Alexander Sepulvida

I've had this bag for over a year now and bought it on SAC for around $80. I'm a huge fan of down and if it means spending a bit more for better quality, lower weight, and higher compressibility, I'm all about it. I use this bag for most of the year and has never let me down. I can get it down to the size of a softball in my Sea to Summit dry sac and it lofts up in a few minutes. There are lighter options out there but I don't think i'm ready to plunk down an extra $100 to save on a few ounces, especially for a summer bag. (This is a different story in the winter, where compressibility comes into play). The pertex material is great as it can shed the occassional spill pretty easily. I've taken this bag into the high 30's and 40's with no problems whatsoever, but I usually use a silk liner but still I've never gotten cold in this bag. The previous reviewer mentioned the water bottle bag and I agree completely that its useless, I'd rather have it in the bag with me. I also like the fact that it's a full length zipper because in the summer, i like to sleep with it open and that wouldn't be an option in the half zip varieties. One negative comment, I recently noticed a small tear in the seams where the zipper is, but it doens't seem like it's where the down is so no leakage so far. Overall great bag for the price. Again if you have the cash you could buy a better bag, however for me it's not enough of a difference to justify it.

I usually don't review items I like until I've had them for awhile. And I've had this tent for over 2 years now and it's seen a lot of use and several different conditions. It is a one person tent so if you're camped in bad weather, hopefully you have a book because otherwise you're going to be pretty bored. I don't feel that's a strike for the tent because you should already know what you're getting into. It does have a very spacious ceiling where I can sit up fully and change comfortably which is great.
The inside if spacious for me (5'6") and it leaves me about a foot or so to store gear inside with me. The vestibule on the door side is big enough for my Gregory z65 to fit along with other miscellanous gear that I want protected from the rain. I've also been very impressed with the toughness of the tent. At first I wasn't so sure it would be able to handle high winds due to the high ceiling and rectangular shape, however it has seen me through plenty of windy nights, torrential downpours, and surprise snow storms of 3 -4 inches. It has never leaked once in heavy rains and once guyed out it can withstand a full night of 40 mile per hour gusts with no issues. It's not an ultralight, but I'll happily pack the extra ounces knowing that I'm going to stay dry. Great Job MSR. I love this tent

I've had this bag now for about two years and it's still my go to bag in anything under 30 degrees. I've used this in temps around 0 degrees and it's pretty true to its rating. I've also used it in temps as low as -20 but wanted to play it safe and used a fleece liner. The bag compresses down to about the size of a volleyball which is amazing, cause for such a lofty bag, it's super packable. Once out of the compression sack it lofts up in a about 5 minutes to full size. Overall great bag, i'm so happy with it.

I bought this jacket and was really excited when I got it because it lofted up so high at first. However one day when it got to be around 5-10 degrees with some wind I decided to try the jacket out while walking the dogs and noticed i was getting getting cold around my lower back. When i came back inside I inspected the jacket more carefully and saw that the bottom two baffles on the backside were almost completely empty of down. It was a huge let down because I love Montbell jackets. I have both the UL Thermawrap and the Alpine light down parka and absolutely love them. Who knows maybe I got a bad one, but I ended up going with the RAB Neutrino Plus.

This jacket is the best. I so ashamed to say it but i'm addicted to Montbell gear, I bought both the Alpine Light Down Parka and the Perma frost Down parka, (already own the UL Thermawrap) thinking I would choose one and return the other...forget it; dumbest idea ever! This jacket is perfect for early - late fall and spring conditions. It hugs close to the body and the baffles are relatively thin (compared to the perma frost) so that it doesn't puff out too much, making it great for layering. It does loft higher than competitors such as the patagonia down sweaters though.

Like others said before me, I was initially worried that it wasn't going to be warm enough because it was so light at less than a pound! I started wearing it around town and was amazed that it kept me really warm. As for winter users if you're staying active i think this will do the trick, but if you're base camping in the 20's and below, you'll probably need another layer or another Montbell jacket haha

I have these and I like their toughness and versatility. The bindings allow you to put them on considerably quicker than others that require 3-4 bindings. I have heard that the complexity of other binding systems allow for a more snug fit, but I have not had any problems, especially since it comes with an optional third binding that you can detach. My only complaint is that you REALLY have to becareful that you don't lose the clip for the optional binding cause it get lost. I wish it had a better way to attach, however i guess that wouldn't make it an optional binding.

I've owned this jacket for over a year now and I feel comfortable enough to review it now. This thing rocks incredibly warm for such a lightweight jacket. It comes everwhere with me and I don't even feel it. It's not the most durable jacket ever, so if you have a heavy pack I'd use a softshell or fleece instead. But when you stop moving and the packs come off, this goes right on. It's pretty windproof and will shed a limited amount of water...don't drench it though. Great jacket!

First off I LOVE Lowa boots, but that's just my preference, fit is everything when choosing boots. Anyway, I bought these because I wanted a day hiking boot that was supportive and relatively lightweight to replace my Vasque Breeze GTX's. I can't tell you how happy I am with these, they're lighter than the breezes, yet give way more support. I went on a 23 mile hike over two days, right out of the box and had hardly any issues, now that they're broken in, I have NO issues. I replaced the insoles for even more comfort and support. The Vibram sole is super grippy which is great for me cause I'm usually rock scrambling. My confidence in these boots has grown with each hike I do. So far no problems with the water proofing either. Yes they're expensive, but I paid about $150 for the breezes and they leaked within a year, but my backpacking boots are also from Lowa and they're still completely waterproof after several trips, I suspect these will be similar. As for backcountry use, I'd probably say once you strap on a 30- 40 lb pack, they wouldn't have the strength to handle rough terrain, but that's not what they're made for, look into the Lowa Ranger or Banff. Great job Lowa!

I'm so happy I purchased this bag. I do quite a bit of winter camping/backpacking and have slept quite comfortably in temps as low as 5 degrees. I originally bought a go lite venture, which was a very high quality bag, however replaced it for the Marmot Lithium after spending a few nights in single digits and being cold. I'm so happy I switched, cause I'll sleep in just in my baselayers in very cold conditions. I'm sure if I wanted to stay out on colder nights all i would have to do is add a sweater and hat and could go down even lower. Great bag, well worth the price, but try to get it on sale. Thanks BC!

Whatever you do, do not buy these. They are unsafe. They failed on me in 1/4 of a mile on a mild incline, thank God i wasn't in more treacherous conditions. I was told that they were recalled by the company.

I've got nothing but good things to say about this tent. I've taken it out on several trips but i think the biggest test was last year around new years. Winds in excess of 30 miles per hour, with this thing guyed out it's bomb shelter. I've only used it with one other person, so i've never filled to capacity, however quite obvious even with 3 people, you're not going to be on top of each other. The footprint adds another pound or so, but between two people, and especially three; you're gonna be fine. I don't mind the extra pound (especially split between 2-3 people) over the Copper Spur because the fabric is more durable. Good job BA.