Ive been riding these for about 3 years now and used them about 40 days per season and they are still kicking strong! They are ready for a 4th season...no signs of slowing down. Great for all mountain... super sturdy, great performance, and pretty darn comfortable. The initial break in period caused some pain, but after that first week they were fine. That is the case with any boot. I like how you can modify the boot to your skiing style and the lining molds to your foot. Buckles are super sturdy and I ski pretty hard and beat the crap out of these things... still going strong for 3+ seasons. Very durable and excellent performance in all mountain conditions. They are a bit heavy in the back country, but if you are just taking a hike/skin or two once a week they are fine for that. If you are venturing out in the BC more than 50% of your time I would look into an AT boot. They are designed more for in bounds all mountain skiing. You wont be dissapointed... Have fun.

I had the problem to trying to decide between the Stnger, Sidewinder AR and Sidewinder SV. The main thing is... what is the difference with the 3 models? I looked into all 3 and here is the lowdown...

The Stinger and the Sidewinder SV are made with high grade/top of the line Goretex materials. They are essentially the same exact jacket. The biggest difference between these two is that the Stinger has a high collar, different color options, an additional inner pocket, and a stowable hood. I chose the Stinger because I actually like the high collar. The hood stows nice and it fits perfectly around a helmet. I dont know about you, but when I ski, Im always trying to dip my nose into my jacket to keep my face warm on those real chilly days. The Stinger allows for this. I also have a long neck and wanted the stowable hood for those extreme windy/cold days. I also digged the Jalapeno color... sick!. The Sidewinder SV did not come in Jalapeno.

The Sidewinder AR does not utilize the high grade goretex materials which is why it is $100 less expensive. Its still a great jacket, but is not as robust as the Stinger or SV. The materials are a bit different, but it is still suitable for harsh skiing conditions. It fits similar to the SV and as a stowable hood where the SV does not have a stowable hood. The AR reviews should tell you more about the jacket itself. Basically... if you are skiing backcountry in variable conditions and ski in all kinds of harsh weather, and hit the slopes/BC about 40+ times a season then I would look into the SV or the Stinger. If you tend ski in better conditions and dont like to venture out when its blowing 30mph and zero, and only hit about 10-20 days per season, then I personally think the AR is a better choice.

The Stinger jacket is needless to say amazing. Blocks everything... wind, rain, ice pellets... you name it, it stops it. Its extremely breathable and gives you full range of motion. Its not constricting. This is a trademark design of all Arcteryx jackets. It is, however, just a shell (a hard shell that is), so you need to have adequate layering for warmth. I use some patagonia regulators and the Arcteryx Delta fleece. Works fine and is very warm and breathable. The pockets are fine... look... this jacket is intended for hard core skiers in harsh conditions. You can not have a jacket of this caliber and be concerned with "where do I put my keys or my wallet, or my i pod, or my black berry. If you want that, then go buy a puff and be a tourist. Chances are if you are using this jacket, you are in the backcountry and have a pack. The jacket is intended for performance and responding to the elements and to be light weight. Not weight down with pockets and gadgets, etc. The stowable hood is awesome, it fits perfectly over a helmet and has all kinds of elastic chords to fine tune the fit. The high collar does not interfere with a helmet in any manner.

Bottom line: This jack is incredible and highly recommended for hard core skiers who go out in ANY condition and are not scared off by a storm or the elements. Great for backcountry use and in the resort. Go get it.

Ok, so I had the problem like most of you may have with deciding between the Duke or the Baron. First off, this decision rests on entirely the following: Your height/weight, and your skiing desires/abilities. I am 5'11", 170, and I ski very very aggresively in the backcountry and in bounds. I chose the Baron and here is why: I normally ski at a 10 DIN setting and crank it up to 12 on those yipee powder days. But I have never ever popped out at 11 setting or higher in all my most violent crashes. Then again, I am not hucking off cliffs or dropping 50 degree lines in Alaska at 90MPH ya dig?

So the bottom line is this... if you are 6'0" 185-200 and lower, but still ski aggressively then go for the lighter weight Baron. It will save your legs on those pow days and also save you on those long skinning tours with out compramising strength. However, if you are a bigger dude who skis aggresively (Bigger = 6'1" or 2"++ 220lbs++) then I would probably go for the Duke. The only scenario where you should choose the Duke over the Baron if you are a smaller skier, is if you COMPLETELY RIP and are in the "I shoot ski film" category... free style hucks off 40 footers, etc. But for the average dude of 5'8" - 6'0" 150-200lbs in the "I like to rip groomers at top speed and also rip the backcountry on occasion looking for deep pow, but Im not hucking off cliffs" category then the Baron is more than fine. Your legs will greatly appreciate the light weight and you will not need a DIN higher than 12. The bigger dudes/Rippers may need a 14 or 16 DIN with their heavier weight or cliff hucking.

In terms of reviewing the binding... Its rips. I ski 50/50 in bounds and backcountry. This binding is awesome. When locked in ski mode, I think it actually performs better than a fixed heal binding. Its super Durable. Its a tad heavier than some other manufacturers, but I like knowing that I have a stable binding that I trust. Ive read too many stories of AT bindings popping open or breaking in mid charge with not too good endings if ya knwo what I mean (e.g broken leg, torn ACL). With the design, its impossible for these to pop into Touring mode when in Ski mode. Again, I ride the Baron... its lighter weight than the Duke and perfect for my size/wight and aggresiveness.

So I had this problem of always trying to decide which skis to take out. Do I take the long,and heavy big powder boards? Do I use the shorter, lighter pocket rockets... etc. Anyone else have this problem? I demoed a lot of skis looking for the perfect do it all ski and the sugar daddy was it! Perfect ski for all mountain skiing... I do 50% back country powder skiing and 50% in bounds powder, steeps, groomers, etc. This ski did it all. Its light as a feather but strong like a big mountain free ride ski. I am 5'11" 175 and ended up going with the 183cm... perfect size and length. There were some other skis that were good, but Atomic had the perfect size for me with the 183. If you are looking for an all mountain/powder/steeps/tree ski... this is it. Perfect side cuts also at 126-99-117. Not ridiculously wide, but wide enough work it all.