Re: Yampa Test

Do we really want to know about Yampa shorts? Did the Bolger Group
get cyberjacked, or what? In the meantime, my second posting re
meranti seems to have disappeared into the ether. Was there some sort
of accidental cross-posting between Yahoo Groups today?
John in Victoria

disOn--- In bolger@y..., zacee@t... wrote:
>
> The Yampa Shorts held up better than my vehicles have since the
last test.< BR> Are we testing any pick up trucks soon? Ford
marketing is calling
> themselves gear outfitters????
>
> The weather forecast was not very favorable for Sunday afternoon &
and I
> was waiting for a phone call between 8:45 & 10:00 so no long rang
e plans
> were going to take place. I wanted to check if the key clip in the
bo ttom
> leg pocket was beneficial for kayaking. On my second report I
mention ed it
> was a minor nuisance that low on my leg. I grabbed the kayak & he
aded to
> the local pond. Shorts held up well while digging the kayak out
from under
> the roofing shingles & hiking gear that had been piled up on it
since l ast
> summer. As expected, the upper zipper pockets are above the top of
th e
> kayak cockpit. Sure, you can zipper them shut but in case of a
moment ary
> brain lapse, (leaving the pockets unzipped), you could have a major
> inconvenience. The lower leg pocket though is below the top of the
co ckpit
> & if you failed to secure your keys to the clip & did not fasten th
e
> velcro, for recreational kayaking, barring capsizing, your keys
would fall< BR> into the kayak, not the lake.
>
> I got my phone call at 9:30 and promptly checked the Weather
Channel. I
> was in central CT, a line of thunderstorms were in Syracuse, NY.
> Destination Mt. Greylock, MA's highest point in northwest MA &
likely t he
> first place in MA to get hit with the squall line. I arrived at
the trailhead on the east side of the mountain just before 12:00
with a threatening sky overhead. I managed to keep a pretty decent
pace & ; was
> about two miles in when I first heard thunder off in the distance.
I still
> had about one mile to go. Noon time weather was very humid with a
> temperature in the middle 80's and the Yampa Shorts were a bit
damp. As a
> person who sweats profusely & one who was also trying to get to the
top of
> a mountain as quickly as possible, staying dry was unlikely. Ten
minu tes
> later, it be impossible.
>
> As I passed the highest body of water in MA on the highest peak I
figured I
> was just missing a couple of golf clubs. I was within about 2/10's
of a
> mile from the Summit Tower when it began to rain. Thunder & light
ening was
> increasing but still not overhead. Once in the War Memorial Tower
ato p Mt.
> Greylock, I put on a dry shirt & my shell & headed down befor e
the main
> fireworks began. Having a choice to walk a small section of road
or g o by
> the pond, I opted for the road walk. Ten minutes later, the rain
came down
> in sheets & once again, I was soaked, head to toe. A few closer l
ightening
> strikes but I managed to get to the car & on my way before the main
cel l
> struck the hill.
>
> After Sunday I had concluded that the Yampa shorts were as
comfortable as any pair of shorts I've worn soaking wet. After
wearing polyester box ers
> on Sunday, I also concluded they were more comfortable soaking wet
in
> briefs. I also carried just the two car keys, a whistle & Photon
light on
> the key chain & it was less noticeable than my whole key chain.
(four c ar
> keys, & a small remote entry key chain.)
>
> I was home by 5:00 & in the early evening washed the shorts & hung
them to
> dry. I was going to pack the Yampa shorts & some clothes for a hi
ke Monday
> after work. Destination: arguably the Western Hemisphere's most
climb ed
> mountain, New Hampshire's Mt. Monadnock. Monday started cool,
brisk & amp; as
> clear as a crisp October Day. I started packing & the Yampa
shorts were a
> little damp so I threw them in the dryer for 20 minutes before
hopping in the shower. They were dry & stuffed into a bag for
later. B y 7:00 PM we
> were on the trail & headed up for some sunset pictures & a headlamp
> descent. Weather was around 60 at the base & in the middle 50's a
t the
> summit with a brisk 25 MPH wind with gust in the low to middle 30's
which made picture taking without bracing yourself tough & four
hikers glad t hey
> brought some extra clothing. After about ten minutes of standing
arou nd,
> our fingers got cold.
>
> I had sweated a bit on this trip too but in more typical mountain
hiking
> weather, the shorts stayed dry. The zipper pockets are great when
put ting
> your own wrappers in the pocket & keeping valuables safe. The las
t two
> hikes were with a large fanny pack with the belt squarely over the
Yampa
> belt buckle I initially had some concerns about. No issues or
problem s
> with the fanny pack.
>
> Final analysis:
>
> Yampa shorts are well made & designed. I'd be happier if there wa
s a
> second key clip in one of the upper pockets also but if only one is
going to be included & the target market are boaters & hikers, it's
much safer in
> it's current place. I'd also be happier if the available waist
sizes were
> every inch instead of two inches (34, 36, 38) However, the belt
does a
> great job keeping the pants in place. Drying times on the trail I
tho ught
> may have been a little slow but after the first two hikes I was
worried
> they attracted rain & thunderstorms. Excessive sweating is nothin
g to brag
> about but if you are not the biggest sweater you know, they should
be fine.
> On a real humid 85 degree day most people go swimming so how many
days like
> this exist. The shorts held up well to a couple of washings as you
wo uld
> expect any "made in USA" garment to do
>
> Would I buy a pair of Yampa shorts? This is a hard call. The su
ggested
> price in my opinion was high but then again I worked at a large
Northeast USA based retailer for about three years buying more gear
than I can use at
> discounted prices. However, if you like the quality of a 100% USA
mad e
> garment (something that most outdoor retailers & gear makers can't
say, as
> some make material here but have assembled abroad) and don't mind
pay ing
> for that quality than these shorts should be highly considered.
There is a
> cliché that says you get what you pay for.
> __________________________________________________________________
> TheMail.com - Full featured premium email you can count on.
> Sign-up today athttp://www.themail.com/
The Yampa Shorts held up better than my vehicles have since the last test.< BR> Are we testing any pick up trucks soon? Ford marketing is calling
themselves gear outfitters????

