Eric Miller

I bought this shirt and I love it! I now wear it more than any of my other shirts. Unlike other merino shirts this one doesn't itch, at all (it's a higher quality merino than what others use). The performance is awesome, it keeps me dry, keeps me from being smelly. When I first got it I wore it running everyday for over a week before I washed it. Each day when I'd put it on the smells from the previous day were gone.

Some say the sizing is off, I don't really think so. I'm 6'0" and 175 lbs. I wear a large in other brands and a large Backcountry.com Merino Crew fits me nicely. The sizing is a little slimmer than other brands so if you are in between sizes I'd go with the larger size.

Since it is merino it take a little longer to dry than synthetic shirts, but the fact that it feels better when on and doesn't hold odors more than makes up for that.

So far after about 3 months of use and close to a dozen washes, there are no signs of wear. I will be replacing all my synthetic shirts with these merino shirts. They really are the best merino shirts you can get.

Overall this Cocona wicking shirt by Backcountry.com is awesome. It keeps you dry, cool, and it has good durability. I agree with the review by Chris Davenport, the fit, mainly the arms, is a little strange. The underarm seam is a little high so it feels tight when you first put it on. I noticed this when I first put it on but haven't ever noticed it while running, hiking, biking, or playing ultimate frisbee.

The one downfall is the cocona fabric does hold odors like synthetic fabrics, however, it doesn't linger after washing.

Durability is strong. I've worn this shirt all summer long and it doesn't show any signs of wear and tear.

I'd buy another one for sure.

This light is clean, simple, and straightforward. Hard to beat for the price. I bought this light as a second rear light for the dark winter months when motorists aren't use to seeing bikes on the road.

PROs - Like everyone else has said, this light is bright. The inside reflector really helps throw the light. In addition to the three main LEDs, there two very small lights on each side of the light giving additional visibility to the sides. Battery life is long (still running strong after daily use on my commute). The light is durable, I dropped it a few times without the case shattering or the lights breaking.

CONs - Single, non-flashing mode. Sure some say that flashing lights might not increase visibility, but I like to have the option. The other con is the light comes with a 'clip' so you can slide it onto a pack strap, pants pocket, etc (that part is a pro). The con is the clip is part of the rear half of the case (read: permanently attached to the case of the light - see the third detail product view to see this). It is also the connector to the seatpost clamp. If the clip breaks the light can't attach to the clamp and you're left with a rear light that can't attach to anything. This happened to me, I tried gluing it back together but it kept breaking. The light does come with a lifetime warranty, but then you're without a light while you send it back.

Overall, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. I'd recommend this light to anyone looking for a solid, durable, bright rear light.

I use this lock on a daily basis to lock my commuting bike. Very simple to use and is beefy. I haven't had to worry about my bike at all like I used to with my old cable lock. It comes with two keys, which is a definitely bonus. The keyhole also has a sliding cover to help keep water out, reducing the chance of it icing over in cold, wet weather or getting rusty. I've used it everyday for the past 6 months (in the heat, rain, and snow) and it's held up. There isn't a single bit of rust and rubber cover doesn't have any wear. The lock is heavy, but that's to be expected with a solid lock. Bottomline: solid lock and great price. I would recommend it to anyone.

I used these gloves for everything from skiing to bike commuting to shoveling the driveway to touring and the glove was awesome for everything. It is definitely a cold weather glove. I wore it on a couple of commutes with temps in the high 30s/low 40s and my hands got a little too warm. On moderate days they were a little too warm to wear when skinning but were perfect for the turns down.

It does have ample insulation to keep your hands warm on the cold days yet is dexterous enough to do small tasks like pulling zippers, adjusting boots, applying skins, etc without feeling like your doing with boxing gloves on.

I haven't applied the Nikwax treatment yet and haven't had any problems with the gloves getting wet or cold.

On one of the palms the stitching of the pad started to come undone a little but a little trimming stopped it from completely unraveling.

I'd recommend this glove to anyone who likes to play outside during the cold days of winter.

I bought the North Face Nuptse down vest for my wife and she absolutely loves it. She normally wears a size small and I ordered her a small and it fits her perfectly. She also loves the cut, it's flattering to wear, but is still comfortable. Her favorite feature is that the zipper goes all the way up (her old down jacket only zipped up to the collar, not all the way). She's also a fan of the soft lining. There isn't anything about this vest that she doesn't like.

I've had the Interlock Trace for about a month now. The Interlock lens changing system is far superior to the Slider system. The Interlock is easy to use and makes lens changes quick. The polarized lens are a great addition to the glass. The clear mirror and ignitor lenses are better than the rose and yellow lenses of old. I use the ignitor lens for low light situations almost as much as I use the polarized lens for on bright days. The temple pieces have rubber grips which help hold the sunglass in place while biking, running, or ski touring. I am 100% happy with these sunglasses and would recommend them to anyone.

