This pack is built from lighter weight materials than the typical DaKine pack, so that's a good thing. I dig all the typical organization pockets and sleeves commonly found on all DaKine packs, but the back panel is a poor attempt at copying better designs. Not the best, but not the worst.

The pack itself is roomy and can haul a ton of stuff. I dig the different zippered compartments and dividers for small stuff, but it does lack a key clip and the back panel isn't so comfortable after a long day of hauling. The side-entry laptop sleeve is convenient, but don't forget to zip it back closed before swinging it over your shoulder... yeowch... Macbooks aren't meant to fly, I'll just leave it at that. It could stand to have a removable waistbelt for weight distribution on long hauls to the airport or around campus.

Once broken-in, the Chaco Zong sandals are comfortable for everyday wear (even for flat-footers like me) and are capable enough for light hiking or river walking. Without the heel strap, they don't run extremely well and your foot doesn't stay in place so well on steep trails, but for all-around use, they are great. Got the Chaco tan coming already!

As far as squishy flips, the Teva Mush is still the best IMO, but these aren't bad. The density of the foam is higher than the Teva's so they don't squish out as quickly which translates into a longer break-in period for the Smoothy's. These are also narrower than the Teva's.

Great jacket, but the fit is pretty large. I should have gotten the Medium as the Large is HUGE but workable. I love the stretchy feel of the fabric and the asymmetrical cuffs to keep your wrists covered on a bike.

Excellent, fun-filled skis. These are about as narrow of a ski as I'd really want to ski on every day. Their sidecut is perfect for arc-ing on the groomers and they are floaty enough to handle deep, bottomless pow. Though there are wider skis that are more fun on deep days and skinnier skis that will carve up blue East Coast ice "groomers", the Missions are some of the more versatile skis I've ridden. I totally dig them. The only negative is that they are so turny that slow-speed wedge turns can feel a little hooky. They want to catch and carve, not skid... so skidders beware!

I've been very impressed with every Kaenon product I've used. The quality of the optics is unmatched. I've used polarized products from other manufacturers and these are by far the best for all-around use. In fact, every other brand's polarization isn't wearable for day-to-day use because of the rainbow effect and other distortions--not so with Kaenon. I've got the gloss black frames with the SR91 grey lenses and they provide the perfect casual look.

The only downer is they don't stay on top of my head very well when I place them there... gotta be careful when in the restroom or they might drop in the drink. And since these aren't really athletic glasses (get the Kore's for that), the lack of rubber on the temples is OK.

These have been trusty companions on several pairs of A/T skis and they work really well. I love the touring feel and pivot location. I prefer not having the optional springs installed--seems to allow me to execute switchbacks without having a mousetrap feel that the springs provide.

They are a bit heavy, which is making me lean towards going to Dynafits next year after 8 years of using Freerides. I've found them to be solid inbounds (yeah, they might flex a bit if you hammer the bumps like Moseley) and invisible in the backcountry.

Changing the lift is super-easy with the flick of a pole and locking them down for the most fun part of the day is just as simple and easy. Toe-height and length adjustments are equally easy--even in the field.

Great binding, but it is a little heavy... the only real downside.

If you're looking for burly touring boots that won't back down from any conditions, the Skookum's are the trick. Very comfortable right out of the box, but downright slipper-like after getting the Intuition liners custom molded, these boots are solid. If you are strictly touring, these may be a bit overkill, but for in/out riding or the "one boot to rule them all", these would be an excellent choice. Fit is nice and comfortable with a last in the 103mm or slightly larger range (don't know exactly, but it's not a narrow boot). Walkability is pretty good, but not as good as say, the Garmont Radium. The burly power strap adds to the overall stiffness, but does get in the way when putting them on or taking them off. Choose from A/T or Dynafit binding options and proceed to climb up and rip up the down.

Helmet fit is very particular and lids are built to fit people with all kinds of head shapes and sizes. The Skull Light is one of the most comfortable helmets I've ever worn. It just slips on and stays comfortable all day long. It feels extremely light on the head and provides POC's legendary noggin protection. Vents are minimal, but sufficient for most inbounds ski days. Sizing is odd with POC though, so I'd make sure and try one on locally. I wear a Medium Smith Hustle lid, but an XL POC Skull Light... go figure!

I've used several polarized lenses over the years and most of them aren't suitable for mountain or road riding. Though the value of a polarized lenses is most often derived on water or snow, it's great to have reduced glare in all conditions. That said, the Kaenon Kore sunglasses are the only polarized sunglasses I recommend for road or mountain biking. With others, you'll get rainbow splotches as your tearing up the singletrack downhill (not too safe), but with Kaenon's lens technology, you get the clearest vision and best protection available.

