Greg M

Initial impressions:
When I first received this bag, I was slightly disappointed with the quality of materials. The outer material is thin to the point where you can see the down moving below it. Additionally, it appears as though there are few baffles, resulting in uneven distribution of down throughout the bag. The zipper moved easily and proved to be virtually snag free, even in areas where there was excess fabric by the zipper track. The lack of a draft collar, as mentioned in another review, was slightly annoying but proved to not be a problem. The water bottle pocket at the foot is a good enough idea, but I am worried by the lack of a waterproof barrier. Stuff size is reasonable, however the Stoic stuff it comes with sucks and turns into a bowling ball.

Field tests:
The first night I used this bag was in my car for a night in the mid-high 40s. As would be expected, it was more than warm even when unzipped and used as a blanket.

I then used the bag for four nights in the Sierras in temperatures ranging from mid 20s-30s at varying elevations. I was initially impressed at the lack of cold spots given the uneven distribution of down (intentionally left uneven). On the coldest night I was more than warm enough sleeping in a mid layer. I even got too warm with the hood of the bag on. Though thin, the outer material proved to be fairly durable and water resistant.

Overall I am quite pleased with the bag, especially at the 40% off sale price. my initial concerns with durability have thus far not been an issue. I'm hoping I can use this bag throughout the winter with relative ease. 4/5 stars only because the bag takes some fiddling at camp to evenly distribute the down.

Unlike other posters, I had no problems setting up the bivy, however the poles are exceptionally tight during initial setup. The construction appears to be quality however:

At 6'2" there is no way I will fit in the bivy with a sleeping bag. Even if everything would fit, entry/egress with a sleeping bag and the zip of the bivy might prove very difficult. This thing is going back for the simple reason that it is not big enough.

I've been generally pleased with these crampons for everything from general mountaineering to WI4. They are slightly heavier than the BD Contact Strap (5-6oz) however they offer a more secure and comfortable fit for long days, have additional points that aid traversing, and place your foot closer to the ground. The newer orange ABS plates don't seem to work as well as the older grey/orange ones.

Unlike the Petzl Charlet crampons, the mounts for the toe bail are short and don't interfere with fit. Oh, and the stainless looks pretty cool too.

I should start off by saying that I am impressed with the shelter for its packed size and weight, even when coupled with a floor. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of a flimsier tent.

A recent trip into the mountains highlighted its weaknesses. When using with a floor, wind resistance is especially poor. The fabric itself is decent, however wind still finds its way under/into the tent unless there is adequate snow to seal it. The guy line attachment points are fairly low on the shelter and allow it to move a scary amount in high winds. Additionally, there is only a single tie-down point on each side. The mesh vents are large enough to let in snow/spindrift, but if closed make for a very humid tent that is largely frozen in the morning.

In spite of all this, it makes an excellent shelter in fairer conditions.

I picked this pack up on SAC in hopes of using it as a cheap mountaineering bag. When it arrived, I was amazed at how large it was when compared to other 80L packs. The compression straps are decently placed and allow for good compression with smaller loads. The material seems burly enough to last. Shoulder padding is a bit lacking for such a large pack, but that proved to be an indication of the pack's intended use.

Upon loading the pack with a fairly standard load of 50-55 pounds, I noted exceptionally poor weight transfer to the hips regardless of adjustment. Additionally, the shoulder straps are placed too close together for broad shoulders.

The pocket on the front and the lid pocket are both enormous and easily fit a shovel, crampons, etc.

Overall, this is a great pack for the price, but the max comfortable load is probably in the 40 pound range, which would be more than adequate for fair weather.

Warm, breathable, and funk-resistant. What more could you ask for in long underwear?

They're soft and comfortable, but may be a touch long if you have short legs. The seams at the ankles are relatively flat, which is nice but a bit inelastic which could make stuffing them into boots a bit of an issue if you have scrawny legs and/or ski boots.

Great base layer. Amazing warmth and breathability unparalleled by synthetics. I've used it for just about everything and it still looks decent and smells even better. If you are modest, I would shy away from the lighter colors on the torso as they are a bit see through.

This boot is pretty much as advertised, minus the water resistance. The factory DWR coating is moderate at best and really only good for short exposures to water, such as accidental stream crossings or light rain. More recent use in the snow highlighted many weaknesses of the boot. Even after copious amounts of NikWax and even seam sealer, snow melted and worked its way into the boot leaving them frozen stiff by morning. The lace hooks at the heal continually flared out and had to be bent back into position which makes me wonder how much longer they'll last. The rubber patch on the toe has started to separate from the rand as well.

With the exception of those complaints, the boots have worked well, however I would not recommend them for hot or even warm weather use due to lack of breathability. This characteristic does extend the use of the boot into colder weather though. Break in was only about 10-15 miles.

The boots receive 3 stars for questionable durability and poor waterproofing, though they are still a good deal for the price BC is asking.

This is by far the best shell I've used. The face fabric is amazingly abrasion resistant and remarkably breathable. Wind and snow on a recent trip in the Sierras were not an issue.

With that said, I have to echo the complaints of others and say the jacket is cut too short in the front. I'm 6'1" with a relatively short torso and still had issues with wind/water chilling my belly. Wearing a pack only augmented this problem. There is plenty of room for layers and sufficiently long arms.

Unfortunately, I think I may be returning the jacket for an Alpha, which has a significantly longer cut.

Overall this is a great jacket....just make sure it fits properly.