Got these on sale but after using them one season I would definitely be comfortable paying full price for them. That being said, to be fair I don't tend to consider price as much as performance and usually have about 10 pairs of gloves/mitts (mostly Hestra) in my gear bag at any given time and go with the best glove for conditions once I get to the slopes.

In the times I used them this past ski season I was very happy with their performance. They definitely kept my hands significantly warmer than gloves without a heater, even mittens. I don't think they will make you feel like you have a hand warmer in your gloves at the extended use settings. At that setting, they are not all that hot, which I think is a good thing. Actually they are not that hot even at the hottest settings. What they will do is keep your hands at a comfortable temp. where you are not hot and sweaty and not cold. I tended to use these instead of my Hestra mittens for the coldest weather which for my hands is usually 20F or lower with wind. I haven't needed to set them higher than the lowest setting so have little experience with the hotter settings, except when trying them out when I first got them. Of course, being gloves they are much more enjoyable to ski with than mittens. For that, I think they are definitely worth the price.

One thing I have noticed with some of the complaints about cold hands in various gloves is that some people don't appreciate why your hands get cold. Aside from just the insulation in your glove, if your other extremities (such as your feet) get cold, your body will shut off circulation to all of your extremities by constricting vessels to conserve heat to the more important core. Thus, it won't matter if you have super thick insulation in your gloves, your hands won't get much warmer because the hot blood is not flowing there to warm them up. Similarly, if your core is cold, your body will shut of circulation to extremities as well. Without getting some heat flow from the core to the hands, your hands will be cold no matter what (your hands really don't create enough heat by themselves even if you are doing serious finger sit-ups).

I bought these mostly for the chamois, the X2 being the top of Castelli's line, and that they're from the Rossa Corsa line which has the best aero fit. I bought XL at 6'2" 185lbs and they are just a tad short at the ankles but not bad. The straps are a nice medium width elastic with no seams and grippy underside. One small gripe is that the backside of the zipper pull at the bottom can dig into the ankle if you don't put your longer socks on/underneath the tights, especially if you have them a bit twisted and the zipper is more in the back of the leg (it kind of gnashes a bit on the achilles as you pedal). The tights themselves are more of a fall/early winter or early spring model as they don't have any wind protection or substantial insulation. Temperature is pretty subjective as it depends a lot on personal preference, wind, how fast you are going, etc. but these are definitely not going to keep your legs warm going 20mph in 0F weather even with no other wind. For the low temps and top Castelli Rossa Corsa brand you have to go with the Fulmine Bib Tight which I don't think they make anymore, at least not imported to the US. I have one pair of those and they are very nice tights as well. The Castelli's are on par with DeMarchi's that I also have (Contour Plus Ultra) and a step below Assos (any of the LL) which are the tops in just about anything clothes-wise in cycling.

I bought my first pair of Vertical Cut Freerides in 2006 (see my other much older review) and still have that pair kicking. I have also added a yellow pair since and together they are the best gloves I have ever used for skiing bar none. I have used/use for activities other than skiing many other gloves including Mammut Schoeller, Black Diamond Mad Max, Marmot Ultimate, Marmot Work Glove, Reusch, OR, Mountain Hardwear, and several other Hestras such as Heli Glove, Heli Mitt XCR, XCR Long, XCR short, RSL Comp VC, Perrett Pro Model, etc. But for skiing the best glove by a significant margin that I've ever tried is still the Vertical Cut Freeride and mine have worn great. I have two pairs so each probably gets only about 10-15 days per season. They are not the best in the most frigid conditions (near 0F) or warm/wet conditions (over 35-40F). But for most ski conditions these are the absolute best glove out there. Be sure to get the right size as sizing is important to get the snug fit that you want for that ultimate pole-grip and feel. I said before that the under-cuff design was genius and I stand by that several years later. It is a much cleaner glove/sleeve interface (you don't look like you're about to give a cow a rectal exam), makes getting the gloves on easier (no cinching gaunlets with one hand), and with many better ski apparel makers including internal wrist gaiters on jackets nowadays it's still an airtight/snowtight interface.

