This was for my wife and she loves it. I wanted to get her a puffy sweater/jacket so that she could have some true warmth should i ever trick her into some colder camping than originally expected lol. I knew exactly what to expect given the 900fill down's compressibility and weight, and pertex shell, however i was still concerned with what my wife would think of the shell being so thin. She wouldn't want an expensive piece of gear if she was afraid it would shred to pieces. Thankfully she likes the concept that it is either worn on the outside when we're strictly in the pow good, or under a more durable shell, or lounging around far from sharp thorns and branches. So it turned out perfectly! She loves the piece, and is consistently cold so this is used frequently. She's 5'7" 130lbs, with slightly long arms- purchased the medium and it fits great!

My wife really loves this- soft, warm, and cute. That's her evaluating criteria. I have to add that the hi-loft fleece exterior looks as though it's as warm as it is supposed to be, and it does make it soft. My wife loves the excessive elastic cuff portion on the sleeves, and the longer collar for helping to seal in the heat. The non-fleece fabric (pocket and under collar) appears to be Polartec's Powerstretch which is also soft and very comfortable due to it's stretch. My wife prefers this less as a technical piece as she does for a replacement for a go to sweat shirt like item; plus this has a full length zipper. She uses it both on cooler nights in the warmer seasons and then all the time in the cold season. The only gripe was that given her longer arms she had to size up to a medium rather than use the small due to her preferring that the sleeves are long enough vs preferring the torso was snug. She's 5'7" thin, athletic build, so that's common.

I bought these off a buddy because he said they didn't provide enough ankle support. Anyone who tries them on would understand that they're not for the weak ankles, heavy pack crushing treks (I mean they're shoes not boots). They're perfect for everything else though. I wear them all the time: river crossing, dry hikes, sloppy treks through the woods when hunting or doing photography and even into town if I'm dressed according to the shoes lol. The reviewer below unlocked the secret- in the top of the tongue is a mesh pocket-like holder for the laces! It took me about 5 months of wear to figure this out lol. I personally love the quick pull laces. I can make crazy fast adjustments on the trail if I need a little extra wiggle room or need to get a pesky pebble out. What really wins me over though is how lightweight and well-fitting they are. These are incredibly light-weight and that's with a green super-feet insert replacing the original insole. Very comfortable, very functional. I will miss these when the sole wears through!

pocket, check!
shaped for paddlers, check!
zippered front, check!

That's all i really wanted. The foam is that gooeyer kind rather than some super cheap styrofoam, so that makes it a little more comfortable. I'm sure there are a lot of other features I'm missing, but they weren't as important to me as the one's listed above. (This did not come with a whistle by the way)

I wanted to rate this a 3 star but I think that's probably too harsh given that my biggest gripes are only when I use the helmet for what it's not designed for. For example, for mountaineering it's slightly heavy and doesn't have an adequate means of securing a headlamp. It has an effective strap holder on the back of the helmet but nothing in the front to keep it in place. The only real gripe that I feel is valid is the fact that the snap buttons that keep the "knit" ear pieces in place constantly unsnap even when I make certain that they're properly snapped. Adequate ventilation and ventilation cover though. Suspension system/chin strap is actually comfortable too.

Grabbed a pair of these on sale at an REI garage sale for about $20. One pole was slightly bent but only enough to prevent a rapid slide when collapsing, not enough to worry about it bending more under a tipsy step. They're still solid, locking mechanisms are great even with gloves. I'm guessing they're a tad heavy for the gram counters but I like the durability over the few grams. Comfortable straps after hours of continuous use as well (and while wet). Very pleased!

