I've used these duffle bags on numerous trips and they still look brand new. They can be dragged, thrown, overfilled, sit in the rain or strapped to a donkey and it just doesn't matter. Uber burly. These feature a stout zippers which can be locked with a zip-tie and internal pockets. They also have an internal strapping system which is a nice way to stabilize your gear without having a bunch of straps hanging off the side.

The downside of them is that they are heavy, which is a concern with the new 50lb limit on airplanes (the big bag weighs in at 8lbs).

Kind of like a beautifully crafted second skin - warm, unobtrusive and very comfortable. I like these for BC skiing as they don't overlap/interfere with ski socks or boots.

One of the HUGE advantages of Merino wool is that is not stinky. You can wear these tights for days/weeks on end and they don't get too grungy.

Very nice.

I love Oz 'biners for alpine climbing or as part of my glacier kit as they are small, light, strong and tight (as in narrow, so they pack well on a rack or harness). Due to their narrow rope bearing surface, I wouldn't use them on a quick draw I was planning on falling on very often, but as a simple utilitarian biner, they are nice. The wiregate also helps keep them from plugging with snow, which is another big plus for the alpine world. When matched with a Dynamee (sp?) sling, it is an unbelievably light set up.

If you are going to carry a probe (and you should), this is the one to get. It isn't the lightest or easiest to assemble, but it is very strong and won't let you down. Doily little carbon probes and ski pole probes bend and break in hard snow or avalanche debris. The G3 Pro Tech probe will not only last through many practice probes, but will work when you leave it set up for weeks at a time while probing glaciers for crevasses.

The large diameter tubing and stout ferrules are a plus. The downside is that the screw top adjustment takes time, but hopefully your partner can be digging for the victim while you are getting your probe set up.

I've been using the Green Superfeet for years in my Alpine Touring boots (Scarpa) and between the insoles and thermofit liners, I never get blisters. I've been told I have flat feet, so I like the extra arch support these insoles provide. Plus, they are very durable. I've swapped my green insoles out of successive ski boots for years and they are still going strong.

From what I've seen, these insoles come in a vast array of lengths and arch heights. I can't speak to all of those, but I have narrow feet with flattish arches and the "normal" size works for me.

The premium insole (the one reviewed here) is just a nicer, winterized version of their classic green insole. I don't notice any real temperature difference with the reflective foil, but it probably doesn't hurt either.

Overall, a great addition to a pair of ski boots.

Our daughter loves her Crazy Creek Kidz chair in part because it works well, but more because she fits in with all of the adults who are hanging out in theirs. The Kidz chair has fun patterns and is a simplified version of the adult chair (simple straps, doesn't fold up quite as much). We put the Kidz chair into the back of a cheap little plastic sled (it fits perfectly) and use it to pull our daughter uphill for skiing.

Pretty much the Gold Standard in men's boxer underwear and the most comfortable thing out there. My brother in law claims you can go for weeks without changing them, and while I wouldn't go that far, the nice loose fit and silky material does mean they stay comfy and dry for extended periods of time.

I think I still have my first pair, which says something about their durability. The elastic waist stays strong without being too tight. They are also available in a wide variety of colors and patterns, which means they can double as swim trunks in a pinch.

Back when I use to shop at REI, I would spend all of my dividend cash on getting a few news pairs of these every year. They are kind of pricey, but last forever. They also make a great gift item if you are looking for something for the guy who has everything - kind of the modern day equivalent of a tie for the adventurous type.

If I had to pick one tool for ski mountaineering, this would be it. The straight(ish) shaft of the Venom works well for plunging (boot axe belay or quick anchor), yet it also has just enough clearance to reach around ice bugles if you happen to be climbing ice. There are probably better tools in specific catagories, like vertical water ice, alpine climbing, etc., but for all around use, the Venom covers all my bases.

Where the Venom really shines is on something like a winter ascent of the Grand Teton. You need something light as you are going to be carrying it for a long time (the Venom is sub 500 grams I think..?), then you need a tool that you can climb some moderate ice with, perhaps pound a few pitons, plunge in some steep snow and then carry securely on your pack. The Venom is perfect for all of this - nothing more, nothing less.

