I am on my third pair of Mythos, and they are simply the most comfortable all-around shoe I've ever worn. As others have mentioned, they mold to your feet rather quickly, and there is no need to size them super-small. I'll add that they are an excellent option for folks with narrow and flat feet like mine -- my feet are shaped like a sideways piton or skinny flippers -- because the full-length laces allow you to completely adjust the volume for the entire shoe. You can crank them down when you need extra support for difficult climbing, or loosen them a bit for all-day comfort on easier routes. I haven't found a shoe that fits my freakish feet better.

The 174cm Kailas is my standard all-around lightweight backcountry touring ski. I have them mounted with Dynafit bindings for a very light but capable setup. They work surprisingly well on ice and windblown hardpack, and are even fun in the bumps. If you lay them over, the edges have tremendous bite, which builds a lot of confidence on nastier snow. The shovel is rather soft and can get bounced around a bit, but they are stiff underfoot, like a typical Atomic alpine ski. (Note that the Kailas is essentially the same ski as the Snoop Daddy, minus a little metal to save weight). For really deep snow, I prefer a fatter ski underfoot, but these work great for any tour where variable conditions or less-than-epic powder are expected.

The good: this pack is well constructed, with tough materials and strong stitching. The bad: it is extremely complicated, with way too many zippers, pouches, straps, and miscellaneous unnecessary features. While the capacity is listed as 35L, it appears that a significant proportion of that volume is taken up by dividers and a multitude of odd storage pockets. It even has what I think are pen holders, as if it were a laptop bag or briefcase (note these are in addition to plenty of pockets for usual avalanche tools). My biggest complaint regards the arrangement of the compartments. The avy tool section is accessed by a big zipper that runs over the top of the pack, which is good, but the main compartment is accessed by a long zipper that opens the back panel from under the straps. Opening it to get a jacket, water, food, or anything else involves folding the straps out of the way, pulling the zipper(s), then pulling the back panel open. It's rather odd, and too finicky when you're cold or tired and just want the thing to open. Gadget freaks may love this thing, but I prefer simple, straightforward gear that's easy to use in the field where it counts.

These mittens are an excellent part of a multi-layer handwear system. I've always liked unlined shell mittens for their versatility. These OR Endeavor mitts are windproof and waterproof, and can be worn with varying levels of insulation, which is critical for sports like backcountry skiing. For the skin up a slope, I wear Black Diamond Woolweight liners underneath these shells. If my hands get too warm, the shells can be removed and placed over my ski pole handles or stuffed in a jacket pocket. For the ski down, or other less aerobic activities, I'll wear them over Ortovox Dachstein boiled wool mitts for an extremely warm combination that still preserves some dexterity. They can also be worn alone for rain protection in warmer conditions. These shells are lightweight, but have proven to be plenty durable over many backcountry sessions so far. They're definitely not flimsy. The rubberized palms provide plenty of grip. I also like the simple cuff cord system -- pull the gray cordlock to tighten them, then pull the black cordlock to loosen when needed.

I am a huge fan of liner gloves for backcounty skiing and winter camping, and these BD Woolweights are perhaps the best combination of features yet for my purposes. They are thick - think expedition weight (for a liner, that is) and surprisingly warm. For the uphill skin before a ski descent, I find my hands are plenty warm in these alone, in temps down to around 15 F or so. For the descent, they are usually warm enough when worn beneath a windproof shell (such as the OR Endeavor mitts). An especially nice feature is the full leather palm with a reinforcement between the thumb and forefinger. If you've ever shredded a pair of liners near the thumb by grabbing skis around their edges, you'll definitely appreciate this addition (note that it is a little difficult to see this leather strip in the picture). The wool blend fabric is not windproof (nor is it meant to be), but provides some resistance to moderate breezes while letting sweat escape. I wear a size large, and these fit true to size, albeit snugly. For a looser fit, size up. One caveat so far: after several days of use, the fabric has started to pill around the knuckles. This hasn't affected the durability yet, but it is something I'll keep an eye on.

These are an excellent backcountry ski pole. They are super lightweight and easy to use. The Flicklock adjustment mechanism is quick and straightforward, and works well with gloved or mittened hands. Mine have survived many thrashes through thick Vermont underbrush and on rocky trails without a scratch. The rubber used for the grips is considerably stickier than the hard plastic used on my (very) old Traverse aluminum poles, thankfully.