Awesome saddle. Handmade. The Fizik Arione shape is basically a classic at this point. Pretty light, although not the lightest. Good combination of lightweight and strength so it should last a while. I've got a couple thousand road miles on mine on my Colnago EPS. I usually ride about 25 miles per weekday and 50 on one or two weekend days. Not too many long rides in the 75+ mile range, so I can't really comment on comfort on that ride length. Definitely more comfortable than I thought it would be. Very well-designed with flex zones on the side (that's the white lines in the picture) and a thin gel layer on top of the carbon fiber. The carbon fiber itself does seem to work almost as a suspension. The rails are covered with an additional layer of rougher carbon tape along the seatpost fastening area which helps hold it in place securely. This area also perfectly shows you where it is safe and not safe to position the saddle in your seatpost. Be careful of course with the torque specs because carbon fiber doesn't respond well to being overtightened. It's not a saddle for someone who is just starting out cycling to try but once you are used to thin road saddles I highly recommend moving up to this guy vs. any others in this price range. Great looks with the "nude" carbon earns a high "ooh-aah" factor from the pack as well.

Nice pump, seems well-made with solid construction and great looks. Pumps up to 180psi (haven't tried higher yet) with no problems so far. Over 120 psi getting about 10 psi per pump so moves a good amount of air. The screw-on valve head is very secure but as is usually the case with this type of valve if you have deep dish rims with valve extenders (I have the Vittoria ones where you take out the valve core and put it in the extender) you have to be careful not to unscrew the valve extenders/valve cores when you are trying to unscrew the pump. If your extenders are only peaking out of the rim a little and you can't hold the extender with your other hand to prevent it from turning when loosening the pump you might have problems.

Picked these up on bonktown, 2 greys and 1 white. Overall, they are favorably comparable to other top shelf jerseys such as DeMarchi Contour EVO, Contour Racing & Giordana Forma that I also use. This one has a bit more technical features such as the vent holes in the armpits, and a side iPod pocket that some others don't have. Fit is great, sleeves are nice and tight while body is a bit looser and bottom is also tight with rubberized cinchers. Zipper has a panel style instead of more hidden/minimalist style and can be a little stiff and cause a bit of puckering out when bent over the bars, but it works better than a lot of the hidden zippers that get snagged on every little thread. Zipper garage on top is a welcome feature. Only gets 4/5 because the white one I bought had the black panels bleed onto the white when washed in cold water-which gives a bit more of a dirty effect than I would like from biking in it one time in the garage on rollers. If it does come out in subsequent washings, I would give it a solid 5/5.

Picked these up on bonktown and very impressed with the fit and function so far. I have both the sleeveless and short-sleeved versions. I am in winter training mode right now, so just riding on the rollers in the freezing garage, but I was immediately impressed by how comfortably warm I am vs. not wearing a baselayer under the jersey. It seems like the warmth is trapped well, but I also find myself not getting too sweaty, so it must breathe well also. I like the nice, stretchy/tight fit for layering under tight jerseys. They also are very long (I was pretty surprised how long but it works) so that you can tuck them in without worrying about any untucking when bent over the handlebars. Throwing on a Giordana jacket and I can actually use my headwind unit without getting numb! I can also attest that these baselayers also work great for downhill skiing.

Picked these up on bonktown and very impressed with the fit and function so far. I have both the sleeveless and short-sleeved versions. I am in winter training mode right now, so just riding on the rollers in the freezing garage, but I was immediately impressed by how comfortably warm I am vs. not wearing a baselayer under the jersey. It seems like the warmth is trapped well, but I also find myself not getting too sweaty, so it must breathe well also. I like the nice, stretchy/tight fit for layering under tight jerseys. They also are very long (I was pretty surprised how long but it works) so that you can tuck them in without worrying about any untucking when bent over the handlebars. Throwing on a Giordana jacket and I can actually use my headwind unit without getting numb! I can also attest that these baselayers also work great for downhill skiing.

