I use this backpack mainly for commuting on my roadbike. For the first time in all of my reviews I really have nothing bad to say about a product. I used to think camelbaks were pointless considering waterbottles seem to do the job flawlessly until I had to drop some cash on a new daypack and I thought i'd give this one a shot. I now feel that it is the perfect day-pack/school-pack/gym-pack for MANY reasons.

Back ventilation is amazing with the "air director" tunnels. Even when I am pumping hard up hills my back gets a great air flow.

I never knew that drinking from a camelbak was so easy, and when I fill up the bag with hot water for my very cold morning bike rides to work the water is still warm by the time i am done with work.This thing has more organization than i could ever ask for and it is possible to load it up heavily (full water reservoir, work clothes, huge lunch for work, cable lock, work shoes, a raincoat, a fleece sweater and still room to spare) if needed because of the expanding area between the main compartment and the front compartment.

What really got me were the small details like Velcro on the straps to keep the straps rolled up and out of the way.

I love this pack, it is super comfy and definitely built to high standards.

I wouldn't catagorize these boots as boots. They are more like the spawn of some hi-tech shoes and a tank. They have a sole that is a lot thinner and a rise around the ankle that is a lot shorter than almost all of the hiking boots i've owned or tried on. But this is exactly what I was looking for because it allows me to feel the terrain under my feet and the lower rise doesn't lock in as much heat as taller rising boots. The tank part of these "boots" comes in when I talk about the outer leather and the hardcore rubber surrounding the boot. I beat the heck out of these things and NOTHING happens to them. With all of that toughness on the outside one would think these hand out a new blister every mile. Well I am happy to say that that does not happen and that these are the most comfortable boots that I have ever owned in my life. They fit my feet sooo perfectly. Maybe I just got lucky but it is like they were made for my feet, they feel like an extension of my body instead of a boot that I take on and off, haha. My feet do sweat like mad in these but my feet sweat like mad even in sandles so I am not holding that against Merrel. I wear size 11.5 and they are perfect. To give you guys some comparisons I wear size 11 Nike running shoes, size 10.5 La Sportiva climbing shoes, size 10 Vasqe hiking boots, and size 11 Speedo water shoes. I love these "boots"!!!

This hat easily keeps my head and neck in the shade. The brim is very wide and stiff so it stays where it is most needed. The mesh around the top of the head really lets the hot air out on those marches up the steep trails. It does exactly what it was made for, keeping me cool. Unfortunatly I think it looks stupid. It looks like i'm wearing a plate with a hole cut out in the middle; it looks like a drill sergeants hat. But it works! 4/5

The main reason why I bought this jacket is for the fit. I already had two rain jackets but one is too short (a medium Columbia) and the other is too loose and roomy (a large WhiteSierra). I'm a tad over 6'2" and weigh 175 lbs and the large Marmot Oracle fit me nearly perfect. Awesome arm and waist length but not too loose and baggy on the chest or armpits. I bought it in the winter because it was on sale and I found myself wearing this with a fleece zip up hoody to college everyday because I could easily throw it in my bag unlike my big winter coat. It worked awesome as a shell in the winter but now that summer is here it works even better. The fabric on the inside feels awesome on the skin. Even when I start sweating the fabric doesn't feel wet, it just feels, um... smooth. It was a little wierd at first but I like it now. The pitzips are nice and big, i like the lightweight fully mesh pockets, and the hood is very protective. I love wearing this jacket!!!

