Jonathan Nielsen

I am a big fan of this bag. I dragged it around Europe for two weeks and it held up like a champ on trains, planes and automobiles. The lower gear pocket was large enough for my snowboard boots and a bunch of dirty base layers. This was key as the bottom compartment is completely segregated from the main compartment so my nicer clothes stay clean and dry and away from the stank of used gear. The handle is retractable and feels really sturdy. The wheels are high quality, roll really nicely and quietly. There is a side pouch that runs the entire length of the bag that was useful for storing a pack for day trips. There are plenty of pockets on the outer portion of the lid allowing me to keep a down jacket and a few other essentials readily accessible The compression straps are adjustable to to cinch down just the top of the bag or they will reach and attach across the top and down the side of the bag for compression of the large side pocket I mentioned earlier. Overall, a great bag that I would recommend without reservation

I have owned the Five Ten SAR shoe for about a year now and I have taken them down approximately 15 canyons. These shoes are absolutely essential for technical canyoneering because of the stealth rubber soles which have unbelievable grip in both dry and wet conditions. Whether rigging a rap station or downclimbing, these shoes provide stability in precarious situations.

I have used both the SAR and the Canyoneer 2 and many folks are unclear with respect to the differences. The SAR has a steel toe which is both good and bad. On the con side, the steel toe adds weight and does not allow you to jam your toe in smaller spaces while stemming or climbing. On the plus side, the steel toe has saved me bruises numerous times on falls or when walking in rivers with limited visibility below. The rubber and grip is effectively the same between the two models.

I typically wear a size 10.5 or 11 shoe and I went with the 11 in the SARs. I have wide feet and the 11s provided me with a bit more room on that front when I wear my 3mm neoprene socks with a merino sock underneath. Five mm neo socks would be a tight fit, but that is more about the width of my foot as opposed to toe room.

I have owned the Five Ten SAR shoe for about a year now and I have taken them down approximately 15 canyons. These shoes are absolutely essential for technical canyoneering because of the stealth rubber soles which have unbelievable grip in both dry and wet conditions. Whether rigging a rap station or downclimbing, these shoes provide stability in precarious situations.

I have used both the SAR and the Canyoneer 2 and many folks are unclear with respect to the differences. The SAR has a steel toe which is both good and bad. On the con side, the steel toe adds weight and does not allow you to jam your toe in smaller spaces while stemming or climbing. On the plus side, the steel toe has saved me bruises numerous times on falls or when walking in rivers with limited visibility below. The rubber and grip is effectively the same between the two models.

I typically wear a size 10.5 or 11 shoe and I went with the 11 in the SARs. I have wide feet and the 11s provided me with a bit more room on that front when I wear my 3mm neoprene socks with a merino sock underneath. Five mm neo socks would be a tight fit, but that is more about the width of my foot as opposed to toe room.

We finally nailed the proper medium fit (at least for me). I am 6'0" 175 lbs and the medium fits perfectly. The sleeves are the right length - halfway between the elbow and the torso is evenly tapered through the bottom. Cotton is soft and comfy.

I love this bag. It is perfect carry-on size that can be easily thrown on your back via the backpack straps. The material is durable and highly water resistant. The bag seems lighter than the North Face base camp duffel although the heavy material of the base camp may be slightly more durable (this is anecdotal at this point)

I take this with me on all trips in case of emergency - hopefully I never need to use it. The size is roughly shorter than a soda can and slightly wider so it is nice and small and light weighing in at 3.5oz

A light biner that works like it is supposed to. Buy a few

This is a great harness especially for the money. It is comfortable and adjusts really easily with all the gear loops you will ever need. The speed adjust functionality is well worth the extra $10 bucks. I have a 34" waist and large is perfect for me.

The ATC XP does the trick controlling your descent and allowing for smooth rappels. I hear it is tougher to use on ropes smaller than 8mm (have not done this) and it is pretty slow on 11mm ropes (usually a good thing). One interesting note, this thing can heat up, especially on larger ropes so be careful at the end of the line

I am 6'0" with size 11 feet and the XLs are perfect. They come up just below the knee to protect and keep you lower legs warm.

