Contributions by uintahbc (17)

I called Brunton and they said that this item probably "sat on the shelf" for awhile, and that's why the battery essentially died after one use. But it did perform well the one time I used it, and it's pretty user friendly. I'll have to replace the battery--easy enough.

It's awesome Chaco is making a flip-flop now. These are very comfortable inspite of a thin sole. A contoured fit gives a stable ride. Sweet sandals!

Walking the line between climbing and casual wear, the A5 Crag Short is simply a clean, great-looking short. Durable cotton canvas is tough to wrinkle, and a lack of gaudy styling is a welcome change these days. Its coolest feature is a built-in tunneling belt with aluminum buckle. Very well-built.

The Flight Suit Top is awesome. It wears super comfortably, and it's made well. It's warm enough for chilly spring and fall days and warmer winter days. Siver's a sweet skier's brand.

Hey, there’s no reason to throw your back out while hauling your stuff from here to Switzerland, right? That’s why I chose to pack into the Eagle Creek Tanker Trunk for my recent ski trip, which took me from Colorado to Zurich, then to Zermatt and back to Colorado again. The Tanker Trunk, loaded with 60 lbs of gear and clothes, rolled through airports, train stations and across cobblestone streets without a problem thanks to the heavy-duty extra large wheels. Since I also had to haul my skis with me, the two outside compression straps allowed me to strap my ski bag to the duffel and haul both bags together without struggling to balance the load. These features plus the super comfortable trunk handles made lifting the duffel on and off trains very easy. The Eagle Creek Tanker Trunk is perfect if you need the extra packing space but don’t want to hurt yourself schlepping a heavy bag!

The first few times I used these, the flick lock wasn't tight enough and the pole would push down. I thought the poles sucked, but really all I had to do was tighten the screw in the flick lock itself a bit - a Gear Expert at BackcountryStore.com clued me in to this. Now they work great. Easy to use, and the baskets rule.

I love these skis!! I went to many websites to purchase these skis in my size (150) since I am a short, petite person. I was really having a hard time finding this short of a ski, but I knew what I wanted. The sales person was extremely helpful in answering questions and I purchased the skis with confidence. I have skied on my new skis 5 times now in various snow conditions, from green runs to double black diamond runs, groomed runs to moguls, and they are great performers. I have always liked skiing, but now I'm really enjoying and having a lot of fun on the slopes! Thank you for: (1) having the size I wanted; (2) having a sales person who knew the specifics about the skis; (3) having a great price for both the skis and the bindings; and (4) prompt shipping. Thank you again and I'm looking forward to skiing again next weekend!

My nephew bought a Tikka light in your store and sent it to me for a Christmas present. I am an early morning runner so the light has come in handy for me. However, it got its best use a few weeks ago when my wife and I went on a dental mission supported by our church to the highlands of Guatemala . I took the light with me thinking it may come in useful for reading at night. It turned out the room set up for the dental clinic did not have adequate lighting. The folks assisting the dentist had to hold flashlights aimed at the patients' mouths so the dentist could see to work. I gave one of the dentists the Tikka to wear, and soon they were all fighting for a turn to use it. The high intensity light was just what they needed, and it freed up a hand to help with the procedures. Now everybody wants one for next year's trip. Can you make us a deal on six?

I LOVE this jacket, but HATE the zipper on the Napoleon pocket. It’s warm and has pretty much been my stock jacket for winter, but the zipper on the chest pocket catches the fabric 40% of the time I zip & unzip it, and is so annoying it makes me want to throttle the dude at TNF who designed it. argh! It’s relatively easy to get it unstuck, but it’s still aggravating that an otherwise awesome jacket has this zipper problem. Not sure if it’s just my jacket or what.

I LOVE this jacket, but HATE the zipper on the Napoleon pocket. It’s warm and has pretty much been my stock jacket for winter, but the zipper on the chest pocket catches the fabric 40% of the time I zip & unzip it, and is so annoying it makes me want to throttle the dude at TNF who designed it. argh! It’s relatively easy to get it unstuck, but it’s still aggravating that an otherwise awesome jacket has this zipper problem. Not sure if it’s just my jacket or what.

I skied with my new Atomic C 8.18W's this last weekend, for the first time. (I am a woman 50 year old, fairly aggressive skier).. I am very pleased. No fatigue in soft snow, good hold on hard/icy surface, they turned like "magic", in moguls, I thought I was 25 again !!! great. Very good advice from one of your "gear experts", great help indeed. Anyway, thank you very much for helping me in selecting my new skis.

I’ve had other HR monitors from other brands, but none of them can be compared to the X6 HR. It is a little confusing at first, but after a very short time it is possible to find that its software is absolutely friendly and reliable. I had never seen a HR monitor so amazing like this; it is really easy to operate and the data obtained is excellent. This watch is great.

