Annie Naylor

Yes, it's ridiculously expensive. BUT it's worth it. The fit is perfect, the fabric is just right for cool spring/fall evenings, it breathes, and it has a radical side-zip hood that is so different from every other hoody you'll ever see. My husband LOVES this and wants to wear it every day. The fit is snug through the shoulders and arms without being too tight around the waist. I'd call it an athletic fit. Length is perfect. He's 6'1" 190lbs and we got the XL. Plus, thumb holes. So much awesome in one package! Peak Performance knows the goods.

Well, almost. The nylon and lycra add durability, stretch, and some cooling power while the merino regulates temperature and provides the perfect amount of cushioning- not to mention merino's magical odor-fighting powers. Although these are labeled "running" socks they work well for all activities as they have just light cushioning. Darn Tough socks seem to last longer than Icebreaker and Smartwool (although I like both those brands as well). I'm gradually replacing all my old cotton/synth socks with merino blend or the coolmax. Just make sure you size them properly according to your shoe size.

These take a beating and last much longer than comparable brands. I'm gradually replacing all my old socks with these. The light cushion is great for running, hiking, tennis, casual wear, etc, etc. The merino ones are great as well and do a good job of repelling unpleasant odors ;)

One reviewer said they had a hard time keeping this sock on the heel. I didn't have that problem- just make sure you size them properly for a snug fit.

Yeah, probably. They take a beating and last much longer than comparable brands. I'm gradually replacing all my old socks with these. The light cushion is great for running, hiking, tennis, and casual wear. The merino ones are great as well and do a good job of repelling unpleasant odors ;)

Great belt! Super solid buckle, strong webbing. It holds up pants and might one day end up be used as an emergency runner. Who knows? Oh yeah, it looks good too :)

This stuff smells SO GOOD. It's not really thick and gooey like Alba lip balms, but it smells just as amazing and contains SPF 30. What's not to like?

True to size and cute style! I usually wear a medium/large and a large worked perfectly in this top. It does have light liners that are removable. I'm an a/b cup and it works really well for me. I don't think it'd be the best choice for larger chests though.

I bought these for my husband to use as a hike/climb/bike/casual pant. The fabric is incredibly light but very tough. The length, weight and pockets are perfect for climbing. The zippered thigh pocket is great for small, important items like a phone or knife and the cargo pocket is great for tape.

He wears a large in the prana zion pant/short and those fit perfectly. In these pants the waist and seat were too loose but the legs fit in a large. He sized down to a medium, but unfortunately they were too tight. If you're normally a large you may want to try a large and a medium on as these seem to run just a bit big.

Light & flowy fabric, great neckline and cute open back. I wear it over a north face bounce-b-gone light blue racerback sports bra. The fit is true to size and very flattering on curves.

love it! I was looking for a long, flowing shirt. This fits true to size and a bit loose, which is how it's supposed to be. It's nice and long and very very light- you definitely need to wear a cami under it. I grabbed the RedRam merino cami and it works perfectly.

The fabric of this material is fantastic, very good for wicking moisture and staying cool and comfortable. I love the bouldering logo! The only downside is the fit. It's a little looser in the neck and sleeves than most other Prana T's in the same size.

This wax is really awful. It's hard to spread and it's impossible to scrape. When you do try to scrape it, it comes off in large chunks. I finally had to scrape ALL of it off and start over with my usual- yellow Toko. I wish this stuff was better as I'd love to support Backcountry's products!

I skied the JJs and S7s last season, and this season was looking for a similar ski that would handle better on the obligatory groomer runs to the lift. These, so far, are awesome. They feel quite light. They are easy to maneuver, pretty stiff underfoot, and softer on the tips and tails while still nice and poppy. When you lay them on edge the low profile tip and tail allow you to really lay into the mountain so you don't have to worry as much about ice as you do with the surfy JJs. They bust through crud and are extremely stable (not squirrely) at We haven't had a ton of snow here this winter so I haven't ridden them in deep, but so far so good. I'll update!

Update 2/3/12: I've now had a chance to ski these in powder a handful of times and they're quite fun. They don't have the same surfy feel as the JJs due to the low profile tip and wider shovel so you have to work a little to keep the tips out of the snow, but they're really fun and very maneuverable. I love them!

