Reviews by User: ben wheeler (40)

I've had a pair of Hurricane II's for over a year now. Last summer they saw some pretty gnarly abuse. I took them through rock fields, slid down snow chutes, and hiked the Grand Canyon. They show some wear, but have held up pretty well. I didn't pay a lot for them, so I didn't expect too much. I have been pleased with their performance overall. They're nothing fancy, but they get the job done, and they're super-light compared to Chaco's Terrenos. Sizing runs a little large. I usually wear a 10, and Teva's 10 seems to be more like an 11. Bottom-line = simple, functional, and inexpensive footwear. I would recommend if that's what you are after.

This chair is great for after a long day in the outdoors. I take mine everywhere I go. It's great to take a load off and relax. It's perfect for around the camp and doubles for a sleeping pad. It gives excellent support and adjusts to anyone.

I'm nothing but stoked with my Shift Welder. I finally got mine for Christmas from my wife (I did my own Christmas shopping). Simple in style, but technical where you want/need it. Very light, extremely breathable, water resistant, comfy fleece lining, and the perfect amount of stretch; not to mention this jacket is welded together (not sewn). If you're doing anything aerobic, a lightweight baselayer is probably all you're going to need underneath. The Polartec Power Shield shell with a DWR finish is going to keep you dry in most everything but a prolonged downpour. The face fabric, despite its buttery soft feel, is a woven nylon which is very abrasion resistant. I wouldn't go dragging it through the parking lot, but it will hold its own skiing/trail running through the trees and brush. I like the the no frills design of the jacket. Utility is what I'm after, and the Welder gets the job done, and feels good doing it. Truly a backcountry.com signature piece, as the Shift Welder Hoody was made specifically for gettin after it in the backcountry. If you only wear this jacket to the office and around town, you'll still be stoked with the comfort and feel of the jacket, but you'll be left to wonder what this jacket is truly capable of...

I really like the fit of these shoes. They're pretty narrow in the heel area up to the mid foot, and they open up quite a bit in the toe box - perfect for my foot type. I've taken these on a few trail runs and have been very pleased. La Sportiva didn't go overboard with the cushioning - they probably could have added a little more under the forefoot. The heel cushioning is adequate, but you can feel the rocks through the forefoot pretty well. Overall, these are great trail runners.

When the down jackets and sleeping bags go for the prices they do these days, I'm a little wary of using some homemade concoction on my gear. Likewise, I was a little worried to use this stuff. I was very pleased with the results though. After washing my bag in the Nikwax Down Wash and drying it, I was very happy to see the original loft restored. It looked brand new. I'd definitely recommend this stuff if you want to take care of your down gear.

I bought this jacket for my wife. This is her favorite jacket to wear on cold days. This jacket is lightweight, very warm and has a great fit that allows full movement. It's much warmer, has better wind resistance and doesn't pill up as easy as traditional fleece. I recommend this jacket.

I bought this jacket for my wife. She loves it. The jacket is lightweight, warm and comfortable. It has good wind resistance compared to your standard fleece. It also is stretchy so it moves with you. The hood is a nice feature to get, you'll never regret it.

These socks are great fitting and the elastic around the arch feels good. These are very comfortable socks. You can't go wrong with wool.

This sock is very comfortable and fits snug around your foot. The sock helps wick away moisture and helps keep the stink down. I’ve worn these socks both as a liner and alone – they work great either way.

This is a great bag for cold winter camping. This sleeping bag is amazing warm and lightweight. I was happy with its loft as soon as I pulled it out of the box. The features of this bag make it ideal for any cold, extreme climate. I think its waterproof cover is a necessity for winter camping. This bag is great and I would recommend it for anyone who needs a super warm winter sleeping bag.

This is a handy little knife to carry around in your pocket. It's only good for small tasks, but it's sharp. It's also works well for a money clip, but doesn't hold a lot.

This is a great little tool to have on your key chain. I use mine all the time. It's so handy to have a knife, light or a pen whenever you need it. I think it would make a great gift too.

