Shit on Sale – August 2021

Shit on Sale is a monthly round up of damn good deals scraped from the clearance rack. I’m a huge fan of getting the best quality you can get with your budget, and finding items that’ll serve you for years to come. As an eco-conscious reminder, remember to buy what you truly need and pass along or recycle any items you’re replacing. All prices pulled from 8/23 and covering fairly comprehensive sizing at that time.

Ski Things

• Flylow Women’s Nina Ski Pants – $98.99 (MSRP $360; 73% off): The Nina pants are a 3 layer shell pant, meaning that the waterproof layer, outer fabric layer, and inner protective liner fabric are all laminated together to feel like 1 piece of fabric. This makes the pants less bulky and makes the waterproof layer more protected. There are inner and outer thigh vents, and an on-thigh pocket, which makes these a good choice for anyone venturing into touring and only has insulated pants in the closet. The waterproofing is Fylow’s proprietary membrane, which tends to be a little less breathable than GoreTex, but having 2 sets of vents on the Ninas more than makes up for the difference.
• Dakine Women’s Remington Ski Pants – $63.99 (MSRP $260; 75% off): The Dakine Remington pants are a GoreTex, insulated ski pant. The insulation is only added to the seat and through the knee areas of the pants, which is perfect for west coast skiers. You get more warmth than in a shell pant, but hot spots on your body like your inner thighs don’t get super swampy.
• Dakine Women’s Beretta Ski Bibs – $169.99 (MSRP $440; 61% off); The Beretta bibs are a 3-layer shell bib. See above for the Nina pants for more info on what “layers” mean for waterproofing. These use a nicer GoreTex membrane, but offset the cost with a more budget-oriented polyester plain weave face fabric. Good placement of pockets for touring use (you need space between your phone and beacon, so on thigh pockets are clutch). For brighter color options, check out the Marmot Adventure Bib for $179.99.
• Marmot Men’s Huntley Ski Bibs – $151.99 (MSRP $435; 65% off): These are a 3-layer GoreTex C-knit bib. The C-knit construction refers to the inside laminated layer of fabric being a knit instead of a traditional woven fabric. Wovens use more thread and create a tighter connection between threads to give the membrane maximum protection. Knits are different. Think of wovens as a button-down dress shirt and knits as a cotton t-shirt. The knits are looser loops of fabric, so it won’t be as protective, but those looser loops make the item lighter, more breathable, and less crinkly. And since knitting uses less thread and can be more automated, knits reduce cost. I get a little irked by how GoreTex only emphasis the benefits of knits for their C-Knit range. Some people will still be more satisfied with the durability of a woven backer, but a lot will also appreciate the C-knit design, so shop informed.
• Dakine Women’s Beretta Ski Jacket – $143.99 (MSRP $450; 68% off): The Dakine Beretta is a 3-layer shell jacket. See above for the Nina pants for more info on what “layers” mean for waterproofing. Same story as the bibs above, GoreTex waterproofing and a polyester plain weave face fabric.
• Mountain Hardwear Men’s Boundary Ridge Ski Jacket – $199.99 (MSRP $450; 56% off): 3-layer construction, GoreTex membrane, polyester face fabric. Read everything above about the Dakine Beretta bib & jacket, and the same applies here. More sizes and another color on a different item page.
• Dakine Men’s Vapor Ski Jacket – $128.31 (MSRP $380; 66% off): This jacket is a 2-layer construction, meaning the membrane & outer layer are laminated together and a separate liner fabric is sewn in. It’s got polyester face fabric and underarm vents. Great resort shell option or decent for touring if you’re looking for rock bottom pricing and willing to carry something a little heavier and bulkier in the backcountry.
• Dakine Women’s Tilly Jane Ski Jacket – $116.99 (MSRP $320; 63% off): This jacket’s an insulated jacket with a GoreTex membrane. 80gsm insulation in the main body and 60gsm in the arms make this a super toasty shell best made for people who run very cold or people who spend time in the northern Rockies (MT, ID, and the Canadian Rockies). The Burton Kaylo jacket is essentially the same design and offers different colors and patterns marked down to $119.
• Marker Squire ID 11 Bindings – $132.99 (MSRP $189.95; 30% off): The Squire ID 11 has a DIN range of 3-11, and works for any boot sole – inbound, GripWalk, or touring. These are a great option for skiers hoping to build out a quiver of inbound and touring setups over the long term and want to start with a few basic pieces with maximum versatility. But some might be better served with the binding option below.
• Tyrolia Attack 13 GW Bindings – $142.49 (MSRP $199; 28% off): Higher DIN bindings tend to be a bit heavier and more durable than their 11 counterparts. They also have a higher DIN range (4-13). Manufacturers recommend not keeping the DINs set near the max of the binding’s range (this means all springs are tightened to maximum pressure at all times), so if you’re nearing double digit DINs, bump up to a 13 binding. This Tyrolia only works for inbounds ISO & GripWalk boot soles, which, to me, is a requirement for any binding I put on my skis. Brands like Dalbello and K2 put GripWalk soles on almost their entire boot line, so I’d pay the extra few bucks for versatility between those two boot sole norms. Sure, inbound ISO-only bindings cost less, but if you end up in new boots with GripWalk soles, you have to pony up for new bindings, a remount, and the loss of value in the skis since they can only be mounted 3 times in-shop.

