Contributions by Dr.Dom (48)

A beanie is a beanie is a beanie, right? Well, that's the way I feel. I mean, there's just not that much to them. But this one stands out from the pack as being "just right" in all the ways that count. It's not too big or too small. It's not too loose or too tight. It's not itchy. It's pretty much indestructible. It's warm, wind-resistant. And it looks good too.

This is a great sports drink: not too sweet, not over flavored. Even better, it has a nice electrolyte profile that makes it really easy to absorb when you're dehydrated. But best of all, it comes in little sachets. I keep a sachet in *every single* backpack I own, and on more than one occasion, it's been a life-saver. (Well, not literally, but it's helped get me back up and running and feeling strong.) Good stuff!

Here's a counter-opinion to Sawtoothme. I *love* this stuff. Most sports drinks are too sweet (too much sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup), too flavored, and (particularly annoying to me) too acidic. Once upon a time, I went too far in the opposite direction, and bought a tub of pure maltodextrin. It had no flavor at all, and was almost unpalatable. This stuff is perfect. It contains pretty much just long(ish) chain carbohydrates and electrolytes. The flavoring is very slight, and the sweeteners almost unnoticeable. Just enough to make you enjoy swigging it. I've used it in races time and time again, and I swear by the stuff. In longer races (>2 hours) I'll typically use something with some protein in it. I like Hammer Perpetuem. The nice thing with the mild flavoring is that you can blend your own magic potion without creating something undrinkable.

I'm guessing these are the logical successor to the venerable Minuteman Bibs. I'm thrilled with them. The Gore-Tex Pro Shell fabric seems to have excellent breathability, and is supposedly more durable than XCR. They fit great (M works perfectly for me at 5'11", 160lbs), and just feel right. The extra height of the bibs (over ski pants) means that snow doesn't end up down your back, and your upper layers don't come untucked. This is a simple, streamlined, elegant design, clearly optimized for backcountry skiing. There are two side vents (hip to thigh), and four pockets -- no unnecessary zippers or closures or strange features that you don't want. I wouldn't change a single thing.

The TNF Volt jacket is very reasonably-priced, and skips on a lot of expensive extras like seam-taping, wrist closures etc. However, it looks great, is super light, and wonderfully breathable. I'm not sure it would work very well in heavy rain, or long periods of melting snow, and the fabric is not 100% windproof. But the surface is tough and sheds snow very well. All in all, this is great spring skiing jacket, and is permeable enough to work as a layering piece too. I also plan to wear it for climbing in the spring. I'm 5'11", 160 lbs, and the M is a great fit, with enough space to wear a fleece underneath.

I have had great experience with Marmot gear in the past -- it is quality, well-designed stuff. And I had heard great things about these bibs from various hard-core mountain types. However, I never got to battle-test them. When I tried them on, the hips/thighs billowed out like those neo-Nazi pants that state troopers wear with their high boots! My guess is that the bibs are designed to allow you to wear a lot of high-volume layers and maybe also a harness underneath. Great for hard-core mountaineering, perhaps, but they seemed excessive for backcountry skiing, and I returned them...

Nutritionally, these are great. They don't freeze up to a brick in cold weather (or at least down to the ~10F that I tested), and they are bigger and give you a lot more sustained energy than any of the other bars that I've tried. Personally, I prefer the taste of the original flavor, though that's completely subjective.

Maybe I've bought into the marketing pseudo-science, but I could swear that on long endurance events (2 to 12 hours), I feel that I have more energy when I use drinks with protein added, like Accelerade. I also think this makes a really great recovery drink -- really handy for getting some protein in you fast after exercise. The only reason I wouldn't give this five stars is that IMHO, the drink is too acidic. I think they've concentrated too much on trying to make it taste good. That said, I have plenty of triathlete friends who use this all the time for both racing and training.

