Dominick Layfield

It's difficult to review this boot alone, since the NTN binding + boot are a combination that are difficult to separate. So keep that in mind. I bought a pair of last season's T-X's from Backcountry.com. Loved the convenience of the binding and the fit of the boot, but was never completely convinced by the way they skied: something didn't feel quite right. I tried numerous remedies (as suggested in Telemarktips forums), including heating bellows with hairdryer, drilling new hole for a new lower lean setting, and lowering the heelpiece. Over the summer, Scarpa ran a program to replace the lower shell of last year's boots with the newer dual-injection shell from this year's updated model that have a softer bellows flex and decreased forward lean. Finally got to try them out yesterday. Great success! The NTN system finally seems to be fulfil its potential. This time around everything feels right. The boots are stiff and light and comfortable. I love the idea of having one boot for both AT and Tele (although I've yet to test these as AT boots). My only criticism would be that the buckles (on 2007/8 model) are not micro-adjustable, which seems a little cheap. But I think Scarpa added micro-adjust buckles to this year's model. (It certainly looks that way in the photos, even if the description says otherwise.)

These don't really work for me. Which is a shame, as they have a lot of great qualities. The good stuff first: bomber construction, good grip, very comfortable, nice forefoot fit and feel. What I didn't like: heavy; upper extends too high on ankle, and is over-padded there; sole is too thick at heel (makes it easy to roll the shoe); lacing area is too long (extends too far back on the shoe); sole too stiff. But much of this is personal taste: I have problem-free feet, and like to race, so my preference is towards lighter shoes with less support and less protection. Having said that, if Vasque could lighten these shoes up, and fix the flaws in the back end, I would be very tempted.

I've never really got excited by socks, and these are no exception: they're just socks. However, what's better than most other socks is that (1) they are wool, and so are much less smelly; (2) they are wool, and so don't get too wet and heavy; and (3) they seem to be pretty durable. My only criticism is that they're not very stretchy...

The best thing about this bag is its weight: it is really, really light for the size. There aren't too many back around that are this big and this light. They've saved a huge amount of weight by not having a telescoping handle and frame. I've not found this to be a problem at all, since the bag is long enough that the (soft, comfortable) handle ends up at the right height anyway. Over the course of a year's frequent travelling the bag has held up well. So far there's no visible wear at all. Construction quality is excellent, and it is nice to know that bag has lifetime warranty. The main handles can be extended so they can be used as shoulder straps to carry the bag like a backpack. This is very handy, but the straps aren't padded, so you won't want to carry a fully-loaded bag very far, particularly if you're only wearing a t-shirt! But that seems like a reasonable compromise between weight, cost, and comfort. The size is great. You can cram *a lot* of gear in there. The downside is that if you're not careful, it is really easy to overshoot the weight limit for US airlines. I guess about my only criticism is that the back won't stand up on its end: it would be nice to to be able to do this when waiting in line, at ticket counters etc. I would definitely buy again.

A beanie is a beanie is a beanie, right? Well, that's the way I feel. I mean, there's just not that much to them. But this one stands out from the pack as being "just right" in all the ways that count. It's not too big or too small. It's not too loose or too tight. It's not itchy. It's pretty much indestructible. It's warm, wind-resistant. And it looks good too.

Here's a counter-opinion to Sawtoothme. I *love* this stuff. Most sports drinks are too sweet (too much sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup), too flavored, and (particularly annoying to me) too acidic. Once upon a time, I went too far in the opposite direction, and bought a tub of pure maltodextrin. It had no flavor at all, and was almost unpalatable. This stuff is perfect. It contains pretty much just long(ish) chain carbohydrates and electrolytes. The flavoring is very slight, and the sweeteners almost unnoticeable. Just enough to make you enjoy swigging it. I've used it in races time and time again, and I swear by the stuff. In longer races (>2 hours) I'll typically use something with some protein in it. I like Hammer Perpetuem. The nice thing with the mild flavoring is that you can blend your own magic potion without creating something undrinkable.

This is a great sports drink: not too sweet, not over flavored. Even better, it has a nice electrolyte profile that makes it really easy to absorb when you're dehydrated. But best of all, it comes in little sachets. I keep a sachet in *every single* backpack I own, and on more than one occasion, it's been a life-saver. (Well, not literally, but it's helped get me back up and running and feeling strong.) Good stuff!

