Reviews by User: Rob de Luca (29)

I've been looking for MTB shorts forever but it's so hard to compare them without an in-hand side-by-side, so I went out and did some research for y'all. I put these next to a pair of Fox Sergeants in a bike shop, and there's literally no contest. The Oakleys use burly synthetic ripstop and nylon-weave stretch panels, Fox uses thin stretch cotton canvas. Oakley's vents and pockets are bartacked, with solid metal zips, and all the seams are double or triple-stitched. The liner inside, while not detachable, is longer and far comfier for DH than Pearl Izumi's MTB liner (which is admittedly more XC-oriented). The chamois is plush and sits a bit forward until you hike it in. I'm 5ft 10in, 165lbs with a 32in waist and a medium fits perfectly, going just below the knee when standing and at the knee sitting in the saddle. As a final note, let me say that in my opinion Oakley stuff is generally pretty cheesy, overdone, overpriced stuff, but these shorts sold me. I highly recommend them.

I've only had the Venta SV for four days now (one star per day), but I'm very happy. I tend to warm up and cool down quickly, and I needed a light, reasonably weatherproof jacket that could cope with my heat output, but still insulate when I stopped moving; I've been putting the Venta through its paces and I think it could be the one. From hiking around trails in Park City in changing conditions (we've had sun, clouds, wind, freezing rain, sleet, and snow in the last 72hrs) to working, napping on the couch (fully zipped) and occasionally grabbing firewood off the porch, this jacket hasn't soaked through, been cold, or been hot, just perfect-I've hardly taken it off. The cut is athletic, but accommodates 2 under-layers (merino tee, Capilene zip-neck) in a Medium (I'm 5'10, 165#; see my profile for body measurements) and the micro-grid fleece lining is not bulky; it feels warm on bare skin in the wind, unlike my hard shells. The face fabric is soft, quiet and stretchy, and the hood cinches down over a beanie fine but will also fit a helmet no problem. The Aztec color is a more muted, orangey yellow, and it has garnered compliments from both sexes. Can't wait to "get serious" with it and wear it touring, but we need a bit more snow to make that worthwhile. Consider this a great first impression, with another review to follow.

First, I am a Backcountry employee. If you consider my opinion moot as a result, I can't change that. What I can say is that I have had and used jackets from every top outerwear company, I live and work in the mountains, and I am hyper-critical of our in-house designs. I try to remain as objective as possible and I hope you find this review helpful. I have been testing the prototype Men's Stoic 2.0 for almost a full season (size L, my measurements are on my profile page), and I am very impressed. It's a light, trim, welded waterproof softshell designed for year-round use when layered properly. So far, I have worn it in heavy rain, backcountry touring in good and bad weather, and at the resort when it is dumping. Bombshell, while not quite as breathable as eVent (my membrane of choice) or Gore ProShell, compares in my opinion to Gore XCR with a softer hand and mechanical stretch. I've yet to experience any soak-through, and it's definitely breathable and durable enough for any cold-weather activity. The armpit vents open smoothly every time when hiking or skinning in the sun. The soft mesh hand pockets fit gloves, keys, cell, and a thin helmet liner, no problem. The hood is cut on the trimmer side with a soft brim and a high neck. My Bern Watts helmet fits easily underneath; higher-profile helmets (e.g. Smith Holt) are do-able, but snug. The smooth tricot weave inner face is comfortable, but does not provide insulation. I usually wear a Patagonia R1 Hoody as midlayer, and on very cold days, a size Medium Siphon Primaloft Hooded Jacket. The interaction between the Siphon and the Stoic is flawless, and definitely my favorite feature of this jacket. The welded seams look trick and perform as advertised. The only gripe I originally had was the lack of a powder skirt, but the Stoic is not a 'ski-specific' shell, and I feel the weight savings and packability are worth it. I should also mention that this jacket looks killer; I receive compliments and questions every time I wear it. It’s a solid shell that fits and performs on the level of an equivalent Westcomb or Arc’teryx jacket, and I’m pretty sure you won't be disappointed. Highly recommended.

Don't look anywhere else if you want a lighter, non "race" glove for DH and freeride. This glove blends dexterity with hand protection like no other I've worn, and here's why: the molded Kevlar guards on the last two knuckles and the outer palm abrasion panel are crazy tough. Slam-your-hand-against-a-brick-wall tough. Meanwhile the first and second fingers are thin and flexy like XC gloves, and the palm has open mesh panels in between the leather bits so you can just take a hand off and let the breeze dry your hands. On the trail (read: shifting, braking, and eating it at high speed), the combo is unbeatable. They'd probably be too hot for XC, but for aggressive all-mountain and lift-serviced riding, these are the Unabomb. Highly recommended.

Most DH race gloves feel over-padded and bulky, and most "freeride" gloves are super-flimsy; these are neither. They fit like Isotoners and defend like Johnny Cochran on Ripped Fuel. I've bashed my knuckles into branches, tree trunks, and the occasional rock with no ill effects, but it feels like I'm wearing XC gloves when I reach for the levers. Pay the extra cash for Dainese; you won't regret it.