I was completely unprepared for just how good this jacket would be. It is very small and thin, and astonishingly breathable, yet totally windproof. What blew me away was how warm it felt. I went hiking in 30F weather wearing the jacket over nothing but an ultra-light running shirt, and felt perfectly comfortable. Being able to flip the hood up and down makes a huge difference. Much warmer than just a hat. Next day, I wore the jacket on a backcountry trip. Skinning uphill, I was sweating like a pig, but at the top of the hill, it dried out instantly, without any cold sweat lingering cold. I've also got a transition zip tee, which I love for running in the rain (you can literally run in freezing rain, and come home warm and dry), but this is better still: the addition of a hood, thumb-loops, and a rear pocket makes the garment even more capable. BTW, though the description doesn't mention it, the "Windstopper" membrane is GoreTex N2S. Seriously, it is hard to overstate how fantastic this jacket is. This is really a giant leap in outdoor technology: I've not worn anything in years that has impressed me this much. You won't believe it until you try it. The jacket is cut slim and athletic, and designed to be worn close to the skin. I'm 5'11", 160 lbs, and the M fits me like a glove.

Wow! *I* *love* *this* *ski*. It's huge width and soft shovel make skiing powder totally effortless and exhilarating. Furthermore, the ski is very light for its size, and great for touring. My "174 cm" (actually 176) weigh 3530g/pair (7lbs,12.5oz). Note that this is a *totally* different ski (based on Coomba alpine ski) to last year's heavyweight Anti-Piste. K2 have definitely pulled off some sort of Voodoo magic with the tip, which has a kind of dual camber and shape ("rocker") that makes the ski feel shorter on hardpack and longer in deep snow. Given the serious width, I was surprised how well the ski performed on hardpack and in the bumps. These skis are tremendously maneuverable: they absolutely scream through tight trees in deep snow. If you're a big, hard-charging skier, you might find them a little light and on the soft side (in which case go buy some BD Verdicts). But for the rest of us (I'm 155 lbs) the flex and weight makes the ski forgiving, nimble, and just damned fun. Best new (Western) ski this year, hands-down. Nothing else comes close in performance and versatility. Hard to understand how other reviewers could give this ski less than five stars. I'd give them six if I could! These are off-the-charts good: You'll think you're a ski movie hero. FWIW, if you look at the dates of their reviews, it's pretty clear that SingleTrackMind, cheater5_tokyo, and doublet were all reviewing *last season's* (06/07) Anti-Piste, which, as I said above, is a completely different ski -- much heavier and stiffer and slightly narrower than this.

What do you want from gaiters? As far as I'm concerned, I just want to keep the snow out of my boots. These do the job admirably. They are quick and easy to put on and take off, and seem to be pretty breathable, too. The velcro closure looks like it might be a weak point, but it doesn't leak, and seems to be holding up well. And you can't argue with the convenience: this closure is way quicker than a zipper. I've had these for a couple of years and worn them on something like a hundred winter runs/hikes in the Wasatch, an they look as good as new. Still, it's nice to know they have an unlimited warranty.

I've been skiing fat planks (Atomic Teledaddy) since the 03/04 season. The TD's were the first ski that I ever tried that made me say "Wow, these are way better than everything else." For the last couple of seasons, I demoed a variety of supposedly hot skis (Atomic TM-X, Rossi T2, Fischer T-Stix 92, BD Verdict, BD Kilowatt), but none of them really impressed. The Rapid Transits are the first ski in years to wow me again. I was expecting to have trouble adapting to the sidecut, and thought that the asymmetrical shape was a gimmick. But immediately after demoing the ski, I went right out and ordered a pair -- they're that good. Wide enough to get good float in the pow. Tremendous grip on hardpack. Great shape and flex for the bumps. Nice and light for touring. This is an outstanding ski, and almost perfect. Almost? My only, tiny criticism is that I find the tail of the straighter edge a little bit hooky. If I could, I'd round off that corner to make the ski release more gradually.

Not stiff enough to be a pure edging shoe (i.e. not for Smith Rock!), but surprisingly versatile, with awesome sensitivity. They really excel on overhangs, tiny pockets, smears. A fantastic bouldering shoe: similar to FiveTen V10 slipper, but more comfortable. Note that these stretch significantly. I'm a size 10 US street shoe, and have found that a 41.5 in La Sportiva climbing shoes (Mythos etc.) worked well for me. On a whim I decided to order the Venoms in a 41.0. Initially they seemed painfully small, and I thought I'd got a little carried away with the sizing. But after a few days of bouldering, they stretched out nicely, and now fit like a glove. I'll buy these again and again until La Sportiva retire the design!

