I love these shoes. They are great for trail running. I love how light they feel and the mesh upper makes them breath very well. These are also my go to shoe for hiking. I use them as an approach shoe when I am rock climbing and they provide great traction while scrambling. They also provide reasonable support when carrying a heavy pack. I use these on day hikes while carrying my two year old daughter in a child carrier (plus water, etc. roughly 35+ lbs). Just be careful where you step as you can really feel the rocks through the sole. All in all great shoe, I highly recommend it!

I was recently in search of a replacement for my old approach shoe. I am a fan of Five Ten so I though I would give this shoe a try.

Pros:
- Super sticky rubber
- Durable construction

Cons:
- Heavy/bulky
- Very wide last

I ended up returning them because they didn't fit my foot shape at all. I have a narrow heal so while the forefoot was great, even with the laces cinched as tight as possible, my heal slid around a lot.

I think this would have been a solid shoe aside from how it fit my foot. It is still a bit heavier than I would have wanted though, so if I were to rate it without considering fit, I would have given four stars.

In the end I went with the La Sportiva Fireblade (http://www.backcountry.com/la-sportiva-fireblade-trail-running-shoe-mens). Technically a trail runner, but super light with very good traction.

I tried the Kayland Hyper Traction, as well as the La Sportiva Trango Extreme and Nepal before finding this gem. I believe that Kayland's craftsmanship is second to none. While comparing the M11+ to the Trango Extreme I almost felt like I was comparing a Ferrari to a Festiva. Hyperbole aside though, the M11+ felt much more solid and durable. This does result in a bit more weight but not enough to turn me off and still lighter than the Hyper Traction or Nepal.

I have found that Kayland fits my foot very well. My feet are very flat with a wider fore foot and narrow heel. I went back and forth on sizes and ended up going with a size 13. I typically wear a size 11 street shoe and have the Kayland Contact Rev in a size 12. I use green Superfeet in both of my Kaylands and find it to be a good setup.

I wore this boot straight out of the box on an ascent of Mt Hood in June. I was worried about wearing a new boot, but realized by the end of the climb that I had not thought about my feet the whole time. They never felt heavy or uncomfortable not to mention I didn't have so much as a hot spot. During the climb I found that they trekked well on the lower grade snow, they were very solid when kicking steps and plenty stiff for front pointing on a steep chute.

I absolutely love this boot and highly recommend it.

I bought this boot last summer after reading Backpacker magazine's review of it in their editor's choice issue. I have put it to the test through a pretty wide range of conditions for nearly a year and feel that I am now able to write a worth while review.

First as a bit of background, I have very flat, medium volume feet with a wider forefoot and a narrow heel. I aslo have bad joints, especially in my knees and ankles. I went with a boot that offered such a high cuff with the hope that it would provide good support for my ankles, especially on downhill with a large pack.

My first outing in this boot was up the Primrose Cirque route of Mount Timpanogos, UT last July. Kayland boasts a zero break in period on this boot. I took them at their word, but within the first mile I began getting hot spots and had to stop to apply mole skin to both heels. Hoping that would be the end of my difficulties I continued on. Not a mile later I had to stop once again to apply more mole skin to my right ankle where a seam from the tongue was rubbing. In spite of the irritation my feet were receiving, the support of the boot was very good. The Timpanogos Basin was still covered in snow from Emerald Lake to the saddle which required kicking in steps. The boot performed the task well thanks to it's 1/2 shank. Throughout the rest of the hike I had no further problems with the boot. The downhill, which I typically dread due to my ankles, was not a problem thanks to the high cuff which supported my ankles very well.

The next major outing, and the sole reason I went with this boot, was a weeklong trip to the Wind Rivers, WY. I logged over 50 miles most of which was done carrying a 45+ pound pack. The boot performed amazingly well. My feet never felt too heavy even though I was wearing such a heavy duty boot. The breathability and waterproofing of the eVent was outstanding. Even when crossing several rivers with rapid water nearly as deep as the top of the eVent liner, my feet never got wet and the traction on the slippery stones was stable. While climbing Fremont Peak with a lighter day pack I found the boot to be adequetly nimble especially considering the level of support provided.