Rocky Mountain knows how to make amazing bikes and the current Slayer frameset is freaking amazing! It can be built up in the low 30's (or lighter if you really spend a ton of money) and it pedals uphill and screams on the downhill. It's not the fastest climber, but you won't care when you are absolutely grinning ear-to-ear on the downhill.

The LC2R suspension design keeps your center-of-gravity low and allows you to rail through the corners and stay balanced in tricky terrain. Build this bike up to your liking and enjoy the wonders of Canadian craftsmanship!

I dig the looks of this beanie (or Touque for you Canadians out there) and it's super warm. It does get a tad itchy along the edges, but the fleece liner keeps things cozy.

I wear it chillin around town and have really liked it. Nice one from the Goat crew.

If you're looking for an easy-to-use training watch, this is the one to choose. Out of the box, you can easily get up and running with HRM or GPS in no time. I figured out 90% of the functions without even referring to the manual--it's that easy. I really dig the training effect summary at the end of the workout. It scrolls through all your performance data and gives you a one-line synopsis of the training effect (fitness improving, maximal performance improving, overtraining, etc.).

The t4c from Suunto pales in comparison as far as ease-of-use. The FT60 is the one to beat.

The Prophets are great all-around sunglasses with the ability to work well mountain biking. The grippy rubber used on these things would make Spiderman envious. I can't believe how well these stick to my nose--even when I'm sweating profusely hammering up the Clark's Trail Time Trial here in Draper, UT. I only wish I had a more bike-friendly lens tint out of the box. Clear isn't really an option unless you want to wear them to the movies, polarized is nice and dark (perfect for the lake) and the ignitor lens is good for hanging out elsewhere. I wish they had a rose copper lens option out of the box, but the Prophet is pretty solid!

This lightweight jacket/shirt is awesome to take the chill off in the morning. I love how well it breathes and how it feels against the skin. It's super light and comfortable. I think I could have gone for a Medium, but the Large is just dandy.

I've had this jacket for a few weeks and I like it overall. It's not really something I'd wear backcountry skiing, hiking, etc., it's more of a stylish piece, I think. Though I say stylish, it still has some great outdoor flare to it.

The overall feel of the material is awesome. This thing is thick and does a fair job at blocking the wind--even though it's not Windstopper. I had it on during some fierce and cold winds this winter and noticed only a slight amount of wind through the jacket.

For me, the only miss on this jacket is that if you wear a long-sleeve shirt underneath, be ready to have it pulled up to your armpit when you put the jacket on. Even with buttoned sleeve cuffs, the material grabs anything you're wearing and pulls it to your pits. Maybe the sleeves should be lined with nylon or something... dunno.

That's the only gripe and if you hold your sleeve while putting it on, it's better. Nice jacket overall... great for chillin with a hip, outdoorsy feel.

I'm not a fan of the North Face Momentum shoes. Either my foot is just the wrong size for TNF, or they didn't make these for regular feet. I pretty much always wear a 10 or 10.5. To make these shoes fit volume-wise, I had to go with 9.5, but then my toes were touching the front. I ended up swapping them for 10's and they are sloppy as all get out. These shoes are super uncomfortable and my feet pull away from the insoles with every step. I wish I had never bought these shoes.

I absolutely love these socks. They are the perfect thickness and they wear really well. I wear them everyday--even to church (unless my wife catches me). I've got about 10 pair of these socks and they work awesome for running, trail running, cycling and everything in between.

These skis may not be the fattest skis on the planet, but they definitely aren't of the skinny variety.

I've skied the REX's in varying conditions from waist-deep pow to hardpack and they great in both. The Atomic Beta technology is for real because these skis are very light, but are as stable as a race ski.

The bottom-line is that these skis excel in all conditions. If you can have just one ski, get these!

Why do I call these "invisible"? Well, because they are just like any good binding should be... you click in and forget about them. I was skeptical at first and thought they wouldn't be durable and all that other stuff. I got proved wrong after 2 days of bombing steep pow at Silverton. I didn't even think about them. Then, when it's time to go up, they are great for skinning. These are the ultimate bindings.

I finally got a hold of the new X6HR and I have to say I'm totally amazed at how everything works on this watch. Analyzing your workout logs with the ability to chart your heart rate and altitude is simply amazing. The included software is great, but still a little clunky. Suunto is obviously not a software company, but they have done a great job with this software. It works well. But it only works with Windows and you have to have a serial port... the only lame part. I'll give it 4 stars because of the serial port issue. Who has a serial port these days? I had a Vector for 3 years and the new X6HR is much easier to use overall. But, it has so many new functions that it will still take a little time to figure it all out. I'm stoked. This watch is great. An awesome training tool and investment to last a long time!