I had to add a comment regarding the Tour pants. They are more flexible than the Overhang although both are extremely comfortable and warm. Additionally, the shell is quite durable even beyond the reinforced ankles. When sitting down I accidentally caught the back thigh area of these pants with a single crampon point and watched it pull. Thankfully the pants didn't even show a sign of tear. It was one of those moments where you just sort of cringe and try to prevent the bad situation from getting any worse. The crampon was caught pretty hard as i was getting "untangled." The pants are also plenty water proof for me, I slide down almost 7,000 feet of wet summer snow with no issue. Very pleased. Unfortunately, I can't compare these to any other softshell pants nor on their weight. I've only used the Stoic Overhang and Stoic Tour.

Just watch exposing the monocular to really high temperatures. While in Afghanistan I left it exposed to some extreme heat and it started rattling (I think some of the glues started softening). So I took it apart to see if I could re-apply some glue where needed and all I really accomplished was getting lots of dust specs all over each of the lens elements lol. Good, cheap, little, light monocular though- I bought another at a great sale price.

I don't really know of any other options so I can't give it 5 stars, however the picket was lighter than I expected even despite the listed 13oz.

Picked this up for $14.95. Don't care that it has a nylon sheave. I will only use this for hauling systems in an emergency. Actually picked up two. I am curious to see how well it handles prusiks being that other pulleys are marketed as "prusik-minding." So we'll see. But as far as function, weight, and cost, I don't think there was a better option. I am partial to the Petzl and Black Diamond brands though. The picture I attached is of the newer pulley. At the time I write this review it looks like backcountry still has the old model pictured (maybe i'm wrong, sorry if i confuse!) It's pictured open & closed, with a Black Diamond Positron locking carbiner located between them for size purposes.

I wish it had pit zips. They just provide enough added flexibility to dump heat. This prevents me from having to remove the jacket and put it back on over and over. Otherwise it's good stuff, never had welded seems before. Interested to see how it holds up. There are some nice touches though that i expected for the price- softer fleece back on the neck area, hood cinching for a good fit with or without a helmet etc. I'm not one to buy fancy shells. I like a cheap durable waterproof non-technical stuff. That said, i'm really excited to start using this and seeing how well it actually breaths and stuff.

I was able to purchase this at such a low price i couldn't turn it down. In my opinion the collar could be 1/2 to a full 1 inch taller for that crucial warmth around the neck but no biggie. The sleeves have a lot less loft than anywhere else which I expected but even a little less than hoped. I have the similar synthetic version (medium) and it fit tight across the shoulders so i bought this one in a large. The fit across the shoulders is good but it is slightly puffy around the ribs. I'm a tall & thin- 6'2" 165lbs... shoulders are a little broader than normal. So there's all the negatives i can think of. It packs down small enough for me. Unfortunately, it's summer and i've only done one higher alpine hike. So i've only brought it out once (though it remained in my pack), but i can't wait to see how warm it really is given the weight and size

Just does what it's supposed to really well. I do think the non-snagging tip is nice and actually an advertised "feature" that works. Lots of room for belaying and stuff. I prefer the screwgate over the twistlock. The attached picture shows from left to right the "Positron screwgate," "Positron bentgate," "Hotwire," and the "Rocklock Carabiner."

Perfect for when it's cold but I'm just sitting around (don't need the zip-neck for venting). More than comfortable enough to wear against the skin and under most all long sleeve clothing (sweatshirts, sweaters, other long sleeve tshirts). Merino is definitely better with odor too if you use this as a baselayer for longer pushes.

First Mountain House bag food I tried, first any camp food I've tried outside military's Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). To me it was delicious! Despite being initially concerned at the price, I was soo pleased. My wife even enjoyed it and she's far pickier. At the end of the day 6-7 bucks to feed both of us a main course was well worth it.

Accidentally posted these on a the wrong pair of Oakleys-
"I smashed an old old pair of similar Oakleys during a hysterical snowboard fall. I had the original box and shipped them off to Oakley in hopes they could repair them. They couldn't so they sent me these for free! That was way more than I was expecting. I'm very loyal to Oakley now. Yes, they are expensive but worth it with coupons/sales!"