I like this helmet. It is comfy and very adjustable. The straps sit in the right place naturally (as opposed to the BD Half Dome)and clip in and out very easily. Only downside would be that it sits pretty high on your head, but fashion is a secondary consideration for me. Nothing has hit me in the head yet so I can't comment on safety.

Lightest carabiner I have used to date with all the function of the heavier versions. I like the red safety line in the locking device which makes for easy safety checks

I love this bag. It is durable and fits a ton of gear. It stands up to the elements and will take a ton of abuse. The only way to improve it in my mind would be to include a few more mesh side pockets similar to the top mesh pockets. This should be your primary gear bag for all of your activities

We use this tent for family camping or as a large base camp tent for group excursion trips. Set up is a two person job, but it is very easy. It took less than 2 minutes to get the tent up and another two minutes or so to get the fly on. The tent is nearly 7 feet tall at its apex allowing for ample standing room. The interior is seriously roomy and can easily fit six individuals relatively comfortably. We have plenty of room for an air mattress, crib and area for the three year old to sleep. The vestibule is roomy enough for multiple backpack and/or a dog. I have not yet had it out in heavy winds, but I assume you want to try to avoid really heavy wind given the height and the size of the walls. The only "rain" we have encounter was 20 mins of sprinklers in a backyard campout - not a drop came in given direct buffeting from multiple sprinklers. The inside has a number of nice pockets and amenities for storing goods. Overall, this is a great tent.

Does the job and so far has been very durable through everyday use, hiking, biking, etc. I have a 34" waist and I am on the final (smallest sizing) of the L so the M is probably ideal for my size.

These socks are comfy, super thin and dry quickly. My feet tend to overheat so these things tend to get soaked quickly on runs and then really stink. I prefer merino socks for their breathability and the anti-stink factor. Then again, these are synthetic and much cheaper than merino so they are doing their job and perhaps I should not hold that against them

These socks are the right level of thickness (medium) and thus far the merino has held up well to hikes, water. A weekend in southern Utah hiking almost exclusively in sand resulted in a bit of wear but nothing out of the ordinary considering I worn on pair for four days - this is the beauty of merino, multiple days of no stink. The no-show sits just below the bottom of the ankle bone.

Light and functional. I really like the red safety line in the locking mechanism - makes for really easy safety checks.

Light and functional. I really like the red safety line in the locking mechanism - makes for really easy safety checks.

These shorts are great. I am 6'0" 180lbs with a 33/34 waist and the L is perfect. The shorts are really light with an athletic fit that suits hiking and mtn biking. The material is light and very stretchy and so far has proven durable. If you have a large arse or really large quads you may want to size up due to the athletic fit.

The wife loves this jacket. First, she is constantly cold but this jacket is the warmest she has ever used - the 600 fill down really does its job. The jacket has performed well in multiple storms keeping her perfectly dry and keeping the wind out. The jacket is longer than most and hits just below her hips. She is 5'6" and weights 110lbs and the XS fits her perfectly. She really likes the fact she has the warmth of down with a feminine cut that leaves her looking like a woman as opposed to the Michelin Man. The hood is helmet compatible as battens down nicely in storms.

Downsides to the jacket is that it is a bit heavy, but that is typically the tradeoff for warmth. Also, wrist gaiters would be a very welcome addition.

Got these as a gift for the wife. She typically wears a 7.5 and she had to size down to a six. Once we got the size dialed she was in love.The problem with sizing was a larger heel cage that slipped on her relatively skinny feet. She hates it when shoes slide on her heels so she went way smaller. They are comfy and warm to wear around the house or after snowboarding.

These things are so good it feels like you are eating desert on the trail. I personally prefer the vanilla, but the honey is really tasty as well. I like the serving size - sometimes an entire Cliff Bar is more than I want.

