Feathered Friends Blog
This summer, after more than twenty years in our current storefront, Feathered Friends will be moving. In early July, we’ll be opening doors at our new location, just one block north, at 263 Yale Ave N. The building that our storefront has occupied for the last couple decades has a storied history; it was originally … Continue reading A New Roost: Feathered Friends Is Moving
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Ever wondered what it feels like to climb all Seven Summits? How about 10 times in a lifetime?! Alpine Ascents International Guide sensation, Vern Tejas, will be visiting Seattle and stopping by Feathered Friends for an evening of story telling and presentation. Vern is known for Denali’s first solo winter ascent, the first solo of … Continue reading Vern Tejas: Seven Summits Presentation – September 28
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It’s Time For Massive Savings Epic deals on cosmetic blemishes, factory seconds, samples, closeouts, and rentals. Time to save up to 80%! This doesn’t happen very often, and when it does, the early bird gets the worm. Products include*: Sleeping Bags Lightweight Down Jackets Expedition Down Jackets Down Comforters & Pillows & more! These seconds … Continue reading The Memorial Day Sale… With Seconds & Samples
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Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, there are two items I will never have too many of; baselayers and fleece jackets. A good baselayer top is the foundation of an effective layering system ready to meet changeable weather conditions from coastal rains to snowy peaks. Because we take our baselayers so many places, we demand a lot from them. We expect them to be warm but not too hot, durable and yet lightweight, and cozy but not overly bulky.
Over the last five months I got to adventure with the new Arc’teryx Phase AR baselayer, and it is now my top-pick for a synthetic shirt.
A waterproof and windproof hardshell is the heart of my outdoor adventure kit. It is a piece of gear that goes on every single trip from a short day hike on my favorite local mountain to week-long backpacks in remote areas. Over the last year I searched for a new favorite hardshell, and I think I finally found it in the Arc’teryx Alpha SL.
At the end of September I took the jacket on a slew of day hikes and a multi-day backpacking trip. Fall hiking in Washington guarantees a mixed bag of weather, and we got a little bit of everything from rain to cold wind and sunshine. I was happy through it all in the Alpha SL.
The first thing I noticed about the jacket is how LIGHT it is. The women’s jacket (size M) clocked in at a pleasant 9.3 oz. This shaves significant ounces off the other jackets I usually carry, and I barely noticed the jacket while wearing it. The GORE-TEX® PacLite® fabric is not only light, but is less crinkly and compresses into a stuff sack that came with the jacket. Lightweight and packable, it was a no brainer to take it with me everyday.