These snowshoes are great for hiking around in the snow – they’re comfortable to wear and fairly lightweight. The crampons grab into the snow and keep you from sliding down the hill. The bindings are totally adjustable to whatever boot you decide to wear. Another nice feature is the adjustable straps that allow your foot to stay more inline with your body if you’re walking on a slope. These snowshoes help keep you from sinking in deep into the snow, but you’ll still sink a little, depending on the snow conditions.

This jacket does it all. It's warm, yet breathable. It's water-resistant, wind-proof, comfy, and stretchy. I love the Sigma SV. The cut is a little shorter in the body than I like, but the sleeves are cut long enough for me. This softshell is a little bulkier than the Gamma MX, so it keeps you a little warmer than some of the other Arc'teryx softshells. The material is very durable, but it's still very soft and supple. Did I mention I love the Sigma SV - highly recommended!

Call me a freak, but I absolutely hate wearing socks. I wear my Chacos for most of the year. It gets a little chilly walking around Park City in the winter with Chacos though. I've been searching for a no-sock alternative to Chacos, and finally found one in the Mion Tide Scrambles. These things are totally comfy with the neoprene booties. They actually regulate temperature pretty well. They might be a little bulky for some people, but I don't mind because they're still very lightweight. Recommended.

This is a must-have after a long day of hiking, when you just need to rest those aching muscles. It’s perfect for sitting in front of the campfire or playing cards in your tent. You can adjust its recline or lay it out flat to double as a sleeping mat. It’s versatile and lightweight so you can take it with you anywhere.

These are awesome to have on a winter camping excursion – your feet stay warm and cozy. I wear them inside my sleeping bag too, just to keep a little warmer. With the rubber bottoms, you can still walk around camp, and not worry about soaking your socks (at least for a little while). Recommended.

I absolutely love my Gamma MX Hoody. I also have the non-hooded version, but the Hoody is by far my favorite. The cut of this jacket is absolutely perfect for me. The sleeves are pretty long and the body is the perfect length (the non-hooded version is cut a little shorter). I wear this thing trail running, backpacking, snowboarding, around town, at the office, and sometimes to bed. I really love the breathability, water-resistance, and stretchy Polartec material of the Gamma MX Hoody. Definitely recommend this one!

These bibs are built ridiculously well. It's typical Arc'teryx craftsmanship, but I think they went above and beyond on these bibs. Based on the tough material these are made of, it's hard to believe they will ever wear out - and I hope they don't. They're completely waterproof and extremely comfortable in a range of temperatures, which must mean they breathe very well. I've used the side zips (water-tight when closed) to vent in warmer conditions and they work great. I wouldn't recommend taking a seat in the pow with the vents open though. I managed to fill most of my pant leg with some shockingly-cold pow when I forgot to zip the vents back closed. Can't say anything bad about these bibs - I'd give 'em more than 5 stars if I could.

This lightweight headlamp works great around camp or around the house when you need both hands free. The thick, stretchy headband makes it comfortable to wear. This headlamp has different settings, so it’s perfect for night reading or lighting up things around camp. The LED gives you stellar battery life. You can't beat the price on this headlamp. If you're looking for a simple, inexpensive headlamp - this is your best bet.

I couldn't believe the loft of this bag after I pulled it out of the storage sack and fluffed it a bit. When I first got it out, it didn't look too impressive. After a couple minutes though, the thing had ballooned too a massive cocoon. I like how Marmot put the majority of the loft on the top of the bag, where it can keep you insulated. The down doesn't really do you any good on the bottom of the bag, since it is just smashed under your body anyway. The hood is a little smaller than I would have liked, but it's not a huge deal. I especially like the waterproof/breathable shell material of the bag. I can't imagine ever being cold in a bag like this. Top notch bag, but you definitely pay for it.

I'm usually a stickler for Gore-Tex when I need 'waterproofness', but I gotta admit - these things held up pretty well. I kind of expected the snow to get through these non Gore-Tex gaiters, but I stayed completely dry. As long as you can keep the snow from getting up through the bottom of the gaiter, you should be golden. They're nothing fancy or flashy, but they got the job done. I'd recommend them.