I'm guessing these are the logical successor to the venerable Minuteman Bibs. I'm thrilled with them. The Gore-Tex Pro Shell fabric seems to have excellent breathability, and is supposedly more durable than XCR. They fit great (M works perfectly for me at 5'11", 160lbs), and just feel right. The extra height of the bibs (over ski pants) means that snow doesn't end up down your back, and your upper layers don't come untucked. This is a simple, streamlined, elegant design, clearly optimized for backcountry skiing. There are two side vents (hip to thigh), and four pockets -- no unnecessary zippers or closures or strange features that you don't want. I wouldn't change a single thing.

The TNF Volt jacket is very reasonably-priced, and skips on a lot of expensive extras like seam-taping, wrist closures etc. However, it looks great, is super light, and wonderfully breathable. I'm not sure it would work very well in heavy rain, or long periods of melting snow, and the fabric is not 100% windproof. But the surface is tough and sheds snow very well. All in all, this is great spring skiing jacket, and is permeable enough to work as a layering piece too. I also plan to wear it for climbing in the spring. I'm 5'11", 160 lbs, and the M is a great fit, with enough space to wear a fleece underneath.

I have had great experience with Marmot gear in the past -- it is quality, well-designed stuff. And I had heard great things about these bibs from various hard-core mountain types. However, I never got to battle-test them. When I tried them on, the hips/thighs billowed out like those neo-Nazi pants that state troopers wear with their high boots! My guess is that the bibs are designed to allow you to wear a lot of high-volume layers and maybe also a harness underneath. Great for hard-core mountaineering, perhaps, but they seemed excessive for backcountry skiing, and I returned them...

I was completely unprepared for just how good this jacket would be. It is very small and thin, and astonishingly breathable, yet totally windproof. What blew me away was how warm it felt. I went hiking in 30F weather wearing the jacket over nothing but an ultra-light running shirt, and felt perfectly comfortable. Being able to flip the hood up and down makes a huge difference. Much warmer than just a hat. Next day, I wore the jacket on a backcountry trip. Skinning uphill, I was sweating like a pig, but at the top of the hill, it dried out instantly, without any cold sweat lingering cold. I've also got a transition zip tee, which I love for running in the rain (you can literally run in freezing rain, and come home warm and dry), but this is better still: the addition of a hood, thumb-loops, and a rear pocket makes the garment even more capable. BTW, though the description doesn't mention it, the "Windstopper" membrane is GoreTex N2S. Seriously, it is hard to overstate how fantastic this jacket is. This is really a giant leap in outdoor technology: I've not worn anything in years that has impressed me this much. You won't believe it until you try it. The jacket is cut slim and athletic, and designed to be worn close to the skin. I'm 5'11", 160 lbs, and the M fits me like a glove.

Nutritionally, these are great. They don't freeze up to a brick in cold weather (or at least down to the ~10F that I tested), and they are bigger and give you a lot more sustained energy than any of the other bars that I've tried. Personally, I prefer the taste of the original flavor, though that's completely subjective.

Maybe I've bought into the marketing pseudo-science, but I could swear that on long endurance events (2 to 12 hours), I feel that I have more energy when I use drinks with protein added, like Accelerade. I also think this makes a really great recovery drink -- really handy for getting some protein in you fast after exercise. The only reason I wouldn't give this five stars is that IMHO, the drink is too acidic. I think they've concentrated too much on trying to make it taste good. That said, I have plenty of triathlete friends who use this all the time for both racing and training.

Wow! *I* *love* *this* *ski*. It's huge width and soft shovel make skiing powder totally effortless and exhilarating. Furthermore, the ski is very light for its size, and great for touring. My "174 cm" (actually 176) weigh 3530g/pair (7lbs,12.5oz). Note that this is a *totally* different ski (based on Coomba alpine ski) to last year's heavyweight Anti-Piste. K2 have definitely pulled off some sort of Voodoo magic with the tip, which has a kind of dual camber and shape ("rocker") that makes the ski feel shorter on hardpack and longer in deep snow. Given the serious width, I was surprised how well the ski performed on hardpack and in the bumps. These skis are tremendously maneuverable: they absolutely scream through tight trees in deep snow. If you're a big, hard-charging skier, you might find them a little light and on the soft side (in which case go buy some BD Verdicts). But for the rest of us (I'm 155 lbs) the flex and weight makes the ski forgiving, nimble, and just damned fun. Best new (Western) ski this year, hands-down. Nothing else comes close in performance and versatility. Hard to understand how other reviewers could give this ski less than five stars. I'd give them six if I could! These are off-the-charts good: You'll think you're a ski movie hero. FWIW, if you look at the dates of their reviews, it's pretty clear that SingleTrackMind, cheater5_tokyo, and doublet were all reviewing *last season's* (06/07) Anti-Piste, which, as I said above, is a completely different ski -- much heavier and stiffer and slightly narrower than this.

