An interesting array of reviews on these arcteryx shorts. These shorts fit me well. I like the cut. The pockets are handy (although the one on the upper right is a little odd as it's narrow -- maybe good for an ipod). Material dries fast and seems quite durable. I wear these shorts hiking, at the gym, in the water, at summer barbecues, whatever. They work for me.

I skied on these Black Diamond Push tele boots for a full season. They are incredibly comfortable. I never unbuckle them and when the end of the day comes I'm not dying to take them off (as most people seem to be!). The boa system on the inner liner is spectacular. Love it. Put both boots on, tap the boa knob, and turn clockwise to tighten (I do both at once). This keeps your foot nice and snug in the liner. Great design. The boots themselves are well designed. They squeek a little but I'm sure I could address that with a little cooking spray or something. Walk mode works well and the flex is excellent. I skied on the T1 prior to these -- also a great boot -- but the liner on the BD Push is definitely better.

I think that the lace up system that Salomon uses in their trail runners is the best (better even than the boa which I've managed to break on some TNF trail runners). These XT Wings are very comfortable, light weight, and pretty breathable. A good choice for trail running on fairly smooth / consistent trails. They may be a little soft for trail running over rocky and more varied terrain.

This fleece sweatshirt / pull over is true to size. I normally wear a medium and this medium fits me perfectly. This is a really versatile fleece. I wear it to work, as a layer under a shell on especially cold ski days, or just hanging around the fire when camping. The chest zipper pocket is perfect for your ipod or phone. The sleeve cuffs are well designed -- not tight but they keep the sleeve from sliding down over your hand (which I find annoying with other fleece sweatshirts I've tried). Thumbs up from me for the Horny Toad McQueen Pullover.

This TNF Hydrogen shell is so light weight and it scrunches up so small that I don't think twice about taking it with me when climbing in the mountains (you can stuff it in the smallest of camelbaks). If you don't need it, you don't know it's there. When the temperature drops and the wind picks up, it's real handy. The rest of the time I leave my hydrogen shell in my golf bag for the same reasons.

I'd say that the Backcountry Stoic jacket is one of the best backcountry brand products. The Stoic breathes well and is waterproof. I just layer under it to varying degrees and can use this jacket in all conditions. If it's super cold (ie below zero), I just pull my Montbell ultralight down parka out of my pack and throw that on underneath (get one of those too -- an amazing light weight down jacket -- I always have one in the bottom of my pack. Never even realize it's there ... until it suddenly comes in very handy!). If it's warmer I may just wear a merino baselayer underneath the Stoic, or if it's in between I go with a merino tee, a backcountry prime power stretch top, and maybe even a marmot dryclime windshirt. If you have all these things, you are good for any and all conditions... by the way, the chest pocket on the stoic is great for your phone or digital camera.

I like the fit on the north face mammatus. The chest pockets are great for cell phone and digital camera. You don't even need to take your gloves off, just yank the pull. With the right layers, the mammatus is good for most winter riding conditions. I've done some ski touring with it and works for me (my buddy observes that there's no powder skirt -- but my last couple of jackets haven't had powder skirts and I ski blower all the time -- no issues unless maybe you're doing lots of endos. Jackets without powder skirts are also a bit lighter as is the case with tnf's mammatus).

Norrona makes great jackets -- definitely in league with arc'teryx -- possibly even more core. I like the fit of this Norrona Falketind jacket. It's super light and minimalist -- you could stuff one of these jackets in your pack and not know it was there. Definitely a high end well thought out jacket. A couple pros and cons: if things get ugly, the hood really closes in tightly to protect you against the gale (been there). The down side is that the hood design isn't ideal for skiing as you can't just yank it up over your head when you're all the way zipped up (you must unzip a few inches first). Arms are longish and roomy at the cuff which is handy as it's real easy to pull the sleeves over your gloves or mittens (with your mittens on), and then just adhere the little goretex rubber piece for a tight fit. All in, the Norona Falketind gets my thumbs up for a high end mountaineering jacket (and I'm impressed with Norrona in general).

Thumbs up for the backcountry prime power stretch. This is an excellent layering piece under a goretex or event shell. You'll also get the chicks apres ski when they see you've got it going on.

