the washed duck version doesn't shrink as much. i have both. i like the non-washed ones better. wish they came in more color options.

Doubtful. I checked Grivel's website and couldn't get an exact rating, but it does mention that the pick is thinner for placement in more fragile ice. So I'm guessing it's B-rated. Besides, this tool is designed more for ice than mixed, according to the backcountry.com description above. Hope this helps.

Yes, this crampon will work. Another alternative is the Grivel G12. The Sabretooth will walk better because of the tooth profile, but the G12's secondary front points will engage far more efficiently and easily than the sabretooth's.

I use semiautomatic all year round. I use Grivel G12s (new-matic) for mountaineering and glacier travel and Grivel G14s (new-matic) for ice climbing. Semi-auto crampons, when sized properly, are absolutely solid on the boot. In fact, if the front wire bail on a step-in crampon offers a potential failure point as it must remain in the front toe welt or the crampon will be loose. Not so with a semi-auto crampon. I suppose if all my technical boots had toe and heel welts, I could get away with step-ins. But I use La Sportiva Spantiks in winter and La Sportiva Trangos in the summer. The Trango doesn't have a toe welt.

As for your cyborg question...alpine and technical routes would be great, but for general mountaineering, I'd use a general mountaineering crampon like the sabretooth or the Grivel G12. Hope this helps.

contact RMI (Rainier Mountaineering)--google them. They are absolute experts on the mountain and can give you dead-on recommendations for the proper boot at the time of year you will be there.

I haven't used the Millet, but I have the Predator 50 and LOVE it to death. It is the greatest pack I have ever owned. What specific features are you looking for in a pack? What will your primary use and environment be? Time of year? Type of travel (vertical, horizontal, etc.). Anyways, let me know and I'll give you info on how the predator matches up (or doesn't match up) to what you're planning on doing.

Sure...you can fit your packing list into one of these bags. The duration of your trip using this pack will be determined by how efficient you pack and how light your equipment and supplies are. You asked a very subjective question. The standard category of packs that 65-70 liter packs fall into is generally week-long trips. Generally. Again, it depends on your systems you have in place.

and get two different colors otherwise you'll have a miserable time trying to remember which rope to pull after your rappel as well as which rope to clip on the ascent.

A pack is a pack. I use my technical ice climbing pack for summer backpacking all the time. Generally, sport-specific packs (like ones designed specifically for climbing, skiing, etc.) will have extra sport-specific features which equals a little extra weight. If you're not an ounce-counter, then you're totally fine.

You'll have to bolt artificial rain gutter brackets to the sides of the roof. Tracks along top are another option. You'd use rain gutter towers with the brackets, and tracker II towers with tracks. And I don't recommend getting the aero bars. Just get the regular square ones. They are half the price, and you aren't limited in your accessory options as you are with the aero bars.

Functionally, it might--because both mimic the once-common standard rain gutter found on older vehicles. But you likely will void the warranty if you match a Yakima bracket and Thule tower or vise versa.

Generally--I say again...generally--most Thule and Yakima racks when set up properly hold up to 165 lbs. However, adding that much weight to the roof of your vehicle radically changes the center of gravity and may cause extremely adverse reactions when braking and/or maneuvering at high speeds. You should always attempt to keep weight up top to a minimum. And make sure your canopy can actually support what you plan on carrying up there. And the 165 lb. number I threw out their refers to all four towers--not just one pair. Always check your vehicle and canopy owner's manual in regards to weight limits, and observe all installation weight limit guidelines when purchasing car rack components.

If they are indeed artificial rain gutters in that they mimic the shape of rain gutters, they should work. But be advised that you may potentially void your Thule warranty if you use non-Thule artificial rain gutter brackets.

Check Yakima's website (www.yakima.com) for specific fit info for your vehicle. Their vehicle fit guide is excellent.

It depends on your roof profile (if it's higher in the center of the roof). But my first inclination would be to say no--a surfboard wouldn't fit.

