Pete Heckert

So far I've used the reservoir on a long weekend climbing trip and it's been awesome. I previously had another company's reservoir with the typical screw cap in the middle so this was a change, but a welcomed one. There's been no leakage and the slider top feels secure. I really like the cap on the valve as well - I'm often tossing my back in the dirt and it's really nice to take a sip of water without a mouthful of dirt. I thought it was going to be annoying but it's really no problem at all. The open top is also great for cleaning - I can fit my whole hand in without an issue. As a whole it feels like it will hold up well and will be much more convenient to use. Definitely recommend it.

I have used this a bunch of times and found that its good down to about 5 degrees even on the east coast. I used it for a trip to J-peak in February where the temperature was between 10 degrees at the highest and -15/10 at the lowest. When it dipped to the negatives it was not warm enough, but honestly nothing was warm enough at that temperature. If you have cold hands or you tend to take your gloves on and off constantly you'll find these to be colder since insulation only works if its trapping heat. So the gloves will be as warm as the hands you put in them. I found that as long as I put the gloves on in the lodge then walked outside that I would be fine for the vast majority of the day at 5 degrees. If it dropped colder then I would have to take more breaks. The sizing is a bit odd though I usually have a fair amount of space in Large gloves from Black Diamond but these fit a little on the small side. I had a large in the team gloves and they fit fine with space to spare.

Its super important to be drinking water through out the day when you are in dry areas like ski resorts. This hydration system is fairly well insulated, but if the temp drops below 15 degrees you'll still want to blow the excess water in the tube back into the bladder so it doesn't freeze. The new bladder systems are easy to fill and you can do it without getting water every where unlike older bladder systems. Since the hole system is removable you can take the bladder out and throw it in your summer pack when the season ends or loan it to a friend if they need one for a hike. The pack itself can be used to carry a board or skis fairly easily. Its not specifically designed for it so intensive use will cause damage but for short hikes tot the top of peaks or into the back country it will be the job. The pack is large enough to fit your lunch and any excess layers you may need to shed during the day.

This thing is super bright, which makes it great for leaving early for a hike or coming back much later then expected. Its also great for camp since it has a red light feature that doesn't wake others up and also doesn't effect your night vision when you use it. On top of that if you have it in the reactive mode it will vary the brightness of the head lamp depending on the distance of the items and how reflective the item is. For example, if your looking at a map or book at night it wil; dial back the intensity of the light since those items will be closer to you and they won't need it to be as bright. If you sudden look into the woods the beam intensity will go up so you can see further. If you look back down it will scale it back again.
That feature doesn't seem as useful as it is, but once you try it you'll want it! It does fall on th e heavier side for a headlamp but only if you compare it to versions that don't come with rechargeable batteries. It doesn't come with a wall mount for charging via USB but literally every item these days comes with some type of USB port that provides power. From TVs to speaker systems so its really not a big deal.

It also has a super convenient light that tells you what the charge status is. Green, yellow and red, red being charge me now or I'll fail soon. So if you check it while you're in the car on the way to your hike or backpacking trip you can charge it while your on your way.

This is probably the lightest "selfy stick" on the market I have borrowed a few from friends and this seems to be the lightest and easiest to use. It seems fairly durable as well as long as you aren't slamming it into trees. The wrist strap is great, the last thing you want to do is send a cliff and lose your Go-pro in the snow after the drop. Be sure to watch out for the tightener ring on the top of mount. If you don't have a camera on it and you'd riding around with it it can work its way off. It isn't a nylock bolt or anything like that holding the tension-er in place so with out a camera on the end it can come off.

This tripod is great for small cameras up to the 3.5in "family picture" cameras. It will mount in nearly any position with a small light camera like a Go-Pro or similar camera. It uses the standard camera mount size bolt so you can mount up to a DSLR on it in a pin. I carry it as a light weight tripod for backpacking in case I want a really steady shot. The legs are super bendy and can turn nearly surface into a great shooting position.

This is a must have for back packing! Its very light weight and compact, and saves a lot of hassle carrying bigger water purifiers. Used it on a four pikes trip outside of Aspen and was able to bring just a Nalgene and this and had more then enough water from passing streams and water falls. Just stick it into the water and it automatically turns on and starts killing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. I used it twice as long as suggested because I was a bit worried about giardia , but I had no issues. There's no way to carry enough water for 3 days of hiking so this is a great choice.

This is my third pair of Rainbows. Rainbow guarantees their sandals from falling apart until the rubber is worn through on the bottom, and after wearing them for 2 years I can see why. These flip-flops actually get more comfortable the more you wear them in as they conform to your feet! They hold up really well, and look damn good. What more can you ask?

I've had the 301's before, for two seasons a pice, and upon getting these 302's I can immediately feel how much thicker and more comfortable the sole is. Looking forward to wearing these for another two seasons too!

Sizing tip: I'm a 10.5 and right between the L and XL on pretty much all sandals. I prefer to size-up and although they're a little clunky to start off when they're still stiff once they break in there's no issue and I don't feel like my foot is always sliding off the back like I do on the L's which hurts my heel.

