Todd Kehoe

Pretty sweet in general, the only thing missing is the case. You take cardboard/duct tape & make one, so I'm not worried about that. The new Ortovox shovels have a different shape shaft that fit into the snow saw, so that is the one surprise I found, but not too worried about it.

I'll probably pick up an Ortovox Beast shovel sometime down the road. It is narrow enough it fits into my BD Corvert pack nicely in the slots for probe, shovel shaft & snow saw.

This company makes awesome bc products. It is simple, but what you want in a shovel.

I do a lot of slackcountry/short to medium bc trips & I'm totally happy with this product. Ortovox makes excellent products across the board.

The other reviews down below describe this product perfectly, this is nice product to have for backpacking. I also have a Nalgene, but it is nice having something made of stainless steel. The design on this product is fairly well thought out.

This ideal for hiking for late spring/summer/early fall for when it rains out. It is lightweight so it won't add much to backpacking trips. The only pitfall is that it has just one pocket & no pit-zips, with that you can a little warm if you are overdressed. This is a secondary jacket, for myself it is fine.

If you want something for everyday, I get something a little thicker. For myself, I like it, I just use it during certain times of the year.

Most of the reviews here say the same things I enjoy about this jacket. It is a good jacket for working outside in the fall, mild winter days or spring. It blocks wind excellent & is good for working outside on small project or short hikes when the weather is cold, but not frigid.

I like this jacket because I don't have to use my other technical skiing jackets for other errands around town. Basically, it is a good everyday jacket.

A nice simplistic all weather glove that is good for riding all winter long, padding right where you need. It kinda is like a poor man's/simplified version of the Hestra Seth Morrison pro model glove.

I have two sets of Hestra gloves, got this as a gift & enjoy this glove.

I have the previous version of the ski, which is called the Adrien Coirier pro (purple/black color with the Sickbird graphic on it) that is the closest thing you find to the now 86ed Rossignal B-Squad or the old 97 mm waist Dynastar Pro Rider, not the newer & softer Pro Rider 105. It is only 102mm at the waist with traditional camber to it, but some days that all you need. Some days I enjoy my bigger 118 & 128mm waist pow skis. Everyday is different, funny how this used to be the size of the bigger fats skis out there only a few years ago.

This ski is burly, stiff tail, with a little forgiveness up front. I use this ski for the days you are not quite sure if the snow soft or hard, it still kills it. Just be warned it'll charge fast, but it is extremely stable.

If you want a on ski quiver I would suggest something a wee fast with a 'lil rocker to it, but if you want to add to you quiver with a quasi-fat traditional camber pow ski, this is it.

I have these pants from a couple seasons ago, for on the BC Outlet/Dept. of Goods for something like $40ish. I'm happy with them, but I jumped on a hell of a deal. These pants have been solid for two going into three seasons.

For what I got & paid for I'm very happy, the quality is fairly solid that I can rely on. I currently have a Sessions puffy & 2 sets of Sessions pants, plus other of their product in the past I trust their quality.

It may not top of the line like the Burton AK products (which is awesome, I have an AK 2L cold weather shell that I love), but Sessions do not suck. Sessions products are still better than a large portion of the rest of the choices out there.

This pack I enjoy very much, it is not too big nor too small, just the right size. It is ideal for the bc riding do, having an Avalung for when times go bad you up to an hour of oxygen vs. 15-25 minutes without it. I view the Avalung pack as important as my probe, shovel, beacon & bc partners.

If you do want a smaller pack for mainly slackcountry I would check out the BD Bandit, my old pack last year until I upgraded to this size.

When I heard about this coming out a couple years ago I was excited for an with a slight rocker. I have a set of 194 cm Dynastar Pro XXLs (which I ranked 5 stars on bc.com), they are hands one of the finest traditional camber skis I have ever ridden & are still part of my ski quiver. The only gripe about the XXL was it was a burly & heavier ski, but it handle anything that was thrown at ya.

Dynastar made it more lightweight & in essence it does not have that same XXL feel to it. It is not as stiff, with medium flex on the ski now, less burly. It still is a solid ski, but I feel they dropped the ball taking out some of the best attributes that made the Dynastar Pro XXL so well liked over it's 2006 to 2010 run.

