Reviews by User: Backcountry Reviewer - Cheatwood (67)

This is the perfect starter set for you to get going on one of the most interesting snow sports there is. This is perfect for those of us that are just completely skiing inept but still want to have some fun. The company did a great job of compiling a package that makes learning easy and fun and built it using quality gear. Personally the CD was a little overkill, but that’s just one more step closer to complete ease of use! Great product!

These shades are great... They fit perfectly for those of us with slightly smaller faces than the rest. I feel completely safe when wearing these things. Just today I was tracking a Jetta and had a rock fly up and hit my lenses. Not kidding you they didn't crack, or shatter and I got away with only a deep nick....which only adds character! Another great thing about these shades is that they seriously do get stickier on your ears and sideburns as they get wet. No more worrying about whether or not your shades will slip off when you're kayaking or riding your guts out! Great design and functionality!

If you’re like me then there’s very little that can keep you from your run...rain or shine or SNOW. These things are great for winter trail running. They not only keep out all the debris, but they attach well to your shoes and keep out the water and snow that winter sometimes throws at you. I keep mine on all year long the Gore-Tex is really breathable so it’s great for summer too.

I’m a little behind the times when it comes to my boat selection. I have one of those monster sea boats that you swear must have a solid lead frame under a thin layer of fiberglass. I used to be scared to death to put it on the top of my little car for fear not only of cave-in, but that I wouldn’t be able to secure it. The cave-in fear I fixed by jumping on the roof and finding that it’s probably the strongest part of my little beast, but the security fear only subsided when I bought these saddles. The dual connection on the bar lets you spread the saddles as far as you need apart and get them perfectly aligned with the edges of your boat so that you can easily get a dialed-in fit, and the soft plastic seems to have little fingers holding my boat in place, it holds tighter and as you crank your straps down it gives a little to provide an even better fit and hold on your boat. These things are great and really aerodynamic…they don’t make a sound.

This harness is the very best starter harness I could recommend. Perfectly comfortable, fits a wide range of under clothing with the adjustable leg loops...(really a nice feature when the wind really picks up). The racking loops are actually really useful. I didn't think I'd like them because of the thermo-formed design, but they proved to be very sturdy and easy to rack up. Great harness with an excellent fit and adjustability options. To top it off this package is a great deal for everything you need to really get into the sport!

This is a great mount for smaller cars and adapts very well to switching on the fly to a longer car. Gets the front tire off the bike for great stability and security. You can be completely confident with your bike on this rack which was something I really worried about. If you don’t have enough space to put your bike tire in your trunk or in the car with you I suggest buying a wheel fork tire mount to store your tire up on top of your car (keeps the inside cleaner)

Maybe if you went titanium you'd be lighter, but I'll keep my extra dough if you don't mind. This cookset is amazingly light, and disperses heat so evenly it goes from furious boil to grabbable in no time (great for those of us who aren't master backcountry chef's) Only problem I see at all is the fact that you can seriously ding them up bad if you aren't careful, and they're serious when they suggest no metal utensils (no, not even once).

This is the absolute ultimate in all-around rock shoes. There really isn’t anything that you can’t do in these babies. The sole is super thick, so they don’t wear down as quickly as other shoes if you’re a gym-rat like me. The tradeoff…super thick soles kill sensitivity, and they provide a slight sense of false security when on sloping holds/cracks. The lacing allows for a super dialed in fit, and the shoe itself is super comfortable. With these shoes it’s even more important to size down (which you should always do), because of the tapered toe-box. Great all-around or starter shoe!

Gotta love the chilimac. This stuff is a great meal all by itself. Combines the fun of having chili before a night in the tent with the taste of macaroni and cheese. The 1.5 serving size must be for midget people though because that just barely feeds me, and I’m a fairly average sized guy. Great food…and the pouch cook is awesome.

This lighter truly was a life-saver at my last epic backcountry backpacking trip. The three of us had between us a total of 12 matches which worked great the first night before the rain started and, of course the remaining matches were stored in the outer pocket of my buddy's pack...go figure. To make a long story short, this thing lit and burned hot enough to start wet wood in minutes into a blazing fire, despite the evil winds of death and the torrential downpour we were caught in. Should have taken a peek at the weather report...I know, but we didn't, and the Helios saved the weekend!

I'm not exactly one of those peeps who would go and hang off a wall for hours at a time...that just doesn't do it for me, but man is this thing a leg-saver at the local rock and gym...If there is a more comfortable harness out there, I don't know of it, and the person who isn't pleased by the Chaos isn't ever gonna be pleased! This thing rocks!

