I really love this thing!

Out of my collection of lumbar packs, this is the one that I instinctively reach for, whether heading out for a quick jaunt in the canyons near my house with my pup, or longer day treks that don't require much space for clothing or gear. I've been using this thing at least four times a week for almost 2 years and still looks & works like new!

The fit is great, and it can be locked down snugly so nothing flops around when the going gets jiggly.

There is an amazing amount of smart engineering put into this seemingly simple device.

Thanks to the Airscape back and side panels (which hold the pack off your body with a combination of curved semi-rigid frame sheet, highly dimensional, perforated foam pads and soft netting)it stays cool on my lower back and rides like there's nothing there.

In addition to the sophisticated suspension, nice touches abound, like the substantial, reflective talon graphics;
waist strap adjuster keepers (keeping the straps readily at hand and preventing them from whipping around);
foam reinforced bottle pockets (never collapse, so it's easy to re-holster the H2O while on the move);
Osprey's excellent, easy grab zipper pulls.

I was excited to find a pair of GTX wonders that seemed to fit my feet well, with excellent heel lock-down, for my recent trip to Kauai. I've hiked over the technical, super slippery rocks and mud on the Napali coast before, and was looking forward to the one-two protection of GTX and short gaiters to keep my feet dry(ish).

While I was a bit surprised to see the smallish & hard treads on the bottom of the Gryptilian soles (much smaller than on previous MT Hard Rock shoes I own) they seemed to work fine around my local gnarly-but-dry trails.

However, as soon as I hit moisture on the trail in HI they turned into self lubricating ball-bearing encrusted death machines.

Having hiked there before, I knew I had to be careful, but expected these to provide, at least, as much traction as my old TNF trail shoes on the slippery stuff.

I'll spare you most of the gory details, other than to say that, after six to eight hard, scary falls (which would have been much worse had I not had my excellent Black Diamond trekking poles to save my ass) I became so paranoid about every step I took that it took me over two and a half extra hours to painfully hike out the four miles back to the car... Really glad I had plenty of flashlight power (and GPS) to help me find the way.

Sorry Montrail, I generally love your shoes, but these things were downright dangerous on the slippery stuff! While I accept the risks of my little adventures, and accept that not all equipment works equally well for all users, I must tell you that I have never actually been traumatized by my equipment before. Back they go (thanks BC).

Sorry Osprey, I generally love your stuff and was excited to get this pack, but you just got too many things wrong on this one (back it goes... thx bc, you guys rock!!).

I just returned from hiking on the Napali Coast on Kauai with this thing. While there were some very nice aspects to this bag (nice overlapping front side zip pockets, hiking pole stow&go system, helmet, light lash point, pretty comfortable, stayed cool without excessive arch away from back, etc.), they were overwhelmed by the following list of gripes:

1) Nearly worthless waist belt pockets. Too small to hold more than a couple of peanuts, or a bus pass. To make matters worse, they lose most of their tiny volume when you cinch down the waist belt... I find this location the most convenient place to keep GPS, camera, phone, snacks, etc for ready access... Why can't someone make decent sized belt pockets... not that hard to keep them out of the way, and even include some kind of cinch system to keep things from flopping when the pocket is not full... Also, make 'em watertight!

2) Side stretch pockets are located way too high for non-contortionists to be able to reach water bottles/snacks.

3) Fancy new water bladder. While I liked the idea of the scaffolded bladder and was willing to put up with some additional bulk, I think Osprey could have optimized these with less material to make it lighter and less bulky. All of that structure and a drinking tube not readily removable from water bag add up to make the thing even harder to clean than older style bags. Worst of all, unless I was extremely careful when screwing on the cap, and getting it mega tight, the thing leaked all over my stuff (and, embarrassingly, the hotel bed).

4) Rain cover. Nice to see an integrated one attached, but no way I found (granted it was under flashlight in pouring rain) to firmly attach it to the top of the pack, despite integral bungee. As a result, whatever stuff hadn't already gotten soaked by bladder cap leakage, was doused when the rain cover kept falling off!

All in all, this pack made a tough hike, quite annoying.