Technically this jacket is fantastic. It's very very warm, light, compressible and the elastic cuffs make it work really well as a layering piece because the sleeves don't ride up when you wear a shell over it. I wear it over a smartwool midweight layer, under a waterproof shell for skiing on cold days and it's awesome. It's also become my designated wear around town jacket on cold, dry days. Although the fabric is very light and soft it seems durable. I'm rough on jackets, and after a few weeks this one still looks brand new. It has long arms and the length is very long. I'm 5'11" and it hits just below my hip.

The problem is with the fit. I usually wear a large, but seem to wear an XL in all Backcountry.com and Stoic stuff. The XL in this fits great across the shoulders, chest and in the sleeves but the hips are too wide. The jacket has a very feminine shape, it's just not proportioned quite right. However, I like everything else about it- more than my north face thunder, for sure. Good job, guys!

If these weren't so massive and heavy I'd have given them five stars. They're a great boot that do exactly what they're supposed to do- keep your feet warm and keep you on your feet- but make no mistake, they are clunky and they are heavy. However, I find the weight and size worth it as the soles are very very nonslip, the liner is comfortable, and the whole thing is super warm. My feet are always frozen. The day I got these I went hiking in the snow for a few hours in 25 degree weather, and my feet were hot.

You lay upon my buns so neatly,
and keep me smelling oh so sweetly,
with not a line upon my seat,
for playing outside you can't be beat.

Great wax. Easy to spread, easy to scrape, makes you go fast. What more do you need?

I love it! Very heavy fabric = super warm. It is a bit stiff, but I haven't washed it yet and imagine it will soften up a bit. It has a longer flattering fit and zips on the pockets, which I really like.

The Lofotens are made with a burly three layer fabric that will hold up to tree branches, sharp rocks, and ski edges. Heavy duty reinforced cuffs= huge plus, as that's where my pants start to shred first. Although not insulated at all they do provide some warmth due to the three layer gore-tex.

I'm 5'11", so finding long enough pants is always a big deal. I wear a women's size large and bought an XL in these to get the extra inch of length. I have a 35" inseam and they just brush the ground when I'm barefoot. For comparison, they are about an inch shorter than the Arc'teryx Sentinel in large/tall size (which I also LOVE!) The XL is pretty baggy, but the bibs hold them up and I have lots of room to move around. Love the bibs, by the way- they keep powder/wind out.

The fields of gold/festival fuchsia color is BRIGHT. Don't buy it if you aren't ready for the attention! Everyone will recognize you the minute you hit the mountain.

I bought these for my husband a couple weeks ago. He's gotten a few days in and loves them so far. They do run a bit large as noted by another reviewer. He generally wears a large and that's what size we purchased in these pants. The mediums were too snug so he has to either wear a belt or snap the pants into his jacket, which fortunately is an option.

His only complaint is the fabric itself. His ski sliced pretty easily through one of the pant legs on his most recent day out in these pants. We sealed them with seam grip and I'm sure it will hold just fine, but I wish the fabric was more durable. The keprotec patches on the legs need to come up a few inches higher to actually protect the pants from sharp edges.

Love the long, lean, super-flattering fit. The Dri Release fabric is awesome and I'm excited to see if the T holds it's shape. I gave this four stars because it doesn't fit true to size. I'm almost always a large, sometimes a medium, and the XL in this T is tight. If you have any kind of chest at all the new Backcountry.com T's probably won't work out for you as they all have the same cut.

People might tell you to use Johnson&Johnson first aid tape. Don't bother. The minute you start sweating it will fall right off. Yeah, it's just tape and J&J is cheap, but you'll be happy if you buy this instead. It is super sticky even when you get a little moist. It takes care of bloody knuckles, gashes, and blistered puppy feet. Slap on a few layers and shove your hands into some cracks. Tape up your knuckles for some extra strength. Use it for bandaids. I always have a roll with me. I've made tape gloves that have lasted days out of this. The ones in the photo were on their sixth day out and I made a new pair after that...but hey, six uses without wearing through the tape! That's pretty good!

This stuff dries out your hands better than anything else I've used. Metolius super chalk, which I used to really like, almost feels gritty after using this superfine magical white powder. It's not sticky at all, just...dry. Perfect!

I will buy these shoes again and again. They're a great trad shoe and would make an excellent all around beginner shoe as they're not the least bit painful. I've had my Mythos for two years now and have thoroughly loved them. They are super soft and comfortable and work well for everything but overhangs and intense edging. I mostly use them for crack and mellow slab climbing. Although they don't have any padding in the toe for jamming, the rubber wraps up high enough to keep the toe pain to a minimum. They also work great on LCC granite slabs- when they stop sticking, I just wipe the soles down with some rubbing alcohol and they're good to go again.

