I just picked up one of these and, although I haven't yet put it through its full paces, I'm pretty happy with it after one field test. I think it's going to be perfect for what I bought it for: to minimize discomfort on committing alpine-style ascents without significantly adding to the volume or weight I'm carrying.

I didn't buy it for fashion. I didn't buy it to keep toasty around a campfire on a chilly night, although it would do that fairly well too. And, I didn't buy it to ward off hypothermia when tent-bound at high altitude. I bought it so I'd have something clipped to my harness that I could put on to at least keep from visibly shivering while belaying.

This isn't the kind of down jacket that's going to immediately wrap you in warmth if you've been sitting around and have already hit that point of coldness that's hard to return from without a warm shower. It'd help but, for that, you (or, I, at least) need something that's more along the lines of a Mountain Hardwear Sub-Zero.

But, if your core is warm from a strenuous hike or climb, the down will quickly capture that heat and keep it while you're waiting for your 2nd to make his or her way up the climb. I intend to use it atop 2 or 3 layers including a soft shell. In that set up, I'd say it's temperature rating ranges from -10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. My metabolism is on the higher end and I run fairly warm so people who get cold easily may push the temp rating up 10 or so degrees.

It's weight and packability are great. If you're doing climbs that really require something lighter or smaller, you probably shouldn't be paying for your gear anyway.

I was really happy with the fit too. Often times, and frequently with European manufacturers, I have a hard time getting something that is long enough without having to size up. I'm 6'1"/175 lbs with a slightly long reach (35-ish inch arms). And, it fits great.

As far as the material goes, it is crazy light. It's hard to believe how warm it is when you're holding it in your hand. I can't yet speak to durability but it is a ripstop fabric. I'd agree with what someone else said about the appearance of the sheen and the silk screen logos. It looks too techy to wear out, IMO. But, given that choices must be made, I'll sacrifice appearance for performance.

Love my laser and agree with all the positive comments about the fabric. The fit is something to consider if you're slightly tall for your weight with long arms.

I'm 6'1", 175, w/a 40" chest. The 'body' of large fits perfectly as far as the circumference goes. It's a tad shorter than I'd like but it works and stays put under a harness. However, if you have a slightly positive ape index (I usually wear a 34/35" dress shirt), the sleeves may be too short to use the gaiters. I tried using them when climbing and the thumb loop was tight enough in between my thumb and index finger that it cut off circulation and caused those two digits to go numb. That's not cool when you're gripped, trying to place an ice screw. And, if you don't use them, it's surprising how much wind comes in through that little thumb hole.

So, if you're in between two sizes and have long arms, you may want to consider sizing up.

I've used these skiing, when climbing Pico de Orizaba, and just now walking my dog in -10F temps. They're ok but I am not all that impressed considering what they cost. The dexterity of the gloves really isn't that great. They worked well when plunging an alpine axe in the snow but I wouldn't recommend them for ice or mixed climbing. They just don't have the dexterity that would be needed to place gear (ice screws or rock pro).

And, they are NOT warm enough to justify the cost. After walking my dog for 15 minutes in -10 temps, my finger tips were painfully frozen. I wouldn't expect them to handle temps that low for a long period of time but they should at least keep your fingers from becoming painfully numb for a quick dog walk. I pulled out the liners and found that the tips of the fingers were packed down to nearly nothing and I've only had them for one season.

Bottom line: good ski gloves but not worth the price.

Wow, I didn't think my rope was that dirty! This thing is definitely worth the money. Now, I have to go clean the pile of sediment out of my bathtub.

I picked up one of these on SAC about a year ago. Overall, I'm pleased with its performance given the price I paid. Feature/functionality use is fairly intuitive. Although some have complained about the size of the watch, I think it is appropriately sized for its intended purpose. The data is presented in a large enough font that it can be read with a quick glance. It's a bit large for an everyday watch but that's not its intended purpose. I have two complaints. The altimeter must be calibrated VERY frequently. I used the watch on a recent climb of Pico de Orizaba. I calibrated it 2 days before summiting. It was inaccurate by nearly 60 ft when I summited. That would be understandable if the weather had changed drastically but it had not. The second complaint I have is that the temperature reading is worthless when wearing the watch as it is affected by body temperature.