These pants are great stretchy pants for cooler weather, as the fabric is much heavier than the stuff used in other stretchy pants like the the Arc'Teryx Rampart & Palisade or Mountain Hardwear Talus & Chockstone.

Because of their more conventional cut, and the fabric's coarser texture, they look more like cotton duck pants than slick super-tech backcountry tools (although they are still plenty capable). This makes them a bit more versatile, style-wise, as they fit in a bit better than the others once you head back to civilization after day on the rock and trail.

So, you're probably wondering: "If he loves 'em so much, why only four stars?". Well, I'm glad you asked...

I have a love/hate thing going with one particular feature, namely the hand pockets. They are made of a heavier-weight version of the micro-chamois material so popular for lining waist bands in up-market pants and are sinfully comfy and warm.

Every time I slide my hands into 'em, I automatically say "ahhhh" (which can be kind of embarrassing if I happen to be standing in a crowd at the time)... The problem is, that for some reason, MH made the pockets really shallow, which is contrary to any of the other fine pants in their line. In fact, they are so shallow (and sans-zippers), that stuff tends to fall out of these otherwise glorious hand houses.

Ironically, the whole situation is made worse precisely due to the extreme comfort of the damn things, as your bliss-seeking paws are constantly wrestling for the upper hand (pun-intended) with the plethora of inanimate objects already struggling to maintain purchase in that rarefied volume... except, of course, when you are in the midst of a fully inverted, single finger handhold (with a twist), in which case gravity takes over the task of re-distributing your belongings to those in a lower (vertical) strata (remember, no zippers!).

I just don't know why MH did this... maybe to taunt us, maybe to keep us occupied constantly retrieving change, keys and winning lottery tickets from between the cushions and off of the floor during the long train ride to the top of Jungfrau Pass. Maybe the pocket fabric is really expensive, and they were trying to save on production costs (that would also explain the lack of zippers) so they could price them within the reach of more pocket-comfort-lusting consumers of limited means. Maybe they ran out of this amazing fabric during initial prototyping, and forgot to fix the spec, when they went into production... Maybe I should just get over it, so I can finish this rant, and get my hands off of the keyboard, and back into my Piero pockets...

All in all though, great pants, of which I have several pairs.

This pack is a super tough, super comfortable, super ventilated and super light (for it's features, comfort and sturdiness)... seems like the operative word here is ... Super!

My only gripes are that the very frame that makes it so comfortable, well ventilated and strong, has a big curve to it which makes it pretty bulky. Also, I wish someone would make a pack with slightly larger waist belt pockets, with at least one of these being waterproof, rather than mesh.

Just got this pack and am really jazzed with it!

In addition to the normal compliment of well sorted design and excellent fit-and-finish that I've come to expect from Gregory, there are a couple of very clever features that make this an outstanding trail running pack.

The first is the tendon system, that anchors the shoulder straps and waist belt to the pack through a stiff but stretchy attachment. This allows the pack to stay quite comfortable, and move with you, even when cinched down tight.

The other feature that complements the tendons, is the internal compression system which helps make sure that nothing flops around in the pack, even after taking something out while on the trail. It's simple to grab either of the one-hand adjustable pull loops at the bottom sides of the pack, and give 'em a quick yank to keep everything snug... no pack dismount, or contortions required.

There is, however, a small price to pay for the tendon system though. The waist belt set-up is a bit bulky, and impinges a bit on the waist belt pockets, slightly reducing their effective volume. That said, it seems a small price to pay for the valuable enhancement in fit the tendons provide.

I got these to replace a disappointing pair of Stoic Overhang shorts I scored on SteepAndCheap.

Even those these cost almost twice as much as the killer deal on SAC (but almost $10 cheaper at retail), they seem well worth it.

I am a stretch fabric junkie, and these fit great, are even lighter and stretchier, have a nice integrated belt. Even though these are much lighter than the Stoic shorts, I've seen great durability out of the very light Apex Aerobic fabrics, and these will keep me much cooler during serious exertion in hot weather.

