Reviews by User: Howard Worton (38)

It was 2001 that I first discovered the fantastic qualities of Icebreaker Merino wool products. I must admit that I was a little unsure of a natural fibre being as useful on the mountain as a high-tech modern one. The price was also something of a shock. However, I ploughed ahead and now in 2009 I must have around a dozen items of Merino clothing, both from Icebreaker and Smartwool. These bottoms are handy for skiing. They are not too long - getting tangled up in your boots is not an option with these. They also make getting your kit on and off much easier - especially if you are having to wear damp or wet stuff the next day. I have never found that they stink - amazing. Merino wool gear is pretty much the only base/mid layers I wear on the mountain. Highly recommended.

This is one of the heavier Merino layers that Icebreaker do. I would say that while it is of very high quality, I find that I hardly ever use it as it is too damn warm ! The thinner options are more useful in my opinion. No, it does not itch, Yes, it will last as the quality is high and no, you will not stink after a hard day sweating. Merino is the way to go but consider your needs carefully before buying a piece this heavy.

These were my absolute best item of gear until this winter. They were the only solution to my lifelong fogging problem, and they worked brilliantly. They are very simple and the tech is quite simple but they just work. Or they did. I have always been very careful with them but this winter the area between the two lenses has been compromised and moisture has got in. The worst thing was that it happened on a fantastic day in the mountains - big storm at Park City, 20+ inches of fresh stuff. Throughout the day they got more and more fogged until I could see hardly nothing at all. I was very disappointed with them.I believe Smith have a lifetime warranty on their goggles so I am going to contact them and see what happens. Update: After months of email communication with the UK importers of Smith Goggles I finally got a decision: Sorry, you are not covered by the Lifetime Warranty as you bought the goggles in another country. Not happy but not surprised either. My fogging issues reappeared recently during a huge powder day at Squaw. The Turbo-Fans would've been perfect...sadly I will not be buying another pair. Thanks for nothing, Smith :(

I have the 07/08 MSPs in 181 and have just got back from destroying them in Utah for a couple of weeks. With a waist of 92mm they are never going to be great in deep powder but I have to say they are fantastic in just about every other condition. They inspire confidence with their grip on the hardpack, deal with sheet-ice faultlessly, surf through ankle deep fluff. OK, in the deep of Powder Mountain they were not quite upto it - or was that me ? There is no such thing as a one-ski quiver but these do a pretty good impression of one.

This is a fun, lo-tech coat from Spyder. The reversible nature of it is perfect for those days when you are purely out for fun, or others when you feel a little more low key(with the pink fur poking out from under your collar there is little chance of that, in fairness). I don't think I would ski in this coat - I have only purchased it recently - but as a coat for wandering on super-cold days(it is VERY warm), it is great. At the sale price it is even more tempting. Be warned though: You must not be the sort of guy who is afraid to wear pink in public.

So there we were, Solitude, Utah and a big storm hammering the mountain. My wife, however was low on confidence on her 154cm Rossi Attraxion VI Skis. She took a fall in low light and we sat in the lodge feeling down. I managed to convince her to try some longer, fatter skis and these are what she ended up with. The change was amazing - these were the first fats she had ever skied and she wondered whether she could handle them - I think they were 167s and had been skiing short carvers for the past couple of years. By the time the lifts stopped running we'd had a terrific day and these skis were largely responsible. They are heavy - I carried them to the car ! - but this helped her(she usually hates heavy skis) and power through just about everything - it was mostly 12" of powder/chowder. When she hit the groomers they seemed to hold an edge perfectly well also. If she could've found them at a better price then I reckon she'd have bought them....

My wife demoed these at Park City last month from Bazookas. I think it was the 170. She spent about half a day on them the day after a big storm and was not impressed. She found that she was getting thrown around on them and that they actually didn't cut through the chowder as well as she'd hoped. She went back, swapped them for 4Frnt Madonnas and they were much more to her liking.

I am a huge fan of Merino baselayers - it's the only gear I wear underneath on the mountain. There is no itching, no stink and they are worth every penny. Personally I prefer Icebreaker gear - the thumb holes are so useful and if Smartwool would adopt them I would prefer them.... This is a fantastic buy, once you go Merino, you'll never go back to man-made.