These are the best, most comfortable flip flops ever made. I've tried everything from $4 foam flops to Reefs and they all pale in comparison to these.

The Chaco footbed hugs the contours of your foot for all day comfort. I've walked miles in the Flips without experiencing any foot fatigue.

I was a little leery of the fabric they use to go between your toes. At first it felt coarse but I have not experienced any problems with it.

I'm going on three years with my first pair and they are still holding strong.

This hat is pretty cool. It has a comfortable fit and looks rad. My only complaints are the buckle adjustment and the hat is a little shallow and doesn't fit "deep" heads very well.

I actually picked these boots up for my wife. She has a small foot and these boots fit her better than any of the women's specific boots she tried on.
The jury is still out on how long they'll last though. I have some concerns over the plastic buckles and lack of adjustability other than the buckles.
Overall they have been a good boot and worth what we paid for them.

Hands down the most comfortable pair of footwear I've ever owned. I've been a Chaco wearer for over 6 years. I wear these sandals 9 months out of the year.
The new Unaweep sole is awesome! It makes the sandal lighter than past models and is more versatile. It does well on trail and in the water.
I will definitely wear these for many years to come.

These shorts were super comfy to run in. The inner short worked well for wicking and definitely kept me chafe free. The inner short did keep in the heat a little, but definitely was cooler than wearing a separate piece would. The stash pocket in the back is a little hard to get into and won't hold anything larger than about 2 gel packets. You might be able to squeeze a Clif Bar in it. Overall I've been pleased with these shorts and would consider picking up another pair.

I've worn these pants a lot since I purchased them, but have only had a couple chances to climb in them. So far they have held up great. They are great for climbing. They have a loose fit, not restrictive at all, and move great when climbing.

This shoe is great in cold weather and/or wet conditions. This shoe has a great fit. The stretch tongue is great. It doesn't rub and doesn't slip off to the side. Although the shoe is made of the breathable Gore-Tex XCR, these shoes do not breathe well enough for hot conditions. When I first got the shoes I ran in about 70 degree weather and my feet got too hot. However, I have used these on many snowy, winter runs and my feet have been just fine. These shoes are truly waterproof. I have no worries about wet feet while running through the snow, shallow river crossings, and mud. The sole offers great traction in all conditions. Overall I am pleased with this shoe.

I have been surprised at how much I use this multi-tool. I keep it on my keys so it is almost always handy. I've used it multiple times for cutting fingernails at the crag, tightening loose sunglass screws, and trimming flappers. It is a great multi-tool to have in a pinch.

This is a good harness. If you plan on taking other people climbing who don't have their own harness, this is a good one to get. Just be sure to get the size that will fit most of your friends. It is easily adjustable and you get the quality of Black Diamond.

What's better than the gift of gear? A gift certificate! Give that gear junkie the gift of picking their gear. This is a great gift for the person who already has everything or those who are hard to shop for.

If you don't have the coin to drop on a Suunto, this watch is a good alternative.

This watch gets the basic functions down. The altimeter is fairly accurate when it is calibrated to a known elevation before use. The altitude log does a good job of tracking total ascent and descent. The compass is good for getting a general idea of your bearing. I have yet to use the ski chronograph so I cannot comment on its function. I have also only dabbled a little with the barometer.

The thing I wish this watch could do is link to a computer so I could download trip or lap information for easier tracking of training.

All in all I am pleased with this watch and will use it for many years to come.

This helmet has it all! It is comfortable, easy to adjust, and has great ventilation. Some climbers have commented on it being a heavy helmet but the weight doesn't bother me at all. With the helmet on I didn't really notice the difference in weight between this and the Elios or the BD Half Dome.

This helmet has so far successfully deflected a few small falling rocks and a couple of bumps against the wall without any damage to the helmet.

I would recommend this helmet to anyone!

The combination of the water bottle and the gel flask is great! I use this on all of my shorter runs (use a hydration pack on longer runs).

My initial concern of the gel flask falling out was quickly put to rest. The flask sits snugly in its holder.

The mouth piece on the water bottle is easy on the teeth when opening, it's easy to close and it doesn't leak.

One considersation that didn't occur to me is that having the bottle on your hand at all times quickly heats the liquid inside to the temperature of your hand. This of course can be combatted with ice, but if you are going on longer runs, your water might be warm by the end.

All factors considered this combination is great to stay hydrated and fueled on any run.

The things that stand out the most to me about this headlamp are its size, weight, and brightness. It weighs next to nothing and is incredibly bright for its size.

