Jungle, surf, caves & islands · Panama · 2024
Panama was one of our first testing destinations — dense jungle, famous surf, caves, beaches and uninhabited islands. The perfect tough testing ground.
- Location
- Panama
- Terrain
- Jungle · caves · reefs · islands
- Conditions
- 90% humidity · tropical downpours
- Products
- EP01 · J2 baselayer · Sports Cloak
- Activities
- Surf · Cave · Swim · Wade
- Result
- Pass — an early proving ground
Dense jungle, famous surf breaks, caving, sandy beaches, uninhabited islands — there was a lot on offer for testing outdoor equipment, especially given the 90% humidity and the tropical downpours. We challenged the fabric breathability of the Sports Cloaks, then used that same heavy rain to test their waterproofing.
We swam cold, low-ceiling, long caves with the J2 and the EP01 backpack, and swam and waded across reefs with the EP01 to deserted sandy islands. We also navigated fresh- and salt-water channels inland.
The verdictPanama is the perfect tough testing ground — once you get away from the air conditioning and the comfortable accommodation.
Cold, low-ceiling, long caves — swum with the J2 and the EP01.
What the tropics threw at us.
Panama, up close.
Famous surf, the long pack-in, and the channels between the islands.
Deserted sandy islands — once you get away from the air conditioning.
Field notes
Test reports, new releases, and the occasional failure we learned from.