This is the first marmot product I owned that I don't love with 100% of my heart. One reason being that the fly droops over the door and touches the netting. I had the tent guyed out perfectly and still no luck. Fortunatly it didn't seem to cause any problems. Yes, if you wiggle the tent hard, condensation will drip from the fly through the netting but the same thing would happen if the fly wasn't touching the netting. I suppose I could say that the tent is a tad shorter than I expected (i'm 6'3) compared to all of the head room in there, it is huge inside. I felt like a king in a castle when I used it on a solo trip. The tent is extremely sturdy when fully guyed out and it is insanely easy to set up. One last negative though, with such a big comfy tent I expected the vestibule to be bigger. 3 stars because I hold marmot to higher standards. UPDATE - Getting in and out of the tent during (and after) a down pour is a very wet process because it is almost impossible to get out without jiggling rain off of the top onto your body. However, I broke the first rule of setting up a tent and set it up where water pooled to about 1.5 inches and the bottom of the tent was like a waterbed but not one drop leeked through.

When I first tried on these boots they were extremely uncomfortable. They seemed too narrow and they felt very solid and unforgiving. But I was able to buy them for 75% off at the store I work so I figured I could use an extra pair of hiking boots. I've been breaking them in at work for about 2 weeks now and I find them oddly comfortable. But by the end of a 9 hour day I do start to notice the lack of cushion inside the boot. It feels like standing on a big slab of rubber. These boots would be awesome for backpacking in really rocky areas but IMO they would get annoying on light hikes. They are good boots but not the best at this price range.

For how much it weights you wouldn't think this thing would last very long but if you figure out how to efficiently use it you'd be surprised at how many meals you can cook with just one little light weight can. A friend and I used this to cook our meals for three days in a row and it still has some life left in it. The only trouble is that I don't think there is a way to know how much fuel is left inside.

This is my first helmet that i've ever owned and I love it. When I first put it on I didn't think it would keep my head warm but to my surprise it did a great job at warming my head. And yet it doesn't get too hot on warm days. It actually doesn't make sense to me because no matter what the temperature this helmet is never too hot or too cold. It is really comfortable and it feels SO GOOD when you smack your head and your laying on the ground thinking "MAN it was a smart idea to wear a helmet".

This thing easily fits into any pocket and it is really light weight (and it won't stab you if you crash and fall on it). Unfortunatly it doesn't work well in temperatures below zero and even when it does lock it doesn't give much safety because I forgot the combination to it once and I took some kid safe scissors and cut through the cord in like 10 seconds.

I bought the dragon dx goggles cuz I think they have a sick shape and I easily give them 5 stars for looks. As for performance: they of course do a great job of keepin the snowfall out of my eyes and they have never once fogged up on me so I really have nothing to complain about. They are simple goggles that just get the job done.

These are the first pair of climbing shoes that I have ever owned so performance wise I don't have much to compare them too. But I have indeed tried on many other types of climbing shoes and these are BY FAR the most comfortable I have worn. The 3 straps lock my feet in REALLY tight and I still don't feel discomfort. I'm size 11 in Nike, size 11.5 in merrel, size 11.5 in salomon, and I bought 44 in la sportiva and they fit perfect.

I understand that this had to be smaller than the floor of the tent so that rain wouldn't collect on it but it is so small that if you are using just the footprint and fly there is only enough room for one person to fit on the footprint. And when using it under the tent floor it really doesn't protect that much of the floor. The only good thing about this is that it doesn't weigh much at all.

Lol, I don't understand why they call this "whisperlite" cuz it is freaking loud. But oddly enough, the jet engine sound was quite warming on my first solo winter hike because it told me that soon my belly would have a warm meal inside it. I've only used white gas so far and I haven't had a single problem, it does get a little sooty but that is expected. If I was forced to name a negative it would be that there isn't much control over the flame, it could be that I just haven't used this enough but turning the gas control doesn't change much. I left this setup outside over a -10 degree night, I woke up in the morning to see it covered in frost, I turned the gas on, lit it, and a few moments later I was melting snow. This thing is rock solid and i love it.

There is no special bells and whistles, it is just a compact lightweight tool which is exactly what i was looking for. It is awesome for top of the mountain adjustments. This thing never leaves my coat unless i'm tightening a binding or adjusting a strap.

