Tony Hall

grigri2 plus this = no cross loading and super comfy for belaying. me likey.

Pros:
+Quick Drying
+lightweight
+durable
+not see through, don't retain stank, and generally are appreciated by others

Cons:
-I always feel guilty paying more than twenty bucks for a pair of underwear. It just doesn't seem right.

But I'm here to tell you, swallow the price tag down because nothing else on the market compares to these. You'll love them and pretty soon, you'll want all of your boxers to be these. I'm 6'0" 175 lbs with a waist that hovers between 33-34 and I go with the Medium.

First the product itself: It is durable, doesn't leak after continued use, packs down small, is light enough without feeling like it's going to break, has flexibility for filling (different caps) and carries enough water for cooking a meal and cleaning up while backpacking (I like the 6L version).

The perimeter webbing I can fit over my shoulder when I need to haul water from a far source and haven't seen an issue with wear. When I go backpacking with friends, I try to make sure we have one of these for each stove/ tent group to ensure ample water is on hand!

It's big. It's well made. It's good material. It has backpack straps, compression straps to make it more manageable, and burly zippers. This is one of those pieces of equipment where you get the feeling "yeah... this might outlast me."

Everyone else had blisters, I didn't! I tried these out for a long time to get them sized perfectly for me, I was split between an 11.5 and 12 and ended up going with the 12. They fit comfortably and I did break them in before going on an expedition in them, but they really didnt need it.

On the first expedition I took these on, every day they were wet from river crossings and constant rain. Besides the not so pleasant feeling of wet feet, these things held up great and keep my feet able to walk and warm-- can't ask for much more than that. They handle boulder fields well and have only good things to say about them.

I have these with prescription lenses in them. Every activity I wear them- I literally bring them everywhere I go. They are very comfortable and feel bombproof. I do use chums with them especially for water sports, but have never had an issue of them ever coming off. They are my first pair of Kaenon's and surely not my last- would buy again.

weird shaped head? Yeah that's me. The small fits me so good, it's really the only baseball hat that actually fits. It's getting beat up pretty bad, but that doesn't deter me from wearing it everywhere.

It just works, it's never had a leak in it, and it continues to perform. I've dragged it through ashes, squashed mosquitos with it, used it as my chair on the beach, around the fire, etc. It's the perfect size for me at 6'0". I have other therm-a-rests but I always end up going to my trusty green trail lite.

It's low profile, easy to use and the button is always there when you reach for it. Sure, it might not be the brightest one out there, but this one just works and is so comfortable that I always go for it first over my nicer more high powered ones. It's great for around camp and to keep in the day bag for canyon trips. The red light came in handy for late night looks at the map to retain night vision.

This product is nice for casual wear and like the description says, by the beach/ water. It's thin and packs down to nothing, and the hood is nice for the style and to flip it up when its windy. I end up wearing this a lot on the weekend by itself because it's comfortable and light.

As with other icebreaker products, I wear a Medium in this at 6'0", 175 lbs. For me, it's a similar fit to Patagonia tops with a more athletic cut.

I usually carry one of these to use as a mid layer when skiing/ hiking on really cold days, or by itself on a warmer day. It's high quality merino wool. It doesn't itch, they keep the stank down, and insulate and breathe. What more can you ask for!

I used one of these as my only t-shirt for two weeks and it held up. I used another one for canyoneering and it's held up. I boulder in them, I bring them to the desert, to the woods, to everywhere outside! I'm slowly converting all of my baselayers into merino wool because they:

Are softer and don't get that weird hardness after extended use
Don't retain the nasty smell like polyester
Breathe way better
Hide sweat better
Dry faster (especially when exposed to salt water)
and sometimes most importantly, just feel better.

I've washed them repeatedly and they haven't broke down. I originally purchased them off of SAC and I'm glad I did.

These things hold up and made my feet really happy. I wore just one pair for 14 days of hiking (and changed into camp socks at night) with river crossings, mud, weird moss that would suck you in like quick sand, 80 degree temps down to freezing... My feet didn't have a single blister. With that being said, they aren't magical by any means. They were nasty after that amount of time in use. My expedition tent mates aptly named them "leeches".

The padding is really good, the quality of the wool is good, I would recommend these to anyone who enjoys happy feet.

You don't have a Patagonia nano puff with a hood? I'm really sorry, you're missing out! The first thing I put on out of the tent in the morning, it's my go to insulating layer to throw on when I stop hiking or I'm belaying, and I stuff it inside my Cloudveil vest to use as my pillow at night. If I lost thing this, I would be in tears!

I've used the nano as a jacket by itself, under a arcteryx pro shell on cold snow days, under a Patagonia Houdini on mid temperature climbing day... I've been caught in rain and had this thing soaking wet and was still warm. I wore this thing in the field for 30 days straight and it still looked new.