I smashed an old old pair of similar Oakleys during a hysterical snowboard fall. I had the original box and shipped them off to Oakley in hopes they could repair them. They couldn't so they sent me these for free! That was way more than I was expecting. I'm very loyal to Oakley now. Yes, they are expensive but worth it with coupons/sales!

A great compromise between wire-frames and M-frames. Able to wear these around town and still out adventuring. Plus, in my opinion they look a little better than the Half-Jackets... which look a little too roundish for.

Very similar to the traditional M-frame except these lay flatter against your temple. This is actually handier than it sounds... the fit more comfortably under headgear, especially helmet straps.

Lots of my buddies have this. It's the red light capability that makes it work for us. Red light supposedly helps preserve your natural night vision. Great, light, comfortable, simple.

For me personally, they do nothing. I'm not really affected by caffeine and I have a very high metabolism so I'm always needing substance in addition to energy. The people I know that like these "shots" use them for exactly that, a shot of energy during a meeting rather than resorting to a cup of coffee. I will say I think the mocha tastes pretty good, that's the only kind I've tried. The goo is sort of thick (slightly less viscous than Elmers Glue), but I didn't expect anything different.

For about 5 months of a deployment to Afghanistan I had about 3 of these a day. I find "crunchy peanut butter" best for morning, the chocolate peanut butter (pinkish color wrapper), to be the best all-around. The only other flavor I have tried is the "chocolate chip crunch" which has a slightly weird sweetness to it in my opinion. I really like these though... about 3 a day for 150 days is a lot. I'm pleased to find out they're not as expensive as some other energy bars. I'll probably only buy them though for dedicated treks because I'm still too cheap lol.

I'll start with the cons:
-I assume other reviewers' comments are accurate regarding the belt loops needing to be thinner/smaller etc for heavy pack wear. That said, I haven't had any issues with smaller day packs.
-That's really it for negative. I'm 6'2" and about 31" waist. I think the medium fits perfectly. Nor do I mind the extra space in the articulated knees.

The biggest spec I want to highlight is the stretchiness. These pants are very stretchy! I don't know why, but I was expecting less give. Pair this with the fleeced interior and these pants are comfortable.
Minor benefits:
-The fleece comforting warmth, but it's not over kill. They're definitely 3 season pants (no chance for me in summer, I'm pretty warm blooded). I've used them with lightweight merino bottoms and that's about as hot as I need until I start doing some long summit attempts or it gets below 0F; considering inconsistent, moderate activity.
-Water resistant. Haven't experienced any torrential downpours, but plenty of pacific northwest drizzle. Dry as a bone so far.

Nice socks. As the other reviewer stated- I didn't realize these would come 1 black pair, 1 white pair. No problem for me though. The only slight complaint is that there there's a little extra room in the toes (at least on my foot). Never had that issue before with smartwool or keen socks. But it's soo minor I don't notice it when I'm walking around, only when I first tried them on and was giving them the tough initial evaluation.

Love these pants. I specifically wanted super light pants that could be worn in warmer weather and get completely soaked yet neither be hot nor remain wet for a long time. These suit that perfectly. I like the water repellency, slightly felted waistband, built-in belt, and the pocket design. I am surprised how much I use the quick drop pocket on the right leg. I can't remember what it's advertised purpose is but I use it when around town, that's where I drop my cell phone when I don't have to worry about it falling it out nearly as much.
These pants are much lighter than similar, other brand technical pants, you can pack them soo small. Despite being so thin, I do expect them to hold up pretty well. And regarding warmth, I'm not too concerned. If I know it's cold, I'll pack a different pair of pants or wear the longer 3/4 length merino long underwear bottoms.

