the jacket itself is very warm but you constantly get feathers poking out of your jacket... so my guess is, eventually you'll lose a good amount of down insulation. that basically defeats the purpose of this jacket...

I also have a North Face summit series down jacket and in the 6 years I've owned it, it's NEVER done that... bottom line, you get what you paid for... I can't expect AK or Summit Series quality for such a cheap coat...

I finally got a chance to ride this board last weekend and here's my 0.02: (this is my very first NS board so bare with me.)

First Impressions:
-VERY LIGHT, I mean VERY LIGHT! I've ridden and owned last year's Custom and Custom X and I have to say it's prob a few ounces lighter than the Custy X. it was noticeably lighter than my friend’s Custom flying V.)
-LOVE the material of the top sheet, seems durable and ding-proof.

Conditions:
-Mid 20’s, sunny, icy. (no new snow for over 2 weeks.)

First Ride:
-This board’s got a nice mid-flex feel to it, NS’s rating of 5 is dead on. The board itself is little more “squirely” than other RC (Reversed Camber) boards I’ve owned and ridden. What’s really strange about this board is that, even though it’s more “squirely” I NEVER washed out on icy steeps. I have to admit the “Vario Sidecut” actually held an edge very well. (it’s no Magna-Traction but it’s pretty damn close.)
-the board/base is fast, not Custom X fast but fairly close. Turn initiations were easy, I thought it was very quick edge-to-edge and it definitely has that “RC” feel.
-Pop/Ollies were above average, I popped off some natural features a bit “higher” than usual. (then again, it could just be mental also…)

Since we(NW) haven’t received any new snow I didn’t get a chance to test it in POW.(I’ll report back soon as we get more snow.)

What I realized after the first ride was you HAVE to get over the “squirely-ness” of this board and trust your skills and what this board can do. Once I did that, the ride was amazing!!! I was bombing hills like I was racing in boarder-cross at the Xgames… haha! I feel like any intermediate to advance riders will benefit from this board because it’s so easy to ride and it could potentially help you progress quicker. I’ll report back after a few more days on it, but so far so good!

****UPDATED REVIEW 1/4/12***

HOLY SWEET BABY JESUS!!! Da Northwest finally got dumped on after 3+ weeks of zero precip!!! We were hit with back to back double digit POW days on 12/30/11 and 12/31/11. I was gonna take out my "Cuda" for these days but I thought I would try to ride this and see if it's any good in deeeeeep POW.

WOW!!!! this thing is simply amazing!!!! it floats extremely well, turns well in deep pow, the more days I put on this the better this things feels!!!! the last time I felt this way about a snowboard was when i first stepped on the original SkateBanana... I have 2 other boards(Burton Barracuda and Libtech TRS) in my quiver and I don't think either one of them will see anymore snow this year... if you are/were a skater, you will absolutely LOVE this board!!! it is the closest thing to skating on snow. Fawkin' BADASS!!!! THANK YOU NEVER SUMMER for making this board!

Just picked this up for my GF's daughter and it's a well made jacket. the jacket itself is very thin, prob only good for spring conditions... if you want to use this for a winter coat you'll definitely need to have additional layers.

I've also notice that TNF jackets for kids typically run a tad bit smaller so if you want the jacket to last a few years. make sure you buy a few sizes up.

whatelse can you say about Absinthe Films??? all the movies just get better and better... a mixture of Big Mt riding to street to park to BC. keep up the good work guys!!!

like everyone else said, good sack for the money. this bag's got NO PADDING, just keep that in mind when you're ordering. honestly, I wouldn't suggest it if you're goin' to use it for traveling.(most baggage handlers are probably just goin' to throw you stuff so if you don't care about your things getting banged up then this is a good bag for you.)

I use the "warm-temp" wax for spring conditions in the NW. it's not bad for the price but compared to some of the other brands it's not as good... i'm not an expert in the chemical(s) in wax composition my only form of testing is purely from how fast the board comes down a hill...

First impressions: VERY LIGHT!
I wear a size 7 5/8" in fitted caps so it's a bit difficult tryin' to find a helmet that fits well and doesn't make me look like I ride the "short bus"... with that said, here are my PROS AND CONS.

PROS:
-Fits well, especially if you have a big dome like me...
-Compact
-Very light (555 grams I think...)
-Decent venting
-Price, very affordable at 65.

CONS:
-Lack of padding, not the most comfortable helmet I've ever tried on...
-The goggle clip in the back is made sorta cheap... I hope it doesn't break...

OVERALL:
VERY NICE helmet for the price!!!

I got these last week and finally got to used them yesterday. I must say, these things are WARM!!! I was out in 18 deg is weather with a little windchill and my hands were on fire... they were so hot I was sweating non-stop... so if you live in subzero temp areas and you need a pair of warm mits, STOP LOOKING CUZ THESE ARE IT!!!!

