Reviews by User: Timothy Blum (15)

I picked up a couple pairs and have been very impressed. They really are a great fit for cycling, a men's large-tall fit me snugly while the articulation allows the leg to flex freely (I'm 6'2" 185lbs.). Really blocks the wind well, which is the number one reason you get cold biking in cool weather. You can snap the leg cuff in two places-one to have a normal cuff and one to snug it up so that it is nice and tight so it won't hit the crank/chain. You could almost call them a loose fitting tight-I've put hundreds of miles in in these and haven't had these "pants" make contact with the chain yet. Luckily I got mine when I did as ARC'TERYX has stopped making these.

If you like having the newest and best technical gadgetry, then this helmet is for you. The Bluetooth wireless connection works great with both my cell phone and iPod, and the battery life lasts an entire ski day. If you already have a Motorola Bluetooth headset for talking in the car, getting used to operating the helmet is easy as buttons/actions are just about identical. The only drawback is that because it's not specifically made for the iPod, it doesn't come with a Bluetooth dongle to transmit from the iPod. You'll have to buy a separate one, usually only available with another set of headphones. I picked up a pair of Logitech Bluetooth headphones for $50 and once I synchronized the dongle to my helmet it has worked great. You can control volume as well as pause and skip songs with the helmet, all while having your iPod safely stowed. And unlike iPod ski jackets/backpacks/etc., you can wear the helmet with other jackets and detach the headphones to use on their own.

I have two pairs of these, one in the older style nylon twill fabric from a couple seasons ago when the Davos first replaced the Vail pant and one in the newer stretch Primeflex fabric. They are the benchmark for all other ski pants I've used/tried (Kjus, Arc'teryx, TNF, Oakley, 66 North) . Not only is the fit great for me (6'2" 185-I usually wear a large or preferably a large tall but got these in XL) the new style has an even better fit that is less baggy and thus gives you more freedom of movement. They also redesigned the thigh vents to slash more across the front of your legs rather than just down the sides, allowing a lot of air to rush in, especially if you're moving or its windy. I wear these in just about any weather from single digits to 40s with the vents open with just CW-X's underneath. The rest of the features are just top-of-the-line Spyder: Very well-made with extra stitching and extra panels all over, waterproof zips with garages, waist adjusters, nice pulls and big buttons that you can use with gloves, etc. Every year they show that they really listen to users of their products because they come up with little design improvements that really work.

This jersey is definitely in the upper- echelon occupied also by the DeMarchi Contour Evo, Assos ss.13, Giordana Forma, and possibly the Izumi Octane and Connondale Le Carbon. I personally used to prefer the Forma for its great tight fit and perfect amount of fabric but after wearing this one I am impressed with the way it utilizes multiple fabrics to create a fit that is tight where it needs to be, while being very comfortable overall. The arms and base are tighter and offer good support and make the jersey feel like it has a tight fit, while the main body of the jersey is a somewhat looser construction that feels noticeably comfortable. Lots of details also with even routing holes for your headphone wires being sewn in. While the forma is not a jersey I would like to hang around in for too long off the bike, this one is good enough on both the performance and comfort scales to hit the road for 50+ miles and then go to a cookout afterwards without desperately wanting to change. If you are a serious cyclist, I recommend you at least try a top-end jersey once and you'll find out how much better they actually are than the sublimated billboards most people wear that actually somehow make a $30 jersey cost $80 (you pay more to have someone advertise on you chest?). If you're like me and like to have multiple top-end jerseys, I recommend you find it on sale as the price is-of course for an item of this Italian-made quality-high.

I have only tried these on so far as it's summer, but if I don't review a product right when I get the email reminder, I will never remember later. So, to start, I have been looking for a softshell gauntlet glove with the ability to actually hold tools, etc. and I think these are a great pair. They have some insulation but still keep the hands dexterous enough to manipulate whatever you are holding. Black Diamond gloves are all pretty well made in my experience and these seem to be as well with Schoeller and Pittards components. Nice-sized gauntlet (not too short for the task it's intended for but not so long that you think you are on an expedition to Everest). Most standard features of nicer gauntlet gloves such as elastic wrist, one-handed cinch pulls on gauntlet cuff. Also, the ice specific padding on the top of the hand will come in handy. Seems substantial but it is stretchy material so that it will not affect movement. Overall a very well designed softshell ice glove. Note about waterproofness-I'm not sure about the insert they use and I haven't used these in wet conditions- so I cannot comment on their waterproofness-but in my experience softshell gloves are pretty much never totally waterproof when soaked. Personally, I'm looking for more breathability with high-activity, which is what softshell construction is meant for, and what these gloves should provide very well.

