Contributions by Summit Bum (117)

I loved the North Face Ultra 100 trail shoes and have been looking for a replacement ever since North Face stopped making the Ultra 100. I have long narrow feet and the ultra 100 dual lacing system worked perfectly for my skinny feet. The Rucky Chucky does not have the same lacing system as the Ultra 100 so I have trouble getting the shoe tight enough because my feet are so narrow. The Rucky Chucky runs fine I have about 50 miles on my pair of shoes and they are as good as anything else i have tried besides the Ultra 100. I have no blisters or hot spots and I did the first 20 miles with the stock foot beds. Once I put in my custom foot beds the shoes felt even better.

North Face Prism Optimus is designed and built like no other down jacket on the market. 1. All the baffles are welded not stitched which gives the jacket a great look and makes it very durable. 2. The use of Primaloft and down together is ingenious. The hood is Primaloft so when it gets wet you are still warm and the pockets are Primaloft, and your backpack straps don't compress the down. The down in the jacket is only 700 fill but it is super warm. Spending 10 days in the St. Alias and this will be my warm jacket.

This Norrona gear is insane. I have been a huge Arc'teryx fan and still am but the Norrona gear is Arc'teryx quality with sweet style. These bibs/pants are very cool. Norrona seems to nail functional style. These bib/pants fit very well yet have a nice baggy style. The bib section zips off making them pants or you can zip in the powder skirt that zips into a Norrona jacket making it a quasi one piece.

If you are reading this review you have already self selected into a the group of people that don't care what other people think. The Norrona one piece is bold, loud, and built like a tank. When my one piece arrived to the office it was amazing to watch peoples reaction. Folks either love it or hate. Being in the middle of love it or hate it fine for North Face customers I prefer the fringe. I am 6' tall and the medium fit me perfectly. This construction and design are Arcteryx quality minus the Canadian styling.

If you are a half size like me be sure to size down in this boot. I bought the size 11 because they don't make 10.5 and the boot is way too big. I would have been happier with a 10 but the snowstorm arrived before I could return the boot for a smaller size.

Arcteryx continues to raise the bar so high no company can even come close. I don't own this jacket because my Gamma MX from four years ago still looks new after 200 days of abuse. However the styling and the hood are enough for me to pull the trigger for this jacket. Be sure to check out the see more photos link for detailed views of this jacket.

I had the opportunity to demo this jacket for a spring ski tour at Crystal. It was raining/sleeting and the jacket regulated my heat perfectly despite the jacket is heavier than I would normally bring on a ski tour. The fit is good I wear a large Arc'teryx and medium The North Face in this jacket I wear a medium.

Interlock are the highest quality Smith sunglasses I have owned. While the frame style is not ideal for sports the interlock functions flawless. Polarized lens are a nice add.

These jeans look killer - by far the best Volcom jeans I have (I have about 7 other pairs). The organic angle is great and fabric feels premium. The only issue I have is sizing - the jeans fit fine before I washed them now they are too short. Looks like they shrunk a half inch in length and quarter inch in the waist.

Not sure if it's the fact that I downsized or if these boots are truly amazing, but in my 20 years of skiing I have never had a better boot. I have skied Lange, Salmon, and Technica but I have never had a boot that fit perfectly, so I decided to buy a size smaller than I wear which is 28.5 so I bought at 27.5. I went to Surefoot and had them mill out some plastic for my big and little toes then presto the boots fit perfectly. The B-Squad is the most responsive boot I have ever skied and I am positive this boot makes me a better skier. The boot is not too stiff but it never feels remotely soft I guess the boot is the perfect flex. The soles are slick as hell so get some cat tracks, but other than this these are the best boots I have ever skied.

This jacket rocks, no stitching- all seams are welded which gives the jacket awesome lines. With lightweight you get awesome breathabilty and functionality. I notice the review by DeGraaf said he was all sweaty. Well, if you wear a fleece jacket under your coat while hiking, you will be sweaty. This is a shell so it's designed for layering. When hiking, wear just a base layer and the shell. When you get to the top, if the wind is blowing- add another layer. The jacket is 100% waterproof, so the way to get wet is by overlayering.

These skis are light, stiff, and beautiful. The skis are hand made in Italy and ski great plus they are light so I can always do and extra lap in powder.

