, but not for walking any distance. A bag that can be worn like a jacket also enables you to bring a puffy jacket that’s lighter than you’d normally need for a cold trip; when temps get too chilly for that light, puffy jacket alone, pull the sleeping bag on over it.

Bags I Recommend:

Exped DreamWalker Waterbloc 00 (read my review of the previous model, the DreamWalker 0) Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy (read my review)

  I can help you plan the best backpacking, hiking, or family adventure of your life. Find out more here.

  David Ports enjoys the view during a light shower on a -mile dayhike in the Grand Canyon.

Personalize Your Rain Gear

The best rain shell for you isn’t the one that’s the lightest or the most featured, or the cheapest, or the most expensive, or somewhere in the middle for weight, price, or features. The best rain shell for you is the outerwear you’ll use, and that depends on the environments you frequent and what you like to do in the backcountry.

A few examples:

•    For all-day hikes or peak scrambles with no more than a small chance of rain, I may wear only an ultralight wind shell that’s breathable, blocks most wind, and has some water-resistance—because in those circumstances, it will be the most comfortable and I’ll actually wear it. •    Backpacking in a dry environment like the desert Southwest, or with a mostly sunny weather forecast in a mountain range that’s often dry in summer but could see a passing afternoon thunderstorm, like the High Sierra or the Rockies, I’ll generally take an ultralight rain shell—because it will keep the rain off me and double as a wind shell (although less breathable than an ultralight wind shell that isn’t waterproof), which may be the function that prevents it from spending most of the trip in my pack. •    In a place known for wet weather, like the Pacific Northwest (which can also be reliably dry in summer), the Northeast, Alaska, or New Zealand, I will take along a well-featured rain jacket with good breathability—because I could spend hours a day in it—as well as some rain-protection accessories (see tip

In other words: Don’t buy more or less of a shell than you need. Too little and you’re cold and wet in the first big rainstorm; too much jacket, and it’ll often be too hot to wear.

Plus, your shell offers wind as well as rain protection, and a bit of warmth by blocking wind and trapping some body heat, so it effectively functions like a very lightweight piece of breathable insulation. You want it to be comfortable to hike in because, in some circumstances, such as when ultralight backpacking or dayhiking in summer, it can replace a piece of light insulation (see ultra-dayhikes example in tip ).

As for pants, I rarely wear waterproof-breathable rain pants because I tend to overheat in them. Instead, I opt for soft-shell pants for cool, wet trips, because they repel light rain, dry pretty quickly from body heat, and breathe well enough that I don’t overheat wearing them (until the temperature’s high enough to change into shorts). I use rain pants in sustained rain and cool temps, when soft-shell pants could soak through and have no chance to get dry, which could make me cold.

See my review “The Best Rain Jackets For the Backcountry” and all of my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, and soft-shell pants.

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Jeff Wilhelm on the Dusky Track in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park.

Accessorize Wisely

Gaiters, gloves, and the right hat can greatly affect not only your comfort, but can eliminate the need for something else. I’ll illustrate this point with examples:

•    Gaiters—In light rain and warm temps, or where recent rain has soaked trailside vegetation that you’re brushing against frequently, in lieu of soft-shell or rain pants, wear less-expensive shorts or nylon zip-off pants with low or high gaiters to keep your lower legs and feet dry. Go for high gaiters, like the classic Outdoor Research Crocodiles, in wetter and colder conditions, and low gaiters, like the Outdoor Research Flex-Tex Gaiters, (which aren’t as hot) for warmer temps and light precipitation, as long as you’re not constantly brushing against or through tall, wet vegetation. Added benefit: Gaiters aren’t as hot as rain pants. Tip: Wear your pant legs over gaiters, so that water doesn’t drain down pants inside the gaiters. •    Gloves—Most gloves offer warmth and a little water resistance, but are not waterproof unless their made with a waterproof-breathable membrane and their seams are taped. Bring gloves for warmth but, for sustained rain, get waterproof gloves or overmitts with taped seams. •    Hat—A waterproof, wide-brim hat like the Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero will keep heavy rain off your face and let your head and neck ventilate better than a jacket’s hood will. Also, on cooler trips, I’ll carry one warm, wool hat for camp and a lighter, more-breathable beanie to give my head and ears all the warmth I need while moving.

See my “Gear Review: Essential Backpacking Gear Accessories.”

