Emerson Takahashi

The fit of these is what wins me over. The toe is a little more round than the previous shoes I've owned (La Sportiva Cobras and several other Red Chili shoes) and the laces go down to near the knuckles of your toes so you can really customize the fit of the shoe.
I have wider feet that are uncomfortable in my narrow La Sportiva slippers, and these Hornets accommodate my feet really well.

The heel cups your foot really well and delivers nice precise heel hooks. The profile of the shoe is stiff and aggressive enough to stick on smalls nubs on your overhanging project, but will still let you smear with ease.
The fabric on the top is really nice too and seems super durable, and as always the synthetic material is bitter sweet. Although it won't stretch, it will definitely stink up the room, so keep them clean or you'll scare away all the ladies from the crag ;)

I'll update this review as soon as I have more time to climb in these guys

Free mittens? Who's to complain? These mittens are beasts!!
Incredibly warm, these mittens will keep your hands toasty in the coldest conditions. The fabric isn't incredibly waterproof, but will shed snow well enough. The palm material is nice and tough.
Only weird thing about these is that they're pretty big... like small boxing gloves, but again, who's to complain when they're free?!?!

I probably won't use these unless it's a super cold day on the hill (single digits or lower)

Got the Bombshell recently, and thankfully the weather has been right to put this jacket through the ringer.
My initial thoughts on the fit, is that it's a pretty "athletic" fit. It fits pretty snugly around my chest, and the overall length is spot on. The sleeves are a tad bit long for me, but my only real concern is that the cuffs are extremely small, and I can hardly fit my Black Diamond Legend Gloves under them.
The material is awesome and stretches with your body while still retaining its waterproofing. It's also tough as nails, and stood up nicely brushing up on tree branches.

This jacket has blown away my expectations for a shell at this price and I'm completely sold on Stoic's gear. The mittens that are included as a gift are super warm!
Perfect shell, 5/5 stars

For the value, these are great poles.
They're a little heavy, and not the stiffest pole out there, but you aren't going to have to pay $100+ and that's great if all you're looking to do is get a little work out in the winter.
I get a little flex from these poles if I use them for skate skiing and my arms get awfully tired, but they hold up pretty well for classic.
I've seen people accidentally fall over and land on their poles and they bend pretty easy, and since it's aluminum, if you try to bend them back you're likely to snap them.

For the price, these poles are hard to beat. If you're an "experienced" nordic skier and need a pole to really perform for you, I'd look elsewhere and maybe give the Salomon Equipe 60 Carbon Ski Pole a shot

These things rule and have a million and a half uses.
My skis are about 100mm at the waist and the 9 inch straps were a little tight (about a hole or two from the very end) and the 12 inch ones fit perfectly.

It's like a stretchy zip tie that you can undo. Super handy to have with you!

These are a great pair of gloves from Black Diamond. Goretex membrane is awesome and will keep your hands dry no matter how wet the gloves get.
They're super warm(at least warmer than all my other gloves) and are nice for my hands which get cold VERY easily.
My only problem with these gloves is the fit, it's not quite spot on with my hand. They're pretty narrow for my wide hands, and the thumb is a tad bit short I think. I normally wear a small in every other brand of glove, but I could hardly get the small over my hand in these and HAD to size up to medium.

Other than a slight issue in sizing for me, these have already outperformed every glove I've before it.

Great snowshoes!
I have been always a big fan of MSR snowshoes, and this year's Evo doesn't disappoint.
The straps are easy to get on and off, even with gloves on. They have a huge range of adjustability and will fit most any size boot. I hiked around with my snowboard boots and I still had plenty of room left to adjust the straps.
The holding power of these things is awesome. It's almost impossible to slip on these things due to the gnarly rails that run up the sides.
They have plenty of float, and you get the option to add on the Floatation tails if you're heavier than 180 lbs (which can easily be achieved if you're carrying a big backpack)
These things are awesome and I would suggest them to everyone.