It's not super light, but it opens very fast, and comes very sharp as I would expect from CRKT. I'm always pleased with CRKT but it is true this knife is more prone to opening on it's own depending how you have it clipped or in a bag etc. I've only had it open in a bag once in probably 25 times. When attached to the inside of a pants pocket (not cargo) it has never opened on me, which I wear daily for the last 4 months. When attached to a pack strap or similar it's opened twice. The last thing worth noting is that after heavy use the last 4 months (including repeatedly flicking the knife open out of boredom) the hex screw is getting a little loose. I expected this given the very fast spring assist. I'm content, got off S&C, totally worth it for that price, and the handle fits pretty well even being small. Most importantly it won't close unexpected, for me that's worse than unexpectedly opening, I exhibit way more pressure on the knife when the blades open.

Love it but... not the best for extreme heat. I wanted to include a very specific review for those interested. I bought these for general use back in Washington state, but brought them with me to Afghanistan on deployment. They're just too thick. When it's over 115 Fahrenheit these things just don't breath enough. They dry fast, but they really don't breath like I was hoping. You simply need something thinner. They are very comfortable though and I love the cut. I do still give them 4 stars because they're great otherwise and I haven't found something I like under these extreme conditions otherwise. Maybe I'm being unfair and at those temperatures you simply need less material to allow the air to simply blow around... rather than permeate through.

I wanted to love this watch and I'm normally an easy reviewer. I bought this for use while deployed as a simple, consolidated way to get GPS grids, tell time, and monitor work outs. The bezel is the least enjoyable user interface for any device I've ever used (at any of the three sensitivities). I may in fact have a lemon because the light used to constantly turn on and off without me doing anything (whether it's on my wrist or not). I wish I could blame the poor performance on the dust, debris, heat, or a rough tumble but this is not the case. I received this watch during the winter (above freezing though). Still haven't even broken the seal on the plastic wrap for the heart rate monitor etc. I've worn it for maybe 3 weeks now. The charge is weak, but I read the specs prior to and accepted that. If I did in fact receive a bad copy, the only functional mistake with the watch is the inability to change the units for the GPS coordinates (you can change all other coordinates but the GPS, I'd prefer MGRS obviously). We'll see what Garmin says, I'm about to contact them- currently the watch bezel never works, locked unlocked. The buttons work great though. Tried and true (much like my trusty $20, Casio 1846).

Everyone's captured it... these things are crazy good pillows. I'm not one for camp pillows, having no problem using a sweater or my arm but my wife always brings a bedroom pillow out when we car camp. What a perfect excuse to buy new gear. So I purchased the medium and was concerned whether or not it would/could really fluff up once I saw how hard packed it compresses down. But sure enough, after 20 seconds or so of punching and fluffing this thing shocked me. I immediately wanted to sleep three nights on it in the house. I was more than pleased, granted you can sort of feel the little foamy clumps it's still better at providing support while remaining soft and inviting than your typical pillow. It even put to rest my concern of failing over prolonged use. I still don't know how a pillow designed to compress supports the weight of your head all night (it doesn't have an opportunity to spring back). Great product, my wife immediately wanted one because I decided I was keeping the medium.

I bought a similar towel when in Afghanistan and was shocked by how unfulfilled it left me. Yes, the cheaper army towel soaked up tons of water but it wouldn't easily ring out, resulting in an uncomfortable cold sensation akin to the feeling of wearing a cold wet cotton t-shirt around at a theme park before summer's truly kicked off lol. Chilling is not something I associate with a towel. This towel however is equally thin and lightweight, but exceeded expectations: super absorbent (shockingly so), surprisingly soft, has the attached hanging loop, it's possible to ring it out and keep using to some degree, and it dries fast. To further drive home my point, the Sea To Summit's small sized towel is a fourth the size of my similar army towel and yet the Sea To Summit does a better job drying me off. Ignoring body coverage, the small is 100% adequate with drying you after a full shower. That said I did get my wife a large because she likes the sensation of being wrapped when toweling off. One last thing worth noting- these towels build stink at about twice the rate of your traditional hotel-type towel. I assume it's because these towels have so much less cloth and therefore your body funk gets all concentrated. Bottom line: very glad I purchased this towel.

