Not much to report on these b/c all I did with them is install them on my Lemond RevMaster (indoor spin bike) which came with the old school cages. I wanted a better upstroke w/o having to crush my foot in the cages to get it. Since these clipless pedals are not being exposed to the elements and the challenges of 'real' mt biking they'll probably last forever. :)

I thought I wanted the Thunder jacket, but when I compared this vest with the Thunder jacket side by side, was surprised to find that I preferred the vest. Strangely enough, the jacket was noisy and crinkled a lot when I moved. Not so with the vest, probably because it doesn't have sleeves so there's less fabric moving around to make noise. Either way, I'm happier with the vest and since I already dress in layers and tend to always be taking off or putting on a layer of some sort, I am starting to appreciate vests more...and they're less expensive.

I bought a previous year's version of this Windwall 2 and love it. This year's version, unfortunately, has taken the zippered pocket off the sleeve (a genius idea IMO) and put it on the chest. Bad move. What woman wants the bulge of her cell phone, keys, etc. on her chest? Not me. I returned it. Yes, it has 2 'normal' pockets for your hands at about waist level, but the sleeve pocket was perfect for credit cards, small cell phones, etc. and I was less likely to drop something in the sleeve pocket vs. the regular hand pockets because I wasn't trying to keep my hands warm in the sleeve pocket. Also, the bordeaux red color reminds me not of a rich deep red but more of a raspberry sherbet. On the upside, the cut is very flattering (which is a lot of what I love about the original) and the lining is nicer than the Windwall 1. I ended up buying the Windwall 1 instead because it doesn't have the dumb chest pocket, but has the same feminine cut. Unfortunately the Windwall 1 doesn't have as nice a lining, but it wasn't a deal killer.

I bought a men's version of this, sight unseen, for a friend. He claims to love it, so I bought one for myself. Tried it on and, surprise, it's noisy. Yes. Noisy. It sounds like it's made of plastic bags. Bummer. Was excited to have it. Also noticed that the (dark) Empire Blue looks a lot nicer (more of a jewel tone) on my computer screen than it did in person. Just looked like a boring navy. I returned it. Also, my friend with the men's version reports that the black version is shiny. The blue wasn't terribly shiny, which IMO is a good thing. Who wants to spend $200 to look like a trash bag?

1. adjustable chest strap slides up and down to accommodate "the girls"

2. the water bladder in this is so much better than the camelbaks that I have been using for decades

Regarding point #2: For years I have struggled with the twist-top camelbak bladders. They seem to have a self-vacuum seal that is next to impossible to release. I have strong hands and even for me it's been a challenge/frustration and frequently have had to ask others for help just to get the camelbak bladder unscrewed. I was skeptical about the hydrapack's "fold over" design, but I've used it about a half dozen times now and it hasn't leaked. Super easy to open, fill and seal. Love it!

I like these Siren Ventilators so much, I'm going to buy a second pair.

I've been wearing a heavier-duty hiking boot (the Keen Targhee) for a couple of years, and even though the Siren Ventilator is a lighter weight shoe, the soles on these Merrells provide much better traction (ironically).

I was hiking on hardpacked and slightly iced-over snow recently, and these Merrells performed better than my Keens ever could.

And, as others have noted, these Merrell Siren Ventilators are very comfortable.

I've been a fan (not sure for how much longer) of Tifosi glasses for several years and own about 4 pairs of the Forzas. But I scratched up all my other lenses and they weren't interchangeable, so I wanted something with an interchangeable lens.

These were on sale so I tried them out and am not happy. In fact, I was so maddened by these glasses, I postponed my ride to write this review!

I've popped the lenses out and tried on 2 separate occassions to get them back in, and I cannot get them in.

Unfortunately, I missed Backcountry's 30-day return window on these and am stuck with glasses where I can't get the lenses in them.

I'll probably contact Tifosi directly and ask for an exchange/refund, but in the past when I've contacted Tifosi, their customer support hasn't been great.

They once had a $10 lens replacement plan (maybe they still do) but it's such a hassle: you have to find your receipt (yea right! the glasses are old), print a form off the internet (I have no printer), send it in, etc. I couldn't get thru the obstacle course!

And then some time passed and I contacted Tifosi again, and they said NOTHING of the lens replacement plan, just encouraged me to buy new.

So I still have the 3-4 pairs of scratched Forzas. I refuse the throw them away: they just need new lenses, not to go to a landfill.

Depending on how things to when I contact Tifosi cust service, this could be the last pair of Tifosi's I ever buy, and we'd be ending on a low note indeed.

I've been a fan (not sure for how much longer) of Tifosi glasses for several years and own about 4 pairs of the Forzas. But I scratched up all my other lenses and they weren't interchangeable, so I wanted something with an interchangeable lens.These were on sale so I tried them out and am not happy. In fact, I was so maddened by these glasses, I postponed my ride to write this review!I've popped the lenses out and tried on 2 separate occassions to get them back in, and I cannot get them in.Unfortunately, I missed Backcountry's 30-day return window on these and am stuck with glasses where I can't get the lenses in them.I'll probably contact Tifosi directly and ask for an exchange/refund, but in the past when I've contacted Tifosi, their customer support hasn't been great.They once had a $10 lens replacement plan (maybe they still do) but it's such a hassle: you have to find your receipt (yea right! the glasses are old), print a form off the internet (I have no printer at home and don't want to do this at work), send it in, etc. I couldn't get thru the obstacle course!And then some time passed and I contacted Tifosi again, and they said NOTHING of the lens replacement plan, just encouraged me to buy new.So I still have the 3-4 pairs of scratched Forzas. I refuse the throw them away: they just need new lenses, not to go to a landfill.Depending on how things to when I contact Tifosi cust service, this could be the last pair of Tifosi's I ever buy, and we'd be ending on a low note indeed.