Reviewing new or noteworthy gear from my Great Traverse of the Alps on the GR 5 and GR 52.
- Patagonia — Capilene Cool Daily Hoody & Duckbill Cap ★★★★★
- Black Diamond — Pursuit FLZ ★★★★★
- Bidet ★★★★★
- DIY Electrolytes ★★★★★
- Nutripure Protein Bars ★★★★☆
Patagonia — Capilene Cool Daily Hoody & Duckbill Cap ★★★★★
Hoody, 164 g — 70€
Cap, 43 g — 40€
My previous clothes combo was a Columbia Silver Ridge button-up shirt, a Lafuma Shift cap, and a Buff Merino Lightweight as sun protection. I replaced all that with something simpler, lighter, and more modern.
The Capilene hoody dries better and doesn’t get stained by sweat (wet or dry) as much. The downside is that it gets stickier after a few days instead of staying stiff like the Silver Ridge shirt. I guess it would also suffer more when bushwhacking. Unfortunately, it’s not yet available in Patagonia Europe.
The Duckbill cap also dries much faster. My previous caps had a rigid brim and would tear down at the junction between the brim and the front section from hand washing. This cap is entirely made of fabric that is foldable (more packable and washable) and 100% recycled.
And Patagonia has a bit more ethical business model for an apparel company.
Black Diamond — Pursuit FLZ ★★★★★
240 g — 160€
Before I stopped gram shaving on poles, I had 2 pairs of Distance Z with the same issues: a lost tip in the first days and serious bends after a few weeks. I’ve had no issues with the stronger Pursuit FLZ.
The adjustable length helps pitch my Durston X-Mid pole tent by keeping the fly and inner tent as separated as possible.
I removed the wrist straps, which always get so grimy. The cork handle is much more comfortable and has already made it through serious washing.
They should work fine in snow this winter.
Bidet ★★★★★
0 g — 0€
I did my first backpacking trip at the age of 4, but I’m amazed to keep discovering cool tricks that are cheaper, lighter, and more sustainable. This one just takes a bit of practice — no extra gear! Learned from legendary hiker Andrew Skurka, the inventor of the Yosemite High Route, amongst other feats.
DIY Electrolytes ★★★★★
100 g — 2€
Another trick that’s cheaper, lighter, and more sustainable. Readymade electrolyte pills include quite a bit of sugar and effervescent powder that I don’t want to carry for days, they usually come in disposable thick plastic tubes, and often sell you regular sodium at a staggering price.
The shopping list below has the 3 most important minerals in good proportions: 5 of sodium, 3 of potassium, and 1 of magnesium. I use 4 g per liter, very approximately.
- Nature et Partage — Citrate de magnésium, 300 g
- Losalt, 350 g
- Le Guérandais — Sel moulu, 500 g
The taste is okay, but you can improve it with a bit of iced tea powder. The salts are a bit more coarse than the magnesium powder, so I’ll try to grind the mix more in a blender next time.
Nutripure — Protein Bars ★★★★☆
Nutripure — Raw Bars ★★★☆☆
Biofair — Protein Bars ★★★☆☆
Getting enough protein on the trail as a vegetarian can be tricky. I tried 2 French brands looking for an alternative to the additive Decathlon caramel protein bars that wasn’t made by such an evil company.
| Price per kilo | Protein per 100 g | Calories per 100 g | |
| Nutripure Protein | 52€/kg | 37 g | 417 kcal |
| Nutripure Raw | 48€/kg | 21 g | 418 kcal |
| Biofair Raw | 63€/kg | 32 g | 424 kcal |
| OKR Meal | 42€/kg | 23 g | 358 kcal |
| Decathlon Recovery | 26€/kg | 33 g | 394 kcal |
| Peanuts | 9€/kg | 27 g | 598 kcal |
The Nutripure protein bars had the most protein and calories, the best taste, and only 7 ingredients. The downsides are that they are neither vegan nor organic and cost double the price of Decathlon.
The Nutripure raw bars have a good texture, but have the least protein and don’t really taste as advertised (it’s mostly dates).
The Biofair raw bars are vegan, but the different flavors are barely distinguishable, and the texture feels like compressed nut powder. The wood cellulose wrapper is cool.
The OKR meal bars that I reviewed last year taste better than any of these. Otherwise, raw peanuts are hard to beat!