Andy Paul

Great biner. Love it in an autolocker for anchors and belays two climbers well with a reverso. Also a great sport climbing biner, and the suuuper large pear shape easily accommodates a munter hitch if your atc magically disappears or never showed up.

got this as a stocking stuffer one year...I prefer it over the tikka plus for backpacking cause its so straightfoward, slightly lighter and compact. Not to mention you can pull it out and attach it to trekking poles, girth hitch it to the inside of your tent as a lantern or around your nalgene in your tent at night time. Sweet gift

This thing rocks, thumbholes, fairly thick and warm. Definitely a good investment. It is so warm that in the winter I'll often run in only this, or if I'm alpining, this and a gore-tex paclite shell.

Mine stretched out kind of funky over years of use and fits way differently now than it did a few back.

I've had this tent for 6 years and have to say, it is the most BOMBER shelter for the weight, ever. Bibler kills it. The single wall two pole set up is unbeatable...storming outside? Jump in, snap poles and you're sheltered. It has endured downpours in Alaska and mid winter in Colorado, and I've gotta say, it keeps the bad stuff out without condensation forming on the inside due to the unique toddtex material. The bathtub floor is bomber enough to pitch it in a puddle.

Only suggestion is get the Eldorado if you're more than 6'2". It's snug with two but not uncomfortable.

Big investment, but a tent that will last decades of heavy use.

I picked this thing up for $20 bucks and it's a gem. I use it on trail runs when I don't want my bulky Petzl Tika strapped to my dome. The rest of the time, it lives in my first aid kit as a backup, and has come in clutch on multiple occasions.

Great lightweight/backup headlamp that won't break bank.

We use these as standard issue with the Forest Service. Our cache is filled with these. It's a bear can...not much to say but the BV 500 isn't too heavy, and packs better than those black ones that require a coin or knife to open and have a lipped top.

Also, some of the lids make a perfect cutting board flipped upside down, though I've seen newer ones that have ridges that eliminate use.

Great pot. Picked this sucker up on steep & cheep and have loved it ever since. Boils water/melts snow quick at altitude, has a strainer in the lid for pasta. Simple, light. Fits a ton of stuff on the inside and snaps shut. The handle is also sturdy and stays cool.

If you can swing it, the vesty for the i-tent is super nice. I've found it to shed rain and snow pretty well. definitely essential for a pretty snug two person tent. There's also quite a bit of room in here. Awesome that Bibler designed it so it clips to the top and only needs one extra stake.

I personally own the fly creek UL which I love, but the gear cache at my work has a pair or the seedhouse sl1s which I take out on tours. WAY more durable fabric than the fly creek...you don't have to feel like granite is going to shred it to bits.

Light single tent, the Seedhouse and Flycreek are the best 1 person tents I've seen.

This thing rocks. Durable, packable, fairly light weight. My alpine light also sheds less feathers than one of my coworkers UltraLight MontBell jackets.

More feathers+less shedding+not that much more weight=better investment.

Mont Bell is a great company and I commend them for making what can be a fragile layer bomber and simultaneously light weight. cheers

Hands down the most CLUTCH layer any outdoor enthusiast could throw in their pack. This thing competes with my Mont Bell alpine puffy for warmth..no joke! If you have a cap or light wool shirt under the R1, it will keep you low when temps dip down towards freezing...almost all by itself! (I wear this in winter with only a shell in sub freezing temps in Colorado)

On a recent trip up in Tuolomne, the r1 saved my butt when temps dipped after climbing into a cloud and was the only piece of gear I had. The thumbloops and hood kept super me toasty at belay stations. Also, the design of the hand/thumbloop material is stretchier than the rest-it can pull up on high on the forearms and stays super nicely when you need to cool down.

For those of urban tendencies, the hood makes it look cool for a frontcountry setting as well...

All in all, I wouldn't leave home without it.

super essential tool. clutch with a reverso in the twist lock (no hassle) for an anchor for belaying two climbers. get one

Recently picked up the Osprey Raptor for the 150 mile Kokopelli trail after hearing good things. With the 100oz bladder, this thing was life saving in the high desert and up into the La Sal mountains. The internal organization of this bag is almost specifically oriented around mountain biking-sleeves for a hand pump, tubes, lube, and smaller pockets for a multi-tool, chain links and all that small crap that always gets lost. Also the magnetic hose clip is super effective as is the helmet secure system on the back so you can keep all your crap together when not riding.

Though this bag is also listed for "trail running" I have a hard time imagine running with it. It secures tight for mountain biking but is pretty bulky. However, this is an ultimate day hike bag as well.

Let it be known that Osprey now makes a better hydration system with the Nalgene/Osprey HydraForm system (which is easy to fill up and super comfortable against your back) than camelbak! So if you're looking at the camelbak mule for mtn biking, forget it! This is the quintessential system for any extended mountain biking.

They say they design mountaineering tents in light colors (orange, yellow) to subtly brighten your day when its pissing outside.
The crib isn't a mountaineering tent but it sure is great for backpacking with 3! I split this tent with a mate in the US and then brought it to New Zealand. As we've got pretty rainy weather, this tent has been through heaps and has performed unbelievably. The vents keep heavy interior condensation out.
Great and ventilated, not too warm and plenty of mesh to keep the sandflies out.
Get the Marmot gearloft to hang out your stinky, wet socks.

I've used this pad on winter trips and as long as your bag is rated, this'll keep. Excellent for bivying, backpacking, etc.
If you don't like to puff (takes approx 40 blows to inflate this sucker), I'd recommend a thermarest pad

The best shell any one could ever buy..From 14ers in Colorado to paddle trips in AK, this jacket has survived it all--and for nearly 5 years! As just a plain gore-tex shell, this jacket is capable of anything from spring/summer rain and thunder storms to full on winter mountaineering. The theta always gets shoved into my pack, regardless. Other than fitting me a little bit wide in the shoulders, this is my favorite piece of gear. For winter, i layer it with an ultra-light down puff (which are often fragile/not waterproof) and a layer of merino wool. I prefer that set up to a bulky jacket for winter alpining and ice climbing. Can't go wrong with BC's dankest.

The best shell any one could ever buy..From 14ers in Colorado to paddle trips in AK, this jacket has survived it all--and for nearly 5 years! As just a plain gore-tex shell, this jacket is capable of anything from spring/summer rain and thunder storms to full on winter mountaineering. The theta always gets shoved into my pack, regardless. Other than fitting me a little bit wide in the shoulders, this is my favorite piece of gear. For winter, i layer it with an ultra-light down puff (which are often fragile/not waterproof) and a layer of merino wool. I prefer that set up to a bulky jacket for winter alpining and ice climbing. Can't go wrong with BC's dankest.

My marmot fall line pants have treated me well. I've taken them to Utah, Jackson Hole, Wy, and all over Cali. They are a fairly good all around pant, but not as waterproof for socked in powder filled back country adventures as I would like. Basically a great pant for the price. Check ya later.