These are my first pair of real ski gloves, so I didn't really know what all features would be important to me. The feature that has surprised me the most as being very useful is the string that goes around your wrist, so that you can take off the gloves and just let them hang around your wrists. On warm days, you will use this feature a lot to give your hands a chance to breathe! Another great feature, especially on cold or wet days (or days when you are wiping out a lot), is the tightener strap that makes the glove tighter (to keep the snow out). There's one halfway down the glove and another one at the end of the glove. I am using these gloves at Snoqualmie (near Seattle), where the weather is usually between 20F and 37F, and they seem to have the right balance of warmth to handle the cold days and the warmer days.

Be warned that if you have a 2004-2007 style Toyota Prius, this is a nightmare to install. There are multiple steps that simply are impossible to perform without improvising. Unless you are extremely handy or can have this professionally installed, I would avoid this for a Prius. I did finally get mine successfully installed, but it took 3 days and lots of problem solving when the steps in the instructions were either unclear or physically impossible. What a nightmare. And yes, I had the proper fit kit for my car.

These socks actually designate which is for left and which is for right. This is probably just a marketing gimmick, but it does add a bit of fun to an otherwise boring product category. These socks are comfy and do not disappoint.

My 10 year old son wears these socks and loves them. Not too warm, not too thick, not too thin. Just right.

My 10 year old son wears the News Camo helmet in Medium and really likes it. We had to remove the ear pads, as they are just way too hot in the Seattle area. Instead, he wears a beanie underneath to protect his ears. I tried out the Black Matte in Large, and it was just way too huge. And the Medium was a bit too tight. For me, I replaced with the Giro Fuse (also L) and like it better overall - it's a more sleek appearance. I also removed my ear pads and wear a beanie underneath instead. The ear pads are likely best when it's <20-25F outside, as they are just way too warm once you're in the 30s.

I love this backpack. I use it both for work and fun. For work, my 15" MacBook Pro just barely fits in the special laptop pocket (no way a 17" MBP is going to fit), and there is plenty of room to store other stuff. For fun, I frequently use this backpack while alpine skiing. I don't think this backpack is technically water resistant (or waterproof), but so far, I have not had a problem with items inside getting wet when it is snowing like crazy. Not sure I would trust my MacBook Pro inside during a downpour.

This is my first pair of Gore-Tex shoes, and I absolutely love them. At first, I really struggled whether to go with a size 10 or 10.5, so I ended up ordering both (10.5 from Backcountry and 10 from other store). The sizes are so similar, it was a tough call. But in the end, I am very happy I went with the larger size. Size up, if unsure, especially since you likely will be wearing these with thicker hiking socks sometimes. I am used to highly breathable running shoes, so it took some getting used to the lower breathability of Gore-Tex shoes. Not sure I will wear these on hot days, but they are great in the rain and snow. I have walked in deep snow with these, and my feet stayed warm and dry. They are also by far the best looking hiking shoes I have seen. And Patagonia is an awesome brand.

These pants are great, but the Capilene 2 is very thin and meant for warm weather, not cold weather. I didn't realize this until the pants arrived. The Patagonia tags clearly position the 2 as for keeping you cool in warm weather, not the other way around. For cold weather, like skiing, you really want at least the Capilene 3. I returned these and got the 3 instead, and I am very happy with them. The 3 is also fairly thin, so they won't make you too hot when skiing. I liked the 3 so much, I also bought a pair for my 10 year old son.

I am very happy with these pants. They fit well and don't fall down, the waist is slightly adjustable, and they are easy to get on and off. They are also light weight. I wear a Patagonia Capilene 3 layer underneath, and I am never cold or warm - always just right.

I originally bought the Capilene 2 Bottom but quickly discovered that it was too thin. The Capilene 3 Bottom is perfect for skiing, and I have never felt too warm or cold -- always just right. I also bought a pair for my 10 year old son, and he commented how comfy they are. Perfect. I just might wear these everyday.

I bought these socks for my 10 year old son for skiing, and he loves them. My size unfortunately wasn't in stock, so I had to get the snowboarding sock instead. I notice no difference between the ski sock and the snowboard sock; however, the pads are apparently in slightly different places, in order to optimize for the appropriate boot and sport.

I love these gloves with one exception - they will be destroyed by the rope tow in one outing. I found a glove protector product at an obscure ski resort web site that will hopefully do the trick. You might find that the gloves run a bit big. I originally bought the Medium, and they were way to big. I exchanged for Small, and even the Smalls have a bit of room to spare. I am 5' 8". Overall awesome gloves.

I love that this jacket can double as my ski coat and rain coat. There is an interior pocket for a water bottle, and I didn't realize how much I would love this feature when skiing. I have not yet found the need to wear an interior jacket, as my layers have kept me plenty warm. At first, I didn't like the bright blue (basin blue), as I was expecting more of a navy, but it has grown on me, and now I really like the color. Overall awesome jacket.

Backcountry was out of my size in TNF ski sock, so I ordered this snowboard sock instead. Love 'em. Apparently, the padding is slightly different in the snowboard vs. ski sock, in order to optimize for the boot and sport, but I can't tell a difference. These socks are great.