I love this stove. It is super light and throws off a ton of heat. The heat shields do a great job of minimizing heat loss and maximizing fuel like on longer trips. I prefer this stove to the pocket rocket because it is far more stable (not nearly as top heavy) given the element sits on ground and the surface area for your pots is larger. Also, there is no priming, cleaning and really no maintenance required to keep this thing humming. Temperature control is super easy to use with the handle folding down to keep the entire package compact. This stove is a great investment.

This is one of the best backpacking meals on the market. Great tasting and the two serving is perfect after a long long day in the backcountry. This is an absolute staple for me on any trip.

Does what it is supposed to do and is very light. Think of it as the Toyota Camry of compasses.

Great little tool to have around for a multitude of reasons. Good for digging and extremely light so its a no brainer to throw in the pack on backcountry trips. The handle does catch a bit, but it is not a huge deal as the folding function keeps the trowel really small, easily fitting in a pocket.

Decent side dish for additional protein and carbs. Cheese flavor is nice. Add less water to keep it thicker.

Delicious meal with great flavor. I use this as single serving after a long day of hiking and I typically add less water than called for to keep it thick and hearty. This is definitely a staple in the backpacking menu.

Decent breakfast. Bacon flavor is strong but a little bit fake. Add a bit less water than called for and the eggs won't be soggy. Overall, not the best I have had, but, not the worst

Super light synthetic shirt that dries quickly and wears well. I am 6'0" 180lbs and the large fits like a loose t-shirt. I typically go with med in Stoic, but went with the large here as I wanted a looser fit for long hikes.

Initial review: Great fit, the medium fits me perfectly and I am 6'0" 180lbs. The bottom hits right at the waist so it is perfect spring and summer hiking activities. The lack of front pockets is a bit of a downer but I get that they are trying to limit the weight, which is light but not the lightest jacket on the market, but we are talking single digit ounces here. I have not tested the waterproofing out in the wild (totally dry in the shower), but it worked well on a very windy and cool morning on a four day hike on its test drive.

Nice hiking sock with all the great qualities of merino wool. They are right level of thickness for a hiking sock. They wore very well on a four day hiking trip through southern Utah through 100 degree days, sand and cooler nights. No stink after four days.

Great winter boots that are very warm and totally waterproof. I use them for everything for shoveling snow to hiking around in very deep snow and I have never felt cold. They do run a bit large and they seem to have a slightly narrow toe box. I had to go with my normal size(again, they a bit large) to get a width that was truly comfortable. The downside is the heels are a bit loose, but I just clamp down the laces.

Simple, strong, effective and cost efficient. More elaborate options exist, they are more expensive.

I prefer this size to the normal cliff bars. 100 calories a piece and just enough not to weigh you down

I am not a huge fan of straight up water so these are great for me. I use them on hikes or sometimes when I am at my desk and I can take down any more plain water. The taste is not super strong which is good because I don't want the more syrupy gatorade-like taste. Also, you don't get as strong of the salty electrolytey taste as do with other sport-type drinks. I personally like the orange and the citrus flavors the best (hard to screw up citrus). The other flavors are not bad by any means.

Super comfortable and great style. I have slightly wide fee so I sized up a half size to 11.5 for personal comfort, but otherwise they fit true to size.

Amazing baselayer that is light, breathable and extremely comfortable - no itching whatsoever. The merino is high quality and I am continually surprised by how warm I stay given thinness of the wool. Moisture wicks nicely and propensity to overheat is minimal. I am going to end up with a closet full of these shirts.

Good socks - a great value for the price. Right thickness with elastic in the right places to keep the socks in place at all times. They are a little bit high going up to the knees, but I guess some folks are into that. I wear size 11 shoes and the L/XL fit me perfectly

This is the best board I have ever ridden and a huge upgrade over my Ride Serum. I agree with the previous poster that a one board quiver may not exist, but this board is about as close as it gets. I have the 164.5 and it is a dream in powder. I am 6'0" 185 and I can put all my weight on my front foot in all but the deepest powder without burying the nose. The board is med/high stiffness, but not so much that it doesn't seem playful. On groomers, the Magnetraction sings. I am able go substantially faster on this board than any other with no chatter at all. The 164.5 is somewhere not what I would call nimble neither is it a boat. You will not go wrong with this board in powder or destroying groomers.

