Reviews by User: AWDlover (9)

"Beater" is another term for what we call "Texas skiers" or "Oklahomans." You know, the folks who stay in a $1,000 per night condo at the resort but ski in jeans, Cowboys sweatshirts, baseball caps, and the cheapest Salomon rental gear they can find. Or, if they actually own gear, it's of identical vintage to the old Kastle and Olin boards nailed to the wall above the fireplace in the resort bar.

These boxers fill a necessary niche in my base layer lineup. The fit is close, like a boxer brief, but they're long enough (about mid-thigh) to avoid riding up. They layer well under tights. The fabric is smooth and soft. So far, the anti-odor treatment has lived up to its billing: while not 100% stink-free after several days of continuous wearing, they're must less pungent than any other base layer fabric I've tried. In comparison, my older Patagonia Capilene boxers are nearly unwearable after just two days.

These have become the standard non-belay locker on my rack. They are excellent for anchor building or adding security to the rope end of a draw. Replacing heavier and larger lockers with these will shave significant weight off a trad rack. The gate action is smooth, and the snag-free keylock nose clips into tangles of webbing, hangers, etc. easily. One note about the color: although the description calls it "lime," it's really a yellow tint with a hint a green. Kinda like the filling on an authentic key lime pie (the type without the radioactive green artificial coloring).

The Sixteen Penny is made from an interesting casual fabric -- it's nylon, but it feels like cotton canvas. It's not water-resistant, but it does dry rather quickly. My biggest complaint is the sizing: it is ridiculously oversized, even for a casual jacket. The bottom portion of the jacket balloons out near the waist, instead of tapering or remaining straight like most other jackets. This is very odd, since it's not especially roomy in the shoulders. The snaps at the side take about an inch out of the overall diameter but do little to alleviate the ballooning, and they always come undone anyway. It's an interesting try at a casual jacket, but the bizarre cut prevents it from ever leaving my closet now.

Love. I love this thing like a mother deer loves her newborn fawn. If you look at pictures taken of my outdoor four-season adventures over the past 10-plus years, you might assume I only own one jacket. That's because the DriClime Windshirt is so versatile it invariably winds up on my back whenever there's a camera around, even though I have plenty of other gear. There is no other piece of clothing that so perfectly fulfills a need in such simple, effective fashion. I know of no other garment that can function effectively as a base layer, insulating layer, or outer layer. It's perfect for blocking the wind and wicking the sweat from a t-shirt after summiting a peak. When it's not needed, it packs down nicely and weighs little. It's great under a softshell on colder days. And it's still the most perfect thing I've ever found for cold-weather running or snowshoeing. Worn over a baselayer, it wicks sweat while blocking the wind without overheating. If Marmot ever stops making these, you'll need to beat me to the final stash of them, because I'll buy every last one.

For me, this is the gold (or blue) standard for belay carabiners. The screw mechanism is exceptionally smooth and solid feeling -- compare it to some others to see the difference. Like butter, it is. Snag-free keylock gate: check. The round profile feeds rope very smoothly. And, the red "idiot stripe" indicator gives a clear visual alert to ensure it's locked correctly. Why don't all locking 'biners have that?

These are a standard for racking trad gear on your harness. They help keep jumbles of stoppers, slings, cams, etc., organized and accessible. The wiregate shaves some weight off a rack versus a solid gate oval. To my knowledge, the only other wiregate oval on the market is the Omega Pacific Doval. Ovals are also typically used in aid climbing, but since I don't aid, I can't comment on the BD's performance for that purpose.

These are adequate, but are outclassed by many other biners now available. The are light, but the lightness comes at the price of a tinny feel, particularly in the action of the screwgate. Note that they are also not keylock, which makes them prone to snagging on slings at crowded anchors. For a similar price from the same manufacturer, the BD Vaporlock is a better choice, as it is a keylock design and has a slightly stouter feel.

These are some of the best midweight long underwear I've tried (and I've tried a lot). I especially appreciate the comfortable waistband and the smooth seams. The fit is great: tight enough to fit smoothly around the legs, but not constricting. Excellent under a thicker layer such as the Marmot Powerstretch tights. So far, the anti-odor treatment has worked. No major pungency after several days of wearing, unlike other brands' offerings.