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  • The Wool Industry and the Ancient Discipline of Shearing

    The Wool Industry and the Ancient Discipline of Shearing

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    5 Min
    1. What are the best Tee Shirts made of? | A Brief Defense for Cotton

      What are the best Tee Shirts made of? | A Brief Defense for Cotton

      What are t-shirts usually made of? Polyester, wool, silk, or cotton to name a few, Usually though a combination of polyester and cotton. Polyester is plastic, often recycled from used water bottles. Our tees are made from 100% cotton, becasue we prefer natural fibers whenever possible, especially next to skin. Perhaps one of the most important thing to consider, when considering a tee shirt, is comfort. Comfort is never overrated. And when it comes down to comfort, there are a couple of factors to consider: breathability, hand feel, and fit.

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      5 Min
    2. When Did Montana Become a State? SR41 is a nod to the 41st state of the union

      When Did Montana Become a State? SR41 is a nod to the 41st state of the union

      SR41. Is it a reference to a ski locker number? The 41st county, McCone?  Neither.  It simply refers to Montana’s statehood history when it joined the union as the 41st state on November 8th, 1889.

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      2 minutes Min
    3. Wool and Bamboo | Natural Materials Make a Comeback

      Wool and Bamboo | Natural Materials Make a Comeback

      Have you ever introduced two friends that you knew would hit it off?  It is like seeing a blind date quickly turn into a happy partnership.  This could describe the new way of combining wool and bamboo to make fabric, used in our SKOLTEC base layers.  Customers report that they love this product and wonder why these two textiles work well together.  Let’s dig in.    Wool is a terrific material: it is environmentally friendly, thermoregulating (warm when you need it, cool when you don’t), and has a soft feel when it is a next-of-skin product like SKOLTEC base layer.  Wool holds its shape well and lasts.  Blending bamboo with wool is a more recent development in textiles and this combination has a good array of attributes.     

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      3 minutes Min
    4. Merino Wool vs Alpaca Wool | What is the difference? Which one is better?

      Merino Wool vs Alpaca Wool | What is the difference? Which one is better?

      What’s the difference between Merino wool and alpaca socks? No matter what you are wearing on your feet…ski boots, running shoes, boots, or just whatever you found at the front door, you want to keep your feet happy. Your sock choice can be just as important as your footwear, no matter the temperature. Since both Merino wool and alpaca are great natural fibers for socks, this begs the question, “What is the difference between Merino wool and alpaca socks? Why one or the other?” The short answer is that both are terrific. Both Alpaca and Merino wool are breathable, warm and odor resistant. Great qualities for your feetsies. But if you want to dig deeper into the differences between wool and alpaca, here's a list of attributes to consider when deciding between Merino wool and alpaca socks.

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      5 Min
    5. Outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness | With The Mills

      Outfitting in the Bob Marshall Wilderness | With The Mills

      Horses + Mules are a lot of work. But the payoff is huge. There is nothing better, even in the world of internal combustion engines and battery powered Tesla’s, than a train of pack horses in the backcountry. We caught up with the Mills brothers at their home in Augusta, MT. It’s February and they are chipping away at the preparations for summer trips into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

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      5 Min
    6. THE COMMITTEE EP 16

      THE COMMITTEE EP 16

      We headed out to the foothills of the Little Belt Mountains (Near Utica, MT) in search of a new climbing area. Trent did manage to find a route up to the anchors despite his first day climbing outdoors. Mia did her best, and even after admitting she was only doing it for the camera, ended up surprising herself and having bit of fun. At the bar, Cody and Cody were challenged at the pool table by two hunters scouting the area for the up-and-coming season. There was an abundance of beer, awkward dancing, and the occasional good shot.

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      5 Min
    7. Are All Good Shells Goretex? Why Gore-Tex is not the Only Good Option

      Are All Good Shells Goretex? Why Gore-Tex is not the Only Good Option

      Goretex is a patented material, and one of the first materials of its time to be flexible, breathable and waterproof all at the same time. Before that people were either waxing their canvas or wearing plastic ponchos. Our 3-Layer SR3 Fabric (made in Japan) is based off the same principle, creating a fabric that not only keeps the water out, but breathes enough to keep you dry on the inside as well. We'll explain how our shell is different than a poncho, what a 3-layer shell means, and how a fabric is tested for waterproofness. Full disclaimer, our shells are not made from Gore-tex material, just like the tissues you buy from the supermarket might not be Kleenex (a brand). So if you are looking for Gore-tex products specifically, you might try looking at some of our competitors like Arc'teryx or Rab. Other brands like Mountain Hardware an...

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      5 Min
    8. What is the Meaning of Adventure? And How it Favors the Act of Unknowing

      What is the Meaning of Adventure? And How it Favors the Act of Unknowing

      Adventure itself is defined by the unknown elements of life. It always involves some headlong plunge into unpredictability, into the unknown. And if adventure were predictable and quantifiable, then well we wouldn't call it adventure. We'd just call it algebra or something. Experts can have a hard time with adventure, wanting things figured, anticipated, and calculated. An expert is a nice thing to have around when expertise is needed, but most times the fun is in overcoming the challenge of not knowing. The need to be an expert often inherently sucks the fun out like a leech sucking blood from its host.

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      5 Min
    9. Guiding in The Bob Marshall Wilderness | Chinese Wall, Benchmark, Scapegoat Wilderness

      Guiding in The Bob Marshall Wilderness | Chinese Wall, Benchmark, Scapegoat Wilderness

      There are only a few wild places left. Within the Rocky Mountain Front Range lies 1.5 million acres of designated "Wilderness" spanning from Glacier National Park to Rogers Pass in Western Montana. Lying in the foothills of the Front Range is a small town called Augusta, Montana. Maybe you have heard of some of these places like the Scapegoats, Blackleaf, The Chinese Wall, Benchmark, or "The Bob". These are some of the landmarks that lie within one of the last wild places in Montana. So when we got the call from Amy Mills that they had been wearing our jackets back in The Bob during the 2020 backcountry season, and want to partner with us on development and testing it was an easy yes.

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      5 Min
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