These shoes stretch about a full size within the first couple weeks of use, and then they never really stop stretching. I have pretty wide feet so I originally bought the men's version of this shoe (the orange ones). Once they stretched out they were too wide for my feet so I ended up with this women's model. The lace wraps all the way around the shoe opening and makes it easy to keep them tight, even though mine are loose for all-day comfort. I usually wear a women's 10 and a 41.5 in these is perfect for me.

My only complaint with these shoes is the difficulty of re-threading new laces. Even through I unthreaded the first two eyelets, climbing cracks eventually wore through the laces near the toes. There are no real eyelets in these shoes besides the first two, so the new laces have to be threaded around the entire shoe and through the leather grommets (you can see this in the stock photos). It takes a really long time.

I hope La Sportiva never stops making these!

I will buy these shoes again and again. They're a great trad shoe and would make an excellent all around beginner shoe as they're not the least bit painful. I've had my Mythos for two years now and have thoroughly loved them. They are super soft and comfortable and work well for everything but overhangs and intense edging. I mostly use them for crack and mellow slab climbing. Although they don't have any padding in the toe for jamming, the rubber wraps up high enough to keep the toe pain to a minimum. They also work great on LCC granite slabs- when they stop sticking, I just wipe the soles down with some rubbing alcohol and they're good to go again.

These shoes stretch about a full size within the first couple weeks of use, and then they never really stop stretching. I have pretty wide feet so I originally bought the men's version of this shoe (the orange ones). Once they stretched out they were too wide for my feet so I ended up with this women's model. The lace wraps all the way around the shoe opening and makes it easy to keep them tight, even though mine are loose for all-day comfort. I usually wear a women's 10 and a 41.5 in these is perfect for me.

My only complaint with these shoes is the difficulty of re-threading new laces. Even through I unthreaded the first two eyelets, climbing cracks eventually wore through the laces near the toes. There are no real eyelets in these shoes besides the first two, so the new laces have to be threaded around the entire shoe and through the leather grommets (you can see this in the stock photos). It takes a really long time.

I hope La Sportiva never stops making the Mythos!

Pretty and techy is a rare combination, and these glasses kill it. The lenses don't seem to scratch like most polycarb lenses. They fit my face perfectly and don't move when I smile, they don't hit my eyelashes, and they are great for everything from being on the water to climbing. They haven't stretched out at all like some other brands do when you push them up on top of your head all the time, which means they don't fall off my face when I'm looking down for a foothold. They also come with an amazing lightweight metal case that makes it easy to keep them safe in your bag. I'll definitely buy more Kaenons!

You lay upon my buns so neatly,
and keep me smelling oh so sweetly,
with not a line upon my seat,
for playing outside you can't be beat.

I like this dress a lot and really want to love it, but the top just doesn't fit me right. I have a pretty small chest and where the front crosses over it gaps, so I can't wear it without a bra but it's really hard to wear a bra that stays covered in the dress. Because of this issue I've been using it as a swimsuit cover up or wearing it over a tank. If you have some chest, but not too much, this will probably work for you. Overall fit is true to size.

They do the job. Sound quality is okay, and they were really easy to install in my Smith helmet. I don't really like the tiny volume control because it's difficult to operate with gloves on, yet I find myself accidentally hitting it with my jacket all the time. However they've lasted through an entire season with no other issues...so, three stars for Skullcandy!

Nice fabric, good fit, I like the wide waistband. I don't like that the waistband stretches out so much if you move around in them a lot. Like another reviewer said, I feel like I need to pull them up all the time. I'm 5'11" and these things are impressively long and go all the way to my ankle.

Great device to keep at your desk, in your car, etc. It does what it says- trains your forearms and fingers. It softens up a lot after a couple weeks of use.

Great device to keep at your desk, in your car, etc. It does what it says- trains your forearms and fingers. It softens up a lot after a couple weeks of use.

I love these! After having my first pair for a couple weeks I bought another. I run in them, but I also wear them under dresses and skirts. The wide waistband lies smoothly underneath clothing. They also seem to be holding up really well.