The only minor complaint I can muster, at this point, is that the webbing they used for the belt seem to be made of cotton, and is a lot floppier, and thicker than what is usually used for integrated belts, and tends to get easily twisted, and out of shape.

Other than that, killer shorts!

I am a stretch fabric junkie, and had high expectations for these. I liked the stout but stretchy material, and was jazzed by the load of pockets, many with zippers. The icing on the cake, was scoring a great buy on SteepAndCheap.

However, when they arrived, reality set in...I seem to be pretty much of a universal medium, but these mediums were way to snug... so back they went, swapping in a pair in large.

When the large ones showed up, they seemed, other than being a bit longer than I prefer, to fit pretty well. But when I wandered around the house in 'em (with the tags still on... channeling Minnie Pearl) I found myself continually checking for bunched shirt or undies around the front left pocket. It turns out that Stoic out-clevered themselves by placing a cell phone pocket inside the left side pocket, which led to about 9 layers of fabric piled on top of each other at the seam. Even with the fairly relaxed fit, this became totally annoying, and I had them off within 15 minutes.

As I was contemplating the problem, I took a closer look at the construction of the shorts, and noticed lots of funky stitching, and many hanging threads. With a sample size of only one, I can't dis the whole Stoic line, but these sure weren't anywhere near the nearly flawless quality I've enjoyed with similarly premium ArcTeryx and Mountain Hardwear goods.

I sent them back and replaced them with a pair of TNF Outbound shorts (in Med) which fit great, are even lighter and stretchier, have a nice integrated belt. Even though these are much lighter than the Stoic shorts, I've seen great durability out of the very light Apex Aerobic fabrics, and these will keep me much cooler during serious exertion during hot weather.

I was late to the vest game, having never owned one before this piece (not counting a few components of misguided biz attire that I'd rather forget).

Vest's always seemed too puffy for my desired application of keeping my core warm while leaving my arms free for action. This unit proved to be a real game changer for me.

In addition to providing a bit of soft insulation (if a wee bit stiff, thanks to the Windstopper membrane), this thing absolutely keeps the winds at bay.

Excellent build quality (as usual for MH), great fit (5'6, 180lbs in a Med), terrific collar and lot's of well placed pockets have me wearing this thing all the time.

All in all, a wise in-vest-ment!

Nice top for strenuous work in cool weather (or lounging anytime). Smooth front fabric does well at keeping the wind off, while the rest of the jacket is stretchy and super breathable. The reflecto-markings are great for night missions with the dog, and thumb holes allow you to keep sleeves in place, and hands (other than fingers) warm.I wish they had included a Napoleon pocket for keeping my iPhone close and secure during Nike+ monitored runs.

I had to double check the tag to make sure it actually had some wool in it. I normally get itchy with even the finest merino wool tops, but for some reason (maybe it's the Nylon component)I have no problem with this piece.

Having gotten past the itch issue, allow me to rave about the fit, performance and toughness of this thing.

It keeps me comfy over a wide range of temps, wicks like a mofo, dries quickly and stays funk free over repeated, sweat inducing pitches. A bit pricey, but worth the tariff.

I love these things! They're light but provide great support, very comfy while providing awesome protection from rock assaults on the sole, and keep my feet dry (rain stays out, sweat gets out).

They keep my heels locked in while providing lots of wiggle room for my toes... What more could you ask for?

No probs hauling a 70 pound pack up steep stuff with these.

While I prefer to wear shorts when the weather and conditions permit, sometimes you need to keep your legs covered, to protect from the sun or gnarly underbrush, or just because your going to confront varied weather.

Ramparts fit the bill almost perfectly in this case. They are feather weight, astonishingly stretchy/breathable while remaining super wind/water resistant... just another one of ArcT's miracle fabrics in action. In addition to the fabric stretch, the cut, especially the articulated knees make these things super comfortable in any conditions and at any activity level.

While I actually prefer the ArcT Palisade pants to these (zippered pockets, low-profile built-in belt, ever-so-slightly more amazing fabric, configured to accept ankle draw-cords for keeping the mud/brambles/snow out) those bad boys are 50% more expensive than these... decisions, decisions...