The weather forecast was not very favorable for Sunday afternoon & and I
was waiting for a phone call between 8:45 & 10:00 so no long rang e plans
were going to take place. I wanted to check if the key clip in the bo ttom
leg pocket was beneficial for kayaking. On my second report I mention ed it
was a minor nuisance that low on my leg. I grabbed the kayak & he aded to
the local pond. Shorts held up well while digging the kayak out from under
the roofing shingles & hiking gear that had been piled up on it since l ast
summer. As expected, the upper zipper pockets are above the top of th e
kayak cockpit. Sure, you can zipper them shut but in case of a moment ary
brain lapse, (leaving the pockets unzipped), you could have a major
inconvenience. The lower leg pocket though is below the top of the co ckpit
& if you failed to secure your keys to the clip & did not fasten th e
velcro, for recreational kayaking, barring capsizing, your keys would fall< BR> into the kayak, not the lake.

I got my phone call at 9:30 and promptly checked the Weather Channel. I
was in central CT, a line of thunderstorms were in Syracuse, NY.
Destination Mt. Greylock, MA's highest point in northwest MA & likely t he
first place in MA to get hit with the squall line. I arrived at the trailhead on the east side of the mountain just before 12:00 with a threatening sky overhead. I managed to keep a pretty decent pace & ; was
about two miles in when I first heard thunder off in the distance. I still
had about one mile to go. Noon time weather was very humid with a
temperature in the middle 80's and the Yampa Shorts were a bit damp. As a
person who sweats profusely & one who was also trying to get to the top of
a mountain as quickly as possible, staying dry was unlikely. Ten minu tes
later, it be impossible.

As I passed the highest body of water in MA on the highest peak I figured I
was just missing a couple of golf clubs. I was within about 2/10's of a
mile from the Summit Tower when it began to rain. Thunder & light ening was
increasing but still not overhead. Once in the War Memorial Tower ato p Mt.
Greylock, I put on a dry shirt & my shell & headed down befor e the main
fireworks began. Having a choice to walk a small section of road or g o by
the pond, I opted for the road walk. Ten minutes later, the rain came down
in sheets & once again, I was soaked, head to toe. A few closer l ightening
strikes but I managed to get to the car & on my way before the main cel l
struck the hill.

After Sunday I had concluded that the Yampa shorts were as comfortable as any pair of shorts I've worn soaking wet. After wearing polyester box ers
on Sunday, I also concluded they were more comfortable soaking wet in
briefs. I also carried just the two car keys, a whistle & Photon light on
the key chain & it was less noticeable than my whole key chain. (four c ar
keys, & a small remote entry key chain.)

I was home by 5:00 & in the early evening washed the shorts & hung them to
dry. I was going to pack the Yampa shorts & some clothes for a hi ke Monday
after work. Destination: arguably the Western Hemisphere's most climb ed
mountain, New Hampshire's Mt. Monadnock. Monday started cool, brisk & amp; as
clear as a crisp October Day. I started packing & the Yampa shorts were a
little damp so I threw them in the dryer for 20 minutes before hopping in the shower. They were dry & stuffed into a bag for later. B y 7:00 PM we
were on the trail & headed up for some sunset pictures & a headlamp
descent. Weather was around 60 at the base & in the middle 50's a t the
summit with a brisk 25 MPH wind with gust in the low to middle 30's which made picture taking without bracing yourself tough & four hikers glad t hey
brought some extra clothing. After about ten minutes of standing arou nd,
our fingers got cold.

I had sweated a bit on this trip too but in more typical mountain hiking
weather, the shorts stayed dry. The zipper pockets are great when put ting
your own wrappers in the pocket & keeping valuables safe. The las t two
hikes were with a large fanny pack with the belt squarely over the Yampa
belt buckle I initially had some concerns about. No issues or problem s
with the fanny pack.

Final analysis:

Yampa shorts are well made & designed. I'd be happier if there wa s a
second key clip in one of the upper pockets also but if only one is going to be included & the target market are boaters & hikers, it's much safer in
it's current place. I'd also be happier if the available waist sizes were
every inch instead of two inches (34, 36, 38) However, the belt does a
great job keeping the pants in place. Drying times on the trail I tho ught
may have been a little slow but after the first two hikes I was worried
they attracted rain & thunderstorms. Excessive sweating is nothin g to brag
about but if you are not the biggest sweater you know, they should be fine.
On a real humid 85 degree day most people go swimming so how many days like
this exist. The shorts held up well to a couple of washings as you wo uld
expect any "made in USA" garment to do

Would I buy a pair of Yampa shorts? This is a hard call. The su ggested
price in my opinion was high but then again I worked at a large Northeast USA based retailer for about three years buying more gear than I can use at
discounted prices. However, if you like the quality of a 100% USA mad e
garment (something that most outdoor retailers & gear makers can't say, as
some make material here but have assembled abroad) and don't mind pay ing
for that quality than these shorts should be highly considered. There is a
clich� that says you get what you pay for.
__________________________________________________________________
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