A few of us editors made the best use of the twelfth month in the year by climbing in Patagonia, hiking in New Zealand, and skiing in Colorado. Below is the gear that had us taking advantage of every last moment in 2023.
Rab Mythic Ultra ($495)
Although I originally got this jacket for a yurt trip in the Tetons, I’ve been living in it everyday. My wood stove only heats the upper reaches of my living room, so my office and bedroom are a veritable ice box. The 240 grams of 900-fill-power down are probably better served as a belay parka at a stance on the upper reaches of Ama Dablam, but it performs admirably in my frigid mountain town office. Once the Sierra finally see snow again, it’ll serve as my midwinter ski mountaineering parka and protect me from the gelid air on walks to and from the Clocktower Cellar. It packs to the size of a Nalgene and serves as a pillow on warm nights and a sleeping bag supplement on cold ones. I’m now convinced that I can’t live without it. —Jake Stern, digital editor
