Reviews by User: AllenBskier1 (116)

This helmet is a great all around helmet. It fits well, is warm, especially with the ear flaps, and fits goggles well with no gaper gap. The vents work well when not plugged. My head is never warm on super cold days. Simple and effective, just what I need in a helmet. Gives you piece of mind also.

I am not a big dude, 5'9", 145, and I got the 188cm, length as the longest and widest ski in my quiver. I got them as a pure powder ski, and this year at Alta, they have gotten a lot of use. Since I am not a heavy guy, I don't need an uber stiff ski. I find the flex on these is good for me. Simply put, they rip up the pow and bust through the crud. Not ideal for moguls or groomers, but they actually get the job done fairly well getting back to the lift. I have pushed them pretty hard and have noticed too much instability at high speeds. A great ski for soft snow. Although I didn't mount them with AT bindings, this ski would be great for touring at a low weight. Doug Coombs would be proud. R.I.P. Doug.

This is my third and last helmet I will ever own. Besides looking completely rad, this helmet functions great. Unlike other helmets with no adjustments, this thing can be micro adjusted for a prefect fit every time. The vents are easy to open and close, even with gloves. It is light and comfortable. Smith sure came on strong into the helmet game. Awesome!

This is my third and last helmet I will ever own. Besides looking completely rad, this helmet functions great. Unlike other helmets with no adjustments, this thing can be micro adjusted for a prefect fit every time. The vents are easy to open and close, even with gloves. It is light and comfortable. Smith sure came on strong into the helmet game. Awesome!

This PFD is very comfortable. The lack of material on the lower back means you can sit in your kayak seat with out the bulky life vest getting in your way. The pockets safely secure smaller belongings in a convenient location. Only drawback I found is that is it a bit bulky in the chest area. However, it does not affect the paddling stroke. Most importantly, it will keep you afloat. Great all around product.

I am not a big dude, 5'9", 145, and I got the 188cm, length as the longest and widest ski in my quiver. I got them as a pure powder ski, and this year at Alta, they have gotten a lot of use. Since I am not a heavy guy, I don't need an uber stiff ski. I find the flex on these is good for me. Simply put, they rip up the pow and bust through the crud. Not ideal for moguls or groomers, but they actually get the job done fairly well getting back to the lift. I have pushed them pretty hard and have noticed too much instability at high speeds. A great ski for soft snow. Although I didn't mount them with AT bindings, this ski would be great for touring at a low weight. Doug Coombs would be proud. R.I.P. Doug.

This paddle is nice and light making it great for long tours. The blade size and shape make it great for a steady cadence. It comes in half to store easily as well. Way more efficient than other paddles I have used. Quality all around.

These skis flat out kick ass. I skied them last year and fell in love. I am not a big dude, 5'9", 145, and the 186 length felt perfect. They skied shorter than that, and were surprisingly nimble. They were quick edge to edge in the woods and carved surprisingly well. They felt well balanced. They floated through powder, and busted through crud. I skied switch on them on a groomer and they did ok fakie. This is my new quiver of one ski. Also, SKI magazine, who probably heard about Line skis last year, and cares more about apres ski, fancy dining, hotels, and groomers, gave this ski a gear of the year award. SKI magazine! That says a lot. Line has really stepped up their game in freeride skis. And they look badass as well. Can't go wrong with these!

These glove liners were exactly what I was looking for. I use them for extra warmth under my ski gloves on colder days. I also use them as driving gloves. The rubber material on the palm and fingers is super grippy for driving and are shaped like little goats. Nice touch. Pretty much I always have these gloves wherever I go.

I skied over 85 days last year with these Black Diamond poles. That included BC, park, tele, alpine, trees, moguls, anything. These babies held up admirably under all conditions. They took quite a beating and came out fine. They are super easy to adjust when touring. I use mine 10cm shorter when tele skiing than alpine skiing. This is my go-to pole for both! Simple and effective.

I have this shoe from probably 4 years ago, and it is still by go-to shoe for anything. This thing is comfortable, easy to get on and off and grippy. A perfect shoe for those of us who hate laced and never take the time to untie them when we are done before taking the shoe off. The extra stretch cord does not get in the way (although I have mine pretty loose). Simply put, buy this shoe if you want a solid trail shoe that works awesome.

These goggles are sick in every way. They look awesome and function better. I got the Ignitor lens any they work well in all the light conditions I have been in. Very versatile. They have not fogged up yet and I have been pretty hot at times. Also, they work perfect with the Varmint helmet by Smith. A functional and great looking combo. Ventilation works well...now back to working on that goggle tan.