Most recently I have used this boot for some winter ascents of some peaks in UT (Everest Ridge) and AZ (Humphreys Peak). Even though the boot isn't insulated, I found that my feet stayed warm with only a liner and midweight wool sock (both SmartWool brand) so long as I kept moving. While waiting for my group to catch up at around 11,500' with temperature in the low 30º range my toes did get chilly after 15 minutes or so and I had to get moving again. The boot has worked very well with the Black Diamond Serac strap crampon. Definitely not stiff enough for vertical ice or anything technical, but more than capable for moderate snow slopes.

After nearly a year this boot has seen a vast variety of conditions and has held up very well with nearly no signs of wear. The quality and workmanship is superior to any other brand I have tried. I am very impressed with Kayland and this boot, so much so that I have aquired the Kayland M11+ as my four season boot.

Here's a few useful tips that have helped solidify this in my book as a five star boot. I found that swapping out the footbeds with a pair of green Superfeet greatly improved the arch support especially with my flat feet. I experienced a bit of heal lift initially due to my narrow heal, which is likely the reason for my blisters. I have remedied this problem entirely by altering my lacing to wrap around the back of the boot at the ankle.

I absolutely love these pants. I bought them for alpine climbing and they are exactly what I was looking for. I honestly don't have a single bad thing to say about them.

I took them out on Utah's Everest Ridge this weekend, and was very impressed by their performance. They breathe very well. They are incredibly comfortable. They are non-binding allowing a good range of motion. They blocked out the wind, and we were getting hit hard. Most important of all they kept me warm, paired with a mid-weight merino base layer, even while sitting on the snow to eat lunch.

The fit is exactly where I would want it for an alpine pant, trim but not tight. I would say the fit compares very closely with my MH Mesa pants. I wear a 30x32 in jeans, and wear size small in MH pants, which fit perfectly.

I love the outdoors, backpacking, climbing, etc. My biggest problem however has always been trying to get good sleep while outdoors. After trying several others I have finally found relief with this pad. It is compact and light enough to use for backpacking, yet still provides enough cushion to allow me to sleep on my side comfortably.

I also love the value that BA provides. For $75 this pad includes a stuff sack and a patch kit. My Therm-a-Rest Prolite Plus cost $80 and I still had to pay an additional $15 for the stuff sack.

I took the Mesa Convertible as my only pair of pants/shorts on a week long backpacking trip this August. I really liked the idea of being able to convert my pants into shorts, but I ended up just wearing them as pants the entire trip. They breath very well, and in spite of trekking over 30 miles with a heavy pack, my legs never got hot or sweaty. We did a fair bit of off trail hiking where we were going through thick brush and I appreciated that my legs didn't get scratched up.

While on our trip we summited Fremont Peak, a 13,745 ft granite peak on the continental divide. The climb is nearly a 1,200 ft scramble from the saddle. These pants took a beating as we climbed and came out with no visible sign of wear whatsoever.

I really like neapolitan ice cream. Aside from cookies and cream, it is one of my favorites. Being able to take it into the backcountry with me is outstanding! It's basically the same stuff as the astronaut ice cream we used to get when I was a kid. My son loves this so much that sometimes we buy it at Walmart just for a treat when we are at home.

After a week in the backcountry, something like an ice cream sandwich is an incredible treat. Tastes about the same as any ice cream sandwich I've ever had, except for being crunchy instead of creamy due to being freeze-dried. Really good.

I was reluctant about this particular MH for some reason. Maybe it was because lasagna is typically cut into squares, and eating it out of a pouch made it seem too much like eating slop. Once I finally ate it however, I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I will definitely be taking this again on my next trip.

This has become my absolute favorite veggie MH meal. On a recent week long backpacking trip I brought along at least one of each of the vegetarian MH meals. I ate this one on the first night out, after carrying a 50 lb. pack over nearly 15 miles. I immediately regretted that I had only brought one of this particular meal. It was incredible! A very good mix of veggies, wonderful flavor, and very filling. I have found, as with all the MH meals, 2 servings is the perfect amount for myself after a long day on the trail.

I tried wearing a new pair of boots right out of the box on a 14 mile hike, based on the claim that this particular boot required no break in period. After this claim didn't hold up after only a mile in, and hot spots started on my heels and ankles, I used this kit and finished the hike with no further problems.

I love how light, and compact this spork is when folded. If fits perfectly inside my cookset along with a fuel canister and stove. Initially I hated that the handle didn't lock in the open position. When I used this to stir food, if any resistance was encountered on the spork end, it would fold at the hinge. Recently a friend of mine pointed out that the cross piece on the handle slides to lock it open. I had always thought that the cross piece was simply to reinforce the lightweight wire design of the handle. Now that I know that little tidbit of info, it works perfectly. Great design.

