la puma de las olas

I've used quite a few board shorts, and these are definitely my favorite. I have some bright blue ones that I've now used for a couple seasons in Hawaii, Costa Rica, and So-Cal during the summer and fall. The cut on hurley boardshorts is the best in my opinion. Patagonia and Quiksilver are close behind, and I can't stand Volcom or Billabong. Besides the awesome fit, the stretch on these is what it's all about. You can pull the bottom all the way down to your ankle, while the waist stays in place. That's rad, but it is really awesome when surfing. I can sit on my board comfortably without feeling all constricted. Oh yeah, I haven't gotten any chafing from these, plus they dry quickly so you can hike around town straight away after a session. If you surf in boardshorts a lot, take the plunge!

This is probably the most commonly used pad, certainly among people I know, and for good reason. I remember as a kid I used to carry those big old school pads that had to be strapped to the outside of the pack. This is leaps and bounds above those, in terms of size and weight mostly, but also comfort and warmth. I have the orange prolite3, which is basically the same just an older model. As someone who literally cannot get a goodnight's sleep on the ground, this pad is a lifesaver. I've got the stuffsack made to fit it, and with that it rolls up and stays very compact. Just fold it once hotdog style, then roll. I usually ad a couple breaths after it's self-inflated, or if I'm in a hurry, it only really takes a bit more to fill it all the way from empty. It hasn't leaked on me yet. So far so good!

Light, compact, hassle free bag, just don't try to sleep in 40 degrees in it. I used it for a couple months in the tropics and was mostly comfortable. In some places it probably got down into the 50s at night, and I was comfortable sleeping on a thermarest prolite 3 with a fleece and pants on. According to the marmot website this bag has the following EN rating: Comfort: 57.7F / 14.3C Lower Limit: 51.4F / 10.8CExtreme: 29.5F / -1.4C Basically saying you'll be comfortable in and around 57 degrees, but you'll probably survive a 29 degree night. I'm a bit puzzled how they decide to call it a 40 degree bag, but I guess that's standardized so I won't worry about it. If you're trying to go ultralight and possibly in wet/humid environments, this synthetic bag fits the bill. Still, I'm not tempted to take it on any trips anywhere cold, even during the summer.

I've used these poles exclusively for the past few years, and they're still going strong! Simple, sturdy, and easy to adjust. They've survived lots of baggage handlers and hard skiing and have had no problems-I've basically just been able to forget about them, which is great.

This fleece is magic. I wear it alone and manage to stay warm on some pretty frigid trail runs. Worn over some capilene and under a shell skiing in 30 degrees is pretty comfortable. Plus, the waffle pattern and fabric combination is amazing. I've been poured on while simultaneously running and sweating, but this wicks like you wouldn't imagine and leaves me feeling nice. Running, skiing, backpacking, climbing, you name it, this piece works great. The smooth outer facing means layers slide over it easily. It's so light, works great as a base or mid-layer (even standalone outerlayer), and is great insulation for most situations!

I chose the tortoise and have been rocking them for a couple years now. Walk down the street in LA and everyone is wearing them. Whatever though I'll still wear mine because they're awesome! They're definitely a fashion sunglass, so don't try to go doing crazy stuff with them. The fit around the head is really relaxed and comfy, but won't stay on in high-g situations. The optics are great. In my opinion, and I presume to know what I'm talking about, what makes these so awesome is that they're pretty timeless, you can wear them just as well with a t-shirt as you can with a nice sweater or with a suit and tie (slim two button with thin lapels and and a tie to match of course). Bottom line, get these if you want to look fly, just not as your only sunglasses.

This is an awesome layer. It slides really easily over baselayers, and is super comfy. When winter first rolled around and I wore this thing in some seriously cold weather, I literally mumbled or at least thought to myself "wtf for real?" It is impossibly warm for how thin and lightweight it is, which caught me off guard. The 60g primaloft one is apparently amazing. The versatility is great. It is pretty good at regulating temps from zero to moderate activity. I tend to run hot when really working, and so would be hesitant to put this under a shell while trying to tour or climb. On it's own though, and for anything less than race pace, this jacket is amazing. Patagonia is really talking this up, how it's going to be a classic probably, and all that. Trust me though, they are right on. One consideration though, the material is super thin so if you're rubbing all up on rocks it may not be the most durable. It's designed more to be super-light and minimalist though, so that is understandable. That said, I haven't damaged the material even in some situations where I thought when I looked down at it that it would be toast. So hooray for that. Oh yeah and it looks like some new colors have recently been released. You can't go wrong with this piece!

I really dig most patagonia products, but these aren't quite right. The material is nice, but the fit is a problem for me. Basically when I move around, they move around, but not with me. That is, they get all in a bunch and I end up having to keep pulling down on the legs or else just being uncomfortable. My guess is that this has to do with them not being stretchy enough. I mostly just wear them around for short runs or to the gym now. I'm fit, so maybe if you're real skinny, or real flabby they may work better. But that 's just speculation since I assume patagonia tested these before they released them (they must work for someone right?). I usually just wish I was freeballing it when I wear these, and that's often how it ends up!