This chalk does its job too well. Climbing with this chalk has dried my hands out to the point where a fellow co-worker was disgusted with my cracked fingers. I used to just dump it from the plastic bag into my chalk bag so I was able to plaster my hands pretty well with the stuff and that may have something to do with the extreme dryness of my hands. But either way it does its job and I don't have to worry about sweaty slippery hands.

I really don't understand why anyone would buy a headlamp other than this one. It is so light I forget it is on my head (camping this winter I pulled off my beanie and for a moment I couldn't figure out why it got dark until I remembered I had the headlamp on over my beanie). It is very easy to use (4 light modes just by pressing 1 button) and it is only $25! IMO the highbeam is so bright that I don't understand why a person would need anything brighter? I love it.

This is a great stove for anyone getting into backpacking. It is easy to work with (basically just connect it to a fuel can and light it), it is cheap in the shortrun (in the long run a white gas stove is cheaper, you can buy a gallon of white gas for the same price of two little 4 oz bottles), it is extremely light weight (and small!), and it burns without making all of the cooking equipment black with soot. This is the best summer stove that I've used.

IT IS WONDERFUL! I love my spork as much as ancient warriors loved their swords. I use this ultralightweight beast to DEVOUR my meals. And of course the little goat on the spork lets me represent the GREATEST store in the world --> backcountry.com!!! And on a more technical note, the spork is really strong, I don't understand how something so thin doesn't bend or break.

Filtering water was always one of the most annoying things to do while backpacking. I'd have to hold a bottle while making sure a tube stays in it with another tube in the water and then trying to pump water on top of all that. When I went backpacking with a newbie who bought a brand spanken new water filter (msr miniworks) I fell in love and had to go out and buy myself the same filter the second I got home. It is so easy, just screw it onto the top of your bottle, hold the thing in water and start pumping. It was the fastest water pump I had used, but after filling about eight 32 oz bottles it started trickling and took like 10 minutes just for half a bottle of water. As soon as we figured out it was the filter we gave it a tiny scrub with the included scrub brush and BOOM it was working perfectly again. Read the manual and this thing won't let you down.

The only reason why I gave this three stars is because the price sucks. Other than that this filter beats all other filters that I have owned. It is extremely fast and makes some super clean (and tasty!) water. Sometimes I have to clean the filter after every single 32 oz bottle that I fill but cleaning it is so easy that I don't even consider this a negative towards msr.

Well, since these are the only fuel bottle option for my whisperlite international I of course had to buy one. They are TOTALLY leak free, I left the bottle tipped over on some papers for a few days before a trip on accident and there wasn't a single drop on the papers. Word of caution though, if you are using this in the winter take off your gloves before you open it because it shoots a burst of gas and your gloves smell like gas the rest of the trip.

I was just lookin for a cheaper backpack with a skate carry and laptop pocket for college but this thing gave me more! The laptop compartment is super padded so I don't worry about my lappy getting bruised and the bag is actually water resistant, water droplets just glide right off the fabric so I don't have any worries about a sudden downpour drenching my books. Oh, and the zippered cell phone pocket on the strap is SO nice cuz I know it won't fall out when i'm riding my motorcycle yet it is easily accessible. Love it!

three negatives are 1. it's a bit heavier (but for this price you HAVE to sacrifice something) 2. the poles don't slide through the sleeves very well 3. the floor space is tight, two thermarests barely fit side by side but there is lots of room above the head and below the feet.

I love this thing cuz it is built solid, it has plenty of vents and it could take on a hurricane. Just make sure to guy it out properly and you are good to go. I also like the color ALOT, i don't know why everyone is hating on the color. More expensive tents are probably better but I doubt you can beat this tent at $240

Once I learned how to use this bottle on the go it became my best friend. It is very gentle on the teeth while trying to run cuz I'm not trying to smash a hard plastic bottle tip into my mouth. Only reason why I gave it 4 stars is because the bottle doesn't last very long, I get like 5 sips out of it and it is magically empty. Other than that it is GREAT for short distance trail runs.

