Great Backcountry Pack

Great Backcountry Pack

Columbia Bugaboo Stryker Backpack - 1220cu in

November 25, 2010

This is the Columbia Stryker pack loaded with touring gear. One of the best features is how the pack completely opens and lays flat, allowing easy and quick access. The ski carrying system is one of the best I've used.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Inside View

Inside View

Columbia Storm Patrol Ski Pack - 2227cu in

February 3, 2010

Loving the storage capacity of this pack. I'm easily able to store medical supplies, climbing skins and lift evac equipment.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Storm Patrol Pack after the storm

Storm Patrol Pack after the storm

Columbia Storm Patrol Ski Pack - 2227cu in

February 3, 2010

I was curious as to how this pack would do after a day in an all out blizzard given that it doesn't have a pack cover. The pack performed perfectly. All of the inside contents were completely dry after 8+ hours in less than ideal conditions.

Nailed It? 1 Yes

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I have the CXR Team model and love it

I have the CXR Team model and love it

Rocky Mountain Solo CXD Cyclo Cross Bike

June 16, 2009

This one has the carbon seat stays, 105 components and Mavic Aksium wheelset. Great bike. Very fun to ride both on and off road.

Nailed It? 3 Yes

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Great value for occasional use

Serfas Guppy Light

Serfas Guppy Light

Rating for this product: 5 September 8, 2011

Have used these all season for early morning century starts or to squeeze in a ride at dusk. Provide great visibility for such a small size. Also like the simple attachment - very quick. By no means an every day solution - but great for those times when you don't want to be caught out without electric visibility.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Serfas Guppy Light

September 8, 2011

yes - just use a coin to open the back side. Battery life has also been stellar so far for me.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Best Saw Yet

Black Diamond FlickLock Snow Saw

Black Diamond FlickLock Snow Saw

Rating for this product: 5 November 25, 2010

I previously had the BCA saw but needed one that can extend in order to cut the back of extended column tests. This is a great tool - really well made. The sheath is well made and makes carrying in my avy tool pack pocket much easier - and safer. After seeing my Avy 2 instructor dig pits in 10 minutes with one of these, I was sold.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Omni-Heat is for real

Columbia Heat Elite Jacket - Men's

Columbia Heat Elite Jacket - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 November 25, 2010

You have to wear this jacket to truly appreciate the Omni-Heat technology. This is one of the most comfortable - and warm - jackets I've ever had. The reflective liner is super comfortable and breathes well. This is a great value for the $.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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New Favorite

The North Face Eat My Dust Short - Women's

The North Face Eat My Dust Short - Women's

Rating for this product: 5 March 22, 2010

I bought these for my wife and they are now her favorite running shorts, so much so that she bought a pair for her other running friends. The waistband is super comfortable and the overall fit is awesome.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Speedy fix for wet rides

Planet Bike Speedez Road Fender

Planet Bike Speedez Road Fender

Rating for this product: 4 March 19, 2010

I've been using the Speedez for the last year or so in Nor Cal. Given our short rainy season, these are great to slap on when the weather turns wet, then quickly put back in the drawer until the next storm. Having more than one road bike, I appreciate being able to put these quickly on whatever steed I choose for the day. Definitely recommend trimming the rubber bands that wrap around your chain-stays/fork, as they come super long. I've tried using electrical tape to secure the excess material, but finally decided to hack off the ends.

As others have mentioned, expect that these are a quick fix fender. If you need something day-in/day-out, I'd go with a more traditional fender that will provide greater stability through a more permanent attachment mechanism.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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I'm sold on wool

Ibex Commuter Shak Cycling Jacket - Men's

Ibex Commuter Shak Cycling Jacket - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 March 19, 2010

This is a great cold weather jersey. The wool fabric is simply fantastic - great soft feel and breathes well. My only wish is for more traditional back pockets, as my tendency is to over-stuff with spare tubes, food, etc,... The pockets on this jersey hold a cellphone and keys easily, but won't hold all your necessities for a long ride. Given the styling of the product, you'll likely wear this as an everyday piece beyond just for cycling purposes.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Appreciate the Innovative Design