The Hullraiser Aero will fit MOST factory bars. Certain factory crossbars like those found on the Nissan XTerra or the Toyota FJ Cruiser may not fit because they are ridiculously oversized. Check Yakima's website (www.yakima.com) to be absolutely certain for your vehicle. But in my experience (I sell car racks), I've never seen a fit issue with Subaru factory crossbars as long as you have the Aero version.

Yes--assuming you have a rack on top. If you have a factory rack, though, you need to double check Thule's website (www.Thule.com) to ensure the brackets will be wide enough to fit over your crossbars. The brackets that come with this box are designed to fit round, square and most factory crossbars, but check the website just to be sure.

Go to Thule's website (www.thule.com) and use their vehicle fit guide to double check all this. I'm not familiar with your model Saab and can't answer specifically regarding it.

This is not the correct tower for a pop-up camper. You will need to use Yakima Control Towers and install either Yakima tracks or Yakima fixed mounting points (landing pads). The Yakima tracks use Yakima Landing Pad 1. Your choice of fixed mounting point really depends on what works with your configuration.

Another option is to install Yakima Widebody brackets on the side to simulate raingutters. Then, instead of Q Towers or Control Towers, you would use the 1A Raingutter towers. There are tall versions available (spacers, etc.) if you have a unique situation requiring you to mount the brackets lower than preferred.

Either way, your pop-up camper must offer a stable and secure bolting surface, lest your rack tear/shear completely off during a sudden deceleration or turn.

Yes.

Check with your dealer for a fairing. Honestly, the wind noise and degeneration in gas mileage caused by your cargo box is so severe that a fairing will likely do nothing for you (except look faster).

Check www.thule.com and use their vehicle fit guide to find out what snowboard carrier options are available for your vehicle.

Check www.thule.com for compatibility. Use their vehicle fit guide; it will show you what kayak rack options are available for your vehicle.

I'd recommend getting the new 480 Traverse foot pack. It's a lot easier to use than the older 400XT aero foot pack. Go to www.thule.com and use the vehicle fit guide to see what fit kits you'll need for those systems.

This is only a part of it. You have what's called a naked roof. You need three components: Towers (also called feet), clips, and bars. Go to www.thule.com and use their vehicle fit guide. It will make this process much easier.

Seattle Sports makes a rubberized, no-slip cargo mat that is designed to rest underneath the cargo bag so that it doesn't scratch up your roof (nor slide around which is possible even when strapped down if it's loaded a certain way). I'm not sure if Thule makes the same product.

The instructions that came with this product will show everything that's supposed to come with it. Go to thule.com. There, you can search for the product, click the technical information tab, then download the .pdf for the user manual which includes the included parts. Or go to the replacement parts area of the website and look up your product. It should show you what comes with it.

If your canoe is long enough and deep enough, in theory it should fit over the copperhead rack.

This product is a raingutter-style foot. Your VW shouldn't have raingutters--most new cars don't. You likely will need either the 480 Traverse feet or the older 400XT aero feet. Use the vehicle fit guide on thule's website (www.thule.com).

The down is the feathers. I'm a little confused by your question. But 600 fill down means 1 oz. has a volume of 600 cubic inches, whereas, an 800 fill jacket would fill 800 cubic inches of space for the same weight (1 oz.). Does this help? Checkout the following link for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fill_power

Tent trailer? Are there any fixed hardpoints? You need something sturdy enough to bolt either widebody brackets or tracks to so that you can use either raingutter towers (with the widebody brackets which simulate rain gutters) or control towers which use tracks.

Go to www.Yakima.com or www.Thule.com and get your car "fitted" for rack options. If your CR-V has factory rails already installed (not factory tracks), you can get Yakima Rail Grab towers or Thule Crossroad towers. Your options for bike racks are basically endless since you'll be going with round (Yakima) or square (Thule) bars. Your decision will be between fork-mounted bike racks, frame-grab bike racks or wheel-grab bike racks. Fork-mounted bike racks are the most stable and solid; however, you have to find somewhere to put the front wheel. The frame and wheel-grab racks are convenient in that you don't have to remove the front wheel of the bike for transport; however, they are less stable. They still work fine, though. Also, with a vehicle of your height, the fork-mounted options are easier to use because they require you to lift the bike less high than the racks that hold the bike with the front wheel still intact. Hope this helps.

