Reviews by User: Shawn Craig (37)

This light set is not very good. The taillight lacks brightness and doesn't inspire much confidence that it makes you more visible. The headlight is actually nice and bright but if you ride on rough pavement at all the headlight will come off the mount due to the vibration. I was riding through a rough construction area on the way to work and the light completely came off the mount and pretty much has been rendered useless as a result. I just got a new system that works much better and would recommend looking at other lights over this set up.

I ordered an XL as that's what I would wear in most other MTB shorts. Also, according to the sizing chart on the Nema Boost Bike Short I should wear an XL as well. Not even close. These are tiny. I was concerned that I received the wrong size but it was clearly marked an XL. These are so small I'm not even confident that a XXL would fit. Other than the sizing issue, these shorts look solid and have a really nice Chamois in them. Too bad, I'm returning these for sure.

Just picked up the Backcountry.com Stoic eVent Shell and it's great. I have been using this for both touring and early season inbounds skiing in Utah. You hardly notice any heat issues when you are moving and as soon as you stop you can feel the moisture evaporating from your body. You cool down quickly after aerobic output. It allows all of your layers to dry well and works well with a soft shell for layering. I would highly recommend this Jacket. If there is one thing I would like to see added to this jacket it would be an inside chest pocket for an I Pod. This was my first go with eVent and it is definitely as advertised highly waterproof and breaths way better than GoreTex. I got caught in some rain with this jacket and the water just beads up and roles right off. It is a bit of a slim fit. I usually wear a large and went with the XL for added room. I was glad I did.

This thing is sweet the material provides excellent insulation so your bears don't get cold. It also holds a standard 12 oz can perfectly, you could send a 20 footer with the thing full and not even lose one beer. One of the best purchases I have made in the last 10 years.

I use the Outdoor Research Neoplume Jacket for both a stand alone around town jacket as well as layering with an eVent shell. It works well and serves it's function. eVent tends to be chilly shell fabric due to it's breathability. When temperatures get cold this jacket comes in handy. This jacket is nice and warm. Fits pretty true to size recommended in the sizing chart.

The Sorel Hood River Boot is a really nice boot. It slips on an off easy and are pretty stylish for casual wear. The main reason that I got these was to wear to the Mountain and get into and out of my ski boots with as little work possible. They are great for this but I find myself wearing them all the time for casual wear.

The Dakine Cobra Glove provides good warmth, I thought with the leather palm that they would also provide good durability. That is not the case. The pluses on this glove are good warmth (around 5 degrees skiing today and they were warm)and they are dry. I purchased these gloves about a month ago and I'm already starting to show wear and tare on the fingers and on the seams. I'm hoping they hold together for now but am not counting on it. Thought I'd give Dakine a try as other products I have used from them have been good. I'll probably look to spend a bit more if these don't last the season and go with Hestra.

I use the Pacific Outdoor Equipment Mega Mat Sleeping Pad mainly for car camping. You can sleep comfortably in any position including on your side. It's also very durable and resists punctures well. Way to big and heavy for backpacking but for a weekend of car camping this is a great option.

The Oakley Hijinx Sunglasses felt a little weird at first as the arms rest towards the back of my head. Once I got used to this sensation these were great. I usually wear Smith and feel that Smith's lenses are more scratch resistant but I really like the Oakley Hijinx. They offer great coverage and I would say these will fit larger face sizes better.

This doesn't haven't all of the bells and whistles of a more expensive short but has a nice light Chamois Pad and a durable construction. Great short if you don't want to spend a ton.

These are solid shoes. The mid-sole is nice and stiff and provides excellent support and protects your feet well. My longest day on these was 15 miles so far and they worked great. They have excellent grip on rock and work quite well for dirt/sand trails. These shoes are well vented also. All in all a solid shoe. Will work well for approach and if you are just looking for a solid hiker these will be great. My foot is 11.5 and I have a wide forefoot. The 11.5 fit great right out of the box.

The CW-X Expert Tights are ok. They definitely work with their function and they do support muscles well. I don't know how much joint support they provide but they definitely provide support to your quads in particular. The main complaint that I have with these is the way they are stitched. The seams on the inside are quite overdone and poorly placed. I found chafing after only a 5 mile run. I really can't imagine what they would be like for a longer run. I do wear them under my bike shorts for late season mountain biking and they work well for this need. I debated between these and the insulator and I am glad that I went with these. I tend to be warm any way particularly during aerobic workouts and these work well for temps down to the mid 20s. The Insulated might be a bit much for all but the coldest temps.

I have had these for a couple weeks now. If you want to charge and ski powder hard and fast this is the ski to do it with. The 193 is sick!

The Nixon Snakeskin Full Zip Hoody is a really nice piece. I am 6' tall and went with the X large. It's a little baggy but that's how I like it. Very soft on the inside and good looking on the outside.

