It takes a lot of convincing for me to wear socks in the summertime. But, there are those moments when sandals just won't cut it, and I'll find myself slapping some shoes on to go trail running or skateboarding. With the Ultra Light Micro sock, my fear of sweaty summer-feet is negated and I almost forget I'm wearing any socks at all. They don't bunch, they wick moisture away, and they are super lightweight.

Almost makes me want to toss the sandals out. ...almost.

There's not a piece of ski gear that goes forgotten on a powder day than your trusty ski socks. I mean, when the snow's deep and you're out in the elements, it's easy to think about how well your skis are floating in the deeeeeep or how your outerwear is keeping you dry as the snow engulfs you at every turn. But, if you consider how a well-made pair of ski socks are the link to your all-day comfort, it's apparent that they are the most important piece in your shred gear ensemble.

Enter Point6 and their van-tramping, fun-loving, happy-feet mission. The Ski Pro sock is specially designed with the skier in mind, and won't let you blister up, even on long hikes. Add in toe and ankle ventilation, smooth toe seams and a snug over-the-calf fit, and you have an all-day pair of ski socks. I never have that 'my-socks-are-too-tight' welting pattern at the end of the day either. ...or after a long apres!

Gone are the years of coaches bibs ruling the hills with their silly knee pads. Trew Gear has stepped in and offered a refined version of the classic bib pant. The best part about the Trewth bib? No baggy-saggy butt! With the freerider in mind, Trew put together a solid bib pant offering with all the bells and whistles: belt loops, full side-zips, chest pockets big enough for a brewski or two, and thigh cargo pockets which eliminate the possibility of sitting on your cargo. These are my go-to bottoms for those deep days, as the high-hips and bib keep the powder out. But, don't worry, they aren't over-insulated, so you can layer to match the weather; I like to rock my boardshorts and tall socks on most days (gotta stay hot-tub ready!) and have been more than warm enough.

Three words for you: durable, comfy, waterproof. Need I say more?

The Eagle pant is a fully-functional pant with a few key features: crotch vents, cell phone pocket on the thigh, reinforced cuffs, and oversized belt loops. These features are, for me, what set this pair of pants apart. The fit is a nice, roomy, but not-too-baggy freeride fit, perfect for skinning uphill and shredding back down. I wear size 33 jeans, and the size L in the Eagle pant is my jam, and with the velcro cinch straps on the waist, the pants can be customized to fit your waist, hips, butt or wherever you decide to rock em.. It bunches a lil bit near the ski boots, but the cuffs don't really drag on the ground.

All in all, these are a great pair of pants with durability to last you into at least a few powder hunting seasons.

Not gonna lie...I shouldn't have given this hat to my girlfriend. That's not to say that she doesn't look hot in it, but the fit, feel and lay of this hat is superb beyond expectation. And this is coming from a condom-tip hat type of guy. Now, I've been a Discrete peon for years now, and the Doyonator has easily been my toque of choice. Needless to say, when I first saw the Vaston, I immediately thought its soft texture was better for my better half. But now jealousy has sunk its evil, sharp teeth into me, and I'll admit, I've been scheming a way to snag 'my precious' back, all so I can squeeze this hat under my helmet where it rightfully should be. Does that make me an indian-giver?

Can you say snap buttons? Come on...say it with me..."snap buttons". There is nothing better in the world than a comfortable shirt that not only cleans up your grimy ski bum self enough to take advantage of the free drinks when Powder mag editors are in town, but it is hot-chick-tear-proof too. That crazy babe who was eyeing you from the corner of the bar while you threw back twiskeys and PBRs like it's your job just can't wait to drag you into your van and rip that shirt off of you. Ordinarily, you'd be finding buttons mashed into your shag carpet the next morning, but with this shirt, you'll just find your arm asleep under her sexy self thanks largely in part to those awesome snap buttons. So, say it again..."snap buttons". Oh yeah...ya dig?