I only wish they made both of these pants in a convertible configuration, so you could zip off the legs (it's a little tough to pull off installing radial zippers on stretchy material, but if anyone can do it, my money is on ArcT!).

While I'm wishing: I'd love to see Rampart shorts in a less extreme inseam to fit my vertically challenged self, and the Palisade shorts would be perfect, if they figure out how to put reasonable pockets on them (bigger and better placed).

These make good fitting shoes and boots fit even better.

After being disappointed by my pair of SuperFeet insoles, my Foot Doc highly recommended these. I'm glad I listened.

While not super pillowy, they have just the right mix of flex, support and cushioning.

They are super easy to mold, and provide an excellent final tweak to keep your dogs happy over the long haul.

This thing weighs nothing, compresses down to the size of a ping-pong ball, yet somehow manages to provide an astonishing level of wind and moisture protection, and is not the least bit fragile. I have several of them, and stuff one in my pocket or pack if there is even a chance I might need this bit of gossamer magic.

I love the grided/stretchy fabric these shorts are made of. They provide absolute free movement, and have proven to be super tough thus far.

Great for serious exertion, or serious hangin' out.

Being vertically challenged, I do wish they had a shorter inseam though.

This extremely comfortable shirt is a ventilation machine! The funk-fighting carbonized bamboo fabric is a nice bonus.

The athletic fit keeps it from flapping in the breeze.

The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars from me is that the material seems even more snag-prone than others of it's ilk.

I've got multiple pairs of these awesome, all purpose shorts. They're not just for hittin' the H2O.

While I generally prefer stretchy shorts, which these are not, these fit my frame great and provide plenty of room to move without being long or baggy. I'm 5'6", 180lbs and wear a Med.

They are stout, very well made, have lots of pocket space, and drain/dry in a flash.

The combo of elastic in the waist, draw cord and built in webbing belt make these things bomb-proof (no worries of embarrassing butt exposure after making that high dive off the bluff into the lake).

The mesh inner brief is comfy enough for all day wear, and supple enough to not rub you the wrong way.

This is my Mountain Bike gear garage. It has plenty of room for tools, spares, wallet, phone, nutrition and fluids.

Regardless of load, it snugs up and stays comfy for the duration of the ride. I really like the side pockets, and the stretchy back panel for quick draw items.

It would be even better if it were more weather proof, or came with some sort of rain/mud cover. Unless I carefully tuck them away before departure, the excess webbing from the waist belt is constantly flopping around and getting in my way, whether biking or hiking. TNF should study and emulate the waist strap keepers on the Osprey Talon 4 lumbar pack, which neatly solve the problem, and provide the added benefit of having the waist adjustment always at hand.

All in all though, a great bag.

I thought my Mountain Hardwear Talus Pants were the last word in delicious stretchy goodness, and then I found these. With lighter, smoother, more wind-proof and even tougher stretch material, & they even sport a built-in, low profile belt. Fit is typical ArcT athletic perfection. These bad boys are seriously spendy, but deliver true pant Nirvana. Whether hangin' out, or hangin' by your fingers, they are so light and move so well, it's like wearing the Emperor's new clothes, but without the abrasion, wind or sunburn exposure. If you can afford 'em, you'll totally dig 'em. If you come up a little short, go for the Ramparts... fewer bells and whistles, but almost the same awesome material.

I really love this thing!

Out of my collection of lumbar packs, this is the one that I instinctively reach for, whether heading out for a quick jaunt in the canyons near my house with my pup, or longer day treks that don't require much space for clothing or gear.

The fit is great, and it can be locked down snugly so nothing flops around when the going gets jiggly.

There is an amazing amount of smart engineering put into this seemingly simple device.

Thanks to the Airscape back and side panels (which hold the pack off your body with a combination of curved semi-rigid frame sheet, highly dimensional, perforated foam pads and soft netting)it stays cool on my lower back and rides like there's nothing there.

In addition to the sophisticated suspension, nice touches abound, like the substantial, reflective talon graphics;
waist strap adjuster keepers (keeping the straps readily at hand and preventing them from whipping around);
foam reinforced bottle pockets (never collapse, so it's easy to re-holster the H2O while on the move);
Osprey's excellent, easy grab zipper pulls.

