TheJester

These pants have moved into my usual rotation of daily wear pants. The material is fairly tough, but not nearly as thick as blue jeans. They're a good choice for people who wear jeans, but want something that offers more comfort and flexibility. Quality and comfort have been as expected from Arc'teryx thus far, which is to say: quite good.

I haven't put heavy miles on them so far, but they strike me as pretty good shoes. They didn't blow me away with comfort or features, but they haven't caused me any trouble, either. The lugs are a nice depth, and show no signs of wear so far. I haven't developed any discomfort or chafing from the shoes. When I got them the laces were too long, but a quick switch to ladder-style lacing (http://www.shoelaceknot.com/shoelace/ladderlacing.htm) brought the length down to what was needed, and made them more comfortable for me.

The gusseted crotch, integrated belt, lightly fleeced waistband, lightweight stretch material, and great cut make the Palisade incredibly comfortable. You can pretty much put them on and forget they're there (in a good way). The zip pockets let me hop on a bike without losing anything, but still lay comfortably parallel with my thighs. I recommend these pants for nearly almost any purpose, unless you need serious weather or physical protection. In that case find something thicker. I had no problems with sizing; I just checked myself against the sizing chart linked near the product price.

I got an Apache AR fleece to replace an aging Columbia fleece. Arc'teryx had an excellent reputation for high quality items, reviews were positive, and I liked the style of it. Having now used it for several weeks over a few light hikes and mostly day-to-day living, my impressions are very positive. It is a thin layer compared to many other fleece tops, but insulates quite well despite it. The zip neck is surprisingly effective at moderating temperature by simply zipping up more or less. The brushed collar and flatlocked seams worked by preventing any chafing regions and I find the trim cut very comfortable overall. The chest pocket is a good place to stash a wallet, and the zipper on it (and the front zip) are both high quality and slide easily, even when pulled from strange angles. The only annoyance I have discovered with it is from the brushed fiber ends of the sleeves; the way they are stitched on makes it slightly thicker than the sleeve material itself. Thus if you rest your arms when typing (or some similar activity) it creates an uncomfortable pressure spot on your wrist, unless you pull the sleeve down or shove it up a little. Of course the Apache is designed as outdoor gear, so I doubt this was a design consideration, but just about everyone uses a fleece for day to day life too, and at this price point I expect damn near perfection. So overall, only one very minor complaint about an overall excellent product. If you don't have a gut, and are looking for a nice fleece, it gets my thumbs up.

Not too much has to be said about prAna's new wicking tops. Like their previous ones, it does a phenomenal job evaporating sweat. I use it mostly while playing Ultimate Frisbee or working out, and I dry at least as fast as if I was shirtless. I like the feel of the material too, but it *is* distinctly synthetic, so if you don't like that feel, it probably won't be your bag. The only other item of note is the funky panel construction, which only really affects how it looks. I think it’s pretty groovy, but your opinion may very. Pictures generally do it justice - so if you like it or not in the pictures, you probably won't change your mind after seeing it in person.