Matt Deen

This is not a review, but just an observation.

I thought I would mention that I saw a Whittaker Mountaineering video tonight where Ed Viesturs was wearing these boots. If they are good enough for Ed, they're good enough for me.

I'll admit...this shirt is my first piece of merino. Historically, I've just worn synthetic material t-shirts due to the high cost of merino. However, I saw this shirt on sale and decided to take the plunge. For my initial test, I wore it for 3 straight days backpacking in Alaska. I was worried that it would be itchy against my skin, but I never noticed it was on, which I thought was a big compliment. I found it to be super comfortable and not itchy. It layered perfectly under my Patagonia Capilene 3 zip-neck baselayer, which also has an athletic cut. Other t-shirts tend to bunch underneath the Cap 3, but this one was perfectly smooth underneath. Beware...the fit is very athletic so it's not super flattering for those of us with beer guts. Notwithstanding, I'm looking forward to buying more merino from Stoic.

I've had my Pinnacle for about 4 months now and have had the chance to use it about 6 times already. I haven't had a chance to test the EN rating of 10 degrees, but I've been super toasty in temps down to mid-20's up in the Eastern Sierras. The bag does has done pretty good job at breathing in temps of 30-40 degrees zipped up about 3/4. The smooth dual zipper helps excess heat escape from the foot box when opened up. Packs down into a small eVent Compression Sack. I love the fact that I have shed over 1 lb. and several cubic inches off vs. my 9 year old TNF Cat's Meow.

I picked up the 115L version prior to my recent Boundary Waters Trip and loved it. We had some gnarly portages that were a breeze due to my comfortable pack. Since there is no structure to the pack bag, I slipped a folded crazy creek chair to my a flat surface where my back hit the bag. This worked out great. The shoulder straps were surprisingly comfortable and the load lifters were a big help. The hip belt has no padding but this wasn't an issue because portages aren't generally really that long. The hip belt was helpful to reduce the bag's ability to slide side to side.

I found packing the 115L version to be kind of tricky for the first few times because it was so big and had no structure. Stacking and organizing took some trial and error, but by the end it was pretty easy. I highly recommend this pack. It can fit 2 people's gear for 3-4 days pretty easily assuming you've got the right gear (i.e. gear made for backpacking not car camping).

I purchased the 20L See Dry Bag prior to my recent Boundary Waters canoe trip because I wanted to keep certain items easily accessible while not exposing them to risk to potential water damage.

I ended up keeping some food, my walkie talkie, my DSLR camera, my Patagonia Nano Puff and few miscellaneous smaller items in the See Dry Bag and clipped into the canoe. It was easy to find what I was searching for and the bag didn't let any water in. On portages, I would simply open up my portage pack and slip this bag in.

I've owned a few different sleeping pads through the years and nothing even comes close in terms of price, comfort and packability.

I was concerned at first with the thought of having to manually blow up a 2.5" air mattress each night. While it is somewhat annoying to blow it up, it is worth the effort and takes less than 5 minutes. I didn't have too much problem blowing mine and my wife's up at Trail Camp on Mt. Whitney at 12,500ft.

The Primaloft insulation works great. I've camped in sub-30 degree weather on this pad and have always slept very warm (especially with a Ridgerest underneath).

However, the best part of the whole package is that it packs into a very small sack, which is included (unlike Thermarest which requires you to separately purchase). The pad packs down to the size of a small loaf of bread. No more strapping my Thermarest to my backpack.

You will not regret this purchase.

I love my Moabs. I have a heavy, all leather backpacking boot that I continue to try and make work for my feet. No longer. I'm sticking to the Moabs in all but the wettest, coldest weather from this point on.

I wear them to work with jeans, to the top of Mt. Whitney, fishing in the Eastern Sierra and around town. I love these shoes.

I have green and orange Superfeet inserts that I use in other shoes/boots, but do not use them with my Moabs. I find them perfectly comfortable the way they are.

Patagonia's Capilene baselayers are the standard. A little expensive, but worth it. You get what you pay for. I wear the Cap 2 year round in all but the warmest temps. Dries very quickly after wet. Very durable in that they look like new despite heavy use. No pilling (sp?) at all. 5'10' 170 lbs. and I wear a medium. Fits perfectly. Buy without regret.

I'm really happy I finally took the plunge and purchased this piece. I was originally turned off by the price tag, but found it on sale for 30% off.

As I get more and more into the outdoors, the more gear I acquire. I've learned quickly that the old cliche is true...you get what you pay for. The Nano Puff is no exception. It's light as air, blocks the wind, and repels snow/light rain for hours. It's well made and fits over baselayers and lighter mid-layers. Super versatile. It won't disappoint.

4 out of 5 stars for lack of handwarmer pockets. I keep finding myself trying to put my hands into the pockets that don't exist. Other than that, this pullover is a great addition to any gear closet.

I've never owned a softshell jacket before the Moran. Honestly, never saw a need for a softshell. I have to admit that I was wrong. I love this jacket.

The fit is fantastic. Not baggy, but easily enough room for some light layering underneath for cold mornings. I've even worn my First Ascent Downlight Vest underneath for warmth on cold spring nights. The jacket's material stretches with movement which makes it super comfortable while scrambling.

I've had my pair for about 2 years now and they're my go to pant for everything. Thick enough for durability, but breathable enough and convertible for the summer. The waist has a soft material that doesn't irritate with a hip belt on. Very comfortable, durable pant.

For the price, this stove cannot be beat. Period.A buddy purchased a competitor's stove for nearly double the price and my Brunton Talon performed as well if not better in our head to head test.Water boils in under 3 minutes at lower elevations and around 5 minutes at 10,000 ft. The flame adjusts well and is easy to light. I actually prefer the fact that it doesn't come with an igniter.The only problem with the Brunton is that its pretty noisy when lit. Good thing the water boils fast!

I love my Marmot Aura 2P. I've had it a little bit over a year now, which has given me time to test it out. The all mesh inner canopy is awesome for warm clear nights. Looking up at the moon and stars is great, but the fresh breeze is even better. The mesh gear pockets on the inside could use a redesign because small items tend to fall out but jackets/fleeces hold nicely. The tent sets up pretty quick after the 3rd or 4th trip. The tent can be used with only the footprint and fly, which is useful for ultralight trips when the weather is good. The weight-quality-performance-price ratio is great. I look forward to taking it on all my adventures.