What do you want from gaiters? As far as I'm concerned, I just want to keep the snow out of my boots. These do the job admirably. They are quick and easy to put on and take off, and seem to be pretty breathable, too. The velcro closure looks like it might be a weak point, but it doesn't leak, and seems to be holding up well. And you can't argue with the convenience: this closure is way quicker than a zipper. I've had these for a couple of years and worn them on something like a hundred winter runs/hikes in the Wasatch, an they look as good as new. Still, it's nice to know they have an unlimited warranty.

I've been skiing fat planks (Atomic Teledaddy) since the 03/04 season. The TD's were the first ski that I ever tried that made me say "Wow, these are way better than everything else." For the last couple of seasons, I demoed a variety of supposedly hot skis (Atomic TM-X, Rossi T2, Fischer T-Stix 92, BD Verdict, BD Kilowatt), but none of them really impressed. The Rapid Transits are the first ski in years to wow me again. I was expecting to have trouble adapting to the sidecut, and thought that the asymmetrical shape was a gimmick. But immediately after demoing the ski, I went right out and ordered a pair -- they're that good. Wide enough to get good float in the pow. Tremendous grip on hardpack. Great shape and flex for the bumps. Nice and light for touring. This is an outstanding ski, and almost perfect. Almost? My only, tiny criticism is that I find the tail of the straighter edge a little bit hooky. If I could, I'd round off that corner to make the ski release more gradually.

Not stiff enough to be a pure edging shoe (i.e. not for Smith Rock!), but surprisingly versatile, with awesome sensitivity. They really excel on overhangs, tiny pockets, smears. A fantastic bouldering shoe: similar to FiveTen V10 slipper, but more comfortable. Note that these stretch significantly. I'm a size 10 US street shoe, and have found that a 41.5 in La Sportiva climbing shoes (Mythos etc.) worked well for me. On a whim I decided to order the Venoms in a 41.0. Initially they seemed painfully small, and I thought I'd got a little carried away with the sizing. But after a few days of bouldering, they stretched out nicely, and now fit like a glove. I'll buy these again and again until La Sportiva retire the design!

These are not typical trail-running shoes. They are light, light, light. Which means they are *not* for everyone. If you're in the Clydesdale category, or you need a shoe with lots of support and/or stability control, these are not for you. On the other hand, if you are of athletic build, have trouble-free feet and normal running gait, and you want to run *fast* on trails, then you are going to love these shoes. The feel of running at breakneck pace over uneven terrain is exhilarating. The shoes are super grippy, and have a stiff enough sole so that running over rocks and stumps is still very pleasant. These are probably not shoes that you will want to train in day after day (although I have to say that they are surprisingly forgiving), and certainly not what you'd wear over a really rocky course (the sole is fine, but the ultralight uppers will get cut up fast, as will your feet inside!) But come race day, these are *exactly* what you're looking for. Zoom! Finally, a note about sizing: I'm a fairly regular US 10 in most running shoes, and found the 10 to be a little on the snug side. The 10.5 however, was noticeably too big. So I guess they run just a smidgen on the small side.

Love these shades. They are everything you want: they look cool; they are comfortable; the clarity of the lenses is outstanding; they have Smith's lifetime warranty; they come in a hard, durable case. I've worn them skiing, biking, and running, and found them excellent in all conditions. Switching lenses out is very easy (I use the clear lenses when biking in the dark.) Can't think of a single negative thing!