This stuff seemed to work pretty well. I washed my down puffy in this stuff and I was pleased. I hadn't washed the jacket all season, so the finish was pretty wasted. The down-proof solution seemed to add quite a bit of water-repellency to the jacket. I was worried that the loft would be ruined in the wash, but it actually fluffed up even better than it had before. (Make sure to use tennis balls or something similar in the dryer to fluff up the jacket). I haven't really tried anything else, but I'll definitely get some more of this stuff for the next wash.

I usually have to look pretty hard to find anything wrong with an Arc'teryx jacket. The workmanship is impeccable, as with any of their jackets. The finish on the jacket beads water like no other. The fit is great. I love the big hood and its adjustability. Overall, this thing feels pretty bomber; but what's up with the main zip? They use watertight zips on the pockets, the pit-zips, but I think they skimped on the main zip. They reverted back to the traditional zip and inner flaps to keep it water tight. I don't understand why they just didn't go with a water-tight zip up front - is it for durability's sake? That's my only gripe with this jacket, other than that I love it.

I've always wanted to get a Gamma MX, but never was willing to pony up the dough. I finally broke down and got one. As much as I hate writing anything negative about Arc'teryx, I must admit I'm not too fond of the fit of this jacket. I got myself a medium. The sleeves are perfect for me, but the body of the jacket is pretty short. I know the cut is tailored for climbing, so it's probably perfect if you're actually using it for climbing. I use mine for just about everything, but I always find myself pulling down on the bottom of the jacket, because it feels like it's always riding up on me. Like I said before, I love the stretchy Polartec fabric, water resistance, breathability, and everything else about the jacket - I just wish they'd cut the body a wee bit longer.

You can't beat the temperature regulation of wool. It keeps you warm when you need it, but doesn't bake you when the weather is a little more mild. If you don't like snug, form-fitting garments, this is probably not the top for you. I usually don't care too much for the form fit, but this thing is so stretchy, that it's still pretty comfy. If you're looking for a no-bulk, excellent temperature regulator - this is the top for you.

I can attest to the simplicity of use for this filter. I used a surplus store filter for awhile and this Sweetwater kills it on the lever action pumping. I have had this filter for a couple of years now. It produces pretty good tasting water. I have certainly had worse. I haven’t had any serious issues with it. The filter does seem to clog up faster than I’d like, but the manufacturer’s 200 gallon per filter rating is probably pretty accurate. Those little cartridges can get pretty expensive if you go through a few each season. If you’d rather clean the cartridges than replace them, you might try the MSR ceramic filters. If you don’t mind buying a couple of cartridges every once in a while, I would recommend the Sweetwater.

This shirt is great. I'd recommend it to anyone. I've used mine for many high endurance activities. I would suggest this shirt while running, summer hiking and backpacking. It's super comfortable, lightweight and dries quickly. It's also very soft and breathable. The only thing this shirt seems to run a little bit large, but everything else is great.

These shorts dry quickly and are water resistant. The zip pocket looks funky, but its functional. These shorts fit a little longer than Gramiccis, but I could still use a them a little longer. I like to have my shorts down to my knees. The lining is comfortable, but heavy for a hiking short. I would prefer the plain old nylon-mesh lining.

This bag has worked great for me. It's light and compresses to almost nothing. I've only used synthetic bags before this one, but it could convert me to goose down forever. The bag's shell seems so delicate, but I haven't had a problem with it - no rips or tears. I've also had nominal feather loss. I sleep a bit on the cold side, but I haven't had any complaints in this bag. It's been wonderful and well worth the money. This bag is great for anyone who wants to cut their pack's weight.

This saw works great and cuts like nothing else. It cuts great in both directions, making your cuts a breeze. It's convenient that it folds up and has its own little case. The blades are easy to change and stay sharp through many cuts. This is a great saw for anyone.

This lamp is so small it can go anywhere with you. It's super lightweight because of its size and the batteries it uses. It's very comfortable to wear, but gives off minimal light. It's ideal for small or up-close lighting. I like the different light settings it has. The control button is a little difficult to use with gloves on, but overall it's a decent little light.

