We all have to agree that Western Mountaineering makes one of the best sleeping bags in the biz and the Alpinlite is no exception. The zipper never snagged, loft was exceptional, and the 850+ fill power down is all standard from the company. But what really amazed me was the loft. WM claims it to have 5 inches for a 20F rating. However, when the night temps dropped to 25-30F near the summit of Mt Whitney I never for once became cold nor cool. Being a cold sleeper, I measured the loft and found that it approached 6 inches! With such loft I'm sure it can be a 15F degree without blinking. Moreover, it’s very roomy and light making it a very versatile bag.

This tent has a fine balance between living space to strength to weight ratio. I can easily put 2 25in Therm-a-rests side by side and I usually do, since my partner and I both prefer 25in. over 20in. pads. Weatherproofing is superb with all seams sealed and taped. I stayed dry in a 2 hour rain and had plenty of floor and headroom space to play cards. I experienced many "ultralight meltdowns" in the past, especially when it comes to the "ultralight fabrics" that are strong but not really durable (they have great tensile strength but don't stand up to the test of time very well) and being that just the fly seems to be really ultralight I'm sure it will give me years of loyal service.
The downside? Red color seems depressing on rainy days and pole sleeves take longer to setup than clips. However, they do give you a sturdier tent that can push it to the brink of 4 seasons.

Wow, can't say how warm this mat is. I got the regular 9 and though I'm no fan of 20in wide mats (My arms are always touching the cold ground) the warmth this thing gave was amazing! Never in my life did I sweat in my back while lying on a mat. Exped claims this thing will go down to -40F but more like -20F to be realistic. I've always slept in 25in so 20in are not as comfortable. I would have bought the Downmat 9 Dlx for its width and would wish there was a 7 Dlx for weight savings. Overall, warm and durable and comes with a stuff sack/air pump/pillow/watertight bag!

All in all, a wonderful piece of equipment, depending on your needs, and absolutely made of the first quality in materials and workmanship.

Wow. So much tent for so little money! This tent is not made for heavy use, pounding rain and sleet or gusty winds, but it worked in all of those conditions and did a fine job. Space is adequate for two with enough headroom, and Kelty added a free gear loft (though cheap). The tent is very light, but only has a small vestibule (7 feet sq) and a single wall/double wall construction. It comes with guylines, which helps make it taut and ventilate well, but a combination of water and gusting wind allowed water through the underside of the fly. Overall, though it is a great tent for the money. It is probably the cheapest tent with aluminum poles on the market and it was perfect for a college student with a very tight budget. Kudos to Kelty!

Kudos to Arc'teryx for making the best waterproof/breathable shell in the market! The Theta AR is another witness to the quality and integrity of the Arc'teryx brand. If you know quality outdoor brands, then you know Arc'cteryx. This is by far the best shell ever. Superb fit, comfortable design and tough fabrics. It makes The North Face look like a marketing joke.

I purchased this one hoping to save myself some dough over the hard anodized version. This one is definitely lighter, spreads heat evenly and cools faster, but the inner coating scratches very easily. The coating on mine is 5% gone, which brings us to the point of where it goes. My best guess is that it "infiltrates" my food and I'm the one who ends up swallowing it. Seems like a joke? Then get one yourself and see it. Otherwise, definitely get the hard-anodized version, which is 1oz heavier but much, much tougher and durable (which is what we want in our all expensive outdoor gear, right?)

There are many strengths and weaknesses for this stove. First of all, Simmerlite is just a deceptive name for this stove. MSR has long been reputed for being poor when it comes to simmer and that is why they released the Simmerlite. However, this stove is no different than the previous MSR stoves. It does nothing more than a medium to strong fire. It does not simmer well because if you lower the fire to weaker than medium, then the fire will go out, since there won't be enough fuel going into the stove. On the opposite hand though this stove is light, durable, portable and very hot! I would recommend it only if you need boiling water but not to make delicate sauces or pasta cooking.