I really like these shoes. I have wide feet so I have some trouble finding shoes and these fit really well and are very comfortable as hiking and as approach shoes. The rubber is pretty sticky and I haven't had problems with sliding off sandstone, quartzite or granite. Like the other reviewer said, they are really stiff at first but they break in and get comfortable very quickly.

Sizing is way off--I had to order a full size smaller than what I usually wear in US sizes. The reason I gave them 4 stars is that heel is pretty wide and my foot slips a little no matter how tight the shoe is laced.

I love this shirt! Sizing is a little weird, I had to size up one size, but then everything was great. I've washed it about five times now and it's holding it's color and shape pretty well.

I use this bag as a purse and also to carry a few things while riding my bike. I like that most of the pockets are zippered, so even when the thing turns upside down your stuff stays safe inside. It's also a lot bigger than it appears and can hold quite a bit of stuff. The only thing I don't like is the front flap, it just seems like an extra step you could do without to get to the front pocket.

These pants fit really well, are very cute, and are perfect for climbing. The fabric seems pretty burly although it's thin and stretchy. These things protect your knees, help keep you cool, and I love the zipper side pockets. You can actually keep things in there while you're on the wall and they don't fall out!

I love the way these pants fit, and the fabric is so soft and stretchy, but I am concerned about the durability. Anyone have these for a long period of time? How do they hold up?

Great tape, much better than Johnson & Johnson. Super sticky and stays on pretty well, although when you get super sweaty it does slip.

This dress was really cute, but because of the review that said it runs small I ordered a size up and it was way too big. I had to return it, and they didn't have a large in stock so...oh well.

I really like this skirt. It fits well and is fun with tights and a flannel. I just wish it was made out of something other than straight cotton because it wrinkles a lot very quickly, and doesn't stretch at all.

If it weren't for the super thick seam around the legs (it is bulky and shows through your pants) and the fact that the elastic in the waistband twists around, I'd really love these boxers. The fabric is perfect and wicks really well. If they just make a couple changes I'll buy tons more!

These pants were okay, besides the fact that the long, which claims to have a 34" inseam, is not at all long. I'd guess it's between 30-31 inches. I'm 5'11" and the longs didn't even come to my ankles.

Otherwise, the pants were okay, but nothing spectacular. The fit was fine, lots of movement capability. I wish they'd been longer as they'd make a great pair of climbing pants. I guess I'll just stick with prana!

My husband has this jacket and loves it. He's worn it on 10 degree days in 25mph wind and stays warm with just a Patagonia Capilene 3 underneath. Pit zips are awesome for dumping heat, fabric is sweet for keeping you pretty dry, hood fits easily over a helmet and the length and powder skirt are fantastic.

It's a BIG jacket. He's 6'1" and has the XL, and you can see that it hits well below his hip.

I love the stoic merino base layers and the welder jackets, and really want to love all Stoic stuff, but I just couldn't hang on to this jacket.

Pros:
super light
super warm

Cons:
Pink is SO bright, like neon- way too loud for me
seams look like they may come apart on the inside
quality of materials just isn't what it should be
sleeves are short compared to some stoic stuff, and the cuffs on the wrists were too loose to keep any cold air out

I was choosing between this jacket, the North Face Thunder and the Marmot Venus and the North Face won. They were all similar warmths and prices, and the North face seemed like the best quality and fit me very well- plus I liked the fact that it has the water resistant DWR built into the fabric.

My husband is really liking this helmet. He can answer his phone with the system- yeah, I know it makes him look like a douche bag, but apparently it's important when he's "working" on the mountain- and when he's not on the phone, he can rock crystal clear Yanni radio.The vents on the left and right side operate independently and are easy to open and close with your gloves on, sound quality is awesome, and the cord comes with plug-ins for two devices. If you're trying to decide between this and the brimless, go with this one- the brim keeps the chair lift rain from dripping down through your goggles. He's rocking a pair of early 2000 oakley goggles and they fit pretty well underneath, just bit of a gap on each side but nothing you'd notice if you weren't looking closely.Sizing in this helmet is bigger than most others. He originally had a large but was floating in it and ended up going with a medium. Head measurements in the sizing chart are accurate, so pay attention to them.

My husband has pretty big head and usually wears a large in everything, but he was floating in the hustle large and had to size down to a medium. The head measurements on the sizing chart are accurate, so pay attention to it! He also ended up going with the variant instead of this one, he liked the look of it a litter better- more streamlined, less round.

