actually, i think you might better spend your money on wrist guards or impact shorts. or you could do all three.

i have yet to notice any wind penetrating my ama dablam. the coldest temperature i have worn it in is about 19 degrees fahrenheit. with just 1 layer underneath. put the hood up and your hands in the pockets (i wasn't wearing gloves) and it is pretty warm. the material seems a bit thin, but no rips or anything so far. though i haven't done anything super active in it. i am about 5'10" and 152 lbs and the medium fits me very well. you might consider the small.

what do you mean suffice? the columbia ascender softshell is not insulated. you can expect it to block wind, keep you mostly dry and breathe well during athletic pursuits. you should not expect it to keep you warm in 15 degree weather.

i am the same size. i would go with a medium.

like gore-tex? the 686 smarty command is rated at 10k/10k, which is adequate enough to keep you dry while snowboarding. i have used "lesser known" fabrics from similar brands such as sessions and special blend as well 686 pants. they will keep you dry.

i am about the same size and have tried on a few montbell jackets. the medium fits well, if not snug. in a jacket like this, i would prefer a more closely fitting, athletic fit so i could layer.

what gloves are they? the backcountry liner gloves are made to go under larger shells. they probably wouldn't work under another liner...

i don't think the dakine raven glove is waterproof. more like water repellent. weathershield is probably similar to dwr and is a coating you can likely reapply later if needed. for skiing and snowboarding needs, it should work fine. these gloves aren't insulated and would work better in spring-like conditions.

in 50 degree weather? the norrona narvik gloves will probably leave your hands sweaty.

the ride delta has a convertable toe strap that will rotate parallel to the footbed. it can function as a toe cap strap as well.

i usually wear a medium as well, but went with a large. the medium was just a bit too short (seemed to fit everywhere else well, though). i'm about 5'11 and 150 pounds.

ozzy, do you happen to have the dimensions?

different materials. this jacket has more woolen material than the other. whereas it's the minority on the siphon street, it's the majority on this jacket. it also has a polartec grid fleece interior. in my opinion, it's a sleeker, better looking and warmer jacket.

the fit tightly. i wear a size 10 usually. i'd go with the large/x-large.

the volume of the pack changed.

you can see additional details here:
http://www.backcountry.com/store/CAM0197/CamelBak-Trinity-Hydration-Pack-3L-Womens.html#tech_specs

The X-Large is... * Weight: 1 lb. 8 oz. * Volume: 8,600 cubic inches * Dimensions: 36" x 18" x 13"Yeah, the content on this product blows. Three sizes of product in the image. The title says 8600 Cu In. And the drop down says XL.... Truly this is meaningless bad content. I would say an excellent way to rebel against this content is not to buy it. The content mentions another SKU if you need a different size. You can find all the specs in the Technical details.