I think most people will enjoy it, for what I want in the ski it is letdown. If you want a medium flex rockered pow ski it'll do the job. A lot of XXL fans like myself expected out of Dynastar. Dynastar just went in a different direction in this model vs. the Pro XXL.

As an everyday they don't have the durability to hold up to everyday use. They great as a quiver ski for someone with 3-5 pairs of skis depending on the type of powder day. If you are looking 1-2 skis in your quiver I would do something else. Surface is fairly solid about their warranties, I'll admit I'm tough on skis & expect them too take a lot of abuse. I don't want a good day ruined by faulty equipment.

I'm not saying these ski suck, they are really fun, they don't hold as well as others that I've used. I had some FKS bindings (luckily I found the binding heel) tear out of the mounting holes. I could have had a badly made ski, I really am not sure. The nice thing about backcountry they have 100% guaranty on all the products they sell on this site, so really you don't lose if you are not happy with what you got.

I'll admit, I'm pretty aggressive on the mtn. & will charge stuff super fast, expecting a lot out of a ski.

Burton AK line makes awesome jackets, they are perfect in so many ways. Also, I had a AK jacket from three season ago that was starting to some wear with teeth on the zipper starting to break & getting worn down in general from three season of shredding 120+ day per season at least, I went to Burton got a brand new replacement in 15 minutes. That has sold me their AK products.

It good enough for most cold days in Jackson Hole (on the super duper cold days that is when the puffy comes out, luckily it not too often), best yet on the days it is warm you don't feel super hot. The material for the shell repels cold weather very well, & feels totally fine on the 35-45+ degree sunny days.

The AK line may cost a tad more than the rest, but they are SO WORTH IT or if you are lucky you'll find it on Whiskey Militia run by backcountry.com. I've found a few gems there time to time.

Gotta agree with what everything Jeff said down below. I'm happy with mine, the headphone break, I get new versions.

I have two sets of Icons & two sets of Full Metal Jackets, I lucked out getting them on a killer sale on the bc outlet & whiskey militia. I have a second set for when they do die I have another set to use in the few weeks until I get new versions. Works out well, any company that has lifetime warranty is worth having, Skull Candy will honor you. If it is rider abused damage, you'll get 50% off discount off their site.

I have been a fan of these headphones for a while, they are great for everything. They have never changed for a reason because they rule, the design has stayed the same on this model since day 1. I've had a few versions of Skull Candy headphones since 2008 & these are one the versions I enjoy the most. Plus, you can never go wrong with a lifetime warranty.

If you want to do longer AT tours, there are better options, but if you are like myself & mainly do slackcountry (I ski Jackson Hole, so I have A LOT of slackcountry options), hiking, short to medium skinning skinning, you are fine. I pretty much only ski on FKS 185/P 18 ski bindings on my skis, & want something that is bomber & tough. When I got these bindings, I wanted something close to the durability I have on the in-bounds/slackcountry set-up.

The Duke has set the bar for people like myself who want a binding that is dependable and won't break after too much in-bounds at the resort (i.e. Fritschi Diamir Freeride Pro) after a couple seasons, I know 2-3 people that have into that problem. This is made for people who want ski 60-75% in-bounds & 40-25% outta-bounds. I believe in the 2012-13 ski season, Atomic & Salomon will have AT bindings on the market, tho my knowledge they are still in the test/R&D phase. Marker raised the bar in the last few years, competition will only make them all better & we will benefit.

But just as good for the most part, an 8/10 flex is still really good, (the Morrison is 10/10). They have all of the things I look for in ski boots: comfortable, light, warm, durable, powerful. They perform exceptionally well for a full alpine boot, I like to do a lot of slackcountry & these boots rule. I can't see myself ever skiing on another boot,... ever again, they are perfection.

In my opinion this wax seem to hold better than other ski waxes I've used, plus the box will is biodegradable & turn into flowers, gotta love that. I've had the best results with one, they have my return business.

The closest ski you find to the now 86ed Rossignol Squad/old Dynastar Pro Rideris this ski here. It is we bit softer than the Squad, but that was the stiff ski ever made. It has a super stiff tail to the waist, the waist to the tip has a little more give to it. It is becoming harder to find stiffer ski on the market these days.