These are not typical trail-running shoes. They are light, light, light. Which means they are *not* for everyone. If you're in the Clydesdale category, or you need a shoe with lots of support and/or stability control, these are not for you. On the other hand, if you are of athletic build, have trouble-free feet and normal running gait, and you want to run *fast* on trails, then you are going to love these shoes. The feel of running at breakneck pace over uneven terrain is exhilarating. The shoes are super grippy, and have a stiff enough sole so that running over rocks and stumps is still very pleasant. These are probably not shoes that you will want to train in day after day (although I have to say that they are surprisingly forgiving), and certainly not what you'd wear over a really rocky course (the sole is fine, but the ultralight uppers will get cut up fast, as will your feet inside!) But come race day, these are *exactly* what you're looking for. Zoom! Finally, a note about sizing: I'm a fairly regular US 10 in most running shoes, and found the 10 to be a little on the snug side. The 10.5 however, was noticeably too big. So I guess they run just a smidgen on the small side.

I've got about a week's hard skiing on my Ascents. First off, there's no doubt that free-hinged bindings make backcountry travel far more efficient: once you've tried them, you'll never go back. Also, because of the free-hinge, you can use stiffer springs and have a more active binding without experiencing any negative effects (otherwise, very "active" bindings are a lot of extra work when skinning). I opted for the X-race (red) cartridges, and really enjoyed the extra power and earlier engagement (from the slight toe ramp). The new heel-piece is certainly slick (although I can't figure out how to get the bails to tuck behind them so they don't flap around when you carry the skis!) Many people are fretting about the durability of the binding, but mine seem solid, and I can't believe that a reputable company like G3 would put out a fragile, unreliable product. And if the bindings do start failing, I'm confident G3 would offer replacements. The Ascents are *significantly* (13oz) lighter than Black Diamond O1's, but switching to and from tour mode is not nearly as slick as the O1. I suspect the locking mechanism is more prone to icing up, too: I've had to clear out the ice with my ski pole to re-lock the binding. The binding also sits significantly higher (40mm vs 30mm) than the O1 -- I don't really know whether that's good or bad! But I can say that I'm very happy with the bindings: they ski great and combine the familiar feel of the Targas with effortless touring.

My Atomic Teledaddys are now in they fourth season of hard skiing and starting to look a little ragged. Over the last two years I tried a bunch of different skis, and never found anything that compared to the versatility of the Teledaddy. I demoed the Verdicts, and finally have found a suitable replacement. They are everything I loved in the Teledaddys -- masses of floatation, light (astonishingly so), powerful, damp, stable at speed -- but with a little extra sidecut and a little extra width in the shovel. Remember that this is a *big* ski: don't be afraid to go shorter than you would normally. I'm 5'11 and 160lb, and a very aggressive skier and the 180cm feels a little on the large side. (Noticeably less flickable than 173cm Teledaddys, but super stable and reassuring at high speed in deep snow.)

Love these shades. They are everything you want: they look cool; they are comfortable; the clarity of the lenses is outstanding; they have Smith's lifetime warranty; they come in a hard, durable case. I've worn them skiing, biking, and running, and found them excellent in all conditions. Switching lenses out is very easy (I use the clear lenses when biking in the dark.) Can't think of a single negative thing!

If you like your skis stiff, these are the skis for you! In my opinion, the dimensions are about perfect for Western conditions -- big enough to float through the pow, and with enough shape to turn easily on hardpack. They are amazingly stable at speed and effortlessly bulldoze through all sorts of nasty crud. The only downside for me was their stiffness. I demoed a pair (the 06/07 version) one afternoon (with O1 Telemark bindings), and found that when I punched into a turn, the ski barely flexed at all, which was extremely disconcerting. Perhaps one could get used to the stiffness, but it will certainly take quite a bit of adaptation. I'm a lighter (155 lb) Tele-skier, so if you were much heavier and/or an AT skier, the stiffness might be much more pleasing. But for me, it was a show-stopper, unfortunately. These are significantly stiffer than the BD Havoc, itself already a fairly stiff ski.

