Reviews by User: JohnGchrist (411)

Opinions still in testing but after a month of use this is what I have come to. The ski program only logs up and down and time. I hoped it would log temp as well. It is pretty easy to use the program not much to be confused about. Cycling through the watch is pretty easy after getting used to where everything is and what everything does. I wish there was a way to put the time temp and alt all on one face and a quicker way to switch the logging times. Over all the watch does everything I want it to it just didn't give me that knock my socks off wow this watch is crazy feeling. I'm still trying to figure out how to use the alt/barometer setting to give me the alt. It seems to always need adjusting. Over all I would buy this watch again.

Feel like your tangled up with that old style avalung sling and your old backcountry bag. Black Diamond has combined the two effectively. On your left side you have your avalung and on the right you have your camelback. Both zip away nicely. The avalung exhales farther behind you and away from your body. I found that the 32l is great for a day tour with room for first aid food and extra layers. Carries skis diagonally and a frame style. It has an easily accessed pocket for your shovel probe and saw, I suggest putting longer brighter zipper pulls on that pouch to help opening with gloves and help others locate the pocket

It's nice to be on a Nitro again. I've had nothing but good experiences with my Nitros. The Revolt would make a great beginner board. I found it very forgiving and fun to ride.

MMM pricy. I have been useing this jacket to tour in and ride in the resorts. It keeps me warm and seems to breath allright. The matterial is soft to the touch and not that loud. Not sure I like micro fleece on the inside durring a pow day I was noticing that snow liked to accumulate on it. I also didn't find the pow skirt too helpful. I would recomend this jacket for more resort skiing and look for something a little more breathable for touring.

between the o1 and the assent I have to go with the 01 it has all the problems worked out and won't cause you any trouble. They seem to have a bombproof design unlike the assents.

Wash that coat! Dirt is your water proofer's worst enemy. Your outfit will last longer and perform better if you wash it often. Wash with Nik wax tech wash then follow up with this spray on. I have used this product many times with great results. I usually end up spraying and then rubbing the jacket to get an even covering, then throwing it in the dryer on a low heat.

This board will keep you on your toes. I have been riding for 10+ years. This board will throw me around if I’m not paying attention or on the finally run from a first chair to last day. It's got great snap and is quick edge to edge. Really fun board and great for all over the mountain use from that kink rail to that secrete pow stash.

These boots are great. It took some time to really get them dialed in to the way I like them but now that they are they're near perfect. A great buckle system combined with the power strap on top gives amazing support. I find in warmer, springtime conditions the liners get kind of soft and I need to tighten them up a bit more than average.

This wax is great for different conditions. If I'm on my game, I will look at the forecast and try to wax my board accordingly. Check all the different temps and be ready.

If looking for a shovel to throw in the car or just use here in there this isn't a bad choice. I wouldn't use it for my avie shovel though. The blade is a little small and it is pretty light weight. I Have a Black Diamond deploy and love it.

This towel is like chamois but lighter and softer. I still like my huge cotton towel as long as I don't have to carry it around; this seems to be more efficient though. Absorbs and dries fast.

This towel is like chamois but lighter and softer. I still like my huge cotton towel as long as I don't have to carry it around; this seems to be more efficient though. Absorbs and dries fast.

Thought I might help some ladies out. This is a great base layer or layer to just hang around in. Nice style and comfort lead to a lot of use. I perfer the natural merino wool fiber over synthetics. I feel you get a broader range of comfort.

These bindings are really nice. They seem to perform great in all conditions. The only time they seem to release is when I really would want them to, never a pre-release or anything like that. I highly recommend these for someone looking to enjoy a quality binding at an affordable price.

This beacon is wonderful and easy to use but I found the directions that came with it kind of unhelpful. The multiple beacon feature is very nice. In the avie class I took I had the farthest search range.

These are great snowshoes for all types of conditions. You can take them all over the place, and when it comes time to put them on or take them off, the bindings are a breeze to use.

Nice light rope. Like the feel of the rope. Provides a soft catch and piece of mind having two ropes. Seems to be standing up pretty nice through the thrashings of climbing.

I have fallen on this pad numerous times threw my bouldering excursions and have yet to find flaws. Stands up to abuse. Side not. This pad does not like to be close to fire so on a cold night make things aren't melting.

My last Shaun Whites' sole came off and were never quite water tight as they were. I was kind of disappointed. I ended up getting the newer pair and they break in pretty fast and have a different feel then when I first tried them on. So far they are great and have the old fashion laces but a cinch pullcord inner liner.

These towers help put your mind at ease while hauling your gear around on your roof. I never get the feeling that my stuff isn't secure while driving at high speeds or taking corners. Yakima really sets a high standard with the Q towers.

Great headlamp for kickin' around camp or on the trail. All the different power settings help you dial in exactly what you need.

The BD Slide pack is light, ultra comfortable, and very functional. I've used it from light backcountry touring, to bicycle commuting, to alpine climbing. It does great.

Another super efficient item from JetBoil. Gets the most out of every last drop of heat produced. Make sure you watch your heat settings I burned stuff a lot while I was beginning to use this (due to the efficiency).

This wax is great for different conditions. If I'm on my game, I will look at the forecast and try to wax my board accordingly. Check all the different temps and be ready.