For me, some gear doesn't need to go above and beyond. I picked this headlamp up on SAC at a great price and have enjoyed it. Lightweight enough to wear it almost indefinitely without bother. The light has only two settings I care about- bright and brighter. Simple button placement, depress it and go. The swiveling tilt (horizontal axis) of the light is actually handy. My only complaint is that it is possible that it might fall off during a fall or when pushing through some thick bush etc. Though this isn't really a manufacturing flaw or similar, I haven't thought of a way to better secure it to my head. It's just that admittedly I've got more that obnoxious army mentality of securing everything to your person by way of parachute cord. But whatever, maybe losing the headlamp isn't such a big deal since it's likely be shining brightly in the darkness... and therefore hard to lose if it ever did manage to come off your head.

Most the reviews cover it all: heavy, over-priced, occassionally difficult to open, necessary, clear, effective, & doubles as a seat.
Few things worth adding:
-It can really help new campers feel more comfortable at night once you explained the bear vault's purpose and exercise good practice.
-It's been recommended that you super glue foam to the lid for sitting comfort, think thin like a mouse pad, but maybe lighter-weight foam.
-It can be used as a very large temporary water basin should the need arise.
-And lastly, I've also heard people will use it to wash socks, underwear, tshirts etc in. Just some ideas for making it more appealing lol

For small sizes (10&5L) I like the simplicity of these drawstring stuff sacks over the roll-top closure for the "dry bag" version (which I get in the larger sizes, 25L). If you leave enough empty space in these bags you can still spin the bag's top tight enough to be submersible for almost 30minutes. I slowly waded across a lake once, and thankfully everything stayed dry. As with the other bags- get the ugly colors for cheap on SAC.

I got the window bag for the wife while I just took the "durable" one. I reviewed the "durable" and it's essentially the same except a little more rigid because of the "window" plus there's no webbing. Great bag, I just knew I didn't need a window. I'll paste my review for the "durable" for those comparing.
"Great bag especially when the less popular colors go on sale! I primarily use a 25L for clothes. When you pack less into a bigger bag you roll the top closure over the side webbing- never been a problem for but it's really the only flaw I can think of. There's also a stitched on strap at the bottom not visible in the pictures above. Proven waterproof too."

Great bag especially when the less popular colors go on sale! I primarily use a 25L for clothes. When you pack less into a bigger bag you roll the top closure over some of the side webbing- never been a problem for but it's really the only flaw I can think of. There's also a stitched on strap at the bottom not visible in the pictures above. Proven waterproof too.

I was new to fancy gear. I love the outdoors but never knew how much i was missing. I can wear any kind of wool without complaint, but this smartwool stuff is awesome (though i assume all merino wool is similar). I bought mine at a Nordstrom Rack for $40 bucks and was hooked. After going to whistler the same weekend I was so impressed by this shirt that i bought another one on the drive home. For similar people who are new to merino wool I offer you this- when wearing a normal plain old white cotton undershirt in a long car ride, with sun through the windows my back can sweat against the seat cushion pretty bad regardless of how cool the rest of me is. However when wearing this, i just don't even notice, the smartwool shirt never gets wet. Plus it's really warm. While the Northwest (US) isn't nearly as cold as some chilling negative 40F weather in Colorado, this is a great way to start for warmth. I'm naturally warm and I can get away with just this and a thin softshell jacket down to freezing if I'm wearing gloves. I'm a thin 6'1" 165lbs and wear a medium. I actually preferred smaller rather than bigger (not caring if it shrunk and the sleeves were short, I'd rather the sleeve cuffs not show underneath the next layer. Perfect, it's not obnoxiously short, the medium actually was the perfect fit even though i wanted it a little small. Last note: my wife is quite sensitive to wool and she said she can stand it but would probably look for something softer given the full price. That said we're still looking to find her one at the same price i paid.