I have had this bag for several years now and its still going strong. I have used mine down to freezing several times and been comfortable with a T-shirt and shorts but I had the hood almost closed. I don't have a draft collar in mine and I think the "draft tube" listed is the part that covers the zipper. I have been shopping for a 50d summer bag but I can't find anything significantly lighter than this other than the atom, which is only 11 oz lighter. I have been comfortable in this bag in the 50d range with the zipper about half open. I have a long and it fits me perfectly at 6'4".

I don't agree with reviews that point out low performance in cold temperatures. Maybe they are leading expeditions in Antarctica. I don't need to measure my external temperature in Kelvin and I have never had any problems using this in singe digit temperatures. I just got a snow peak Titanium 700 pot for my water boiling and the pair could not be lighter or more effective. When I have tried to simmer rice I have experienced the hot spot. You have to have the valve almost closed and stir constantly to simmer rice without burning. Works better with the cup style pots. I used mine with the MSR fuel at first but recently switched to the gigapower and experience better performance. Plus the snow peak fuel nests inside the 700 pot with the pocket rocket! I have had my stove for over 6 years without issue.

I currently have an XL Alpinist jacket I got in 1999 that still looks brand new and performs great except for 2 things. Its big & heavy and the sleeves leak between the elastic cuff and the rest of the sleeve. I just got back from a trip where we backpacked for 10 to 12 hours in a constant 35 degree rain and I stayed completely dry except for my forearm.

Now that they have gotten rid of the elastic cuff, cut out the lining, and have more breathable fabric on the market its time to upgrade. After reading the sizing chart and some reviews I got this new model in a size L from SAC on a sick deal. The fit is great with a microfleece or similar underneath. Its a little tight over my XL Patagonia R4 jacket which by itself fits perfectly. The sleeves feel a little tight, as others have mentioned, mostly in the shoulders. I think this is because of the cut for the angel wing movement (that works perfect) and the stiff zipper on the pits keeping the pit pushed up further than normal. I am confident that once I get some break-in time, the stiff pits and extremely high collar will get more comfortable. I got this for backpacking so I need the cut to be tight to prevent the excess baggage I experience under my hip-belt with my old Alpinist. I am 6'4" & 215 and if I were looking for an around-town jacket to pair with a 200 or 300 fleece I would have to up-size.

I have a lot of marmot and the Gore-tex proshell is a no brainer so quality and waterproofness/breathability is a non-issue for me with this product.

Also, as someone else already mentioned, the Terra color is sweet and not as represented on-line. Its a burnt orange/rust color with black zippers. Great for those wet Virginia Tech football games!

I have been using this purifier for a few years now and ran into trouble on a trip where temps where hovering in the low teens. I had a hard time making the brine solution required for the chemical reaction with the cold water. I also had a problem with my original battery in the low temps. My friend was carrying the UV light treatment device and it worked fine but he needs 4AA batteries which makes his much heavier. This is great for mild weather, tastes fine, and is super light. I still trust it more than anything else on the market because the water you treat will treat anything it comes into contact with. Therefore, one can shake the bottle to treat the inside and flip it over with the lid partially unscrewed to treat the threads and cap on your watter bottle. For this reason it's much more trustworthy than the UV light options even if you have to wait 30 min to drink the water after treating.

These pants are the bomb. I wore them on a recent backpacking trip where we were hiking in a constant rain for 10 to 12 hours with temps in the mid 30s. They were totally dry, light, and fended off light briers and sticks without a scratch. I initially went with the XL to go over my pants, however, later I decided if I am going to wear these I'll just take my pants off because the LT was a much better fit for hiking in. I am 6'4", 215 with a 36" waist and the XL just kept falling down and the crotch was way too low to hike in.

I have had mine for a few years now. It is really amazing. I am 6-4 215 and the XL fits me perfectly. Looking at this on the internet doesn't do it justice. Its soft and fluffy on the inside and outside. Not stiff compact fleece like all other wind block fleeces on the market. The stretch makes it really comfortable and the breathability is great. I wear this backpacking when the temps are below freezing and usually have it mostly unzipped while hiking. My only complaint is that for some reason it pulls whatever shirt I am wearing down in the back causing it to choke my my neck in the front. It must have something to do with the orientation of the fibers on the lining.

I have been using this purifier for a few years now and ran into trouble on a trip where temps where hovering in the low teens. I had a hard time making the brine solution required for the chemical reaction with the cold water. I also had a problem with my original battery in the low temps. My friend was carrying the UV light treatment device and it worked fine but he needs 4AA batteries which makes his much heavier. This is great for mild weather, tastes fine, and is super light. I still trust it more than anything else on the market if you can get over any particles from the lack of filtering.