I gave it a four star rating as I wish it used the existing BD picks instead of the special Venom pick. While these are fine, they aren't quite as strong (a B rating instead of the burlier T rating) and they use two little screws to secure them instead of the one big honkin' mother screw of the other BD tools.

The attached photo shows the tool on a backpack - this was the tool of choice for climbing Mt. Foraker in Alaska.

I can't believe the Monkey Man Jacket hasn't been reviewed and praised by thousands of other people! It is an excellent all purpose fleece jacket with two nice big side pockets, a breast pocket, nice high collar and trim fitting cuffs.

It has a million uses, including everything from being just an everyday jacket to a piece of technical clothing for a layering system. It has an incredibly high thermal rating, which means that it keeps you very warm. This is excellent when you want it, but it also means that you will overheat if you wear it for any extended physical activity.

It works well for camping, belaying, boating or any other cold weather activity. Warm, well made, comfortable and available in a huge variety of colors. Hard to go wrong.

I like the idea of the Baby Bivy way better than the actual product. The idea is pretty simple - a little papoose that easily and securely attaches to a Chariot stroller to you can load your infant up, clip them into the Chariot, go for a stroll/ride/ski, then lift them out without waking them up.The reality is that the "five minute" installation took over an hour and the parts they supplied didn't work with the dual Chariot. I ended up scrapping the supplied hardware and rigging up my own system. Not only that, but the Baby Bivy is quite big, so it crowds out the other passenger. As supplied, the hardware holds the Baby Bivy at a weird angle with the kid's feet higher than their head, which the instructions say to fix with a blanket. For $66, I think it should be perfect. Also, the assembly instructions and photos are horrible.But, if you can get over all of this, it holds the baby well, is easy to carry in the "purse" mode and has plenty of soft lining so the kids seem be comfortable in it.

I have 4-5 other multi-tools, but couldn't resist buying the Skeletool as it looks so cool. And, I haven't been disappointed as it is the favorite of my collection. One nice feature of it is that you can quickly and easily open the knife, which is the most common tool that I use. The blade can be opened one handed, which is a great feature. Like all Leatherman tools, the fit, finish and overall design are excellent. The pliers close down perfectly at the tip, which means they can almost be used as tweezers.

The screwdrivers are OK and totally functional, but a bit skinny and lightweight for something like tightening a ski binding screw, but still, they would work.

My initial impression on opening the box was that the Skeletool was smaller than I expected. This is no big deal, but for some reason photos of it make it look beefier. For reference, the knife blade is 2.5" long, which is about 3/4 the length of a credit card.

The thing I liked least about it was the add-on bottle opener/clip hook on the end. I can open bottles many other ways, don't need a secondary clip-in point (the tool already has a side clip) and it just adds length to the unit, as well as a sharpish tail end. But, Leatherman has come out with a new model, the Freestyle, which is the same thing as the Skeletool sans bottle opener. I'll probably have to get that one as well. :)

Before using the SPOT, I thought it was pretty much a lame little gimmick for people who got lost in the woods and had to call 911, but that is hardly the case. We used a SPOT unit on a two week trip to Alaska, and not only did it work flawlessly, it was fun, easy to use and when we got back home tons of people said how cool it was to be able to casually follow our progress.

The SPOT works by taking a GPS fix, then sending it up to a satellite, which in turn beams it down to a webserver, which converts your GPS waypoint into a Google Earth map so that when someone gets a message, they click on the link and it instantly opens Google Earth and shows them where you are. It seems like a lot of technology to possibly go wrong, but somehow it doesn't.

I was worried about the battery life, but afterwards found out that it is similar to an avalanche beacon - you can leave these things running for days on end, or even an entire week-long trip and the battery will still be good.

The downside of them is that the website that you have to use to set up your account is very confusing and not intuitive. They also have a SPOT Adventures website where you can share your SPOT info with the world, but that is also too complicated for a single-celled ski mountaineering brain like mine to figure out. Hopefully these will be simplified in the future.

But, overall an excellent product.

Our two year old daughter loves this pack to the point that she often demands it before going to bed at night. You'd think it would be hard to sleep with it on, but whatever works for her, works for us.

