Ronnie Ray-Gun

When staying warm during cold winter hikes, this vest is my go-to clothing to put under my shell. Warm, light, packable and even lined pockets makes this vest a do all piece. It is a bit overly puffy, but then again it is down and it is 650fill. The vest it self is rather durable; I have used it during belaying and been pulled up again the wall and am happy to report no tears. There is slight feather leakage and some of the baffle stitching did come out and create one large baffle out of two (does not effect the warmth though). Although it says that it is not waterproof, water drops from icicles, light drizzle and snowflakes have not created any problems. I have always been a big fan of Mountain Hardwear and this vest lives up to my standards for them as well.

This makes a great addition to anyone's gear collection. When I first saw this, I knew that I wanted it, but I was not sure what I would really use it for, but once I got it, I have used it more than I thought I would. It is lightweight, form-fitting, breathable, allows for layering and best of all is windproof up to 50+mph. I like that the zipper comes all the way up to the chin and the neck wraps all the way around to cover the neck on sunny days.

If you need a bag that has a vast amount of space and it waterproof, I would suggest getting the size large classic messenger bag. When running around down town, I have fit paperbox size boxes in to this, albeit not with the lid closed, but still was able to get around. As for the waterproofness, nothing will get in (although if it is crammed with a lot of things there will be small gaps on the sides by the lid that can allow water in), or out; I had a nalgne bottle leak on the inside soaking the contents, but not one drop escaped to get me wet while riding. Overall a great messenger bag for the price.

I could list all of the reason why I love this helmet, so I am going to. What first attracted me to the helmet was the price it self, for all the features that you get, it is pretty darn affordable. Second the helmet breathes really, really well so I have never built up a gushing sweat like with most others. Then you have the padding over the buckle which makes wearing it quite a pleaure. If it is getting dark, no problem, this helmet has slots to slid a headlamp in and keep it securely in place. Lastly it allows for a lot of adjustment so it fits whether you have a snowhat on or not. It is really a no-brainer to save your brain.

It is light weight, solidly built and can take a beating; what more is there you can ask for in a mounteering axe? One of my favorite features about this axe is that it fits very comfortably in your hand when you are gripping the axe head and walking with it. I have used my self arresting and plundging on the Colorado 13er and 14ers and would not leave the trailhead without it. It is the same as the Raven Pro, but just slightly heavier, so if you are on a budget and weight do not matter this is the axe to get!

These come in handy when breaking a trail through the snow or traveling up/down a glacier or snowfield. They have a single strap on the binding that you sinch tight so it makes putting them on and taking them off quickly. I am 135lbs so I have the 1025 and they do an alright job keeping me afloat in the snow, although there are some times when I sink in. They do have built in crampons, which is a great feature, but I do find my self slipping a little on steeper, softer terrain, but the shoe is really made for trails with rolling hills and not mountneering. The one thing that I do not really like about the snowshoe is the strap system; it is made out of cloth so when it absorbs water it tends to strech out and loosen a bit so the shoe ends up slipping (then you tighten it and it does the same thing again), but it also freezes when the temps start to drop so you are stuck with a frozen strap that is difficult to remove. All and all a great shoe, improvements can be made.

This is one amazing jacket! Even during the hot season storms this jacket kept me dry both inside and out. It is a bit pricey (the reason behind the four stars), but it is one of the best on the market today. The pockets sit up up so they do not get in the way of the hip belts on backpack which its a fantastic feature. The jacket is very durable and even with walking through trees and prickers there are no rips or tears. Great quality jacket and still looks brand new after three years use. High recommended!

Warm, lightweight,durable and stylish are all words that can be used to describe this parka. Whether you are looking for an inner insulating layer or water resistant outer piece then look no further; I have found this jacket to be extremely versatile and non constricting while hugging me close to help kept the warmth in. I have used it for everything from belaying, to layering to a t-shirt under it and have never had any problems with a chill. It would be a bit better if it has a double zipper so I could unzip from the bottom while belaying, but we cannot have it all and still have light weight. The pockets are lined which is a nice touch, the hood has enough room to fit a helmet under and it comes with its own handy, dandy stuff sack so as the day warms up it stores neatly away without taking up too much space. If you are looking for a great all around winter piece, look no more!

What more is there to say, it is a footprint, it keeps the bottom of the tent protected from water (even on nights with constant rain the tent floor stayed bone dry) and kept the tent floor rip/tear free. Does what it is suppose to and is awesome!

This is a great little tent for what it is, allbeit on the heavy side. The tent is kind of cramped for two people, the vestibule will hold both people gear if it is placed on top of each other, which makes midnight bathroom runs quite difficult. The upsides to this tent though it that it is a truly waterproof shelter and never had any problems with blowning rain or condenstion in the morning, it held up to high (30+) gusty winds and if put in a compression sack it packs down quite nicely. This is truly a great MH designed tent, but there are things that could be improved on and better tents for the price.

The directions said to add 14oz of water and to let sit, so I finished setting up can and returned 15mins later. When I open the pouch the contents were still very watery; had this happen on two pouches. The taste was alright, but not suggested due to the watery consistancy.

If you are a thru-hiker looking for one of the lightest and most reliable stoves on the market, then look no further. The stove comes in a three ounces,barely takes up any space in your pack and comes in a nifty carrying case. One of the best things about this is that there is no priming needed, just screw the stove on to a canister and light the flame and you are ready to cook. The downsides to the stove and the reason for the rating are as follows: There is no provided windscreen included so it can be a bit difficult to use in windy conditions, the canisters do not work well at altitude or in cold conditions due to the slight loss of pressure, it is really made to just boil water and nothing more and lastly, the canisters; they take up a lot of space in your pack (not only packing them in, but packing them out) and they fact that when you use them they get thrown away. I know the canisters do not have anything to do with the stove it self, but it is one of the reasons I switched stoves. All and all a great stove for a thru-hiker.