Great backpack. I use it to haul my work gear back and forth. The laptop sleeve is great and the inner pockets are adequate for power cords, mice and all the other things you have to pack around on work related travel. The side pockets are large enough for Nalgene type bottles but sit close to side so when not in use they keep a low profile. Straps are comfy and adjustable making it a nice bike backpack

I really like these boots. I am getting back into skiing after about ten years of snowboarding so I needed something forgiving enough to get me back in the game with enough performance to grow with me as I progress - these boots do just that. The Intuition liners are comfortable and very supportive. The stiffness is medium, enough to be aggressive with some forgiveness. I have really wide feet and the width of these boots fit me perfectly (I believe these are the wider boots in the FT line). They fit true to size. I have to get these heat molded so I presume that I will like them even more once I get that done.

Quality material and generally good design. I am nitpicking here, but the waist area bells out a bit instead of being more athletic, but it is by no means bulky. The arms were very tight from the elbows to the wrists which is great for layering over baselayers, but makes it tough to wear over more casual clothes. Sleeves are the right length and the thumb holes are a nice touch. The hood is compact, but not large enough to wear with a helmet. Overall, this is a solid fleece that I would buy again, but not perfect - which I have yet to find. I am 6'0" 180lbs and the large fits perfectly

This helmet has served me well in various types of conditions. Best features are the vents and the weight. Multiple vents and vent positions allow you to wear this helmet comfortable on the warmest days. The helmet is also super light, so much so that you barely notice it at all. The one minor downside is the very small brim thing on the front (although it is technically a brimless helmet). I prefer a plain front

I love this binding. It is light, stiff and responsive. The straps distribute pressure uniformly across my feet so I can crank the bindings down without my feet going to sleep. I have larger feet and the sloped footbeds eliminate any notion of toe drag. For whatever reason, Union bindings, are reasonably priced despite receiving some of the highest industry reviews. Pull the trigger on these if you can. I have them set up on a Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro 164.5.

My three year old loves this jacket. It is soft, warm and flexible with a comfy hood. The 3T fits him perfect and allows for extra layers as needed. Both colors, the plaid and the red, are great.

This is my go-to everyday snowboarding jacket. The material is super flexible similar to a traditional soft shell with the water repellent characteristics of a a hard shell. Many functional pockets give you plenty of room store the typical gear. It breathes well and has pit zips and mesh lined pockets to help dump heat if you open everything up. The overall weight of the jacket is surprisingly light. The cut is athletic as is all Stoic gear. I am 6'0", 180lbs and the M fits me perfectly (note that this year's Stoic fits a bit different than the legacy models: I would have worn a large in prior year's models).

Overall, great thin neoprene sock. I use these neoprene socks for canyoneering in southern Utah. I wear size 10.5 to 11.5 depending on the type and brand of shoe and the XLs fit me perfectly. I like a thinner sock when hiking in rivers and canyons as they give me better range of motion and my feet naturally stay very warm, whereas some of my hiking buddies prefer thick sock (1-2mm) for better warmth.

Great bottle. Wide mouth allows you to load it up with ice.

These are my favorite shorts to date. They are highly resistant to abrasion and dry extremely quickly. I primarily use them for canyoneering and hiking at the moment and I hope to use them for climbing soon. The shorts provide full range of motion and dry very quickly. I am 6'0" and they hit just above my knees when dry. I recently took these short canyoneering in southern Utah and the performance was outstanding: they dried quickly, they were comfortable and they showed no signs of wear despite being rubbed against sandstone for three straight days. One word to the wise: because these shorts are so tough they are a bit scratchy. I went "commando" for a few days and was mildly chafed in certain key areas. Nothing serious at all, but you may want to invest in some synthetic undies to pair with these guys.