In the UK we are shielded from many of the worlds top products but I make it my business to hunt down the top gear. I had never heard of Kaenon but was on a mission to snag some when I'd read all the recommendations. My wife uses these for Golf mainly - they are a little narrow for my wide face, not sure if they do wider frames - and they are hands down the finest quality optics she has had. Clear as a bell in fact. The build quality is excellent, if only they were a little less expensive then maybe I could afford some for myself :(

I am not a big wearer of watches but my wife bought me one of these for my birthday from Porters in Tahoe City. The girl from Porters - the cool one with the web tattoo on her elbow, convinced me that this was the one for me. Well, I love it. It has not been off my wrist since. Well made, heavy enough, has the right look - not too big or too ostentatious. It keeps the time well too....

I have had my Cloudveil a year - I saw one in Sports LTD @ South Lake Tahoe and loved it but I was short of cash. When I got home to the UK I searched on ebay and there was one in my size at a bargain price. Now, this is not the most technical jacket you will ever own(Lack of wrist gaitors gets my goat) but it looks great on and has enough useful features to make it a worthwhile purchase. It is quite a close fit so I would recommend ordering a size up. I cannot think of anything negative to say about it, so lets leave it there.

These are my most comfortable item of biking kit. The build quality is top-notch, as you'd expect from Descente, the detailing good and they look good too. I have other bib-shorts but these are always my first choice. Outstanding !

I found a pair of these on sale last spring from Porters of Tahoe. To me they are almost the perfect spring glove but there are a couple of little things that stop them short of that. The build quality is very good - the stitching good and the leather soft(maybe too soft, feels a little fragile but no problems in a year of use). The detailing is also good - I appreciate the metal loops, allowing me to attach retainers. The wrist strap is maybe a little too bulky - making getting it under the cuff of a jacket difficult. It is also too tight to easily get over a jacket cuff.... All this means although these are a well made and high quality glove, the user friendliness is lacking. Recommended with reservations.

I had the predecessors to these 3 seasons ago and they looked great on. The only trouble was that the mirror coating I had worked off very quickly with just normal polishing whilst almost new. I contacted Bolle but they insisted I must've been at fault. Not impressed and a real shame.

I had not skied for almost twenty years when I bought these - I had been a boarder for 5 years but my body could not take the abuse any longer. I decided that at the age of 33 that I should leave boarding to the kids young enough to be able to do it well. Skiing is easier and so I found myself taking my friends advice and go for some short carving skis to get back into it. Well, they certainly did the trick. I took to them like a duck to water - in a few days I was carving and feeling very confident. They hold an edge so easily that that flattered my(lack of) skills. I found that I just wanted to go everywhere very fast - maybe that is just me - and these Skis made doing that so easy. I did 90% of my time on them on hardpack groomers. It would take a far better skier than me to ski them in softer conditions and actually enjoy it. I have to say that I find it much easier these days to ski much fatter skis and make them work on the groomers whether they like it or not. And, of course, in softer conditions they excel. I would not go back to carvers but for those who do not venture off the groomers these are fantastic.

I love Orage stuff - it's combination of style and tech are just what I love in modern Ski gear. Add to that the fact that they prices are usually reasonable and the quality of build very good, I can only recommend. These pants are not the very best I have ever had - I sold them on ebay after a season because I just don't have space for excess gear - but they are certainly very good. They have all the usual features in a 'jeans' style. Lots of zip pockets, gaitors, zip vents. The cut is generous too. Overall, very good indeed. Did I say 'very good' enough ?

Not literally but close. My wife was unlucky enough to have her wisdom teeth play-up on our trip from the UK to South Lake Tahoe. She got the tooth sorted - thanks Dr. Genasci - but her jaw was really sore and painful. The icy blast of winter air on her jaw threatened to ruin our trip. Luckily we spotted one of these gaitors at Alpine Meadows. She loved it and has worn it almost everyday skiing since. It is super-comfortable and just warm enough. For us, this item is now indispensable.

I had read many reviews about how good Crowbars are. 'Yeah, right' I thought 'Heard it all before. They will fog up just like all the others. You see, I have a terrible problem with goggle fogging. My solution was to get some Smith Turbo Fan goggles, and they worked fine. Anyhow, I bought some Seth Crowbars at Squaw last season and they have been just fantastic. I got the Black Iridium lenses and they work so well in both bright light and low light - for me anyway. No fogging up at all, quite hard wearing too. The biggest thing I have noticed is that they are much more comfortable that the Smiths. I can actually breathe with them on ! There are some super bargains on here for some of the less popular colours of Crowbar, so they can be scored for as low as $67. This is crazy. Buy some now, they are the best I have tried.