Smartwool never lets me down when it comes to ski socks.
They hug your foot well and give your arch just enough support. "High Density Impact Zones" provide extra padding in your heel and toes for more durability and protection, and the soles and shins have some extra cushioning too.

I wouldn't use these particular ones for the coldest days on the hill, they're only medium weight, so I wouldn't suggest taking them past single digits.

The wool in the socks helps keep your feet smelling fresh so you can kick back with your feet on the dash after that long day of riding and your buddies won't yell at you. They'll also be BREATHABLE. Your feet won't sweat, which means that your toes will stay warm.
Smartwool does no wrong, and has always been my first choice in socks.

Found these on Whiskey for a great price and had to jump on them.
For the price, they're great headphones! They're sort of big on your head, so I certainly wouldn't try skiing/snowboarding in these, however if I need to study at the library the night before an exam, these are the go-to headphones.

Pros-
- SUPER LIGHT!!!
- good range of adjustability
- cups your ears well
- fairly long cord
- looks awesome!
- comes with a 6.5mm adapter and splitter (mic/speakers) to use on your computer.

Cons-
- slightly hollow sound (deep echoing bass with lower mids and highs, like you're listening to music in a tunnel)
- the cord looks really thin and delicate (and can't be replaced)
- bulky (they don't fold up or anything, thankfully they come with a nice pouch)

I don't think I really have any complaints about these pants. They're really soft, they fit me well, and they're tough as hell!
I'm 5'7, weigh about 130 and have a 29-30 waist and a 30 inseam. I bought the 30/short and the fit is pretty spot on.
Since they're casual pants, the pants fit a little looser, but I honestly can't say that it's any more baggy than my other pants. I guess I'm just young and like the low cut/looser fit... :)

All in all these are fantastic pants that I don't have any complaints with. If they had gussets in the crotch, I'd use them as climbing pants.
recommended for your 30 year old and under son/husband/boyfriend who loves the outdoors, but likes to kick back and take it slow.

Incredible pants. I wear mine almost every day and they have yet to really disappoint me.
The only minor thing about these pants, is that I wish they were a little looser in the waist. I'm 5'7 130 lbs and 29-30 inch waist, and the smalls can get a little snug on my waist.
Other than that, these pants have stood up incredibly well. I've had mine for a few years and they barely show any wear at all.

Surprisingly wind resistant and warm for how much they weigh, highly recommended

My girlfriend bought this for me and WOW, awesome hoodie, definitely one of the warmer ones I own. The entire hoodie is lined with a very furry fleece and is incredibly soft.
I'm 5'7 and 130 and the small fits me just right.
The hood is sewn on well so it doesn't have a point at the top, which is incredibly annoying.
This is the best hoodie to be chilling in when the temperatures drop.

Bomber harness. I've put a few seasons on it, with quite a bit of use and it's held up wonderfully. Not heavy at all, and has incredible padding(for a harness). I can barely tell that I have it on after a long day at the crag and oftentimes forget to take it off after I'm done, only to notice at the gas station that I look like a huge dork.
The plastic over the gear loops is nice and I hardly ever snag the hooks in my biners.

Not as burly or work oriented like some of the other harnesses, and a lot more comfortable than the superlight/super expensive harnesses, so that puts the Black Diamond Aspect right in the sweetspot for a very reasonable price.

This is a super affordable tent that performs incredibly well!
The majority of my camping excursions are in Wyoming and Utah, where there's a lot of open land and crazy winds. Wind is hardly an issue with this tent due to the ventilation being high up.
It's a breeze to set up and provides a nice roomy interior. I hardly need to keep my gear outside of the tent, my backpack fits nicely inside and works great as my pillow!

This shirt rocks! It looks dope, the slightly longer than usual sleeves are nice, and it's a little slimmer cut as well.
I'm 5'7, about 130 lbs and I think the medium is perfect for my size (a little loose)

Represent your favorite place to get all your gear and get this shirt!