160 in the tip. What is not to like if you have bottomless powder? The M 1111 skis really well in the deep pow as one would expect. Despite the huge dimension, the ski was nimble and the swallow tail lets you carve a deep trench. The only drawback is I need a longer length because the swallow tail eats a ton of the effective edge, so the ski feels short.

I have used Scarpa boots for the past 9 years and was never really satisfied with the fit. This past season I took the leap and got a pair of Crispi XR telemark boots because they looked like they would offer a better fit for my low volume foot. I am happy to report that not only is the fit amazing, but these boots are stiffer and lighter than my Scarpa T1s. I really like how the Crispi boot has a buckle and pulls evenly around the boot as opposed to the Scarpa that just puts pressure on top of your foot. The one downside is the sole on the heel is very thin, and I almost wore it off in one season, but with a boot that fits, I can deal with putting some new rubber on the bottom each season.

I have used Scarpa boots for the past 9 years and was never really satisfied with the fit. This past season I took the leap and got a pair of Crispi XR telemark boots because they looked like they would offer a better fit for my low volume foot. I am happy to report that not only is the fit amazing, but these boots are stiffer and lighter than my Scarpa T1s. I really like how the Crispi boot has a buckle and pulls evenly around the boot as opposed to the Scarpa that just puts pressure on top of your foot. The one downside is the sole on the heel is very thin, and I almost wore it off in one season, but with a boot that fits, I can deal with putting some new rubber on the bottom each season.

I had no idea how much friction my old G3 binding caused while hiking up hill. I have put about 35 days on the Black Diamond 01 binding and it is rock solid in the resort and even sweeter in the backcountry.

Freeride Rhea is correct the 189 and 194 are for skiing big lines in Alaska but the 184 and smaller are still one of the stiffest skis you can buy. I find 184 perfect for ripping pow and big lines here in Utah.

This shirt is high quality and does not look like some lame Polo shirt made by Polo. I dig the organic cotton with styling that does not imply you wear Birkenstocks.

This belt runs the opposite direction of other belts, but whatever it works and is super high quality.

My daughter is three, so these are a bit small for her now, but she still loves them. They are easy for her to put on because there is no right-side-up and the lens is nice and dark. We have since moved onto the Oakley Half Pint sunglass which is also great for kids three and older, but the Jublo are still her favorite.

These are easy mittens to put on, but they don't stay on very well. If your child has very small hands and hates it if their thumb is not in the right place then these are for you, but you will be putting them on often.

I have been skiing Scarpa for ten years and was never satisfied with the fit. I have a narrow heel and middle foot with normal width toes. The Crispi fits my heel perfectly, and this boot is stiffer than the T1. Make a note though, the boot does not come with 3-pin holes so if you use hippy bindings you might have to stick with Scarpa.

The Burton Wheelie is a great bag with bomber skate wheels and a dirty clothes bag. The downside of this bag is the lack of room for boots. However, the bag is sill big enough that it easy to fill beyond the 50 pound weight limit.

This shirt is what you would expect nice quality and decent outdoor style. A bonus is the shirt does not wrinkle. It seems to run true to size.

I took my Bora 80 on a 7-day 52-mile trip in the Wind Rivers and have to say it was my favorite gear of the trip. It carried the 60-pound load with no problem, it was easy to pack and totally waterproof. It rained all night and all I did was throw the lid over the top of the bag, to my surprise not a drop of water got in the pack. Other sick features include the top pouch turns into a fanny pack, great hydration sleeve, and the best hip belt I have ever used.

This shirt is really cool and the pattern is much cooler than it looks on the computer. I really like the fit which is tight, but not to tight. I ordered my normal size large and was happy with the fit.

The description and images do not even begin to come close to describing the Burton DJ Bag. Frist off, it has a full-on laptop compartment then it has backpack straps that can be hidden and the sling strap is fat with padding. The iPod case is sick and puts the iSkin to shame.

The North Face Bicom jacket is more than your normal wind breaker. The bicom's use of different fabrics with vent pockets is far beyond the nylon Hind windbreak I had previously. The Bicom cuts the wind very well but it does not insulate like the Marmot Dri Clime jacket. I will say the Bicom is really stylish unlike the Dri Clime. Overall construction reminds me of Arcteryx.

The Oakley Hatchet is the newest sunglass in the X-metal line and it rocks. I have owned the Juliet and it looked great but did not fit that well. The Hatchet is light and ultra comfortable. I really like the spring hinge that delivers the perfect temple pressure every time.