I've had one like this (zipka plus, looks equivalent to this zipka 2) since 2007 and it is awesome. It's easy on batteries, but for real, the LEDs work great. I have a surefire E2L, and compared to that, I was very impressed by how bright the zipka is. I wouldn't even be surprised if the new ones are better. What really makes this headlamp though is the strap. I love being able to throw it my pocket super easily, put it on my head, or around anything really. I'm stoked on this light, and can't see myself going back to normal strappy headlamps except for the most serious of conditions. Also, if you've got short hair the strap will basically disappear. And the strap has proven to durable! That is all.

That is, it's the classic that is still the best. I don't need to say much more. With durability surpassing metal bottles, and the ability to easily visualize water level, this bottle is the best! I've had a bunch of these, dating back a long time, and haven't had to retire any of them. These ones are BPA free apparently, but I'm still not worried about my old ones (I kinda study chemistry, and I'm not convinced the amount of BPA you're exposed to will do anything). Not as en-vogue as siggs, but will last way longer and thus probably eventually be more environmentally efficient.

I've got his bottle although it's from a few years back, the main difference being the lid, which was all metal with metal threads and everything. It's probably the most awesome looking bottle. Nice and retro. Unfortunately that's the best part. The threads on my bottle are frustrating because they have to be lined up just right, though maybe that has been improved with this newer top. Basically though, the big problem is that siggs have to be pampered like you're carrying around the pope. After a month or two in the field all the siggs I've seen have looked like hell. I've managed to keep this one looking relatively nice though by using nalgenes for the serious business. It's sick looking though, the water tastes normal, and 1% for the planet is cool!

This bottle tends to not make your water taste worse, which is cool I guess. I throw it in my car when hitting up the surf, or sometimes take it in my pack skiing in the resort. But honestly, I've still got a bunch of nalgenes, both lexan and regular, and I prefer those for more serious routes involving large packs and filtering out of streams. Something about being able to throw them around, measure visually, and having the wide mouth I find more utilitarian. Plus, I'm not all that concerned about the BPA thing. It's a good marketing strategy mostly, but from all the chemistry classes I've taken (and a couple professors have actually brought this up when studying aromatics back in organic) the actual amount you're exposed to isn't going to do jack. Whatever. I appreciate the environmental friendliness of klean kanteen, and they're definitely more durable than all the siggs I've seen destroyed. Go for it!

I love these goggles. They fit great, and the spherical lens is super functional and absolutely sick looking. I've found that the ignitor mirror works well in a variety of light conditions, I've even been successful doing some night skiing in them when it gets dark all of a sudden. There hasn't been any fogging problems or ventilation issues to speak of. Recently though a bit of the mirror coating started to chip off, albeit after a few seasons of use. Not really affecting vision all that much. I'll probably try to warranty them after the season is over...other than that they're spot on! Though a bit expensive.

This fleece is basically the softest and most comfortable jacket I've encountered. It is super breathable and dries really fast. Wind cuts through it, which is part of why it's so breathable. So if you need a windproof fleece go with the lightweight R4 or some other model. I normally wear patagonia small, but went with the medium for this because it fits tightly. If you're going to be using it exclusively as a technical layering piece I would not size up. It will be tight, but it is somewhat stretchy, and breathes well. Otherwise, if you want to wear it for a wider range of purposes, go one size up and it will fit more like a traditional fleece. Even with the medium, I can comfortably layer it under my normal shells. Considering how long these are rumored to last, and how great of a product it is, I think $150 is a really good price.

I've had the version without the toe strap for a couple years and they have been really great. The outsole hardly shows any wear at all. I recently got a pair of the Z/2s which are now made in china. The quality seems to be just as good as my old pair made in the USA, and I am very happy with them. So, if you're worried about the quality of the product now that they're made in China, don't let that stop you from trying them (there's still the same warranty). If you're more worried about the fact that they're made in china...do what you want I guess. These sandals are way more hardcore than other outdoor sandals like tevas. They're super comfortable. The footbed feels like it was actually based off the shape of a foot (more so than birkenstocks in which the support is too exaggerated for me). Also they're far more socially acceptable than keens, which are real ugly. Really great product. As far as the toe thing, if you like flip flops you'll probably be comfortable with it. However, I generally use the z/2s for more serious hiking, and the z/1s for general comfort and larking about.

This towel has been awesome on backpacking trips because it's so small and works well. The ribbon with the snap works great for hanging it from a tree to dry, and it dries super fast. The only thing is, I have a large, and it's a bit too short to wrap fully around my waist like a normal towel (backcountry says its 36inches but I have a 30inch waist so I don't know if their measurements are accurate). So, I might go with the XL in the future for the purpose of changing out of boardshorts or whatever.