I've skied the last couple of seasons on Garmont Syner-G's. Always found them to be comfortable and to perform well. However, I was really cranking the top buckle and powerstrap to try to maximize control of my skis. This season, I thought I'd upgrade to the Ener-G's, and I'm really happy with the decision. If the boots are stiffer, the difference is fairly slight -- I didn't notice it (but I've not tried switching back and forth). The fit of the boot seems identical: my foot is wide and flat, and Garmonts have always worked much better for me than Scarpas. What I really noticed, however, was the extra control of the ski that I got from the fourth buckle and higher cuff -- it is very noticeable. And this with the buckles and strap looser, so the boots are actually more comfortable too! Best of all, the weight difference is negligible. My brand new Ener-G's (size 27.5) weigh 3760g (pair); my two-year-old Syner-G's weigh 3660g. The Ener-G's are only 2.6% heavier! That's a miniscule price to pay for the improved performance. Suh-weet!

I've skied the last couple of seasons on Garmont Syner-G's. Always found them to be comfortable and to perform well. However, I was really cranking the top buckle and powerstrap to try to maximize control of my skis. This season, I thought I'd upgrade to the Ener-G's, and I'm really happy with the decision. If the boots are stiffer, the difference is fairly slight -- I didn't notice it (but I've not tried switching back and forth). The fit of the boot seems identical: my foot is wide and flat, and Garmonts have always worked much better for me than Scarpas. What I really noticed, however, was the extra control of the ski that I got from the fourth buckle and higher cuff -- it is very noticeable. And this with the buckles and strap looser, so the boots are actually more comfortable too! Best of all, the weight difference is negligible. My brand new Ener-G's (size 27.5) weigh 3760g (pair); my two-year-old Syner-G's weigh 3660g. The Ener-G's are only 2.6% heavier! That's a miniscule price to pay for the improved performance. Suh-weet!

This is really a fine-looking jacket. It's a great color (but noticeably more red than it appears in the images above -- check out the photos of the women's Cairn fleece in Sangria, which are much closer to the actual color). The fleece material is slightly stretchy, super-soft and has an outer weave that looks like it won't pill. Construction is top-notch (as you would expect from those Canucks). What's not to like? Well, the fleece is definitely not windproof. (The flip-side is that breathability is outstanding: when I run outside in the cold I can actually see the steam coming through the jacket!) The product description also mentions an 'internal security pocket', but I couldn't locate such a thing. Perhaps it's just exceptionally well-hidden! Finally, there are a couple of features that I could happily do without. There's the laminated 'stash pocket' on the left wrist. I can't see what I would want to put in there: anything with any weight to it is really annoying. A credit-card and/or a few bills is the limit. I'd prefer a chest pocket or having the pocket higher on the arm, at least. Secondly, there's the waist cinch. Like everything else on this jacket, it's beautifully made, with the tails of the drawstring routed through reinforced eyelets into the hand-pockets, so that tightening the waist is just a matter of pulling from inside. Very nice. But again, I don't see why I would ever use the cinch. This is light-to-mediumweight fleece with little wind-resistance. When the weather is frigid and windy, you'd really want to wear a shell on top, in which case the cinch would be redundant. And if you didn't have a shell, the cinch would make very little difference to your warmth, particularly considering that the jacket already has fairly snug fit, excellent elasticity, and a good long length that extends below waist level, nicely shutting the chilly gusts without any tightening required. Ditching the cinch would make the jacket lighter and cheaper. But these are minor quibbles: overall this is a superb, well thought-out garment. I expect to wear it day after day, indoors and out, until my wife begs me to wear something else! Sizewise, I'm 5'11" and 160lb, and the medium fit me perfectly. Slightly roomier than a Arc'teryx medium.

I've tried several winter backpacks with built-in hydration systems. When it gets cold enough, they *all* freeze. However, my Stash BC is, by a mile, the best: it's only frozen once, when temperatures were around zero Fahrenheit. Having the drinking tube zip into the strap makes all the difference. The downside is that it takes a little longer to extract the tube; the upside is that the tube doesn't flap around, and, most importantly, you can actually drink liquid! Apart from that, it's a great ski pack. Size is about perfect for a one-day backcountry outing: takes shovel, probe, food, spare clothing, radio. Looks great (particularly the red version), light, comfortable, well-made. Has adjustable ice-axe loops, plenty of attachment points, reinforced ski straps (takes skis vertically, diagonally, A-frame), waterproof zippers. I've yet to find anything about this pack that I don't like. A+.

