Aaron Pfau

Just completed the John Muir Trail through the Sierra Nevada's wearing this shirt everyday for 15 days while carrying a 35lb pack. Performed flawlessly, no irritation with the backpack straps, no weird itchiness anywhere, sweat flowed in and dried fast. Salt stains washed out easily at the end of the day and the shirt was always dry for the next morning. I'm a big fan of Arc`teryx gear and this shirt performed extremely well. Was comfortable to wear for long hours hiking (10+/day) unlike other similar (cheaper) shirts I have that "stick" to my skin after wearing a few hours. Combined with Arcteryx's Rampart shorts and pants, this was pretty much it for my base layer clothing. Its a bit on the pricey side but for long multi-day hiking and working hard physically charging up and over high mountain passes in the sun, this was about all one could ask for in a shirt. Highly recommended.

Been taking this with me on hikes for almost a year now and it has done its job. The snug, but not suffocating, fit makes it perfect for layering with a shell in cooler, wet weather. For the Southern California climate, its ideally suited for chilly mornings and taking the edge off when hanging out at windy, cooler summits at midday. Its not too thick so it packs pretty well in my daypack where I can easily still fit my paclite shell. The hood is exactly the right size, not too large like some jackets. (Note, I don't wear helmets with this.) Also like the thumb holes in the sleeves which help keep your hands warm without having to resort to gloves. When not using these, they easily fold back. Overall, its a solid and very well made fleece jacket.

This is my 2nd Patagonia fleece (I also have a heavier R3) and I'm quite satisfied with both. This particular jacket though is just the right weight/warmth for long hikes and therefore gets the most use by far.

Best pair of pants I've ever owned. Ever. No question. As many others have stated, they are pricey, but they are absolutely worth the investment. (Sometimes BC runs them on sale.) I have 2 pair that I've been using for several years now and have hiked hundreds of miles in them throughout Southern California and the Sierra Nevada's. Before I got these, I hated wearing pants while hiking/backpacking (especially convertible pants). With these, I've done 12+ hour hikes with no chafing or discomfort whatsoever. They dry extremely fast, have proven very durable climbing over boulders, scree slopes, and even sliding on my bottom down steep trail sections. You can really move in these things. Some have commented on the zipperless pockets but I like them. Very easy to get things in and out in a hurry and I've never had anything fall out of them. The pockets are pretty roomy too and I can easily store my camera and GPS in them.

I'll even go so far as to say, they're my favorite piece of clothing all around for outdoors.

I've used this tent on 4 recent backpacking trips, all less than 3 nights. Purchased it as a larger, (heavier, but not by much), alternative to my single-person Big Agnes. Wanted something with more head room that would be more comfortable to hang out in at night and be able to store my gear inside. The tent has held up well so far and kept me generally warm inside. One night had very high winds in a gorge and while the poles swayed a bit, the tent held steady. Incredibly roomy inside and has plenty of space for my sleeping bag, backpack, and supplies. Would be a bit tight with 2 people but thats not what I got it for. Definitely not a standard design, was a little tricky to setup the first time but after you figure it out, you can get it setup quickly. The design maxes the interior space and keeps the walls nearly vertical. At 6', I can easily sit up inside without my head touching the walls. My biggest gripe is the stuffsack it comes with is over-sized, you'll want to replace that immediately if you're going to backpack with it. Have not used it in heavy rains yet so the jury is still out on how well it keeps out moisture.