Took my new Cuda out for a test drive last weekend and I must say, I'm a little disappointed... condition was EPIC, 28" of fresh, blower-light Pow at the legendary Mt Baker. this board ripped it in POW, super "surf-y" and fun to ride until you get in groomers...

I wasn't super set back on my stance, prob only 3/4" set back. as I was comin' out of the pow stashes into the groomers, the front of the board was flapping out of control and the board was quite "squarely". again, Burton's "frostbite edges" DOES NOT WORK!!!

So if you're goin' to use this as a dedicated POW board I would give it 5 stars! if you're goin' to use is as a everyday, all mountain board then I would give it 2.5 max 3 stars. the board itself seemed well-made (made in china), a little on the heavier side,(seems like my 2010 custom is lighter)

REVIEW UPDATE 11/26/2011:

I've put a few more POW days on this thing since the last review. I've realized that the more I ride this thing in pow the more I like it.... THIS BAD MF'ER ABSOLUTELY RIPS IN POW!!!! it is FASSSST, surf-ie, floats extremely well and it's a MUST HAVE if you get to ride more than 10 POW days a year!!! I still feel like this thing is "squirely" on grooms and it doesn't hold an edge that well.

This thing has all the bells and whistles. it stores all your bits inside the tape measure part and it works very well. it's a little bulky but other than that its a good tool. (Tape measure comes in handy when you need to adjust your stance.)
my only complaint is the bits get rusty easily... i didn't even have that much snow on there...

This tool works GREAT!!!! it's prob one of the BEST accessories i have in my backpack. it's got the items/tools you need and when the handle is folded out, you can really crank it down! VERY NICE especially for the price!

I received my bindings yesterday and first impression was "DAMN!!!! that sh*t is light!!!!!!!" you can tell the bindings are well made (even if it's made in china...) they look GREAT, very light, the straps are cushy and comfortable. so you're prob wondering why i gave it 3 stars instead of 5???

well, I had a set of Union Force's 3 years back and loved the bindings but HATED the weak-a** toe strap/toe cap. (whatever you want to call it, it DID NOT WORK!!!!) they constantly slipped off, no matter how i adjusted them... so i went back to burtons.

fast forward 3 years, i saw these online and thought i would give them a shot again. after a test fitting with my boots last night, the toe caps seemed like they might slip off again. i'll do an actual "field test" and report back next month.

***Updated review 12/19/2011***

So I've had a chance to put in some days on these bindings and I'm changing my initial rating of 3 to 4.5. bindings are very responsive, NEVER had any issues with the new toe caps.(they held GREAT!!!) especially for 219, I feel like they are one of the BEST bindings on the market!

I bought this in a 4T for my step daughter who is 2.5 (she's average in weight and height.) thinking she can wear this for a year or 2 but when she tried it on the other day, it fits her perfect...
so I'm just goin' to assume that Northface sizes run a tad smaller than average? nice material, cool color, my daughter loves it!

I think my feet is not the "typical" foot Sorel used to design these shoes... I bought a pair of 9.5's and they are very comfortable and warm but the only thing is my toes are touching the front but my heel is still clunking away in the back...
I'll be sending these back but if you have the "typical" foot, these should be PERFECT for you!

What can I say that hasn't been said already... They should call this board TRSU instead!!!!(Totally Rip Sh*t Up) This board is the REAL DEAL, I had last years model without the C2 and thought it was a GREAT board but DAMN!!!! C2 completely changes the ball game, this thing RIPS in POW, groomers, icy death chutes(AK), backcountry, Chunder, Death cookies, you name it, it'll tear sh*t up!!!

Magna-Traction is the REAL DEAL, not a gimick, marketing scheme, it's the truth. I wouldn't want to be caught on a steep icy-ass AK hill without it.

my 1 and ONLY complaint is that TNT extrude base is just crap... slow, slow, slow and it seems as if i need to wax on a weekly basis... I wish LIB would change that and this would be the PERFECT all mountain weapon!!! (that's why I gave it a 4 star instead of 5)

I'm not sure where stand on this board... I've been a loooooong time Burton fan(Craig Kelly Mystery Air days.) but I'm just not sure where I stand on this board... I had a 2010-11 Custom Flying V 158 and rode it for a few months and thought is was too short so I got a 160 but for some reason I still don't feel "right" on it... this board does so many things/situation well but not great. so does it make sense if i say "a jack of all trades but master of none?"

PRO:
-Very light board.
-SUPER FASSSSSST base, I'm heavy and I ALWAYS glide pass everyone on the flats.
-Flexible, Agile in the trees.
-Good POP.

CONS:
-PDE/"Ice Edge" is a load of crap... Burton just needs to buck up and admit Magna-traction is the REAL DEAL.

Overall:
This board just rips through POW, super effortless and fast. my only complaint is it doesn't hold an edge very well in icy death chutes... I also own a 2011 Lib Tech TRS and I feel super confident riding the TRS on ice. hope this helps...

