HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

Sorry everyone. This month has been bananas. I have not been climbing, but I have been training like crazy. I took a second job and as a result have not had a day off since early December. 7 days a week, brutally windy and cold weather has kept me mostly indoors, huddled up. Although I have been getting on my bike a lot. As it turns out, if you are dressed right, riding in single digit weather with double digit winds is honestly not that bad.

That said, for most of the winter, I was trying to figure out what the hell to wear for shoes. I needed something for cycling that would be waterproof, warm, and ride-able. While preferably not looking like total shit. Oh, and I'm vegan, so no leather. Quite a tall order. I had looked at some clipless shoes. LAKE makes some awesome ones. But I don't want to have carry extra fucking shoes with me everywhere (work, etc.) and the reality is that as soon as I get off my bike on to the icy sidewalks, I will be skating all over the damn place.

Well, as luck would have it. The Swedes come through. Just like they do with EVERYTHING. Anyhow, TRETORN makes some amazing gore-tex kicks that are also insulated and look absolutely great. They fit perfectly in to toe cages, and ride really nice. They are waterproof, windproof, insulated, and comfy as hell. I picked these buggers up and have not taken them off since. Unbelievable warmth. All I need is a pair of regular socks underneath in even the most brutal of conditions. I got the black hi-tops. Which keeps the laces out of the way of my chain ring, and provides a little extra coverage and integration between the bottom of my pants. They are not cheap. But definitely worth it. They are on sale at Sneakerstuff, check it.
The other must have item for me, is my Arc'teryx Fission SV. I had the pleasure of working closely with the brand for a while when I was the outerwear buyer at The Tannery in Harvard Square. And I got this baby for free, which is nice since they retail for something nuts like $650. However, with 500 grams of primaloft insulation inside of Gore-tex waterproof, windproof exterior shell it's worth it. I have had mine for about 4 years and it still kicking. Perfect for riding, ice climbing, mountaineering, etc. The fit is awesome, the hood fits over a helmet. This thing is unreal. Get you one!

The only thing left really is something for my legs. I have some OUTLIER pants that I love, but I can't reasonably wear those every single day. I have just been rocking jeans with base layers underneath and that seems to work fine. Anyone have any suggestions?