Our friends from Shasta Mountain Sport, in Santiago Chile, recently traveled south to Parque Torres Del Paine in the Patagonia region with a full Club Ride wardrobe from our newest spring line. The goal was to tackle a six day hike on the famous "W" trail and put our apparel to the test. Below are their photos and account of the incredible trip.
We had a variety of Club Ride Apparel to use on the rip and put it to good us both on the trail, at the Refugio's and in the town. We started the adventure in the small town of Puerto Natales which is the main jump off point before the three hour dirt road drive to the park. The region is located in the far south of the country is surrounded by fjords, rivers, crystal blue lakes, mountains, and wide-open pampas. To say it is beautiful would be a huge understatement. This is one of the most spectacular outdoor destinations in the world.
The six night trip was dramatically different from day to day both in scenery and weather. One day we would have 40 mph winds, the next would be calm and warm, the following day it would rain, the next cold and clear. Being prepared for every type of weather condition is critical in the Patagonia backcountry for both comfort and fun.
There are many ways to see the park, depending on what you are looking for. From a hard core backpack trip where you carry everything and sleep in the backcountry, to the Refugio option where you can sleep in a rustic log cabin with fellow hikers and enjoy cooked meals with beer/wine. There are even luxury lodges on the outskirts of the park where travelers do day hikes to key locations within the park.
Our team did a combo of backcountry camping and a few nights in our tents in the Refugio's camping areas. We put the Club Ride kit to the test and used it the entire time for both the trekking, and hanging around the camp. Some days we needed to use a base layer on the cooler days, but fortunately the adjustable shorts and comfort fit shirts were easily accommodating.
There is no better way to shake out any kid than a multi day backpacking trip and the Club Ride apparel stood up to the rigors of day-to-day use with backpacks and lots of varied weather.
After the trek we made our way back to Puerto Natales for the first cold beer and delicious local meal at the local pub, and of course still wore our Club Ride kit!
For more information on the park checkout the following links.
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