I admit - i had really high hopes for this boot, especially with the price tag. I bought it to replace a similiar albeit shorter boot I use to drive to and from the mountain, apres ski drinking sessions, etc. First off - what showed up didn't really look like the picture. what i got was a very mono tone brown. I think what Keen is using for marketing was a prototype but not the actual production boot. Anyway my first day in the boot was up to Stevens Pass in WA on an epic powder day w/about 14" overnight. perfect test. Function: What i realized within what felt like minutes is that the porous nubuck finish is that is just a magnet for snow/water and these boots get wet fast. unless you live in utah and only see 3% snow i would not recommend them at all. Secondly, on fit: its nice to have a little taller boot but because there is no zipper, or elasticity, etc. in the upper what happens is your socks slip down and the front and back of the boot are constantly banging your leg. its annoying. if its apres ski at whistler or something, just drink a lot and you will not be as bothered. Re: the finish - these boots are marketed on most sites as a snow boot with 200g of insulation, water proof, etc. but if you go to Keen they actually bucket them in urban section. So if its an urban boot - it looks like its a snow boot and is fairly clunky and oversized. If its a snow boot, it functions like an urban boot and gets wet, marginal traction, weird upper fit. So my conclusion is that its really not good for anything. if people have something that you can drive in (unlike sorels) that are decent in snow and suitable for apres please pass along. these boots are none of those things

Sick helmet - its low profile, especially the side profile and super light so it feels like you've got nothing on at all. For a helmet with minimal venting, this is the first helmet i've had that the venting is actually perfect. its got enough coverage so you don't feel like wind is being funneled through little holes at your head and yet, i never have any goggle fogging either even with pretty solid goggle coverage on top. (I use Oakley not smith). plus no gaper gap. I've toured with it once and didn't overheat. probably not what you would want in spring though. Anyway, one tip on the head phones. The standard smith skull candy smith headphones are 50 bucks, the giro ones are 30 bucks, the skull candy home brew is 20 bucks. ALL of them are the same actual speaker. they differ in phone support. i don't want my helmet ringing so i went Giro style and they work perfectly. If you're not a skull candy fan, most anything will fit in there when you pull out the extra foam.