Great hiking pants that fit well and are well made. They fit true to size and have plenty of room for movement. I would not recommend these pants for climbing or anything that involves high levels of abrasion as that is not their purpose (I would go with Arc'teryx or equivalent for climbing) For the money, these pants are a great buy and highly useful when camping/hiking/fishing.

Overall, this is a great water shoe. I bought this shoe to double as a hike/water shoe for canyoneering in southern Utah. I wanted a shoe that I could comfortably hike in (+3 miles at a time) and easily transition to water by removing my merino socks and/or switching to neoprene socks. These shoes accomplish that goal perfectly. The sole of the shoe is rigid, which is great for walking over submerged rocks. They fit true to size and they are very comfortable i.e., they feel more like a hiking shoe and less like a water shoe (padding, support, durability, etc). The sole is grippy enough: I took these through the Narrows at Zion National Park and other nearby slot canyons. These shoes also drain extremely well.

One note on the canyoneering front. The two best canyoneering shoes are the 5.10 Canyoneers and the La Sportiva Exum River Pros, in that order. These shoes are more grippy and more supportive that the Merrells. This is important when considering highly technical canyoneering, i.e., +50ft rappels down sandstone faces as sandstone is extremely slippery when wet. I would not hesitate to take the Merrells slot canyon hiking; however, if I were tackling highly technical canyons with big rappels I would go with the 5.10s or the La Sportivas given the exceptional level of sandstone traction.

The Apollo lantern is a nice addition to any trip. It is light, compact and handy both inside and out of the tent. It provides plenty of light for a table and definitely fills and entire tent with light. Only downside is the batteries, but it is better than the propane alternatives from a weight and size perspective.

These poles are sturdy, well made stock poles. The fliplock adjustment system works well locks down tight so your poles can do their job. Straps and handles are comfortable and well made. I gave the poles four stars instead of five because I would prefer cork handles (even more comfortable and no chafe whatsoever) and shock absorbers would be a nice addition.

Great little tent that weighs next to nothing. The 2.5 poles make setup a snap at less than one minute for the tent itself, while the fly takes about another minute longer. Without the fly, the tent breathes really well; however, I can't comment on the efficacy of the fly as I have only used it in southern Utah in the summer. The tent has the right amount of space for two people but no more. Someone commented that the tent was enough for two people plus a dog, which I disagree with unless you have a really small dog. The tent is roughly 4.75 feet wide which is just enough room for two full sized individuals, unless you want to spoon.

The Solaris is a solid overnight/very large day pack. I have generally used it as a day pack, but it almost too big for that purpose (my bad on that front). On the other hand, it is perfect for an overnight pack with a stuff space in the bottom with a trampoline bottom under the main compartment to divide the two as needed. It is water reservoir compatible and has great side pockets (both internal and external)as well as trekking pole loops which is nice. The shoulder straps are comfy and the hip belt does a good job taking weight (I am 6'0" 180lbs). I would say the straps and ride are not as comfortable or advanced as some of the better Black Diamond and Osprey packs (again my bad for not buying one of those), but overall the pack does the job and is durable - I have taken it up and down Half Dome and I have had it fully submerged during cold swims in Zion National Park and it still looks great and nothing has broken.

The micro puff vest is very warm, compacts down to nearly nothing and fits great. I use this vest as a stand alone piece in temps down to the 40s (with a decent long sleeved shirt) and I use it as a layering piece under my windstopper softshell when I need a bit of added warmth. The micro puff compacts well - down to about the size of a Coke can, although it does not come with a stuff sack. Finally, the vest is cut athletically vs. comparable vests. I am 6'0" and weigh 180 lbs and the medium fits me perfectly.

Overall a great pair of sunglasses - my favorite to date. Style: a mix of retro Ray Ban style with a bit of a modern touch. Fit: I have an average to smaller sized face and these glasses fit me perfectly. Comfort: Average weight, very comfortable nose bridge and no pressure on ears/side of head. Would be a bit challenging to wear while playing sports as they tend to slide about a centimeter down my nose when looking down to play golf. Lens quality: Excellent - very clear. My brother commented on how nice the lenses were when he tried them on.
I would highly recommend theses sunglasses