Contributions by ErkMD (5)

Great pants! They are very light and roomy, do not buy a larger size to accomadate your gear, Arcteryx all ready did that for you. So I am 5'8 about a 32 waist and shorter legs than most, The medium was plenty roomy and I was debating a large good call w/medium. Waterproof = yes 100% I crossed a stream in these bad boys, not a drop in my boot or anywhere else, the water was cold so I thought I was soaking wet, buy not the case. A must have for the avid outdoorsman and any job when weather is involved, pricey but worth it a perfect score.

The Marmot Pounder Plus 25F is the ideal all season sleeping bag. Keep in partly opended and your head resting on the hood and you'll stay cool enough for those spring and fall treks (summer too!), but when it gets cold zip er up and pull the face tie and you wont notice the elements. Additionally, why I did chose it overall, is because it's incredibly light just over 2 lbs and stuffs into a compression sack that stores easily or mounts you pack no problem. Open it and you have a fluffy warm bag that when sealed up and tighten around the face will have you feeling cozy regardless of the external conditions. It also claims to be water resistant, which I will be testing next week in the mountains of the Shenandoah over an extended stay. So far no complaints, I have not used it in temperatures below say 20F but even with a little clothing and a good tent should be no problem. A must have for the adventurer who thinks like a minimalist but wants the best gear at all times! -ErkMD

Great overall pants, ideal for hiking or just hanging around. They dry in no time flat and are very comfortable. There is plenty of room in the legs to allow for gear in pockets, breathability, and hidden leg strappings (knives etc...). The zippers are quick to come off when the going gets hot, and almost as fast to zip back on when terrain or weather changes. Pockets are large enough to stow most anything, and with the handy loops on the waist you can add a knife, light, compass, phone, or whatever you see fit. Great versatility with these pants, a must have for the avid camper/hiker/outdoorsman or just awesome pants in general if you don't demand performance on a daily basis you'll always have them if you need them. If there was a 10 star rating these would be worthy of such a distinction.

If you're knowledgeable about lights then you can relate to this great headlamp. First, it is incredibly light on the head with the external battery pack mountable where you see fit. Second, battery life is great even at full power, and a nice step down if you happen to be using full power for hours. Third my favorite, it is blindingly bright, uses a K2 Luxeon 5 watt LED (no headlamps to date uses a 5 watt LED except this one), slightly outdated LED technology, but because of thermal regulations and size this is the perfect choice. The light boasts over 100 lumens = very bright, and can be used as a thrower (term for a light that has tight-far projecting beam). Usually LED's are not capable of throwing like incandescents (halogen, xenon, etc...), not the case with a 5 watt LED. Typically, LED's are good for providing diffuse light with a very short range, but the Brunton L5 does both. It comes with a diffuser that easily slides over the light and you have great flood spread for working at night. Take off the diffuser and blow away your friends or anyone who has a flashlight, they will likely feel ripped off because your headlamp is much brighter. A fantastic headlamp 5 stars. -Eric