Everest Vest on a late afternoon geocaching adventure

If you haven’t heard of Red Fox, listen up because their stores are popping up all over the world these days (literally!)  This outdoor company was started in 1989 at the base of the Caucasus mountains by Russian mountaineers Aleksandr Glushkovsky and Vladimir Moroz – and now in addition to over 30 Russian locations, Red Fox has brought its products onto the international scene.  In 2014 the company expanded to Nepal, Switzerland, and Colorado.

My first connection with this company started last fall, when I was asked to write about their Speedster 14 pack on the Red Fox NA (North America)  website (you can find that article here.)  Today I’d like to showcase a couple of their other products, both of which we’ve been enjoying immensely for the past month.

Kid’s Everest Vest

Big C was the lucky recipient of this gorgeous down vest.  At first he was pretty reluctant to try it on…after all, 4 and 1/2 year olds aren’t known for their love of change.  But once I finally convinced him to give it a whirl (and showed him how it was puffy just like mommy’s down jacket), he’s reached for the vest every time we go outside.  As a mom, that tells me that it keeps him warm as well as comfortable.  He’s still got plenty of room to grow (read: it’s a little big), but it’s still not excessively bulky.  The fabric is “Dry Factor 5000” (basically the Red Fox version of Gore-tex), so it can definitely handle it’s fair share of wet weather.  And at 650 fill down, it keeps Big C’s core toasty warm, but allows his arms to be free (and ventilated!) It’s the perfect choice for active endeavors on cold (but not frigid) winter days – hiking, playgrounding, and just plain running around being a kid!

Nice and warm in the fading light!

St. Line Jacket

This light-weight sports jacket was the most recent Red Fox item added to my collection, and I’ve been very pleased.  The St. Line is a versatile fleece zip-up that makes for a great mid-layer OR outer layer, depending on temps and activity.  It’s the perfect thing to throw on over a baselayer for a crisp, morning hike or a chilly, late afternoon trail run.  A thin, very breathable fabric was used from armpit to elbow, which makes for great ventilation when you start to heat up.  On really cold days, it adds warmth without bulk underneath a down jacket.  The best part is the fit.  More than just a smaller version of the men’s jacket, the women’s St. Line was obviously based on an athletic female figure, as it hugs where it should without feeling tight and restrictive!

Me, Baby Zu and the St, Line Jacket hiking out of the crag at the end of the day.

The only negative that I’ve found with it is that the ventilation fabric around the armpits tends to “hold the stink” a little more than other fabrics, say wool, or cotton, but that’s probably to be expected out of a synthetic. (Or maybe I’m just really stinky…)  Not a big deal, I just find that I need to wash it a little more often than other similar pieces.

I know I for one am excited to see a new brand of outdoor apparel on the scene.  Red Fox seems to offer a fresh new spin on standby styles, and I’m looking forward to seeing how their company grows this year!  Anyone else out there tried any Red Fox gear? I’d love to know your favorite pieces…