I hold two of these on my pack and they get HEAVY when filled to the brim. But water is a main priority when backpacking so I can't complain about that. These things rock! They seal 100% tight without a drip of water. They work with the msr miniworks which imo is the most convenient waterfilter on the market and they are wide enough to use as a pee bottle in the winter when you just don't want to go outside in the middle of a -20 degree night to pee. If they ever break in the future i'll be buying them again.

This is by far my favorite board that I have owned and even the funnest board I have ridden. I ride mainly rails/boxes and do a lot of buttering and this board takes everything that I dish out. My favorite thing about the board is the pop, BUTTERING IS JUST SO FUN WITH THIS BOARD! My only complaint is that the graphics are already wearing off the top? But that doesn't ruin performance so five stars.

I gave this binding 5 stars based on the price. There are definitely better bindings out there but not for this price. These things rock, my two favorite features are the rotating highback which makes presses ALOT simpler cuz the highback won't get in the way of your bent boots and of course the cap style toe strap which sucks my boots into the heel cup nice and snug. My only complaint is that the toe cap should be slightly bigger because after lots of riding it wiggles up and out of place on the lead foot. But fixing this is as simple as undoing and retightening the strap. They are wonderful bindings.

All of the other compasses in this price range were lacking declination adjustment and that is why I went with this one. The color is sick and it seems to be strongly built. It even has little glow-in-the-dark dots so you can read it in pitch black dark (although I don't know why you'd be hiking in the dark without some form of light). And on top of all that it gets me to my destinations so i'm happy.

A tad small. I only boulder so I'm just using them to hold my gear onto my bag. They definitely work as gear holders and I think it would be impossible to scratch them so I'm happy.

I'm a light backpacker and have used the thermarest z-lite up until now. The little bit of extra weight is worth the 160% MORE cushion that this pad offers. The pad got rid of all the uneccesary weight by being 20inches wide and tapered at the feet. A fantastic night's sleep is definetly worth the little extra weight. (i'm a side sleeper and the bag works for winter backpacking too)

Thermarest should offer these free with the pad, but since they don't I bought one and it was a great investment. This is much better than struggling with tying the pad to your pack with straps.

I no longer have to struggle with tying the rolled up pad to my pack with straps. The pad fits into it easily and the convenience is totally worth the extra 1.8oz in your pack.

This thing weighs next to nothing and packing it is as easy as picking it up and attaching it to your pack. However I always woke up in the mornings feeling not totally rested so I ditched it. Works great for an extra pad during winter camping.

Winter backpacking with these is like winter backpacking with a 11.6 oz heated floor. I love them. It is so nice to get back to camp and whip these COMFY booties on. They are nice and tight against the ankle so no powder gets inside of them and I just can't believe how warm and dry they stay. I'm hooked on these things. (I wear 11.5 in Merrel and got the XL)

It seems to be well built and it doesn't tip over when sitting on the ground so i'm happy.

I'm 99% sure that you can't get a better bag for the price. I just got done testing the bag in my backyard here in duluth mn on an 8 degree night. I wore an acrylic stocking cap, 1 wool sweater with a thin polyester longsleeve shirt underneath, jersey pants with midweight fleece pants, and just my polyester hiking sock liners. (slept on a prolite thermarest). The only reason why I didn't sleep well is because I was stressing that I would wake up in the middle of the night without feeling in my toes but I slept comfortably warm.

All 4 summer trips i slept with the bag totally zipped open.

Great bag for the money. I'm 6'2" / 170 lbs and don't have any feelings of constriction. I've only slept about 9 nights in this bag, none below freezing, and I have yet to sleep a night where I don't wake up and unzip the bag all the way because i'm so hott in it. In my opinion, the bag is very light, but then again i'm a young energetic kid so others may feel differently. Seems like great quality, and i'm lovin it for the price.