I have a ton of these cases in my van, but this was the first one with a clear top. It was super useful on my last Cataract Canyon trip, as my girlfriend was able to stash all kinds of things in it, and the clear top kept us from forgetting where we put it all. The 1040 was the perfect size for a point-and-shoot camera and a cell phone, leaving little room to knock around.

This set of cutlery is really lightweight and easy to stash. I especially appreciate the mini-biner that comes with the set; much easier to keep the set together. I did find that the knife was a little thick for cutting certain meats and cheeses, and would make for fairly thick slices of food. But, oh well, it is about roughing it, isn't it??

I've been a guide for a few seasons now, and I finally found my way to the Gerber knife collection. Of all the different makes and models of knives on the river, I've been most impressed with this one, in part due to its multi-use functions. I especially like the blunt tip now, after having to adjust some oar-locks while running the rapids through Cataract Canyon. The serrated edge cut through anything I needed, yet won't puncture a boat if dropped on the floor.

This is a fairly high-volume boot for a stiffer flex rating. Tecnica boots are always great for skiers with wider feet, and these are no different. The shock-absorber in the heel really helps with the impact of that cat-track air you took on that last icy day. I've even used 'em for some short lap backcountry and lasted all day long in them without a problem. A great boot for the freerider who likes to turn it up a notch.

These goggles have a nice wide range of view, and with their spherical lens and larger frame, they fill up the gaps between a helmet and your forehead pretty well. I've used them in competition and in freeskiing, and they rarely fog up on me. And, the new natural light lens really makes it easy to spot your lines easily on both low-light days and sunny days.

How do you convince your new girlfriend to join you on a 9-day river trip in the deserts of Utah? What can you offer her in response to her concern for cleanliness while camping on rafts and on the nearby riverbanks? How is she going to fit her entire bathroom into a sack that won't get her stuff wet?

Well, here's your answer: the OR Window Dry Sack. I was lucky, and it didn't take much convincing to get my girlfriend, Jamie, to come along on my annual Cataract Canyon river beer-fest. But with the Window Dry Sack, I knew she'd be able to find her sunscreen, headlamp, toothbrush, hair brush, or whatever else pretty chicks need on the river without any hassle. The window made a huge difference when our last beer koozie went missing, and lo and behold, there it was nesting down at the bottom of her dry sack. We called off the search party and resumed imbibing without any further delay.

Final point: if you have two girlfriends, buy two of these dry sacks to keep 'em both happy!

'Woof!' said my girlfriend's black lab, Cody, when I asked him what he thought of this doggie lifejacket. Well, in all my years of speaking dog-ese, I can honestly say that he was right. With the heavy duty webbing material sewn into the design, Cody is more than confident swimming across Reudi Reservoir outside of Basalt or thrashing around in the Last-Chance Rapids on the Colorado River near Glenwood Springs. With a wag of his tail, he let me know just how much he likes the extra bit of flotation when he swims sidekick to my stand up paddle (SUP) board on the water. And with that useful handle on his back, I can hoist him right into the inflatable kayak and on my lap when my girlfriend wants a try at the SUP board. He's not a big dog, but at 60lbs, the medium size fit his athletic body just right.

Ahh...the Baja Dry Bag. I can't go on a river trip without one. I pack it with a personal safety kit and some extra fleece when I guide commercial river trips. When I head out on longer expeditions with friends, you can be sure that I pack a Baja bag or two to stuff full of dry clothes, headlamps, food and more. I can't remember a time when I didn't take one of these bags with me...Oh, and the black color is just plain pimpin'!

I have a ton of kayaking friends who swear by their Werner paddles. But, seeing as I can't stand to be at 'yakker' height off the river's surface, I found myself leaning towards an inflatable paddle board so I can join my friends on some river missions. The Spanker Paddle lives up to the outstanding reputation its 'yakkin' brethren have given the company's brand. I just took it on a 9-day raft trip down the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon, and its lightweight shaft and grip not only turned the flat water sections into a great workout, but the paddle helped me crush some big-water class III/IV rapids along the way! Very sturdy paddle that you can easily count on to handle whatever you can throw at it. I want to buy ten more and do a whole paddle-board river trip now!

I bought this bag in the 115L size with the intention of stuffing my sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and pillow inside its heavy-duty yellow waterproof material. Turns out, in that size, there was enough room for my girlfriend's stuff too! As an avid rafter, I love gear that acts tough and can stuff right into the crevices on a gear boat. This bag more than met my needs; I can't wait to go on another overnight raft trip just so I can burp this bag one more time! Woot!

I have a couple of these dry sacks. The Storm Sack provides a great clothes bag to add a little extra confidence to a river trip. I like to pack my dry, warm clothes (for the campsite) in a Storm Sack and pack it in along with hiking shoes, duct tape, etc in a heavier duty dry bag. That way, it keeps my clothes separated from the other odds and ends I pack and adds just that little bit more water resistance should the boat flip.

I have to admit, I used to be a plastic water bottle culprit due to the copious supply at my rafting employer. I have since learned the errors of my ways and have adapted my lifestyle to include a reusable bottle for my liquid needs. I carry this Backcountry.com Klean Kanteen everywhere I go now; clipping a 'biner to its useful cap lets me attach it to any backpack or belt while I'm on the go.

Plain and simple, I will never leave home without this great bottle!