As a ski instructor, I used these gloves any day it was over 40 degrees. They worked great for sure. They kept my hands nice and toasty but breathed fairly well. Unlike most bulky gloves, I could really maneuver my hands well and do things like use zipper pockets, write stuff with a sharpie and help people with equipment problems, all essential tasks for a ski instructor.

I am a hat guy so I had to get the latest offering from BC. This hat is mad comfortable and perfect for wearing around town. It doesn't block the wind, but that is not what this hat is about. It is not about about top of the line super technical materials and uber technical design. It is simply a rad old school hat that you will find on your head more often that not because it is just that cool.

This pad is rad. It packs nice and small. Also, it takes me about 8-10 big breaths to fill it up. That takes about a 2 minutes or less. I got the regular length and it gets the job done. As expected for a super light pad, it is not the thickest pad around. But it will make for a comfortable place to sleep, even on rocky terrain. Also, it is very durable. Overall, a quality product.

This shirt is very comfortable. I am 5'9" 145 and the medium is actually a bit big, but that is fine with me. It is a great lounging around shirt, or going out shirt. The red color looks dope!

I got to demo these recently. First run, I was sent out there with these on the 5th position, or most stiff. My 145 pound frame had a tough time muscling them around. Got down to the bottom and had the setting changed to the second position. Wow. In the second position these thing were awesome. They give a nice consistent flex throughout the turn. Very smooth. They gave power to my edges but they were not over powering. I didn't want to take them off. So the 5 positions make a big difference. This is the next tele binding I will get .

This chair is super durable and can make anywhere seem like your living room. I have been on trips where other people had this chair and I didn't. Needless to say, they were all comfortable and I was sitting on a rock. It is adjustable to fit your needs. Perfect for front porch lounging or serious smores around the campfire.

This little eraser is nice to have on snowy days. It generally gets most of the snow off your goggles. Sometimes it leaves streaks on your lens, but it is never a big problem. The biggest problem I have is getting it out of my pocket with gloves on. It is pretty small and can be hard to grasp sometimes with gloves. Once you get it, it is easy to wipe your lenses free. And it is so small, why not have it?

This drop zone pad is perfect for my needs. I am not doing any super huge highball problems, so I do not need a massive pad like the Mondo. But it is not small by any means. It covers a good area and has had plenty of padding for decent falls I have taken. Also, the pad is very well made. Nice and durable. Since it is a taco design, there are no weak places in the padding. Despite its taco design, it always lays very flat, even after having been folded for a long time. Easy to carry and the pockets for smaller items is a great feature.

This biking jersey is pretty sweet. I am 5'9" about 145, and the medium fits well for me. Very comfy, and regulates sweat well. It is not super tight which is fine with me. And this jersey has more style than other biking jersey's. My only drawback is that when wearing a backpack, the pack can make the pockets on the lower back a bit uncomfortable. But when not wearing a pack, this slight annoyance is not a problem at all. Overall, a quality product for sure,

This tent is super easy to set up. I'm talking like 5 minutes. And the dual vestibules are super nice to have to store extra gear out of the rain. The window in the rainfly works well. At under 5 pounds, it carries very easily. All around, the tent is quality. Also, I have not noticed any condensation on the inside. It seems to breathe very well.

I have been using old Ascension skis and tried these for the first time recently. Much better! The clip on the tail really makes for a stable fit that does not come off. They grip well. Also, they are easy to trim. Check out the sweet tutorial on Black Diamond's website for a great video on trimming. They never slip and grip on steeper terrain like my current skins do.

This bottle is rad. I agree with other reviews that it does not have a funny taste after a certain amount of use. I can put any liquid in it and clean it out just fine with no residual taste. The Backcountry logo on it is nice but not in your face. The opening is big but not huge like a Nalgene where you spill it all over yourself. My only complaint is a nails-on-a-blackboard like noise when you are unscrewing it. But hey, I can deal.

Simply put, this compass works. It is small enough to fit in a pocket and effective enough to navigate with. Don't get stuck outside without one. It has easy to read features and is durable.

I can get my kayak in and secure in this rack in less than 5 minutes. It is fun to watch your friends monkey around with other racks while I quickly and easily mount up my boat. The tie down straps are durable and don't loosen up. The ratcheting bow and stern straps that come with this make your boar extra stable. Worth the price to safely and securely travel with your boat. A great investment.

Small, practical and lightweight, the Leatherman Micra has been on my key chain for years. It has just enough tools to work well for any number of uses. The scissors are nice for everyday use and the knife is small but sharp. My only gripe is that when it hangs from my key chain while driving, it can rip out the hair on my legs when wearing shorts. Overall, not a huge problem. Also, make sure to take it off before going to airport. I'm sure many a Micra has been lost this way.

