I hate to give bad reviews, and I have never had anything bad to say about Arc until now.

I am average size - 5'8" and 39" chest - and normally wear a medium for any brand. The sleeves on this are ridiculously long. The sleeves run down to the midpoint of my fingers. The cuffs, as many others have mentioned, have no velcro or elastics so they don't stay up on your wrists (unless you have big wrists). This is such a poor design. Even for climbing, the sleeve length would be too long.

The chest is also smaller than other medium sized Arc jackets, even those jackets that are supposed to be skin tight (ie - Gamma MX). It is possible that I got a poorly made jacket.

I had to return this because of the poor sizing and cut. This doesn't feel like the usual Arc quality...feels more like a potato sack, especially with the long sleeves.

2 thumbs down.

These shorts are super super SUPER fast drying. I usually wash my clothes after a hike and of all the items I wash (mostly synthetics), these dry the fastest. If I completely wet out the material, the shorts are completely dry in about 1.5hrs. Other items take about twice the time to dry!

The length is perfect. I'm 5'8" and the shorts end right on top of my knees. It's not too long (like shorts from a 90's rap video) and not too short (like the North Face convertible shorts).

One complaint is that they come in only even sized waists. I fit between sizes. If I get one size up, I need to wear a belt; one size down, and it's slightly tighter (especially since the crotch area is cut a little higher). Someone mentioned in a review (Rampart long pants) that they shrink. But I don't know if that is true considering that it's made of all synthetics.

Got this off of SAC for 1/3 of price. Should have bought another pair esp at that price.

They are not THAT long as others have mentioned, but that depends on what size you get. I have a size 9 foot and got these socks in medium. They go up approx 6" from my heal which is a good distance if you are wearing boots for winter excursions.

They are as thick as my "lightweight hiker" Thorlos and just as comfy. I found it to be even more breathable than my Thorlos. I didn't get any blisters.

As someone else already mentioned, the construction and features are like those of other expensive brands.

LOVE 'EM. LOVE 'EM. LOVE 'EM!!!!!

Pros:
- Great fit: It's not too tight like the NTS Smartwools. I had the Midweight Smartwool in the same size and it was skin tight. This one was a slightly more roomy/relaxed so you can use it both on the mountain and around town.

-Merino wool, as is well-known now, breathes extremely well and regulates your core temperature (whether it's warm or cool outside)

Cons:
- I found that the wool starts to rise after a few uses due to rubbing against my backpack straps. This is just an aesthetic issue that I find happens to all merino wool tops.

- Contrary to what most reviewers say, i find that merino wool DOES smell when I sweat. I was skeptical at first so I tried the Sugoi merino wool and that smelled too after use! My girlfriend had the same problem with her merino top as well!!! My 100% poly tops don't smell at all after use!

In any case, I think these tops are great because the "weight to temperature regulation" is the best for what is out there.

No matter how much I tried to clean my system after use, I still got mold growing in the tube and sack. This was the perfect solution for a decent price (compared to the camelbak cleaning kit, this is a better buy).

The pipet-like brush worked like a charm. It fit perfectly in the tube and came right out along with all the mold.

The only suggestion I have is if Platypus made some device to hold the sack opening open (like the camelbak kit), because it takes several days for the sack to dry.

I've had these for almost a year. These are my main shoes for summer/fall hikes.

The shoes are good to go right out of the box. I used them for a 10 hr hike without any breaking in, and my feet were not complaining at the end of the day. I have even used them for hikes up to 12 hrs long, with my feet feeling only slightly damp (which is normal).

They are made of GTX so no water gets in where it is not supposed to. The vibram soles are also fantastic with grippy rubber and moderately deep lugs.

I loved these shoes so much that I got them in the mid cut for winter pursuits.

I have tried many other Merrell's (ie - all the Moab models, Chameleon 2, and their boots), and these are the most comfortable even with my slightly flat feet - no blisters or aching.

If you are looking to use these shoes for day/weekend hikes, these will be perfect.

I have the previous version, which is exactly the same except the coloring of the shock area.

I love these poles. I have used them extensively during the blistering hot summer heat and the freezing cold temperatures.

These flick locks lock tightly and never slip. If it does, just tighten the screw on the hinge.

The only problems I've had with these poles are:

1) The shock system on these are not very balanced - one pole may tend to be more plush than the other.

2) The wrist straps on these get worn fast. They started breaking/ripping near the "V" section (the part of the strap that goes between your thumb and index finger) after 1 season. I had to e-mail BD to give me a replacement strap.

I thought these poles were so good that I got the compact version for my girlfriend.

I am 33 waist and 30 inseam, and medium short fits perfectly. The medium regular length is also acceptable as long as you remember to cinch up the bottom so you don't kick dirt inside your pants while you walk.

Material is super light and breathable. Because the material is light and "thin" it seems to breathe much better than my other North Face Paramount convertibles. It is also astonishingly durable for its weight. I've had a previous pair for about a year now, and it has withstood bushwhacking. The DWR is also of good quality and I've not had to renew that to date (not so with the North Face pants I have).