Unfortunately, the rubber pads are a wearable part. Ordering new ones from Yakima isn't difficult; just ensure to note which alphabet letter is stamped onto the pad before you order. Or better yet, remember which Q-Clip package you purchased should the Yakima tech (on the phone) as for specifics. Sorry for the bad news.

You must have extremely narrow-beam kayaks. It they want to move horizontal and you have no way of changing the lash points, then I suppose let them rest as they want to be, then strap them down so they are secure. Aside from that, I cannot fathom how or why your boats would not carry properly on the J-cradles.

Check www.Thule.com and utilize their "Fit My Car" option to see if the Hullavator is compatible with your Jeep.

Usually 110 lbs. is the max payload for these boxes. But you still have to factor in the total payload capacity of your rack as well as your vehicle. Most vehicles allow for 165 lbs. up top; however, smaller vehicles with a lesser spread often reduce the capacity to 125 or even less. And this number INCLUDES the weight of your roof rack, cargo box (usually 40+ pounds) and cargo. So keep it light and bulky.

It will fit for sure.

(I've never used the Camel anti-fog lenses. My lenses never fogged on me, though I have a narrower face which means the explorers didn't completely seal off all air. Hope this helps.)

I have the Explorer with the alti-arc glass lens. I didn't mean to get the glass specifically, but I used it on a 12-day mountaineering course in the Alaska Range--and loved them! Several others in our group had the Spectron lenses (the polycarbonate ones). From what I've heard, the glass lenses scratch less easily, though potentially are weakened if they do scratch and may be slightly heavier. Polycarbonate lenses are safer but scratch much easier, though they are not weakened when scratched. Again, please confirm this with Julbo as I have only heard the glass vs. polycarbonate via hearsay. Anyways, the alti-arc glass lens is not mirror coated while the Spectron lenses are. Again, I loved my glasses, and they performed amazingly well. It was extremely bright out on the Kahiltna Glacier--like walking in a solar oven, yet my eyes never fatigued whatsoever.

The problem with using normal day packs for cycling is that the back of your helmet will likely collide with the top of your pack, as most 30+ liter day packs utilize an internal frame. I tried using my Deuter 30 liter Futura Zero pack--but couldn't ride at all because of the horrible helmet/pack interference. So, make sure whatever you decide on is not too tall (which means you'll likely have to choose a pack without a frame). I'll tell you what I eventually did: I switched to panniers, and I haven't looked back.

I used a Feathered Friends -40 bag at Denali basecamp for a 12-day mountaineering course. We never slept above 7300'--and the -40 bag wasn't too much; it was perfect. I was even cold one -35 night, though it was more due to my sleep mat that had a slow leak that deflated over the course of the night. (Thank God for my Z-rest backup pad underneath!!!) Anyways, -25 (or similar) is generally the most common temp rating sought out for Denali. You would be fine with this bag, though. Just be careful not to sweat in it so you don't damage the down. Unzipping the bag or keeping your head uncovered (and without a hat) is a great way to use this warm a bag in temps above -40.

It is difficult to give you an exact answer because every child's physiology is different. Plus, there are other factors: how recently did the child eat? What type of layering system is s/he wearing? Is her/his head covered? Is s/he active or stationary? Is s/he ill or otherwise physiologically compromised? So, I know I'm totally going overkill on this, but this all really does come into play. If I had a fleece like this, I would use it down to freezing if I was stationary but below freezing, it likely wouldn't keep me warm unless I was moving. For a kid, I'm guessing it would be good stationary into the 50s, maybe the 40s, but if the kid grew up in Florida (instead of Alaska, for example), then perhaps 60 degrees would be the lower limit. I hope this helps.

