Reviews by User: UTClimber (19)

Wear this shirt anytime, anywhere -- 30 degrees running, 60 degrees lounging. It looks great and feels great any way you use it.

I took the Absolute Zero jacket to Alaska for a recent trip on Denali. It is a great jacket to stay warm around camp while cooking. Most of the time, this jacket is too warm for wearing while moving. On days where I climbed in it, it has some nice features. There are two internal water bottle pockets, which kept my bottles from freezing (they would have froze in water bottle insulators). When it gets really cold, you can zip the jacket completely and use the cinch straps to protect most of your face. Excellent jacket, even in -20F temps.

This boat seems like a great deal for the money. It folds up to a fairly small size for easy transport. Inflating it my first time probably took me around 10 minutes with a hand pump, but it could be done faster. I didn't like the valve system much, but got used to it. It was difficult to remove the pump from the valve and replace it with the valve cap without losing a bunch of air. I floated this boat on a lake, which was fun although not what it was designed for. It required a lot of correction from the person in back to keep it tracking in a straight line. It was very easy to get back in after jumping out. At the end of the day, probably took less than 5 minutes to deflate and fold it.

I own three of these, the medium, large, and extra large. I bring one of them on most every car or plane trip I take. The medium works well for a weekend winter trip, and holds plenty of clothing, jackets, etc. I've used the large for several trips abroad where I need a durable bag that I can abuse. For the extra large, I've used it on trips to Denali and Aconcagua, and it has held up great while riding on mules or strapped to a sled. Even with plenty of sharp things inside (ice axe, crampons, poles) it shows minimal damage. Some times for airport travel I wish it had an easier way to carry it, but I girth hitch the side strap with a sling and pull it across the slippery airport floors. It has backpack straps, but I'm usually wearing a backpack too. I also like the construction. The top and sides are made of a durable water resistant material. This helps for leaving it outside in the snow or rain, when it can't fit in the tent. The bottom is a heavy duty cordura, which holds up well.

This fleece pullover is very warm and soft. It does not have a technical cut, but I like it better than my capilene. I also have the TKA 100 pants, which both make great base layers in very cold weather. I've warn them on several peaks in the winter, as well as on Denali.

This fleece underlayer is very soft and warm. They're not cut for performance fit - instead they are a bitter looser fitting, with no elastic around the ankle area. I used them as part of a layering system in very cold weather, down to -20F. And most impressive was that even after 16 days of continual use, they kept the smell at bay.

I took this on a 3 week trip to Denali, and was very pleased with it. It is versatile to use for a drink and a meal, or as an insulated cup. It weighs just a little more than a regular insulated cup would. The outside cup has measurement lines, but the inside cup doesn't.

I recently took this on a 16-day backpack, and was happy to shave every ounce I could. I was surprised by how much lighter it was then my MSR alpine pot, which is stainless steel. Probably half the weight or less. The lid has an insulated handle which makes it easy to use. Also, it's a tight squeeze, but an MSR XGK stove stores inside.

I've owned these shoes for about a month, and have been very pleased so far. They are excellent on class 3 scrambling through lower 5th class rock. The top of the shoe is a breathable mesh, which helps with comfort during summer. They do get wet easy in fairly shallow water, but they dry quickly with the mesh.

These are probably the most comfortable pair of sandals I have owned. Under the webbing straps, there is a layer of foam attached that is wider and distributes the pressure from the strap. The soles are also super grippy.

This pack is great for light and fast one day outings. I use it for trail running and climbing mountains. There is plenty of room for at least a gallon of water, a jacket or two, and food. The hydration pouch is a bit small, but a 2-liter bladder can be crammed into it. The hip belt pouches are handy for keys, sunscreen, and power snacks. The ice axe loops might be nice, but the pack is probably a bit too small for any outing requiring axes. The only improvements I would ask for is to lose the tow loop (seems useless), and have a more secure closure system for the back pouch, like a zipper. Overall, I'm very pleased with it, and it is holding up well even after squeezing through some chimneys.

I bought these booties for around camp use on a trip to Denali. In the end, I couldn't justify bringing them, since my pack already weighed far too much. They do make great use as ultra warm slippers for around the house, and even shoveling the driveway. I'm also planning on bringing them for any future winter camping trip where I stay close to the car.

The XTC is a good base layer for skiing and mountaineering. It works well in warmer weather when I have to strip to my base layer, because it has a mesh-like fabric that breathes really well. The light grey color especially works well for this, since it doesn't absorb the sun as much as the black. I wore this thing for 16 days straight earlier this year, and it repelled the stink well.

These sunglasses are very comfortable. They have soft flexible plastic for the points that come into contact with your face - the nose guard, the upper rim (below your eyebrows), and the ear pieces. This definitely makes them feel great. They are a pretty large pair of sunglasses, so I would recommend them for someone with a bigger head.

These pants have a basic design, and look really good. The fabric is very soft, so they were comfortable from the first day I wore them.

I bought two of these, the Joshua and Braden colors. Both look great, and are good for business casual in warmer summer months.

If there is a piece of gear that comes with me for everything, this would be it. Lexan is very durable, surviving a few accidental falls off of cliffs on my trips. It also is good for holding boiling water, where some other water bottles become misshapen and even leak.

This is a good choice for backpacking, very lightweight. For packing, I fold it in half before rolling, and it takes up very little room in the pack.

Great baskets when you are in the deep powder. Easy design to change baskets.