Contributions by Nurse Ben (15)

I bought this top as midweight layer to use when skinning and for cold days skiing with a shell. It is a nice mix of warmth, not a whole lot of wind resistance, but it breathes well for aerobic activities. Size is true in length of body and arms, chest is true, build quality is pretty good. A nice top on sale. Think 100 wt fleece with a tight weave, nylon facing, and four way stretch.

I bought this as an emergency bivy for backcountry skiing. It is a great little bag, once I'd consider taking with me on a trek where I might have to do an emergency sleep out overnight. Very small and light, not many extras, no zippers, but certainly a great product for its design, also a nice way to increase sleeping bag warmth rating.

I bought this top to replace a Marmot DriClime shirt. I like the Marmot shirts, but I don't fit a large and the Xlarge sleeves are too long. The Cloudveil version of the DriClime is nicer in terms of fit and finish, has a vented sash across the back, a cool stash pocket behind the low back, a nice checst pocket, but no hand pockets :( Overall I like it better than the DriClime, but I do wish it had hand pockets. Good quality, true to size, zipper prctector at neck feels nice.

I got the pullover and the jacket, preferred the pull over, though I like jackets. Too much material and zippers for a top of this weight fleece (100), not a bad top overall, but not something that fits a good niche, too big for under a jacket, too thin for stand alone use.

I was looking for a good mid layer stretch fleece that wouldn't attract dog hair. I looked at the Specter Jacket and Specter Pullover. I chose the Specter pullover because it has a roomier fit, more room in the arms for wearing over a long sleeve shirt, and the weight to warmth ratio is fair for a layering piece. A nice top for the $, warmer than a Patagonia Zip T, but lighter than a wind-pro fleece, I'd consider it comparable to a 100 weight fleece, but more durable, and four way stretch. Fit is about right, I'm 6', 200#, large bones, long arms, medium torso length, wide shoulders, I wear an XL and it has enough room for a long sleeve underneath. As to the flat seams being a problem (see other reviews), flat seems are appropriate to this style of a top (athletic). I guess I'd be sure to not over stretch the top when putting it on, though from what I can see, the seems are well done and durable. A nice top.

I was looking for some bibs that would fit my wife, but she wanted something light and comfortable, so the typical muontaineering bibs were out. I found the Olympia Softshell in men's, never did find a women's version. Fortunately the fit was pretty good, she went with a medium, she is 5'9", 135, built like a woman, so small waists and big hips :) The pants are well made, very stretchy, lots of pockets, nice gators, 3/4 zippers, beefy should straps. I would say that they have a typical fit for a bib, roomy seat, long inseam. Great deal for the price!

I was looking for a stretch hardshell to replace my Ground hardshell. I ordered a dozen different jackets including the Cloudveil Coven. The TS 31 was obviously the most breathable as it was the only one I could keep on while in the house. Sizing is true, arm and torso length are appropriate for skiing/mountaineering. The jacket has three waterproof pockets per side, two way zipper, fully adjustable hood and neck, arms vent are decent, chest pockets work as core vents, wrist closures are soft and easy to use, cord locks at waist, helmet compatible hood (a tight fit, but it stretches). The jacket is very stretchy, loose fit through the arms for layering, zipper cover at neck prevents chafing. Jacket is only slightly heavier than the Coven. Overall, this is a topshelf, full- stretch hardshell. Aluminum is a light silver, not as light as it appears in the picture (I bought it).

I bought these glassless for backcountry skiing trips. I chose these over the X4 as these are darker and have glass lenses. The X4 is similar to a dark sunglass you might get for biking, whereas the X6 is too dark for driving and just right for a bright day on snow. The side shields work great, having a sliding position to allow better air flow. I sweat a lot and never had a problem with fogging. Fit is hard to describe, but I'd say they fit a normal to big head. I wear Trifosi on a day to day basis, so the fit is comparable. Great quality, great price.

I liked the hat, but opted for a wide brim hat in it's place. The "skirt" is a little complicated where it ties into the hat, maybe a little warmer than I wanted as the skirt lies close to your neck; not as airy as I'd hoped. Nice quality product.

The Dolgans are a nice glacier sunglass, very lightweight, comfortable, with adjustable side shields. The X4 lens is a Cat 3, I needed Cat 4, so I purchased the same sunglasses with the X6 lens. Either one is a good deal, durable and good looking.

At first look the new GoLite shoes are a little overwhelming, big lugs, big toe box, bulky. But get them on your feet and you will quickly realize that GoLite did their homework! These shoes are quite light and ride low in the heel and forefoot, making them very stable on technical terrain. The shoes are also very cushy without being destabilizing. I tried on both models and felt the "speed model" was more comfortable and had a closer fit for my narrower heel. This is a shoe that makes you want to keep running. The shoes run a little big, and they have a very wide footbox, great for folks who have wider feet, though they can be made to fit tighter if you use the integrated insoles. Nice construction, durable, great laces, nicely padded tongue, and they don't hold mud.

I bought this jacket to stay warm on subfreezing days walking around town and going to work. The jacket is very warm, can be worn with a t-shirt down into the teens, resist rain and wind, pit zips help when it warms ups, nice fit to size, fabric is more durable than it appears, resist stains. The powder color is a light gray, not white, so at the sale price it was a great deal.

I bought this jacket to stay warm on subfreezing days walking around town and going to work. The jacket is very warm, can be worn with a t-shirt down into the teens, resist rain and wind, pit zips help when it warms ups, nice fit to size, fabric is more durable than it appears, resist stains. The powder color is a light gray, not white, so at the sale price it was a great deal.

I saw this jacket in an advertisement, was able to find a better deal with you guys. It fits true to size, though a larger size seems better for folks with long arms and torsos. Very warm, fill seems equal to a 650, material is tough, cleans up well, nice fit and finish. This is a quality jacket. Only deficit is that it has a shorter fit, so if your derrier gets cold, this may be more of a three season jacket, Otherwise it handles single digit weather just fine.

So far I am very pleased with the shorts, they dry quickly, are very comfortable, and show no sign of premature wear. They fit true to size. Liner appears to be that same as previous models. Key pocket and rear hook-and-loop pocket. A great deal!