This is a fat, but not so fat ski, but it is still a hell of a fun ride. This ski you have stay point with this burlier, stiffer model to enjoy, otherwise it'll ski you. This is on the smaller/narrower width on my powder ski quiver I have, but still lots of fun.

I have some rockered 118 to 125+ mm fat skis, which totally rule most days. When the snow is variable, this is a ski that can hold it's own on the less than desirable days or on the good days as well.

When I first moved out west, skis like this were the killer everyday pow ski everyone envied & now the market has exploded with all types of powder skis. Like I said, I've got a wide selection of pow skis, but sometimes a modest 102 mm waist with a stiff flex is all you need.

Us powder skiers are like 'Girls with shoes', we can never fully complete our ski quiver.

The shovel kicks ass, it has all you want, it has a tough blade & shaft. The only con is if you have a smaller pack like a Black Diamond Bandit Avalung pack for example, it is tight fit. If you have that pack, I would get the version with no D handle, that adds a few inches to the length, that is already a small enough bc pack.

I have the BD Covert & that fits fine. I know someone that ran into that problem with that shovel in the Bandit pack & this shovel. He ended swapping this shovel with a buddy that also had a newish avi shovel non-d handle shaft.

I ski Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and this is an ideal pack for the Tetons with all the slackcountry off JHMR & Teton Pass. It is fairly simplistic for day trips, basically it has room for your probe, skins, shovel, & few extra items. It is lightweight & does not feel bulky.

The only con is the smaller size, I upgraded to the medium sized Black Diamond Corvert Avalung pack that I got a deal I could not pass up on. I loved the Bandit pack, it was all I really needed for JHMR slackcountry. However, on trips with more length of hiking/skinning (like Grand Teton Nat'l park for example) it was hard to squeeze in extra supplies into the pack.

If you just wanna do just shorter bc or slackcountry trips this pack for you. This is an ideal to have for a mtn with a lot of slackcountry options.

For what I paid for I'm happy with the tent, has suited myself fairly well on summer camping trips.

These pants do run a size big, but for what I'm happy with them for what I paid for them.

Did the job for me, I'll admit they were not the best, but fairly solid.

I got this ski rack for something like 1/2 to 1/3 off so I feel I have gotten amazing value out of it on my Legacy Outback. It is a nice & simple ski rack, that is easy to put on & take off my car. Most ski racks are pretty similar, they only real difference is the assembly onto the car rack.

If you are gonna spend a lot of money, get a ski box, because those you can use for traveling other than skiing to give more storage room onto your car for bigger summer road trips. I used to have a ski box & at sometimes I miss that, you don't get road grime on your skis. It all depends on what your needs are.

I used to ski the 191 older version of these skis, they were great. They were a big fast ski when they came on the market back in the 2005-06 winter, now they are an everyday ski, but still a hell of a lot of fun. The only negative thing about these skis I can think about is that Armada puts the mounting point (at least my version did) is set up more for a park instead of big mountain boot center. I compared them to my 194cm Dynastar Pro XXLs and there is a 5 to 6 cm difference. If you do pick these up, compare them to another ski so you mount them at the right spot. That can make all the difference in the world in the way it skis.

These are stiff, fun, responsive skis to rip the hill everyday for a long time. I'll admit I have two sets of rocker skis, but these still get the job done. There are some days I prefer my traditional camber skis to rocker skis when you want more surface when the the snow is so-so to just alright.

I now have the 194 Dynastar Pro XXL, & I had the 191 ANT, both skis were pretty similar, the XXL is just a little stiffer.

Using these gloves for two season, I love these gloves. Gotta love a full weather glove with Gore-Tex, it keeps my hands warm when I'm riding on those cold Jackson Hole days. These are are the best overall gloves I've ever had. The only negative thing I can think of is they are too warm for spring/warmer winter days, for that I use the Hestra Fall Line gloves.

This is my secondary gloves for skiing, mainly for spring/warmer days. This is an excellent glove by any means, but for colder days I use another set of Hestra gloves. I would highly recommend these, Hestra makes a product that lasts a long, long time.

