As there can't be too many people in the world with the name "Safet".....and I happen to have just recently been stuck in a snow storm with him (he was kind enough to carve out a snow shelter as I relaxed in the snow drinking hot soup) I'd have to say that I put these pants to more of a test in my recliner snow-chair as I stayed toasty warm! (or maybe it was the soup...)

No doubt about it.

(...a quick apology to Shakespeare...)
Can I compare this shell to a summers day?
It is more lovely and more temperate (even in downpours)
Rough winds did shake the lesser clothed mortals (40+mph and counting)
And summers lease has all to short a date
Some times to hot the eye of heaven shines (that is what the pit zips are for)
And often is his gold complexion dimmed (that is when you pull down the adjustable brim hood)
And every fair by fair sometimes declines
By chance or natures changing course untrimmed (like when that 40mph wind turned into a blizzard)
But thy eternal summer shall not fade (even when sitting on that 6th ice pitch 1200 feet above your down parka)
Nor loose possession of the fair thou owest
Nor shall death brag thou wanderest in its shade (except to pull your buddy out of a holy-mother-of-god crevasse with that prussick held in that oh-so useful chest pocket)
So long as men can breath (and sweat) or eyes can see
So long lives this (Gore-Tex pro shell) and this gives life to ME

If you are comparing the North Face Basecamp Duffel (http://www.backcountry.com/store/TNF3006/The-North-Face-Base-Camp-Duffel-Bag-250-9070cu-in.html) to this one, I'd recommend this. ALthough the NF bag can be bigger and is apparently more waterproof, I like the carrying system on this bag much better.

Shovel is great, lightweight and will fit in any bag as it collapses up real nice. The collapsible pieces have frozen up on me a few times and needed some serious prying to separate the handle into pieces.

Probe is way too short and lightweight. I realize I may be asking too much out of this system but it isn't worth buying this combo if you truly plan to put the probe to use.

Do not buy these gloves. They failed me the first day out. Kinda a shame considering I was hanging 30 feet down a glacier crevasse when they ripped apart on me. Good thing my liners didn't also fail...but I wouldn't trust them farther than I was able to drop them (about 40 feet).

I can't say much to others who say these tails don't add flotation...but what I can say is they saved my backside more than once.

I've put in many miles traveling on the Kahiltna Glacier (Denali NP) and have walked across many snow bridges with these things on. Although I won't tell you I'm not lucky, I will tell you the guy on the other end of the rope who was too cheap to buy these tails needed me (and my Flotation Tails) to pull him out of two separate crevasses.

The pack is great but the avalung attachment causes pain in my shoulder. The issue is caused by the box (air intake) in the top/back of the shoulder strap....that box rubs my shoulder in a bad way.

Although I should fit the smaller size, I am right on the border of the two sizes. I would recommend to anyone that is thinking of getting this pack to size it up to minimize this problem.

FYI - that annoying box in the shoulder strap can be pulled into the pack...but it isn't recommended.