Amanda Batty

In response to the guy below, I agree with Rachael -- these are a great go-to glove and have been my daily use (ski, hike, dig, backcountry) glove for almost two years now. While he may have experienced issues with waterproofing, I've had exactly the opposite. In fact, two days ago, I left them in the boot of my SUV sitting under my snow-crusted skis and they were solidly dripped on all night. The morning after, I started the day out with wet gloves (duh), but two runs in total sh*t slush later, they were bone dry and my hands were pretty toasty despite the frigid temps and awful wind. This is just one more reason they're still in my pack.

I have the white ones from two years ago and rocked a black coat but noticed no bleeding from the leather anywhere -- and I've abused these gloves. Sharp ski edges, icy finger-drag whilst sleigh riding and pine tree climbing haven't put a damper on the hardiness of the seams, fingertips or waterproofness. The flexibility and mobility is incredible, especially for such a warm, cozy glove -- it's all but extinct elsewhere on the market. Turning a beacon on, changing my music through my coat and even navigating pack zippers are all simple, straightforward tasks instead of the usual strip down.

If you want a great glove that will take hell and keep your digits warm, get a Hestra -- there's a reason it's the glove mountain professionals choose.

There are diamonds and there are coats like the Betheny: diamonds are pretty, but this jacket is pretty, plush AND warm. Damn near perfect, I tell you! I wandered into a shop a few weeks ago and tried this baby on at the behest of a smart friend. I was initially impressed with the fit and design -- super comfortable with fantastic range of movement and an intuitive, user-friendly layout with pockets in the right places and zippers that glide easily. Another mind-blowing feature are the fleece hand gaiters and their soft, non-intrusive fit that won't bind up my wrists inside of my gloves. The color is a wondrous red that pops but isn't Ski Patrol cherry red. All of the important spots that are often forgotten by manufacturers that usually produce dry, painful chafe are fleece-covered and soft! The attached powder skirt, unlike most coats, doesn't reside somewhere north of my belly-button but sits at my actual hips and attaches to ski pants without the routine base layer wedgie.

I'm thrilled with the underarm zips for dumping heat, the thick warmth without the bulk AND the fleece-lined upper neck section: there are two zippers for convenient spring skiing and the collar is wide to protect skin on frigid days. I'm 5'8" and 145-150 with long arms, long torso and small waistline but this coat covers everything, even on a deep bend (just in case you're curious about its yoga possibilities). I have a size Large and have lots of extra space around the torso for layering (just in case hell freezes over and I need it) and movement, but the sleeves are just the right length. There is, of course, a random zippered arm pocket just above the left sleeve opening that comes in surprisingly handy for holding cash, cell phone, season pass or any other of the random junk that accumulates. Lucky for me, it showed up under the tree this morning and will undoubtably rock my world during the endless powder days this season. The front panel zip pockets are fleece-lined and plush with interior waist pulls to eliminate the 'yank and crank' that exposes skin and kills mojo.

As a quick footnote to the girls worried about buying the puffy for bulk factor, don't even stress! I'm usually concerned about puffy jackets' extreme puffiness to the point that I've never owned one! This is thick and cozy without being 'thick' or running the risk of being mistaken as the Michelin Man. It also has great shape without projecting the diva persona that other women's ski coats do.

I wanted a coat that's warm, useful, smart and fairly good-looking, but ended up with the Jesus coat -- it's gonna save the world! Buy the Betheny.

First off, I'm concerned about the leakage problem that I've seen/heard about below but have yet to experience; I've only purchased the 100 oz (I drink a lot of water) to use in my pack and haven't had it leak... Not once. Maybe it's unique to the 70 oz but I doubt it as I can be unusually lucky.

Other than that, I love the new design -- it's sleek, tight and I can actually fit the amount of water I need into my tiny camelbak without having it bulge like an overstuffed fat man! The un-salami-ish new bladder lays flat, fills nicely and leaves room for a bike tool, a pump and even a tube if I don't pack a sammie. Amazing.

The quarter-turn lid is fantastic as even my tough lady/man hands struggled to unscrew the old lid, so there's that... Oh. and the quick release tube-mc bobber thingy? Love it, especially when I use the reservoir for milk and it gets clogged (kidding, don't do that). My only problem is that Camelbak won't make a jelly/disposable/eatable version of this as I regularly 'lose' them in the garage or closet and find them months later, only to realize I've spent $30 on one ride's worth of drink... I suck at cleaning the damn things.

Yikes. Tangent.

Awesome bladder, buy one.

This shell is the most versatile, comfiest, and handiest piece of outdoor clothing I own now. Just purchased it two weeks ago after waffling about for a year or so -- I can't believe I waited so awfully long! I'll be wearing this all summer through hiking, biking and wet excursions. It balls up into a tiny package and will fit into the bottom of my small CamelBak pack but opens up into a long, lightweight lifesaver.

The magnet on the hood and back of the jacket keeps everything from flopping and flying around in a windy rainstorm but isn't so strong that you're unable to pull it up over your head. Another note about the hood: Large enough to fit over a ponytail without drowning my entire head and the stiffer brim doesn't flop or fold in heavy rain or high winds.

The pit vents are SUPER nice for running or biking in, making your immediate cool down very handy. The pockets are large enough to pack a passport, phone and keys, but not so large that they bag the jacket down. It layers well, especially if you buy it a size large (I have a crazy long torso for a size medium, so I bought a large).

Over all, it's a wonderful, amazing jacket that actually looks great, too! Compliments have been plentiful and the bright green (bc.com doesn't have it this year) really stands out.

First off, I absolutely love these pants. They're EXTREMELY bright and fun, great for pictures, filming and pow days. But a warning to those low-key individuals who aren't looking to stand out: the orange color isn't going to work for you. I've gotten comments in the lift line from strangers, heckles from the lift, etc... Mostly funny comments from random strangers though.

Okay, aside from the color, these are great pants. They're minimalist without lacking any key features. The zippers on the leg vents pull easily and the vents themselves are long and functional. They're long enough to cover any boots, ski or snowboard, and the tapered fit looks nice without making them into a skinny pant. The gaiters stay down and keep the snow out, the pockets hold everything I need and the rear leg pockets are great for stashing gloves. The lining of the pants is an awesome, soft fleece that makes for warm riding without the weight of other pants I've had. They're great layered for colder temperatures and the waterproofing really holds up well in super wet snow.

The only drawback on the fit is the waist; I have above-average sized thighs (I'm a skier), so I bought the large. The legs fit and the length is great, but that WAIST is HUGE!!! I have wrinkles in the waist band where I've scrunched it up to keep the pants on my hips. if you're a seamstress or know one it won't be a problem, but to everyone else, beware of the waist -- it's not a huge deal because I love the pants so much, but it could be a problem for someone who's very small. However, the Oakley powder snap system makes the waist tolerable and I love having the snow stay out. My jacket and pant snap together easily without being confining or too tight.

Overall, this is a great buy. I love the color, the fit, the features and the simplicity. I bought them on sale in October and have recommended them to everyone I know.