Contributions by John Here (4)

These are a very solid front country pant but too heavy and too well insulated for back-country use. The monochrome is probably too subtle to appeal to most of the halfpipe set and lodge-sitting fashionista hipsters. But, after a full day on lift and hill, my lower half was dry: no sweat, no wet. The fabric feels tough enough to stand up to several seasons of chairlift abuse. I keep wanting to put my hands into pockets that don't exist.

I was stoked to see that Arc'teryx had introduced a snowboard carrying system on a backcountry pack. Unfortunately, it's not as clean as I'd like. Although the single-continuous strap appears like a clean and simple design, it winds up an adjustment nightmare, taking too much time to re-set between board-in position and board-out. It carries well, however, and although Arc'teryx didn't design it as such, the internal shovel pocket (which is waaaay too big for any shovel and has some kind of enigmatic bungee attachments) makes an excellent integrated stuffsack so your sweater doesn't fall out when you open the panel-loading main compartment to grab a poptart.

Carries with the same plush comfort of the entire Bora series but with that comes the extra weight. Not your "light is right" backpack. Excellent access to tools, however -- modified kangaroo pocket fits the large size Voile alum shovel. Although there are extra attachment points for a shovel handle, the probe pocket is big enough to accommodate a 12' probe, shovel handle, tent poles... Despite the numerous organization pockets, it's still a pretty clean design. The fairly large volume might be too big for a lot of day trippers, but it has good cinch straps, and you don't have to fill it, right?

Pros: While most companies have followed Arc’teryx’s "exposed zip" fad, MH has smartly continued using storm flaps to protect the front zipper from ice buildup. Surprisingly light. The athletic cut reduces wind flap but leaves enough room for a down sweater to achieve full loft (if you buy the right size). Cons: The fabric feels flimsy. Brushed threads give it a refined feel (think J Crew) but threaten to absorb grit, sunscreen, peanut butter and other junk that will compromise the DWR finish. You'll have to wrestle the cuffs over your hands to put it on—what's wrong with a little elastic? Mesh lined pockets allow moisture transfer from hands/pocketed equipment directly through the shell and onto your insulating layer.