Geoff K

these are great stuff sacks, nice and water proof, lightweight, and with the valves, it's easy to squeeze out air and pack clothes and such in really tight. I even used the small bag filled with air as a pillow in a pinch... wouldn't rely on it, but it worked. the medium and large bags are pretty huge compared to other stuff sacks I own, which makes for lots of consolidation, for better or for worse...

Just took 'em up for the first time on a late season trip. With the liners out, the gloves are pretty nice in warmer temps. (It was in the upper 40s/low 50s.) The liners are warm, but don't seem to be anything special. I do like the double draw strings to tighten them, and the design is pretty cool but also keeps the hands free enough to function well.

it's a comfy shirt with moderate insulation. works great for the late season or casual ware. only gripe is that the sleeves are cut pretty long, presumably because they have holes for your thumbs.

good for late season snow days or just something light to cut the chill. not a whole lot of insulation, so probably not great for winter ware.

you can work with a scraper and paper towels for days, you still won't get it as clean as a little soak with the cleaner. it's pretty much a must have if you're doing hot waxing. i've used the oneballjay cleaner before as well, this is pretty much the same stuff... haven't really noticed a difference.

These snowshoes work pretty darn well. The modular design allows for adding some longer tails for flotation. I used to use these and recently picked up a pair for someone as a gift, definitely never had any complaints about them. I now use the evo ascents, might suggest taking a look at them as well, the ascender bars do work really well. If you do a lot of climbing on your trips, they're well worth the extra cost.

I've been doing all my tuning and waxing at home for years, and used everything from chairs to foot stools to the more typical clamp/vises to hold my board... My back already thanks me. Nice and stable, holds the board at a comfy height, and the clamp holds nicely for working on edges. One oddity- the instructions it comes with are in Japanese ONLY. Fortunately, it's a pretty straight forward thing to use, so the lack of instructions is no big deal.

The evos are a reliable, versatile snowshoe at a great price. I used to have the denali classics and moved up to these guys, not a huge difference in terms of the traction, flotation, or straps, but those ascent bars have been a life saver on some steeper treks. It turns it from a nasty climb into more like walking up a stair case. I also like the fact that they break down with flotation tails so you don't sacrifice lift for the ability to fit them nicely on the backpack.

I picked this up when I was planning a couple of longer spring snow tours last season on a budget, and wanted more space than my nicer day / overnight bag could provide. It's got TONS of space so fitting all the snowboarding and camping gear was no problem, but it's not the most comfortable bag in the world. Definitely came home with sore shoulders both times. It also doesn't have any board carry, so I had to get a bit creative with lashing my board on. Also could use a few more outside pockets, but the top pocket and one outside pocket on back are both good sized and were able to fit most of the stuff I needed accessible. Just be prepared to rummage around a bit.

I used this bag last season on a few overnight snowboard tours, and was quite happy and warm. It's not the lightest bag in the world, and I wasn't a huge fan of the stuff sack it came with so I ended up picking up a nicer one separately. If you're looking for a 3 season bag on a budget, it should do the job quite nicely.

I used to have the voile tourlight probe until it got left behind on a camping trip. (oops.) Picked this up as a replacement, and I definitely like the weight. It sheds a few ounces compared to the voile, and despite being a bit shorter, is actually a little bulkier due to the diameter of the probe. At 230 cm, it should be plenty long for most recreational tours. I do like the locking mechanism on the voile as it feels more natural, but with some practice this one isn't bad at all. I also like the grip on the top of this probe, it's a very sand papery feel, but it makes it nice and easy to hold even with gloves on. Comes with a bright yellow case, should make it nice and noticeable for people prone to forgetting things like me. ;-)

I put one of these on an old board, and I've only really had a chance to mess around with it once, but everyone had a great time trying to ride this thing. I've seen video of people riding these well, but for us it was more like a mechanical bull... only a matter of time till it kicked you off, and usually with a comical result. It'll definitely take practice to get used to, but it's a lot of fun to mess around on. I've heard better things about the official "No Board" branded one than the Burton one, but I don't know how much of a difference it really makes...

