This is my third insulated jacket. I have a lightweight Primaloft (Mountain Hardwear Compressor) and a lightweight down puffy (OR Virtuoso). I wanted something to fill the void in between the two. A jacket that was WARM but also not overly bulky utilizing synthetic insulation. The Patagonia DAS Parka fit the bill. It's super warm (with 170G of Primaloft versus the 100G of most jackets), well made, and still very packable. It is super comfortable on those cold days. Just beware that this is a belay jacket cut large in the body so you can wear it over many layers. I wear a size Large in Patagonia fleeces and shells and they fit very close, but this jacket in a size Large has way more room and is on the baggy side. I tried on the Patagonia Micropuff hoody for comparison at the Patagonia store, and it has a closer traditional fit, compared to this jacket. The Micropuff only has 100G of Primaloft though.

I just got these after returning the '08 version of the Hardrock Mid. The '08 version began to come apart on the sides from normal trail abrasion after using about 4-5 times on long day hikes. The newer version seems like a much better light weight mid hiker. The materials seem tougher, the toe box is bigger, and it's lighter. Although the sole is thinner than previous versions (which I've seen people hate on for it's apparent lack of support), it seems to still be very supportive and offer great rock protection. I haven't put any miles on this pair yet, but if it dissapoints I'll be sure to update my review.
I've tried lots of similar shoes trying to get the perfect ultralight mid day hiker for high mileage (Inov8 Roclight, Keen Shellrock Mid, etc.)and this seems to be the best so far.

Great Pants. These fit great and I love the fact they make them in a tall size for lanky folks. I've worn these twice snowshoeing in around 0 degree F temps with only a light base layer under and they worked beautifully. The reason I chose these pants, other than the fact very few manufactuerers make tall soft shell pants, is the durability. I have an older pair of Gamma AR pants and I've abused them countless times and they've held up amazingly. Great quality pants.

I was really bummed after I used these bindings for the first time. I was super excited to use these. I had owned Flows prior to this and was looking forward to be able to use these like a Flow (rear entry/exit), as well as have the strap versatility. Well, these are extremely difficult to get in and out of compared to flows using the reclining high back. The back binds up etc. Not only that, but the bindings began falling apart and showing wear the first day! The cable near the attachment on the high back was sheered through the plastic to the metal and the padding on the inside of the high back was peeling off. I rode the second half the day using these as a normal strap binding. The ratchets don't release that well. Nowhere as smooth as a Burton binding. Overall, a huge disapointment. K2 needs to do some work on these guys...

So I have a funny story that displays this pack's quality. A buddy and I took a long break in a beautiful meadow before the last 4 miles of a multi-day trek. After downing a couple bottles of trail wine (takes the edge off), I didn't have the best judgement of where to cross a stream on the trail on the hike out. Long story short, I picked a bad spot and ended up totally submerged for a couple seconds with my Bora on. The thing kept my gear (including $1,500+ of camera equipment) bone dry. That alone sold me on Arcteryx pack quality. I'd definately buy it again.