Got this helmet last night, first impressions: VERY LIGHT!
I wear a size 7 5/8" in fitted caps so it's a bit difficult tryin' to find a helmet that fits well and doesn't make me look like I ride the "short bus"... with that said, here are my PROS AND CONS.

PROS:
-Fits well, especially if you have a big dome like me...
-Compact
-Very light (555 grams I think...)
-Decent venting
-Price, very affordable at 65.

CONS:
-Lack of padding, not the most comfortable helmet I've ever tried on...
-The goggle clip in the back is made sorta cheap... I hope it doesn't break...

OVERALL:
VERY NICE helmet for the price!!!

I wanted some "bright spring pants" this year because my closet is full of dark, boring color Arc'teryx gear. (I LOVE my Arc stuff but they make some seriously borrrrring colors for pants/bibs...)

I'm short and stubby (5'-8" 185lbs approx 30" inseam) so for Arc pants/bibs I usually need a Large/short. After reviewing the sizing chart on BC.com I decided to go with a Large. I got the pants in 2 days, (I LOVE Backcountry.com!!!) right before my weekend ride. I have the admit, the pants were wayyyyyy beyond my expectations!

The material is nice, very well made, the color is nothing like the picture (a lot brighter and lighter) pants were very comfortable, the zip-away bib was cool, nice placement of pockets and vents, all and all a GREAT pair of pants for the price!!! remember, you are NOT buying Arc gear so don't expect some ultra high-end gear and you don't be disappointed! BC.com, YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

I just finished putting 2 days of riding on the 2010 Burton Custom V-Rocker 159.(NW POW, semi-heavy) This board ABSOLUTELY RIPS, in EVERY catagory!!! I've been ridin' since 88 and I've owned just about every type/brand of board there is and last year I rode the 09 Lib Tech Skate Nana for 40 days in every condition. (from early season, icy, sick pow, mash potato, etc... I ride EVERYTHING from park to grooms to backcountry to steeps. I don't discriminate! lol!) I LOVED the Naner but it was just missing something...

Here are some of my opinions about the 2010 Custom Vrocker:
- SUPER easy to ride, from beginner to Expert. no adjustment needed.
- it floats well in pow (about a foot deep), remember this is no fish or malolo but it rode fine.
- it handles great on groomers, I let it go a few time down the hill and this thing just holds like it's on rails, I never felt sketchy at all.
- V-rocker was noticeable but nothing like the Naner. Super easy to butter and turn on the flats.
- take the Burton flex rating with a grain of salt, I was a bit worried in the beginning but NEVER once did I feel like the board was too soft.

Bottomline, this thing is a do-it-all/All Mt killer. The Custom rips in EVERY and ANY condition, you won't be disappointed!!!

I've been ridin' for approx 19+ years, I've ridden just about every brand you can think of... from Burton to Flow to Santa Cruz to Salomon and now I think might be on the ONLY brand of boards that I'm willing to spend money on... LIB TECH! WOW! this board is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!

My current set-up is 08-09 Lib Tech Banana 159 w/Union Force bindings. Here's what I think about the board:

-the Mag-Trac cuts through EVERYTHING like a hot knife through butter. the edge hold on this board is UNBELIEVABLE!!! I spent the whole day riding from POW in the mornin' to tracked out icy groomers yesterday (12/25) this board just KILLS any and every terrain!!!

-the BTX/Banana is noticeable but not a distraction. it's definitely a "looser"(is that a word???) board to ride, lot's of pop and SUPER FUN!!! this board is a little bite softer than I'm used to but with the combo of BTX and Mag there is minimal chatter when you're bombin' down a hill.

I have a few different types of boards in the "quiver" right now and I think I'm goin' to sell most of them so I can pick up a TRS 159. my only complaint is that the board feels a little clumsy in tight spaces, then again, it could just be me not used to the way this board rides... let me put a few more days in on this thing and I'll write another review.

Bottomline: AWESOME BOARD!!! SUPER FUN TO RIDE!!!

This is my 3rd pair of Salomon boots(in 3 years) and let me tell you, it just gets better and better!!! these boots are warm, comf, stiff enough, easy to get in and out of, not too expensive, and most of all they are camo!!! how can you beat that??? j/k! seriously thought these boots are AWESOME! they are worth EVERY PENNY!!! you won't be disappointed!

I was SO EXCITED to get these boots in the mail but when I got'em I realized MY feet really wasn't made for these boots... the boots were EXTREMELY WELL made, VERY COMF, but it just wasn't made for my feet. (I have really narrow feet with high arch's, even with the boot fully tightened, pumped; it still didn't fit right...) to me, boots are the MOST important piece of the snowboarding puzzle.(I've been ridin' since 1987 so I know what I'm doin' out there.) so the hunt for the "perfet boots continues...
p.s.: this site is one OF THE BEST gear sites out there!!! I just wished I didn't have to pay for the return shipping charges...