Love. I love this thing like a mother deer loves her newborn fawn. If you look at pictures taken of my outdoor four-season adventures over the past 10-plus years, you might assume I only own one jacket. That's because the DriClime Windshirt is so versatile it invariably winds up on my back whenever there's a camera around, even though I have plenty of other gear. There is no other piece of clothing that so perfectly fulfills a need in such simple, effective fashion. I know of no other garment that can function effectively as a base layer, insulating layer, or outer layer. It's perfect for blocking the wind and wicking the sweat from a t-shirt after summiting a peak. When it's not needed, it packs down nicely and weighs little. It's great under a softshell on colder days. And it's still the most perfect thing I've ever found for cold-weather running or snowshoeing. Worn over a baselayer, it wicks sweat while blocking the wind without overheating. If Marmot ever stops making these, you'll need to beat me to the final stash of them, because I'll buy every last one.

For me, this is the gold (or blue) standard for belay carabiners. The screw mechanism is exceptionally smooth and solid feeling -- compare it to some others to see the difference. Like butter, it is. Snag-free keylock gate: check. The round profile feeds rope very smoothly. And, the red "idiot stripe" indicator gives a clear visual alert to ensure it's locked correctly. Why don't all locking 'biners have that?

These are a standard for racking trad gear on your harness. They help keep jumbles of stoppers, slings, cams, etc., organized and accessible. The wiregate shaves some weight off a rack versus a solid gate oval. To my knowledge, the only other wiregate oval on the market is the Omega Pacific Doval.

Ovals are also typically used in aid climbing, but since I don't aid, I can't comment on the BD's performance for that purpose.

These have become the standard non-belay locker on my rack. They are excellent for anchor building or adding security to the rope end of a draw. Replacing heavier and larger lockers with these will shave significant weight off a trad rack. The gate action is smooth, and the snag-free keylock nose clips into tangles of webbing, hangers, etc. easily. One note about the color: although the description calls it "lime," it's really a yellow tint with a hint a green. Kinda like the filling on an authentic key lime pie (the type without the radioactive green artificial coloring).

These are adequate, but are outclassed by many other biners now available. The are light, but the lightness comes at the price of a tinny feel, particularly in the action of the screwgate. Note that they are also not keylock, which makes them prone to snagging on slings at crowded anchors. For a similar price from the same manufacturer, the BD Vaporlock is a better choice, as it is a keylock design and has a slightly stouter feel.

"Beater" is another term for what we call "Texas skiers" or "Oklahomans." You know, the folks who stay in a $1,000 per night condo at the resort but ski in jeans, Cowboys sweatshirts, baseball caps, and the cheapest Salomon rental gear they can find. Or, if they actually own gear, it's of identical vintage to the old Kastle and Olin boards nailed to the wall above the fireplace in the resort bar.

The Sixteen Penny is made from an interesting casual fabric -- it's nylon, but it feels like cotton canvas. It's not water-resistant, but it does dry rather quickly. My biggest complaint is the sizing: it is ridiculously oversized, even for a casual jacket. The bottom portion of the jacket balloons out near the waist, instead of tapering or remaining straight like most other jackets. This is very odd, since it's not especially roomy in the shoulders. The snaps at the side take about an inch out of the overall diameter but do little to alleviate the ballooning, and they always come undone anyway. It's an interesting try at a casual jacket, but the bizarre cut prevents it from ever leaving my closet now.

These boxers fill a necessary niche in my base layer lineup. The fit is close, like a boxer brief, but they're long enough (about mid-thigh) to avoid riding up. They layer well under tights. The fabric is smooth and soft. So far, the anti-odor treatment has lived up to its billing: while not 100% stink-free after several days of continuous wearing, they're must less pungent than any other base layer fabric I've tried. In comparison, my older Patagonia Capilene boxers are nearly unwearable after just two days.

These are some of the best midweight long underwear I've tried (and I've tried a lot). I especially appreciate the comfortable waistband and the smooth seams. The fit is great: tight enough to fit smoothly around the legs, but not constricting. Excellent under a thicker layer such as the Marmot Powerstretch tights. So far, the anti-odor treatment has worked. No major pungency after several days of wearing, unlike other brands' offerings.