This headlamp is great. It is super versatile and can light just about anything. The led light is perfect for around camp so you're not blinding anyone. The halogen light works great for spotlighting and for distance. If you use the halogen a lot, your batteries will run down remarkably faster than just the led light. This headlamp is comfortable to wear, easy to operate, and the batteries are easy to change. It's a great light.

I bought this towel thinking it was a little pricey for what you get, but it's awesome. It's so soft and absorbs a ton of water for its weight. You can squeeze it out and it dries very fast. I've used competitor's products, but this one is softer than most. It perfect for anywhere you go when you need a towel. I would recommend this towel to anyone.

I got a Tikka a few years ago and have used it on many occasions. It works best for situations that require low light. If you need a light for distance or a big area, this is not the light for you. Overall, a very useful, lightweight, hands-free tool. But it is a little difficult to change the batteries.

This is a super versatile water carrier. Best of all, it doesn't make your water taste bad and it has a wide mouth making it easy to clean. I use it for any outdoor excursion. It works well as a hot water bottle to keep your feet warm while winter camping or frozen for a hot summer day. It is basically indestructible - I've dropped mine from many heights and no cracks yet. I would definitely recommend this product to everyone.

This knife is perfect for your keychain. I use mine all the time for whatever reason. The light and the pen are newer tools that make this one stand apart from the rest. I never have to ask to borrow a pen or stumble through the dark again.

This liner lengthens the time between the washings of your bag. It also cuts down the smells and dirt that accumulate in your bag. I always use my liner. It's also nice to have when it's a little to warm and you sleep with your bag unzipped.

I bought this water bladder after using a few competitors’ products because of its claim of not changing your water's taste. They were right. This water bladder is the best I've used. It's easy to clean and dry out. It has a large capacity and is so convenient. I would recommend this product to everyone who likes to stay hydrated.

The web belt really is the same stuff they use for the sandals. I was expecting the webbing to be a little wider, but it is the same width as the Z1 webbing. The style is great and the design is stellar. My only complaint is that it is a little bit dainty. Much better suited for females. Suggestion: beef it up for the guys.

These shorts are absolutely bomb-proof. I dare you to wear them out. It’s not gonna happen. I have had a pair of these shorts for 4 years now. They are definitely in ‘used’ condition, but they are still my favorite shorts. I usually wear my shorts a little longer, so these were a little short for me, but nonetheless I love them. If you like the knee shorts, you might want to look for something else, but you can’t beat the comfort of Gramicci. Highly recommended.

This fleece pullover is the softest outer garment you'll ever find. The fleece is super comfortable against the skin, and breathes very well. I've tried it in multiple situations, but prefer it as a base layer on mild spring days or summer mornings. The workmanship is unsurpassed, as most Arc'teryx pieces are. My only hesitation would be its durability. I've worn it quite a bit in the few months I've had it, and so far so good. Hopefully it will continue to hold up. My only regret is that I don't have about five more of them... just in case. The price is a little steep, but if you're willing to pay, this fleece won't disappoint.

These glasses are killer for any activity you've got planned. The lens clarity is great and they're very comfortable. They are best suited for a medium to wider face. If your head is too narrow, you might experience some slippage. I've had these shades for a few months now, and love them. Highly recommended.

I bought this product to renew the water repellency of my Gore-Tex jacket. It's super easy to use - just put it in the wash. It worked for awhile and wore off relatively quickly.

I used Tech Wash to clean my Gore-Tex jacket after a week-long trip. This product worked great, not only did it get the stink and dirt out, it kept the water repellency. Later, I made the mistake of washing the jacket with detergent. With the next rain storm, I found out the hard way, Tech Wash is the only way to go. The water repellency of the jacket was shot.

I used this sleeping pad on a winter trip in the Tetons. I'm a cold sleeper so, naturally I expected to be uncomfortable and not get much sleep. The mattress performed better than expected. It kept me warm and comfortable. This pad is way more comfortable than a regular Thermarest, just because it's so thick. It’s worth its extra weight in cold climates. If you need good insulation and extra comfort, the luxury mattress is it. If lightweight is all you're after - go for the prolight series.