I only have a couple of issues:
The loose ends of the hip stabilizer straps often get caught in the side pockets, blocking the zipper;
The compression straps on the outside of the pack would be much more useful if they integrated some sort of net pocket for quick-draw stashing of a light shell, gloves, hat, etc;
My pack has no internal mesh pocket for organizing small stuff... I want it... in fact an organizer panel with a number of zipped and/or stretchy pockets would be great!;
the side pockets could be a scosh larger and made of a stretchy material;
Devise a method of closing off the bottle holsters, so they can optionally be used as additional secure storage;
Either include some sort of (tethered) rain cover, or make the thing more moisture tight;
Keep an eye on weight while adding these additional features... natch!
Make this awesome pack expandable, or available in a range of sizes!

I am a total ArcT junkie, and totally love my Palisade pants, but the main pockets on these shorts are just too low. I am not able to casually stick my hands in my pockets (without bending a bit at the waist... not a good look), and anything of substance placed in them bangs annoyingly against my thighs.

The upper pocket on the left side is ridiculously small... basically only useful for one of the following:
* tube of lip balm
* piece of tissue
* doggy poo bag (size small)
* single key
* rolled up dollar bill.

While I assume that the pockets were placed lower in order to avoid the waist belt on a large backpack, it just doesn't work for me in daily life which is required in order to get adequate value out of an $85 pair of shorts. I am bummed!

ArcT does it again (as usual). This was my first Arcteryx piece and it instantly cemented my love affair with those design & quality fanatics from Vancouver.

It is full of stretchy, warm, breathable, water resistant goodness. Fabu athletic fit, and tough as nails. In addition to working great under a wide range of conditions, it never fails to garner compliments on it's looks.

I don't understand all of the hoo-ha about ArcT stuff made in China. My jacket was made there, and it's assembly is as close to perfect as any item of clothing I've ever owned (or seen, for that matter).

It would be even better if it had another pocket or so to stash my glasses, cell phone and other such miscellaneous cartage, leaving the hand warmer pockets for... er... warming my hands.

ArcT stuff is expensive, but well worth it.

Perhaps the best thing about this shirt is that it doesn't feel synthetic. The VisaEndurance fabric is totally snag free, and feels like a very light cotton fabric (although not quite as soft as the best cottons).

The cut is great, and I really appreciate the attention paid to moving the seams away from backpack straps.

It is amazingly comfortable over a surprisingly wide range of temperatures, and the lack of instant funk common on most (pre-carbon) synthetics is great for everyone in the vicinity... as the drop tag says: "Because there is something called downwind".

I currently own 3 of them!

I love this thing (just ordered a second)!

Very nice athletic cut, feels great next to the skin or as a light outer layer for cool days. The quality is exceptional... everything from stitching to materials to zipper smoothness.

The pocket is small and pretty useless for anything beyond a gel pack, credit card or key. I'd really love to see a version of this with light weight hand warmer style pockets (a place to keep my paws out of the wind and to stash the dog's leash while he's running free).

This piece further cements my addiction to Arc'Teryx (whether made in North America or Asia).

This is the jacket started my love affair with ArcT!

It is incredibly well made, is a perfect combination of stretchy/windproof/breathable warm comfort, and the fit is as if a small band of Canadian tailors descended on my house with laser scanners in order to assure the perfect fit.

I look for excuses to wear this thing, and have subsequently become an Arc'Teryx acolyte (dare I say junkie). The folks who design ArcT clothing seem to have an almost supernatural ability to get the athletic cut just right (at least for me).

In exchange for the premium price you pay, you receive an extraordinary product... a fair deal in my mind (especially if you can snag some on sale). When my son first begged for an ArcT softshell, I nearly choked when I saw the price... once I tried it, I understood.

Almost every piece of ArcT kit I have (and I've been amassing a sizable pile)is similarly superior to the competition. I also particularly love my Accelero 1/2 zip tops (I bought 2).