Though these are designed for long routes, they will still work for bouldering, though when bouldering, you often have the option to size your shoes even smaller as you have the option to take them off when you're not climbing. On long routes, you need shoes you an be in all day. This obviously means sacrificing performance for comfort. But it's still a climbing shoe. Hope that makes sense.

Yes, these will work fine for basic mountaineering. I know plenty of people who have used them on vertical ice as well. They aren't the best for technical climbing, but they definitely work. These are the gold standard in strap-on crampons.

I'd look at shoes using the eVent liner--breathes much better than Gore-Tex. Perhaps sweaty feet is really what you're feeling instead of rain soaking in. Regardless, are you ensuring water isn't entering over the top of your boot? How high is the gusset on these boots? What type of work are you doing in these?

I have the Black Diamond Predator 50L and love it! It is super versatile and ridiculously beefy. I use it for ice climbing, rock climbing, winter camping and 1-2 day summer overnighters. I can't rave enough about this pack. The ice tool, helmet and crampon external storage options are absolutely amazing!!

These might be overkill for what you're looking to do. OR and other companies sell less intense gaiters for less rigorous pursuits--specifically for situations where trail debris and mud are more the issue as opposed to snow. But these are still fine. They are heavy duty, though, and will potentially make your calves a little hot and sweaty relative to the thinner trail models. And as for sizing, if you're not using a double mountaineering boot, you likely will be fine with the XL, though if in doubt, air on the bigger side because too-small gaiters are infinitely frustrating. Hope this helps.

should be a spring-loaded tab or detent. seems to vary with each model. never force the blades/tools back in place.

All the reviews I've read regarding Kayland fit seem to lean towards slightly on the narrow side.

ShoeGoo should work. Or a cobbler. I've talked with other people who have had La Sportiva rubber rand separation problems. I'd contact the company and see if they've picked up on the trend yet.

Some people say La Sportiva run narrow; however, I don't think I agree. I do believe they run slightly small, though. I usually wear a normal men's US 8. My La Sportiva size is 42. (I have 3 pairs of La Sportiva boots, to include the model you're commenting on.) My feet aren't extremely wide, but they are still considered wide feet. By the way, the boot on this page is the woman's model. Anyways, hope this helps. I love this boot (men's version, of course) and can't say enough great things about it.

Yes and yes. It's a little bulky for cycling, but it'll pick up a GPS signal regardless of what it's attached to assuming good line-of-sight with the sky is still intact.

These aren't mountaineering crampons. You could use them, but these are designed specfically for steep, technical ice climbing. Definitely don't get a monopoint crampon like this one. Also, horizontal front points (as opposed to the vertically oriented front point of this design) are much better for mountaineering use as they have more surface area and work better in snow. Another note: walkability. The angle, design and number of points on a crampon affect walkability. Something like Black Diamond Sabretooth will walk a whole lot easier (even when using full-shank boots) because of the design. These are a few things to think about.

Yes and no. I'll explain: The goretex lining would undoubtedly do its job of keeping water out and allowing your feet to vent somewhat; however, are you planning on wearing gaitors to keep water/rain from entering the top of your boots? Also, your feet will likely sweat a great deal in the tropical, humid heat of the rainforest which would equal wet feet. There are also river-style shoe-sandal hybrids that walk and feel like shoes but actually are built with a lot of mesh to facilitate water drainage. They obviously wouldn't keep your feet dry, but they'd let your feet breathe a whole lot better, and you wouldn't worry about water pooling up in your shoes. But back to the hiking boots: Having the right socks and changing them regularly will be key to maintaining proper foot health. Jungle rot is no joke.

If it cold and/or windy enough to need full chin and nose coverage, than you should be using a high performance balaclava like OR's windstopper full balaclava. Relying on a shell to keep your face warm isn't going to do a whole lot by itself. The chin protection should supplement whatever insulation and/or headgear you are using as your primary means of face protection.