These kicks do exactly what they're meant to do: give you a leg up from the bar back to the van on snowy winter nights. If it dumped a couple feet of freshies outside while you were slamming back some Twiskeys, have no fear. Just tuck your jeans in, slap the velcro powerstrap over the tongue, and slough your way through the deep stuff. The waterproofing on these shoes lets me jump through puddles without concern, making for wayyy more fun in stormy weather 'walks-of-shame'.

My only complaint: they're a little warm to wear if you'll be indoors for extended periods of time, and my feet would get a little soggy from perspiration. But the warmth and waterproofing qualities more than make up for it when tromping around in the elements.

Consider this: a big, wide, floaty ski that won't bash your teeth out with its tips when the shit hits the fan in chundery snow. Too many floaty powder skis are made with the core of a sloppy noodle, leaving you wishing you had saved that racer-plate from your junior racing days to give 'em a little more stability on anything that's not powder. Get real, folks. This ski is made for any, every, and all conditions, with one thing in mind: charging. What happens when the powder turns to crust to sun cups as you finish your run? Well, on the Bodacious, you'll find yourself jetting past your buddy who just endo'd face-first into some harshness and maintain your speed across the flats straight to apres.

There's nothing like basking in the sun with your toes playing in a little water while your mind is set at ease and the headphones are pumping your favorite jams. Whether you're at the pool or on a river float, this case is the best option I've stumbled across.

I have had two versions of this case, and other than some rough abuse and lot's of time in the sun, the first generation was great. But, with a few tweaks and some radical waterproofing of the headphone jack, the 2nd generation has me really impressed.

Stoke: Stuff this inside your lifejacket with a waterproof speaker and your life has begun anew. I have taken this river rafting, camping, hiking, paddleboarding, etc. and it truly is a great addition to any outdoor recreation.

Gripes: I don't really like how the internal cord gets caught up in the folded (i.e. waterproofing fold) part. Also, there is not enough padding in the 2nd generation case.

I've been back-and-forth on which bottle option is best: metal or plastic? After repeated attempts to fall in love with my Kleen Kanteen (and I did at one point, see Kleen Kanteen review in my profile), I realized that the metal bottle just doesn't fit my lifestyle.

The Nalgene can take abuse like a champ and save for a few scratches, I have never had one with any real problems. The metal bottles dent, scratch and in extreme conditions the caps won't unscrew or the bottle splits from expanding ice.

I am back on the Nalgene wagon now...

I've been guiding boats in Colorado for a few years now, and I finally replaced the hunk 'o junk PFD I originally bought as a rookie guide. The smell was the worst part...

Anyway, had a bunch of friends buy their rescue vests from Astral, and I wanted a piece of that action. With sturdy buckles, tough-as-nails material, and enough pockets for all my random guide gear, I've been super happy with this upgrade. I almost forgot about the pocket on the chest for the first two weeks I had this jacket, but that pocket has now become the main selling point for me. It's a low-profile pocket with a nice velcro closing and a snap; it'll hold a waterproof camera very nicely, etc.

I live in my lifejacket during the summer, so I really wanted something that I could comfortably wear for hours on end and would dry quickly. The Astral GreenJacket is the answer.

Gripes: my only gripe is that the jacket is a pull-over, which can be a little nerve-wracking at first if you have bad shoulders like I do. But with a little practice, even this isn't a huge problem.

These are really comfy, soft shorts that dry fairly quickly. They have a little stretch to 'em, so don't be afraid to get a little wild in 'em on the river or in the ocean. I chose the black color because they look good enough to rock out in town on hot days. In all reality, I lived in these shorts everyday for the past three months.

My only gripe: there is no zipper, so you have to untie it every time you need to answer Nature's Call.

Don't worry about being lost in a crowd with this hat. If you're into the flat-brim style with some popping colors, this is the hat for you. I've rocked my all over the States while road-tripping the TatsVan, and the ladies seem to love it!