I've tried several winter backpacks with built-in hydration systems. When it gets cold enough, they *all* freeze. However, my Stash BC is, by a mile, the best: it's only frozen once, when temperatures were around zero Fahrenheit. Having the drinking tube zip into the strap makes all the difference. The downside is that it takes a little longer to extract the tube; the upside is that the tube doesn't flap around, and, most importantly, you can actually drink liquid! Apart from that, it's a great ski pack. Size is about perfect for a one-day backcountry outing: takes shovel, probe, food, spare clothing, radio. Looks great (particularly the red version), light, comfortable, well-made. Has adjustable ice-axe loops, plenty of attachment points, reinforced ski straps (takes skis vertically, diagonally, A-frame), waterproof zippers. I've yet to find anything about this pack that I don't like. A+.

The sizing of these shoes is bizarre. My feet are a typical US size 10, and I normally find that a European 43 fits me well. I ordered a 43 in this shoe, found it much too small, returned it for a 43.5 (still too small) and returned it for a 44.0 which finally fit my foot. When you order, I suggest you order *at least* one half-size larger than you would normally. These are clearly serious trail-running shoes. As such, the fit of the forefoot is, I believe, intended to be fairly snug to stop your foot sliding around in the shoe as it lands on angled ground. I'm used to running with a lightweight racing trail shoe (Montrail Masai), and the differences are very noticeable. These have a stiffer sole that makes landing hard on sharp rocks much more comfortable. There is also a pronounced ridge around the perimeter of the sole that stabilizes off-camber landings and helps prevent rolling your foot. I found the traction of the sticky-rubber tread was excellent. The footbed is relatively flat (no big bulge under the arch), which is the way I like it. I have fairly flat feet, and find that shoes with high arch support are uncomfortable and give me blisters. I've only had three long runs wearing these, but I'm starting to like them a lot. Overall, I would say that they are just a little too heavy and too stiff to be used as a racing shoe (unless the trail is covered in loose, sharp rock). But I'm optimistic that they will prove to be a great everyday training shoe. For comparison, the Barr Trail size 44.0 weighs 1lb 13oz (pair) vs. 1lb 10oz for the Masai (size 10). I can't yet speak to durability of this shoe, but the construction seems very solid. I typically wear through the uppers of my trail shoes at the sides, just where the shoe flexes: these have some serious-looking reinforcement right at this point (on both inside and outside) so the prognosis looks good.

I love this rope. It's lightweight. It handles beautifully. It has a clear dual weave. It's highly water-repellent, and it's a lovely color too! The only aspect I can't speak to yet is its durability. But it looks good so far (a couple of months use), and I've had good experiences with Edelweiss ropes in the past.

Truly a stick-clipping dream. After messing around with jury-rigged monstrosities of branches and climbing tape, this makes you appreciate the joys of a purpose-built tool. It works well.

After reading a copy of "Accidents in North American Mountaineering," I was sold on the idea of an auto-locking belay device: it seemed that a huge fraction of disasters could have been averted if an auto-locker was used. (Note that Trango, for legal reasons, refuse to call the Cinch an 'auto-locker'.) I've had my Cinch for about a year, and I love it. It is just like a Grigri, but lighter. It works with skinny ropes too! The upsides are the same: improved safety (if a rock fall hits your belayer, you're still safe); improved convenience (grab that sandwich while your leader dogs the route). The downsides are similar: no double rope belay; jerky lowering (particularly with a slick new rope). Like the Grigri, it takes a little getting used to. I highly recommend carefully reading the docs on the Trango website.

These are amazingly light: about 2/3 of the weight of a conventional quick draw. Before I climbed with them, I was a little nervous that they might be too small. My preferred clipping method involves hooking the ‘biner with my middle finger and pushing the rope in with thumb and index finger, and I was concerned that the tiny ‘biner might not be big enough to permit this. But I've used these on about five climbing days and haven't had any problems yet. The different colors for top and bottom ‘biners (bottom ‘biner is prevented from rotation with a rubber band) is a nice touch that enables you to orient the draw correctly at a glance. The BD neutrino and DMM prowires don't have this feature. I'm very impressed. They make my old draws look like stone-age relics!

Bought the previous incarnation of this jacket for my wife a year or two back. Recently ordered myself one, and was surprised to find that the newer version has a slightly heavier weight nylon shell. I think I slightly prefer the old version, which used to fold up to miniscule proportions. Still, the shell was *very* thin, and probably a little too delicate for most people. The current model still folds up pretty small, is very breathable (I run in it every day), and seems to be much more abrasion-resistant.