I'm not much of a letter writer, but I've just been meaning to tell you guys how much I love my boots! I've lived in Mammoth for over 30 years. Worked in the ski industry off and on and have always skied with my Banshees. Just got off the hill and was skiing with people who before and after every chair ride had to un-buckle and re-buckle. That's when I decided I've gotta write and say thank you! (I think I'm just lucky and have the perfect "Lange shaped foot".) Anyway, just had to say thanks. -Sue

I borrowed a pair of these Super Stinx that we use as demos from the shop I work at because my skis are temporarily out of commission (binding issues). There was about a foot of new snow at the mountain I ski, and I was kind of bummed because I thought the Super Stinx looked like toothpicks compared to my Atomic TM EX’s. I’m impressed with how the TM EX’s ski, but I’m BLOWN AWAY with how the Super Stinx ski, just because I wasn’t expecting such burliness—they handled superbly well in EVERY kind of condition (only on really slick slopes, by UT standards, did they chatter a bit, but that could have been pilot error :) ). These skis just feel so solid underfoot, and they carve as well as they ski powder. I was really AMAZED the whole day, and frankly glad that my regular skis were messed up. The Super Stinx are definitely a do-everything-well ski.

At first I thought this beanie was weird. Had never seen or worn anything like it. Now I think it’s awesome. I got it because I loved my Vector 2 Jacket [TNF0351] and this beanie is made from the same material. It fits really tight without being uncomfortable. The coolest thing about it, I have to say, is the way it holds your sunglasses. Some people wear their sunglasses on the outside of their beanie, but I’m always afraid they’ll fall off. This beanie has “tubes” you stick the arms of your sunglasses into so that won’t happen. I wear a Giro 9 helmet [GIR0003] and I don’t like the bulky ear flaps, so I take them out and wear my Vector 2 Beanie under my helmet, almost like a balaclava, and it works really well. If I wore a regular hat under my helmet, I’d roast. But with the Vector 2, I don’t overheat because its breathable (if you do this, make sure the vents on your helmet are open or then you will overheat).

At first I thought this beanie was weird. Had never seen or worn anything like it. Now I think it’s awesome. I got it because I loved my Vector 2 Jacket [TNF0351] and this beanie is made from the same material. It fits really tight without being uncomfortable. The coolest thing about it, I have to say, is the way it holds your sunglasses. Some people wear their sunglasses on the outside of their beanie, but I’m always afraid they’ll fall off. This beanie has “tubes” you stick the arms of your sunglasses into so that won’t happen. I wear a Giro 9 helmet [GIR0003] and I don’t like the bulky ear flaps, so I take them out and wear my Vector 2 Beanie under my helmet, almost like a balaclava, and it works really well. If I wore a regular hat under my helmet, I’d roast. But with the Vector 2, I don’t overheat because it’s breathable (if you do this, make sure the vents on your helmet are open or then you might overheat).

I have been looking for a shell that I don’t have to keep taking on and off when I’m backcountry skiing. I’ve found it with the North Face’s Vector 2. I sweat like a pig, so when I would go touring with my Gore-Tex (hard) shell, I’d overheat after skinning up about 50 feet and have to take it off. Then I’d get to a ridge or a peak and freeze while I fumbled to get my shell back on. I don’t overheat in my Vector 2. When I get hot, I open up the large chest pockets/core vents so all my exhaust escapes. The jacket’s pretty much windproof, so when a breeze picks up, my sweat doesn’t turn to ice. When I get to the top, I just zip the pockets/vents up and I’m ready to ski. The pockets are roomy enough to hold your skins (one skin per pocket), too, making it the perfect touring jacket. It’s actually all I use now, even at the resort.

Recently I traveled through Switzerland and Northern Italy for three weeks with this pack. Having been a user of numerous outdoor and technical packs in the past, I found the Continental Journey to offer an exceptional blend of travel- and outdoor-oriented features. While navigating customs lines in busy airports, the pack converts neatly into a carry-on travel bag; while trekking in the Alps, it doubles as a comfortable hiking pack, and even has a removable daypack perfect for sightseeing adventures and day trips. Overall, the pack is extremely versatile, and accommodates the needs of the “on-the-go” traveler almost lavishly. It is roomy without being bulky, and very well organized with internal compression straps in the main pack, and an organizer in the removable day pack for easy access to camera, film, maps, guidebooks, etc. A lot of thought has gone into the design of the Continental Journey. You don’t have to sacrifice convenience for comfort and functionality while on the road. It has become my de facto travel pack, even for domestic trips, and I would recommend it to anyone. - Bill Spahr

I bought this bag right after I got this job that required a ton of travel, and it was the handiest thing ever. Before I had it, I used to just stick all my toiletries in a plastic grocery bag and stuff it in my carry-on (that's exactly what I'd have to do, STUFF). The Wallaby II can fit the same amount of things (and then some) in a way more compact space. I don't know what it is, but I would cram more and more in there--bars of soap, cans of deodorant--and it would stay in the same, compact form. The hanger might be the best thing about it. When you hang it and unzip it, it unfolds into three different sections. I use the small, interior plastic lined bag that detaches for stuff that might leak like lotion. I don't have the travel-heavy job anymore, but I still use my toiletry bag in my bathroom at home.