The water reservoir is tiny, which for a two year old is fine (they are pretty much novelty drinking anyway), but it might be too small for older kids.

Probably the biggest drawback of this pack is that it lacks a sternum strap, which makes it fall off too easily.

Our daughter is a budding Imelda Marcos and already have a staggering shoe collection, most of which she hates (NO!). But not these. We live in Utah and they are perfect for the hot weather, have a nice grippy sole for climbing up and down slides and are easy to get on and off. Unlike many other kids products, these sandals seem very well made and durable. As an added bonus, they seem to cover a fairly large size range, or at least comfort range.

As her main shoe, they have not caused any blisters and she can easily take them off. Overall a great product.

I reserve the 5 star rating for exceptional items, and this is one of them. There are better fun & family camping stoves, but if you are looking to melt snow and boil water for hours on end at higher elevations, the XGK is the workhorse of choice.

Like most camp stoves, the XGK can malfunction, but it is also very simple to clean and repair if you have the maintenance kit. I've found that the #1 thing that breaks is the gasket on the pump.

The big complaints on this stove are that it is noisy and doesn't simmer. To me, the noise is a small price to pay for reliability, and simmering can be controlled through pump pressure. If you want to brown pancakes, unscrew the pump from the bottle, let all the tank pressure out, then only give it a few strokes (five?) and start from there.

I use this stove as part of an entire system, of which further details can be found here:

http://straightchuter.com/2009/05/expeditions-stove-set-up/

A few years ago I discovered the magic combination of using a Prolite pad on the bottom and a foam pad on top for camping on snow and have slept warm and comfortably ever since. By themselves, inflatable pads are pretty nice, but you get cold spots (hips, shoulders, etc.) and if they leak, yer screwed. Foam pads are pretty niceas well, but they don't insulate like an inflatable. However, the combination of the two is ideal if you are going to be spending a lot of time sleeping in the snow, and for that, the Prolite is perfect.

It seems a bit counter-intuitive to use the inflatable on the bottom, but it ends up acting like a balloon and floating the foam pad off of the cold snow.

These type of tent stakes often come with a new tent, and for years I would just throw them out and use chopped off ski poles for tent anchors when camping in snow. But, now I use this type of tent stake, although instead of driving it like a nail (which you could do in soil), I girth hitch it with a length of accessory cord and bury it like a mini deadman for an anchor. These hold and incredible amout of force and after they have set up for a day or so, become one with the snowpack. For details on how to set this system up, go here:

http://straightchuter.com/2008/06/high-stakes-tent-anchors/

I like this style of anchor as it is small, lightweight and multipurpose, plus, when you are digging them out, the can take a direct hit with a shovel, no problem.

I like the versatility of this pack for ski mountaineering. I can load it up with enough stuff for a 4-5 day winter outing, yet still use it for day skiing once we get into our location. It has plenty of options (straps, axe holders, etc.) yet they are discreet so you aren't constantly fighting them when/if they aren't in use. The construction is a durability and weight - it is not the lightest pack out there, but it will take a beating.

I really like the back strap system as it allows a ton of adjustment for holding things on the side of the pack (like foam pads), yet you can also strap bigger items on the back as well. I'll often clip a sled to this pack (it has nice beefy side loops), then when I'm ready to ski down, I can strap the plastic sled to the back of the pack and enjoy the run.

This would be a good pack for hut trips, skiing in a range like the Tetons or for the occassional rock climbing outing.

I'm 100% a men's medium (5 10" - 143 pounds) and this pack seems to fit me well, although I'm not that fussy about pack fits. If it is a crushing load, any pack is going to hurt.

Negatives? Probably a bit heavier than similar size packs and I've never really liked the sliding sterum clip design, but almost all packs use this nowadays, so what can you do.

I got this helmet for ski mountaneering, but ended up loving it for just about any type of skiing. For ski mountaineering, I wanted something that was lightweight and low profile with no bills, or anything that could catch a sling or rope if it was being placed over your head. I also didn't need a full-on hardshell type of helmet as I'm not expecting to get clocked by any rocks or slam head-first into a lift tower. All that said, this is a foam based helmet, which will give you some protection, but not the full-on beefcake pantyhose protection of a hardshell helmet, which has issues of their own, namely they don't fit very well and ride too high for my personal liking, and if I don't like them, I don't wear them, which kind of makes a super safe helmet irrelevant for me.