Just watch out, you may feel inclined to toss back some Twhiskey shots, much like our heroes Julian Carr and Billy Poole!

This is one of the only gear items which I didn't purchase or use thanks to a sponsor. It belonged to a friend of mine who passed away in a freeskiing competition. He used it everyday we went in the backcountry, and now it goes everywhere with me. I've taken it to Alaska, Florida, California and everywhere in-between.

It has handled the demands of alpine touring (stuffed full of fleeces and snacks) to packing my sandals and sunnies for a day at the beach. Dakine makes good packs, and now I know why.

R.I.P. Johnny!

I am so amped that Backcountry.com has picked up TREW GEAR in their inventory. I was lucky enough to rock the Pow Funk Jacket all season long while representing the Powder Highway as the Ultimate Ski Bum. This jacket kept me warm and dry in any and all of the winter conditions that the Kootenay, Purcell, and Selkirk mountain ranges had to offer.

It has a roomy fit, but not baggy. I usually wear size Large, and this was the best fitting large for freeskiing I've ever worn. With bomber Aquaguard waterproof zippers, my cellie stayed dry in my pockets.

My favorite feature? The oversized cuffs and longer sleeves, all to keep that fluffy pow from soaking into my base layers.

I have been using a pair of old Salomon amphibious shoes donated to me by an old raft guide buddy of mine, but I finally had to retire them. So, I went ahead and upgraded to this new pair of Salomon Tech Amphibious shoes, and I am so stoked. They were a little tight for my wide feet at first, but after a few days of hitting the river, they have broken in nicely. The soles are a little slippery on wet river rocks, but they've gotten better with use, in part thanks to a little bit of wear on the rubber. Great fit and they dry quickly; just what this raft bum ordered!

This paddle is a standard paddle for SUP'n around lakes, streams, rivers, ocean. But, it was quite a bit heavier than the Werner Spanker carbon fiber paddle I've been using for about a year. This heavier weight means one thing: tired arms. The blade is precise, making it a paddle easier used by expert SUP'ers. Not my first pick for a paddle on this site...

These shorts are so light that they dry almost instantly. This is important, as I paddleboard and river guide the waterways here in Colorado. With the stretch fabric, these shorts are never a problem when climbing in-and-out of raft buses, the TatsVan, or pumping boats. My only gripes: a zipper fly would be better (looks like velcro is standard on all Billabong board shorts); more pockets (only has 1 cargo pocket). The fly is a little scratchy when 'answering the call of nature'.

Great shorts; beat 'em up!

This is a nice little pillow; unfold it and watch it gain in volume. The little 'pills' inside feel a little weird at first, but in time the pillow molds to be very comfortable. Definitely a little much to carry on a backpacking trip, but if you're rafting, car-camping, or staying at a buddy's place, then this is a great addition to the travel bag!

A 5 degree sleeping bag may seem a little much for a trip to the desert, but the month of May brings weather of all extremes. My girlfriend came with me on a recent trip to Moab, where she hunkered down for the night in MH's Switch 5 sleeping bag next to me in the TatsVan. The zippers are super smooth, and we had no worries about it unzipping during the night leaving skin exposed. The draft collar is super comfy, and makes for a snug fit without compromising breathing space. It's summer now, so we'll be putting this bag away for the time being, but she can't wait to test the 5 degree warmth factor as the snow begins piling up again!

I've been using Beyond Coastal sunscreen for a few years now, and I've been nothing but impressed with how well it works. It absorbs quickly into my skin, making it easy to get going in the morning without having to worry about my goggles or jacket collar getting all greased up.

The 'Sun Care Kit' is great as a quick gift for your favorite outdoor enthusiast, and it's waterproof case makes for easy packing in any conditions. I especially like the lip protection for my days on the hill or out on the river. I have a big jug of the sunscreen in my van too, so this kit is a great grab-and-go option for the rest of my busy days!