This is really the best down piece MontBell makes, since it's just a bit tougher than the UL, but warmer and very close in weight. That said...I have the Parka, with the insulated hood, and I would recommend it over the hood-less Jacket (thus the 4 stars out of 5). There is nothing like pulling it out of my pack at the end of a ski tour, when I am waiting for someone to grab a car from Big Cottonwood. It fits easily under my hardshell, and stretches over my softshell. Comes with its own little stuff sack too.

It fits, looks, and vents better than the Xen in my opinion. Bigger, more aggressive vents in the front, but it rides lower on your head and looks less like a mushroom. The Detox system is so secure, I have started down trails with the chinstrap unbuckled and not known it until someone tells me. Wouldn't recommend it for all-out bombing (get a full-face), but I wore it in Moab's 90-degree heat and was stoked. Plus it's Fox, which everyone knows gives you +10 steez.

The only complaint I have is there's no liner, but sometimes I don't wear one anyway so whatever. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, the rest of the package is kickass. Baggy but not stupid-baggy (they look narrow in the photo; they aren't) and burly as hell. Full stretch so they don't cramp when pedaling, pass clip for my Deer Valley pass, magnet pocket closure...and they look super-rad. Can't stain em, can't rip em, don't sweat in em either. BTW I use them for freeride/DH, not XC. Highly recommended.

I picked up this helmet against the advice of a friend (who cited the same issues), and after trying it on, I literally never even wore it on a ride. Yes, it looks dope, and the head fit is ok, but the chin guard is way too close to your face, and the D-ring strap is mounted so that if you grab the chin and push up, the whole thing just tilts back on your head, exposing your face and choking you in the process. The whole package had me feeling more nervous than wearing my XC helmet. I went with the Giro Remedy instead, which has none of the same problems, and I think it vents better as well. To be honest I was disappointed, because I liked the look of the helmet and I thought I was getting a great deal, but I like my face the way it is, and that was worth the extra cash.

While it's just a tad heavy for its size, I put that down to the 1000D Cordura fabric. This pack fits great, is damn near indestructible, holds plenty of water for a 4 hour session, plus spare gloves, shades, a multitool, tire levers, keys, my phone, a powerbar, spare tube (xc or dh) patch kit and pump, plus a super-packable wind shell. I can strap my shin guards and helmet to the outside, and there's even room for a travel pack of Charmin at the bottom for emergencies. What else do you need?

First of all, if you still have reservations about Ninthward making durable skis, don't. I picked up a pair of the Rory SFS 183's on a great deal, figuring I'd use them as an early-season pow/rock ski, and so far they have been bomber. They are now made in Elan's factory (Slovenia), and mine have taken some beatings without much to show for it. Big thick edges, thick sidewalls, and hard bases. As far as performance, the 'shop flex' out of the box was stiffer than I thought it'd be, but on hard snow it feels like the flex goes through the entire ski, rather than being soft in the tip and tail like most noodly fatties. I've skied them everywhere in all types of conditions, and the best way to say it is that they are big, fat, damp planks that still like to turn in trees and tight spots. They don't feel super-poppy to me, but with Rossignol 150's they are not light, so that could have something to do with it. To be honest I am not a park and pipe skier so that doesn't really matter to me. I wanted a tough, fat ski to run over rocks and stumps during early-season thin coverage, and I am getting everything I want out of them, and more. As a side note, I hated the graphic at first, but it's growing on me in a 'never seen anything like this before' kind of way.

Like one reviewer before me, I was stuck on the Ultralight Smartwool sock train; nothing else was thin enough in the forefoot, ankle, and heel to feel comfortable in my boots, but they were cold and the texture put hot spots on my ankle bones. I picked up 2 pair of these on a recommendation, and I haven't skied in anything else since. They're softer and warmer than the Ultralights, and they are thin through the ankle and forefoot with fitted "zones" that don't shift or bind up when bootpacking. The shins have some light padding, can't say I notice it much but it doesn't feel bulky. The toes have a bit of extra wool on the underside, again not bulky, but I definitely notice the difference in warmth. All in all a killer ski sock for anyone with a high-performance boot fit.

I have these in my Sidi cycling shoes and the difference is unbelievable. The support is far better than the stock insoles, the heat molding was easy, and they haven't packed out noticeably after a season of riding. A flexible gel insole (as mentioned by another review) might provide better shock and vibration dampening, but there's NO way it could support your foot alignment better, and support is far more crucial than "gellin like magellan". The Yaktrax won't provide quite as much support for flat arches as Superfeet (because they don't have the flat-bottomed plastic chassis) but they fit in low-volume shoes better, and the bottom layer is a stiff, non-moldable material that has arch support built in. The heat-molding part is in the top layer to give it a custom feel.