Di2 is pretty awesome. I recently completed a Colnago EPS build with Di2 and it is a great system. Install is very well-laid out in the manuals-although you do have to go back and forth quite often to get the torque settings for all these high end components right on a carbon frame. The battery life is very good so far, I haven't gone for any long rides yet but after several hour rides and a couple 1.5 hour rides I have only charged the battery once since the first charge before using it. Very cool sounds when it's shifting, kind of a hissing machine-type noise. And you can definitely hear the auto-trimming on the FD. I bought the components from several different locations and they all installed together easily with no need to adjust any of the shift settings from the factory defaults. There are some minor annoyances with cable routing, especially on an Italian frame more designed for Campy components-you can't use the cable stops of course. Also my FSA Plasma bar, which wouldn't normally have handlebar tape on top and has an internal route on the underside of the upper handbar from the brake hoods. The junction ends of the shifter cables wouldn't fit through the opening, but that is a minor annoyance that can be fixed with some quality black tape to cover them on the underside of the bar. It's an expensive system but it is the direction cycling is moving because it eliminates so many of the annoyances/problems of traditional mechanical systems.

In the shoe these are the best socks out there. They really do what they claim and make just about any endeavor more comfortable. They have less bulk than most other socks. Most sock companies claim to have different materials/construction in different areas for support , etc. but I think X-Socks takes this to a whole new level of precision and performance. I'm not sure where these ones specifically were made, but I know some of the X-socks I have are made in Italy (either these or the Speed Metal). I have used the biking ultralight for years now for biking and the hiking socks in boots and picked up some of these recently for walking/golf. I would advise that they are not the most durable out of the shoe for walking around in just socks. I found them easy to get holes in compared to other brands such as Smartwool and Bridgedale, which have much more material to them. I had lost several right foot socks from the mid-hiking ones before I stopped doing this. At this price you should be careful with them and wash them as per the instructions with air drying only. An occasional one has made its way into the dryer and come out okay though. In the shoe they do seem to last forever. The biking ones that I immediately take off after a several hour ride are still as good as new. It can be a bit confusing with all the different types, so I would suggest trying a pair from several different models until you find your favorite and then splurge for a half-dozen or more pairs if you can afford it.

I must admit that these metal ones are better than the regular run performance in terms of feel (very thin construction) and temperature regulation. They look pretty cool as well with a metallic sheen. In the shoe these are the best socks out there. They really do what they claim and make just about any endeavor more comfortable. They have less bulk than most other socks. Most sock companies claim to have different materials/construction in different areas for support , etc. but I think X-Socks takes this to a whole new level of precision and performance. I'm not sure where these ones specifically were made, but I know some of the X-socks I have are made in Italy (either these or the Speed Metal). I have used the biking ultralight for years now for biking and the hiking socks in boots and picked up some of these recently for walking/golf. I would advise that they are not the most durable out of the shoe for walking around in just socks. I found them easy to get holes in compared to other brands such as Smartwool and Bridgedale, which have much more material to them. I had lost several right foot socks from the mid-hiking ones before I stopped doing this. At this price you should be careful with them and wash them as per the instructions with air drying only. An occasional one has made its way into the dryer and come out okay though. In the shoe they do seem to last forever. The biking ones that I immediately take off after a several hour ride are still as good as new. It can be a bit confusing with all the different types, so I would suggest trying a pair from several different models until you find your favorite and then splurge for a half-dozen or more pairs if you can afford it.

This stand holds my MTB securely without it being anchored to it. It easily releases to take the bike out for a ride but still prevents falling over in the garage. While you could lean your bike against the wall, etc. this stand is a little more secure because a bump from the side or snagging the bar end on a shirt when walking by will not cause the bike to fall over with it (I have some experience with this). Looks great too and is easily portable. If you are worried about carbon fiber components getting banged by a potential walk-by snag causing the bike to fall over, this is the perfect stand at a nice price.

Very accurate, from weighing individual components (can tare it to hold a platter/bowl to put them in or just hang a derailleur,etc. from the hook) to putting your entire ride on it. Easy to use, easily coordinates with my Ultimate/FBS Pro Elite stand. It also should work with just about any clamping stand with little problem as long as the clamp can be rotated (even if it can't you can hang the scale off the stand although there will be more "swaying"). It's very satisfying to actually see in black and white that your is bike shedding weight when you spend $$ on new & lighter parts.