The Burton Wheelie Flight Deck fits easily into any overhead bin. I have been able to fit 5 days worth of stuff in this no problem. Very roomy and a solid piece of luggage

I use this pack mainly for mountain biking. I really like the way your back has constant airflow. Also, the pack straps are mesh which also allows plenty of air flow. The bite valve on the pack is reliable and never leaks. I'm really pleased with this pack.

Like most of the other Volcom Clothing Items I have purchased, the Stony Shirt is a really nice shirt that fits well. I'm 6' with a thicker frame and run about 200 lbs. The XL fits me great. This is a quality addition to my summer wardrobe.

The Oakley Strategy is a really nice looking shirt. Love the buttons on this shirt. It's got a western style and the slim fit is really not too slim a fit. Very comfortable and I have received several comments on this shirt.

The Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3 Tent is awesome. Very light weight and a great size for a 3 person tent. Super easy and quick to set up and take down. If there is only two of you you will be amazed how much space you have. The only other thing I would like to see on this tent would be some internal mesh pockets and a gear attic. That's my only complaint and I would recommend this tent without reservation.

The Hammerhead Sled is a blast. You can steer them quite well.

This glove is the warmest dryest most durable glove I have owned. The Hestra XCR Short Ski Glove is top of the line.

The Black Diamond Megawatt rules. Anything soft is money. It makes inches feel like feet. It's all been said below. If you asked me two years ago if I would have ever envisioned myself skiing a Black Diamond ski, I would have said no way. However, Black Diamond got it right here. Mount these with Alpine Bindings (that's what I have), tele, or AT and you will be happy. These skis also perform well in variable and hard pack conditions.

This Dakine Blade is a solid medium size pack. It's plenty roomy for everything you will need to be out for a day in the backcountry. Well constructed and good durability.

This kit is pretty basic but is pretty much worth the price alone for the iron. It's got all the necessities. Unless your racing this kit is more than up to the task of keeping your skis and boards tuned up and running well.

I have used the Dynastar PX 14 bindings for years now and love them. I recommend using the Dynastar PX14 Racing binding over the standard PX14 as the heel piece has a metal composite heel piece that is more durable than the standard with the plastic heel piece.

The Moment Comi-kazi absolutely loves soft snow. It's best in untouched powder. The thing that impressed me is how well they skied crud despite the Soft to Medium flex. Once I allowed myself to just go with the flow in the crud these skis handled it. One word of caution is they hook up a little weird on hard snow and groomed terrain. But, my guess is if you are looking at this ski you are thinking about deep soft snow.

The Voile Tractor Skin for the Split decision makes it simple to fit to your split board. These were much easier to do than the Black Diamond ones that I was using. Good quality and work well.

The North Face Copper Canyon Shoe is a nice stable trail runner. I have had problems with over pronation in the past and these seem to work well for me. As with other North Face shoes I have purchased these tend to a fit a little wider foot and fit pretty true to size. If anything go a half size small.

The Echowell Echo R3 Cadence is a solid bike computer. Having Cadence readings is better than just speed to really keep you on track. It works better to keep you in the zone on inclines.

It's been said here in other reviews but the Outdoor Research Helium Dry Sacks are great when you just need to keep softgoods and clothing dry. I have used this for a couple daily trips on the Main Salmon and it worked great to carry some warm layers for after the trip. It also works great for backpacking to keep clothes or a sleeping bag dry. This is definitely not the dry bag you want for a two week trip down the Grand Canyon where you need to keep all of your gear dry but for a short trip to keep clothing dry it's a solid bag.

The backcountry.com Goat organic cotton hooded sweatshirt is super comfortable. It's great for after a cold surf session, bike ride or after skiing. I would strongly recommend this product to anyone.

These are pretty solid pants. The GoreTex Pro Shell is good but I have since moved on to eVent fabric which provides better breathability with the same waterproofing as GoreTex. But a reliable pant for sure.

Basically, I bought this to replace the XT Derailleur that I bashed on a rock last season. A great part. I have been using the XT Derailleur for a few years now and have never been let down.

I get compliments on these pants all the time. They are super comfortable, easy to care for and look nice. Good khaki. They fit about a half inch large in the waist so if you border between two sizes you can pretty much go with the smaller size.

I have used these gloves for two months now. They have stood up to the coldest temperatures always keeping my hands warm. Also, my hands never get wet. I use them skiing at Snowbird 5 days a week and they are bomber

The Smith Variant and Smith Variant Brim Helmets are high quality. They work excellent with their goggles to provide superior venting for both your head and your goggles. There were some durability issues to start but those have been fixed. You won't find a better helmet in my opinion. This is a particularly nice if you find yourself hiking quite a bit at the resort.

The Shimano America XT Shadow Rear Derailleur is a solid derailleur just like all of Shimanos XT components. If like me you ride for enjoyment XT is plenty if you are into racing go for the XTR. Well worth the money I paid for this.