Perfect for retrofitting your boat with a little dry area for your gear that just can’t get wet. This thing attaches easily right to your deck providing you with dry gear that’s very easily accessible. Great size for a phone, your map, some sandwiches...whatever you want to keep totally dry and within reach. Great addition to any boat style!

Great pad for the price...really saves your butt! Used to be the best pad in the world in my mind, but due to a run-in with the folds I'd suggest being really careful with the foot placement so that you don't roll your ankle. I know you don't understand how it can happen...trust me. Great strap system though, this thing feels just like an oversized backpack when it's on you! Spend some cash...save your butt!

You’d be surprised at how much you can do when you have a rugged pair of sandals that fit you well. Climbing isn’t a problem, hiking is a breeze, watersports are more enjoyable overall! The adjustable webbing on these thing is really great you can dial in a fit no matter what you plan on doing with them, and the sticky vibram rubber on the sole I swear never wears out! Great fitting functional sandals. If you want the added toe-lift from a toe loop check out the Z/2's To avoid a re-sizing problem trust me on this one…order ½ a size smaller than other shoes.

They aren't kidding when they say anything combustible. This stove burns great on anything. In the winter be sure you let a couple seconds of fuel hit the primer before you light it or breakfast can be really frustrating. This stove is amazingly stable and light. It fits nicely into my blacklite cookset, and heats everything amazingly quickly. Premium gasoline works best if that's your fuel of choice. Also, to get away from cleaning the stove as often as you should run diesel through it (without lighting it) and collect the fuel again...do this a couple times, then a minute of straight air through and go back to your gasoline or white gas. Diesel fuel will clean anything out of there if you don't want to take the time to clean as you should (which really is very painless as well).

YUCK. I can’t believe anyone would actually use this stuff. I guess if you have absolutely no other choice at all, but I do it’s called Aqua Mira. Unlike these tablets it leaves no noticeable taste and makes your water just as safe. Trust me on this one...might be great for emergency preparedness because of the ease of use and shelf life but you wouldn’t want to drink it if you didn’t have to.

This stuff is the perfect breakfast. I know it’s not real bacon, but honestly it’s hard to believe that when you’re eating this stuff. Perfect size for you and your hiking buddy. I love how easy it is to clean up. Super easy to cook over a stove or fire too!

I don’t know what it is about my car, but when I’m going over 30 with my rack on top it starts screaming at me like a jumbo jet is gonna land overhead. I didn’t know what to do until one day someone explained that the sticker covered piece of plastic in front of their rack—the fairing—wasn’t just a portable sticker holder. This thing rocks…completely eliminates all the sound that my rack made, and neatly stores all or my stickers for me!

I like these things lots better than all the other pole sets that I’ve used in the past. The rubber tips are really great for harder surfaces, the grips are comfortable, and the shaft telescopes down 3 times smaller...which is a truly amazing feat given these poles’ unbreakable construction. You’ll be converted to these after one use...no matter what kind of poles you’ve used before, and you’ll be truly thankful for the ease of use if you’re new to the trekking pole scene.

I use these things kayaking, hiking, camping, everything! The oval is the very nicest biner to hold onto tightly, and for that purpose I use these for my rope ascents together with the Petzl tibloc ascender. They are super durable, and rather bulky so you know you're not going to kill them using them for somewhat stupid things (lifting an engine out of a Ford Escort for example). Great basic biner.

This shirt is utterly amazing. I know it’s not marketed as such, but size down for a tighter fit and this makes an amazing riding jersey! Sized normally there aren’t too many better base layers out there. Go with the long sleeve if you want to stay a little more protected from the wind while riding, and to stay a little warmer when layering.

This is a great old favorite. Nothing compares to the unique taste of black beans and the red peppers in there give it just the twist you need to keep things interesting. Mix this stuff up and you’ve got a great protein boost to recover from your day’s hike and a wonderfully musical night in store for you!

I have to admit I didn’t quite get to use this thing for it’s intended intense backcountry use, but let me tell you this thing is accurate, and easy to use. I left mine attached to a nail on the outside of my window and gave it a quick and easy check every morning before heading out to quickly determine whether I needed a jacket or not. This thing also gave me something to do when shivering on the chair lift….nobody really realizes just how cold it really is when you figure in the wind speed. The Sherpa does that for you. To top it all off…when brought out on the lake with me one day I found out that just in case you need it… this thing floats! Great piece of gear!