After some thought, I am reviewing this item a little more thoroughly. I still believe that it is not much more than a casual apres type coat - I cannot imagine skiing in it, unless I really didn't have anything else to hand. It really is just a very simple piece - I guess if you dig plain, simple clothing then this could be of interest to you. I do have a slight issue with Marmot and their choice of main zips - as described in my Troll Wall review elsewhere. There is nothing really wrong with this jacket but I cannot for the life of me think of anything special to say about it. It is Mr.Average Joe of Softshells....

I have had the prescription version of these for around 2 years now and they make a huge difference to me. I only need one pair of glasses these days, I use them for everything. They are so comfortable on my very wide face that I often forget I have them on at all. The build quality is Oakley, so you know that they are all but bombproof. The lenses are very easy to switch out. The transitions part of them is good but they could go darker to be absolutely perfect. You would be horrified to know how much in Sterling I paid for them(Around $500) but they have been a bargain and I will certainly have another pair when the time comes. Absolutely recommended.

For the men the Crowbar, for the women the Stockholm. This is one of the best goggles on the market for female snowriders. The fit, the build quality, the(above average) lens change system, the price(when they are on sale !). All these things are in the Stockholms favour. My wife has had hers for 2 seasons and they are a permanent fixture in her kit locker. The only problem is Oakley will have the devils own job to significantly improve upon them. Highly recommended.

I bought my first Dakine pack back in 2000(I think) and the product was pretty unique then. These days there are lots of options for snow-dedicated packs, so Dakine have to step it up....and largely they do. I have had my Heli Pro for 4 years and the design these days it a little different. I have to say, from what I have seen, the new pack is better than mine. They can be a little over complicated to use - the amount of straps drives me crazy, most folk will only ever use them in-bounds anyway. Worse than the amount of straps is the fact that most of them are not easily tucked away, making them easily caught on almost anything(read:chairlifts). The Heli Pro I have has several waterproof areas, a space for a camelback hydration bladder, the ability to carry skis/board. It is all very well made and seems to be lasting very well - mine certainly looks as good as new. I would say that the Heli Pro is a bargain but just watch out for those straps !

They are a design classic and they perform a important purpose. Why wouldn't you own one ?

I have a version of the Floyd from a couple of seasons ago and con confirm that Orage make probably the best gear out there for the crossover between fashion and tech. The build quality i always pretty good - I have never had a Orage product that has failed on me but also I've not had one that is 100% waterproof either. Bottom line: At this price this jacket is a real bargain.

I have these things fitted to both my 08 Seths and 08 MSPs. I have to ay I have had no problems at all so far with them. They seem well made - yes, they are light and not all that beefy looking but I can only speak as I find. Not bad at all. I ski the whole mountain quite hard by the way.

The thing is I have quite wide feet and everyone tells me how uncomfortable these boots should be for me....they fit like a glove though and I love them. I had them fitted at Sports LTD in South Lake Tahoe by the English guy with the round glasses and he did a fantastic job. Tried the whole store on, these just work for me. I have done about 80+ ski days with them in a variety of conditions and they are holding up well - I dread the day they will need replacing. I kind of feel that ski boot reviews are pointless - what works for me may well be agony for you and vice-versa. All I can say is: I love them and they transformed my skiing from nervous intermediate to all mountain charger. Thankyou Nordica and Sports LTD.

My wife bought one of these in South Lake Tahoe back in 2006 and has worn it for 90% of her ski days since. Ease of movement, even when layered up, adjustable hood - helmet compatible, the most world-proof coat ever, reasonably hard wearing, user friendly, quality zips, taped seams..... These are my wifes words while she is watching trashy TV. Take it from me, this jacket, if you can find one is a steal.

I have had 3 pairs of these over the last 3 or 4 years and they just rule. I originally found a pair for $30 in a UK branch of TJ Maxx - my Nike sandals had lived a long life but were done and these seemed like a cheap quick-fix. Well, how lucky was I. They have done everything - hiking on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, rock-scrambling in Death Valley, river crosses in Southern England and general tourism around the globe. They are a perfect fit and the adjustable toggle is a great addition - for general walking it is best off, serious walking needs it tightened. They are super-hard wearing, quite easy to clean and all-round the best technical sandals I have ever owned. Buy them !