It's probably too early for me to be showing any results of my effort in getting into better climbing shape, but I do know that the Powerbar Protein Plus tastes great!
I got the vanilla, and mixed in with milk it actually tastes REALLY good!

What can I say? It's a Grigri 2.
It does its job, not much more, not much less. The old Grigris were huge and heavy, the new ones are hardly bigger than the average belay device.
The ability to give out and take in slack is my favorite feature of the Grigri, but it takes getting used to for sure. If you go to give an arm full of slack fast, you have to hold the cam down with the hand holding the brake side of the rope, or it will lock up on you.
Also, during the first few times you use your new Grigri 2, be sure you're climbing with someone that loves you :) It can get a little jerky while you get used to lowering your partner from the top of a route.
All in all, I don't consider the Grigri to be a "far superior" option to normal belay devices. It's really great though if you're projecting a route and are taking some falls or hang-dogging. The option to self belay a top roped route is fun too.

This pants are incredibly comfortable! Gusseted crotch allows for great range of movement.
I don't know how much you like keeping your pants clean, but these have joined my collection of climbing pants.

Maybe I've slimmed down from climbing in the summer, but I ordered a 30" waist and these are loose...

I've worn my Maui Mocs for a few years now, and they've remained a great casual slipper.
I try to wear wool(or any other performance breathable sock) socks with these slippers now, since after some sweating they get a little smelly :)

You can safely feel good about looking good with these slippers

I normally would wear about a 40.5 in most other climbing shoe brands, but I sized down to 38 in the Cobras, and they fit pretty well for being new. I have wider feet than average, I also have Morton's toe (only slightly) and these fit very well for not even being broken in yet (I'll edit my review once I climb in these suckers more).
The features/designs that really stand out to me are that the rubber on the toe ends right at my knuckles, which allows my toes to be less cramped since they're only on the stretchy leather. The rubber on the toe extends up only covering my big toe, which will be useful for jamming. The heel rand is incredibly well designed as well- even for a slipper it cups your heel very tightly so every heel hook feels bomber.
My only issue, is that the fabric rubs on the bottom of my ankle bone. Maybe I have "low ankles" but I think the shoe could have been cut a little lower.
This is absolutely no reason to deter from buying this slipper. The rubber is amazing, the fit is great, even for the shoes not being incredibly down turned, they can stick on holds really well.

I can't wait to see how these do once they're broken in.
FYI, I was climbing in a pair of Red Chili Matadors prior to the Cobras.

*UPDATE*
As with any pair of slippers, if you're needing to get a super gnarly heel hook, find some different beta. These have slipped off my heel a few times, it's not too bad, but I wouldn't trust them for a completely secure heel hook. The fabric under my ankles is also continuing to bother me. I'm not sure why they had to make it so tall... also, I think my feet are a little wide for the shoes, I can barely stand wearing these for a full day of bouldering. On the positive, these things can edge on a dime and smear like no other.
initial rating: 8/10
broken in rating: 7/10 - minor things that I can expect from slippers, still AMAZING!

TORSO MEASUREMEN T FRAME SIZE
14 " – 16"/35-40 CM XS
16 " – 18"/40-46 CM S
18 " – 20"/46-51 CM M
20" – 22"/51-56 CM L
Measure from your iliac crest to your C7 vertebra

The leg room in these are amazing. I own a few pair of climbing pants from Mountain Hardwear and they don't even compare. The material is super durable and the gusseting in the crotch is perfect when it comes to getting a high foot while climbing.
Not to mention the two front pockets are super deep and the back pocket zips, which is a great feature.
5/5

At first I thought this pad was a little hard... but it broke in more and more, and now it's awesome. Pretty rigid so it will cushion you on rough surfaces and the 600D polyester is SUPER DURABLE. I've have mine for a few years, throwing it onto sharp rocks and in the mud and it's stood up great so far.