  My Ultralight, Summer Layering System

For multi-day backcountry trips when temperatures will drop no lower than the 0s Fahrenheit, I bring:

•     T-shirt •     midweight long-sleeve shirt (synthetic, Merino wool, or a blend of the two) •    Zip-off nylon pants •    Long underwear •    - pairs of socks •    - pairs of synthetic underwear •    Lightweight down or insulated jacket (see my tips on puffy jackets) or a sleeping bag that converts to a down jacket (see tip ) •    Ultralight rain jacket •    Lightweight gloves •    Sun hat and warm wool hat •    Gaiters/low gaiters (optional; see tip )

See my favorite base layers and my full backpacking gear checklist.

  0 Tips For Keeping Kids Happy and Safe Outdoors

0 My Layering System For Cold, Wet Weather

For wet, multi-day backcountry trips with temperatures possibly down to freezing, I bring:

•     midweight long-sleeve shirt (synthetic, Merino wool, or a blend of the two) •     T-shirt or a second long-sleeve shirt •    Shorts and soft-shell pants or rain pants •    Long underwear •    - pairs of socks •    - pairs of synthetic underwear •    Down or insulated jacket (see my tips on puffy jackets) plus maybe a sleeping bag that converts to a down jacket (see tip ) •    Rain jacket •    Gloves and waterproof overmitts (see tip ) •    Warm wool hat, lightweight beanie, and wide-brim, waterproof hat (see tip ) •    High gaiters (see tip )

One final note: I don’t cover footwear in this article, but the shoes or boots you wear are obviously critical to your comfort—how your feet feel often dictates how you feel overall. See my “Pro Tips For Buying the Right Boots” and all of my reviews of backpacking boots and hiking shoes.

  Tell me what you think. I spent a lot of time writing this story, so if you enjoyed it, please consider giving it a share using one of the buttons below, and leave a comment or question at the bottom of this story. I’d really appreciate it.

  NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 0 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

  The Big Outside helps you find the best adventures. Subscribe now to read ALL stories and get a free e-guide!

[j0sgomez-blog]

A backpacker on a rainy and windy day high in the Olympic Mountains.

By Michael Lanza

Think of your layering system of clothing for outdoor activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, and skiing as a musical instrument. When you’re first learning how to play, you practice one chord or note at a time. But you only begin to produce music once you link chords in a way that sounds good. Similarly, only by treating your layering system as a dynamic, interconnected whole can you move more comfortably and safely in any weather. In this freshly updated article, I offer 0 specific tips for making your layering system work better—which ultimately helps you spend your money smartly.

A layering system is, of course, the various pieces of clothing we wear when active outdoors, including base layers, insulation, and outerwear. Especially for outings that last several hours to several days, that layering system has to keep you mostly dry, warm, and comfortable most of the time, through a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions.

In other words, there will very likely be times that you are wet—or preferably, only damp, usually from perspiration. An efficient and effective layering system is one that keeps you warm even if damp and dries out quickly so that you don’t become cold.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Get whatever you can afford (read my tips on how you can afford more) that is versatile and appropriate for the weather conditions you typically encounter. And then adjust it for each outing or trip depending on your activity, the weather forecast, and how long you’ll be out there.

Thinking about your layering system more smartly also means buying apparel that you can use more often, across seasons and environments. It may result in the rare circumstance when less really is more.

Please share your own recommendations in the comments section at the bottom of this story. And you can support my work on this blog by clicking any product links in this story to make a purchase.

  Click photo for my Tips For Staying Warm and Dry While Hiking.

Pack For This Trip, Not the Last One

Make your layering system dynamic, adapting it to every situation. What’s the forecast? How much time will you spend moving as opposed to stationary? Will your exertion level be low, moderate, or high? All of these factors affect your needs in terms of weather protection and insulation. We can encounter myriad circumstances in the backcountry, but I’ll focus on three common ones for me to illustrate this point.

My backpacking trips commonly fall into one of two categories: either with my family (moderate pace and daily mileage, range of three-season weather, plenty of down time in camp), or with a small group of friends (strong pace, range of three-season weather, big-mileage days of long hours).