What can you say about a quickdraw? Well, actually quite a lot when you're talking about the Metolius draws. These things are amazingly resilient. I know you should be super-careful with dirt and grime when climbing, but lets be realistic here...everyone's gonna get dirty, and we're all too lazy to clean our gear every single time we use it(climb more if you're fighting me on this...the time will come) These draws for some reason just don't get dirty...they shed mud, they really don't get too wet, and they don't hold dust virtually at all. These things are great and the 6 set is a great deal!

This is the only racking system that with an oversized bar can go from a Chevy Citation to a Chevy Suburban to a VW Passat in less than 5 minutes and with only an allen-wrench set. Simply amazing, and much more stable than you would ever think possible!

The perfect accessory to go with your Boa or similar bike mount. I don’t know about you, but I don’t really want my muddy tire inside my car with me…this is a totally secure way to store the dirty tire on the OUTSIDE of the car…where dirt really belongs! This thing even comes with an anti-spin device that helps eliminate the noise that comes when you don’t have one equipped!

Someone finally made a shoe that is made for the water. These replace perfectly all the sandals you've lost hiking the narrows, and all the pool shoes you've trashed wading at the local pond. These shoes not only don't hold water at all, but they're comfortable, breathable, and super rugged. The quick-pull kevlar lacing and adjustable heel tension keep these things on no matter what the water world throws at you, and the tread on the bottoms is super sticky for all those slimy/wet surfaces!

This is the perfect pick me up…. I love the flavor, and it’s hard to deny the nearly instant results. The natural carbohydrates also help to avoid that nearly inevitable low after a couple shots of this stuff. One thing to keep in mind…you will get almost nothing out of these without enough water to swig down with them. Always keep yourself hydrated and it will amaze you how much energy can come from such a little package.

Like many I'm sure, I used to be one of those people who professed that I actually liked layering right on the ground and the rocks really didn't bother me at all. Well, as one of those people I can tell you...stop lying to yourself, and grab an Ultra-lite. This thing packs down so small you won't even know it's there, is totally light, and even if you don't want a pad and want to show off your toughness...this thing rolled loosely makes a pretty good pillow. It's also really puncture resistant which I not so knowingly tested on a thorn.

Just a draw right? Nope not this one! This is the pinnacle of Metolius draws. These things are amazingly resilient. I know we should be careful with dirt and grime when climbing, but come on here...everything gets dirty, and we're too lazy to clean our gear every single time we use it. These draws for some reason just don't get dirty...they shed mud, they barely get wet, and they don't get dusty. Pretty cheap pricing for the spectra too...years down the road you'll thank yourself for buying spectra!

This harness is the very best starter harness I could recommend. I loved mine every day I had it till my buddy's dog chewed it up. Perfectly comfortable, fits a wide range of under clothing with the adjustable leg loops...(really a nice feature when the wind really picks up) The racking loops are actually really useful. I didn't think I'd like them because of the thermo-formed design, but they proved to be very sturdy and easy to rack up. Great harness...great fit...great adjustability...and tastes great (So says Bosco the dog)

I've had my classic for 4 years now...trust me...that makes it classic. Though the design has changed a little it's only gotten better. You've got a key pocket now and an awesome bungee system which is the perfect size for a windshirt or a sweater in the case that the weather turns a little foul. The straps on this model totally rock too. Fill it up and put it in the fridge and you have cold water on demand in a bomb-proof amazingly resilient simple pack.

This jacket is great...wears well, completely waterproof (try me), and it is easy to pull on over your clothes whether that be a short sleeve shirt and a climbing harness, or a suit and tie this jacket works as well kayaking as waiting out the bus in a torrential downpour. Excellent ventilation too.

I have used this thing for everything from a bare-backed hike in the water-soaked narrows of Zions National Park to a suit and tie briefcase. This bag fits well, looks great, and holds up to anything you can throw at it. Dirt wipes off, water is shed easily, the integrated music system is a life saver, and it's amazingly fire retardant (did not mean to test this feature). Great all-around bag...not huge, but amazing for its size.

This thing is either on or off…there is no in between except the very last sputtering seconds because your stove has blown through all your fuel. Kinda reminds me of my days of High School chemistry and home-made blow torches… One thing is for sure though this thing rocks at melting ice and snow and will throw your water to boiling in no time flat. This thing is also super rugged….try to bend it…okay don’t, but it’d be hard to do if you did try!