The best part of these pants are the cinches at the bottom of the leg. The drawstring is stowed away in a separate compartment at the bottom of your leg to prevent the string or cinch from brushing up against your leg as you move. Excellent and well designed feature.

These pants not only perform well, they also look cool around town because it fits well. The great fit is due to the articulated knees.

Overall, these are my preferred pair of pants for hitting the trail. I regret buying the over-popular North Face Pararmount pants. It's doesn't even come close to this one.

I bought these pants about 6 months ago and recently bought them again to give them another try in the hopes that the first pair was just defective.

The stitching on these pants truly suck. The crotch area stitching is easy to come apart. Carry a sewing kit with you in case you need to stitch it up during a climb/hike. Even when you get them new and inspect it, the sewing doesn't give you much confidence. It looks like it's about to fall apart.

The design of these pants need a lot of improvement. I am 5'8", 33" waist and wear medium short. Even short, is not that short. The bottom can drag the floor if you don't pull the pants high enough. Regular is even longer. The pants have very baggy legs. Since the leg cuffs don't have cinches, it is easy to kick dirt into that large baggy opening.

The manufacturing process of these pants suck too. The DWR on these pants is just bad. I rinsed these pants out after my first use, and it seems that the DWR has already worn down - the water doesn't bead as much anymore and starts to soak into the pants. This is especially true by the butt area where I sit.

In conclusion, the North Face Paramount pants are inferior products. It's no wonder why so many people think that North Face offers the crappiest outdoor gear especially for the price. The North Face is now known to be somewhat of a fashion icon to the rest of the world, and as a result, doesn't seem to focus on what the company initially stood for.

For the price of these pants, you should go with the Mountain Hardwear Mesa pants instead. I have those and they are MUCH more dependable, better built, AND lightweight.

I bought a Medium. My dimensions are 5'8", 170lb, 40" chest.

All the positive reviews for the Arc'teryx Alpha SV are completely true. From my experience, what distinguishes this from other hard shells is the face fabric and also the fit. However, no one so far has mentioned that there is also a flaw in the zipper design.

The face fabric is superb. Since Arc'teryx designs and manufactures their own face fabrics, the durability and uniqueness of their face fabric is second to none. When it comes to face fabrics, they are the king of hard shells...bar none. The weaving is so tight and the denier of the threads make the fabric so burly. Due to the density of the threads, it almost looks like the fabric is not woven, but is like a laminate floor. I haven't seen another jacket out there with a face fabric that is so cool and unique.

The fit and articulation of this jacket makes it feel like you've got no shell on at all. There is freedom of movement in ALL directions, whereas other jackets out there restrict you and can feel the fabric trying to move with you. The length of this jacket for me was great. It's also very roomy but does not at all appear to be baggy.

With all the positive things said, there is a negative point of this jacket. I've already mentioned this before in a previous post/question. The chin guard material (on the left collar) is puffy. As such, that puffy material actually can overlap the main zipper and cause the zipper to get stuck. This is REALLY annoying particularly when you don't have two hands to fix the problem. Now this doesn't happen ALL the time, but quite frequently if you zip it up at a certain angle.Someone else on Moosejaw also mentioned this problem (http://www.moosejaw.com/outdoors/products/ArcteryxAlphaSVJacketFall2009-Mens.html)

EDIT: It turns out that this is a known issue from the manufacturer. They had production issues with the old Titanium color. It seems that BC's batch of Titaniums are from this production run.

I don't know if this was just the batch of jackets that BC carries or if it is a design issue. I got 2 other jackets from BC and they exhibited the same problem. I went to my local store and NONE of their jackets had that issue. The material was not as puffy as BC's jackets.

In any case, I will take off 1 star from this jacket because this is such a fundamental and functional problem. Whether or not this is Arc'teryx or BC's problem, I'm just warning you about this.

Other than this, this is definitely the best jackets for winter use compared to other ones I have reviews. (You can check out my postings).

If you like this review, click on the thumbs up.

I am 5'8", 170lb, and chest 40". I bought this in Medium and in carbon. I specifically chose carbon as opposed to the other brighter colours because it's styling when you wear it around town, even though it will get most of its miles on the trails.

Fit: For my height and weight, this jacket is a VERY snug fit. I can definitely not fit anything under this besides a 100-fleece. It is great if just wearing a base layer/t-shirt underneath. If you want to layer it, I highly suggest you size up. BC is known to make clothing tighter than other big brands.

Design: 2 hand pockets by the waist (not compatible with a backpack). One chest pocket. One pocket on the inside of the jacket directly behind the chest pocket. The inside pocket has a little hole for you to feed your MP3 cord allowing for a cleaner setup.

ALL zippers on this jacket are NOT water resistant. They are just regular zippers with a flaps on top to prevent water from getting in.

Arms are NOT articulated. In fact, I don't think any part of this jacket is articulated. But it shouldn't really have to since it is a stretchy softshell.

Material: Jacket is made entirely of Polartech Power Shield except for the chest and inside pocket which is something similar to Schoeller. All seams are just stitched and not taped or welded. So there is a chance that water can get in during bad weather.

The inside is like microfleece keeping you warm in temperatures above 10C. Anything colder, and you'll want to start layering.

