I love this hard hat for the following reasons: good looks, better than expected audio quality, and more sizing options. This helmet is available in various colors and in special editions. I myself have the TJ Schneider version with a funny drawing of a skeleton man :P Being a pseudo audiophile, I'm usually pretty picky with my audio equipment...so I didn't expect much from the 8 tracks system, but I've found it to be more than adequate for the day on the slopes. Sure, you won't find the vibrance and clarity of a 300 dollar Sanheiser headphone, but the 8 tracks system outputs consistent sound throughout the entire range of the volume without noticeable static. And I love the fact that it's available in five sizes as opposed to Smith helmets that offer only 3 (maybe 4 at most) sizes with their pinch/pull system that is a pain in the butt if you ask me...why should I get a bigger helmet than I need just because I can tighten the straps to my head? One drawback is the fact that this is a hard hat (not a helmet)...the difference being that this hard hate "does not meet ASTM or EN standards for protective head gear for use in non-motorized land action sports." I frankly did not know this when I purchased it because every site calls it a helmet nor do they disclose this warning. So minus one star for that. Anyhow, it looks strong enough to be adequate for resort/front side mountain activities.

With endless combination of frame/strap/outrigger colors and more importantly around 20 different lenses (with varying light transmission, protection index, contrast capabilities), Crowbar offers something for majority of your snow sporting needs. Historically, I myself, having a less pronounced bridge of the nose had issues due to the gap between the bridge of nose and the corresponding part of the face foam. Crowbar can be procured in Asian fit and that provided a better fit for me. As for its performance, the face foam provides a comfortable fit with even distribution of pressure throughout the contact area, and the clarity of the lens is what you'd expect from a 100+ dollar goggle. The top of the frame is a bit rounder than that of many competing models and it did pose some helmet compatibility issues for me. I'd say the best solution for that is to use a helmet liner or something comparable (e.g. velcro strips). Despite the thickness of the foam/frame, the peripheral and downward vision is more than adequate, but don't expect to have as good a upward vision. As for its anti-fogging capability, it's no better than my 40 dollar Uvex goggle that I use for night skiing - if you wear it with a face mask, the steam from your nose/mouth will fog it up - which is expected...I'm just saying, don't expect that it'll be better in that regard.

I adore this hard shell for many reasons: simple yet elegant design/cut, gore-tex pro shell, offset zipper, and let's face it, I'm a sucker for name brands and Arc'teryx is the best in the business in my humble opinion. Of course these are straightforward facts you could've read from any site selling this jacket. So to speak to its performance, it is simply awesome. Gore-Tex Pro is simply phenomenal when it comes to it's ability to shield the wearer from the elements while being exceptionally breathable. And the articulated elbows and shoulders really did wonders for me who typically has issues finding the right outerwear due to 38.5" chest (which is usually considered small for men's size) while having pretty wide shoulders and long arms. Unfortunately, i had to move a size up to medium because there wasn't enough room in the neck region of the small (but this may not be an issue for you, I have a pretty athletic build and my neck is I guess a little thicker). The stowable hood doesn't do much for me...I usually don't wear a helmet, and without the helmet, the brim of the hood kept falling below my eyes and I'm not in the business of skiing blind. And just to be super picky, I'm not fond of the clear radio pocket because condensed perspiration builds up on the inside of the clear pocket.

This is definitely one of the best ski gloves out there in terms of product quality (fabric, stitching, design, etc.) and the fact that there are 6 different sizes to choose from allows the user to find the optimal size for his/her hands. The snow lock and velcro enclosures are designed so that one can tighten them easily with one hand. The gloves feel a bit stiff at first, but they do loosen up (not in a bad way) after a day on the slopes. My one major complaint is that it's being advertised as the glove for extreme weather. I was skiing last night between 10~15F weather, and my hands did get cold...not as bad as my toes were feeling and I'd say it was bearable...but for the money, you'd think they'd throw in a liner (but considering some Hestra liners will cost you up to 40 bucks...I guess that's too much to ask). And why isn't backcountry selling Hestra glove liners?

For the money, this is a high value pants. I'm not even gonna touch the water repellent and wind stopping qualities of Gore-Tex which is a given. The gaiter with velcro and snap enclosure is a good convenient for quick wrapping over the boot (vs. zipppers). The cut/design of the pant is simple yet highly functional. The issue is the fit, which seems to run on the larger side. The size chart says medium is 32-34 inches. I wear 32-33 pants (from the usual banana republic, express, jcrew, etc. brands)...and the medium was too large for me even after pulling on the velcro waistband to the max. So I ended up getting the small, which fits but is a bit tight on me (the snap enclosure pops out sometimes). I'm sure this shouldn't be an issue for most people though...and I just need to loose some weight.

To me, the traverse is a good set of poles for the following reasons: quality (from top to bottom, the qualities of the material and craftsmanship are outstanding), adjustability, and low weight. There are couple of annoyances yes...for me, my hands are on the large side (i.e. I wear size 10 Hestra gloves), consequently, with a gauntlet type gloves, the grips end up being a bit short for me. This isn't an issue when I use my Marmot spring gloves. And I noticed when I was skiing at night below ~15F, the poles will sometimes make some sort of whistling noise. Lastly....the 3/4 baskets don't maintain their correct orientation...which makes one wonder....what's the point of having 3/4 baskets? In conclusion, this is one of the best poles you'll get for the money, and it will make you stand out (which isn't very appealing to me personally but if you need some boost for your self esteem), and your cheaper buddies will ask to borrow it for a run or two.