If you have owned an older Suunto watch and thought it was too large or not very easy to use you might want to consider the X6 HR. I used to own a Suunto Vector and it was a pain to use all the cool functionality and it was huge. The X6 is about half the size of the Vector and has a very intuitive user interface. You can easily turn on the log book and with the click of a button view great stats like feet climbed per minute, total elevation gain, average heart rate plus peak and low heart rates. The other feature I hated on the Vector was calibrating the compass but the X6 has made compass calibration simple.

The new Atomic Neox bindings are burly and built to last. I only skied them for one day but they functioned flawlessly. I want to make sure everyone knows Marker bindings are the worst bindings on the market. When it comes to bindings you need to buy the best you can or the ones recommended for your skis. My favorite binding companies in order of preference are Look/Rossi, Tyrolia, Line, Atomic, and Salomon. Next time you are in the tram line at Snowbird or Jackson Hole take note what bindings the locals use. These are the bindings that are safe and durable.

This is a softshell jacket that keeps wind and water from penetrating the jacket. The other advantage of softshell is breathability but it will not keep you warm. A windstopper fleece like the North Face Pamir Jacket will keep you warm. Softshells are great for aerobic active in cold weather but if you need to keep warm at the bus stop get something else.

Alright, I maybe a 31 year old trying to recapture my youth but... The DC H20 shoe is comfortable and perfect for our Park City winter weather. The shoe grips the ice and sheds water like a Sorrel boot but looks much better.

Alright this shit looks good and all but the best feature is you don't have to iron it.

Whether you are ripping runs in Valdez or getting first tram at the Bird the Free Thinker is the jacket you want to wear. Made from the most bomber Gore-tex this jacket will last for thousands of years and it is a critical component of the BMFRO.

All I want my stove to do is work flawlessly for an entire trip. While this seems like a basic requirement of any stove most fail to work with out cleaning and maintaining. The Nova worked flawlessly for 9 days on the Escalante river. No matter how much sand got on the pump or in the burner it started every time. If you are crispy make sure the fuel bottle is facing the right direction otherwise you will think the stove is broken.

The North Face Slipstream is a simple sunglass that does everything right. They are comfortable, well made with spring hinges and make me feel like a Rock Star. Not some cheesy rock star but like Chris Cornell. Throw the horns.

The Marmot Evolution is perfect when there is a slight chill in the air. It does an amazing job wicking away moisture but is also very windproof. A wicking windproof garment did not exist until Gore-Tex invented this next to skin fabric. Give the chills the finger and get some Gore next to skin.

My child loves to be outside and so do her parents. The Kelty Joyrider 20 inch has enough clearance that we can hike all the trails in our home town of Park City. The hood is well designed and offers complete sun protection.

Calling the Siver Cartel Flight Suit a sweatshirt is unjust. The Flight Suit is a super comfortable and plush outer-layer. People constantly comment about the Euro styling.

The TM 22 like the K2 Super Stinx have won top honors in ski test for the past five years. The TM22 is quick turning and stable at very high speed. I remember when this ski first debuted as an all mountain powder ski back in 1998. If you are looking for one ski to do it all the TM 22 is a great choice. The TM 22 is best suited for intermediate to expert tele-skiers.

The Black Diamond Nunyo is the easiest ski to make tele-turns. The tele-turn flows effortlessly with the Nunyo under foot. The only down side to the Nunyo is it has a speed limit.

I bought the 3-Pin Hardwire as my backcountry binding because I like the built in fail safes of a 3-pin and cable connection. Plus while hiking up the cable can be left off the boot which allows more efficient hiking. The downhill performance of the binding rocks. The two connection points makes the binding stable and strong which is perfect for hard hitting resort skiing.

I bought this ski with the intention that I would only break it out on the deepest Utah powder days but to my surprise I use the ski all the time. It is a great backcountry ski that is very easy to turn. I also like how fast you can go on this ski it does not appear to have a speed limit.

A safe binding is one that releases when it should but does not prerelease. The Look P12 holds me in when bombing the cirque at Snowbird but release quickly when I tumble through the trees. Binding Perfection.

I love my Evolution top and now pack less clothing in my pack because the Evolution works in a wide range of temperatures. I can get hot and sweaty on the hike up but not get chilled when the wind blows on top. It takes a leap of faith to wear this as your sole base layer but once you experience being comfortable at 50 and 16 degrees change is easy.