I can say this jacket is just about adequate. The price is good though so go for it.

My wife and I both have a Slopestyle. They are so versatile - can be layered on COLD mornings, worn on top in spring and then in the bar afterwards. The build quality is good - Patagonia gear is(mostly) very high quality. There are good details - inside zip pocket for those absolutely-must-not-lose items, wrist gaitors(useful but fit-wise, a little tight under gloves, cutting into your hand). This is a very useful piece of kit, more manna for Patagonia addicts.

I have lived in these gloves for the past three seasons. I bought them after hearing how Hestra made the best gloves for skiing in the world. The worst thing about them is that they discolored very early on - they soak up the wet quite badly. This does not affect the performance though. Just re-wax them and they are as good as new. The build quality is very good and they are extremely user friendly - I love the retainers to attach them to your wrist, why don't all gloves have them ? Very easy to get over your jacket too. The bottom line is: Look after them and these will last you for many years, just be aware they are not perfect.

I have a pair of these as a spring glove and used them a lot over the past couple of years. The build quality is pretty good - they are waterproof but you need to keep waxing them when they get soaked. The fit on a size nine( I am a 8 with other Hestras) is just right. You can just about get away with keeping them on to do stuff like undo zips and reading your trail map, not really able to use camera or phone though. These things are not cheap but they are worth it, just.

I am 182cm(5' 11") and am 205 lbs. My regular skis are : K2 Seth 07/08 179, 4Frnt MSP 07/08 181. I demoed the S7 at Park City the day after last weeks' big storm and was blown away. I had never tried a true rockered ski - the Seth does not count - and was slightly nervous of their performance. I needn't have been. They are super easy to get on with - as long as you don't take liberties on the hardpack. As everyone has said, they crush everything even remotely soft. I won't repeat everyone elses comments but it is true, they rock. I skied the 188 and it felt no longer than my MSPs, if in doubt go longer. These skis are almost impossible to find in the 2009 guise but as a forewarning for 2010 - which I believe are very similar but with a slightly narrower waist - buy 'em now before they sell out.

Yes, this IS the best quality softshell I have either owned or considered owning. At the sale price of $140, this is just too good to pass up. The fit is 'athletic' as earlier mentioned but, as a guy who is well built, this does not bother me. The style is understated, the build quality excellent, and the price superb. The attention to detail is also great - I am glad the jacket does not have too many jazzy features, just a few handy pockets and great zips, made of the best material. Buy one.

The only negative thing I can think of to say about the G10 is that it does not have a chinbar and after some of my crashes I think I probably need one :-) The adjustability is excellent, the build very good and it fits my square head shape very well. At the bargain price on here, it is too good to miss.

Very slight disappointment for me with this jacket. I scored one for $125 at Jens in Park City a few weeks back after coveting one for a while. The downside is: The jacket fits me nicely all over but it struggles to zip up to the very top. What gives ? Everywhere else it is a great fit and a great jacket but this seems a pretty strange thing....yes, I should've realized this before I bought it. I won't bore you with the usual other stuff. Suffice to say that is satisfies all other Patagonia requirements(well made, 'mature' design, not over designed, user friendly, great zips). I do wish they would come equipped with wrist gaitors though, they make a huge difference. Bottom line: Make sure you try it on properly before you buy. Duh !

... Bought this jacket on holiday in Park City - loved it but...the main zip is terrible. It jammed several times on the first day of use. I took it back and the replacement did the same thing. I eventually replaced it with a Patagonia. The jacket has had great reviews and it is fantastic, it is just that the zip is SO bad that it brings the rest of the jacket down. I may have just been unlucky of course but I have other, less technical, Marmot products and the zips tend to be the same across the whole brand. Not good. Beware.

The problem I have with this sort of jacket is: Why Ski/Ride in down unless you are SERIOUSLY cold - and I mean Canada cold. Surely the way to go is to layer up and then add/lose layers as required ? I managed to find this jacket at the Patagonia Outlet store just outside Reno - I didn't really need it but it was a stupid bargain, so it is mine. The jacket itself is typical Patagonia: High build quality, slightly strange colour choice, pretty good detailing. I wish they would include wrist gaitors though... Overall then: If you like HOT jackets, literally, then this is for you. You will sweat though.