I've been using Vasque for years, thinking that their fit was the best for my (narrow) feet. Sadly, on hikes longer than 5 miles I would always get sore spots which would eventually turn into blisters as the day went on. That, along with the occasional black toe nail, led me to believe that maybe those Vasques were not the ideal shoe for me. I bought these due to the generally rave reviews I had been reading, and after several summits I can safely say that all of those reviews were absolutely correct. These boots have absolutely NO break-in period. I did two 4000 foot ascents in 2 weeks and my feet felt relatively unfazed. Additionally, the grip is nothing short of spectacular. I never felt unsure of my step in these and would recommend them to anyone looking for a good, low-top boot.

That warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you get the gift of outdoor goodies from your loved ones? Well, it's now available in an e-mail. Don't think I've ever met anyone who DOESN'T love getting these.

My old bag was a Marmot Sawtooth 15. That bag got great reviews and was warm enough I guess, but it just didn't compare to the WM UltraLite. The Marmot weighed nearly twice as much as this thing. This bag has brought my base weight down to under 8lbs, and I can absolutely notice a difference. I don't even have to use my hip belt on shorter trips, my bag is so light now.

Other than weight, another great thing about Western Mountaineering is that their temperature ratings seem to be very accurate. I had used my Marmot bag in 20 degree weather before and was uncomfortably chilly in the morning. It got to about 25 where I was this past weekend and I was still extremely toasty, leaving me no doubt that this bag will go to at least its rated temp, if not even lower without problems.

I'm really not a hat wearing kind of guy, but I bought this hat anyway as I needed something to protect my face from the sun while rafting Westwater Canyon. First of all, the function: Like any other hat, it did its job at preventing my nose from shriveling up and frying off in the 110 degree heat. Additionally, it seems that the hat is somewhat water repellent. This worked great for scooping water up out of the Colorado and pouring it over my head without hardly any loss due to soak through and drip. Deal breaker if it didn't function like this? Not at all, but it sure was a nice perk. It might even help when you're wearing it on a rainy day.

The cons? None, really. The hat looks good, which is saying something considering I generally dislike hats like this. It's a simple design, a subtle color, and functions like it should. Given the price (cheeeap), I see no reason not to pick one of these up.

If you like belly shirts, then buy this shirt. Unfortunately, the fabric used with this shirt is more than sub-par when it comes to the quality I'm used to from BCS. You'd have to wash this by hand every time to keep the size even close to it's original, and that's simply unacceptable for a sub-$20 shirt.

Definitely worth the expense. Believe me, $55 for some locks is quite a bit cheaper than getting 3 new snowboards stolen while you're getting a beer at a 7-11.

These are very easy to install, just slip in the 'install key' and press into place.

Used these with the Fatcat6's on my Mazdaspeed6 for several months. The whole package works as it should, but aesthetically it's somewhat unappealing compared to competitor's offerings.

It holds plenty of cash and cards, and is stylish to boot. My only complaint is that, by making the 'inner wallet' removable, there's an extra tab included in the whole package that adds unnecessary weight and girth to the wallet. The minimalistic wallet inside is neat, but I don't see myself using it very often outside of the entire wallet, so the added bulk just ends up being extra cruft. The material is on par with other wallets in this price range, so if you've ever used a Vans or Nixon wallet before, this will feel very similar.

These shorts fit well and have plenty of space, but some of the features have definitely left me scratching my head. For one, the main pockets have flaps that snap closed. The flap doesn't seem to be sized properly, so it folds the fabric underneath a little when closed. When open, they flop around like an appendage more apt for clown pants.

Also, while not entirely the fault of poor material or anything, these shorts are MAGNETS to pet hair. While my clothes are never completely free of cat fur, these just seem to attract it several times more than other pants, even ones by the same company.

For the price, this shirt is spectacular. Similar to some of the stuff you can get at H&M, but the fit is a little better and the fabric just feels higher quality. It also has a good style: I'm a fan of the brighter colors and the 'larger squares' (not sure how else to describe), and the Kayak Blue version of this shirt fits the bill nicely.

These socks are comfortable enough and fit alright, but they just don't hold a candle to the SmartWool pHD's.

This shirt fits incredibly well (slim/athletic, size: M) and the fabric is very comfortable. I think it looks awesome too, which makes an all-around great shirt for a good price. Pretty cool that it's made mostly out of Bamboo, too.