I am 5'11" and have always had such a struggle finding a ski pant that's long enough and that fits my butt and thighs without a huge waist gap. I've been wearing North Face for the past two years solely because they come in long lengths, but haven't been super happy with them and finally took the plunge into arc'teryx. I'm never going back.

I was initially reluctant to buy these pants because they're just a shell and I tend to get cold easily. It turns out they're a pretty thick softshell with a thin soft lining and they've been all good so far in 15-20 degrees with a patagonia cap 3 or smart wool base layer. The thigh vents are super handy, pockets in the front are HUGE and hold your stuff just above the outside of your knees, articulated everything lets you move even though the pants look form-fitting, construction is bomb proof.

Also- I can't say enough how good these pants look! I've actually gotten compliments on these ski pants, and when does that ever happen? The other thing that makes me jump for joy is that they're the first pair of ski pants I've ever owned that are long enough that they touch my skis, which is pretty much unheard of for a girl my height. I'm hoping these things will last me a few years and betting that they will.

I love almost everything Prana makes, but I live in these particular pants in the spring and fall. I've climbed pretty much everything in them and they've held up amazingly- still look brand new, easy to wash, comfy to wear, and a cute, flattering fit that you can wear around town. And LONG! I'm 5'11" 170 and the size 12 touches the ground. My only complaints are that they're tight across my hips and gap at the waist, and after a few hours of climb/sweat/dry/repeat they stretch out quite a bit and have to be washed and dried or they fall right off. This problem could probably be fixed by sizing down, but I like the extra flexibility so I work it out with a belt. They also wrinkle really easily since they're almost all cotton...but who cares, you're just going to go beat them up anyway. And they look awesome rolled into capris.

I also really like the Zinc color, it's kind of a light blue gray that chalk blends right into. I'm also wearing the prana ruby tank in the photo.

This was my first Arc'teryx jacket ever. I practically stole it from SAC last Spring and have worn it at least a few times a week ever since.I agree with the reviewers on Arc'teryx sizing issues for us tall girls. I have discovered that I can only wear their jackets because the tops and vests are all too short. I am 5'11" and about 170 with an athletic build and I usually wear a medium top, but the sleeves and length on this jacket were too short in a medium so I sized up to a large. I'm glad I did because I can layer underneath it. It's still a bit short for my preference (when I raise my arms above my head a couple inches of my stomach is exposed) and I don't wear it as a light ski jacket, as I was hoping to do, but as a casual jacket it's so warm and soft and perfect and even up a size it still has a cute, flattering fit.I have worn it a couple times as a super warm layer under my ski shell but the hood is big and kind of gets in the way. It's definitely soft and flexible enough to make a good layering piece, but if you're going to layer I'd go for the hoodless version. I've also washed it around five times now and it still looks brand new and beads water fantastically. Go, Arc'teryx! I'm so sold.

I bought this in metal/metal/metal/deep for my husband as an early Christmas present, and after a few days of wearing it every day he loves it. It does seem like it runs a little small like the other reviewers have reported. He is 6'1" and 190 with broad shoulders and an athletic build. He usually wears a large and this XL is pretty close fitting in the shoulders and chest, so he can only fit a thin shirt underneath. Even though the fit is close though he can still move all around easily, and the overall length and sleeve length are nice and long. This jacket looks really good and repels water very well. It's the perfect casual jacket and he's also planning on wearing it as a spring ski jacket, but I would go up a size if you need to layer underneath since it's not insulated at all.

I have these in black gloss/gray and love them! The lenses are not so dark that you can't wear them on cloudy or snowy days, but they do a good job of blocking out the sun. The frames are pretty big. I have a large face and they cover the whole thing. In the photo the black gloss looks like it has stripes on the inside of the frame, but mine are just black and glossy with no stripes. I bought these, the Oakley Holbrooks and Kaenon Burnys and these were by far my favorite! If you have a large face and want a sweet wayfarer sunglass these are the ones.

Cute, roomy beanie that's just warm enough. The crochet is a little loose and lets some air in so you don't get stifled, and the yarn is fluffy and really soft- not scratchy in the least. It's also a good sized hat with really vibrant colors. I got the red and like it a lot.

Although I did really like the quality and shape of these glasses the frames were just too small for my huge head! I think they're for a medium face size, and would do well on people with medium or small faces. I ended up going with the Von Zipper Elmores instead, which are pretty huge and my current love.