Check and see if you have the Oakley A-Frame. It is a hugely popular ski goggle--there's a good chance you have them. I have them and love them.

I have frequently taken my Black Diamond Predator 50L pack as a carry-on bag on airplanes. And it was PACKED full. Hope this helps.

You're fine either way. Both are sport harnesses. Both are top-grade companies. It will just come down to personal opinion. Your physiology is going to be the determining factor. Can you try these on in any local gear shops? Just be advised that Arc'teryx has now moved most (if not all) of their production to China. Yes, you now pay the same outrageous Arc'teryx cost for the same Chinese made product. Ridiculous. As far as I know, BD still makes their stuff in the US, though I'd double check that if I were you.

Have you checked out the size of your hydration sleeve on your Kelty pack? Does it even have a hydration sleeve? I think 3L bladders are always more useful than 2L, but that is my personal opinion. Even if your hydration sleeve in your pack doesn't accept a 3L bladder, you can still use that bladder if you're creative. I definitely do that in some of my non-accommodating packs.

No. These are waterproof.

I have Salomon shoes that lace like this (with the draw cord) and have had no issues. If you can't get them to tighten, it likely means you need to return these and get something with a traditional lacing system. The only suggestion I can give is to pull harder.

Well, Arc'teryx is mostly Chinese made now. So, paying the exorbitant prices for stuff no longer made in Canada seems ridiculous to me. Hope this helps.

Freestyle...you cannot switch from ski to tour; however, you can switch from tour to ski.

A 44.5 might work fine, but a 45 might work too if you replace the insole with an aftermarket insole like Superfeet or Sole. These generally are higher volume insoles and will help the boot to fit better. Also, your activity preference should dictate your sizing as well: extended cold-weather mountaineering would warrant a sock system in which case the extra room would be perfect.

This jacket should do exactly what you want--except that it costs less than $150. It's not made for wet weather, though light drizzles wouldn't be an issue.

I've heard these are warmer than the regular Heli glove; however, these don't have removable liners which doesn't allow you to customize warmth as easily. I live in Alaska and decided on the regular Heli gloves over these. I have yet to test them out--I will post a review when I do.

You could hike in these, but they are not technical boots (i.e., they are not mountaineering boots) and should be confined to winter walking and light hiking. I have gone winter backpacking in a North Face equivalent boot and it was fine--but the terrain was not steep. I can't speak to how supportive they are. Footbed support is easily achievable by replacing the footbed with a high-quality aftermarket insole like Superfeet or Sole. (You actually bake Sole footbeds in your oven so that you can mold them to your feet; Superfeet mold themselves to your foot over a few days without baking them. Both are excellent.) Blisters shouldn't be an issue if your boots are properly sized to your foot and you are wearing the appropriate sock/sock layering system. I would be very surprised if Sorel didn't account for rubber's ability to transfer cold and therefore ensured it wouldn't be an issue. Hope this helps.

I don't know how Scarpa fits (especially their female boots--I'm a guy), but I know that my normal shoe size is 41 or 41.5 yet all three pairs of my La Sportiva mountaineering boots are 42. This size isn't too big for my foot, but it gives me slightly more flexibility to use sock-layering systems which are a very good idea for extended outdoor excursions (espcially mountaineering). Are there no stores anywhere near you that sell Scarpa so that you could at least get an idea how that brand fits your foot?
I don't know the temperature ranges found on those two mountains you listed. Black Diamond Sabretooth crampon is a great all-around step-in mountaineering crampon that can handle ice as well. The regular Black Diamond Contact Strap crampon is also very versatile and uses straps (no toe or heel bail required on the boots) in case you want to use it with non-mountaineering boots or even regular winter boots for non-technical terrain.
As for double boots, those generally are unisex. Both La Sportiva and Scarpa sell multiple models of varying weight, warmth and performance. I have La Sportiva Spantiks which are amazingly light and warm but are ridiculously expensive and stiffer to walk in that a lot of double boots. I but I love them dearly.