As you'd expect from a top manufacturer like Arc’tery, this is a very nicely designed garment. It has clean and simple lines, is lightweight, and looks great. It seems like it should be durable too, although I've not yet had time to assess this. My only tiny gripes are these: firstly, the sizing is a little on the small side. If you're used to generous American sizing, you might be caught out. I'm used to buying medium sizes, and the medium here turned out to be a little snug, particularly around the underarms. Secondly, the fleece was slightly thicker than I expected: thicker than a conventional lightweight fleece, but thinner than heavyweight outerwear. Still, I expect that as winter rolls in, I'll appreciate the extra warmth.

This is the best fleece I've ever owned, bar none. It is extremely warm and windproof, but still very breathable, and provides masses of venting with the front zipper fully unopened. The mesh over the inner surface means it slides on and off quickly without snagging. Oh, and did I mention that it looks great too?

Although I run over 90% off road, I've never been a huge fan of'trail-running shoes. They have always seemed heavy and clumsy to me. This shoe changed my perception completely. They are lightweight, but sturdy and well-cushioned. They do a surprisingly good job of keeping out mud and moisture, yet retain excellent breathability. I've worn mine in (and won!) both off- and on-road races. I’ve never had any problems at all. Love 'em. I'll keep buying these as long as they make them.

It seems that every hard-core outdoorsman wears Chacos, so I had high expectations for my first pair. On the positive side, the continuous strap is really good: it's simple, and holds your foot very securely. You can always slide the toe loop flat for a more relaxed feel. And these sandals are clearly built to last. But their most striking aspect is their weight: they are *heavy*. It feels more like you are wearing a pair of hiking boots than sandals. And because of the very dense sole, I felt that the cushioning was minimal. I'd happily jog ten miles in my Tevas, but not in Chacos. The Chacos weighed 1075g (2lb 6oz) vs 655g (1lb 7oz) for my Tevas. Some running shoes for comparison: Montrail Masai 780g. Salomon Techamphibians, 710g. All-in-all, I was disappointed. You pay a significant premium for Chacos, and for your money you get a sandal that feels like it will last 10 years. Personally, though, I'd rather pay half as much for a pair of Tevas: they might only last three years, but they are smaller, lighter, and more cushioned. [I returned the Chacos...]

I purchased a T6 with the optional foot pod (to measure speed while running). The system takes quite a bit of getting used to. The menu system on the watch is very different to most sport watches, but pretty easy once you've got used to it. The analysis software is also quite idiosyncratic: for example, it took a phone call to Suunto tech support to explain how to download the data from the watch. However, once I had become familiar with it, I found that the system worked very well indeed. Unlike another reviewer here, I've had absolutely no problems with the HRM strap (whereas I've had mixed luck with Polar and Timex monitors). And the foot pod works amazingly well too: I just completed a marathon wearing it, and without any re-calibration it showed my total distance as 26.3 miles. I also found the Suunto tech support to be excellent. To summarize, the device is very expensive; the software is rough around the edges; and the watch's user-interface could do with some fine-tuning too. But I still give the product five stars, because the system provides amazingly detailed performance data that you just can't get anywhere else. Not only does it continuously log your heart-rate and speed (with the foot pod). But it also records your altitude throughout the workout, your breathing-rate, your power output/calorie consumption, and calculates other performance metrics like EPOC. (And allows you to export them.) This is the closest thing you can get to taking a complete exercise physiology lab with you when you run.

Right now, this is the one to get. Clear, bright, large screen. Excellent reception and GPS performance. Simple, intuitive user-interface. Large memory. Long battery life. And the altimeter and compass are surprisingly useful extras too. Note that the latter can (and should) be left turned off to conserve battery power. The only competition in my view is from Garmin's color eTrex models, which share the same long battery life, and are significantly smaller and cheaper (but only slightly lighter).