These skis are a real pleasure to ski on. These were at my ski shop and I took them out constantly. I am an advanced skier, and these skis will take any intermediate far. The early rise rocker on this ski makes it float real easily through powder, while a firm camber and good turning radius makes it great for groomers. Not to mention the base is amazing! It holds wax well and is super hard to bang up.
If you're looking for an intermediate-advance ski, this should definitely be considered.

I've been using this biner for belaying for the past couple seasons and I must say, this thing is DURABLE. I've had a fairly insignificant amount of wear from the rope, even with moderate-heavy use in the past 2 years.
It's huge so the belay loop on my harness feels as if it's angel hair pasta when I'm all hooked up. I have the auto-locking (double action) version with the red gate, and I can open it really easily with just one hand.

This is such an amazing belay biner and I will surely buy another one once mine is worn out.

These look DOPE. I own the yellow and purple pair, and man, those things can be spotted a mile away! Not for the conservative dresser haha.
Since I'm Japanese, and typically, sunglasses don't fit very well... these sunglasses sat on my cheek bones and not on my nose as they should...but that's expected from me since it seems to be a trend with the majority of sunglasses.
The lenses on these are nice too, with no real distortion, so it makes wearing these for long road trips a pleasure

I'm Japanese, so it's hard for me to find a well-fitting pair of sunglasses. I've tried so many brands like Smith, Anon, Native and Ray Ban... but nothing compared to the comfort of my Frogskins. These sunglasses don't weigh a thing either... unfortunately,this is the very reason I lost mine!! :(
I was hiking around the local crag to go climb, and I must have taken a hard step and they slid off my head and into a little crevice that I couldn't get to! Haha, of course this is all my fault, but it'd be maybe nicer if the inside of the arms had something a little more sticky.

Overall, the best pair of sunglasses I had ever owned.

I haven't been able to use this bag in all temps yet... but since I got it in early this year, it's held up pretty darn well. In March, I was able to go to Lander, WY for some climbing, and temps at night were still hovering right in the mid/high 30s and low 40s at night, and I stayed perfectly warm. The coolest thing that I have recently discovered though, is that my BA bag zips up with my girlfriends Cabella bag!! The zippers are even on opposite sides so it works out perfectly.
I think this bag excels for spring-fall temps though, regardless of the "15 F" rating.

The Sabino Trail is an incredibly stable shoe for even the roughest of trails. The midfoot shank is fairly stiff, so you get incredible protection on rocky terrain. Montrail has been making the toe boxes in their shoes fairly wide now, so even when your foot gets a little swollen from running, they are well accommodated.

One thing about sizing though, due to the increased room around the toe, I actually had to size down a half size to get my preferred fit. I normally wear an 8.5, but had to get a size 8.

All in all, a very comfortable, very durable running shoe!

I got to break these in last season, and they are some amazing boots. I'm about 5'7 and weigh 130lbs, and am a pretty aggressive skier. The flex felt really appropriate for me and really got me charging down the slopes harder.
I have a wide-ish foot, so the "anatomic live fit" accommodates any foot size. The padding is also great in the shin, so I'm rarely too beat up after a good day of skiing.
All in all, these have been the best park/freeride boot I've ever owned.

Flex: 3/10
Park riding: 7/10
Jibbing: 9/10
Groomers:5/10
Pow: 6/10

I had the pleasure of riding one of these in a 153 cm (I'm 5'7" and 130lbs) last season, and I must say, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was my introduction to reverse camber, and it's really a new world. No more having to crank on your back foot to float in powder, and stomping that back 360 never felt more buttery.
This board is a SOFTY, but it still handled decently on hardpack. Hitting rails has never felt any easier though. The "anti-camber" locks you into a steezy press. I do have to say though, the base didn't hold up as well as I expected it too, but then again, jibbing on trees has never been kind to a board.

I definitely think this is a good moderate/advancing snowboard for the up-and-coming jibber.