I'm not so sure this is actually any better for an mtx board than the regular old dakine sharpener I had. If you have an mtx or btx board but don't have a sharpener, no harm in getting this one, but I wouldn't go out of your way to get this.

the image quality is pretty impressive for such a light weight camera. I used to have the Oregon Scientific one, and so far I like this way better. Gotta love the rechargeable battery, the mounts are nice and stable, and you can actually manually adjust some of the settings. (though that has to be done ahead of time on your computer.) The giant record button and laser sights make it really easy to use even though you can't see it. A great little toy over all!

While I honestly use my MSR's without the tails more often than with, the price is low, they go on quickly, and can definitely make a difference in the deep stuff. They don't take up too much room in the pack either. So... at this price, why WOULDN'T you get them if you already have the MSR Evos?

this jacket isn't the most waterproof or the warmest, but it's got a pocket for everything, is cool enough with the vents open to sport it on a sunny day and avoid scraped elbows, yet warm enough that with an extra layer you'll be plenty toasty. The cuff pass holder makes the velcro on one sleeve a bit comically over sized, but other than that I love the design.

I say should only because I've had the good fortune not to need it in an emergency yet, I've only used it for practice and to check snow depth, but it comes together in a snap, is light weight, and works well.

It's got all the stuff a recreational traveler needs to run quick tests, plus some handy quick guides in case your memory isn't all there that day, or you're out of practice. The inclinometer can be a bit finicky if you're trying to use it to site down a slope, but works great from a distance.

i only had this board for about 3 weeks before a snowboard rack failure saw to it's demise, but it was a LOT of fun to ride. The MTX works surprisingly well, and the board was a trooper. Not too heavy for it's size either, which if you're a trekker on snow shoes like me makes a big difference.

my favorite thing about these shoes is the versatility. I have the 10 inch extensions as well, and it great to be able to shorten these down on the spring days and lengthen them out for those heavy pow ones. Plenty of traction, the bindings hold well and fit every pair of boots i've thrown at them, and they make life easier off-piste. What more could you want?

This bag is the perfect size for those backcountry day trips. It has space for all the emergency gear you (should) carry; plus it's big enough to fit the extras. It has space for a camel back bladder, and has a few different waterproofed pockets for maps and a camera and such, and plenty of quick access spots for your emergency gear. Plus, it has the option to do horizontal or vertical carry for boards, which is always nice to have options so you can adjust for the situation.

i like these much better than fumbling with the twist locks, and they're VERY collapsible which is great for my snowshoe/snowboard combo to jam 'em in the pack on the way down. Also, compatibility with the black diamond flic loc saw is a plus for the snow fans.

don't have much too compare it against since this is my first beacon, but no complaints so far. I've tested it a few times with a friend who has the same beacon and the results seem good. Fortunately, I haven't had to really put it to the test, but I have faith based on initial results that it will do the job in the situation.

ignore the one bad incident listed by DPC, this board is great. I got the 168 for a pow boar principally, and it rides like a cadillac drives. It eats steeps and pow for breakfast, and carves magnificently. Certainly not an "every day" board, but when you feel like carving with style and riding some deep pow, this is a VERY solid choice.

These are my first pair of BOA boots, and I'm already in love with the dual boa system. So easy to put these things on, and reduces time standing bootless and freezing in the snow when getting ready to head up. The dual boas make it easy to adjust the fit for your foot. They're pretty stiff boots, so hiking in them can be a little awkward, but they ride very nicely. no slipping, plenty warm, comfy, and responsive.

just took mine out for a first ride and all i can say is... wow. it holds edges beautifully, has plenty of pop, and butters nicely. By far the most fun board to ride i've owned.

I bought these largely for tromping in the snow, and they're good for that. The traction and waterproofing are what i wanted. A couple points - they're not warm, so bring some toasty socks, and also i didn't see it here anywhere, but if you check oakley's website they say that there is "waterproofing on non-desert versions only", so buy accordingly.