Columbia Mobex Backpack - 1587cu in

Columbia Mobex Backpack - 1587cu in

Rating for this product: 5 March 10, 2010

This is a great design. The flexible yet sturdy external frame maintains the form of the pack, such that the contents don't get squashed and mangled. An internal mesh divider keeps things secure and internal pockets are great for things like your wallet or cell phone. The pack weighs next to nothing - which lets me use it for everything from trail runs to trips to town.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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favorite pants

Marmot Scree Softshell Pant - Men's

Marmot Scree Softshell Pant - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 February 26, 2010

The Marmot Scree pants are easily my favorite pant. The softshell fabric is super comfortable and isn't bulky. The cuffs easily fit over ski boots for touring, then zip up for heading into town. At 100 bucks, you can't go wrong with these. And they're made by Marmot, so you really can't go wrong.

Nailed It? 2 Yes

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Best Snow Saw Yet

Black Diamond FlickLock Snow Saw

Black Diamond FlickLock Snow Saw

Rating for this product: 5 February 5, 2010

I recently purchased this saw after having tried the BCA blue handled saw and found it impossible to isolate the back of columns in the pit. The BD Flicklock fits easily and securely on the end of my BD poles. The included sheath is also a huge improvement over the small strip of rubber that you get with the BCA saw. If you're doing any kind of snow study, this is the saw for you.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Backcountry Access Tracker 2 Avalanche Beacon

February 5, 2010

Sorry I don't have any pics. Did see this at the OR trade show a few weeks ago in SLC and the harness is very similar to the Tracker DTS harness in that an elastic strap stretches across the top and front of the beacon to secure it into the holster. The harness straps also looked like a very similar design. Hope that helps.

Nailed It? 2 Yes

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Packed with Features

Smith Variant Brim Helmet

Smith Variant Brim Helmet

Rating for this product: 5 February 4, 2010

This is the Cadillac of ski helmets in my opinion. The fit is fantastic and the best I've experienced. Inside the mesh-like lining breathes well and has stayed in good shape after many long, sweaty days. Getting fresh air into the helmet is easily accomplished by a flick of the side switches. Lastly the outer material is hard and won't show small bumps and dings. This is the best helmet I've ever tried on.

Nailed It? 1 Yes

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Changed my skiing

Black Diamond Push Telemark Ski Boot - Men's

Black Diamond Push Telemark Ski Boot - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 February 4, 2010

My old boot is a T2 - so these are significantly more stiff and burly. I'm finding that I feel more comfortable skiing aggressively and charging lines with this boot. Am also able to shift between tele and parallel turns more easily and can carve a better parallel turn.

pros:
-beefy front tongue allows you to apply greater forward pressure on the ski
-the boa liner closure is quick and works flawlessly
-going from walk to ski mode takes only a simple flick of the rear latch - and you can actually feel and hear the mechanism engage/disengage
-my first 4 buckle tele boot - love the adjustment possibilities

cons:
-weight - for long distance touring I'll likely go back to the T2's

Nailed It? 1 Yes

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Go with the BD clips

G3 Metal Ski Leash

G3 Metal Ski Leash

Rating for this product: 2 February 4, 2010

I've tried these and the BD clips simultaneously on different sets of boards. The thumb trigger to open the latch can be tricky to handle with gloves on. I've also looked down a few times to find these completely disengaged - not sure exactly how they came off. I prefer the BD biner clips over these.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Best Clip

Black Diamond ClipWire Ski Leash

Black Diamond ClipWire Ski Leash

Rating for this product: 5 February 4, 2010

This is the easiest to attach and most secure clip I've ever used. The square edges on the back of the biner make it easy to grip with gloved fingers. When I'm not clipped in, I can easily attach these to the binding wires to keep them from flopping around. Ski safe and use these clips.