These pants with a base layer (especially an insulating base layer like your flannel pants) will be plenty warm for temps in the 30s. I live in Alaska and only have desired insulated pants when I'm at a complete stand still (like belaying on an ice climb) or hanging out at camp. And both those times the temperature was probably somewhere between -5 and +10F. I only had my north face liberation pants (gore-tex shell) and merino wool baselayer. You'd likely overhead with insulated pants unless they were ventable and the insulation was insubstantial.

I would email someone at RMI (Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. - www.rmiguides.com) since they know that mountain like the back of their hand.

This pack has near-expedition cargo capacity (80 liters according to backcountry.com). For overnighters, this is overkill unless you have a ridiculous amount of camera gear. How many pounds of gear do you plan on hauling? What type of terrain do you think you will be visiting? This is an external frame pack which has a few benefits, but most packs these days are internal frame packs which ride much closer to your body, allow for more freedom of movement and work much better when off trail and dealing with non-level terrain. You could easily lash a camera tripod to an internal frame pack. It's really a matter of personal preference. A 50-60 liter size pack would likely work a lot better for you for single overnighters with excessive camera gear.

It could work on flat terrain, but would a 3-pin design offer enough leverage to allow the front crampon points to dig in? With the traditional strap-on design, the entire weight of your body is on those crampon points when weighting that foot because of the pivoting platform your foot is strapped to. I would imagine that with only the tip of the shoe in contact (as with 3-pin bindings), it would be difficult to leverage the crampon points into hard packed snow and ice. So, to recap, for flat, non-icy conditions, I think it could work. But it likely would be dangerous on inclines.

Assuming that these even work on top of existing liners (an issue in iteself), the easiest way to trim fit these without tracing is to insert the superfeet insole into your boot, seat the heal portion properly, then use your hands to feel where the material is bunching up. Then, it simply becomes a delicate process of trimming small amounts of the sides (preferably evenly on both sides) until it fits right. But also be advised that SuperFeet makes insoles specifically for footwear that does not have removable footbeds. (I think it's their blue insoles, but don't quote me on that.)

I'm impressed that this shoe says "United States" for country of origin. I'll bet it was made in China and assembled in the US. I've never heard of North Face gear made in America. But there's always a first for everything, right? Sweat free...depends on your physiology, the socks you're wearing, the distance and speed your running and the climate outdoors. By nature, Gore-tex footwear doesn't breath as well as non-waterproof footwear. If this shoe had an eVent liner (like Kayland shoes and boots do), it literally might be sweat free as eVent technology is superior to Gore-tex. It's ridiculously breathable while still being waterproof. I won't even begin to guess at The North Face's tech crew. You must've just got someone on the line who was out of their lane. Hope this helps.

I wrapped my neoprene-covered camelbak hose with two layers of foam insulated plumbing wrap and still have problems with water freezing. I highly doubt this will work. I even doubt the thermal control kit would work. Maybe it does, but my setup sounds even more insulated.

The waist strap on this model is for stabilization only--not load transfer. If you are looking for something to take the weight off your shoulders and transfer it to your hips (a far more efficient setup), then you will need to get something with an internal frame. For a super lightweight internal framepack, I would recommend the Deuter Futura Zero 30. It's a 30 liter pack (compared to this pack's 21.3 liters) and weighs very little. It offers extremely versatile gear carrying options and would like make hauling your photography gear a blessing, not a curse.

An aftermarket insole often will fix minor fit issues--especially if you upgrade to a insole that is larger-volume than the insole that comes with the boot. I use green or orange superfeet in my La Sportivas, and they work awesome. There are also excellent bake-to-fit insoles made by companies like Sole that will customize themselves to your foot after you bake them in the oven according to the directions. This might alleviate your heel-lift problem.

I know Sea-to-Summit uses eVent in some of their products; this doesn't appear to be one of them. I would check out their webpage to see, but eVent is ridiculously breathable--purportedly more than Gore-tex. It's expensive, but worth its weight in gold.