Simple & basic metal d-handle shovel. When you are goin' outtabounds, you need a dependable shovel for unlikely chance a buddy gets caught in a bad spot. Plus, you can't go wrong with a lifetime warrenty.

I've had these since spring '09 & could not be happier. Plus you gotta love a lifetime warranty, that Smith will cover practically anything on a return. Smith has taken care of myself pretty good. These are great for when I'm doing any kind of active sport.

I like the value I have gotten out of this sleeping bag. It may be on the value side, but I don't do camping during the winter (that is when I'm skiing), so from late-May to mid-October, this does the job fine. Plus, you gotta love a lifetime warranty.

I love these shades for a stylish set of shades. The only thing I can knock on them is the screws tend to get loose, & lens will pop out if you don't watch it. This has happened to me twice, sent them back to Smith & each time I get a new set of Serpico sunglasses. Considering I got them for 50% off back in 2009, I've got good value out them.

If you have to pay retail, buy Smith, the warranty last for lifetime!!!! I know people who have sat on their Smith sunglasses by accident, shattering them & got a replacement set for free. I wish more companies were like Smith Optics.

I've had these for three years & love them!! They have excellent sound quality & have adjustable ear bud to fit in a variety sizes. I'll admit I don't have the ear buds from three years ago, but Skull Candy has taken care of myself every time something went wrong & sent a new pair to me. I wish more companies had lifetime warrantees like Skull Candy. If you watch Whiskey Miltia or the Outlet site you can get these for some killer deals.

I had these when I got them for cheap on Whiskey Militia a couple years ago, but I would not pay full price for them. I like how they fold up for easy traveling, the plastic on them will tend to snap. They did snap on me & sent them back a refund a year or so ago. They are basically the same speakers as the Skull Candy Icon (which I also have), but just look bigger, but not as comfortable as the Icon.

If you can get them for $10-15 on Whiskey Militia/Dept. of Goods Outlet go for it. You can send any Skull Candy products back to Skull Candy in Park City & they'll send you a free replacement or whatever is comparable, I've done that, they are very good about that. Anything with a good lifetime warantee is worthwhile

I like these headphones a lot, excellent sound quality. It has a no frills looks, but it is nice, I have two pairs of these I picked up on Whiskey Militia for $12 or so. If they ever break, Skull Candy cover there products for life, you can't lose out.

This boot has not changed in a generation, my dad had a few pairs of these boots, & have them as well. These are absolutely awesome.

If you have the foot for them, get them, they are nice lightweight ski boot that are extremely responsive. I know I'm not changing ski boots anytime soon, once my boots are eventually shot, I'm getting another pair.

To put it best, you must be an amazingly super duper, awesome skier to enjoy these as Ron Burgundy is funny & likes Scotch. You stay classy, backcountry.com.

Seriously, these are killer bindings, the best on the market. They have barely changed in over a generation, & half, there is a reason for that don't screw up something awesome. They tried to change the completely and few people bought the replacement Axial2 version, I sure as hell did not. The king is back!!!

You are not worthy of these bindings. I have three sets of these bindings, some of the most durable bindings on the market. I stocked up on these bindings, before they went off the market in '07 (& still as good when I bought them), refusing to the so called FKS replacements AKA Axial 2. Now that they are back on, happy days are here again.

These bindings are not for the timid. Now only if Rossignol skis (with exception of the Rossi Squad/RC 112) could be as tough.

The material ripped too easily, I'm going back to bc.com to get my money back. Luckily, these are not my only pants for skiing.

So far the pants feel pretty durable, on negative is that there are no vent zippers, the material has held up so far. They have a nice carpenter jeans look to them.

I agree with Tats, you can't go wrong with scott goggles, they have maximum value. I really like my Scott goggle with the red/orange lens, they are awesome on day when it is dumping to mostly sunny, excellent viability, & I also my dark chrome lens for the bright bluebird days. I've rockin' mainly scott goggles (Witness, Ransom, Motive, & the old Messenger) for something like five years & like who they are made with quality

These ear buds rule!!!! Granted, I got them on bc.com's WhiskeyMiltia.com for $30, but these are super high quality, they are still awesome for double that price, sound quality is amazing.