I'm very very particular about the clothes I wear when I'm climbing, hiking and backpacking -- and, if possible, I'm even happier if they can cross over to sailing, but very few garments do. I want my gear to be high quality and durable, since I don't want to replace it more frequently than every few years. I generally don't wear it around town, which keeps it feeling a little like fairy dust: put it on, and it's magically the weekend! My usage mode is usually to stick each and every one of these garments in my pack every time I go adventuring (hence they're all very lightweight), take them out and wash them when I return, and repeat during the next excursion two weeks later. So they have to withstand a biweekly wash cycle and the rigors of the outdoors, for a couple years.
The gear that's proven itself over the last one-plus year:
Long pants: REI Acme pants (I would live in these if I could)
Shorts: Lole (can't find the model, but they're SPF 50+, with carbon nanofibers, two buttons, fit like heaven, super stretchy and dry immediately! And I hate shorts!)
Puffy: Isis Whisper (converted me to a down fanatic for life)
Shell: Marmot Cloudlight (plain old competent)
Layers: Icebreaker everything (a love affair I've written about before)
Socks: Smartwool PhD (won't buy anything else)
Beanie: Icebreaker Bauble
Gloves: Sprigs Multi-Mitts
Approach shoes: 5.10 Prodigy
So, to the companies that make my favorite junk: I <3 you!
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