0 Pro Tips For Staying Warm in a Sleeping Bag.

With my family, I need insulation I can wear moving around during long periods of inactivity in camp—particularly on cool mornings, because my family doesn’t pack up camp early. But when hiking long days with friends, I spend most of every day on the move, with my body generating heat; I actually require less insulation because in camp, I’m usually either in my sleeping bag by the time cool night temps set in, or I’m packing quickly to start hiking early the next morning.

My third example: On many ultra-dayhikes, when I’ll hike from early morning until evening and not stop much, I’ll just plan to feel a little cold for the first to 0 minutes or so—early morning is often the coldest time of the day (but check the forecast). After that, my body and/or the air temperature will have warmed enough that I’m no longer cold wearing all of my layers (which may only be a short-sleeve and long-sleeve plus an ultralight jacket; see tip

Because my ultra-hiking strategy includes hiking as light as possible, I’d rather feel a little chilled for the hike’s first 0 minutes than have to carry the weight of an extra clothing layer in my pack when that layer becomes unneeded for most of the hike. But that strategy changes, of course, if the forecast calls for cooler temps later or all day.

The takeaway: You don’t have to be an ultra-hiker to think about when exactly on a trip you’ll need warmth or weather protection and how critical it is.

  Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside, which has made several top outdoors blog lists. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Subscribe now to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Please follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

  Live In Your Base Layers

Ready For That Big, New Adventure? Questions to Ask Yourself

Don’t think of short- and long-sleeve base layers only as pieces to be worn separately; integrate them so that they function like three pieces instead of two.

I typically bring one synthetic T-shirt and one, midweight, long-sleeve top on three-season backcountry trips in moderate temperatures (see tip and there are many trips where the T-shirt almost never leaves my body. I wear it alone or under the long-sleeve top in cooler temps, so that the short-sleeve’s wicking ability keeps me and my long-sleeve top drier.

In camp, I swap those two base layers around, putting the damp short-sleeve on over the drier long-sleeve top, so that my body heat dries out the short-sleeve without having its dampness against my skin, which might make me feel cold. I’ll wear the T-shirt, the long-sleeve, or both while sleeping.

Base layers I recommend:

Patagonia Capilene Midweight Zip-Neck Smartwool PhD Ultra Light Short Sleeve ($0) and Smartwool PhD Light Long Sleeve ($) Arc’teryx Satoro AR Zip Neck LS, $ Ibex Woolies  Short-Sleeve, $0 The North Face Men’s Warm Long-Sleeve Zip Neck, $0 REI Screeline Half-Zip Long-Sleeve, $

Kids base layers I recommend:

REI Midweight Crew Long Underwear Top, $0 Patagonia Capilene Crew, $

See my picks for the best base layers in my “Review: The Best Base Layers and Shorts For Hiking and Training.”

  One Word: Vest

From cool to very cold temps, a fleece or insulated vest delivers warmth to your core while letting your arms ventilate, so that you don’t overheat easily when your body cycles through the normal periods of feeling warmer and colder with changes in your exertion level (going downhill vs. uphill, etc.). Without adding much weight to your system, you can wear a vest over any base layer or under any puffy or shell jacket. It’s like adding a removable, insulating liner to every jacket you have.

I like the Patagonia Nano-Air Vest (available in men’s and women’s versions); read my review.

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  Two Words: Light Layers

While getting a heavy, bomber waterproof-breathable jacket or a huge puffy jacket can feel like insurance against the worst-case scenario, in reality, you’re not likely to wear that security blanket nearly as much as lightweight or midweight base and insulation layers—which are much more versatile because they’re interchangeable and can be worn in more combinations.

When you’re producing heat while active, light and midweight layers provide a happy medium level of insulation that keeps you warm without overheating and causing you to sweat—bearing in mind that wet equals cold.

Similar to a vest, you can wear lighter layers year-round, making them a more cost-effective use of your money. On a limited budget, it’s even more important to invest in layers that you’ll actually wear a lot—and they sometimes even cost less.

Light insulation layers I recommend:

Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody (read my review) Outdoor Research Deviator Hoody (read my review)

  Me (in front) with my friend Jeff Wilhelm on The Catwalk in the Olympic Mountains. Click on photo to visit my Ask Me page.

Breathable and Water-Resistant Insulation

Yesterday’s fleece, synthetic, and down jackets were outstanding for adding warmth, even when wet in the case of fleece and synthetics, while remaining highly breathable; their downsides are that wind cuts right through fleece, and it doesn’t have much water resistance, while down feathers became useless once wet. But today’s new generation of breathable, active-insulation layers and water-resistant down have changed the way we use insulation.

