Contributions by Tanner Knight, BC employee (12)

The Ride SPI bindings provide plenty of support all around, while also offering comfort on the top of the foot due to the beefed up top straps. The aluminum baseplate won't budge no matter how hard you torque it, and the adjustability is really valuable when you are at the top of the lift with no tools in sight. I prefer to use the to strap as a toe cap, but it it's convertible for the old schoolers. I tried the Medium size and I wear a 9, and it was just on the verge of being too small, my foot was sticking in the baseplate after I was unstrapped, so you may want to size up to a Large for feet between 8.5 and 11. Over-all, great binding for riding hard!

This jacket would be perfect if it weren't for a couple of things. First the positive: The Cloudveil Down Patrol is a stylish, comfortable jacket which gives you serious style points on the hill! The 550 fill down keeps you plenty warm on cold days, and the Gore Windstopper outer fabric keeps the wind from biting your nips on super blustery days. The fit is great around the shoulders and chest, but could present a problem for someone with a larger belt line, as the cut doesn't flare hardly at all at the bottom of the jacket. The Velcro enclosures at the wrist offer plenty of adjustability. The two small problems I ran into have mostly to do with the ability to be manipulated with gloves. First, the powder skirt is nearly impossible to affix with gloves, as the snaps are entirely too small. You may consider this extremely nit-picky until you get up on the slope and find some powder off the trail and suddenly need the protection and can't fasten the snaps with gloves because it's 10 degrees out. Also, the removable skirt is fairly wimpy and ineffective compared to the skirt of my Gore-tex shell. Secondly, the hood design doesn't allow for maximum closure, leaving gaps near the zipper on the hood for wind to lash your neck. Also, the grommets on the hood closures are also impossible to manipulate with gloves. But, once you realize these minor detractors and learn to adjust these in the lodge or gondola, you can ski or ride with super style and comfort.

The North Face Fortress GTX boots are the warmest hiking boots I have ever owned. I have only had them out on short winter hikes, and snowshoeing but they performed perfectly. I also love that The North Face has gone to a more classic design, and done away with all the extra leather and nylon which is making it's way onto many other hiking boots. These boots have everything you need and nothing you don't! One note, I had to size down a half size due to a larger than normal toe-box, so you might want to buy two sizes and see which one fits you best.

The Ride Havoc is the perfect board for me. This is the stiffest all mountain board you can find, and it pops in and out of turns like you wouldn't believe. If you ride lots of powder on the super steep, and like going fast as hell, this is the board for you as well. Things which this board is not meant for: 1. beginners. 2. kids who spend all day in the park. 3. anyone who's afraid of their board getting the best of them, because if you are not secure in your "riding style" you probably don't want the added stress of a stiff board that likes to go down the hill...fast. Also, the 4000 Sintered base is super quick, eliminating the dreaded walk on the flats. I sometimes pass skiers in the flats on this board. Bottom line, go fast, go big.

These boots are perfect for the rider who dives into the steep and doesn't need to hit the brakes until the lift line. The Nitro Punishers are stiff, have bomber forward lean, and are super comfortable (the unapologetic red is pretty awesome as well!). If you are looking for boots which put you in a position to go fast as hell, these are your boots. Be advised: not for the park and pipe! If you are a free-styler, check out 32 or DC. Nitros are built to go fast!

This is not a typical fleece as one might expect from Marmot, but rather somewhere between fleece and softshell. It is certainly not windproof, but it is not intended to be. This jacket is great to wear over a compression top and under a waterproof shell as a mid-layer. it fits tight against the body keeping in warmth, and has ample comfort spots with really soft fleece, i.e. around the collar and wrists. Marmot tops, as a rule, have longer sleeve lengths, so if you need a mid-layer with a little more length in the sleeves, this lightweight, attractive fleece is for you!

These goggles are significantly smaller than the more popular models by Oakley, Spy, or Dragon, and as a result have a smaller field of vision, but what can be seen is super clear. So, if you are looking for a lower profile goggle, these are them. I have the Platinum Mirror lenses which are great on a bluebird day, but i must admit, are less than ideal for flat light and overcast days. I would recommend the Oakley H.I. Amber or Yellow Polarized in those conditions. (See my review of those in the Crowbar.) One other minor gripe is that for helmets that try to hold the goggle strap right at the back, the strap has a rather large clip preventing one from sliding it into the slots. Also, there is no rubber strip on the underside of the strap to hold it to the helmet. All in all, I would recommend these goggles, but I am sure they will be taking a back seat to my Oakley Crowbars most days of the season.

I wore these goggles (Amber H.I. Intensity Polarized) on the first day of the season, and wore my Smith Anthems (Platinum Mirror) on the second. I was super impressed with the clarity of the lenses, large field of vision, and the compatibility with my helmet, but after going to the Smith goggles, I was DOUBLY impressed! These goggles minimize the sun and eliminate flat light. They are pretty huge, as far as size goes, but they fit with my helmet with no problems. Overall, I had not a negative word to say about these goggles, and I have been less than impressed with Oakley gear as of late, so that is saying a lot! The extra price for these lenses is totally worth it!

The Marmot Cargo pants have met and exceeded my needs. These pants are 100% waterproof and have ample pockets for all of your snowboard tool needs. The knee pads are a must for any snowboarder, and the extra fleece lining in the seat never leave you cold and wet. Marmot has done it again!

This unconventional fleece is great as a middle layer in the super cold, and equally great as an outer layer in warmer conditions. The outside of the jacket is not your typical fleece, it's more textured and not as soft, but the inside of the jacket is the soft micro-fleece material you love so well. the sleeve length is on the longer side, so if you have long arms, this is the one for you.

This sweatshirt is super comfortable and warm for a zip-up hoody. I wear it all the time, inside and outside. The fleece-style inside is exceptionally soft and warm.

These shoes were a little tight around the middle of the foot at first, but I wore them around town, not running or hiking in them for a week and they finally got a good fit. Now, they are comfortable and seem sturdy enough for me! They are not for cold weather, but North Face is not marketing them that way, so they are great warm weather runners for me!