Rock climbing shoes fit is one of those pandora's box deals: everyone has their own opinion and adivce on the issue. So, here's my two cents: the tighter the fit, the more precise they will be, as the zero extra space will allow you to use smaller rock features. How tight, though, is the question. Pain is not good. Certain levels of discomfort are warranted, but pain isn't. While most rock shoes won't officially stretch, they still will stretch some and conform to your feet--especially if you sweat in them. I have a pair of Mad Rock Flash climbing shoes that were intensely tight and painful when I first tried them on. After climbing (and sweating) in them on some climbs, they have started to stretch out some. I still need to take them off after a certain amount of time, but the discomfort has lessened, and I am blown away by the precision I get with such tight-fitting shoes. My toes are scrunched up too--but I don't feel they are scrunched to the point of injury. You'll just have to play it by ear. Hope that helps.

Is your winter mountaineering trip technical--how much gear will you be hauling in addition to your basic winter camping items? I have a 50 liter Black Diamond Predator pack that can carry all my winter camping gear plus a rope, ice screws, helmet, ice tools and a full ice climbing rack. I would think 70 liters would be enough to cover down on the extra food required for a 4-day winter trip. Rainier--I would imagine this would work, but for Denali, from what I've been told, you need something in the 100-115 liter range. Hope this helps.

These boots would probably accept snowshoes; however, it does not appear that they have the raised lip on the heel that is generally built into snowshoe-compatible boots to prevent the snowshoe's heel strap from sliding down the back of your foot. As for crampons, you can use strap-style crampons on these shoes (and any shoes, for that matter) no problem. But "light" mountaineering? I wouldn't, though I don't know your definition of mountaineering. With a good pair of gaiters, you could probably do some good hiking or winter backpacking in these, assuming the temps don't drop too far below freezing. Note: These are not technical boots at all. Mountaineering boots half a half or full length shank that gives the boot a certin stiffness that allows for proper and efficient crampon use. These are insulated light hiking shoes/boots.

This jacket would work fine in those temps if you were active, but not if you were standing around or riding a ski lift. This would be great for hiking or snowshoeing or even running if the temps go sub-zero. This jacket isn't really made to be used as a middle layer because the wind-resistant properties while not breathe as well as a regular down or fleece middle insulating layer under a hard shell. You could use it as a second layer, but it's just not preferable because it's made to be an outer layer for cool, dry conditions. Hope that helps.

According to Black Diamond's website, this pack has the ability to carry a snowboard.

I've been reading a lot of Kayland reviews lately, and the majority of them note that Kayland's seem to run narrow--that sizing up 1/2 size is a good idea. I'm not sure if that applies to all Kayland products, but it looked like a trend.

I don't want to spur you on to injury, but I totally think you should try snowshoeing. You know your own personal limits, but I definitely wouldn't let narrow-minded societal concerns determine what you can and can't do. I'm sure most doctors would recommend against it, but they're only saying that to cover their ass. A few years ago, a climber summited Mt. Everest BLIND! I'm sure nobody thought that possible, and most people probably tried to talk him out of it. Fortunately, he didn't listen to the weak-minded majority. I hope this encourages you.

The filter for this unit is not cleanable. The prescreen that surrounds the filter is. What everyone has said is true: replace when pumping becomes hard to pump.

This thing pumps real slow, so prepare for dehydration or else massive forearms.

Look for the newer style step-in crampons that have the additional safety strap that runs from the toe wire to the heel portion, preventing the toe wire from accidentally slipping off. Or use newmatic crampons (heel lever, but no toe bail--uses a plastic/rubber strap instead like the front of most strap-style crampons). I use newmatic crampons for ice climbing and love 'em (Grivel G-14s). There is no play whatsoever if I adjust them right.

The Koflach's in the picture almost look photoshopped in. I'm sure these would work fine with your setup, but don't quote me on that.