I previously had the BCA saw but needed one that can extend in order to cut the back of extended column tests. This is a great tool - really well made. The sheath is well made and makes carrying in my avy tool pack pocket much easier - and safer. After seeing my Avy 2 instructor dig pits in 10 minutes with one of these, I was sold.

You have to wear this jacket to truly appreciate the Omni-Heat technology. This is one of the most comfortable - and warm - jackets I've ever had. The reflective liner is super comfortable and breathes well. This is a great value for the $.

I bought these for my wife and they are now her favorite running shorts, so much so that she bought a pair for her other running friends. The waistband is super comfortable and the overall fit is awesome.

This is a great design. The flexible yet sturdy external frame maintains the form of the pack, such that the contents don't get squashed and mangled. An internal mesh divider keeps things secure and internal pockets are great for things like your wallet or cell phone. The pack weighs next to nothing - which lets me use it for everything from trail runs to trips to town.

The Marmot Scree pants are easily my favorite pant. The softshell fabric is super comfortable and isn't bulky. The cuffs easily fit over ski boots for touring, then zip up for heading into town. At 100 bucks, you can't go wrong with these. And they're made by Marmot, so you really can't go wrong.

I recently purchased this saw after having tried the BCA blue handled saw and found it impossible to isolate the back of columns in the pit. The BD Flicklock fits easily and securely on the end of my BD poles. The included sheath is also a huge improvement over the small strip of rubber that you get with the BCA saw. If you're doing any kind of snow study, this is the saw for you.

This is the Cadillac of ski helmets in my opinion. The fit is fantastic and the best I've experienced. Inside the mesh-like lining breathes well and has stayed in good shape after many long, sweaty days. Getting fresh air into the helmet is easily accomplished by a flick of the side switches. Lastly the outer material is hard and won't show small bumps and dings. This is the best helmet I've ever tried on.

My old boot is a T2 - so these are significantly more stiff and burly. I'm finding that I feel more comfortable skiing aggressively and charging lines with this boot. Am also able to shift between tele and parallel turns more easily and can carve a better parallel turn.

pros:
-beefy front tongue allows you to apply greater forward pressure on the ski
-the boa liner closure is quick and works flawlessly
-going from walk to ski mode takes only a simple flick of the rear latch - and you can actually feel and hear the mechanism engage/disengage
-my first 4 buckle tele boot - love the adjustment possibilities

cons:
-weight - for long distance touring I'll likely go back to the T2's

I've tried these and the BD clips simultaneously on different sets of boards. The thumb trigger to open the latch can be tricky to handle with gloves on. I've also looked down a few times to find these completely disengaged - not sure exactly how they came off. I prefer the BD biner clips over these.

This is the easiest to attach and most secure clip I've ever used. The square edges on the back of the biner make it easy to grip with gloved fingers. When I'm not clipped in, I can easily attach these to the binding wires to keep them from flopping around. Ski safe and use these clips.

This is my patrol pack of choice for the 09/10 patrol season at Bear Valley, CA. The pack has many great features (fleece lined goggle pocket, enclosed avy tool pocket that fits shovel, probe and snow saw), but my favorite is that the back panel unzips entirely so that you can completely open up the pack from the back and lay it open on the snow as a work space - keeping gloves and supplies off of the snow. You'll definitely appreciate this when reaching the top of the skin track - as you can easily stow your skins and grab water/food. The side pockets are also great to store quick need items (cpr mask and gloves in my case). If you spend any time on lift served terrain, you'll appreciate that the pack is not too wide, making getting on and off a chairlift more manageable. I prefer to a-frame my skis, but they can also be carried diagonally. My one wish is for a built-in pack cover like the ones you'll find on the Traverse Rescue patrol packs. Overall, a great pack.

Note: for a better image of the pack - check out this page:

http://www.backcountry.com/store/promo/7931/vm_dec09_storm_patrol.html

Bought these and the Swix Universal pant and preferred the Universal as they are a more substantial pant. I do like that these tie at the waist, whereas the Universal relies entirely on the elastic waist band.

Just got these and took them out for a cold weather run (20 degrees and windy). Was looking for something with a bit more wind protection and these fit the bill. Great combination of wind protection and breathability. Would love to have a more secure adjustment at the waist - although I didn't have any specific problem.

Took this jacket on a trail run in 25 degree weather. Great wind/snow protection and comfortable with two poly-pro layers underneath. The hood stays out of the way and I would imagine it would be useful in a storm situation. Pretty sure this will be one of my favorite all-around jackets.

These shoes have great traction. Took them for a trail run in snow/mud conditions and they were awesome. Also liked the extra protection provided by the rubber covering on the toe box. Comfortable right out of the box.

Took my new XGK on a three day trip in the Sierra backcountry during a blizzard. If you need to melt snow fast, this is the stove for you. I'd recommend an additional stove base, as the included piece of tin just doesn't do it on long burns.