As one of the founders of Backcountry.com, I'm very fortunate in that I can sample lots of gear. I've skied with pretty much every make of ski goggle available. I've concluded that Smith stands above them all. They've been at this for awhile. Smith goggles have the best fit, the best look, and they are the least likely to fog up... and among Smith's goggles, the Phenom is the one. 'Nuff said. Look no further.

I think I've arrested myself a couple of times with my whippets while trying to skin up something that was firm and a little too steep for skinning (not like I was going to fall into the abyss but I was definitely headed for a good long slide). When you're booting up something steep, these things are the ticket -- you can charge. You know there's a good adventure on tap when the whippets come out of the garage.

I disagree with all these guys. I like this ortovox shovel. It's super light weight yet has decent extension. Metal blades are nice if you're shoveling out your car but they're heavy in your pack... and this fits perfectly in my 1200 cu in dakine pack (handle goes on the side, blade in the front pocket, badabing).

I always keep one of these Arcteryx headbands in my pocket or pack. They keep your ears warm when the wind whips up. Unlike with some headbands I've had, you can still hear with this Arcteryx version. Sometimes a hat is too hot but it's still a little cold on your ears.

This is a very comfortable trail running shoe. I use these La Sportivas for both trail running and fastpacking / light backpacking. I don't get any hot spots with this trail runner and I've found this to be the grippiest sole of any trail runner I've ever had. When scaling some of the 14ers, I feel like I have a rock climbing shoe on as I smoke through the boulder fields. If you're hiking in wet conditions, get a different shoe as the high water mark on the la sportiva exum ridge is less than a half inch (ie step in a 3/4 inch puddle and you've got wet feet). Great trail runner though all around.

I wear these patagonia ultra shorts running, mountaineering, and simply going to the gym. They fit well, have a comfortable liner, and handy pockets. Thumbs up.

This is the first time I've tried Keen trail running shoes. In the past I've been a fan of La Sportiva and Salomon but I thought I'd try something different. This is a well designed trail runner. Very comfortable (I don't get hot spots and the insole fits just right). I have a pretty standard foot. The only negative I see is that they're pretty warm. Probably ideal for trail running in cool or even cold weather.

I like to bivy on top of mountains (makes for a great view in the morning!). I always take these mountain hardware down pants with me. They compress down quite small and they're obviously very light (hey that's the nature of down). For winter mountaineering I actually just bring a light weight Marmot Hydrogen (30 degree) bag. When I combine that with these mhw pants and a TNF nuptse and a 1 lb 6 oz Black Diamond bivy, I'm plenty warm. The bonus is when you get up in the morning you can roll out of bed and make some jo and you're a lot warmer than you'd be with your gore-tex ski bibs.

This is one of the best pieces of gear you can buy. Someone recently turned me on to this montbell down jacket. This is the ticket for fastpacking. Stuff it in the bottom of your pack and you don't even know it's there. Then when the wheels fall off, this montbell jacket can save your ass. I also sleep in it if my down bag isn't quite cutting it.

These smith factor sunglasses are light and don't slip. I use them for mountain biking, skiing and mountaineering. The photochromatic lense is handy as you might think. When it's super bright you aren't squinting but when the clouds roll in and you're biking through the trees you can still see.

And that's saying something. I paired these up with the Voile Switchback binding. Suffice it to say you can let 'em run. A choice powder ski. Reasonably light for touring. Also concur that they're well put together. I've ripped over some rocks with minimal damage (was expecting some deep gouges). Great ski for telemark or Alpine touring.

This Da Kine Pilot is a really well designed pack. There's a adjustable wire loop that you can dial in to fit any ski width. Comfortable carrying skis (diagonally across the back). This is just about the perfect size pack for day time hiking & skinning in the backcountry. Room for a spare jacket, gloves, platypus hydration bag, shovel, probe, skins and a couple Probars.

This la Sportiva shoe is one of the best trail running shoes I've ever owned. They're really stable and they have far better traction than some Salomons I owned previously.

I wear this Mountain Hardwear tech tee for mountain biking, trail running, and as a base layer for skiing in the winter. Simple and it works.

I wear these "midweight tights" (fancy term for long underwear) as a base layer in a wide range of winter conditions. I'm warm in all but the most frigid temps wearing these and an unlined Gore-Tex ski bib. I'd say that the word "tights" is misleading. This is really mid-weight techie long underwear.

