Reviews by User: Francis D. (7)

A set of these Hutchinson tires came on my Scott Addict and so I rode them. I've always been a Michelin, Specialized, and Conti tire fan, but since they came with my new rig I figured I'd see how they road. The most impressive factor of these tires is their wear, grip, and puncture resistance. I've logged a few thousand miles on them with minimal flats (can't remember if I've actually gotten a flat or not) and supreme confidence on descents. They're not quite as sticky as an open tubular or a race specific tire, so don't think you're getting that level of grip. By giving a little in the grip area, you gain a lot in flat protection; this is right up there with the Gatorskins or a Specialized Armadillo Elite. I've finished rides and pulled out lodged pieces of glass from the tire on multiple occasions, without a flat occurring. An excellent, high-end all-around clincher tire.

I liked my custom, actually, I loved my custom until I road the new Burton Hero. The custom rips, has a decent amount of pop for an all-mountain board, and is nice and responsive. The custom is definitely an all-mountain board and its flex patterns reflect this. The nose is a bit stiffer than the tail and overall, the board is responsive because it's fairly stiff. I'm not saying it's custom X or Vapor stiff, just that it definitely is not a true park board (and it's not trying to be). It's great on the jumps and I'm sure it would be good in the pipe (I don't ride pipe), but it's not the best for jibbing. So yeah, it's a great board, but demo a reverse camber or zero camber board prior to investing in the Custom. The Fix and The Hero are Burton's zero and reverse camber boards, respectively. The Hero definitely shreds the pow better than the Custom does, and it has a ton of pop and flex, yet holds a good edge even on hard pack.

I rode the G10 for about 3 seasons and then hit my head pretty good one day. There were no visible cracks, but I figured it was time for a replacement. The new version comes with a retention system just like the Giro bike helmets, so the fit is even better with the new lid. The venting system rocks, keep it closed up on cold days or cold mornings, then open it up on the fly as the temp increases or as you start lapping the park, trees, or bumps. Good style too.

I picked these up for my girlfriend and ordered them a 1/2 size larger than her Salomon boots, but they were still too small. Picked up the next size up and they were perfect after a heat molding session (that's a total of 1 full size larger than her Salomon boots). The heat packs are on the budget side and therefore only get about 4 hours on the middle setting, but they keep her toes nice and toasty considering her very poor circulation. If the heat packs held their charge as advertised then this boot would get 5 stars. If you can get this boot on Whiskey, it's more than worth the sizing and heat pack issue.

A nice looking set of tires that has been performing nicely over the last 10 rides or so. Big grippy shoulders hook up nicely and give away in a predictable manner. Not nearly as light as the Specialized S-Works Eskar, but a lot more durable. I weight 165 and running about 36 psi with tubes, no problems. Good tire and would buy again.

The material of these bibs is ultra-stretchy and very soft to the touch as well as against the skin. The chamois is equally comfy and well designed. They are a little pricey, but you'll know why at first touch and on your first ride.

Gore-Tex is awesome, a built in wrist guard helps prevent any issues in the park, and the fleece lining is nice and comfy on the inside. For days when the temperature drops to the single digits then a hand warmer does the trick for keeping warm; a liner would work as well. Good quality construction, would definitely buy again