I gave this pack to a friend as a birthday gift and she was nice enough to give some very good feedback.

"I have been searching for the perfect pack for years but could never commit to any - whether it was the price or the fit just wasn't quite right. But I just booked a two week trip to South America and decided it was finally time to choose a pack. I literally spent hours trying on different packs and loading them up with 25-50 pounds. This pack was the only one that truly comfortably fit.

I'm 5"4 and 120 lbs, so I went with the small pack. It fits every criteria other packs didn't: it doesn't dig into my shoulders or chest; the weight is distributed evenly and I don't feel any pressure points in my back or on my spine like other packs were causing. I haven't actually had the opportunity to use it yet, but from all my comparisons, it was the best fit. Not to mention the pockets and all the access zippers to the main compartment! It is a bit annoying that most of the buckles are the same size and it gets a bit confusing as to which goes where, but I feel like with a bit of practice and use, it'll be second nature. I'm definitely excited to put this pack to use. "

Great stuff sack to use for your sleeping bag on a float trip or a camping trip in adverse weather. I bought the 15L and was able to fit my Northface zero degree bag in it which decreased the size of the bag significantly (The north face stuff sack that came with it was huge! and also wasn't cinch-able). Or you can fit a 30 degree bag and a small stove like the pocket rocket inside it as well to save space on a hike. The options a basically endless!

Its is my favorite pack by far. It has tons of pockets and really easy access via a zipper that goes around the back of the back plate. It has 2 main pockets and two pockets on the top pack cover. It also has an insulated sleeve for a bladder system. Its a perfect pack for backcountry activities. You can carry both a set of skis or a board vertically on your back. The traps are also reinforced with rubber to protect the pack from the sharp edges of skis or boards.

I use these pants primarily for climbing which they are great at. The fabric is stretchy enough to allow a good range of movement for but slab problems and over hung roof sections. The water resistant coating is also great. They seem to be very sturdy pants that can take the punishment of sand stone very well. They will be on the warmer side in the summer so I wouldn't suggest them for using if your in a humid or warm climate. Otherwise these are great pants!

I put that it fits a bit small which is about half true. Its not small so much as narrow. I'm normally a size 10.5 but I was a 44 in these. So they are slightly longer then normal size but narrower. They are great of rock scrambles and walking through sand and rocky terrain. The waterproofing is also great even in the snow. I went on a 4 hour hike through 4 inches of snow and my feet never got wet. But they aren't the warmest of boots so if your looking for something for zero degree temperatures this wouldn't be my first suggestion.

Great warm sleeping bag for those cold winter camping/backcountry trips. Comes with a compression sack and a bag to keep the sleeping bag in during the off season. This is great because keeping your sleeping bag compressed all the time can lead to clumping and cold spots. As stated below a water proof compression sack would be preferable but if your not going to be in an area where you'll be getting wet its less of a problem. It has a 2 way zipper that allows you to vent any heat you get around your legs but still keeping your upper body warm at the same time. The foot box also has extra down blown into it to keep your feet warm. The inter liner also feels and looks great.

So its a rope tarp with a pocket. It has tie in loops at all 4 corners for keeping track of the working end of the rope. It can be rolled up with the rope in side and put in a 42 litre pack and still have room for a full trad rack. Keeps the dirt out of your rope to some extent and keeps it out of the water as well. Well worth the investment.

Great tent for the price. I have used it several times in the desert around Moab and so far so good. Its resonably light weight for the size tent that is is. Its listed as a 3 person tent but its huge inside. If you aren't worried about being near somebody at night you can easily fit 4 in side. I haven't had the opportunity to test the water proof coating on the tent but it seems to hold up fine on dewy mornings. The gear loft is great and it has a loop in the top of the tent that is perfect for a black diamond orbit lantern. It also has a place to stow gear on the inside side of the tent (things like glasses and a book or head lamp.) While its not the lights tent you can buy if you broke up the weight between 3 people it would be try manageable.

I bought this to replace the lens that I got with my Smith I/OX, they are the easiest goggle lenses to replace that they I have seen this far. I can change the lens in under a minute.

I've used this shirt several times and it looks great. I'm 5'11" 190 with broad shoulders and the large fits perfectly. The slim fit looks great as well.It tapers slightly around the mid chest and waist to remove that nasty box look that most flannels have. I went for the classic blue/ charcoal.

I'm going to start off by say I love these boots. I have the boa system and the liner is great. I'm a big fan of Rome as a company as well. That being said when the boots first arrived the boa system was broken. The metal cable was fouled in the boa tightener and was nearly impossible to used. But I contacted Rome and they sent out replacement parts immediately. They even offered to pay for the shipping to return it both ways :) so that they could repair it. I ended up replacing the broken lace myself, since I didn't feel like waiting for them to fix it.

The boots are very stiff, and I'm not saying that as a bad thing. You can feel any mistake you make when your boarding and you can feel all the great carves you are throwing down. It offers you great control over your board. Not a good park boot, but I think that goes without saying. Very comfortable boot, and they fit true to size, I'm a 10.5 in street shoes and fit a 10.5 in these.