...and I've owned a lot of jackets. This the North Face Diad jacket is unbelievably light weight yet it keeps me warm and dry. On super cold ski days (ie single digits and below) I go with a 3 layer Gore-Tex jacket. Love the left chest camera / cell phone pocket. This jacket packs down small.

These arc'teryx alpha sv bibs are super well made. I've had mine for about 3 years (and have put in a lot of days). They fit comfortably, and you don't look like a dork apres ski. I wear a medium weight base layer underneath (ie long underwear) and I'm perfectly warm even in frigid conditions.

This Petzl harness is light weight, durable, and comfortable. It also comes with a handy little bag to stow it in. I'd recommend this harness.

These smartwool socks are comfortable and your feet stay cool. Great socks for trail running.

Edelweiss makes nice gear. I like the different weave patterns on this rope - a helpful feature. This rope is also pretty light.

I wear these The North Face shorts when trail running, going to the gym, windsurfing, whatever. These shorts dry fast and the adjustable waist band is key.

This Salomon tech tee fits well, it's comfortable, and it drys fast. Ditch all your cotton tee shirts.

I've tried several different backpacks for carrying my laptop to and from work. This Dakine laptop pack is far and away the best. Laptop sleeve is perfect. There's padding at the bottom so if you drop your pack your computer won't get damaged. There's also a side zipper pocket were you can stow power cords and such. Cell phone pocket is easily accessible on the top. Side zipper pocket where you can stash your magazines as well. Love it.

Whoa! This absolutely one of the best pieces of gear I've ever owned (and that's saying something). I can wear this mountain hardware top with a thin arc'teryx soft shell over it and I'm good to go backcountry skiing when it's 25 degrees. The featherweight zip is also great for trail running or any outdoor activity. This shirt breathes really well yet it's wind proof, insulates you amazingly from the cold, doesn't overheat. I could go on and on. Well worth the money. I may get another one.

I used to have a Burton Fish but I definitely like the Malolo better. Given the slightly set back stance and the shape of this board, the nose stays up on deep powder days and you can rip. This snowboard also carves really well on hard pack and riding switch feels much better than with the Fish.

This Yakima hitch mount bike rack is the way to go. We have a Subaru Outback and can still open the hatch without even swinging the rack down (it has a mechanism for this). You get better gas mileage with your bikes on the back vs the roof, and your bikes don't get plastered with bugs.

I'd say this is the best designed telemark binding out there. The toe plate holds your boot really snugly (more so than other bindings). The cartridges have just the right tension and I like how they go under your foot.

These Black Diamond poles are the ticket. Great swing weight and the locking mechanism works really well.

I like the feel of the black diamond kilowatts. This is a good side cut for an all around ski (if you live out west). The Killowatt carves well on hard pack but it also performs really well in powder and skied out crud.

I ditched all my cotton boxer shorts and went with these. These marmot boxer shorts have a comfortable fit. I prefer them to the Patagonia Capilene boxers. Cotton sucks.

I'd definitely recommend these The North Face Arnuvas. This is a really light weight shoe that's well vented so your feet stay cool. The boa lacing system is super slick. Just crank the dial on the heel & pull it out to loosen.

I use this platypus hydration bag for traveling (you can get through security with it so long as there’s little or now water in it). Unlike other water bottles, it doesn’t expand when you go up in an airplane or up in elevation leaving your other belongings wet. These are also great for backpacking where both weight and volume are concerns.

This is the lightest weight pad I could find. Great for fast packing. You can hike so much farther if you can shave a few pounds off of your pack. This Z Lite is a good start. It's perfectly comfortable. I still sleep fine on this pad. You really don't need a full length pad (unless weight is no concern).

My nephew loves these kids DC snowboard boots and he definitely rips on them. The lacing system is super simple and works really well. It's also easy for him to pull the boots on with the straps at the top.

I've found that this sunscreen stays on better in the water than all the others out there, and it doesn't sting your eyes. Great for windsurfing and surfing.

The Tad Pole Tent sets up really fast (which is handy when there are 10,000 mosquitoes swarming around you as was the case on Murdock Peak last night). You can see the stars through the roof. Lots of mesh which is great on hot nights.

