The warmth:weight ratio for 800-fill down is unmatched, and nobody makes a lighter, more compressible jacket than MontBell.

Now that I have a MB Ultraweight Down Jacket in my compact mandatory clothing quiver, I can go confidently into the backcountry with just a top layering of polypro base, mid-weight fleece sweater and a Gore-Tex shell.

During my 10+ years of backcountry skiing and adventure racing, I have used every kind of adjustable ski/trekking pole on the market in the mountain rock and snow, desert sand, jungle mud swamps. Where the screw-lock verions with their failure-prone internal components have seized up or slipped, the BD Flick-Lock mechanism with its patented cam endures.

I am typically a minimalist when it comes to camping, opting for a compact Therm-a-rest model for my pack. However, my wife can only sleep in spoiled comfort of a Hilton Dream Bed, so I got her the Luxury Camp sleeping pad. It has done wonders for expanding her tolerance for car camping and keeping us out of hotels when we get away.

Kelty fills the niche for families looking for quality, affordable shelters. The Yellowstone 6 is no different. The five of us fit nicely with all of our bedding, aand the walls were plenty steep and high enough to fit a full-sized cot. Its easy enough to assemble that we let our 3 boys (all under age 12) set it up while we get the rest of the camp in order. We have used the Kelty in harsh desert and mountain environments without any noticable weaknesses. I highly recommend this tent for car camping families.

I have been using Ascension Nylon Climbing Skins for well over a decade, and I have never felt inclined to switch to another brand. Any change that Ascension has ever introduced in materials or features have only resulted in improved performance. I have seen some of my fellow backcountry partners experiment with the "latest fad" in high-tech skins, only to return to trust-worthy Ascension quality later on. I have a ten-yr-old pair that I have r-glued once and wax regularly for hash early season and late season usage, and they still work perfectly.

I use this bag for short training rides and multi-day expeditions...the seat-snug shape and expandable compartments keep it out of the way, and provide quick acess to items you may need in a hurry during a race.

extra assurance for when you're packing it out.

When preparing our bikes for a multi-day adventure race, our support crew preps our chains, cables and pivot points with the Extra Dry. Its resiliant in all trail conditions.

Brand recognition comes from being the best in the eyes of the consumer. I use the Unbottle during every stage of my adventure races, not only inside my pack, but lashed to my PFD or rigged up as a stand-alone system in a pinch. Its rugged, insulating outer jacket is key!

I have about ten different lighting systems for 24Hour+ adventure racing, but the Tikka XP is the one that I always have in my Mandatory kit. For all but mountain biking over technical terrain, this lightweight, power-efficient lamp delivers ample illumination.

550 Miles of Trekking, Mountain Biking, Mountaineering, Snowshoeing, Kayaking, Rock Climbing and more through record soaking wet Spring run-off conditions. The Coconas held up beautifully with the plethora of footwear required for this ultra-endurance race, providing a form-fitting, friction-reducing layer to keep our feet free of debilitating blisters.

Team Nike ACG / Gore-Tex gives the Cocona Trail Sock a 5-Star rating!

This is just what a floor pump should be: simple, secure valve stem insertion; quick inflation with a rock solid base; accurate, easy-to-read pressure gauge; rapid disconnect; excellent quality at a fair price!

What else is there that can be said about a floor pump??

The vreck has all of the features needed for sprint through expedition-length adventure races. The stiff and lightweight shaft design transfers the energy of each powerful stroke directly into the large blades, which are rugged enough to subject to the abuse of shallow river bottoms.

I display a goat on each blade with pride!

If you are a 6'2" high angle paddler like me, do not go shorter than a 220cm, in spite of what the sizing charts say.

When the shoes delaminated and foot blisters spontaneously formed in the 130 degree sand during one of the many Eco Primal Quest desert treks, these poles performed a critical role of lessening the burden and allowing our team to carry onward. The lightweight and compact design also allowed us to get the sticks out of the way during rock climbing disciplines. One area of weakness is the locking mechanism for the length ajustment, which sometimes was penetrated with sand and slipped if not severly tightened.

During the Eco Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race, the UnBottle went with me in my Greqory pack while biking and trekking and on my PFD while kayaking and swimming. It helped protect fluids from the heat, and had convenient attach points for strapping. I retrofitted mine with a tube director for hands-free usage -- a perfect combination!

This fully certified climbing helmet is very lightweight and adjustable -- perfect for adventure racing. I either wore or carried mine around for the majority of the 500 mile Eco Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race.

I display a goat on the front of this helmet with pride!

The mOTION has a comfortable fit for unconstricted endurance paddling and many attach points and pockets for food and gear stores.

During the 2006 Eco Primal Quest Expedition Race, my teammates and I found this stove to be indispensable at transition areas. The ease of set-up of this self-contained compact unit was key for sleep-deprived racers with diminished brain capacity. And with its efficient heat transfer design, the water was generally boiling before we could get our dehydrated meals set up.

I just put this pack through the rigors of Eco Primal Quest - Utah. On the plus side, this pack is lightweight, expandable, and versatile for the trekking, climbing, mountain biking, swimming, and kayaking events. On the neutral to negative side, the zippers required the use of both hands, more built in front strap pockets would be helpful, as would reinforced scuff panels for rock abrasion. Finally, stitching failures at the strap attach points showed some additional need for increase in durability.

Gregory is a leader in lightweight pack technology, but they leave plenty of room for improvement.