Nailed It? 1 Yes

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Feature-rich pack

Columbia Storm Patrol Ski Pack - 2227cu in

Columbia Storm Patrol Ski Pack - 2227cu in

Rating for this product: 4 December 23, 2009

This is my patrol pack of choice for the 09/10 patrol season at Bear Valley, CA. The pack has many great features (fleece lined goggle pocket, enclosed avy tool pocket that fits shovel, probe and snow saw), but my favorite is that the back panel unzips entirely so that you can completely open up the pack from the back and lay it open on the snow as a work space - keeping gloves and supplies off of the snow. You'll definitely appreciate this when reaching the top of the skin track - as you can easily stow your skins and grab water/food. The side pockets are also great to store quick need items (cpr mask and gloves in my case). If you spend any time on lift served terrain, you'll appreciate that the pack is not too wide, making getting on and off a chairlift more manageable. I prefer to a-frame my skis, but they can also be carried diagonally. My one wish is for a built-in pack cover like the ones you'll find on the Traverse Rescue patrol packs. Overall, a great pack.

Note: for a better image of the pack - check out this page:

http://www.backcountry.com/store/promo/7931/vm_dec09_storm_patrol.html

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Prefer the Universal pant to these

Swix Cruising Pant - Men's

Swix Cruising Pant - Men's

Rating for this product: 3 December 4, 2009

Bought these and the Swix Universal pant and preferred the Universal as they are a more substantial pant. I do like that these tie at the waist, whereas the Universal relies entirely on the elastic waist band.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Cold weather versatility

Swix Universal Pant - Men's

Swix Universal Pant - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 December 4, 2009

Just got these and took them out for a cold weather run (20 degrees and windy). Was looking for something with a bit more wind protection and these fit the bill. Great combination of wind protection and breathability. Would love to have a more secure adjustment at the waist - although I didn't have any specific problem.

Nailed It? 1 Yes

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These totally rock!

Oakley Jawbone Sunglasses

Oakley Jawbone Sunglasses

Rating for this product: 5 July 15, 2009

I've been watching the tour daily and have seen Cavendish, Hincapie and Armstrong wearing these, so had to give them a try. Hands down these are the best cycling glasses I've ever had. Surprisingly lightweight. The lens changing technology is flawless, making it easy to clean up after a long, sweaty ride - or simply swap lenses depending on conditions. Thinking that these will also be great for skate skiing once the snow arrives.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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Good Value

Cutter Mini District Rear Safety Light

Cutter Mini District Rear Safety Light

Rating for this product: 4 May 27, 2009

This is a strong performer for the money. The on/off switch is conveniently located and easily toggles between modes. To move the light from my road bike to cross bike (which have different diameter seat posts) I simply removed one of the two included layer pieces on the collar. The batteries are a smaller size, not the typical AAA.

Nailed It? 1 Yes

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It's all about the fit

Cutter Tech Knickerbocker - Men's

Cutter Tech Knickerbocker - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 May 22, 2009

I've been trying various 3/4 cycling pants/knickers lately and these fit the best by far. The waistband is comfortable and there's plenty of room in the legs. Once I put these on, I didn't want to take them off. Perfect for the work commute.

Nailed It? 3 Yes

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awesome jacket

Castelli Battiti Full-Zip Jacket - Women's

Castelli Battiti Full-Zip Jacket - Women's

Rating for this product: 5 May 4, 2009

I bought this jacket for my wife and she loves it. Castelli clearly spent time thinking about a woman's body when they designed this product, as the cut and fit are very flattering. She received more than one compliment the first time she took it out for a spin.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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great versatility

The North Face Cipher Windstopper Jacket - Men's

The North Face Cipher Windstopper Jacket - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 April 10, 2009

Took this jacket on a trail run in 25 degree weather. Great wind/snow protection and comfortable with two poly-pro layers underneath. The hood stays out of the way and I would imagine it would be useful in a storm situation. Pretty sure this will be one of my favorite all-around jackets.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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4 wheel drive for your feet

Montrail Highlander Trail Running Shoe - Men's

Montrail Highlander Trail Running Shoe - Men's

Rating for this product: 5 April 10, 2009

These shoes have great traction. Took them for a trail run in snow/mud conditions and they were awesome. Also liked the extra protection provided by the rubber covering on the toe box. Comfortable right out of the box.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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snow melting machine

MSR XGK Expedition Stove

MSR XGK Expedition Stove

Rating for this product: 5 March 14, 2005

Took my new XGK on a three day trip in the Sierra backcountry during a blizzard. If you need to melt snow fast, this is the stove for you. I'd recommend an additional stove base, as the included piece of tin just doesn't do it on long burns.

Nailed It? 0 Yes

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