What I wasn't expecting out of the Edge helmet is that it would be so comfortable. All heads are different, but the liner and adjustment straps/system seem to perfect suck this helmet onto my noggin.

One negative about this helmet is that they little dial adjustment dealie on the back is not very good. It seemed to stick, so I cranked it a bit harder and it came off in my hand. I was able to plug it back in, but you have to baby it a bit.

I've been using this with a VIO helmet cam and love the stability of helmet.

Having designed these baskets many years ago, I'm obviously biased, but I really like them. (And no, I don't get any royalties on them.) Where the asymmetry aspect really shines in when you are booting up a steep couloir, doing a long traversing ascent or our on a day of firm snow, like corn skiing. The asymmetry allows the tip of the pole to contact the snow first (instead of the edge of the basket), so that the pole has less tendency to "skate" when initial pressure is applied. The little teeth on the top/bottom help with grip and/or for pushing on things like heel lifters.

These baskets are much more ski mountaineering oriented rather than deep powder baskets. Powder baskets work well in powder, but in other conditions, they are just extra weight and skate like a banshee on roller blades.

For backcountry or resort skiing, the Zip T is my upper base-layer of choice. I've used them since they first came out (2000?) and have yet to wear one out. They are a nice blend of close fitting comfort and warmth, without being too clingy or hot.

The long neck zipper is a nice feature as it allows you to vent on the uphills, then zip the neck up tight once you get to a windy ridge. The fabric breathes well, disapates moisture and dries quickly. I have worn a Zip T for weeks on end during expeditions and they are still warm & comfy - even if they reek.

The only downside is that they don't have a small zipped pocket, which would be nice for a key, chapstick, etc.

Im very particular about my backcountry skiing packs as they have such a big impact on a day of skiing. If they dont fit, have straps in the wrong place, or have features that dont work, you end up dealing with it multiple times per day which adds up to an annoying experience.

But not so with the BD Covert pack. I switched to it this season (from a Switchback pack and before that an Attack Pack) and have been very happy with it for days tours. I got the smallest size (22 liters) as I dont carry much on day tours, and with a small pack, you dont really have the option! It fits a good size shovel blade (G3 AviTech) and has a nice selection of holders for your shovel handle and probe. It also allows many ski carrying options, including my favorite, strapping them to the side.

The Covert comes with all sorts of extra straps which can easily be removed by unclipping them, which I do as I like a nice clean profile for skiing through trees or just keeping the dingle-factor at bay. I tried the AvaLung version of this pack a few years ago and didnt like it as the AvaLung mechanism took up too much room in the small sized pack, which meant I had to upsize to the larger pack to carry the same amount of stuff, which meant the pack was no longer as light and trim. Your mileage may vary.

On the negative side, once you put a shovel blade in the back pocket, it compresses the inside goggle pocket to the point where it is almost uselessly hard to get into, so I carry nothing in there. The hydration tube holder doesnt really keep water from freezing, so it is a bit of a moot feature.

But overall, this is my favorite backpack for day tours around the Wasatch.

I got a pair of Marker Dukes for resort skiing and kite skiing as I wanted a binding that I could ski bumps with, use with any boot (alpine, AT, whatever) and had excellent release characteristics in all situations. I dont really plan on touring with them as they are quite a bit heavier than Dynafits, but I like the idea that if I had to tour, I could. For instance if I skied out of bounds at a resort and had to do a short tour back, or if the wind died while kiting and I had to get back to the car the Dukes would be WAY better than walking.

For kiting and resort skiing, being able to step into the binding is a big plus and the Marker Duke does that very well. It also has excellent return-to-center abilities, which is nice for chattery conditions.

They are fairly easy to do a home-mount with, although the instructions are geared more for a shop mount and require some reading between the lines.

The swap-over method from skiing to touring is a bit janky (have to remove your ski), but not that big a deal, especially considering the beef of the binding.

