Contributions by Bjornar (8)

I'll give these 3/5 for the quality waterproofing and the burly soles with good traction, if not for those positives they would have been rated 1/5 or 2/5. I WANTED to love these shoes, the toe box was working great and the footbed felt very comfy....but unless you have big bulky heels and ankles they're going to slip right off your feet. I tightened them as far as I could but still had significant slippage at the heel when walking up hills. I really wanted these to work, but the just wouldn't.

Nothing super fancy about these, but they are quite functional. I like the ridging on the bottom of the pots to give a little extra grip on your camp stove--nothing would be sadder than to have that almost-boiling water dump out on the dirt because the pot lost the battle between static friction and gravity. I have no problem using the claw for the pots and the little camp towel is sewn in a manner as to wrap around it to keep it from scratching the inside of the pots when you're on the move. I actually haven't used the larger pot yet, the smaller one gets the job done for most freezer bag cooking. They're a good standard kit for those not looking to drop $$$ on titanium or a 30 piece gourmet extravaganza.

I love this shirt as a layer for all outdoor hiking and camping activities--whether it is a spring day or an cool summer night or the base layer in a stoic but slim system fighting the cold of MN winter. The stretch of the material keeps the shirt against your skin for good wicking and the material is very soft, but I have two caveats. One is that the neck is somewhat large. I do have a bit of a slimmer neck, but it feels like the larger neck defeats the effective heat regulating nature of the merino wool. The second warning is that although soft, be CAREFUL when using this as a base layer for cool/cold running. I thought it wouldn't be a problem, and certainly better than cotton, but my nips took an absolute beating on an 8 mile run with this shirt as a base layer. So while awesome for most things, merino does have some limitations.

I generally don't like flips--they are sloppy and cheap. So if I was going to get any I'll admit it, I wanted Reefs. I wanted to be able to open bottles with my feet and/or sport a few shots of liquor in my footbeds. I tried Reefs, turns out those gimmicks came at the sacrifice of function and comfort. I reluctantly tried on Chaco's. The contoured footbed with arch support cups my foot and keeps the sandal in place far more than your average foam plank flips. The strap swings back farther on your foot for a more secure fit. The textured surface of the flip keeps them on your feet even if they get soaked. The Vibram souls promise to wear more gradually than the average flip. The price is more than standard flips, but you're buying more than a standard flip, and that $$$ isn't going towards fashion or gimmicks either. It is true that these are heavier than some flips, but if you're looking to shave ounces from your extreme light-hiking pack perhaps you don't need to bring flips in the first place. I would challenge anyone to walk a few miles in these flips vs. foam planks and tell me that softer non-supporting foam didn't leave their feet just beat down at the end of the day! Wait until they're on sale, or buy them full price--either way they're worth it.

Too long I punished my nether regions with cotton underwear, TOO LONG. Go hiking and it got toasty down there. Go running and you were in for some serious punishment! Synthetic boxerbriefs both protect my legs from chaffing each other (and other things) AND are highly breathable and moister wicking. As other reviewers have said, if I had the $$$ these would be the only underwear I would own. But as it is at least buy 1 or 2 pairs for your camping/running/biking/anytime-you're-moving activities and you will not regret it in the slightest!

I've had to explain to every untrained friend who came camping with me why a headlamp made so much more sense than loose flashlights. More specifically I've enlightened them about the Tikka Plus which stands out amongst the herd of headlamps as the perfect balance of battery performance, necessary features and price. If you want bright, kick the lamp on high. If you want to head to the pit toilet in a crowded camp without the neighbors thinking the aliens have come to take them away, then drop it to low. If you want to disorient your friends put on the flasher (I'm not as sure about the strobe function!) I've had mine for a year and with intermittent use I am still on the original 3 AAA batteries. Camping, car repair, hunting elusive objects in the dark recesses of your basement--all easier with the Tikka Plus.

I'm writing the review for my wife (gave it to her as a gift). I THOUGHT this was going to be a perfect fit product wise by itself as a stylish fleece but also as a great mid layer under her Gamma MX--which I noticed she had issues wearing layers under as the neck would get a little crowded. Long story short performance is great, fashion she found a bit lacking. I ended up getting the "Seal" color as it was on outlet at a discount. The color is darker in person than on the website, fine by me, she was hesitant. She ordered a light blue color as a replacement but it ended up being more teal and she returned that. The offset zipper I though would be great to keep her neck warm and supposedly is a fashion thing as well. Zipped up it works perfectly under her Gamma MX, but she's still getting used to having it partly unzipped and being purposefully off center. The waffle texture looks fine. She wishes the piece had hand pockets but I've advised it was intended more as a midlayer, but still the criticism is valid. Overall the piece is very functional and I think the fashion of it will grow on her.