You want one of the best and warmest snowboard pants on the market then these are for you! The Smarty line with the zip-in liner has me hooked. I am rarely cold in these pants, especially when wearing a 3/4 length base-layer. The zip vents on the inner leg allow for great cooling while riding the lift up or bombing down the hill. If you like to wear your pants baggy then go up a size. They seem to size normally. I find that my size fits great and allows plenty of freedom. Also if you are lucky enough to have a 686 jacket, they should connect together to form a better system to keep the snow out. Love these pants I have two pairs from this line.

Great skins. I like these because of how compact you can get them compared to Black Diamonds Ascension Nylon Clip Fix Skins. I also have a pair with the STS clip and would get those over these if you have tail problems.

I used this bag for a 2 week trip and was able to keep all my gear in it. Kept all of my gear safe being thrown around by flight crews. Be careful filling it though I over filled mine and had to pay extra on my flights.

Really comfortable and practical. These things are great, especially when I wear my helmet. Some goggles I've had in the past didn't fit quite as well with a helmet, but these are great.

I like these but I would rather go for the Positron if you have the money. They get the job done and keep me safe. Ask for the same color screw on the gate to make it easier in keeping your gear organized.

Even though my bike costs less than a grand it's still scary having it outside the car attached buy a few jumbles of design. With the Thule Transport T2 after one trip to the trail I was satisfied knowing that my bike wasn't going anywhere and was safe behind the car instead of atop ready to be slammed into a garage. 29er tires barley fit but they do the arm just skims the tire until it is in place by the fork.

Enjoy this SL board. Has a nice sidecut. Handles well at speeds. I feel solid on this solid board. Never Summer is a great company, and I haven't had any complaints about their boards.

This watch is steezy fits nicely on my smaller wrists and doesn't look to bulky. The numbers are so easy to read. Haven't had a problem with the gauge I don't believe you will either.

Enjoy this SL board. Has a nice sidecut. Handles well at speeds. I feel solid on this solid board. Never Summer is a great company, and I haven't had any complaints about their boards.

I'm not really wild about this one. It didn't seem to give too many options as far as sizing. I had a lot of trouble trying to adjust the chin strap. If I was wearing a winter hat underneath and then wanted to take it off, it took forever to adjust it.

These are a very light and effective way to keep snow and muck out of your shoes. The waterproof design is essential and the leather strap keeps them very secure.

New glue helped out a lot. I was having issues with the rear of my skins coming off. New glue fixed the problem and wasn't terribly hard to apply.

For extra emergency back and easier touring go with the three pin version.

Best tele touring binding. Releasable in case of avi and 3pin for pack up protection and easier skinning. The release action seems pretty reliable and haven't had many problems with them coming out when undesired but i don't ski that hard, yet....

I like riding at Snowbird because I find it more challenging than Brighton and Solitude. Don't know about Alta because I snowboard. Get there early and get the good stuff. Unfortunately there can be lines mostly on the weekends and on powder days.

The rubber bands on these things don't seem like they will last too long through the rigors of climbing. They are pretty lightweight and the wire gates give you a little more clipping room while cutting down on weight. I will stick to building my own draws.

Not as flexible as aliens but fit great where they don’t. You can tell that a great amount of testing went into these. They are a perfect complement to the c4s, if you like the c4s you will like these. The smaller sizes I only use for aid climbing and have similar strength ratings to similar sized cams. I'm Glad I have these on my rack!

These are great alternatives to pitons and give a greater strength rating over smaller camming devices. I use these a lot. More than I thought I would.

Don't like Carhartts all rough and ridged that never seem to break in? These are great! Softer denim lets these pants feel comfortable right off the get go. Fit nicely but could use gusseted crotch. These do wear out a little faster than the more rugged Carharrts like the washed duck work dungarees.

Great for attaching to Bd poles and other poles with the similar widths. Great for digging pits and everything else you use a saw for. Easy to use. I don't have any complaints about this saw.

I love using these while sport climbing. Don't really use them for much trad. The rope seems to clip itself. Nice piece of mind when you’re pumped out on the crux and all you want to do is get your rope clipped. I don't seem to fumble with these as i do with others. I definitely feel they are worth the extra money.

They fit my medium-sized face well and gave decent coverage. The hinges on these are nice and conform well to your face. The bridge or nose-rest fits nicer or a little wider than other Oakley glasses I tried: A wire and square wire.

I love the flick lock and it's easy of adjustment. More reliable than twist lock poles. The bottom part of the pole doesn't adjust it just extends out and clicks into place no adjustments to it’s length. To get it to collapse down both buttons have to be pushed. Takes awhile to figure out but done once it takes less than seconds. It is kind of tricky to do with thick gloves on. I would recommend getting the expedition poles. BD's replacement baskets work with these polls I use the powder baskets in the winter and havn't lost one yet.

Stylin hat, Makes a great gift. Not very thick. Fits kind of big as well. The print really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

My last Shaun Whites' sole came off and were never quite water tight as they were. I was kind of disappointed. I ended up getting the newer pair and they break in pretty fast and have a different feel then when I first tried them on. So far they are great and have the old fashion laces but a cinch pullcord inner liner.

I like the new color code of the Forged Friends. I didn't think that they could get any better. Great for desert crack climbing or tied off short for the Gunks. I love having these on my racks. Good price for these as well.

IF your buddy was carrying the tools to save your life ask yourself if you would rather have him carry a plastic shovel or a metal one. A 200 cm probe or a longer one. The beacon is tried and true And like it's operation but there are better ones on the market today. I recommend checking out the Mammut Avalanche Safety Package or The Black Diamond Backcountry Package

A little pricy but worth the money I feel. The nose pieces on these are a little wider than the A Wire but not as wide as the Half Wire. These fit my medium face well.