Just a draw right? Nope, not this one! This is the pinnacle of Metolius draws. These things are amazingly resilient. I know we should be careful with dirt and grime when climbing, but come on here...everything gets dirty, and we're too lazy to clean our gear every single time we use it. These draws for some reason just don't get dirty...they shed mud, they barely get wet, and they don't get dusty. Pretty cheap pricing for the spectra too...years down the road you'll thank yourself for buying spectra!

This pad is great. I really never though anything about the problem of having folding sections in a crash pad before I fell right on one and rolled my ankle! This pad completely eliminates that problem, and folds up nicely around any random gear that you want to put inside of it. Has a great tight closure system so that no dirt gets into your pad, and nothing you put inside can get out either!

This stuff is amazingly good. Perfectly spicy, but sweet at the same time thanks to the corn. Honestly I've only mixed this stuff up at home, not on the trail, but it really brightens up a movie night and people will ask all night for the recipe.

This stuff is amazingly good. Perfectly spicy, but sweet at the same time thanks to the corn. Honestly I've only mixed this stuff up at home, not on the trail, but it really brightens up a movie night and people will ask all night for the recipe.

This is a whole new revolution in relation to the standard flip-flop designed sandal. This thing is super padded, has a great traction rubber design on the bottom, and is fully equipped with an anti-microbial foot-bed (stink resistant in lay-man’s terms). I know you don’t like having stuff in between your toes…neither do I. These things will totally change your mind about that!

Great for watersports, but just don’t fit on my head (very normal) at all! Negative points for the design team that chose to invariably put steel hinges on their shades….sure they’re rugged steel, but if you do bend them you’re up a creek. Great for fishing though..you’d be amazed how well the polarization works.

This shirt is utterly amazing. I know it’s not marketed as such, but size down for a tighter fit and this makes an amazing riding jersey! Sized normally there aren’t too many better base layers out there. Go with the short sleeve if you want to stay a little more ventilation when riding, and to stay a little cooler for casual applications.

This pad is great. I really never though anything about the problem of having folding sections in a crash pad before I fell right on one and rolled my ankle! This pad completely eliminates that problem, and folds up nicely around any random gear that you want to put inside of it. Has a great tight closure system so that no dirt gets into your pad, and nothing you put inside can get out either!

Thought I’d try out another company’s hydration pack and see just what I was missing having been with Camelbak all my life. Absolutely nothing. Big surprise. There’s really nothing wrong with the design, and the 100oz of water is a huge help on a hot day, not to mention the capacity allowed with the dual water bottle pockets on the sides. However, I was less than impressed with the overall design and fit of the thing. If you want it just for a change don’t and say you did. If you like TNF a lot and want to support them or you’re looking for a good way to carry enough water for your whole group on your back, then this is the bag for you.

Thought I’d try out another company’s hydration pack and see just what I was missing having been with Camelbak all my life. Absolutely nothing….big surprise. There’s really nothing wrong with the design, and the 100oz of water is a huge help on a hot day, not to mention the capacity allowed with the dual water bottle pockets on the sides. However, I was less than impressed with the overall design and fit of the thing. If you want it just for a change don’t and say you did. If you like TNF a lot and want to support them or you’re looking for a good way to carry enough water for your whole group on your back, then this is the bag for you.

Perfect size for a day on the hills...not big enough to be uncomfortable when you’re on the lift, and you forget all about it on the way down the mountain. Great insulation for your water-totally protects against freezing! Built bomber tough too! Great pack for winter use. My buddy even uses his for snowmobiling, great idea if you have the nerves to get on a sled.

This thing is more than just a daypack. Great size for riding, and for light hiking no matter where you want to go. Holds your gear securely, and keeps all of your load suspended comfortably above your back completely eliminating sweat spots and making you more comfortable than you ever thought possible. Trust me on this one…you’ll completely forget it’s even there after 10 minutes…that is, until you or your buddy needs something that only you had room enough to pack.

I never was one to love having things between my toes, but this sandal completely changed my mind. It fits great-like any other full foot sandal, but it slides on and off with ease like any conventional flip-flop style sandal. The Vibram sole is a great addition to a form fitting footbed, and the straps are amazingly secure!

Stylish, unbelievably rugged, impressively comfortable, and amazingly quick-drying. You’ll totally be thankful that you bought these the first time you wear them. I decided to test mine out