Scott Schmutz

Leaves your water fresh for days. Stands up to a beating along the trail. Will last for years as long as you keep it away from fire. For some reason, a lot of my friends think that when their water freezes, they should put it next to the fire to warm it up, this usually results in one of them blistering their Nalgene and working themselves up over it. These bottles will help keep your water from freezing a little, but you should keep it at the bottom of your sleeping bag to prevent them from freezing in the first place. If they do freeze, use your jet boil or however you want to get hot water and poor some into your frozen Nalgene. This will free up your frozen hydro-resevoir and prevent you from ruining your bottle. You can then pour the water back into your boiler and re-heat it and repeat until your Nalgene is ice free. Also, these won't hold the taste of flavors, so feel free to add some Propel or Gatorade to your bottle. Lastly, these are super durable, I have seen them fall pretty far and come away with just some scrapes. They aren't invincible, but I haven't found anything more reliable. I still prefer them over a camel back for extended back packing with heavy loads. No issues with leaks, these guys are reliable.

This just a great all around piece of equipment. Always have one in your kit. Friendly to new comers and a stand by of experts. Has worked for me in all conditions, wet, dry, and icy. Make sure you have one. Controlling your pace is a breeze.

Works as advertised. Keeps my smart wool fresh and seems to prevent it from getting all nappy. Doesn't leave my wool smelling laundry fresh, not that it still stinks it is definitely clean, but definitely gets all of the grit out of my gear. You won't regret using this.

OK, I don't know what I was thinking when I got this. I am a guy first of all, and this is definitely a girls chalk bag. Second, i am an XL in any glove I have worn and this bag was too small for my hand. That being said, it is a good bag other than that. 4 out of 5 because it lacks a waist belt. I gave it to my friends wife. She loves it.

These are my first pair of climbing shoes. I am learning my way around the gym before hitting up the rocks, and these fit the bill as a first times shoe. I was nervous about buying a shoe online as I hear about what size to get. I am normally an 11-11.5 in my running shoes and I bought these in 10.5. They are definitely tight, but I think they will give and once I am on the wall, the shoe doesn't bother me in the least. Standing around on belay I just loosen the laces and they ease up enough that it doesn't bother my arches. Some people are annoyed because the red leather bleeds when you sweat, but this didn't bother me at all. They are sticky and let my post on the smallest nubs on the wall, the only thing holding me back so far is myself. Not these bad boys.

I have a 33 inch waist. I bought the 34 and it fits with two spare slots. I get compliments on it all of the time and I cannot wait for it to break in. It is stiff right now, but I think I will love it even more once it breaks in.

Why would you not have this. It protects your precious gear from the edges of your axe. I have it on my Black Diamond Raven and it fits perfectly. Buy it, for 10 bucks you could save yourself one Helluva headache when your axe shreds your gear.

Durable build, great color, great fit for my Black Diamond Fritschi Diamir Freeride Pro Binding -108mm mounted on my 176cm Black Diamond Stigma Ski's. Couldn't be happier. This is my first case for a pair of ski's and I will look to NF for my next purchase.

*** I had to come back and edit this; I am not sure how I missed this before my first review, but the product description describes this as padded. It definitely is not. The top is the high durability PVC type material that you find on the Base Camp Duffel and the bottom is a lighter weight nylon ripstop type material. Still a quality product and I won't drop my 5 star rating for what may be a mistake on Backcountry.com's part in the description. But I do wish it was padded.

I have this in the Large, I am 6'1" and 195 lbs with an athletic build and I wear this often. It is a little bit baggy, but that allows for good layering. The quality is superb, as I have learned to expect with Patagonia. It does a decent job of keeping me warm in everything up to a light wind and wicks moisture like a champ. You will not regret this purchase. I think it is similar to the Gorilla Fur jacket, but seems to have a little better fit for an athletic build. One warning, this doesn't work very well as a technical piece. I would say it is more for general hiking, base camp, or around town. I wouldn't want to climb in this or depend on it for skiing. It just doesn't sinch down enough to justify wearing it in those pursuits.

Have the XL, I am 6'1" and it fits well. Long enough to tuck in so that I can ski in it without it pulling out of my waist. Kept it's shape over two days of wear, but did start to develop some funk. I don't consider myself to be a stinky guy, but it just seemed to accumulate no matter what I did. I wore it solo with a hard shell so I wasn't sweating too heavily, but the funk still showed up. I have it in the Balsam Fennel and it looks great as a stand alone. However, all said and done, if this were made from Merino, it would be the king of my base layers. The fit is athletic, and it wicks moisture very well. You won't regret this purchase if you prefer synthetics.