I have used this for trail running a couple times and it does a fairly good job. The unit is fairly big compared to the headband; when you're running it bounces up and down making it somewhat hard to see. The battery life on this is also short.

Good socks. They provide good support and plenty of cushioning. So far I haven't gotten any blisters wearing these socks, even when they are soaked. I think these are a little heavy for hot runs, but they are bearable in the heat. These Smartwool socks are durable, I have had one pair for about a year and they are still running strong.

I like these Black Diamond lockers. They provide the security of a locker but at a low price. I use these for most of my locker needs. The one big downfall to these is the nose sometime catches on slings, gear, etc. If you can spare the extra money seriously consider the Positron or another locker with a keylock nose. I have been happy with my Quicksilver lockers and won't be replacing them anytime soon.

These Camp USA Tri Cams definitely have their place. They work great in horizontal placements and in many cases will fit in placements where passive pro or cams won't. The four smallest sizes are the most useful (pink, brown, red, and blue). Any placements bigger than those and you should be able to get something else in. The larger tri cams are heavy and you might as well buy Camalots.

This Timbuk2 sleeve offers great protection for your laptop. It is big enough to fit your laptop and that is about it. There isn't a pocket for your power cord, I have to cram mine in with the laptop. This is a great option if you plan on using this inside another bag. There is a small outer pocket that is good for iPod cords, USB drives, or other small objects. Other than no power cord pocket I am happy with this laptop sleeve.

These socks are amazing. I can't believe how much performance you get out of such a thin sock. These socks are perfect for runs or hikes in hot weather. They provide plenty of protection against blisters, but the thinness helps keep your feet cool. I was also surprised by the amount of support the socks gave. I originally thought the socks would have durability issues with how thin they are, but they are still going strong after three months of use. Since I currently only have one pair, I wear them a couple times a week. I will definitely be getting more of these socks.

This is a great rope. My favorite thing about the rope is the ARC (bi-pattern) sheath. There is no question about where the middle of the rope is. This is extremely useful when rapping multi-pitch routes. I have used this for sport and multi-pitch trad routes. So far it has caught about five or six big, sport lead falls with no problems. This rope is lightweight enough for long routes or redpoint attempts, but isn't so skinny you'd be scared to fall on it.

It is hard to beat Black Diamond when it comes to cam designs. This is a great package. If you are looking to get your set first cams, round out your current rack, or double up on the most used sizes, I recommend this package. Along with getting the best cams (IMHO) you get the quality and reputation of Black Diamond.

These boxer briefs are incredibly nice. They provide plenty of support, are comfy, and help wick away moisture. They are extremely from fitting which is nice. They fit well enough that chafing isn't a problem. The material is extremely stretchy. I wear mine while trail running and movement isn't restricted at all. During hot weather they might be a little too warm, so I hope to see a lighter weight version in the future.

What I like most about these snowshoes is the solid construction. I like the idea of the hard platform, there is no vinyl to rip in the future. The traction bars are great, no problems on hardpack. The bindings are easy to adjust, even with gloves on. I love the versatility of the shoes, short for hardpack days and when it snows you have two options for more float with the 4" and 8" flotation tails. The one drawback to this shoe, no "heelavator" for steep ascents. All-in-all, a solid snowshoe that will outlast all vinyl platform shoes.

These poles are extremely affordable and are very durable. I have been completely satisfied. These poles are great for off piste hiking or resort access OB. The flick-lock is bombproof and provides easy, fast adjustment. To test it out, I locked the pole and then put all of my weight on it and it did not slip at all! By far the best locking mechanism on the market!

If you find that you will be using your BD poles mainly for resort riding, I would go with the Powder Baskets. They provide a little more surface area to keep from completely punching through on deep days. Great low price to pick a spare pair.

This glove is thin, but extremely warm. I wear them alone while skinning, they are extremely breathable and provide just enough warmth to keep my hands from sweating too much. The glove is thin enough to fit inside my outer gloves. They are also a good glove for running, driving, and for walking around town. The only downfall is no sticky grip on the fingers. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this glove and would strongly consider getting another pair when they wear out.

This probe is long! I was surprised how small this probes packs when broken down for how long this probe is. It is surprisingly light for having so much metal. Easy to put together, just give a toss, a pull, and a little shake and it comes together nicely. I like how it clicks when the probe is secured. I went with the long probe because if I ever have to use it, which I hope I don't, I want the longest one possible. I don't want length to be an issue if someone is buried. I know debris piles can be extremely deep, but with a long probe, depth is less of an issue.

These pants are wicked tough. No problems with restricted movement when trekking. Good construction, Patagonia quality, definitely worth the dollars.