I read lots of comments about a loss of quality on Chinese made vs. Canadian made ArcT products. I have seen no such gap in the stuff I've got... it is uniformly superior.

This pack is supremely comfortable and has fabulous balance, especially if you pay heed to Osprey's packing advice and keep the dense part of the load in close to your back in the middle of the pack. It feels much smaller in use than I expected for such a large pack.Plenty of room for your bear cannister, in addition to all of your other kit.The ventilation on this thing is amazing, although the side profile is deeper than more conventional packs because of the bowed suspension which gets the thing off of your back.Overall, a very well designed and executed tool. You get what you pay for.Update 6/10: I have developed two particular annoyances with this otherwise fabulous Mountain Moving Van... 1) For reasons that escape me, there are no pockets on the waist belt (this should be very easy to fix)! 2) I find that the placement and shape of the stretchy water bottle pocket on the right side of the pack makes it very fiddly to grab a drink while on the trail. Although the clever design provides 2 access points (one on top, one on the back bottom) while still managing to keep the contents secure, neither works great for me. The top access point would require me to have 6 inch longer arms, with an extra, reversed, elbow in order to provide reasonable access while wearing the pack. The bottom access point is better, but still a fairly long, awkward reach for me. This is likely due to the dramatically curved suspension, which allows for supreme ventilation, but keeps the pack (and hence side pocket) further away. One possible solution would be an almost horizontal stretch pocket placed much closer to backhanded reach (see Gregory backpacking packs) As annoying as this is, I'd rather keep the superior ventilation. The moral of the story is, that I should probably use a water bladder which keeps a spigot within 8 inches of my mouth at all times (If only it weren't such a hassle to access 'em to fill, eat up so much internal volume, and be such a bitch to keep 'em clean).

This thing is the best! Super stable, excellent controls (including piezo starter) located remotely, packs down to nearly nothing.

I have a pair of the full-leg pant version of these and absolutely love them. They are my default pants, and I wear them constantly. The combination of very robust, stretchy fabric and welded construction make these the most comfortable pants I've owned. They practically disappear when you wear them... it's like you have pockets and wind protection grafted directly onto your legs!

As far as the shorts are concerned, while they share all of the basic traits of the pants, I think MH missed an opportunity to make these even better. They basically just lopped off the bottom of the pants. As the fabric is so stretchy and non-binding, I think they should have tapered the bottoms a bit to make for a less baggy fit. I would also have preferred them to be an inch or two shorter to keep them from flopping around my knees. Bear in mind that I have short legs, so your milage may vary. I realize that these changes would have required some re-engineering of the Talus pants (beyond lopping off the legs), but the improvement would have been well worth it IMHO.

I absolutely love these! They are the most comfortable pants I have ever owned.

I've been a big fan of stretch fabrics in pants forever (I've owned dozens of pairs of Sportif shorts and pants w/ Lycra), and these blow everything else out of the water in terms of quality, toughness and fit.

I first saw them last month while in Banff. I would have bought them on the spot, but they didn't have my size (they seem to run true to size). I ordered a pair from Backcountry as soon as I got back to my hotel (ain't technology grand?!)and they were waiting for me when I got home.

While exceptionally light weight, they feel like they give you plenty of wind and abrasion protection but still breathe great. They are super stretchy, so they move with you like a second skin, without looking like tights. In fact, they look great.

They are not perfectly silent (you do get a bit of swoosh whenever there is fabric-to-fabric contact) but this is a very small price to pay for such an exceptional piece of clothing. While I like the idea of zippered pockets, I don't like sliding my hands past zippers (particularly when it's cold). They did use rather fine gauge zippers, which minimize the abrasion, but it would be cool if someone would come up w/ a better way to keep sensitive skin away from rough edges more effectively (perhaps some clever method of recessing the zippers that doesn't obstruct their operation).

Here's a tip: When you wash these, make sure to close all zippers and the velcro around the snap at the waist so you don't destroy your other synthetic stuff through snagging.

These are expensive, and worth every penny. They're so terrific, I just ordered a pair of Talus shorts. Hey, Mountain Hardwear, how about a convertible version, so I can leg on/leg off when necessary??