This hoodie looks great in Watercress, sheds light moisture, has a pretty tight weave to keep mild winds at bay, and is manufactured with precision. It has a very well thought out design that I fell in love with. You will not regret picking this bad boy up. I have the large and I am 6'1" and 195 and it fits a little bit more athletically than I would have thought from a snow boarding jacket. But I am glad, I ski in it and love wearing it at the bar after a day on the slopes. My firends never have trouble picking me out of a line up.

Styling is good, Build quality is good, fit is good with a size medium Giro G10 helmet, and they vent pretty well. However, I ski pretty aggressively and I build up a lot of heat. Unfortunately, my search for a lens that can handle my swampy dome piece continues. I'll keep using these unless I find a goggle that can handle a hot head better. They work fine as long as I stay on fast paced portions of the mountain, but if I get into some thick back country, where I am still learning the technique and burning a lot of calories without keeping a decent amount of airflow they will fog up. Also, they fog up after an aggressive run once I reach the lift. Maybe I dump more heat from my head than most, or maybe my expectations are too high, but I just can't seem to find a goggle that can keep it's cool when I cannot. If you don't have a head that leaks like a sieve, these goggle will do the trick. Also, the Jet Black with the Yellow lens does a decent job in all conditions. Was able to read the snow well in the flat light caused by heavy clouds, light snow, and winds kicking everything up. On a bright day, the yellow will leave you squinting, but gives unparallelled ability to really read the lay of the snow.

I have had these for two years now. I wore them for a year in Afghanistan on foot patrols and living in the desert for up to 10 days at a time. I have had RPGs, Mortars, and IED's all throw up debris and these glasses took it in stride. I've fallen on my face and smashed into gravel and mud and these glasses didn't break. After two years of use there are only a few minute scratches on the face of the Gold Iridium lens. They also came with a replacement pair of Persimmon and a pair of what might be VR28 lenses? The persimmon works as a good all around lens if you don't want to switch between day and night lenses due to the constraints of whatever activity you are engaged in. I haven't used the VR28's (if that is what they are), so no comment on those. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be allowed to wear these on mission anymore due to changes in Army Eye Protection policy, so I am going to purchase a pair of M-Frames with the same lenses. I highly recommend these products, they have served me well skiing, hiking, in combat, and around town. Just don't lose them, you will be heart broken. Also, as a side note, one of my Soldiers was hit with a dismount IED, 2x 82mm mortars in a mud wall and these saved his eyes. His face was hit with direct fragmentation and you could see the outline of his Oakley's on his face.

These have the typical Oakley quality that you would expect. The "O Matter" frame is Polycarbonate (aka Plastic) but is of such a quality that it almost feels like aluminum. I was impressed with how light and sturdy the frame felt in my hands and on my face. The lenses are pretty dark and cut out enough light to make them most comfortable on bright days. But they are useful on overcast days as well, you just may feel like the world is a bit muted. If you have worn a dark (black) pair of sunglasses, I would say these allow about 15-20% more light in. I am sure you can research the lens on Oakley to get it's specific specs. As far as fit, they fit on my medium size melon perfectly. They give me a nice streamlined fit and I don't have gaps between the glasses and my head. The lens itself does cover more of my face than I expected and it feels like as much of my face is covered as when I wear my Oakley Full Jackets. The only real con I have for these is that I feel like they cost too much. First you are paying for the Oakley name, which is fine because it has Oakley quality, but you are also paying for the Alinghi name. That Alinghi license must have cost a little bit, because you are paying for it. My recommendation, keep an eye on SAC. I bought mine for 75$ and I am very happy with that price. However, I have only seen them pop back up on SAC once since then and I bought mine in mid January.

This fleece is great for any cold Spring or Autumn day paired with a T-Shirt. In the winter you can pair it with a insulated soft shell or hard shell or insulating layer and you will be in comfort. It is standard waffle fleece and holds up well to abuse without experiencing piling or noticeable fraying. It doesn't love being abraded against stone, although it did survive rappelling in sand stone without tearing and only minimal piling of the fleece. Other than that, it has held up to everything I have thrown at it. I am 6'1" and 195 pounds with an athletic build and it fits great across the shoulders with enough room around the waist that it isn't constricting. You won't regret this purchase.

Has all of the quality that you would expect. I used this as an insulating layer all winter in Germany and Austria last year and I continue to wear it now. It has held up to fairly consistent wear without breaking down. The pattern of the material is pretty unique, but the jacket looks good and performs even better. I am 6'1" and 195 pounds with an athletic build and it fits me tight enough to slide on underneath a shell without any issues. The thumb loops greatly aid this and paired with a loft insulating layer you will be warm in anything short of conditions found on a Mountaintop. That being said, I wore it on top of the Zugspitze in Germany with 117 kph winds and while my face felt like it was going to peel off, my body was toasty warm paired with an insulated hard shell.

A simple waffle top with a full zip. Not much to say other than it fits great at a size L being 6'1'" and 195 pounds. Keeps me warm unless the winds get up too much. Worn under a soft shell, this is usually enough to keep me warm even in the German winter. Paired with a loft insulating layer, you can sit around happy and warm all night.