Works great when on a perfectly flat, non-porous surface. Will not stick on surfaces such as a dash board, as it is both curved and has a strange texture. Make sure you test it real well before you go fast!

A haiku:

Warmth is hot choco
It is cozy and fuzziness
Spacecraft igloo hat

I've got a pretty slim build and this jacket fits just fine. It does run a little wider than, for example, the Stoic eVent, but it still fits fine.

Great shoes, comfortable too. I don't (or haven't yet) use them for trail running, but they're more than great and stylish for every day use.

I haven't personally worn this fleece, but I bought it for my brother and he loves it. Keeps him warm in the Chicago winters, but isn't too bulky for spring and fall.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this stove. It cooks great, doesn't use a lot of fuel, doesn't require pumping, and packs relatively small. Has helped make some amazing car-camping meals for me

Love these shorts. Fit perfectly (not too long, not too short, etc), high quality, and look great. Only complaint is that the button fell off within a two weeks of average use, but that's an easy fix.

Packaging is only in a foreign language, and the supplied battery was dead on arrival. The whole thing feels very cheap and doesn't work very well at all.

These shoes have excellent grip and are very comfortable, but they look too "skate-shoe" for me. Would be better if they were a bit slimmer instead of that fat, overpadded look.

These things aren't warm enough for anything besides Spring riding. And since they're so light, my foot tends to slide a bit now compared to more padded socks.

Very comfortable socks, but are not nearly as warm as a pair of super-thick Burton socks I bought a while back. Toes definitely got cold with these guys in about 7F weather. I don't think these work very well with anything below 20F.

The stretchiness of these pants really made them more comfortable than other trekking pants I've owned in the past. They're just the right length for zipping off the legs, and will endure a fair amount of abuse. They also don't hold an odor too well, so you can use them for extended trips without offending passerbys. Visually, they're a bit tight in the crotch area, but this doesn't result in any discomfort or constriction.

The M fits like a large. I bought the Tae Grey and felt like it made me look like a tool, but maybe I'm just not cool enough for the look.

I bought the largest size (XL) and was blown away with how large the unpacked size is. When folded, its smaller than a bundled up t-shirt and weighs next to nothing. Absorbs plenty of water to make you completely dry after a good shower. Just make sure you dry it out, it's no more or less immune to mildew than any other fabric out there.

I wasn't very impressed with the design: The belt has no wire through it and can be cut from behind easily. It twists incredibly easily and is hard to straighten out. It loosens on its own and must be tied down, which means you either have to untie a complicated knot every time you remove this thing, or just lift it over your head. There are no covers for the zippers. After a week or so, it absorbs a very uncomfortable amount of stink.

Complaints aside, I used this throughout China for 32 days. From trains to crowded hostels and guesthouses, it kept my RMB and passport safe and sound.

This thing does an awesome job protecting your sweet tent from sharp crap on the ground. It also can be used with the rainfly and poles to create the greatest UL experience ever.

The problem? The price. Fifty dollars for a piece of cloth, are you kidding me?

My recommendation? Buy a piece of Tyvek, cut it to size, and use that as a groundcloth instead.

Awesome for taking swigs of Sailor Jerry's while flyfishing deep in the Uintas. Not awesome for filling, as it does not come with any sort of funnel.

When I go backpacking with friends, I actually brag about how f-ing awesome these socks are. Seriously, everytime I put em on I am blown away by how perfectly they fit. They're also light, warm, durable, and beautiful. Yes, beautiful.

It's that good. Sturdy (enough), retains heat nicely, can be used directly on your little stove, and really really light. Buy now!

I went from the Mountain Hardware Meridian 1 to this tent. This tent is not only roomier, but probably half the weight as well. So far, I've used it in the Wind Rivers, Wasatch and the Uintas. No rain either time, but it keeps the bugs out nicely, ventilates fine even with the fly, and really weighs next to nothing.

Another awesome benefit: If you buy the groundcloth, you can forego the netting part of the tent and just use the fly, poles, and groundcloth for an ultralight, rain-proof alternative. It won't keep the bugs out, but when you're flying down the trail with your awesome UL setup, who cares?

The day after I bought this bag, there were two huge lines at the airport:

One for security
The other to get my number. Oh yeah

My main qualm with nalg's is that the mouthpiece is too damned big. This water bottle is, unfortunately, no exception. The bottle is high quality though, and the water tastes fantastic.

The deliciousness is just a guess, I haven't had to eat them just yet. But as for the rain and wind protection? Oh yeah, its got that.