Richard Taylor

I love my Baltoro 65. Gregory is known for producing not necessarily the lightest packs on the trail, but packs that are absolutely bomber and tough. I'm a "tweener" (or in between two sizes) and I bumped down, and have had no regrets. If you have never bought a pack before, try one on first, because different brands target different people based on how the pack is composed or how it will fit different people.

I absolutely love this jacket. Unlike Chris Reid, I have not had the problem of it loosing its waterproofing. Easy to pack down small and lightweight make this jacket great for climbing, backpacking, and the like. And if the jacket does loose waterproofing, buying some solution for it wouldn't be too costly. Great jacket and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.

Like others have said, this is a great pad for the money. I just picked one up last week, but I have used a friend's prior. Solid pad, easy to carry, light-weight, etc., etc. If you're starting to get into bouldering, this is a great buy.

These were my first pair of climbing shoes, and I absolutely love them. I was recommended them by a friend, and they did not let me down. Very comfortable, but they will loosen with time, so definitely size down when you buy them.

You'd have to kill me to get this shirt off my back. Super comfortable and great looking. Can get down and dirty in it and then turn around and wear it back in the real world. Love my white one.

Skull Candy came up with one sweet product with the 50/50. Sounds great and have held up nicely to wear and tear thus far. I did get these to replace a pair of Smokin' Buds, which busted on me after training with them in during wrestling season. These buds produce some pretty big sound, with both richness and volume. Definitely a solid buy.

However, given the nature of the materials used in the bowl, it does transfer a good deal of heat. Will it hold up to use with boiling water? Yes, but the heat transfers through and can burn you if youre not careful. However, it is a very intelligently designed piece of gear and with the quality that Sea-to-Summit always delivers.

The BD ATC-XP is an easy to use, yet very effective belay device. With this, it was much easier to belay larger climbers. Definitely would pick one of these babies up if looking at belay devices.

Love this jacket. It a great windproof jacket, but beware in calling it water proof. Though it does repel for sometime, if you stay out in snow or rain for long, you will feel it. I wear it regularly in winter weather, and with a solid layer underneath, I can easily stay out in 20º weather for a solid amount of time.

I was a long time wearer of Aasics, but I tried these on and couldn't take them off. They are extremely light weight, and comfort is not sacrificed. Great overall running shoe.

Very comfortable, breathable, and waterproof. Overall, its a great boot, especially for the price. It's held up well thus far and I intend to give them a considerable amount of abuse this summer so I'll write again on their durability then.

I had one of these for a while, but it broke within the first year. On one of the sides of the valve, the piece holding it together broke off, so the valve flopped around.Also, the CamelBak is much harder to clean than a standard water bottle like a Nalgene. After owning both, I would definitely go with a Nalgene because of their dependability and ruggedness. Throw a SplashGuard on the top and it is even better.

Great belt. I have the Patagonia Mountain one and just love it. I wear it almost everyday. Does its job and looks good too. Keeps a constant size so no need for readjusting throughout the day.

Though I do prefer clifbars, I do get tired of eating the same flavors for extended periods, so when I get tired off clifbars I usually switch to Vanilla Crisp Power Bars.They taste pretty damn good for the looks of them, and allow enough calories for a solid snack during a hike/run/etc.

I started eating these when I wrestled, then when i started kayaking and backpacking. Great tasting bar that packs the calories needed to continue on.

I've had this bag for a couple years, and it still has held up great. It gets daily use from school, and has been tossed around a lot, but still looks new. Solid construction and great for a casual backpack.

Since bombproof has described the durability of other pieces on this site, I think the only way to accurately describe it would be saying Nuclear-Apocalypse Proof. This thing is a tank. For me, medium is the perfect fit, but any way you go, this duffel will not disappoint.

I got these gloves at REI on sale for pretty cheap, and for the price I paid, I am pleased. For most weather I see in GA, whether in winter or fall, these gloves will carry me through most anything. Granted, as others said, these gloves are not ideal for heavy moisture, they definitely get the job done when it comes to cold days.

Durable, comfortable,and packs down small- I can fit both my Cat's Meow and this pad down in the sleeping bag compartment of my Baltoro. Big Agnes made a solid intro pad with this one. You can definitely find a better pad, but you'll have to suffer the price tag for most of them, so going with this one is a great decision.

These shoes are bullet proof. Major wear and tear between day hikes, to days on rivers, to everyday wear and these things still are holding on strong. Very comfortable. If fit right, you shouldn't get much unnecessary rubbing,or at least I haven't in my experience with them. Worth every dollar on the price tag, and seeing how long these lasts, these are a great deal for the miles you can put on them before seeing a decline in condition.

Picked this up on Steep and Cheap (a daughter site of backcountry) for around $20. It's a pretty solid jacket, but it doesn't breathe too well. For $20, I would buy again, but I would shop around prior to dropping 40 on it.

Hands down best light i have ever owned. Heavy duty casing helps it stay waterproof and is very sturdy. Black diamond makes great lights, and the Storm is no exception.

Solid trail knife. Takes a little while to loosen the blade, but with some work it is easy to flick out with a hand. Solid blade. There are better blades out there, but for the price, this one does great.

I love my pair. Great for cold nights or cold hikes. Breathe great, and avoids odors nicely, which is great for longer trips.

and useful. Breathes great and transfers well from the trail to the hometown. Look great, feel great.

Though compacting this pack is not as great as with others, the Cat's Meow is a great bag. I have used it on the AT (Springer Mtn to Woody Gap) in January, and stayed nice and cozy with a T-shirt and boxers. Only way to make this pack a perfect rating would be to lower the sized when packed down, but because of its performance I would, hands down, recommend this bag.

This is one tough, but comfortable pack. Though you do sacrifice weight and a thicker pack, Gregory makes up with it with its durability and ability to stay organize. I do agree that the side pockets become less and less effective as the main compartment is filled, but the easy access to the several point of the main compartment, in my eyes, help alleviate the issues that that could cause in other packs. I have had no issues with this pack, and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a solid extended trip pack.

I absolutely love the Kavu Strapvisor. I bought one from Backcountry and haven't looked back since. It has been worn regularly but still looks brand new. These things can take any adventure you throw at it

Loved the Gizmo, but i recently upgraded to Black Diamond Storm. Both are great lights, but the Storm has some extra settings that I couldn't resist. Black Diamond is my go-to company for headlamps.

It's the only dry sack I use. I have the 4 liter and its great for anything from keeping spare clothes dry to keeping sensitive down products safe.

I usually use it as a one person, but with the rainfly, the extra room on the outside does make it possible to fit 2 packs, and then 2 people inside. Breathes well and have faced no issues with condensation. Also, held up well against pretty strong winter winds when on a trip on the AT. Definitely recommend it to anyone.