Climbing Clothes by Backcountry - Women's Edition

Backcountry now has their own brand of clothing geared for climbers. We’re told that the GearHeads at Backcountry helped to design the clothes so they actually work for climbers.

Earlier this year we received samples of the Coral Bells Tech Tank, Double Dyno pants, and the Liquid Oxygen Hooded Pullover, and I’m here to tell you how they faired after months of testing.

Backcountry Coral Bells Tech tank

I must first admit my bias: I love halter style tanks. I also prefer tank tops that are snug at the boob level, and are slim but not skin tight on the stomach (what I call flattering). The Coral Bells Tech Tank is exactly that.

The ample length (for my short torso) meant the shirt never came out of my harness when climbing. The straps always stay put due to the high neck design. The material is thin/flat enough that there are no rubbing issues while wearing a pack. The underarm cut is also low enough that it doesn’t pick up underarm smells, so I wore it multiple times between washings without a problem.

The material is fairly thin, stretchy, and quite packable – which meant it was one of the 5 tank tops that came with me on my 2.5 month European trip. I chose black (more of a really dark gray) for versatility, and am happy that sweat is virtually unnoticeable.

Bra Note: The tank material is one fairly thin layer with no boob support (unlike the 3rd rock tank I reviewed here), so I’ll always be wearing a bra. Most my sports bra’s didn’t show any cup lines through the front, but one that has a super distinct lines did show through. The cross of the tank straps in the back matched many of my sports bra’s and hid most of the strap lines.

Bonuses: It has a cute back cutout. I also really like that the branding is nearly invisible, just a subtle backcountry goat logo on the back side, low by the hem. Coincidentally, necklaces look really good on the high neck design (especially in the blacky-gray color that I own). It also looks great under a flannel.

Sizing: I’m 5’2″, 32B, ~115, with a slightly shorter torso, and I almost always wear size small. I bought this in a size small and it fits perfect (taut across the boobs, loose on stomach).

You can buy the Coral Tank exclusively at Backcountry.

Backcountry Double Dyno women’s pant

Overall the Double Dyno pants are comfortable and stretchy and great for climbing. The loose fit combined with the stretchy fabric meant I never felt like they impeded my movement. The tapered legs, and ankle-ish length (I’m 5’2″), mean they never cover your shoes or holds. The photo below shows the lowest distance the pants go – when climbing they creep up another 1-2.”

On hot days I could roll them up, and they stayed rolled even though there is no drawstring. I wouldn’t say they’re extra breathable, but they did dry fast if I worked up a sweat while hiking in the early summer. As most pants, they are most ideal for spring, early/late summer, fall, or winter gym climbing.

I was also surprised to learn that they shed water. I accidentally had my hydration hose open and all the water that spilled out instantly beaded and slid away. Cool!

The high waist works well with a harness. You can’t tell in the photo below (even though I tucked my shirt in front so you could see the waistband) but the waistband stops mid-harness. Despite ending at a similar spot as the harness waistbelt I never found any pressure points while climbing.

Color note: I ordered “Sage” which is less gray than the Backcountry website photos and either more green/blue depending on the light. Easily a color and style that would work well in the office – if only I went ever into an office.

The only downside: The front pockets are ejector pockets. Anything you put on them will likely be ejected as soon as you sit down. The front pocket size is generous, so I’ve often been tricked into sliding my phone in the front pocket, only to have it remove itself the moment I start to sit down. This means my phone has gotten lost in the car in places where hands don’t fit, and to my dismay, it has also ejected onto the bathroom floor, crashing loudly on the tiles, multiple times. I should probably sew the pockets shut because clearly I’m not learning.

Fortunately, they do have one back zippered pocket, which is where I keep my wallet or phone (iPhone 5s and 6s easily fit). Unfortunately it gets pretty bulky when I try to put both my phone and wallet back there.

Sizing & Fit

I’m 5’2″ ~115, I almost always wear a small and/or I’m median size 4. I went with the small which fits well at the waist (plenty of stretchy room for burritos), and gives ample room for movement (very generous in the thigh area).

After months of wearing they haven’t changed their shape in any way I can notice, and they have no noticeable stretch between washings.

If you’re in-between sizes, size up if you have big thighs or booty, size down otherwise because the stretchy waistband provides quite a bit of play on the waist sizing.

You can find the Double Dyno pants exclusively at Backcountry.

Backcountry Liquid Oxygen Hooded Pullover

The Liquid Oxygen Hooded Pullover is really stretchy and comfortable. Like a modern sporty sweatshirt, very akin to lululemon’s style. Being a total gear geek and base/mid-layer collector, this isn’t the style of jacket that I would pick first to go climbing in, although I have been using it a lot after climbing. For late summer/early fall it’s almost always in my “after sport is done” changes of clothes bag. Or I choose to wear it into town.

It’s slim fitting without being skin-tight, so nothing flaps in the wind. The sleeve design is tapered which means it’ll never fall over your wrists – and, being on the shorter side, this is extra helpful. It doesn’t look too long on my arms thanks in part to this taper. Personally, I never use the waist drawcord, but it’s there. The logo is also subtle, which is nice.

It has hand-warming kangaroo pockets, but they’re completely open so they aren’t value-added on route. Also, the pocket is exactly in line with the side seem, so sometimes they stick out a bit adding a bit of pair shape to the body. A huge bonus is the gusseted underarms–when you lift your arms, the bottom of the hoody doesn’t move.

The official Backcountry description says it’s a lightweight hoodie, and it is, and it isn’t. I would say it has a slightly higher weight and lower warmth than other options like puffy’s or a R1/fleece type layer. It doesn’t seem as breathable compared to other mid-weight options so it’s not my first choice for a heavily/constantly moving activity. Additionally, the material doesn’t seem ideal for rubbing against rough edges–I’ve had minor snags from casual use. I normally don’t wear it climbing because I’d rather take a Patagonia R1 (or equivalent).

It does look great just wearing around town or inside any car/building with a formidable A/C. It also doesn’t wrinkle easily which makes it great for travel. So far I’ve used this hoodie when I don’t care about weight and I’m not planning a heavy sweat. As the colder temps come in, I imagine I’ll be wearing it around the house more often because it’s stretchy and comfy. I’ll also wear it for 1-6 mile walks – whether in the woods, to the climbing gym, or around town.

Sizing: I am 5’2″, ~115, 32B and almost always order small, which I did here, and the fit is solid: sporty slim without being constrictive/skin-tight. There was plenty of sleeve room and the torso length is generous for climbing or tall folks.

Color note: I ordered Sage, and it is slightly more green than the Backcountry photos. I also accidentally ordered the same color as the Backcountry Dyno pants, which, combined, I’m now calling my Backcountry Tracksuit. I also completely overlooked that the men’s hoody offers the exact same Sage color…so Andreas and I also have identical hoodies now. Oops.

You can buy the Liquid Oxygen Pullover exclusively at Backcountry.

And for your viewing pleasure, a picture of my Backcountry Tracksuit:

---

Disclaimer: A PR company hooked us up with these goods for free in exchange for an unbiased review. We tested them for months and then wrote this review. The links to Backcountry are affiliate links so it’s possible we may earn a commission if you click them and then buy anything, although that did not sway our review at all. If you buy something and and return it, our commission is returned too.