I have two pairs of these, one in the older style nylon twill fabric from a couple seasons ago when the Davos first replaced the Vail pant and one in the newer stretch Primeflex fabric. They are the benchmark for all other ski pants I've used/tried (Kjus, Arc'teryx, TNF, Oakley, 66 North) . Not only is the fit great for me (6'2" 185-I usually wear a large or preferably a large tall but got these in XL) the new style has an even better fit that is less baggy and thus gives you more freedom of movement. They also redesigned the thigh vents to slash more across the front of your legs rather than just down the sides, allowing a lot of air to rush in, especially if you're moving or its windy. I wear these in just about any weather from single digits to 40s with the vents open with just CW-X's underneath. The rest of the features are just top-of-the-line Spyder: Very well-made with extra stitching and extra panels all over, waterproof zips with garages, waist adjusters, nice pulls and big buttons that you can use with gloves, etc. Every year they show that they really listen to users of their products because they come up with little design improvements that really work.

I have only tried these on so far as it's summer, but if I don't review a product right when I get the email reminder, I will never remember later. So, to start, I have been looking for a softshell gauntlet glove with the ability to actually hold tools, etc. and I think these are a great pair. They have some insulation but still keep the hands dexterous enough to manipulate whatever you are holding. Black Diamond gloves are all pretty well made in my experience and these seem to be as well with Schoeller and Pittards components. Nice-sized gauntlet (not too short for the task it's intended for but not so long that you think you are on an expedition to Everest). Most standard features of nicer gauntlet gloves such as elastic wrist, one-handed cinch pulls on gauntlet cuff. Also, the ice specific padding on the top of the hand will come in handy. Seems substantial but it is stretchy material so that it will not affect movement. Overall a very well designed softshell ice glove. Note about waterproofness-I'm not sure about the insert they use and I haven't used these in wet conditions- so I cannot comment on their waterproofness-but in my experience softshell gloves are pretty much never totally waterproof when soaked. Personally, I'm looking for more breathability with high-activity, which is what softshell construction is meant for, and what these gloves should provide very well.

Arc'teryx makes the best fitting apparel for me at 6'2" and 185 lbs., along with 66 North Iceland. An Arc'teryx large is a perfect fit, especially with their longer sleeves than many other brands (a certain "hardwear" company specifically). Adding this MX, I now have a full Gamma lineup with the now discontinued LT, and a couple SV's. Even though this one is manufactured across the Pacific, it still seems to have the great Arc'teryx quality in construction. I like the garbanzo color I got on sale as well, it looks like khaki to me. Best for cool conditions in the 45-55 range. Very windproof, thin and light. I've worn it in a drizzle and water beads well. I haven't had a chance to try it in anything cooler yet.

Very nice pants, can't beat softshell feel plus waterproof. I have the Stingray pant as well but these have a bit softer outside feel and have a little more of a fleecy lining. Arc'teryx makes the best general purpose outerwear. I can't wait to use these on the slopes.

I just bought these this summer, but have had the Vail pant (this model's precursor) for several seasons and they were great. Spyder's top-of-the-line Legend Series stuff is the probably the best ski apparel out there. Perfect design, excellent durability, just the right amount of insulation. They also think of all the details that make these bibs look as great as the function.

Gave it to my 4 yr. old nephew for Xmas and he loves this sweatshirt. Spyder has their great logo enlarged on the back and as with all Spyder clothing, you get what you pay for. For a premium price you get a premium kids sweatshirt.

I haven't used these yet on the slopes, but I did use a different pair of Hestras a good deal last ski season (Dominique Perret Power Dry model), and they are by far my favorite gloves. I'm not sure why but their gloves seem to conform to my hands better than any others, and they have the best pole-grip while still being very warm for their relative lack of bulky insulation. Whoever first came up with the neoprene under cuff design is also a genius. I have two pairs of Hestra and one pair of Mammut under cuff gloves now. I have used Reusch gloves but find the Hestras better all around (fit, durability, warmth, low-bulk, etc.) as skiing-specific gloves.