I love them. They excel as a pure Tele binding. For those who like bindings with extra beefy springs and rear pivot point (which really stiffen up when you flex the boot), these are not for you. Instead, the 7tm has a very nice, neutral feel. I have G3 bindings on another pair of skis, and prefer the 7tm. The G3's seem slightly too stiff, and I prefer the slight ramp in the baseplate of the 7tm to the flat plate of the G3, which makes me feel like I'm always tipping forward ("rocker launch"). I don't notice any less control with the 7tm: there's absolutely no slop or looseness. The release mechanism is unobtrusive and works flawlessly. I haven't experienced any undesirable or unexpected releases, and reattaching the binding plate to the base couldn't be easier. Complaints? Price, firstly. Although I bought mine last year on sale from Backcountry.com, so the price was comparable to the regular price of most other Tele bindings. Secondly, the climbing bails aren't included. This is unforgivable, as they'll cost you another $25. Brakes aren't included either, but I've never felt the need for those myself. One last point: if you want a releasable binding and like a stiffer binding -- at the 2005 OR show, Karhu were demoing a 7tm variant ("7tm Power") with a removable underfoot pivot pin which makes the binding more 'active'.

I needed something to improve my traction on snowy trails. After they've been packed down, wearing snowshoes is definitely overkill. However, on the steeper sections, or where the trail slopes off to one side, it can get icy, and you need something to give you a little more grip. These are just the ticket. You pop them on your running shoes and you're good to go. They're light, flexible, and thin: you don't really notice you've got them on at all. (Except you don't slide around!) I'd also like to mention how good the 32north service is. My five month old puppy got hold of one and chewed it into oblivion. I emailed 32north, and they sent me a replacement for free. My only gripe? I'm not convinced about the sizing. I'm a size 10, and ordered the 'M' version (size "8-10"). This is very snug on my running shoes, and doesn't fit over the toes of my hiking boots. Maybe I should have ordered the 'L' size ("10.5-12.5"), but I was worried that the larger version might be loose and slide around on my shoes.

Right now, I think these dimensions represent the optimal all-round compromise: wide enough to float fairly well in deep powder and heavy snow, and narrow enough to grip well on hard snow and ice. This ski is also lightweight, and great for touring. I spent a day with friends switching between seven different pairs of tele skis under challenging conditions (a wild mixture of hardpack, icy crust, and wind-blown powder), and these were my favorite. They are not necessarily the best for any single type of snow (for example, I have a pair of TeleDaddy's that absolutely rock in deep Utah pow), but they do everything well. I'm genuinely mystified by the reviewer above (Candor) who hated this ski. Because this is a ski that is hard to fault and hard to dislike.

The digital/analog Pieps avalanche transceiver rocks. Luckily I did not need it in a real situation, but all testing and simulations went very well. In 5 days in the deep snow backcountry, the lockout and multiple burial feature seems exceptionally useful.

The Arcteryx minuteman bibs are excellent. I noticed everyone else on our back country trip hanging up their stuff to dry while mine just shed all moisture and never needed to be hung up. The partial waterproof side zips stop above the knee to keep good movement while allowing venting. In general the small seams and no need for zipper flaps is very nice as things tend to not get caught. My only complaint is the small pockets, but adding larger ones would make them heavier and or catch on stuff.

Black Diamond Winter Bivy Sack came in super handy in the Backcountry. It added warmth to my bag and kept it dry when the hut had too much condensation. All for 9oz. Very nice.

Arc'teryx Cairn L/S crew: I wore this shirt for the first two days of my backcountry trip, just the right combo of warmth and breathability as a base layer.

I use them as mitten liners, for which they are great: when you need to do something with requires dexterity (tying laces, adjusting bindings etc.), you don't need to expose any skin to the biting cold. The quality of the fit is great -- nice and snug. They're not tremendously warm: it would have to be a very mild day to make you want to wear them as a single layer on your hands. If they were thicker, however, they'd probably be clumsy and not be so good for gear manipulation. My one reservation is their longevity. The stitching in one palm is unraveling already. I'm not sure if this reflects poor design, or a manufacturing defect. Most likely it was caused by my carrying skis with sharp and/or jagged edges.

The pants are comfortable, but when I sit on the climbing gym floor, all the little recycled tire bits they use for padding stick to the pants and I look really funny when I get up!