Well, as you may have already figured out by the specs on these skis, they are not for the faint of heart. I found myself a little out-skied on these stiffies after my first few attempts at turning them.

Yet, it only took about half a run to figure them out, and after that...yeeesh! All hell breaks loose on the Zeus' and you'd better watch out for ski patrol because these skis like to go fast. With a 58 meter turn radius, they find a way to glide smoothly at top speeds. But what really sold me is how well they bomb through crud and pow.

This is definitely a good ski for speed freaks who like to ski in variable conditions.

After watching the SNL Digital Short, 'I'm on a Boat!' and laughing my a$$ off, I just had to go online and buy a pair of sandals. I go through about 2 pairs of flip-flops a year, and I almost exclusively buy Reefs. They consistently perform, and the Stuyak sandal is no different.

They are super comfortable and break in very quickly. The only thing I've noticed after a couple of weeks of heavy usage is that the crazy colors have started to wear/fade away a little bit. Oh well...

I've had the opportunity to travel all around the Western US this winter chasing what I had hoped were snow storms. My schedule unfurled to place me in all types of weather and snow conditions, from early winter cold to warm in December, unseasonable spring conditions during January. These gloves held up in every temp and condition better than any glove I have used before. I've had a few different pairs of Scott gloves, but these performed the best. Super comfortable, and extra-durable (even while snowmobiling or touring).

My only gripe is with the wrist cuffs: they're a little tight and can be difficult to pull on when your hands are wet. Other than that, bomber gloves indeed.

I like to ski fast. I like to ski fast while time moves slower. I wear a POC Spine Ergo when I find myself going even faster than that.

I've been rockin' these frames for a few years now. I have a fairly low nose bridge, and these frames do a great job of keeping the wind out of my eyes. They come in a wide variety of styles (I like to rock plain white and throw some stickers on 'em), so pick one that suits you best. The 'White Noise' frame is pretty flashy for those lookin' to turn some heads.

I like to throw in the natural light lens, as it makes picking out my lines at high speeds that much easier. And, with the goggle's fit in helmets, I know I don't have a gaper gap filling up with snow.

Point in case, I love these goggles. And you'll love 'em too. I swear. Just look for my van and ask me!

I've been rockin' this helmet everyday I have skied this season. I usually try to split my time between just a beanie on mellow days and helmets for comp days, but with the Receptor, I have boosted my confidence on an everyday basis. I know that if I take a spill, there is a ton of design influence that is going to keep my brain in place. I have mine in white, ya know, just to keep it classy. And with a little velcro on top, I can easily rock my VIO POV.1 helmet cam without any swing-weight problems.

One note of importance: I especially like the ventilation system on this helmet. Instead of a little tab on the outer shell that slides back and forth, and will most likely snap off in cold temps, this helmet has a sweet liner attachment that just plugs the holes on cold days. And it's light enough and small enough to keep in my jacket pocket on warm days. Sweet!

Check ChrisTatsuno.com for some helmet cam skiing adventures!

This base layer is great. I like to wear it on cold days with a few more layers on top. Or, on warm days with just the shirt and a jacket keeping me out of the wind and sun. I definitely sized up, mainly because I don't like the tight, form-fitted feel of most long underwear.

Smooshy mooshy. High speed swooshing. I'm digging the flex ratio of these boots. I used to ski in race plug boots and over the years have been progressing towards the freeride options. And boy, I couldn't be happier. These boots have allowed me to really bend out the skis and get them floating in ways I've never thought was possible. My whole skiing experience has adapted to the smooshy swooshy high-speed turns that are so fun in variable conditions. No more hard carving for this guy; give me slashes from here to eternity! Love these boots! They get a four-star rating from me, only because my funky feet need a Surefoot liner to really dial 'em in.

These sandals are sweet! As a river guide and ski bum, I like to give my feet their freedom. And sandals are my choice for bipedal bliss. To see why I like these sandals so much, copy and paste this into your browser: http://christatsuno.com/?cat=175

Oh, and make sure you get a pair of these for yourself!

These are by far the best pair of sunglasses I've worn that were at some point re-birthed from the river. Once I scrubbed the muck and grime from the lenses, I was blocking those harsh UV rays from my lady-killer eyes. And, the lenses don't even show any signs of abuse. Sweet! Now I wanna upgrade to some polarized lenses. Gotta keep raking in those gratuities on the river!

As my one-stick quiver ski of choice, the Big Akira packs a punch from the first turn through the last drink at apres. Busting through crud and mank at top speeds, this ski "floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee." I can always count on beating my buddies to the bar after last chair with these flashy sticks; and the samurai graphics are a total chick magnet! BANZAI !!!!

There's few gear accessories out there that allow for the rowdiest of the Rowdesians to get their punk on. Finally, something to match those studded belts and wallet chains with. The Alias Zipper goggs are a great accessory for the fashion forward skiers that are just as likely to be seen droppin' shots of Twhiskey at the bar as they are droppin' rocks. And if gettin' rowdy doesn't come easily for you, just zipper down the straps and let your inner Sid Vicious rock out!

These throwbacks to old-school 80's style bring back memories of my childhood with their fluorescent color scheme and white leather straps. I mean, who doesn't remember the tough-as-nails Scott competition poles as the top freestylers and racers flashed laps under your favorite liftlines? Well...man up, buy these poles, and start rippin' some newschool lines down to the ski bunnies waitin' at the bottom!