With breathable synthetic insulation like Polartec Alpha and PrimaLoft, which also wick moisture and dry quickly (unlike traditional down feathers or fleece), you can wear these insulation pieces on the go, standing around, or in camp—greatly reducing the repeated putting on and removing of layers. Water-resistant down feathers eliminate down’s Achilles heel—now you can stay warm even when that down gets damp, and it dries faster. Shell fabrics are often treated to repel light rain, too, adding to the protectiveness of these garments.

What’s this mean? You can wear the same lightweight, breathable insulation sitting around in camp in warm temps and on the move in cold temps. You can wear that midweight puffy jacket stuffed with water-resistant down feathers in a light rain in summer—meaning people out frequently in wet environments don’t have to shy away from down—and as an outer layer skiing in falling snow. It makes sense to think about finding the right insulation piece that suits your typical environments and how to marry it to other pieces in your layering system.

Breathable insulation I recommend:

Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hybrid Jacket, $ (read my review) Outdoor Research Ascendant Hoody (read my review) The North Face Desolation ThermoBall Jacket, $, (read my review)

  Plan your next great backpacking trip in Yosemite, Grand Teton, or other parks using my expert e-guides.

  Get a Sleeping Bag That Doubles as a Puffy Jacket

Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy 00

Backpackers have known for years to use gear that performs multiple functions, reducing your pack weight by eliminating duplicative gear. One of the most obvious places to do this is getting a sleeping bag that doubles as a puffy jacket to wear in camp. With sealable arm ports and a foot end that opens and closes, and a way to roll or fold the foot end up so that it hangs on your body like a long, down coat, these bags allow you to walk around and use your hands.

You’ll still need warm sleeves that offer wind protection in chilly temperatures (a long-sleeve shirt and a shell jacket worn inside the bag-jacket can suffice), and it’s comfortable enough for moving around in camp, but not for walking any distance. A bag that can be worn like a jacket also enables you to bring a puffy jacket that’s lighter than you’d normally need for a cold trip; when temps get too chilly for that light, puffy jacket alone, pull the sleeping bag on over it.

Bags I Recommend:

Exped DreamWalker Waterbloc 00 (read my review of the previous model, the DreamWalker 0) Sierra Designs Mobile Mummy (read my review)

  I can help you plan the best backpacking, hiking, or family adventure of your life. Find out more here.

  David Ports enjoys the view during a light shower on a -mile dayhike in the Grand Canyon.

Personalize Your Rain Gear

The best rain shell for you isn’t the one that’s the lightest or the most featured, or the cheapest, or the most expensive, or somewhere in the middle for weight, price, or features. The best rain shell for you is the outerwear you’ll use, and that depends on the environments you frequent and what you like to do in the backcountry.

A few examples:

•    For all-day hikes or peak scrambles with no more than a small chance of rain, I may wear only an ultralight wind shell that’s breathable, blocks most wind, and has some water-resistance—because in those circumstances, it will be the most comfortable and I’ll actually wear it. •    Backpacking in a dry environment like the desert Southwest, or with a mostly sunny weather forecast in a mountain range that’s often dry in summer but could see a passing afternoon thunderstorm, like the High Sierra or the Rockies, I’ll generally take an ultralight rain shell—because it will keep the rain off me and double as a wind shell (although less breathable than an ultralight wind shell that isn’t waterproof), which may be the function that prevents it from spending most of the trip in my pack. •    In a place known for wet weather, like the Pacific Northwest (which can also be reliably dry in summer), the Northeast, Alaska, or New Zealand, I will take along a well-featured rain jacket with good breathability—because I could spend hours a day in it—as well as some rain-protection accessories (see tip

In other words: Don’t buy more or less of a shell than you need. Too little and you’re cold and wet in the first big rainstorm; too much jacket, and it’ll often be too hot to wear.

Plus, your shell offers wind as well as rain protection, and a bit of warmth by blocking wind and trapping some body heat, so it effectively functions like a very lightweight piece of breathable insulation. You want it to be comfortable to hike in because, in some circumstances, such as when ultralight backpacking or dayhiking in summer, it can replace a piece of light insulation (see ultra-dayhikes example in tip ).