I like it. It is super comfy. It is durable. But dang it is big. I can't use it for Back Packing, it would be like a tank on my pack. Use it for car camping or short hikes that stop at a base camp and lead to light weight day hikes from there. Four stars only because it is so big; advertised for 4 season backpacking and camping. I would remove that back country description. Enjoy it for what it is.

Durable, water proof, and looks good. I use it for a gym bag and a gear bag. It does exactly as advertised. You won't regret it, especially if you can get one on SAC at a killer price.

Great quality, good looking, but not an athletic fit like most of my other Mammut shirts. I ordered the XL and it fits pretty baggy. I am 6'1" and 195 pounds with an athletic fit. I would recommend it, but just understand that it is not going to be a form fitting shirt.

I have this in both the medium and large. I was able to pack everything for a two week trip home to Utah from Germany with most of the gear needed for a back country hiking trip and a ski trip with all of my cloths for the day to day of being home during the holidays. Even after I had to pack all of that back up, they still had room to fit the various gear and gifts I acquired while home. Held up to the delicate handling of international travel as well as to the duties in the back country at base camp. Expensive, but they will last you for a long time. Water proof, wilderness proof, everything proof. I will continue to use these at every opportunity. Great option to stow your gear and luggage.

Have the large, fits my 6'1" and 195 frame pound perfect, keeps me warm down to the teens and shrugs off the winds. The inside is so soft I sometimes wear it around the house like a sweater. Repels dirt and water really well and has stood up to the last two months of consistent wear and travel. Still looks brand new and I am hard on my gear. Get it. Enjoy it.

I own the Solomon Fellcross as well and these shoes are very similar. My review for the other stands the same for this one: These shoes not only look great, but they offer superb traction in both mud and snow. They are a little treacherous over wet granite, but other than that I feel solidly planted. On the way home, they also worked well when I had to push a stuck car up a snow covered ramp. While everyone else was on their face, I was able to get the poor guy on his way home. Great trail shoe.

Wore this shirt for four days in the Utah San Rafael Swell. It built up minimal funk and by the end way a little stretched out. However, even with an 80 pound ruck and rappels I never experienced bunching or discomfort. The zipper allows you to vent a little during high exertion which is a huge plus. It kept me warm during 40 degree hikes with no insulating layer and looked great doing it. I am 6'1" and 195 lbs and the Large fit perfect. Great shirt and very durable, held up to friction climbs on the Sandstone and some abrasion during rappels against the same. Enjoy.

Wear it for days, it won't funk up. Athletic fit makes me look great. All the colors look great, although the yellow allows certain parts of your anatomy to show through. But that isn't a problem because you will look so great in these shirt that the brilliance of your awesomeness will blind innocent bystanders. Just make sure to wash with Nixwax Wool wash to prolong their life. I am 6'1" and 195 lbs with an athletic build and the large fits me perfect with enough shirt at the bottom to tuck in if you choose or leave exposed without looking like you are wearing your Mom's night shirt.

Ran true to size (11 in most shoes) and offered great traction. Didn't experience any issue with water getting through when going through dew unless it was for extended distance and even offers great traction on snow covered concrete. I also get compliments on their styling. Overall a great and reliable show that I think will give me a few more miles than most. Been wearing them for three months now alternating with a pair of Salomon S-Lab Fellcross Trail Running Shoes when in even muddier conditions. Thumbs up.

Wore this on my first experience with a snow board. Normally I ski, but my friend was dead set on converting me to snowboarding (he failed). I spent a lot of time on my butt and was blasting a lot of heat off from so much exertion, but these pants held up. They didn't let snow in, they fit great, kept me warm, but were vented well enough to keep me from over heating or soaking myself with sweat. I am 6'1" 195 have an athletic build and the large fits well enough; a little loose on the waist. I might consider wearing a belt just to give me a more snug fit, but the length was perfect. I got them in black and I am very happy; they hold up well to conditions. Also, having suspenders helped me to keep them riding right where I wanted them. Overall a great choice. No problem with powder getting where it shouldn't or seepage getting through the material. They are insulated, so I recommend wearing a lighter base layer and leaving it at that, unless you are a natural cold body.

Wore this on my first experience with a snow board. Normally I ski, but my friend was dead set on converting me to snowboarding (he failed). I spent a lot of time on my butt and was blasting a lot of heat off from so much exertion, but this jacket held up. It didn't let snow in, it fits great, it kept me warm, but was vented well enough to keep me from over heating or soaking myself with sweat. I am 6'1" 195 have an athletic build and the large fits me perfect. The spandex hand/thumb gloves work perfect even with my Black Diamond Mad Max gloves with their extended low cuff. Couldn't be happier. Also, the Corona yellow really pops on the slopes to help my friends pick me out of the masses.

