There's a lot of positive feedback on these light hikers, so I'll just mention my favorite aspects: - Relatively narrow last, which is hard to find in this category of shoe - Natural strides from the slightly rocker sole - Great balance of weight and protection. My only complaint is in the durability of the sole... there appears to be a colored rubber coating on some of the lugs that comes off pretty fast. Hopefully it's just aesthetic and doesn't hinder their gripping power.

Pros: Incredibly lightweight and much more rigid than any aluminum poles I've tried. Recommended for hiking dirt trails (talus destroys these things), and for people who put a lot of weight/trust on their poles. Cons: In one day I snapped the lower section on one pole and the whole tip/basket fell off of the other (granted, it was a 14er with lots of rocks). They max out at 130cm instead of 140cm like other BD poles. The grips are from the same mold as BD's ski poles, which means the fit is very awkward without gloves, and I don't usually hike with gloves on.

I discovered eVent later this season, and it's really bad news for Arc'teryx. Although their gear is still the highest quality that I've ever found, Gore-Tex just feels like a plastic bag compared to eVent. I can't justify $550 for a really well-designed plastic bag... but I'll happily pay for it again next year if Arc'T gets their act together and drops Gore-Tex.

I've owned a pair of Alti's for two seasons, and they are designed for mountaineering, not skiing. If you're just sitting on a lift, they probably won't be warm enough, and the giant gauntlet cuff is overkill. They're great for their intended purpose though: activities such as building a snow shelter or setting up a tent in a blizzard. I'll also vouch for what the other guy said about BD ski gloves; they're some of the best.

It has just enough wind resistance to work as an outer layer while skinning uphill, and it's warm enough to work as a mid layer for the downhill. It has Velcro cuffs so you can put your fleece gloves on easily, and an awesomely fuzzy neck that closes tight. It has a wind flap behind the front zipper, a longer cut with a draw cord hem, and well designed sleeves that eliminate lift-up. It's made by a fantastic American company, at a price that's hard to beat. It's damn near perfect... perhaps the only drawbacks are that the stitching is overly complicated, the wrist closers are bulky, and it would be nice if the pocket zips were 3in longer to double as core vents.

I'm going to send Patagonia an email about the core skin; it's really hard to find, and they had better make it again next year.

If Zeus had a pair of skis, these would be them. Incredibly fast, and blow through everything (including knees and ACL's). They're super fun on anything shy of a mogul field, and even then they are only reduced to normal fun levels. They also ski switch pretty well, and hold a remarkable edge on hard pack. The Supermojos can be compared to the Gotama's, which are also a fun ski, but unlike Volkl, these boards are still made in Austria.

Very warm and relatively light weight. Good styling makes for a coat that is equally effective at keeping you warm and presentable.
Main complaint: face protection. The hood fits over a helmet, but the collar is too small to cover the chin and cheeks. If you're going to haul this sort of coat into the backcountry, you don't want to worry about frostbite: you want to be bombproof.

Remarkable in nearly every aspect:
-sky high price
-unmatched attention to detail
-made in Canada
-awesome color pattern (I have the green one)
-amazingly mobile for a hardshell
-the Stow Hood is three way adjustable(!) and big enough for my large helmet. I wish it were a Storm Hood though... pretty much anything Arc'teryx makes with a Storm Hood is worth buying.
-longer length than most Arc'teryx jackets
-simple and functional powder skirt

My main complaint:
I was very, very sorely disappointed to make this discovery: the description of the Stinger implies that it has an internal skin pocket... which it definitely doesn't.

The consensus: four stars due to a variety of amazing qualities, but lacking a skin pocket and a storm hood. The price is also outrageous, but you get what you pay for in this industry.

Super light weight, phenomenal hood (seriously, the best hood design ever), very durable, and a perfect single pocket. Other companies that put 12 pockets on their shells are missing the point: it's a shell. It's supposed to be put on over layers in the event of nasty weather. If every layer you have has 12 pockets, then you end up with more pockets than a kleptomaniac would ever need.

I purchased a pair of half jackets four years ago, but have sadly outgrown them. The flak jackets are a little bigger than the half jackets, and simply amazing. i expect to get at least another four years out of these. their optical clarity, weight, and durability are unmatched; i frequently forget that i'm even wearing them.