Reviews by User: Jared Smith (10)

Bought these babies and mounted Look PX 12 JIBs on em. I think I might have created a monster... These bad boys can take more than I can throw at them. You know a ski is good when even riding groomers brings a smile. Best skis I've ridden hands down. No question.

Strong binding and looks cool too. I mounted them on my Head Monster 82s and there couldn't be a better match.

I picked up the knife for primarily camping/outdoor and around the house purposes. From the onset I was impressed. My initial test of the knife came during our move from Las Vegas to Denver. I used the the knife to cut 1/4 inch cord, twine and other materials. At first I was surprised at how easily the blade passed through the cord. It was like the flick of a wrist. Also, I felt like I had a handle of substance in my hand, nothing flimsy or fragile. I've yet to get the knife outdoors but my expectations are high.

I went down to the local REI and took a look at this rain coat. It is paper thin and really not intended for insulation. I was really pleased with the fabric as I'll usually be wearing a base layer and wouldn't want too much additional bulk on while I'm hiking in spring/summer months. I'm 6' 6" and have a tough time with length but have no problems with this jacket. I would recommend the jacket as a light rain coat but not as an insulating layer.

I asked for a camelback ski backpack for Christmas and boy did I make out like a bandit. The backcountry Access Stash Pack has a narrow profile with enough depth to hold my headphones, extra gloves, a PB&J, and my spare goggles, along with more water in the bladder than I can drink. That's all great, but the beautiful part about this bag is how the skis strap to the back. I was worried about the swing and potential for knocking someone out in a crowd. The pack is designed very well keeping the skis stationary with the tips just over the left shoulder and outside of the right calf. I can walk naturally, well as naturally as possible with ski boots. Highly recommended.

I bought this jacket (I'd characterize is more like a sweatshirt) as a base layer for skiing. It's relatively form fitting so I don't have the excess bulk but the biggest perk is the length. I'm 6' 6", 220 lbs with a moderate build. It covers the tops of my jean pockets and for someone tall, that's worth celebrating over. The best part was that I got it for 40 bucks on tramdock.com, backcountry.com's blow-out site. Oh, and dog hair doesn't cling to it. Highly recommended.

I have been keeping my eyes pealed for a great coat for a while now. I've come close to picking up a few but always found a reason to talk myself out of it. When it came to the Rubicon there was no turning back. It fits me (6' 6", 220 lbs) like a dream. It holds heat and keeps the snow out with the integrated snow skirt. I couldn't recommend a coat more.

I picked up these socks because it's hard to beat the price when on Tramdock.com. Six bucks for ski socks is an awesome deal. I picked up three pairs and used them for a season. two of the six socks are coming apart at the heal and toe so I went from three pairs to two, but my feel were warm for the entire CO ski season so no biggie. They are just socks after all.

I never thought I'd use the word "Plush" to describe ski gear... but these gloves are the exception. There are like couches for your hands. I picked them up before the 08-09 ski season and have been up with them 10+ times. I'm a 6' 6" guy with the poor circulation that comes along with it. My hands get cold easy but with these gloves I find myself taking them off on lifts because my hands get too toasty (not a drawback in my opinion). The one issue I've had is that they don't fit easily under my jacket. The gloves have this awkward pull-tab thing at the bottom that makes it hard when you have gloves on. Other than that... these gloves are amazing.

For the longest time I thought goggles were goggles. These changed my mind. No problem with fog, lenses are top quality and the fit to the face is right for me. I am a huge fan.