These shoes not only look great, but they offer superb traction in both mud and snow. They are a little treacherous over wet granite, but other than that I feel solidly planted. On the way home, they also worked well when I had to push a stuck car up a snow covered ramp. While everyone else was on their face, I was able to get the poor guy on his way home. Great trail shoe.

These shoes not only look great, but they offer superb traction in both mud and snow. They are a little treacherous over wet granite, but other than that I feel solidly planted. On the way home, they also worked well when I had to push a stuck car up a snow covered ramp. While everyone else was on their face, I was able to get the poor guy on his way home. Great trail show.

Wore these on the mountain while boarding. It was my first time on a board, normally I ski, so I spent a lot of time on my butt and with my hands in the snow. They took on a little moisture but didn't seem to lose any warmth. By the end of the day my pinkies were starting to get a little chilly, but on the slopes at Brighton with a high teens temperature on the lift I think that is kind of expected. Overall a great and VERY durable glove.

*** EDIT: Just got back from three days in the Austrian Alp near Tirol with these gloves, performed great. My hands were almost always toasty unless I was stuck in the line at a lift for too long. The gloves dried out overnight without any problem and never soaked through. The long cuff made forays into the powder less than a concern. I blasted these gloves with everything the mountain could throw and they kept me smiling.

Kept me pretty warm around camp at 18 degrees and didn't suffer any damage from bits of cinder flying out of the fire at night. Arms were a little short, but it worked in it's favor as it has a cuff that holds it in place without having to resort to thumb loops. Also, was light enough that I could still wear it on light day hikes as long as our ascents weren't too long. Even if the hikes did turn a little more aggressive, it stows pretty compact. Great addition to your arsenal. Only complaint is it sounds a little raspy while walking around without a shell on over it. I took some crap for my choice of color (Vintage/Excalibur) but I like not having to always be outfitted in black. Overall a pretty reliable piece of gear.

Wore this pricey little item for the first time on a hike near Salzburg, Austria up to the worlds largest Ice Cave. It wasn't a very difficult hike unless you take into account that it was blazing hot, I had hardly slept, and I was a little dehydrated/hungover (German/Austrian beer... so good). Regardless, this shirt fit great, didn't develop amy funk, wicked away my sweat, and quickly dried. The quick drying was important for going into the Ice cave which not surprisingly was freezing. But I wore just this T and a light fleece and was comfy. Lastly, this shirt is just flat out good looking. Enjoy!

Received this Osprey pack from my brother in the Special Forces, he swears by Osprey packs. I put it to the test by stuffing way more than I should have into this compact light weight grenade of awesomeness. I took it on a deep winter mountain hike and camping trip. The group I was with was packing 65 Liter+ packs and expected me to carry my fair share of the group kit. Like a Gypsy I strapped things all over my Talon 44 and set off into the Mountains. My Talon performed flawlessly even when I fell down the north face of the mountain though thick wet snow and branches tearing at me for 200 meters. I have only one negative experience and it really highlighted a huge benefit of the bag to me. I put a three liter platypus bladder in the hydration reservoir and filled it to the brim. Combine this with my overstuffed pack and the exertions of breaking trial through snow up to my chest at times, I'm 6'2", and the pressure proved too much for the Platypus bladder and it developed a small hole which leaked out onto my back. I was worried that I would have a block of ice for a pack when I discovered the rupture sometime later, but the Talon wasn't phased and my gear was good to go when we made camp that night. Learn from my mistake and pack appropriately and use a correctly sized bladder. This bag rocks, after years of using an "ALICE" pack in the Army, strapping this bag on felt like an extension of my body and didn't hold me back. As your lawyer, I recommend you purchase this bag and take an adventure. I was an animal to this pack and it took all I could throw at it and laughed in my face.

I took this bag out on one beast of an inaugural run. I don't really get the name, but I got the fact that it kept me toasty warm with nothing but a waterproof cover and a thin foam pad. Just that to protect me froma thick blanket of snow and the gusty breeze atop a mountain in central Utah near the mouth of Kolob Canyon, in December of 2008. Now I know that Central Utah mountains aren't usually as cold as the Wasatch Range, but this was right after a huge snow storm rolled through and unusually cold weather (dropped to around -5 at one point). I'm not sure what our altitude was, but I think that this trip spoke volumes for the Coulair. I didn't even have a true bivy, just a rain cover to stop any melt from getting in, and I slept pretty much naked in this beast. I actually broke out into a light sweat the first night. So the next night I wore my smart wool thermals and they helped me regulate my temperature a little better and I slept pretty well. I would recommend this bag to my friends. It packed to about the size of an oversized football (cylindrically spoeaking)l, the smallest out of anyone in my group and arguably performed the best. I just hope this bag is as durable as I hope over time. I give it my seal of approval.