Chris

Easily the most comfy shoe I own, even though I had to aggressively size them down to get a tight bouldering fit (that being said, i like my shoes TIGHT). I normally take a 40 or 39.5 in sportiva to get a tight fit, but these stretch significantly so I went all the way down to a 38.5. As a result, they're much more aggressive on the steeps than my anasazis, but just as comfy and supple. They offer ridiculous feel and precision on the rock, especially after they've molded to the exact shape of your feet. As someone that usually climbs in stiff, synthetic edging shoes, these are a dream like change of pace when precision is key.

Even if I wanted to, I would be hard-pressed to find any complaints about this jacket. It's cut perfectly for athletic purposes on my 6'0" 175 lb frame (I took a large), PACKED with high quality down, and boasts impressive fabrics that are highly water and wind resistant while still light as a feather. (Full disclosure though: I didn't keep it, because Montane's north star jacket is nearly the same quality, but over $100 less.) You won't look like the most stylish hombre on the block, but you'll be psyched to have this jacket in your pack in alpine conditions to well below zero.

I've been trying to pick out a puffy since the end of last winter, when my jealousy of all those cloaked in down-y goodness reached a breaking point. Since then, I've been searching for a light, athletic, multi-purpose hooded jacket that could take me from cold weather bouldering to alpine mountaineering, and somehow look steazy around town at the same time. Turns out that this was a nearly impossible combo of factors to find within one jacket, and only now have I found the solution. The finish on this jacket is superior to most, with 200g of high-quality down and light but durable water resistant nylon outer fabric. It's definitely a basically simple design, without any interior pockets or many bells and whistles - it does however have a reformable wire-brim hood, a nice touch, and an additional draw cord that can cinch the jacket in at the lower back. I'm not sure when exactly that would come in handy, but it's there nonetheless. What REALLY sets this jacket apart, though, is that apparently someone at Montane misplaced a decimal point when doing their math, because the jacket is in the same league as jackets priced $100 more. I'm waiting for the company to realize their mistake and tack another c-note on to the price, because this is an unbelievable value. I originally bought a Rab Neutrino jacket, which is recognized as the benchmark for multipurpose alpine down jackets, and the apparent quality of the two is pretty much on the same level, while the Rab is a full $110 more. The Montane has only 25g less insulation, and seemingly comparable fabric, but looks exceedingly more stylish.
The only complaint I have about the Montane is the back length - I'm 6'0" and 175 lbs, and the large fits perfectly everywhere but the back, which reaches all the way under my butt, easily 4 or 5 inches longer than the Rab. This isn't a serious problem, and I haven't read about any similar complaints, but around town this might look a little silly, and covers the all-important butt pockets that house my wallet and cell phone. Overall though, this is an INCREDIBLE deal on a high quality, technical, stylish jacket at prices you would expect to see on crappy LL Bean gear.

I was excited for a nice wool layering piece that could do double duty as a nice looking jacket so I don't have to always wear a technical softshell. However, the collar on this thing is very poorly-conceived. It goes up to my mouth when zipped up fully, but is tight like a turtle neck; consequently, I would have had to leave it open down to the bottom of my neck constantly, which just makes it look like a silly fashion sweater for women. Also, the raw edge on the hood doesn't look so hot. I'm 6'0 175 lbs, and the fit was pretty slim, so keep that in mind. Overall good quality of construction, however, just a very impractical fit.

Suuuuuch a nice shirt, it just sucks that they did a terribly job with the sizing. It's athletically-cut though, so after it shrinks a good deal in a couple washes, the bottom is tight enough to grip right below the belt line so it doesn't look that long. If that isn't enough, just cutting off a couple inches and re-hemming it is simple enough, especially if you have a good woman in your life. The material is crazy soft, pleasantly thicker than most t's, and jalapeno is a sweet color, just like in the pictures. Oh yeah, I'm 6' 175 lbs.

Super breathable, super stretchy, and super comfy. It has a long cut for snow-beating security, and just great fit for us lanky gents. On top of that, Patagonia is one of the most customer-friendly businesses around; if at any time you decide you don't like your product, you can return it no questions asked. My advice? Buy two: one to sweat in and get dirty, and the other for swanky around town wear. Also, bonus for getting rid of the offset zipper, which I didn't like so much.

You just can't kill these things! Right out of the box they require no breaking in to be super comf. I'd recommend sizing up if you have a wider foot, since these seem to be geared towards narrower feet. Oh! and if your heel has a tendency to wander off your flips, or just biases to one side normally because of your gait, these have a wonderful cradle that keeps your flips glued to your heel.

I tried these on at my local boot fitters the other day. Though I will say they were comfy for my high volume arch, where I have a lot of pressure on my instep usually, I couldn't say these were a good value. For the high price, the boot was a little too flexy for a 100 rating. I feel like you're paying for extraneous features, like over-engineered buckles and graphics. If money isn't an object, however, and you want a boot with more like a 90 flex rating, then this one would be just dandy.

I found that the Tecnicas over rate their flex indexes, so if you're looking for a specific flex, I would suggest subtracting 10 to get a better idea of how stiff the boot is. The Dragon 120, for example, felt only a little stiffer than my Lange Fluid 100's

I was pretty pumped to grab this off SaC, but when I got it was a mite disappointed. If you're used to athletic-cut gear like Arcteryx to fit your slim and/or lanky frame, I'd steer clear of this one, as it's cut to stockier proportions. Also, the pocket seams are so awkwardly placed that it made my 6' 175 lb. frame look like I have a gut, though these don't show up in the pictures. However, it seemed well made and cozy, so if you've got a broader build you'd probably be happy with it. Oh well - with Steep and Cheap it's often a gamble, but more often a reward!