The Rossignol T4 may seem new but the previous models built an excellent foundation. It all started with the Bandit XXX then the telemark version was made called the MegaBang and now we have the T4 to enjoy. If I had to pick only one fat ski to use for the rest of my life the Rossignol T4 would be at the top of my list.

My little girl loves this jacket! She looks cute and it keeps her warm.

I have skied the Fischer 7.6 in 20 inches of powder and boiler plate hard pack both days were great. The Fischer 7.6 holds an edge very well on the firm stuff but floats in the powder. If you could only buy one ski and you wanted it to rock in all conditions buy the Fischer 7.6.

The Recon has everything you need to be comfortable while on the hill. Recon uses Recon Ripstop 3L, 3-layer Conduit waterproof fabric that is bomber and breathes well. The recon also has a powder skirt, pit zips, and a radio pocket to keep in touch on the hill.

I had a hard time believing I could make three GS turns down the steepest run at Snowbasin on a pair of 180 cm skis and feel rock solid. After a few runs on the Heads my disbelief turned to amazement. You can carve super tight turns or point um and scare you and anyone you fly by at mach 6. When the powder is gone this is the ski to have.

I have found my Black Diamond Wind Stopper Gloves to be the most widely used piece of winter gear I own. I bought the WindStopper Glove for backcountry skiing but soon found myself running, biking, driving, and camping in the Windstopper glove. I used the glove over 100 days and they show very little sign of wear. These would make an excellent gift because virtually anyone can find a use for them.

If you have read any of my reviews you know I think Arcteryx is the best but how could you not when their products are so good. A climbing harness that is molded and welded together eliminating seams is genius. This is the nicest harness money can buy and it is worth every penny.

The shoes are very very good. I have been a big fan of The North Face Ultra 100, which is a great shoe, but I have switched to the Montrail Vitesse and I am equally happy. The Montrail offers tons of support but is still very light. I also like the many lacing variations that are available.

I love my Marmot DriClime Underwear for many reasons but the way it feels against my skin is the number one reason to buy this underwear. Marmot underwear is softer than cotton and wicks better than Patagonia.

The names for tents are backwards. A four season tent is really only good for one season, winter. Who wants to roast in a single wall tent during July? The Marmot Swallow combines the best of both worlds. You get a nice three-season tent and bombproof four-season tent in one. I really like the ability to seal the windows from inside the tent. 90% of the time I do not use the rain fly. If weather moves in overnight you can seal up the Swallow without leaving your tent.

The Touryak is very stable and goes straight without much hassle. With the cargo storage and external straps this would be an excellent choice for long day trip or weeklong expeditions.

The MSR Pocket Rocket stove is simple to use with no maintenance or priming. However, the best feature is the Pocket Rocket's weight. At 3 oz I can bring it backcountry skiing for tea on the peak or have hot soup for lunch.

If you are on the fence about paying more for a carbon paddle, it is worth every penny. The carbon blade saves energy and made my less than perfect stroke less of a problem.

The MSR Pocket Rocket stove is simple to use with no maintenance or priming. However, the best feature is the Pocket Rocket's weight. At 3 oz I can bring it backcountry skiing for tea on the peak or have hot soup for lunch.

A rope bag is a rope bag for the most part but the Rope Ranger has a superior harness system. You can carry the Rope Ranger like a backpack or a messenger bag and either way is very comfortable.

These are the highest quality and most supportive sandals I have ever owned. I have had mine for over a year now and they will not break down. Simply the best.

The pad in bag combo is a great idea and works well. My pack is lighter and I sleep better now if they can figure out a way to make water weigh less.

I get more use out of my El Cap short sleeve than any other base layer I own. The EL Cap is great in the winter as a second base layer for cold days and perfect for every summer activity. I have had mine for over a year and it still looks new.

The North Face is hitting the sweet spot for everyday clothing with the A5 line. The crag short is bomber enough to rub granite all day and show no signs of wear. They are also very comfortable.

The Boundary is an excellent bag to stuff all your smaller dry bags into. I like to double bag my items to be sure my sleeping bag stays dry. If you have to hike with the boundary it is no problem. Just strap the 50 pounds to your back and start huffing.

This watch is comfortable and has all the functions one would expect from a digital watch. Plus the watch is super durable. I have had my watch for two years and it still keeps perfect time.