Arc'teryx makes the best fitting apparel for me at 6'2" and 185 lbs., along with 66 North Iceland. An Arc'teryx large is a perfect fit, especially with their longer sleeves than many other brands (a certain "hardwear" company specifically). Adding this MX, I now have a full Gamma lineup with the now discontinued LT, and a couple SV's. Even though this one is manufactured across the Pacific, it still seems to have the great Arc'teryx quality in construction. I like the garbanzo color I got on sale as well, it looks like khaki to me. Best for cool conditions in the 45-55 range. Very windproof, thin and light. I've worn it in a drizzle and water beads well. I haven't had a chance to try it in anything cooler yet.

Very nice pants, can't beat softshell feel plus waterproof. I have the Stingray pant as well but these have a bit softer outside feel and have a little more of a fleecy lining. Arc'teryx makes the best general purpose outerwear. I can't wait to use these on the slopes.

I bought a few pairs at bonktown and I agree with the other review. They are very comfortable and provide great support when you are riding with the extended/reinforced cuff. Washing in cold water/air drying hasn't shrunk them and I got no "glove bleed" even after gambling and trying the first pair out without washing. Well-constructed and have held up well so far although I've only had them a couple months and have about 12 pairs of cycling gloves that I wear in rotation (so they've each only been worn 3-4 times). Getting them off is a CHORE though as the cuff just doesn't stretch very much. I am a believer in functionality during the ride being more important and I can get them off eventually after a little extra work post-ride, so I still think these are great gloves and they are at the top of my glove pile. I wear a medium in most cycling gloves and these in a medium fit well-even though they are tough to remove once on.

I bought a bunch of these last year when they were on sale and they have held up very nicely. I only use them on the bike and never put them in the dryer as the instructions state and they are still like new with no pilling, pulled threads, rips, or tears. They offer great support and are very comfortable. Compared to the other X-Socks I have purchased including the Mid Trekking Expedition and Mid Extreme Trekking these have held up much better as the others have had some casualties over the past year. I have found that X-socks work great in the shoe/boot with all their techy engineering and designs but just wearing them around the house, they seem to get holes in the bottoms really fast - compared, for instance, to Smartwool which last forever because of so much material/cushioning - for me it's always the right foot so I have several extra left socks now in my collection.

Very nice high-end bibs, great material seems like it will hold up well, great strong compression, good form-fit made to be bent over a bike, very comfortable chamois so far (haven't had them long enough to test durability). Very happy with size large fit (I'm 6'2" & 185 lbs.).

These were my first foray into bib shorts after many years wearing standard cycling shorts. I always thought the large price premium of bibs over regular shorts was a bit unnecessary for me, but when I got a pair of these on sale on a whim, I must admit that I have bought more bibs since and now want to get rid of all of my regular shorts. These are right at the top of the heap in terms of the best bibs out there and the great fit and features show. They fit a bit uncomfortably when standing, kind of like they are pushing you to bend over forward, because they are so well designed to fit in the cycling position. Once on the bike these things offer a great feel. I can only compare them as bibs to the Hincapie HC-12 which I purchased after getting hooked on bibs by these, and they feel significantly better than that already high-end pair of bibs. Super comfortable chamois. Great compression & support from whatever the top-end 360 degree stretch elastic material is called and the selectively non-elastic T-strap material really helps making the whole bib feel more secure. I'm told that on many bibs the sizing is based mostly on height, and I got a large (I'm 6'2" and 185lbs) which gives me a perfect tight/form-fitting fit.

On faith and the reviews, I bought just about all the size 4.0 X-Socks on sale and am really impressed at how much better they are than even Smartwool and Bridgedale socks, which were my benchmarks before. For socks, these really have a lot of technical features jammed in. Perfectly placed more cushioning/less cushioning for a very comfortable and breathable fit. Seem very durable so far through a few washings-I'm following the directions and letting them air dry. Plus, buy enough pairs and register them, and they'll give you a free X-Bionic SS Shirt.

I just bought these this summer, but have had the Vail pant (this model's precursor) for several seasons and they were great. Spyder's top-of-the-line Legend Series stuff is the probably the best ski apparel out there. Perfect design, excellent durability, just the right amount of insulation. They also think of all the details that make these bibs look as great as the function.

Gave it to my 4 yr. old nephew for Xmas and he loves this sweatshirt. Spyder has their great logo enlarged on the back and as with all Spyder clothing, you get what you pay for. For a premium price you get a premium kids sweatshirt.

I haven't used these yet on the slopes, but I did use a different pair of Hestras a good deal last ski season (Dominique Perret Power Dry model), and they are by far my favorite gloves. I'm not sure why but their gloves seem to conform to my hands better than any others, and they have the best pole-grip while still being very warm for their relative lack of bulky insulation. Whoever first came up with the neoprene under cuff design is also a genius. I have two pairs of Hestra and one pair of Mammut under cuff gloves now. I have used Reusch gloves but find the Hestras better all around (fit, durability, warmth, low-bulk, etc.) as skiing-specific gloves.