Absolutely great pants. keeps me dry on the wettest days, the 3/4 leg vents keep you dry on the way up and are bomber when closed on the way down in the powder. a base layer and medium warmth layer should be all you need down to - 20C. I have never stayed this dry!

I use this pack mostly for backcountry snowboarding and am very impressed with its ability to hold everything you need to stay hydrated, fed and warm as well as a probe and shovel (in a dedicated pocket) and then some. The shovel/probe pocket is large enough to comfortably fit and zip up over a BlackDiamond deploy 7 shovel and 265 cm probe as well as a snow stability kit and some other odds and ends leaving plenty of room in the main pocket for layers, food etc. The small top pocket is actually pretty big and can hold a a hat, gloves, camera and sunscreen for easy access. there is also a small pocket inside the top pocket to clip and zip your car keys into. I have used the Patrol 48 doing some side country off piste at a resort and although a little big for that, there are many adjustment options to take in excess room.

my only concern with this bag is the snowboard/ski attachement straps use an open end clip instead of a traditional snap buckle. I had the top strap come unclipped after my board (strapped vertically) hit my calf while hiking up a ridge which caused me to stop and reattach. Something i may not have had the option to do if I was ascending in a less forgiving place.

Overall, I do reccommend this pack as I have had a great time using it in the back country. It is very light for its size and very user friendly while wearing gloves.

So glad i bought this jacket. I've used it in a number of conditions from sunny and mild to dumping snow, howling winds -20C. I am really impressed with its capability to shield the elements (especially the wind!). Snowboarding on a - 15C day; while hiking, I was great using a light dry fit base layer on the up track and for the ride down. During stops for lunch I put on an additional medium weight layer for warmth and was very comfortable. I tend to run hot so the big pit vents come in handy for those times you need them. The pockets are very well thought out as I could access each one while fully strapped into my pack. Something I found very convenient when accessing maps, cameras etc. The huge hood was great on those high wind days to put up over a helmet but also has a few adjustments to make it fit your head sans lid - nice!there is no powder skirt in this jacket but the length is such that you won't need one - especially if you are wearing pants with a bib.From a sizing perspective, I found the Large to be a perfect fit everywhere but the arms (they came up an inch or so short for me - i generally have trouble finding the right arm length with anything long sleeved though). I'm sure using some gauntlet gloves (or not being born with gorilla arms) would eliminate any issue what so ever. I went with an XL which makes the jacket a touch more roomy in the shoulders/arms but not enough to feel like I'm swimming. It actually fits great and stays comfortable while keeping a camera in the pocket, wearing a few layers and an Avy tranciever. The sizing chart is pretty acurate for this jacket.All in all, a great jacket. I have never come back from the mountains consistantly dry like i have with this jacket. no matter how hard you're hiking and riding or how long you stop for lunch/to take pictures/to high five about the face shots you just took. If you bring a few layers in a pack, you'll be hooked up, warm and dry with this gear.