Reviews by User: Jersey Hiker (8)

Very nice design from Oakley. Lenses are really nice quality, frames in bronze look slick. My previous pair of titanium A-wires were noticably lighter and had spring hinges (which I kind of miss), but for the price, the whisker is very nice. Oh, and I have a pretty big head - these fit a little snug, but they fit my face perfectly.

...and for the price, they should be! These are very nicely constructed (could do without the laminated pocket - not sure what their obsession is with these things, but, whatever). Extremely comfortable, seem to be very odor-resistant, moderate warmth. Intended to be form fitting, so don't size up.

I already have the whisker in brown/bronze polarized (love them - but light transmission is a little high for snow/sand). The titanium frame (incorrectly listed here as C5, which is the heavier alloy material) is super lightweight, noticably lighter than my other pair of whiskers. My first pair was returned because the frames were bent a bit out of alignment (could cause the lenses to pop out). The exchanged pair are perfect, no problem with lenses popping out (just don't sit on them!!). Besides, if you have any problems with the frame, my experience with Oakley (and Backcountry for that matter) is that the customer service is very pleasant to deal with, and there is a warantee to cover these sorts of problems (they've repaired/replaced stuff for me for free, even though the damage was clearly my fault). The titanium iridium lenses are just about perfect for me, still a little bright in sand and snow (significantly better than bronze polarized though), but I don't like lenses that are too dark. These have a pretty stong mirror finish to them, and a tint which improves contrast. Optical clarity is just as good as any Oakley I've owned (6 pairs and counting), no worries there. I suspect that the black iridium lenses might be *perceived* as being less clear because they lack any contrast enhancing tint (but nice because they give better color accuracy), and my experience again is that Oakley more commonly offers lenses with contrast enhancement rather than without. Anyway, great sunglasses as usual - highly recommended.

I have the Venta AR in black and you would have no idea how technical the design was unless you really looked closely. Super lightweight and thin, kind of plain looking (in black at least) but that's what I wanted (still retains at least some of that classic Arcteryx fit). The microfleece is only around your upper chest and down the back, elsewhere the material is even thinner to let out heat. No pit zips, but core venting is possible by leaving the pockets open. Oh, and a nice suprise - all of the interior seams are taped, which makes it a bit more comfortable than other jackets I've had if you're wearing a very thin shirt underneath (or nothing at all ;). Haven't had it very long, but so far it's perfect around town for temps down to 40F with a t-shirt or thin sweater underneath. Layering (or aerobic activity) should extend the comfort range lower, but my chub (combined with the athletic fit) seems like it might prevent me from layering up too much. If you're a thick guy, you might want to size up on this. If you're looking for something warmer (also more technical looking and maybe a bit more breathable) check out the Gamma SV.

I have the Gamma SV hoody in black and I love the looks - not overly technical, but you can tell this is a serious jacket. Haven't had much time to use it yet, but I can give my initial impression: Insulation is cleverly distributed and seems to be optimized for moderately aerobic activity in relatively cold (maybe 35F and below) weather. The first thing I noticed is how warm it is around the neck - seriously toasty! The material is very thin under the arms to release heat better (no pit zips, but some venting looks to be possible if you leave the pockets open). Powershield seems a bit more breathable than windstopper when I try to blow through the jacket (I compared with the new Venta AR which, btw, is awesome as well but has minimal insulation). Love the hood - can be cinched down to fit a bare head nicely, and in usual Arcteryx fashion ITS SEPARATE FROM THE COLLAR, which makes for a much nicer look IMO. Highly recommended... so far

I have the hoodless Inertia Peak Jacket from Cloudveil and have to say, I love this material. It's got some thickness to it which gives it more warmth than a standard windbreaker. Soft feel and MUCH quieter than other nylon-faced softshells I've tried (like Windstopper and PowerShield). A good bit less wind resistant than these materials, but as a result, it's significantly more breathable. This is a very effective combination of breathability and wind resistance, perfect for spring/fall in the northeast (IMO, not very good by itself once it gets colder - but if you layer up it can do the job - especially if there's not much wind). This fabric seems to be much more technically advanced than other wind resistant fabrics - 1. It uses no spandex, which is prone to absorbing water, instead it uses spiral yarns for stretch (ingenious!), 2. It combines a nylon face for abrasion resistance with a polyester lining for soft, effective wicking, 3. The lining also incorporates a little carbon to eliminate static (and it works!) - every jacket should have this, especially winter gear. The fit is baggy, I recommend sizing down if you can. Not a big fan of the collar either, it doesn't seem to hold its shape well (but with a hood, that might not matter).

Nice pant, if a little on the baggy side. Very comfortable, even in summer heat, and durability looks to be very good.

This is a great little tent. Not much headroom and a little cramped for 2 people, but the ample vestibule space is a welcome bonus. It’s very nicely designed from some amazing materials.