elsanchez

Fit is as expected, at 5' 11", 190, broad shoulders, the large fits nicely — I don't look like a stuffed sausage, but it's trim enough to work as a layer under a shell. Front hem is higher than I'd like, this design may have some specialized rock climbing or backpack waist belt advantage, but for skiing or casual wear it'd be better if it were an inch or two longer. Material is not particularly thick or windproof, so it's a good all-rounder to mix with underlayers and shells but not a solo layer for cold temps. Served me very well as my only insulating layer on a trip through Europe, and still looks great after lots of packing and unpacking.

That said, this should retail for at least $100 less — and that takes into account Arc'teryx "brand tax" pricing. I got mine at a major discount, so I'm happy, but this MSRP for a basic fleece hoodie with no unique features is nuts even for Arc'teryx — your local sporting goods co-op has a house-brand fleece hoodie with similar characteristics for 1/4 the price, or try Mountain Hardwear for half the price.

Wanted this ski to be the perfect all-rounder for out west, but just not feeling the new design. I have a pair of the '08 Gold Gotamas, and those are some of the most versatile skis I've ever been on — carvy, fun and decent (not great) floatation in soft snow. I also have some Salomon Czars, so I'm down with rocker, but the rockered Goats didn't feel right to me.Rented the 186s for a day at Canyons in Utah. I was hiking to boot-high untracked pow at the top of the mountain, but these didn't surf nearly as well as I expected given their size — my slightly bigger Czars float a lot better.Once I got down to the tracked-out stuff, these were floppy on groomers and downright scary on ice — totally unlike the older Goats which can carve a turn on the hardest of hardpack. I skied these for hours in a variety of conditions from powder to icy runouts, and no stance or weighting adjustment I tried made these work any better for me. They felt big, heavy and slow from edge to edge — basically the opposite of the '08 Goats. They were good at plowing through icy crud, but that's nobody's idea of a good time. The poor hard snow performance could have just been a bad tune, but I would definitely test-ride these before buying them based on the Gotama's reputation alone.

I reach for this jacket the most for both cold work days or a day on the slopes. It has a low-key appearance, tough and waterproof soft-shell exterior, low-loft insulation that's warm without being puffy, and no useless gimmicks. I like it more than the insulated hard shell Arc'teryx Fission, which seems delicate in comparison. The Cloudveil is more like a high-tech Carhartt in both durability and styling, which is why I like it so much. You'll find better dedicated skiing jackets with stuff like powder skirts and pit zips, but for all-around versatility the Zero G is the best in its class.

These are perfect for spring/fall weather, they keep your legs and knees warm in a wide range of temps without overheating. Wool is a great moisture and temp-managing fabric, and these are nice and thick with a tough weave that resists snagging and pilling (at least over the 300+ miles I've put on them). Just the right thickness and wind resistance for a 40-degree ride without freezing, or a 70-degree ride without boiling. Chamois is comfy, too - you'll forget you have these on after the ride and wear them around the house. I'm not convinced by all Swobo products, but these are very high quality and the real deal.