Cape To Cape Gear Review – Part 1: Clothing

Spending multiple days and nights on the renowned Cape To Cape Track in Western Australia requires gear that is comfortable, functional and easy-to-wear. For travel writer and keen hiker Julia D'Orazio, choosing clothing that would also protect from cool conditions was also a must. Read on for her review of our Peak 700 Down Jackets, the men's Larapinta Convertible Pant and women's Bellarine Convertible Pant, and Merrell's popular Moab 3 GORE-TEX® Shoes to see how they fared on the trail.

Cape to Cape Gear Review - Clothing

Earlier this year on the shoulder of winter we set out to hike the Cape To Cape track, a 125km stretch of wilderness along the raw coastline of the Margaret River region of Western Australia. It was hands down one of our favourite hikes to date, as we trekked up and down the rugged coastline, witnessing whales breaching as we hugged the Indian Ocean and camping in groves of peppermint trees. Helping us out on the hike was a selection of winter hiking clothing including lightweight insulated down jackets, breathable shirts and convertible pants that were perfect for the multiple river crossings.

Field Test

The perfect post-hike layer to settle into the chilly evenings cooking around the tent, the women's and men's Peak 700 Down Jacket provided that extra layer of comfort just when it was needed. Quite simply, they provided the perfect balance between being lightweight and much-needed warmth on the trail.

For us, a given on any multi-day hike is a pair of convertible pants that enable a quick and easy transformation from pants to shorts in one quick zip, and are lightweight and breathable. The men's Larapinta Convertible Pant and women's Bellarine Convertible Pant were a great addition to our trail experience as we were able to unzip and convert our pants to shorts with ease to accommodate the changing weather conditions and navigate knee-deep river crossings. They whipped the water off when it started drizzling and provided plenty of airflow when the weather started to warm up.

The Peak 700 down jackets gave us warmth without the weight when we needed it (left), and the men's Nelson jacket that delivered protection from rain and wind (right). (Images courtesy of Julia D'Orazio & Tom Lucey)

At the base level, our feet were thankful for the support and comfort provided by Merrell Moab 3 GORE-TEX® Shoes. The perfect allrounder for all types of terrain and weather, they provided a lightweight shoe that was durable and capable of trekking through the multiple challenges that were thrown at them including beach crossings, rocky headlands, muddy single track and steep sand dunes.

The reliable combination of the men's Larapinta pants and the Merrell Moab 3 GORE-TEX® hiking shoes. (Image courtesy of Julia D'Orazio & Tom Lucey)

We felt like the lightweight, durable and breathable gear we took with us provided the perfect balance needed for our multi-day hike and we look forward to taking Mountain Designs out with us on the next adventure.

Photo Credits

All video and imagery supplied by Julia D'Orazio & Tom Lucey

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