From the initial outing learning to tele in Utah to blustery days in San Francisco, the jacket is faultless. The weather outside may be grim and horrible but inside it's like the cabin of a private jet. The jacket is great, but you just don't notice how good it is until you start to really work in it. Wind is not a bother, rain at the moment is shed gloriously -- though I'm interested to see how well it does after a few months wear and tear. The jacket itself is cut on the roomy side, probably to take into account the fleece that you have to wear under it to keep warm when it gets really cold out. Which brings me to my next point, it's not that warm, could do with a touch more insulation. Yes, yes, I know that I should wear more layers but this jacket is very thin. I guess they were not lying when they called it a *soft shell*. All in all, a fabulous jacket, one that is so good you won't know how good it is ‘til someone straps a pair of telemark skis to your feet at the top of a snowy mountain and tells you to "just ski down". And that front pocket looks way cool too!

From the initial outing learning to tele in Utah to blustery days in San Francisco, the jacket is faultless. The weather outside may be grim and horrible but inside it's like the cabin of a private jet. The jacket is great, but you just don't notice how good it is until you start to really work in it. Wind is not a bother, rain at the moment is shed gloriously -- though I'm interested to see how well it does after a few months wear and tear. The jacket itself is cut on the roomy side, probably to take into account the fleece that you have to wear under it to keep warm when it gets really cold out. Which brings me to my next point, it's not that warm, could do with a touch more insulation. Yes, yes, I know that I should wear more layers but this jacket is very thin. I guess they were not lying when they called it a *soft shell*. All in all, a fabulous jacket, one that is so good you won't know how good it is ‘til someone straps a pair of telemark skis to your feet at the top of a snowy mountain and tells you to "just ski down". And that front pocket looks way cool too!

Nicely designed winter hydration daypack. Good size for in and out of bounds. Lots of options for carrying skis and snowboard. Nice snug fit. Despite the fact that the drinking tube has a neoprene sleeve, rubber shield over the mouth, and fits inside the right-hand strap, I've had problems with it freezing. Would any pack do better? I've had only limited experience with winter hydration packs in cold weather. My gripe: On the strap through which the drinking tube passes, the zipper won't stay closed. Apart from slightly decreasing the insulation of the tube, the exposed tube tends to flap around and catch on things. Its a minor annoyance, though.

I just upgraded from my aged Veloces to the new Syner-G's. Generally, I'm very happy with the change: the new boots are both lighter and stiffer. (Although I have to admit that the increase in performance, though noticeable, is not earth-shattering.) One point I would make, however, is that the advice above to size the boot 1 to 1.5 cm bigger than your foot outline is nonsense. The sizing system for ski boots (mondopoint) can, and does, take this into account. My foot length is 28 cm and I bought a size 28.0 boot which fits perfectly. For a real racing fit, I think I could even have fitted into a 27.5. If I had bought a 28.5 or, God forbid, a 29.0 boot, I would have been extremely unhappy.

The first reviewer of this shoe (BrianInColumbus) remarked that the sizing was off. I have to agree. I'm normally a 10 and found that the size 10 in this shoe was way too short. The 10.5 was a better fit, but this shoe is generally an unusual shape: it is wide and short. In addition, the tongue folds dug uncomfortably into my upper foot. These might be great shoes for some people, but they didn't really work for me.

I demoed these skis one afternoon in Squaw Valley, CA. Wow. These puppies float through the deepest powder, but more importantly, they drive effortlessly through the crust, crud, and manky snow. Instead of having to be reserved, cautious, controlled, and having to observe and assess the changing snow conditions, I was able to launch myself without hesitation into anything. My aggression, confidence, and consequently my enjoyment went through the roof. I suddenly felt like I was master of the mountain: I could go anywhere, ski anything! I also have a pair of (highly reviewed) Atomic mid-fats, and I just never use them anymore. I guess it would have to be a day of the hardest ice to make me even consider it. Yes, they are a little more of a handful on hard bumps, but the benefits *far* outweigh the negatives. I can't say enough good things about this ski. If you like to ski anything other than corduroy groomers or tight hard bumps, then this is *THE* ski. Don't hesitate: go fat! I promise you won't regret it.

I struggle to think of anything bad to say about this shovel/probe combo. It's small, light, and robust. I love the fact that the probe is stored within the shaft: it protects the probe, and is one less critical item to forget when packing for the backcountry. Some hard-core ski patrollers or gnarly old-school mountain men might complain that the probe is too short. But frankly, if it's small and light, I'm more likely to leave it in my pack, and there's no better argument than that. (I make the same case for LED headlamps, that some old crusties claim are insufficiently bright.)