The Cross Roads has good support on rocky, uneven terrain. This shoe also has much better grip on wet rocks than other trail runners. I have a fairly regular-sized foot(maybe slightly wider than normal) and they fit just right.

I love these Horny Toad Brio shorts. They're made with an especially soft, yet seemingly durable material. Very comfortable. You have a little leeway on sizing as you just adjust the simple belt (give it a yank) and you're good to go.

I like the fit on these Kavu moat shorts. They're made of a thick durable cotton. Good casual shorts for summer barbequing and what not.

I disagree with the previous comment regarding Merino. I would prefer the Salomon Moto Tech Tee to a merino tee in really hot weather (although I also recommend having a merino tee for cooler conditions). If you're running or hiking with a CamelBak or other hydration pack on your back, the Salomon Moto is great to have. This synthetic T-shirt doesn't chafe, and it dries super fast.

This Salomon short is a good lightweight short for trail running, hiking, and swimming. There's a small pocket in the back which is about big enough for a digital camera (although the zipper can be a little hard to grab reaching behind your back). I just went swimming with these shorts. They seem to be made of a hydrophobic material. They don't seem to soak up water at all.

The Camelback Hawg is ideal for longer day hikes. It has the perfect amount of room for a jacket, extra layer or two, a camera, and a big lunch. This hydration pack also stays with you quite well when you're hiking fast (I just always try to make sure that there's no air in the hydration bag so the water doesn't slosh around).

I used to wear cotton socks. A few years ago I tried some Patagonia Capilene socks, which prompted me to ditch all my old cotton socks. I have since tried Bridgedale and a few other synthetic socks. These Lorpens are the best—they’re comfortable, just the right thickness, and less expensive than the others.

I've spent a fair bit of time dialing in an ultra light weight fast packing setup. If you can shave a few pounds off of your pack, you can hike SO much farther into the backcountry. I've tried several different light weight shells. The North Face Diad is the lightest and of the best quality among the options out there.

The Go Lite race pack is really light weight yet it's comfortable and has just about the right capacity for light, fast overnight backpacking or mountaineering. If you spend a little time (and $) shaving the weight off your pack, you'll see a lot more of the backcountry.

These are some of the best mittens (or gloves) I've ever had. This is one of the best pieces of gear sold on this site. I use them for backcountry skiing and resort skiing. It's easy to pull your jacket cuff OVER these mittens. Most are designed to go over your jacket which is less comfortable. The lobster-style mitt allows you the dexterity to pull zippers, hold your skis, adjust snowboard bindings, etc. They are not waterproof. This is the only downside (but is only an issue if you're skiing in really wet conditions). They are also really lightweight. I leave a spare pair in my backcountry pack.

I've had a lot of fun on this ski. This is a good sidecut. The Hippie Stinx actually does pretty well on hardpack despite the width. In any kind of new snow conditions it's a goer. You'll be a tele god with these skis. Just let 'em run. The ski patrollers will never catch you.

Nordic-schmordic. This lobster mit / glove is great for skiing snowboarding winter hiking or even cold weather biking. I telemark ski, snowboard, and backcountry ski. Whenever I'm fishing through the closet on the way out the door, I always seem to grab these lobster mitts. These Swix Membrane gloves are super warm yet light weight and breathable. They work well across a big temperature range. When it's in the single digits, my hands stay warm (and you still have decent dexterity as well with the lobster design). When it's in the 30's, my hands aren't hot. Look no further, just get these gloves!

Using a $10 topo map of the Uinta Mountains and my Brunton MNS, I easily navigated to a pristine lake in the middle of nowhere at 11,300 feet. Toggling between menu screens is very intuitive. Push a button to mark the trailhead (or your car or whatever) and rest assured you'll find your way back. Mark waypoints along your route as you go (or mark them before you set out while looking at a topo map). Unlike most GPS units, this one has a digital compass which you can use without sapping the batteries (just turn the GPS part off). Shows you how fast you're going as you hike. Tells you sunrise & sunset times. Calibrates your altitude for you & displays temp. Unlike most GPS units, this thing is actually really durable. I suspect you could play a hockey game with it and it would still work. Supposedly it's waterproof as well. I've used it in the rain without any problems but have yet to drop it in a pond.

