Reviews by User: Erik Gulbranson (11)

Lightweight and surprisingly durable, the Marmot DriClime vest was a nice investment for my mountain gear. It blocks the wind and has a light layer of poly insulation on the interior (around the kidneys and up the chest). It is minimalistic in the sense that it bunches up into next to nothing, and when I tossed a bunch of jagged rock samples in my pack it came away with nary a scratch. The countless coffee stains cleaned up very nicely in the washing machine. It's not the end all be all of backcountry gear, but it is a sweet little investment to keep your body temperature up when the wind comes crashing down. It doesn't look too bad either with the token chest pocket.

This watch will put out for you, though the barometer needs a bit of attention to keep it honest. Right now as I'm wearing it there's a few splotches of salt on the inside of the watch face. It's water resistance apparently went to hell on me 2 years in. However, after drying the sucker out for a couple hours it works like new with some salt splotches courtesy of the wiring inside. The compass works fairly well, though it gets confused sometimes (indicating a calibration is due). Temperature gauge will only be accurate when you take the watch off and place it on something that doesn't have a radically different heat capacity than the medium you're in (i.e. hold it in the atmosphere for a spell). Weather forecasting feature is nice, and sometimes comical when inaccurate, for example it's raining today, hmmm that's funny because there's no ceiling. But I imagine these complaints are true for most watch-borne weather stations, you just have to keep calibrating the suckers. All in all it's a burly piece that has taken the abuse I've put it through. Finally this watch, like most altimeters, will leave you with many hilarious comments, like "wow I can hardly read the time on that thing!"...priceless.

This jacket is a beast! I've worn it several times in the field, and not only did it keep me dry and toasty but it resisted getting shredded or otherwise disfigured on the rocks. Until I head to Antarctica or work above 10,000 ft, this will probably be my only technical outer layer as it has worked so well. It has an athletic cut to it, which I have put to use layering my precip jacket over this for some serious rain protection. I also use this as my outer layer on cold wintry bike rides. And hell, this spring I just toss it on and head for some libations, the jacket gets some compliments along the way. Lastly, it puts out for the weather conditions I've worn it in, without having all the "technical" flair of other pieces (the so-called "tron" look), it's a wind-blocker, rain-shedder, core and limb warmer, a lover and a fighter. The only thing missing is a hood for me noggin'.

They look aggressive. However, after breaking them in I still received sharp pain in my upper left ankle, same with the other ankle. Inserts and experiments with lacing did not solve the problem. Laces were devoured by the rough metal lacing eyelets. The leather rand punctured quite easily. Last but not least the sole must have been made out of lithophobic materials, since I swear the rubber was trying to escape the soles as I hiked around on rock outcroppings and trails (much more so than with other boots). I guess looks aren't everything.

So far these pants work incredibly well, in very windy conditions and temps approaching 40 F, my legs felt invincible. Couple this with a windproof jacket and you'd laugh in the face of gale force winds, if they weren't taking your breath away. Upside: I was skeptical about the durability, but a trip out in Owens Valley with these pants indicated they are quite durable. The abrasion resistant panels cover a large amount of the pant, with a generous supply on the rear-end and skid/crampon/walking stick resistant panels and the inside lower leg. These are very (with a V) water resistant, the 3-layer nylon fabric ensures this along with the seam taping. I also imagine the 3-layer fabric provides greater abrasion resistance while retaining some water resistance on parts that aren't covered by the abrasion resistant panels. The wind resistance and water resistance make up for the lack of insulating material if you are going for aerobic activity in anything but the most severe alpine conditions. I'd probably go for an insulated gore-tex pant for demanding alpine pursuits, but this fits the bill for everything else in my opinion. The full length zips are great for taking on/off with boots on, and for dumping heat. I haven't used the zip-in gaiters yet, but it's nice that that option is there. Down-side: The fit is pretty tight in the thigh, I normally wear 30-30 or 31-30 pantaloons and so the small size fits this perfectly. This is a problem for layering, since if I wore a medium size in this pant I would drag the bottoms and wear them out while providing more room for layering. So, while the lack of insulation may predicate layering in very cold conditions, it ultimately means you need to choose that layer wisely (or go with another pant). Irregardless, with a single layer underneath this is still a very reactive pant, not restrictive, and the articulated knees are a bonus. The tight fit makes the belt superfluous, and the belt itself is nothing to scream about. OR should ditch it and emphasize buying suspenders to take advantage of the suspender loops on the pants. End Note: No regrets on this purchase (which was on sale).