These shorts are sweet. They are lightweight and the mesh inside pockets is awesome. The print on them is different but not so different that they look weird. High quality fo sho.

The are very stable racks. Mine have not even budged in years, and I carry many skis in my cargo rack. The bars show no signs of wear and tear. All the Thule racks that I have put on these bars have worked great. I definitely trust hundreds of dollars of gear riding on these babies.

This bike rack gets the job done. At first it can be tricky to get the bike in the rack, but I quickly developed an effective method. Sometimes I have to pinch the clamp to get it tight around the bike frame but once it's on, it seems pretty stable. The whole rack is just super solid, as are all Thule products I have used.

I get a lot of compliments on this jacket. I wear it around town as an everyday jacket. Great for spring or fall. Doesn't provide the most warmth or wind protection but that is not what this jacket is about. Great price for this quality piece from North Face.

Perfect Tee for any activity. I use it as a base layer while skiing, go climbing in it, hiking or just wear it around the house because it is so comfortable. Wicks away moisture nicely.

If you go through many pairs of sunglasses by loosing them like so many people I know do, then these are not for you. If you take care of your glasses and want a quality pair, these are great. They are the best, most comfortable glasses I have ever tried on. I have a smaller face and they wrap around so nice to keep out the sun. The polarized lenses help when in bright conditions. They are simply brilliantly designed.

After hearing only good things about Look bindings, I decided to mount these on my old Public Enemys. They immediately felt better than my old unreliable Salomon's. I felt like I had so much more control over my skis. The toe piece wraps around my boot securing it better than any other binding I have had. I skied about third of the season on them and had no premature ejections. Only downfall is the tall heel piece. If you sit back sit you might have a little surprise.

This jacket is sweet. The thin fleece keeps bulk down making for a great layer under a shell. The wind stopping properties of this jacket are truly remarkable. Reinforced in all the right places. I use it for basically any outdoor activity. It is definitely a go-to jacket. Worth every penny.

I put these on my BD Traverse poles and they get the job done well. They are ideal for softer snow with a larger basket. Unlike other pole baskets that have ripped after constant abuse, these remain intact after over 100 days on them. That says a lot about the durability of these...

I use this with my hull-a-port kayak rack and it works well. I never have any problems with the boat slipping. It is easy to tighten these down, and easy to loosen them as well. I have full confidence in the durability of these. They are very well made. You can trust in Thule products!

This shirt is super versatile. I use it as a baselayer skiing, for climbing, hiking, biking...It wicks great and is very comfortable. It really does it all. Only downside is it hold odor after use, but that can be solved with a quick wash.

Wow. This shirt is amazing. I have many wicking shirts. What intrigued me about the merino wool was the ability to prevent body odor from clinging to it. I immediately put this to the test and did about 7 mountain bike rides without a wash. While most baselayers could kill a cockroach they smell so bad, this one maintained only a slight odor. Way better than other baselayers that can smell so bad I lose friends and potential dates. The shirt wicked well and was comfortable. Now I don't have to smell horrible when I go into the bar for that post ride beer. Awesome!

This bag is perfect for group bouldering use. The large volume and big opening at the top make it perfect to sit next to the problem as the community chalk. You can easily fit both hands in at once. The top cinches off so when kicked around, who don't lose chalk. The bag is durable and will come with me on all bouldering trips from now on.

This chalk is sweet. It comes in an easy to break off chunk. And it simply works. Put this stuff in your bag and send i.

All the essentials are included in the basic kit. The bilge pump works great and can get large volumes of water out of the boat quickly. The paddle float is large and easy to use. The sponge soaks up a ton of excess water. The whistle is loud too. Don't be sorry when you get flipped. Get this kit.

This hoodie is straight-up sick! It is very comfortable and looks great. It provides about as much warmth as other zip up hoodies. I am 5'9" 145 and the medium is an ideal fit. It is not too loose like some sweatshirts. It has a regular fit and I like that about it. Did I mention it looks sick?

These glasses offer full coverage for your face. They are huge and you cannot see the lens when you are wearing them. They are comfy and very durable. However, they are just not my style. They make me look like a bug. I can understand why people think these are sick, but they are just too big and obnoxious for me. Works for some, just not for me.

These shorts a pretty sweet looking. They are not super soft however. The screen print on the side it kind of stiff. But that did not affect me while riding. The chamois worked fine, and I did not get any chaffing after some long rides. They are very durable as well. One setback is they do not breathe great. I am about a 32 waist, and the medium fit fine with a belt. And they have adjustments on the inside of the waist to make them a bit tighter if needed. Overall, I do recommend them.