I drove my car at 55mph and stuck out my car. Little to no wind gets through this material! They claim 98% which is probably true.

There is a large storm flap behind the main zipper giving you a feeling of comfort and protection from the zipper and the elements.

After two months, the DWR seems to be holding up but again, I have not been under too much precipitation. The DWR around the elbows are wearing down a little bit after two months but that's because that area gets the most wear and pressure. This means that water will not always bead up and some will soak a little into the face fabric, albeit, it's not that bad yet. The same will be true for the shoulders too when wearing a heavy pack.

Cinch cords are located on the bottom only. I never use them because the jacket is already really snug.

Summary: Not worth $200. It is a simple jacket without any bells and whistles. It is a good combination of being light-weight, light warmth, high wind-resistance, and for turning heads when walking around town. It feels good against your skin when you wear it too. Just make sure to size up if you plan on layering.

Give me some thumbs up if you like this review.

I am 5'8", 170lb, and have a 40" chest. I bought this in Cayenne Medium. I should have bought a L (even though I never wear L in MHW or Arc'teryx).

My review compares this against previous hard shell jackets I have owned or tried on: Montane Super-fly, MHW Xenon, Arc'teryx Beta AR, Arc'teryx Alpha SV, and Millet Axon Pro.

MATERIAL: This uses the highly acclaimed eVent. Although I did not do field testing with this jacket, just sitting in my room at 26-28C it didn't feel too hot. This is to compare against Gore-Tex jackets in general. However, I want to state that the real test is in the field. Also the purpose of eVent and GTX are different.

There are two types of face fabrics in this jacket. The shoulders are made of a burlier/tightly-woven material similar, albeit is still thin. The torso and the entire arm is made of a thinner face fabric which is the square-grid rip-stop nylon material. The face fabric is pretty thin and am sure it will go through a lot of wear and tear if you have abrasive materials against it (ie - a backpack strap that isn't made of soft materials).

Overall, the material is THIN which will aid in the breathability. That's probably why people are claiming it's much more breathable than other jackets. Being thin means there is less resistance for vapor/moisture to diffuse across.

DESIGN: Jacket contains two hand pockets at the bottom. As many have mentioned, this pocket is useless if you wear a backpack waist strap. I tried it on with my backpack and could not access the pocket at all. I know some people don't like to have chest pockets. So I think an alternative for their future designs is to make the opening for the hand pocket about 3" higher so that you can at least access it from the top. Good depth for those two hand pockets otherwise. You can fit your whole hand plus more.

FIT: This jacket is meant for someone who has a REALLY athletic body. All dimensions are probably 1" smaller than other jackets. For me, the chest was acceptable and I could layer a 200-weight fleece. However, the WAIST is TIGHT. My waist is 32-33" and even with all the cinches loosened, the waist of this jacket was WAY too tight. I don't think you could layer a fleece underneath the jacket just based on the waist. Be warned.

Arms are NOT articulated. It's just straight cut. You'll notice a huge difference compared to the other jackets I am comparing against. If you don't intend on using your arms very much, then maybe it's not a concern for you. But if you do move your arms a lot, you'll appreciate articulated arms a lot more. The material won't touch your skin as much giving you a feeling of freedom. It REALLY does make a difference. However, the intention of this jacket is not for climbers but mainly for skiers.

Also, the torso length is short. It only goes down 1" lower than my belt.

Zippers: All of them are standard YKK water-resistant zippers. Nothing fancy.

Hood: This hood is as simple as you can get. I think it only had side adjusters and NOT the volume adjuster cinches that most jackets have on the back of the hood. The side adjusters are pretty plain/cheap and aren't as easy to operate as some other upper end jackets such as the Arc'teryx Alpha SV ones. The upper end jackets you can easily adjust by just pulling the chord where as this one, you have to play around with it more. As I mentioned, I don't think it has volume adjusters so it probably won't fit as well on your head as other jackets.

Summary: If you're using this for light purpose activities or don't intend on rubbing this against a tree or getting into a brawl with a bear, this jacket is for you. It packs lightly and you won't notice it at the bottom of your backpack. It's also probably great for breatability because it is so thin.

For high-output activities that require you to get into a fight with a bear and rub against tress, this is not for you.

Key points: PROBABLY very breathable because the material is so thin. The waist is TIGHTTTTT! Shoulders are burlier. Hood is simple. Length is slightly shorter than other jackets.

3/5 - Comparing to other jackets I've tried this one is near the bottom.

If this review helps, give me the thumbs up!

The only annoyance (not real issue) that I have found with these poles is that the travel on both left and right are usually not identical. One pole ends up feeling stiffer/looser than the other. This is somewhat noticeable when hiking, but if you are someone that notices these things, it may be annoying. Sometimes it may feel like one pole is doing as much work as the other. It would be great if you could adjust these shocks but I guess BD designed these shocks to be good for all conditions.

Other than that, the flicklock works very well. It does not allow the pole to slip, and if it does, it's because you have not tightened the screw enough to clamp onto the pole tightly.

It is too bad that this model does not come with optional snow baskets because I would love to use these in snow.