Tim Bluhm

I was a bit daunted by having to carry a 5 1/2 lb. tent on any trip in the Sierra, but when a strong storm came on and the wind roared, I was certainly glad to be inside this bomber tent. It's definitely a bit tight on space, but I'm 6'5" and my wife is 5'11" and we spent 24 hours stuck in there with no real problems. Super-sturdy design and construction and the seams come sealed, which saves you the unpleasant and toxic task of sealing your own seams. I'd be curious to try the BD Eldorado, as it's a pound lighter, but it's even smaller inside.

I have had several pairs of the Alpine Guide pants in the past and have loved them. I decided to go for the slightly more bomber version and am equally pleased. I skied four wet resort days last week and was pleased to see these pants outdoing my buddies Gore-Tex pants. I am 6'5" with a 32" waist and they fit better than any other brand out there. (they are obviously too short but I'm used to it.) I usually stick the edge of the cuff under my middle boot buckle to hold them down. The suspenders make this even better.

I bought a bunch of these and now I on;y have a couple left. That's because all my friends steal them. They are good for so many things; strapping skis, attaching a saw to a ski pole, improvising sleds, attaching stuff to your pack. I love them.

It cuts snow really well. As it should.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical when my wife got one of these. I am a firm proponent of down. But she (and lots of other people) raved so much about it I had to try it. It is extremely light and very compressible. I believe it is warmer than my Merino 4 shirt and much lighter, and the fact that it is wind and water resistant makes it a perfect layer to keep in your pack at all times. The fit in the Large is a little boxier than I'm used to with Patagonia (I'm 6'4" 185 lbs) and it doesn't have hand pockets but I still really like it.

I am so glad I replaced my Therma-a-Rest with the Big Agnes Air Core. I have had this for two summers and two winters and it is going strong. It's so comfortable I even use if for car camping. For winter ski trips I bring along a Ridge-Rest to put underneath and I am very comfortable sleeping on snow. My wife got the Neo-Air and it popped right away, but my Big Agnes has been solid. It's definitely harder to blow up and empty out than a traditional Therm-A-Rest but it's totally worth it. It takes me 14 full breaths to inflate it.

I cut these for my Voile Insanes and they are working great. They are lighter and more packable than the nylon skins I have for my other skis. They might slip a tiny bit more but not too bad. They get wet a little easier and I feel like they won't last as long as nylon skins. But overall I like them and would buy them again over nylon ones.

I bought this to shave weight for summer trips in the High Sierra (replacing a Patagonia down jacket that is great but a bit heavy) and have ended up using it for ski touring this winter. It stuffs into my pack no matter how full it is and provides a welcome warmth when eating lunch or waiting for someone. It can easily be worn under a shell for cold days too. I am 6'5" and 180lbs with long arms and it fits me pretty darned well.

I have skiied several days with these and feel like the cuff is too short to keep snow out. I bought them to be my "work" gloves for touring and camping etc, but I feel like they are a bit bulky for these applications, and not really warm enough to work well as a dedicated ski glove. They're burly for sure, but not as good as the Marmot Exums.

I retired my Lexan shovel and bought this one. I just took and Avi 1 course and spent a couple days digging with it and it works really well. Easy to assemble with gloves on. It's big and it's strong and that's what you're going to need if things go bad, right?

This pack is just big enough to hold all the stuff I bring on a day tour, but no bigger. It carries well and the dedicated avalanche gear pocket feels nice and organized. However, my large Voile shovel has to be broken down into three pieces in order to fit inside that compartment. I am 6'5", 32" waist and the M/L size is just long enough for my back.

I got this to replace my Ortovox M2, and it is way easier to use, though I have never had to use it for a real burial, thank god. It is, however, a bit bulkier and it doesn't sit next to your body as nicely as the Ortovox.

These are the best, most comfortable kneepads I've had. I used to only put kneepads on for descents, but now I just wear them all day. Way easier and I don't even notice they're on.

I replaced my aluminum Black Diamond poles with these and I love them. The bigger basket feels better and the straps are the best I've seen on any pole. They are sewn to fit the form of your wrist. I took a pretty hard fall that would have bent my aluminum pole for sure but these ones hung tough. I am 6'4" and they are just long enough for touring when extended all the way out to 145cm.

This shirt was very popular when I busted it out last week. Very soft and thin, and fits snuggly like a base layer should. I am 6'5" and 180 lbs, and the L fits me very well. The thumbholes are nice to have, and the zippered collar makes it very versatile. The color scheme makes it look kind of a like a rash guard which isn't that great but, hey, its a base layer. I wouldn't mind having six of 'em. My mom and brother both want one now.

I just spent a week backcountry skiing in this jacket in the Eastern Sierra and I have to say I really love it. My brother is about to buy one after skiing with me. I am 6'5" and 180 lbs, long arms, wide shoulders, 32" waist. It is rare for a jacket to fit me as well as this one does. The thumb hole cuffs are a great feature but my arms are just a little too long to use them comfortably. The sleeve length is fine though. I am used to using a much lighter jacket and was very pleased with the warmth and toughness of this one. I kind of skiied through a tree and I thought for sure I had ripped the sleeve but it was unharmed. The hood worked well with a hat and goggles. The rubberized powder skirt worked well as did the velcro sleeve closures. Probably a bit heavy for overnight trips in the spring but perfect for winter stuff.