I carry a Mountain Hardwear Hooded Compressor jacket with me at all times while day ski touring in the Wasatch backcountry. It usually stays tucked into a stuff sack at the bottom of my pack, but when I do bust it out, it provides heavenly warmth. I think of this jacket as insurance I may not use it all the time, but when I do, I love it. I prefer the synthetic fill over down for just this reason you never know if you might have to use it in the rain, and down doesnt do well when it get wet, but the Compressor does. Another advantage of the synthetic fill is that if you accidentally rip the outer fabric, you dont dump feathers all over the mountains and lose your warmth.

I am a mens “medium in jacket size, but I have a large in the Compressor jacket as I wear it over the top of my shell, etc.. I could put it on under a shell, but this would mean stripping the shell off, putting the Compressor on, then putting the shell back on over it, which means you are going to get even colder. The beauty of a larger jacket is that you can quickly put it on top of everything and conserve warmth.

The Compressor has nice big pockets and an ample hood, which can be cinched down. For me, this is definitely a layering jacket as it is a bit thin and baggy on its own.

I've been using the BD Carbon Fiber Flicklock poles and variations of them (Whippets) for years and have never had a problem. They are a nice balance of weight and function and I like the simple, yet comfy grip. Like any piece of backcountry gear, they will last longer if you maintain and inspect them a few times a year, but I have never broken a lower or upper shaft or had anything malfunction on them. It helps to occasionally check the tension of the clamping mechanism, especially if you are going from a warmer climate to somewhere very cold as the clamp has less elasticity.

I've grown to totally trust the clamping mechanism to a point that I probably shouldn't! There have been a few times where I'm booting along a ridgeline and put the majority of my weight on the poles, only to realize that if the clamping mechanism should slip, the pole would collapse and I'd be sent for a header. So far this hasn't happened and it is much more likely to happen with other clamping devices.

On the negative side, snow can occasionally plug up the clamping mechanism (no big deal - knock it out), and the bulbous lump on an otherwise smooth shaft takes a bit of visual getting use to, but you get over it.

The swing weight is nice and I love the asymmetrical baskets (truth in advertising as I designed them years ago).

Overall, an excellent backcountry tool.

There is a lot to love about this shovel. Ive had one (my first and still the original one Ive owned) for five years and have used it all over the world on numerous expeditions, as well as when I was working as an avalanche forecaster. To me, it is the Golden Standard of all backcountry shovels.

Pros
- The D handle works with mittens and you can pass straps through it to securely lash it to a pack or sled (cant do that with a T grip)
- I love the flat back on the blade as it cuts nice, clean pit walls without scalloping
- The extension tubes are a very precious fit which means that it doesn’t feel all rattly and loose when you are using it.
- The blade ferrule is machine bored, which means that it has an excellent, tight fit with the handle. This is important as over time it doesnt get loose and wobbly like other shovels.
- The sidewall are deep enough to hold a good load of snow, yet not so deep that it makes it hard to fit the blade in a day backpack.
- The material is very durable and will withstand being driven through hard snow with a solid kick from a boot.
- The top of the blade is nice and square which helps when you are stomping on it with a boot as your boot doesnt deflect.

Cons? Hard to find any, but the tight fit between parts can sometimes make it a bit hard to extend the shaft or engage it into the blade, but this is a small issue. Oh, and the name (AviTech) is kind of lame for such a great product.

Perhaps one of the best things about this shovel is that it is so reliable. If I have to dig a friend out of an avalanche, I want a 100% shovel and the G3 AviTech is it.

I wear a pair of MHW Vertical pants over some MHW Synchro softshell pants for 99% of my backcountry skiing. Both pants have full side zips, which means you can vent them all the way down to bare skin without stopping, or mix and match for perfect tempature control.

At first the Vertical fabric (ProShell) doesn't seem burly enough to withstand hard useage, but after a year and a half, mine are still going strong.

I'm very particular about my hats - they have to be warm, but not too warm, stylie without steeze, cover my ears without covering my eyes, stay on my head without being too tight, work with sunglasses & goggles, not itch and fit in a pocket when I'm not wearing them. The BC.com Lukla does all of that, which is why it is my current hat of choice.

