Fit was great and it is very warm considering how light it is. I returned it though do to personal preferences:

1) Very brittle, I wanted something a little more heavy duty even if I sacrificed a few ounces. I went with the OR Transcendent Hooded Down Jacket, happy I did.
2) Too shiny, the material was too retro for my tastes.

No complaints about the zipper, typical 2-way. Once you figure it out, it zips like any other jacket.

They do what they are suppose to do, keep your legs dry when you hit the snow. They run a little baggy, but that is good if you wear a base layer. Lots of pockets for stashing items and also the thigh vents help keep you cool when your warm. I ordered the XL short, I have a 38 waist and wanted the extra room to layer and it fits great, just slap a belt on there and good to go.

Note* I have the 2010 version

This is a really nice jacket that is easy on your pocket book. I use it for everyday use, when the temps are sub 50 degrees F. It is surprisingly warm and most importantly, it keeps you dry! I haven't used it backpacking, but have when fishing and it passes my standards!

I have the havana/brown lens and they work great! I like the higher contrast the brown lens gives me, makes cloudy days brighter and yet I don't have to strain my eyes on the sunny ones. I just wish they had nose pads to prevent sliding when I start to sweat. I tried on a ton of Native glasses because they had the temple and nose pads, but they just didn't fit on my face well. I have a medium sized head, hat size is around 7.5-7.75.

I purchased this over the soloist kit because I wanted the larger 1.8L pot for cooking dehydrated soups. Some soups/chili require 5-6 cups for 4 servings and this pot was big enough for that. The reason I only give it 3 stars is the other items in the kit are fairly useless excluding the bowls. The sporks are too flimsy and like the other reviewer, the mugs are just smaller bowls.

I do like how I can pack in my stove and a canister into the pot. The walls of the pot are durable as well, even though they are very thin.

I have used this stove since 2007 and haven't found a need to switch, says something about a product. The fact that it packs underneath the canister is a great perk, no more digging through your pack to try and remember where you stashed your little stove, just grab the canister and screw it on. I use this stove mostly with the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Dualist set, but have used it with other aluminum (heavy and larger) pots.

I have the synmat 7 pump and have been using it for a little over a year; no complaints yet! It is like sleeping on a cloud as others have said and a huge improvement over my thermrest prolite plus, that extra inch is a big surprise!

The pump is nice and takes in the surrounding air and not your hot breath allowing it to hold in air better. The pump takes a bit getting use to, but once you find the right rhythm it inflates fast (about 1 min). The material is durable too. I use this year round and don't get too hot.

I bought this tent when it was on sale at REI for $350 (2008 version) and I am glad I did. I had been looking around at tents to find one similar to my MSR Hubba Hubba in terms of structure and this one sets up very close to it. I wanted a comfortable 2-person tent and this does the trick (I use my MSR as a solo).

The tent is versatile and about as light-weight as you are going to get for the size and price. I haven't been through any storms with this one yet, only sunny warm weather. I do recommend getting the footprint, as I do with every tent I own to increase the longevity of the floor.

This is a great pack to use on longer trips, I have even used it for a 3 day trip, but it's harder to distribute the weight where you need to. I like this pack when it is loaded to 50-55 lbs and with all the strap adjustments, I can get it to where I almost don't recognize it's there. I have loaded it to near its' max (70 lbs), but wouldn't recommend it as you will feel every ounce and your shoulders will take a beating.

My two favorite features are the quick-adjust hip-belt and the pockets on the hip belt. Can store a cliff bar or small pocket camera in the hip belt pockets to free up your pant pockets for ease of hiking and the quick-adjust hip belt makes it easy to reposition if you get uncomfortable.

I recommend getting the rain-cover as well, it's around $30 and only weighs ~5 oz. Takes two seconds to throw it on if the rain comes and it stays on, even in the wind. Dry equipment is better then wet!

I wear these socks mainly in the late fall/winter and they do the trick. They are warm and they wick well when my feet get too sweaty. I tend to switch between these and the PhD light crew depending on the weather and my activity level. Keeps the odor away too! (No sock will be odor free if you don't let them air out; pulling the liners from your boots/shoes helps!)

