Contributions by Anonymous (7)

The Gamma series used to be one of the best softshells jackets around. Until Arc'teryx in their crafty acts decided to move production to China (surprise, surprise?). They not only brought the overrall quality of this jacket down but by just looking at it, it just seems another piece of TNF branded jacket. The sewing and stitching lines are not as well done as before and from already comparing several different gammas I can tell that many of them don't have the quality consistency as before. The outer shell is softer and much more prone to snagging than the older models too. Thankfully, Arc'teryx didn't change one thing about this jacket. The Price. For that price either Arc'teryx brings production back to Canada or SIGNIFICANTLY lower the price to reflect their much lower production costs.

The Gamma series used to be one of the best softshells jackets around. Until Arc'teryx in their crafty acts decided to move production to China (surprise, surprise?). They not only brought the overrall quality of this jacket down but by just looking at it, it just seems another piece of The North Face branded jacket. The sewing and stitching lines are not as well done as before and from already comparing several different gammas I can tell that many of them don't have the quality consistency as before. The outer shell is softer and much more prone to snagging than the older models too. Thankfully, Arc'teryx didn't change one thing about this jacket. The Price. For that price either Arc'teryx brings production back to Canada or SIGNIFICANTLY lower the price to reflect their much lower production costs.

Ok, so I had an the Icebreaker Hopper and Tech T from 2 years ago. I still have them both and love them. But to share some of the daily loads these shirts have been seeing I decided to get another one. This time I had my eye on another Tech T. Well, when I got mine, the sewing on the seams did not look as sturdy and well done as on the two other Icebreakers I have. I look at the Tech and it now says "Made In China"!!!! The drop in quality is definitely noticeable comparing the two Tech T's I have. The fabric still feels the same but the construction is markedly INFERIOR to my Kiwi made one. Man, I would pay more for the same quality as my old one. But still this Tech T is a keeper.

Ok, so I had an the Icebreaker Hopper and Tech T from 2 years ago. I still have them both and love them. But to share some of the daily loads these shirts have been seeing I decided to get another one. This time I had my eye on another Tech T. Well, when I got mine, the sewing on the seams did not look as sturdy and well done as on the two other Icebreakers I have. I look at the Tech and it now says "Made In China"!!!! The drop in quality is definitely noticeable comparing the two Tech T's I have. The fabric still feels the same but the construction is markedly INFERIOR to my Kiwi made one. Man, I would pay more for the same quality as my old one. But still this Tech T is a keeper.

This review can help anyone who is also looking at other montbell down huggers with different temp ratings. I got the #3 regular (5'9") and when i tried sleeping on it I woke up cussing the sleeping bag for being so tight in the middle of the night. The stretch bands inside the sleeping bag don't stretch that much and you have to look very carefully at the dimensions of the down huggers as they are much smaller than the super stretch bags. So do I do? I order a large size and the girth is perfect. The weight of both regular and large were accurate down to the .5oz. Both bags were pretty well stuffed and I have no doubt that it will keep me warm down to 30F or lower. Not quite as puffy as Western Mountaineering sleeping bags but they definitely have their place in my pack!

Man, this bag sure is warm. I have the Microfiber version and I slept in it on a trip up Mt. San Jacinto and the temps plummeted to 8F. I was really, really warm and had to peel off some layers of clothing. I'm an average sleeper (neither hot nor cold) but this bag made me think I was a hot sleeper when I'm really not! Western Mountaineering has the most conservative rating in the industry it seems and this bag is no exception. Damn the price and get one.

Just came back from a trip to the Big Sur area of California. During Thanksgiving night the temperature dropped to the mid 30s, and I was nice and warm. The next day it rained the until noon, and while tent bound the sky blue color of this bag really cheered things up. The zipper did snag a bit, but overall it was a great bag. The 3/4 zipper was easy getting used to since it allowed for much quicker exit than half-length zippers. My only complaints are that the actual weight was 3oz heavier than stated and bag does not seem as warm as my Marmot Pinnacle, though it is 9oz heavier. Also, loft was NOT 6 inches as stated by MH, but great bag nonetheless.

Many people like Arc'teryx products because of their excellent workmanship and quality in their items. I just got these pants and noticed some stitching coming out from the stretchy belt area. I just cut it out and let it pass for a day, until I checked the tags and saw that these pants, unlike most Arc'teyx items are not made in Canada, but China. The price wasn't lowered and the quality wasn't as good.