Out of all the rope bags on the market, I thought I would never find one that suited my needs until I found this one. It has a very generous ground cloth that keeps the rope nice and clean, has two tie off points so you can flake the rope and use it as soon as you open the bags and a nifty little window in it so you can see which rope you have stored in there. It comes with a smaller pocket on the outside which will hold a knife, roll of tape and a protein bar (or whatever you want in it). All and all a great bag for what it is and quite durable.

This is a alright pad for the money; it does what it is suppose to do, it is ligh enough to pack around for longer distances, it has a chest strap and somewhat comfortable shoulder straps. I found the pad to be a bit hard padding wise, so I am not sure how it will be on highball falls, but I have taken hits on it from 15ft and have been fine. I am not really sure about the durability of the pad though as the ripstop nylon got a hole it in the first time I used it, but at least the ripstop has stopped it from becoming larger. Another downside is that you are not able to use the closure straps to turn the pad into a chair like on some other pads.

So you want to run like the wind and win marathons? Well you have to train hard for that, but these runners will aid you along the way. They has truly amazing grip over varied terrain both wet and dry, from dry trails to wet rock, they bit in, plus they clean up to look like new! The only problem that I have had so far is they seem to collect mud, but it does not get to bothersome.

Sure, it sounds like a jet taking off and yes, it does weigh a little bit more than the other stoves out there, but this is still by far my favorite stove. When you are craving something a little more complex than adding boiling water to freeze-dried packs, the adjustable simmer feature will allow for a full range of meals to be prepared, from stews to pancakes it does it all. For its size it packs down fairly small even with the included windscreen and bottom deflector, but it is still noticeable in the pack. The best part about the stove it being able to use the refillable bottle, which saves on extra canister waste. Also with the reillable bottles, you do not have to worry about altitude or cold affectiing the pressure since you can add a few more pumps to the bottle. Whether it is car camping or through hiking this is the stove to get since you can gourmet cook, but if you are counting grams you should reconsider.

It takes a few minutes for it to inflate, but I am sure there are other things to do to occupy time. This provided a fantastic and warm nights sleep in the backcountry everytime. I use this as my year round mat and with thru hiking alot of trails it is worth have the prolite plus's extra half an inch of loft; yes it does take up slightly more space in the pack, but the best backcountry sleep all but makes up for it.

This is a great belay/rappel device for the price and it along the line of the new petzl reverso, but cheaper! It hold falls well with minimal slippage, but I do find that if you flip it around on the less friction side, it is a bit harder to control, but that is as expected.

All and all this is a fantastic fleece if you do not have to deal with the wind. It is highly breathable so it keeps you from getting to warm on the cool spring/fall mornings. I have worn this in 30º weather and have been just fine, but pairing this with a GoLite Nevo shell and a snow hat and I am perfectly warm to 5º. Great jacket for the price, just keep an eye on it though, your friends will try and take it!

At 3lb 7oz for a size small, this bag is one of the most comfortable and easy to carry packs on the market. I bought this pack for my thru-hike of the Colorado Trail since my last pack as almost 6lbs by it self and I am sure glad I switched! The mesh on the back area allows it to breath very well and I was able to avoid a sweaty back in 90º weather. Another great feature is that you have the choice to carry your water bladder in either the inner pouch or the space between the mesh and back of the back which allows more inside space. I usually pack light and when this has 30lbs in it, it feels as though I am not even wearing a pack at all. It has two straps on the left side to carry treking poles when you are not using them, but you are not able to switch side with this feature. The possible downside is that you cannot swap out the hip belts as on different Osprey models, but this also helps keep the weight down. Packed correctly I am able to have a weeklong pack with a little space still available for use.

Great taste in a small package! Not watery at all and tastes like it is home fresh!

for late spring and early fall in the Rockies, this is my go to bag. It is very warm and surprisingly true to rating if not warm to a couple degrees colder. The elastic baffles hug the bag to your body eliminating cold air pockets. I prefer the super stretch over the spiral bags, but they keep me warm so I am not complaining!

I have always had problems staying warm in regular sleeping bags, then I found this one. This bag has elastic baffles that pull the bag closer to your body to help elimated dead air while still allowing you to move freely. This is a great light weight, 800fill down bag that is perfect for most 3 season camping. No problems with water dripping on an soaking through. If I had to choose the perfect bag this would be it.

These are a great alternative to dropping big dollars on the higher end models. They protect the eyes, have the side coverings and are fairly light weight. The only downfall is the lenses do tend to scratch easily.

Nice lightweight and highly breathable pant. They fit very well and have not pressure points along the built in belt when wearing a backpack. They have roomy pockets along with a nice, secure cargo pocket on the side.

Hands down one of the best tents I have had. It is spacious for two people and with the pole set up it makes the walls almost vertical to provide even more space and headroom. I have had no problems with condensation thus far and the tent is completely waterproof. I chose this over other models due to its light pack weight, waterproof-ness and its bombproof stability in the wind. At first the pole set up can be a bit confusing, but practice setting it up a few times before you head out and you will be fine. Also the stuff sack they provide is WAY too big and takes up too much space, so I bought a small sea to summit compression sack which fits the tent body, rain fly and ground sheet perfectly in a slightly smaller than a football size (poles and stakes are carried inside the backpack). I will gladly purchase again and might get another one for when mine decided to die.