This harness is incredibly comfortable. Other harnesses have left me anxious to reach dirt when working a route. The Chaos is comfortable enough to hang in all day. It has held up very well, with hardly any signs of wear in spite of 6 years of use.

Hardly weighs anything, incredibly small and still puts out ample light. The hooks on top are perfect for hanging in a tent.

I recently tried this on a climbing trip and was pleasantly surprised by how long it kept me going. I ate it a little later in the afternoon, maybe 2 PM. By the time I got back to camp at 10 PM, I still felt full enough that I only needed to have a snack before turning in. Anytime that I can find a vegetarian option that keeps me going that long, it becomes an instant staple.

I ordered one of these shirts a month ago, and once it arrived I quickly ordered another. It wicks moisture very well and is very comfortable to wear.

After the sleeve was fully submersed in a river up to the shoulder, I wrung it out and it dried completely within 15 minutes.

I wear this when hiking with a 15-20 pack and it breathes very well thanks to vents on each side at the shoulder/armpit.

I would give five stars except for my only complaint, the shirt is a bit on the heavy side. I bought it for use on a backpacking trip to the Wind Rivers, and was hoping for something a little lighter.

Light weight and comfortable. They are a little more trim through the legs than others, which I personally really like. My only complaint is that there is no zipper at the ankle, which requires taking your boots off when converting to shorts. They are still a great price for what you get.

I use this with a Petzl Reverso 3. DMM biners have superior gate design in my opinion. The gate action on some others can feel sloppy, or sometimes too stiff. DMM gates are solid and smooth.

In my opinion this is the best constructed rope bag on the market. The fabric is very durable, the buckles are solid, and the stitching is top notch. After 5+ years of use it is still in excellent condition.

As a vegetarian, this is a staple of mine. I really like Mountain House meals in general, but I favor this one in particular.

These poles have performed very well for me. I have put them to the test on everything from scree to snow, dirt trails to grassy meadows. They are both light and sturdy and collapse very small.

When picking a pack I compared lots of different manufacturers and models. I had a checklist of features that I was looking for. When it all came down to it, I went with this pack for one simple reason: it was hands down the most comfortable pack for me.

A sales rep at one of the stores I visited tried to sell me an Osprey because it fit him really well. I hated how it fit on me. He tried to talk me out of Gregory because he didn't personally like them. Who cares?

I admittedly sacrificed some features that I wanted (detachable pack, hydration loops and sleeve hanger). I can make do in those areas by being a little creative. Ultimately if my back and shoulders are killing me a few miles in, what difference does all the features in the world make?

You can read all the reviews you want. When it comes to buying a pack there is no such thing as a universally best pack. You need to get hands on and find the pack that is best for you.

I have used the older version of this pad (orange Prolite 4) for over four years. It is very light and compact. I am 5'11" and I use the short length, which comes to just below my knees, for three-season backpacking. This helps me shave a little weight (200g vs Reg) and eliminates some extra bulk.

I absolutely love this jacket. It is insanely light, and using the stuff sack it compresses down very small. I almost literally never leave home without it. After more than three years of use it still sheds rain with no problems.

I took a sabbatical from Nalgene products when the BPA debate arose. Now that they are made BPA-free, I am back on board, and couldn't be happier. I prefer the narrow mouth bottles because I find them easier to drink from, and I never use ice in my bottles, so the wider mouth doesn't serve much purpose for my use. Nalgene bottles are very durable. I have lugged them up mountains, banged them around while hanging on the outside of my pack, tossed them, dropped them with no affect other than minor scratches. I suspect that they may even be bullet proof, though I haven't tested that theory out yet :D

I've used this pack for 5-6 years and it is still going strong. I has no signs of wear aside from typical scuffing, etc. I have used this pack for everything from rock climbing to going to the beach. It's small enough to work well as a stuff sack, yet capable enough to be used for a day hike. I have used it as a day pack multiple times loaded up with a 100 oz water bladder, first aid kit, headlamp, gloves, shell jacket, energy bars and camera. I would give this pack 5 stars except for my only complaint which is that I dislike the hipbelt. It is made of 20mm webbing, which I feel leaves a little to be desired. Especially compared to the Osprey Talon 11, a similarly sized pack, but includes pockets on the hipbelt. All in all, worth every penny!