Outdoor Things

• Mountain Hardwear Men’s Ghost Whisperer Jacket – $129.99 (MSRP $299.99; 57% off): Super lightweight, compressible 3-season jacket. It’s extremely warm for its weight to its 800 fill down, and the face fabric is a very light, moderately durable 10D nylon. Feathers are also treated with water repellent to help with moisture management. It’s the perfect piece to throw on at camp or at the summit, and the right weight to keep in your bag in case of emergencies. Synthetic layers are a better fit for “active insulation” on cold winter days, and I’d want something heavier for mid-winter skiing and snowshoeing or high summits like Rainier. But outside of those use cases, the Ghost Whisperer is the kind of coat I’d want in my pack the rest of the year.
• Mountain Hardwear Women’s Exposure 2 GoreTex Pro Shell – $208 (MSRP $649.99; 68% off): Discount code STEEPSALE used to get additional discounts. This shell is a 3-layer construction with a GoreTex Pro membrane. The Pro membrane is more breathable than the standard GoreTex, but doesn’t sacrifice any waterproofing performance. This is what you want as a mountaineering shell since it’s effective at blocking the elements, breathable for high output activities, and pockets are harness compatible. The equivalent jackets from Arcteryx run $550+, so this is a great bargain.
• Kari Traa Women’s Tiske Merino Wool Base Layer Pants – $29.99 (MSRP $74.95; 60% off): They’re 100% merino wool. This pant is a lightweight base layer and features mesh paneling for ventilation and comfortable all-season wear.
• Sun Hoodies for men & women:
  • Exofficio Women’s Hyalite Hoody – $26.99 (MSRP $68; 60% off): UPF 50+ sun shirt with thumbholes and strategic seaming to minimize chaffing with a pack. Fabric is a knit that breathes and stretches well.
  • Exofficio Women’s Wimico Hoody – $31.99 (MSRP $80; 60% off): This piece is UPF 40. It’s a woven polyester while the Hyalite is a knit. Wovens are more durable, but less breathable, so the Wimico offsets less fabric breathability with mesh venting panels and by making the fit looser. Get the Wimico if you want durability and get the Hyalite if you want a trimmer fit that doesn’t get in the way of a harness & gear loops.
  • Saucony Women’s UV Lite Hoodie – $19.99 (MSRP $65; 70% off): This piece is UPF 50+. It’s made from a running brand, so I’d be sure to check helmet compatibility if you’re planning to wear it on climbs.
  • Stoic Women’s Tech Hoodie – $21.98 (MSRP $49.95; 56% off): Used code STEEPSALE for the additional discount. UPF is listed as 40+, but federal regulations require “50+” to be used for all items 50 or above. Anything lower needs to be stated at a single number (aka 40, not 40+). I’d assume these were all UPF 40.
  • Adidas Outdoor Men’s Terrex Hiking Hoodie – $29.99 (MSRP $59.95; 50% off): This 50+ hoodie comes with a drawstring (really wish this was a more common feature in hoodies) and is also one of the few options that’s a polyester spandex blend for maximum stretchiness. Adidas also makes their polyester from recycled ocean waste in their partnership with Parley plastics. Adidas Outdoors isn’t a huge brand, but is right up there behind Patagonia in terms of sustainability practices and they deserve more credit. For larger sizes, check out the Eddie Bauer Solarfoil Hoodie.
• Marmot Women’s Mt. Tyndall Hoody – $168.99 (MSRP $422; 60% off): This is what you want as your Rainier summit puffy or winter ski touring puffy (especially one that can take you to Idaho/Montana or on hut trips to interior BC and the Canadian Rockies). It’s got a little more insulation than competitors like the Patagonia Fitz Roy or Mountain Hardwear Phantom, but it lacks the wind blocking aspects of those jackets since it lacks Pertex face fabric. But overall, they’ll perform similarly and this is the only one of the bunch even remotely on sale.
• Giro Riddance Mountain Bike Shoes – $79.99 (MSRP $119.95; 33% off): I’ve been wearing the Riddance shoes for a little over a year and have been really pleased with how stiff and sticky the soles are. They’re much narrower than the ever popular Five Ten options, and I really recommend them to anyone who feels like their feet slide a bit in their bike shoes. For larger sizes, Sierra also has the unisex Pearl Izumi X-Alp shoes marked down.
• Mammut Men’s Taiss Tour Mountaineering Boots – $179.99 (MSRP $339; 47% off): This is a lightweight summer alpine boot, making it a competitor for my favorite mountaineering boot, the Salewa Rapace. Both of these boots are light with a ¾ shank and 3 season insulation. They’re perfect for the Cascades, although they might get a little cold on Rainier if the summit is in the low 20s or colder. But the “barely mountaineering boot” design makes them a comfortable fit for long traverses and it can fit tighter on the foot to provide more secure fitting on rock.