As the product description says, you can do almost anything with a Joker rope from climbing big walls to sport climbing, to using it as a glacier rope. I like'm.

I got my first fairshare mug as a door prize and now have a few of them as they work so well. I like how the lid screws on tightly (can carry stuff securely in it) and how much it holds. I wrapped mine in foam to insulate it.

I got this as gift many years ago and never expected to love it as much as I do. It has a very simple, clean design which makes it easy to wipe off. The titanium has held up far better than any plastic ever would and of course, it is lightweight. I tied a small lanyard on mine so I can clip it off to a mug or out of the way in a cook tent.

High beam, low beam, durable, great price.

Works well for any and all things ski mountaineering related.

I love the Syncros for backcountry skiing. They can be unzipped for venting, worn alone, worn under shell pants, or worn around town after a great day of turns. A classic Mountain Hardwear piece!

Leather palms, trigger finger liners, durable, yet simple. Love it.

Trim and well thought out. Has everything you need in a day pack and nothing else.

Along with beacons, shovels and probes, a Suunto X6 wrist computer is an essential piece of backcountry equipment. I use mine every time I go out to track vertical and it often inspires me to take one more run just to round up my total to the next highest number. Suunto watches have a vast array of options, yet a simple menu layout which makes them easy to use. They are also incredibly durable and reliable, which is nice when they get dropped, sat on or accidentally abused.

Whippet uppers with carbon fiber lowers (made possible by using these adaptors) make for a nice, lightweight self arrest ski pole.

I've been skiing with Whippets since they first came out - actually, even before they came out as I designed them for BD many years ago (no, I don't get commissions or royalties on them!). I love using them because they are always there and you never know when you are going to have a small slip which could turn into a big slide. With Whippets, you can instantly plug them into the snow to stop a fall, or at least get your feet back underneath you. I use them as a pair - one in each hand. Another nice aspect of Whippets, especially for ski mountaineering is that they work well for ascending - I'm constantly using them in 4wd mode when booting up a chute and they greatly enhance your traction.

I Scarpa boot in general, and love the F3 in particular. For almost everything but the steepest of slopes, the F3 has ample control and can drive a mid-phat ski (95mm waist) in most conditions. The beauty of the F3 is that it is so light, reliable and tours so well that you can get many extra thousand feet of climbing (and thus, skiing) in per day. The bellows make it easy to walk in, the fit is legendary Scarpa (super-plush) and when combined with a Dynafit binding you can fly up hill.

Starting with the Scarpa Lazer, the Matrix continues Scarpa's line of perfectly balanced touring boots. I like this boot as it tours well, skis well, climbs well, is warm, comfortable, durable, a nice balance of weight vs performance and superb all-around boot.

You can't go wrong with any of the Dynafit bindings and the TLT Vertical is the latest and greatest. A cool aspect of the Dynafit bindings is that they are all share the same basic mechanism, but have differing degrees of creature comforts. In the case of the TLT Vertical, they have a greater range of adjustment, an easy to pull front tab, a nice heel lifter and are set up for integration with brakes. In true Dynafit fashion, they have done this without adding much weight and at the same time keeping the binding simple.

I got my first set of Dynafit bindings for racing and never expected to fall so completely in love with them! Like switching from old-style strap-in pedals on a bike to clipless pedals, your initial reaction is "Whoa! These things are ackward and fiddly!" but a week later, once you figure them out, you will never go back as they have so many advantages.

The TLT is the classic Dynafit binding and has been in the line for many years. They are the epitome of simplicity, and, much to peoples surprise, durability. I use to take an entire tool kit and many spare parts of other bindings on expeditions, but after six or more extended trips with Dynafits, all I take is a spare toe piece for the entire group (assuming everyone is on Dynafits, as they should be!). Even then, I've never had one break. As one of the bigger testiments to their burliness, a friend once hung unside down over a yawning crevasse for half an hour by his Dynafit toepiece - something no other binding could have done. As far as high release settings, another thing I love about Dynafits is that you can ski with the toe racheted up if you want to lock out the release, which is a nice feature for steep, committing terrain where you absolutely don't want your ski to come off. With other bindings, if you want this extra security you have to ski with it set on a high DIN all the time, which is not so great for general cruising.