I am 5ft 10, 165lbs, and this review is for the 07/08 183cm Missions (same as 08/09, different graphic) mounted around +1 with Salomon S914s. I usually ski the Scott P4 (also an amazing ski) but borrowed a pair of these for a month last spring, and they were a real surprise. For such light skis, they are very stable and confidence-inspiring. The wide, early-rise shovel design (Scott calls it Pro Tip) keeps them from deflecting in crud, and while they don't lay down arcs quite like the P4s, they are quicker in bumps and tight spots. Pretty floaty in pow, too, though I didn't bring them out on really deep days. A great spring choice for the Intermountain West, and would make a fine east coast pow/crud ski but wouldn't be my #1 pick for icy steeps. With an AT setup, they'd kill it. Wish I still had them.

If you trash these shoes in five days like powder addict, you are doing more in a work-week than I can in 3 seasons. Sidi makes the best shoes, with the best fit, bar none. I purchased Yaktrax heat-moldable footbeds this year because I have very high arches, but other than that these are the best XC shoes I've ever ridden and I beat up on them pretty hard. My only request would be to give all Sidi's the replaceable sole option, so you can keep the same pair forever.

Reasonably light, tough, affordable, and you can take out the liners to wash them, which is crucial since NO full-face is really all that cool in 85-degree heat. Makes me feel safe and keeps the branches out of my grill without obstructing my vision. Sized a bit big so if you usually take a Large I would suggest a Medium instead.

So...you have two reviews for two different helmets, trashing both helmets and the company with the same "used it 5 times on the mountain" complaint. They're your only reviews on this site, and you didn't even buy them here! What gives?

I didn't see a review for these simple, awesome bags, so I thought I'd throw some props. I've been using a Large Travel Trunk for the last 6 years or so, going everywhere from PA to CA to UT and in-between, with absolutely no complaints. The Large holds enough for a ten-day summer trip, including a folded suit, dress shoes, and dopp kit if you pack efficiently. The stitching and fabric are bomber, and the compression straps on top take the strain off the zipper, which is where most bags give out first. My only request would be that BC stock some of the more vibrant colors (I have red) that make it easier to spot coming off the baggage claim belt. Otherwise you won't be disappointed.

Going from the Smartwool Ultralight to these was a big step up in thickness; some might consider this a benefit, but I didn't. As someone who wears a race-fit boot, I couldn't recommend these for skiing. They're also pretty small in the foot for a Large (I am a street-shoe size 10). I gave them 3 stars because I scored four pairs for next to nothing on SAC, and I use them as tall winter athletic/work socks under pants when I wear sneakers or light hiking boots. If you want a pretty thin, but not micro-thin ski sock for colder days, I suggest the Bridgedale Precision Fit Light instead. And for super-cold days: electronic heated insoles--worth every penny.

I picked up my P4's last year, never having skied a Scott ski in my life, and was totally blown away. What impressed me off the bat was the way you can really whip them around in tight trees, but then open it up and just hammer through a rough run-out like you're on something much straighter, heavier and stiffer. The fact that they carve groomers better than any fat ski since the 4x4 Big is icing on the cake. The "secret" is the metal sandwich that doesn't go all the way out to the tip or tail; soft ends make them forgiving and super floaty, but the Titanal keeps them stiff underfoot. Think "Gotama with a crust-busting extra high gear" and you have the P4 in a nutshell. I think this is probably one of the single best Western skis currently available, and the only reason you don't see more of them is that Scott has limited distribution in the United States.

Sealed means no dirt or gunk inside, ever. The Teflon makes my brakes (mechanical Avid disc front, Avid SD7 rear) feel strong and smooth as silk, every time. FYI, before you install them go to Gore Ride-On's site and watch the installation video. And if your bike has a space on the top tube where bare cable usually runs, run the inner cover over the cable in that space. I had plenty of housing, ferrules, inner cover, etc. left over after installing on an 18in hardtail frame and Fox fork.

Well, I do wear clothes over them...occasionally. Seriously though, these are the only kind in my drawer, and I used to be a Brooks Bros. boxer man so you know I'm no fool. No bunching, never clammy in the summer or cold in winter, and the new Gladiodor finish is no joke. I have some un-treated ones from before and it makes a HUGE difference.

I second JPH; these are great in hot weather. The length is perfect, the bit of stretch is crucial, and the weight is nice and light. I wear them for work, chilling, fly fishing, drinking, hiking, you name it. They are truly the best shorts I have found in a long time. Hey Mountain Khakis...want to go steady?

Not much more to say. These pants smoke it.

When you're an Icelandic pimp like me, you need that classy look when you collect the Kroner from your stable. My heart and pimp hand be cold, like the Vatnajokull ice cap, but the Kaldi Sweater from 66North keeps my slim, cruel torso warm as a reindeer in heat, if you know what I'm talking about...damn! The virgin wool looks fresh, feels soft, and has very little experience in the bedroom. I love its trim fit, and so will you. Actually, you don't have to love it, baby, you just have to do it.

How droll. Know this: when I see you in this shirt and I laugh, we are not laughing together.