I hope by now you realize you need this. It's better than the down version because you can use it in any environment and it really doesn't take up that much extra room (I have both and usually end up using my down in the desert or city). Like all other Patagonia clothes, I wear a Medium at 6'0", 175 lbs.

This bag can definitely take the weight. With 2 weeks of expedition gear and rations being hauled over boulder and snow fields, around steep ledges/ lakes/ reindeer trails... I always felt like I could count on this pack to not destroy my back/ hips. I really like the side water bottle holder that is a type of nylon fabric and keeps a 1 liter Nalgene completely secured away. I also tucked my map for the day into this pocket with the water bottle. The brain is a good design but I would have preferred one pocket instead of the two (one small one large-- the small is useless). The outside mesh with the osprey logo on it is a waste of material in my opinion, but came in handy for picking up random trash. The gear loops on the bottom of the bag I cut off mid trip and fashioned them into a belt for my pants when I lost mine, I wasn't sad to see them go as it was one less thing that could potentially snag. The brain I would also take off and empty and use as a seat around camp to keep dry and warm. It's supposed to be a day pack but it wasn't ever particularly useful for me-- it wasn't comfortable to wear as a fanny pack and too small to keep a essentials like an extra layer, first aid kit, and water in for a day hike. That being said, I do like the false bottom and compression straps for keeping a small load in a large pack for impromptu peak ascents on an expedition.

The bag material is good quality, this is my second osprey bag and the other I use for canyoneering. Both have taken a serious beating on rocks and still look new.

That being said, this pack is kind of like a fancy car in the outdoor world. It looks good, but it isn't always the most functional for the way that I've taken a liking to packing. Too many straps/outside pockets and with the frame, it can be hard to really stuff the bottom of this pack full. I'm a big believer in keeping everything your hiking with secured inside the pack so you're not leaving a gear trail to your campsite, and to keep everything dry by lining the bag with a garbage bag and tying it off at the top.

Overall, I like this pack and I'll continue to use it, but the next expedition pack I get won't have so many external pockets and other features that are really more of a design element.

I really like MontBell stuff and I really wanted to like this jacket. But it just didn't work out for me-- the design/ color reminded me of a seventies track jacket, the fit was awkward and it just wasn't comfortable. I returned this and went with the Patagonia Houdini which worked out better for me.

First and foremost- this jacket was the only thing between me and bloodthirsty mosquitoes capable of biting through a pair of trekking wool socks. They can't get through this jacket! Which is great, especially when it's hot out and you don't feel like covering yourself in nasty chemicals since you're on an expedition and not showering for several weeks already.

It packs down to nothing and into its own little pocket. It sheds rain, it stops wind, it's the most perfect jacket that you need in your outdoor arsenal. I stumbled on this piece of gear from a friend and I'm shocks more people don't have it/ rave about it. Seriously, get one. You're friends will try to steal it and you will be happy.

In Patagonia sizing, I'm a medium top at 6'0", 175 lbs skier build.

3 weeks on the water off the coast of Norway, multiple uses on weekend trips on lake Michigan... This paddle jacket is either on me or behind my seat. I had to return the medium to exchange for a large and it's perfect, it feels tailored to me-- I'm 6'0", 175 lbs athletic skier build.

For those 3 weeks, I didn't dip it in fresh water once and it was still comfortable, quick drying and no damage to the jacket. I also practiced wet exits in this with a Patagonia cap underneath and was able to function comfortably and safely-- the gaskets really help to keep you warm if you take a dip.

It breathes really well. On rainy humid days, everyone else was pretty miserable in their jackets and I was happy as could be. Another awesome perk of the jacket-- tuck your spray skirt right under the velcro enclosure for a bombproof seal to your kayak.

Very comfortable for kayaking, a tad short to work as a good shore rain jacket especially when you're squatting over a stove but nonetheless, it works.

I would recommend this jacket to any serious/ expedition kayaker who might experience some gnarly weather.

I love this coat and it's replaced all of my other hard shells for use. From trekking through 60+ mph winds in a blizzard, to skiing in single digit temperatures, and torrential downpours, I use this jacket for gnarly weather and when I want to stay dry. I'll be taking this coat along as my rain jacket on a expedition through the arctic circle this summer and will always bring it on any extended trip.

I'm 175 lbs, 6ft tall with a long torso and the medium fits me well. I have it in the chocolate color with orange pulls and it looks sick.

I purchased this bag initially for work travel-- I did your typical 4-5 day business trips with casual business clothes and workout clothes (and shoes), and wanted something I knew I could get on any plane (read: the wheelie bags can get gate checked). This bag did the trick and was my go to for three years of continuous work travel and it still looks new.

Fast forward: call me paranoid, but I don't like the idea of my ski boots being tossed around with the other luggage (thinking of my poor ski tips is enough to make me sick). This fits my size 12 ski boots, book, charger, change of clothing, ipad, and beacon with room to spare.

Summary: Get this bag, it's the most versatile piece of luggage you will own.