I've got about a week's hard skiing on my Ascents. First off, there's no doubt that free-hinged bindings make backcountry travel far more efficient: once you've tried them, you'll never go back. Also, because of the free-hinge, you can use stiffer springs and have a more active binding without experiencing any negative effects (otherwise, very "active" bindings are a lot of extra work when skinning). I opted for the X-race (red) cartridges, and really enjoyed the extra power and earlier engagement (from the slight toe ramp). The new heel-piece is certainly slick (although I can't figure out how to get the bails to tuck behind them so they don't flap around when you carry the skis!) Many people are fretting about the durability of the binding, but mine seem solid, and I can't believe that a reputable company like G3 would put out a fragile, unreliable product. And if the bindings do start failing, I'm confident G3 would offer replacements. The Ascents are *significantly* (13oz) lighter than Black Diamond O1's, but switching to and from tour mode is not nearly as slick as the O1. I suspect the locking mechanism is more prone to icing up, too: I've had to clear out the ice with my ski pole to re-lock the binding. The binding also sits significantly higher (40mm vs 30mm) than the O1 -- I don't really know whether that's good or bad! But I can say that I'm very happy with the bindings: they ski great and combine the familiar feel of the Targas with effortless touring.

My Atomic Teledaddys are now in they fourth season of hard skiing and starting to look a little ragged. Over the last two years I tried a bunch of different skis, and never found anything that compared to the versatility of the Teledaddy. I demoed the Verdicts, and finally have found a suitable replacement. They are everything I loved in the Teledaddys -- masses of floatation, light (astonishingly so), powerful, damp, stable at speed -- but with a little extra sidecut and a little extra width in the shovel. Remember that this is a *big* ski: don't be afraid to go shorter than you would normally. I'm 5'11 and 160lb, and a very aggressive skier and the 180cm feels a little on the large side. (Noticeably less flickable than 173cm Teledaddys, but super stable and reassuring at high speed in deep snow.)

If you like your skis stiff, these are the skis for you! In my opinion, the dimensions are about perfect for Western conditions -- big enough to float through the pow, and with enough shape to turn easily on hardpack. They are amazingly stable at speed and effortlessly bulldoze through all sorts of nasty crud. The only downside for me was their stiffness. I demoed a pair (the 06/07 version) one afternoon (with O1 Telemark bindings), and found that when I punched into a turn, the ski barely flexed at all, which was extremely disconcerting. Perhaps one could get used to the stiffness, but it will certainly take quite a bit of adaptation. I'm a lighter (155 lb) Tele-skier, so if you were much heavier and/or an AT skier, the stiffness might be much more pleasing. But for me, it was a show-stopper, unfortunately. These are significantly stiffer than the BD Havoc, itself already a fairly stiff ski.

I've skied the last couple of seasons on Garmont Syner-G's. Always found them to be comfortable and to perform well. However, I was really cranking the top buckle and powerstrap to try to maximize control of my skis. This season, I thought I'd upgrade to the Ener-G's, and I'm really happy with the decision. If the boots are stiffer, the difference is fairly slight -- I didn't notice it (but I've not tried switching back and forth). The fit of the boot seems identical: my foot is wide and flat, and Garmonts have always worked much better for me than Scarpas. What I really noticed, however, was the extra control of the ski that I got from the fourth buckle and higher cuff -- it is very noticeable. And this with the buckles and strap looser, so the boots are actually more comfortable too! Best of all, the weight difference is negligible. My brand new Ener-G's (size 27.5) weigh 3760g (pair); my two-year-old Syner-G's weigh 3660g. The Ener-G's are only 2.6% heavier! That's a miniscule price to pay for the improved performance. Suh-weet!

I've skied the last couple of seasons on Garmont Syner-G's. Always found them to be comfortable and to perform well. However, I was really cranking the top buckle and powerstrap to try to maximize control of my skis. This season, I thought I'd upgrade to the Ener-G's, and I'm really happy with the decision. If the boots are stiffer, the difference is fairly slight -- I didn't notice it (but I've not tried switching back and forth). The fit of the boot seems identical: my foot is wide and flat, and Garmonts have always worked much better for me than Scarpas. What I really noticed, however, was the extra control of the ski that I got from the fourth buckle and higher cuff -- it is very noticeable. And this with the buckles and strap looser, so the boots are actually more comfortable too! Best of all, the weight difference is negligible. My brand new Ener-G's (size 27.5) weigh 3760g (pair); my two-year-old Syner-G's weigh 3660g. The Ener-G's are only 2.6% heavier! That's a miniscule price to pay for the improved performance. Suh-weet!