The TLT's forte is minimum weight and maximum tourability. It doesn't have the adjustment range of the Vertical or Comfort and shouldn't be used with brakes as it wears the bearing out.

Within two years of using my first Dynafit binding, I had sold off or given away all other bindings and switched over to Dynafits exclusively. Not only that, but so has my wife and our ski locker looks like a Dynafit show room! About half of our Dynafits are Comforts as they have a good range of adjustment and are intended to be used with brakes. I like brakes for everyday skiing, but tend to go with removeable leashes (and thus the TLT Classic binding) for expeditions.

The biggest disadvantage of a phat ski for the backcountry is that they tend to be heavier. The heavier the set-up, the slower you go uphill, and thus the less skiing you get in for a day. Enter the K2 Mt. Baker Superlight - a fat ski which has been put on a weight diet. The MBSL is a blast to ski and floats through powder, chops up crud and eats up anything you can throw at it. I'm 5'10" and 145 lbs, so I like them in a slightly short size for the backcountry (167cm). I've used longer ones (174cm) as hybrid resort/BC ski and been happy with their stability on high speed groomers.

If you are looking for a ski Quiver of One, the Shuksan is an excellent choice. It works on steep, icy couloirs, powder, groomers, bumps, backcountry... whatever. Not only that, but it is incredibly durable and will last for years. There are lots of backcountry skis available nowadays, but few of them have reached the "Classic" status of the Shuksan due to its all around perfect geometry and blend of performance.

I've used Barryvox, Ortovox, Pieps and Tracker beacons over the last 15 years and liked them all without developing an attachment to any particular brand. Last year I had an opportunity to review the top six brands of beacons for Skiing Magazine under the assumption that they would be tested as a "normal" user uses them, ie; take them out of the package, turn them on and use them with little to no reading of the manual. Fortunately, I was in the market for a new beacon, so I had a personal interest in the results. I tested range, speed of a single search, ease of a multiple search, ease of use and how the harness fit. I didn't know what to expect, but I definitely didn't aniticipate the Pieps DSP to be such a clear winner in almost every category! It had by far and away the longest range (70 meters) and somehow eliminated the flux line arc which takes the searcher on a tangent before honing in on the victim. Instead, it was a direct bee-line to the victim. Single searches were no problem (as they are on most modern digital beacons) and the multiple search was very intuitive and accurate. I use a custom beacon harness, so I don't have any comment on the fit of the Pieps harness. Of the two Pieps models, I chose this one as it is the most basic - I want simplicity and durability out of a beacon and get temps and altitude from my watch.

Probes are not the place to cut corners and try to save weight - they need to be simple, quick to set up and reliable. I like this probe as it can survive a good, hard pounding without breaking. Other probes I've tested in hard snow (like automated beacon test sites) have bowed, bent and/or had the tensioning mechanism come loose. Not this one.

I originally thought this jacket might be too froo-froo for me, but after trying it on and wearing it for a few days, it has migrated to the front & center. It is a nice balance of warmth, comfort and weight, plus it works well on its own or as a layer.

This jacket holds its own amongst the Sundance Film Festival crowd! Sleek, stylish, warm, comfortable and legendary Mountain Hardwear quality.

The Beryillium is intended to be more of a climbing jacket, but I love it for backcountry skiing as it has perfect pockets, a nice set of features (without having too many) and the material is excellent. It has a nice loose fit which works well for hiking and helps make it breathable. I was skeptical at first about the lightweight fabric (Pro Shell), but am now sold on it - it breathes well and is durable. The hood is also very well designed and can be used with a helmet or folded back for use with a regular hat.

The Apache Recon was my first new pair of Alpine skis in about ten years (I mainly backcountry ski) and I couldn't believe how fast & furious they are. I felt like I should have a license or something to be eligible to use them. They slice through bumps, blast through the crud and annihilate any irregularities which get in the way. Laying down big phat arcs on the groomers is a blast as well. An excellent all around high performance ski.