First things First. I've been using Marmot and Mountain hardwear products for many years now and I hate to admit it, but they have been following the footsteps of The North Face. They are both taking shortcuts to quality, outsourcing (ALL Marmot products are already foreign in that regard), and providing cheaper products for higher prices. I bought this jacket for its ultra-light weight and puffy warmth. It felt great when I first tried it on outdoors, but the week after I received a catalog from LL Bean and it was selling a 775 fill power down jacket for just half the price! I purchased two of them and though two ounces heavier they were much better than the Plasma sweater in fabric toughness and of course, value. I'm returning this jacket and getting my money back.

P.S. I wish we could get back to the time when Marmot was still making items back in Santa Rosa, CA.

This jacket is simply amazing! It has withstood severe downpour for over 3 hours and kept me dry all along, all while exercising myself. Whenever I felt I was starting to overheat, the Precip Plus fabric kept pushing the moisture where it belongs, outside. I also love the features like reflective tape on hood and collar, stowaway hood and napoleon pockets, as well as watertight zippers. It is pricier than the regular Marmot Precip, but you "Get what you pay for," right? Almost. This jacket also got me through some serious Sierra storm while snowboarding keeping me dry and comfortable, just as any Gore-tex XCR would. Although It is for rain only, I would definitely use it for 4 season shelter again. Gotta love this jacket!

I was trying to get the old Bora 80, but it seems it's no longer available. The new one is fine but I don't like the waterproof fabric that just adds weight and does not do the job as good as a raincover. The old one was awesome, had better visual colors, better stitchings and tougher fabric. All Arc'teryx did was to change that and put on some new waterproof fabric, keep the same suspention and stray away from their "Change the Status Quo" Doctrine. To put it simply this pack is too overengineered and the old one was better. Still trying to get the old one.

I've heard many people complain that they keep on slipping from their 20'inch pad. Big Agnes has been praised for doing a good job of solving that problem by having a bottom sleeve to add the pad and also shave some ounces. However, there is some problems with that. If you like to sleep under the stars, then know that the sleeve will be fragile and it could start wearing and tearing within one or two years, keeping in mind that we do move throughout the night and that rubbing does have some negative effect on the sleeve fabric. Second, you don't necessarily have to give up your bag if you are always sliding off your mat. Get an 25 inch mat and you are set. I personally find it ridiculous to have a 20 inch pad as the industry standard. Your arms are touching the cold ground and that means once inside the sleeping bag, it too will be in touch with the ground, meaning you will lose a lot of body heat and feel colder.

This sleeping bag is the best of its class. Period. I had other 800-fill bags, but the Pinnacle is the pinnacle of its class. The sarcophagus shape adds a few inches of more girth, without sacrificing body heat. The hood and footboxes are the most comfortable in any sleeping bag I've ever been into, and the silky feeling is the best after a long day of hiking. The 15 degree rating is very accurate. Some say it will keep you warm down to 0 degrees, but I believe it might be exaggerated. For its quality and comfort, the Pinnacle is the best investment you can make in a down bag. What else is there more to say? For if I go on to say about how light it is, how comfortable it is and how quickly you forget the comforts of home in this bag, there won't be enough room to talk about it. Bottom Line: Get it, I promise you will quickly forget the hefty price it carries.

This microfilter is the best. I never had any other microfilter other than the MSR waterworks. But it is bulky and doesn't give out enough water. I went for the Hiker among others because of its cheap price and quality (Tough outer case and it's made in Switzerland!). True to the previous reviews this little filter works great. It pumps water fast and tastes much better and fresher than my MSR. I looked at the design and also realized that you can use it as a water fountain, in case your hoses do rip or something. Just take both hoses, dip the filter in the water and start pumping! the water will come upwards like a drinking fountain. That option was not available for my MSR and I'm sure it is not available in other filters as well. Overrall it is a well thought, well made filter. Would highly recommend it. For it's price, quality, and "fountain" option it cannot be beat.