Matt Hart

the first think you will notice with this tank top is how good it feels to put on. it's soft. the added benefit there is that it won't chafe your nipples on long runs. i also like the way this tank is cut, it just feels right. it's not too short.

the whippet is great. last weekend on mount rainier it saved a friend of mine from a long and nasty fall in the dark of night. i have been just skiing with one but will likely get another one. a few days ago i used it on early morning steep slopes - works like a charm bc you can dig it in and get you skis righted. the very first day i used it i lost the top cap for it however. that could attach a bit better. i like very light gear but this kind of needs a bit of girth because it's an ice axe afterall... so really no complaints.

i've been skiing this ski all season. i love it. at 135 at the tip, it's phat. it floats great when skiing powder. i have a 174 so in the backcountry it's great, very nimble and turnable on a dime.. even for it's size. where it doesn't rock is the groomers, it's kind of soft. i had fun on them skiing resort groomers but it's not made for that kind of turning. it's quite a bit softer than the bd verdict.

dynafit bindings for those in the backcountry are a must. most of my friends have been worried that they aren't enough binding for aggressive skiing. i'd say this is not a problem. think about it, some pretty bad ass skiers live in these bindings. if you aren't dropping 50 foot cliffs in them you will be fine. i don't see a reason NOT to buy these bindings.

this towel was just big enough to do the trick. perfect for trips where you want to save some room in the pack. the clipable loop was also super easy to clip onto anything. better than a loop which requires a biner.

it also dried really really fast!

the weight listed as 5lbs 2.6oz (1950g) is wrong. the dynafit website lists it as 3900g = 8.6lbs (size 27.5)

i tried. i wanted to love this ski boot. it sounds perfect and has some amazing reviews. i only ski the backcountry and after the first day i had the worst shin bang of my life in these.. as well as inner ankle rub from another planet! i don't think they have much padding on the inner ankle bone area and i suffered EVERY time i wore these. on two ocassions i took two weeks off from skiing in hopes my wounds would heal but these boots just don't fit me right. they ski well and they are stiff for sure. i was pushing k2 coombas around in them with ease. but the fit hurt me very quickly in a alpine tour. the ski to walk mode was easy enough for me to flip with gloves, no issues there once you figure out how it works. also the buckle latches sometimes prevent the buckles from falling into the actual slot. they are there for a reason but it sometimes makes it harder than necessary to get the buckle on without a lot of tension. also at 14 degree lean i felt a tad in the back seat with these. i need more forward lean options! anyway they just aren't the boot for me.

backcountry magazine gave this ski it's 'editors choice'. "Coomba yeah! This tribute ski to the late Doug Coombs first appeared in K2's alpine line last year, and this year has been added to the backcountry line. It has the footprint of the Anti Piste without the latter's soft-flexing tip. And that made a noticeable difference in how it grabbed a turn, making it one of the best skis tested. "Awesome, " said one tester. "Does everything the Anti Piste can do, but better, quicker-initiates a turn, unlike the Anti Piste. A lightweight, stiffer fatty that is playful and forgiving. A fun, all-mountain ripper." "Versatile dimensions and accommodating flex," said another. And beyond that, "Very diverse, very adaptable," added another. Many testers remarked on it's light feel - "Could be your primary touring ski or your everyday inbounds ski," said one.

davenport is bad ass. this book is awesome. it's basically a big picture book of colorado backcountry ski porn. the story is compelling mostly because the challenge is daunting. plus he's from new hampshire so he must be cool.

there is no shame i buying it for the pictures and using it as a coffee table book. it's so big it's made for that.

this book definitely stoked my fire to get out and ski some crazy shit.

it's a sufficient shovel for sure. it's good and light. i don't however like it as much for digging pits and making clean straight walls of snow for testing.

i do a lot of skinning uphill and skiing down. this jacket rocks. if it's cold i wear it on the way up with a light long sleave under it. if it's not cold enough i just wrap it or have it in the pack. then i ski the downhills in it. it's go great chest pockets and side pockets that are perfect for your skins for quick transitions. no need to take the pack off to put the skin in there.. just tear, stuff and go! a hood might be a nice addition, but this jacket for the most part is perfect and well thought out.