Like others here, I am wearing this as I type. I find this hoody to be super warm and cozy due to the fleece interior and wool-poly blend exterior. It's a heavy weight item, but it fits under my marmot sharpoint jacket and is not restrictive. The hood is nice, there is an elastic drawcord to sinch the hoody. It feels like an athletic cut in the body, which I like. And the thumbholes are nice for layering and for that extra warm feeling. This jacket has a nice look to it, it doesn't drape over me, and I can throw it in my pack to toss on after my morning bicycle commute. One drawback I've found is that the sleeve length on my jacket is a bit short, not noticeable unless I use the thumbholes and extend my arm. When I don't use the thumbloops it fits just fine. I intend to use it primarily for around the town activities and maybe, just maybe, as a back-up heavy layer for light backpacking.

These shoes, and they are shoes mind you, are great. Compared to my boots the sole is thin, but I bought hiking shoes, not mountaineering boots. So far, the feel is great my feet are comfy and the arch support is quite nice. The mesh exterior is great and I can actually feel the shoes venting. This might be a downside when things turn soggy. The construction seems top-notch the feel and look like a well put together piece of footwear. The lacing system is unique due to a plastic arm that extends to laces with 2 holes of different diameter, the top hole grabs the lace, while the bottom hole allows tightening or loosening. I was concerned at first, whether this plastic thing would snap off, but so far so good. And there is a rubber rand covering much of the shoe (goodbye ugly weathered suede!).

Featherweight indeed! This has been a nice addition to my layering arrangement, though I should have ordered a size larger. It does stretch, and while this naturally hangs above my waist line (I usually wear Small sizes) it will tuck nicely and stay put. It's wool so it makes for an excellent base (and I mean base) layer in moderate weather with high output exercise/work, though the collar is quite high and the label sits right in front, so people will often think you have some problems dressing yourself. In summary this will naturally feel much smaller than it actually is if it just hangs off your body, if you order your normal size, but it stretches like a champ, such that it's not uncomfortably riding up your back.

First I must confess I have the 1/4 zip version of this, but really the weight and performance of the wool should be the same. This weight is pretty much ideal for most activities. I wear it bicycling to and from work in the cool mornings and evenings and it breathes so well. I've worn it in the field and it's held up to the rigors of field work and keeps me mighty comfortable. This is also an excellent layering piece between a lighter weight wool base layer and a heavy weight polypro or wool top and/or jacket. Honestly you can't beat merino wool for comfort and it's ability to be worn in a diverse range of climates (some say I'm insane for wearing it in the desert, but it keeps me far cooler than a cotton-T, and blocks the sun).

I bought this for my bicycle commutes and field work. So far, so excellent. Fits well as a true base layer, warm but breathable. I find it to be an athletic fit, and the raglan sleeves are a big plus. The only negative comment I have is the sleeves can get a bit pilly, but then I did wear this thing for about a week and a half (you may say yuck, but it didn't hold much of a stink). I wore this out in the Mojave in the spring, and it worked fantastic with a mid-weight and a wind-blocking vest, totally comfortable. Also it's long enough to tuck in, so your backside won't get chilly by that sneaky devil we call wind.

I bought this for my bicycle commutes and field work. So far, so excellent. Fits well as a true base layer, warm but breathable. I find it to be an athletic fit, and the raglan sleeves are a big plus. The only negative comment I have is the sleeves can get a bit pilly, but then I did wear this thing for about a week and a half (you may say yuck, but it didn't hold much of a stink). I wore this out in the Mojave in the spring, and it worked fantastic with a mid-weight and a wind-blocking vest, totally comfortable. Also it's long enough to tuck in, so your backside won't get chilly by that sneaky devil we call wind.