First thing you will notice about the ExoLite is they look GREAT! Ear warmers have always been more function than fashion, but 180s have managed to pack a lot of fashion into this piece of gear. The ExoLite folds into an easy to carry package, they are super light (0.7 oz), and they shield your ears from the wind. If that was all, we would have been quite happy. However, there was one more "feature" of the ExoLite, one that we found the most interesting. This ear warmer did not muffle or distort the sound you hear through them! This is great both when you are out in city traffic or just quietly strolling through the arboretum after a snow storm.

One thing we did note was to put the sunglasses on before putting on the ExoLite... they fit around your ears quite well, which meant we couldn't just slip the stems of the sunglasses under ExoLite easily once they are on.

180 also sent us a pair of convertible running gloves. These gloves can be converted to a kind of mitten by pulling out a "hood". This hood or "wind shield" is a thin pocket of fabric that can be tucked into an opening when not in use. We thought it was an interesting concept, but was a little skeptical of it's value at first. One of our editors wore these out on a day after it had just snowed. She claimed they were warmer than her regular gloves! Apparently the trapped air between the hood and the fingers acts as a nice insulator... especially when you are active when wearing them.

We noticed some nice details on the gloves during use. The terry cloth section on the back of the hand is convenient for whipping sweat. The reflective strip is a good addition for those that like to run at dusk.

The ventilated palm area keep the hands from getting clammy from perspiration. One thing we would have liked is if the material were a bit more "grippy". We had to take them off for driving. Yea... we know these gloves are for "running", but some of us have to drive to places when we can run :-)

We'll have a full "In The Wild" report for you after a few months of using these 180 gear.

We got some gear (ExoLite ear warmers, convertible running gloves) from a company called 180S at the start of winter. Boston weather being what it is, we didn't really have a need for them when the temperature was 60 degrees out.

Finally, the January weather kicked in. It gave us a chance to pass the gear around the office. We took them out and gave them a good testing.

We have been using them for running, driving, hiking... just about everything short of working in the garden (it is winter after all). We have been quite please with the performance of both the ExoLite and the convertible gloves.

Review Summary:

Initial Impression- Excellent

Usability- Good

Durability- Test in progress

Price- Good