no high fructose corn syrup, no fake man made sugars, 70% organic and they taste awesome. i love these bars.

i went into pro ski in seattle thinking i'd be trying on and eventually buying the dynafit zzero cf. i tried them on side by side, one on each foot. i had been warned by tetonat.com's steve romeo about the boot liner in the dynafits. wearing them on different feet this was obvious. the dynafit zzero boot just wasn't as comfortable as the garmont radium. also the radium feels like more boot because it comes up higher. it's a full alpine length boot which can only translate to better ski performance. now knew which one felt better on my foot it was time to weigh them. in size 25 the garmont radium was 5 ounces heavier per boot. for a race geak that is considerable. but for me that wasn't enough to tip the scale. i just ordered the radiums and can't wait to ski it!

these little numbers serve a purpose. i have historically wrapped a wod of duct tape around a ski pole or a backpack strap. often adventure races make you carry some too. so this little number takes care of it. nice little package, clean.. and worth the $2.

it's small and light so i take it more often then not. i bought it as my 1st aid kit for adventure races and now i take it on anything over a single day in the backcountry. i like the little pouch it comes in too. it's got all you need for 1 to 4 days with 1 to 4 people.

these are probably the worst gels on the market. first and most basic to me they don't taste very good. also they are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. most healthy people avoid high fructose corn syrup, and they should. also the gel package is so wide that it will most likely cut your mouth when consumed.

don't say i didn't warn you.

very well thought out and designed. super light and works for adventure races and traveling to adventures.

i hate sleeping bags. well that is until i bought the phantom 0. i am 5'10" and the regular size fits me fine. it's amazingly light at 2lbs 10oz, a whole pound less than most 0 degree bags. 800 fill keeps me toasty. it's also easy to regulate your temperature too with the draft collar and zippers that go in each direction. i also love the mummy style as i can bury myself in it and stay super warm when it's super cold out.

i am not a fan. the taste is not very good. certainly doesn't make you want to drink more like nuun does. the fact that the sugar is fructose is also a negative for me (fake man made sugar).

i've had some of these little packets in my closet for the last 7 years! that is because i couldn't bring myself to drink them. i just threw them away. yuck.

i love these insoles. i have a high arch and these insoles have the arch support that i need. the are rugged too and seem to last a lot longer than most others i've tried. i've used some multiple seasons. you can also heat mold them to your feet which is great. a note to the wise though, don't over heat them. you don't want your foot to sink too deep into them or you can cause issues with friction blisters... but when you get it just right - it's awesome!

i like options. different races will see me carrying two handhelds, running with nothing, with a nathan 10k pack, with a krissy vest, with a full nathan #020. this mutation pack is great. keeps my hands free. with one bottle it doesn't move around, which is what i was worried about. however when i get into a full sprint ANY hip pack moves a bit on me. it also has great pockets, nathan is always great with making nice little pouches that work in race situations.

running on snow is tricky. i think these yaktracks do their job. they are just $25 and if they last a season that is great. they are not rugged. if you use them for going to the car and back on icey days they will most likely last for years and years. but if you run in them consider yourself lucky if they last one season.
as for performance i think they are great. i have put screws in my soles and worn running crampons. on some days the screws aren't enough and the crampons are too much. so these fill the middle role on those days when you just aren't sure just how much you might need them. they are light in the pack and don't take up that much room. just throw them in the backpack just in case and go.

these lil' guys are great. when i'm racing i don't want a whole 260 calorie clif bar. it's tough on digestion and might cause a stop in the woods.

because they are individually packaged, i only eat them during races. i don't like all the waste. but i have friends who take them on trips, planes, etc as quick snacks. mmmmmm

this back is awesome. it's huge at 7000cu but it also is standard airline size, checks in no problem. i can put tons of gear in it, well organized and it's got wheels to easily roll around effortlessly. it has an external pouch for dirty shoes. it's got a detachable dirty cloths bag. it's got two mesh pockets inside for gear, and it's great to be able to see into them. the third pocket is covered, again for dirty shoes or whatever you wouldn't want to leak on the rest of the gear. the external straps are awesome for picking it up or strapping it in for a boat ride or rough back of a truck ride, etc.

my bottom line: this is the best back i've ever owned for traveling with gear... period.