As for pants, I rarely wear waterproof-breathable rain pants because I tend to overheat in them. Instead, I opt for soft-shell pants for cool, wet trips, because they repel light rain, dry pretty quickly from body heat, and breathe well enough that I don’t overheat wearing them (until the temperature’s high enough to change into shorts). I use rain pants in sustained rain and cool temps, when soft-shell pants could soak through and have no chance to get dry, which could make me cold.

See my review “The Best Rain Jackets For the Backcountry” and all of my reviews of ultralight wind shells, ultralight rain jackets, and soft-shell pants.

  You live for the outdoors. The Big Outside helps you get out there. Subscribe now and a get free e-guide!

Jeff Wilhelm on the Dusky Track in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park.

Accessorize Wisely

Gaiters, gloves, and the right hat can greatly affect not only your comfort, but can eliminate the need for something else. I’ll illustrate this point with examples:

•    Gaiters—In light rain and warm temps, or where recent rain has soaked trailside vegetation that you’re brushing against frequently, in lieu of soft-shell or rain pants, wear less-expensive shorts or nylon zip-off pants with low or high gaiters to keep your lower legs and feet dry. Go for high gaiters, like the classic Outdoor Research Crocodiles, in wetter and colder conditions, and low gaiters, like the Outdoor Research Flex-Tex Gaiters, (which aren’t as hot) for warmer temps and light precipitation, as long as you’re not constantly brushing against or through tall, wet vegetation. Added benefit: Gaiters aren’t as hot as rain pants. Tip: Wear your pant legs over gaiters, so that water doesn’t drain down pants inside the gaiters. •    Gloves—Most gloves offer warmth and a little water resistance, but are not waterproof unless their made with a waterproof-breathable membrane and their seams are taped. Bring gloves for warmth but, for sustained rain, get waterproof gloves or overmitts with taped seams. •    Hat—A waterproof, wide-brim hat like the Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero will keep heavy rain off your face and let your head and neck ventilate better than a jacket’s hood will. Also, on cooler trips, I’ll carry one warm, wool hat for camp and a lighter, more-breathable beanie to give my head and ears all the warmth I need while moving.

See my “Gear Review: Essential Backpacking Gear Accessories.”

  My Ultralight, Summer Layering System

For multi-day backcountry trips when temperatures will drop no lower than the 0s Fahrenheit, I bring:

•     T-shirt •     midweight long-sleeve shirt (synthetic, Merino wool, or a blend of the two) •    Zip-off nylon pants •    Long underwear •    - pairs of socks •    - pairs of synthetic underwear •    Lightweight down or insulated jacket (see my tips on puffy jackets) or a sleeping bag that converts to a down jacket (see tip ) •    Ultralight rain jacket •    Lightweight gloves •    Sun hat and warm wool hat •    Gaiters/low gaiters (optional; see tip )

See my favorite base layers and my full backpacking gear checklist.

  0 Tips For Keeping Kids Happy and Safe Outdoors

0 My Layering System For Cold, Wet Weather

For wet, multi-day backcountry trips with temperatures possibly down to freezing, I bring:

•     midweight long-sleeve shirt (synthetic, Merino wool, or a blend of the two) •     T-shirt or a second long-sleeve shirt •    Shorts and soft-shell pants or rain pants •    Long underwear •    - pairs of socks •    - pairs of synthetic underwear •    Down or insulated jacket (see my tips on puffy jackets) plus maybe a sleeping bag that converts to a down jacket (see tip ) •    Rain jacket •    Gloves and waterproof overmitts (see tip ) •    Warm wool hat, lightweight beanie, and wide-brim, waterproof hat (see tip ) •    High gaiters (see tip )

One final note: I don’t cover footwear in this article, but the shoes or boots you wear are obviously critical to your comfort—how your feet feel often dictates how you feel overall. See my “Pro Tips For Buying the Right Boots” and all of my reviews of backpacking boots and hiking shoes.

  Tell me what you think. I spent a lot of time writing this story, so if you enjoyed it, please consider giving it a share using one of the buttons below, and leave a comment or question at the bottom of this story. I’d really appreciate it.

  NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker Magazine for 0 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See categorized menus of all of my gear reviews at The Big Outside.

  The Big Outside helps you find the best adventures. Subscribe now to read ALL stories and get a free e-guide!