These are my go-to socks in the warmer months, I own 4 pairs and replace them with new ones when get worn out (every 1-2 years). I love how much cushion they have and that they don't slip or slide in your boot/shoe when your feet start to sweat after hiking or working all day. It forms to your foot almost too perfectly so you don't have any "loose" parts that will cause trouble.

Don't get me wrong, this is a great sock. I have 2 pairs and I wear them for everyday use when it's hot out. The part I don't like is that they are too thin for running or active activities; mainly because there isn't the cushion that SmartWool is known for in their socks.

For those looking for a thicker, but still ultra-light sock, I recommend the SmartWool PhD Running Ultra Light Mini Sock. Difference is they are slightly thinker given you the extra cushion and they sit at the ankle vs under the ankle as in the micro socks.

These mitts truly are worth the money and you will notice the first time you have them in a cold weather situation. I don't do any climbing, so I can't testify to the durability, but the palms are made of leather. They also fit true to size with the liner, if you take the liner out they will be a little big, but that is expected.

I mainly use these when I won't be moving a lot in the cold, i.e. ice fishing and dog sledding. Once you start moving, your hands will begin to sweat with the provided mitt liner. To counter this I take out the mitt liner provided and put in a lighter weight fleece glove and that works great.

The only time my hands got cold with these mitts on was sitting out on the ice (not moving) with 40mph winds in 0 degree F temps. They weren't a frost-bitten cold, but still cold enough to restrict dexterity.

All in all, this is a great mitt from a great brand! I would recommend.

Note: I have the 2009 model

If you are like me and like a little extra room and aren't picky about ounces, this is a great tent. I will never go back to only having one door on my 3-season tents, the extra door and vestibule space is superb, especially if you are sharing the tent. I have used this tent for both backpacking and for BWCAW canoe trips. I bought a Sea-to-Summit compression sack (size small) and use it to compress the tent down to the size of a cantaloupe; the stakes, poles and footprint just slide in on the side of the pack. The needle stakes that come with it are great compared to the flimsy, round aluminum stakes you get with most tents, but they can still break (I snapped one going through rocky soil). A good replacement set are the MSR groundhog stakes (http://www.backcountry.com/msr-groundhog-tent-stake-kit)

Have used this tent in the heat of the summer (the mostly mesh walls work great for ventilation), through rain storms in early spring and in the colder, dry late October. The pole system works great, after the first few times setting up, I can now assemble w/ fly in a few minutes. Like I said before, this tent is an excellent solo, great if you travel with a dog and it works well if you are sharing since you each have a door and vestibule. It is a little tight inside with two, but manageable.

I have the 2009 model.

I used to be all about The North Face Paramount Peak pants, wore them for 5 years and watched them get progressively more fashionable and less technical. I decided to look for new "trekker" pants and came across these Mesa pants. Fell in love as soon as I put them on! They are tapered just right to allow for an ease of walking/hiking up hills and you don't have cargo pockets that get in the way. The inseam is regular and doesn't change (too much) as you go up in waist size as do most brands (I hate when you are a L to XL waist and they assume you are 6'5"). I am 5'11", 225 lbs with a 38" waist and the XL fit great, with an inch to spare. These don't zipper off into shorts like TNF, but if you are hiking the backwoods, you will be glad you stuck with pants.

I finally made the switch from synthetic to down and I love the difference; packs down extremely small, lots of warmth and lightweight! I have always hiked/camped with synthetic due to my worry about the bag getting wet, but the pros out-weigh the cons. I bought the Sea-to-Summit dry compression sack (10L) to go along with this and I don't take it out unless I am in the tent. I haven't slept in my ENO hammock yet with this bag to compare moisture gathered through the night, but stays toasty in my tent.

For those curious, I use the Exped SynMat 7 Air Pad with Pump with this bag.

I am 5'11" and 215 lbs and have never been more comfy in a bag. I went with the regular and my feet touch the end of the bag, but I never liked extra space in my foot box because my feet get cold easier with the extra air there. The stretch system is unlike I have ever seen and makes for a comfy night of sleep, definitely worth trying it out for yourself if you are on the edge. I will be getting the super spiral hugger #0 down for my next bag to replace my synthetic north face.