There's no other shoe that breathes like the Salomon Tech Amphibian. When it's hot, there's no better shoe. Great for just going to work, playing golf, or any activity around the water when it's hot as blazes out.

I've paddled about 10 different touring kayaks. The Sonoma is FAR AND AWAY the nicest. This boat slips through the water effortlessly. Not only is Perception's Airalight material super light weight allowing you to cover much more distance, but it also has a much nicer feel in the water than you get with plastic hull boats. It's hard to describe - sort of like the difference between a finely crafted glass surfboard and a foamer. This is a SWEET kayak.

I have the men's version of this jacket. I use it for mountaineering, ski touring and skiing. The Alpha Comp is really light weight yet very breathable (soft shell). For this reason, it's good in quite a range of temperatures (I usually wear the Mountain Hardwear Transition Zip Tee underneath). This is one of the nicest jackets I've ever owned.

I've used my airboard in both hardpack and powder conditions. It's fast and quite maneuverable. Because the air board is inflated, it stays on top of the snow. The air factor also makes for a much smoother ride than you'd get with a regular old lame sled. The airboard is also much easier to jump than a common sled as you have a cushioned landing. When the resorts close you can hike up and rip it. The airboard comes with a runaway strap and a hand pump that easily inflates it in about 2-3 minutes. There's a one way valve that allows you to inflate it without worrying about air escaping. I always inflate it at the top as it's so quick and easy. The airboard stows handily in a pack or in the small carrying case. These things are great fun. -36 yr old guy from Utah.

I've tried several different laptop backpacks. The Da Kine Terminal is far and away the best. The sleeve actually fits bigger laptops and it leaves your laptop suspended just off the bottom of the pack so if you drop it on a concrete floor or something, you won't need to buy a new laptop. Lots of handy pockets for your power cord & spare batteries. There's a pocket on the top for holding sunglasses. It's lined with a soft material so you don't need a sunglass case. Dakine makes great gear. I also recommend the split roller - best duffle bag I've ever owned.

This is a well made glove. It's referred to as the spring glove but is plenty warm enough for most winter conditions in Utah. I've used these for a full season without any problems (although if I did have a problem, I know that Marmot would take care of me).

I love my Oakley Minutes. These sunglasses wrap around your face well - the light does not come in from the sides. They're light and work well for tennis, mountain biking, running etc. On a sunny winter day when the glare from the snow is especially bright, the minutes are the best.

I put quite a lot of effort into getting my pack weight down. Obviously for the lightest possible pack, you just don't bring a chair. A comfortable chair is pretty crucial though. Since you always need a sleeping pad, this is the lightest way to go (previously I used a Sunnyrec inflatable camp chair but I've dropped a lot of weight by going with the Thermarest Lite 20).

I've skied on many tele skis over the years. The Rossignol Megabang is it. Look no further. This is obviously a new snow ski but it preforms fairly well on hardpack as well.

Be sure to get one of these. These gear lofts are super handy for stowing all sorts of things in your tent. It keeps stuff out of the way just below the tent ceiling. Great for drying out socks or gloves. I also stash my watch, toothbrush, headlamp, magazine, etc...in my gear loft. I no longer have to search around in the dark on my tent floor for these things.

I love my Patagonia R2 fleece jacket. I wear it under a shell for skiing or snowboarding in cold weather. I always bring it with me when I go camping. It's lightweight and makes a great pillow (just bring a pillow case).

The North Face windstopper high point hat is the best hat I've ever owned. The windstopper material is key. I always bring my high point hat with me when I go camping, and it serves me well for skiing and snowboarding as well. It covers your ears well when it's frigid. When it's warmer you can pull the cord over the top making it more like a beanie. I've endured some serious wind chill with this hat.

The North Face Nuptse is one of the best pieces of gear I own. This jacket is amazingly warm. I always stow my Nuptse in my pack when I'm heading out backcountry skiing. It's so light I can't even tell I brought it. Down is great because it compresses really well too. The Nuptse compacts down to little bigger than a grapefruit.

I bought a pair of Salomon Raid Race 2’s for fast packing (i.e. backpacking with a lightweight pack). It was a great call. These trail running shoes offer really good support and a well-built sole. I bravely broke them out of the box and headed right out on a 17-mile trek. At the end of the day my feet felt great. Salomon has been at this for a while and they make a great shoe.