Kristen DelMastro

These shoes are great. It took me a few days to get used to them...as it does any new pair of footwear, but once I did, they feel great. I definitely think my confidence in tiny footholds has increased with these shoes.

I wear an 8.5 in street shoes and when I tried these on at a local shop the guy only had a 38 and they're perfect....I don't do the whole way too small shoe thing either. A 38.5 would probably feel great too, but a 39 or 40 (which is what the size chart suggests) would be floppy.

I am blister prone...I have never found a pair a boots or sneakers that didn't cause blisters, even with all the duct tape and moleskin in the world. When it came time to pack for a recent backpacking trip, I was a little worried about footwear since there was going to be a good amount of hiking involved. Since we were going somewhere warm (Havasupai) I decided to bring my Chacos. For me, they're the ultimate shoe. I can wear them around town, hiking and in the water. They're easy to rinse off (Havasupai is super sandy) and easy to get on and off. 32 miles later, I still had happy, blister free feet! You may not want to do the same if you have weak ankles or something, but I have to say...I am thrilled. My only complaint about these shoes is that when you're walking in a river with lots of little rocks on the bottom, you will get some in between your foot and the shoe and that can be a pain.

My boyfriend, on the other hand, has very flat feet and the way his feet sit in Chacos causes horrendous blisters. I have pretty high arches, and they fit me perfectly, so I'd definitely try them out for a while before committing to days of hiking in them.

I took this hammock on a trip down to Havasupai and loved it! I napped in it and slept in it at night and I haven't slept that well in while. As someone who usually wakes up with a sore back from sleeping on my stomach, this was perfect. It forced me to sleep on my back, but kept me cradled and comfy the whole night. I tried to sleep in the tent one night and ended up getting up and heading to the hammock after a couple hours of tossing and turning.
I tried this hammock both with my sleeping pad and without...if it was chillier I would probably use the sleeping pad again, but it was nice and warm in Havasupai and this hammock needed no help to be a comfy cozy bed. It comes with super easy to adjust microrope dealio ( I will try to post a pic of it soon). My friends had the Byer of Maine Parachute Traveller Hammock and I have to say having that the built in hanging system was a real plus...they ended up packing more than the added 8oz this one has since they brought webbing and biners anyway.

I just got this shirt in Radish/Cirrus and I really like it. I'm taller and shirts are often too short for me, so I went with a M even though I usually wear a S. (I've actually found that even as a S in most shirts/jackets, I am definitely a M in Backcountry.com shirts/jackets.)The Medium fits perfect. It's not too tight, not too loose and it's the perfect length. The back is a little longer which is always nice when you don't want to give your belay partner a show while rapping off a climb! I've used it biking and climbing and just hanging out around the house.

These skis are great, but not my favorite ski. I found them to be super easy to ski on the groomers...effortless to turn and like Andrew said, no chatter. They were fun in the powder too, but I still like my Karhu Bertha's better by far when it comes to the deep, fluffy stuff.

This is my first season skiing anywhere but the ice coast...and these skis are so fun in Utah powder. I mounted these will AT bindings, but use them inbounds too. At first, I felt like they weren't the best for groomers and crud, but with the edges at the tips and tails detuned a bit, they rock. I've had a blast everywhere on the mountain in these skis. I tried out the K2 Phat Luvs last week to compare, and I like these way more. BTW, I'm 5'7", about 130lbs and I ski the 172s.

These socks are a great thickness. They keep my feet nice and warm, while not adding too much to stuff into my boot. Super soft and, of course, they never smell.

I bought this as a gift for my dad. He generally always wears a Medium, but the M in this was a little too tight. The length was fine, as he is not too tall of a guy (5'8"), but I can see how it would be for someone who is taller.

I got these goggles with the sensor mirror lens. They really do work great in flat light conditions...there's nothing worse than not being able to see that bump in front of you...whoops. They have really cute color/pattern options too!

I'm always cold...always. So, I love how warm wool is, but I definitely do not like the itch factor...enter Icebreaker merino wool. It's amazing stuff. It's warm, it's soft, and it rarely smells. The green color is adorable and I would guess the 1/4 zip is great if you get a little too warm.

Super comfy and warm. I never want to take them off.

I have this in both the Capilene 3 and 4. This one is perfect layering for skiing when it's pretty chilly out and the zip is great for regulating your temp if you're skiing hard.

I bought these for my sister, and now I will need to buy them for myself. I have long fingers and these liners fit great. They're stretchy, surprisingly warm, and like Kari said, they're nice and sticky for dog walking and driving. Oh yea, they're great as liners when I'm skiing too.

My hands are perpetually cold and I am constantly on a quest for a warm functional mitten. I think I'm getting closer! These mittens kept my hands pretty warm in cold,windy weather. I won't lie and say they're perfect...I still use hand warmers when it's really cold out, but these did the job much better than many mittens I've had in the past. I won't drop them while fumbling with my camera or phone because of the "idiot cord" and the nose wipe definitely comes in handy. I do wish they had a little goggle wipe though.

This jacket rocks! The fit is perfect...longer sleeves and the length in the body is long enough as well! I wore it skiing under a hardshell the other day when it was freezing and windy outside....perfect combo! I've also been wearing it around town and it's surprisingly wind resistant...on a cold, windy day at the dog park I felt warmer than people in much bulkier clothing looked!

I just got this fleece and I love it! It's warm and fits really well. (I always get a M in Patagonia tops and this fits perfect!). Mine is the Olallaberry color and it's really cute! Definitely recommend this fleece.

These boots are fun...they're definitely warm and they dry quickly. The non slip sole is nice, but be careful about scuffing up your floor...they leave those black marks! I wear then over jeans or leggings...most pants look strange over top of them unless they're flared enough.

Super comfortable and cute shirt. I normally wear a 4 and I got a small and it fits perfect. It's not really tunic length on me, but it might be on someone shorter (I'm 5'7"), or if you got a bigger size.

This shirt is really comfortable and the sleeves are actually long enough, but the shirt itself is a little short for my liking. I'm also 5'7" and wear a small, so it would be perfect on someone an inch or more shorter. With a tank top underneath though it's perfect. Great material too!

This top is so comfortable and I got a lot of compliments on it. I normally wear a 4 and I got a small and it fits really well. It's a great material I wore it on a day that ended up being really warm and I was still comfortable, and its UPF 50 rated!!!

I normally wear a 4, but I got a 6 in these pants based on the sizing chart and they were way too short when I got them. I'm 5'7" so I'm sure they'd be great if you are shorter, but definitely not long enough if you're taller!