Jesse B. from United States, NY Public Profile

Recently wore these in the North East blizzard with a pair of flannel pajamas underneath. Stayed dry, stayed warm. Pants were great. Fit is right.

LIKE - big lugs are grippy on everything that isn't smooth, ankle liner keeps out dirt and rocks, laces hold, interior seams don't irritate, accommodates wide foot

DISLIKE - not mesh, not breathable. Great as a cool weather shoe, not for summer

I think the title says it all.

I loved all the features on the jacket (and if you've tried out a few ski shells you know which I'm talking about; stretchable powder skirt with hooks, waterproof zippers, pocket placement, etc...). Everything it did, it did right. And after trying the high-rise, expandable collar, I didn't want to have to go back.

But I had to(!) because the fit was WAY too big. A Large is usually a little snug on me, but MH's Minalist was swimming on me (comically so) everywhere but the chest which was a good fit. And of course, the chest on the Medium was tight, and everything else was fine.

Considering they sell an XL, and XXL, I have no idea why the sleeves had to hang so low, or the midrift be cut so wide on the "average" size.

So, I haven't used these on a hike yet, and can't really attest to the quality of the build when put through the ringer, but....

I have worn them in the elements, and so far so good. I've put a few miles of city walking on them in heavy rain, stepped into "deep puddles" (2"+), and didn't get a drop of moisture inside the boot, even after an hour or so of direct, constant exposure.

Today I wore them in the snow. There were fairly warm in 10 degree weather, and again, remained totally dry.

Things I like:

- Waterproofness - so far, so good

- Wide toebox - plenty of room for your toes, even after a day of your foot flattening and swelling.

- Lace grabber - the lace hooks separating the foot from the ankle have fairly strong "locks," so you can create two different zones of tightness. I like keeping the lacing of the foot a little looser than the lacing of the ankle, and these boots can achieve that nuanced lacing.

- Soft footbed - The inner is incredibly soft. Almost like a very soft running shoe.



Things I don't like:

- The lace locks! They're really strong, and I feel like they might chew up the laces pretty quickly, although this is just conjecture.

- The fit - And here's the kicker: It could be the shape of my foot (I'm fairly flat-footed), but I get a decent soreness on the outside of my arches (specifically) toward my heel in a way I don't experience in any other shoe I own. Even at rest, they don't feel good around my mid-foot.

The toe b

Despite not having tested the bag out in the elements, I've used it at home on the floor a couple of nights, and here are my thoughts:

A reminder to anyone looking at the BA bags. There is NO insulation on the bottom of the down bags, as compressed insulation does nothing to keep you warm. This is good. This is smart. It allows for more fill on top, and cuts weight. However, keep in mind that there is also no padding under you either. Just fabric.

Also, the sleeping pad sleeve is just 20" or so across, so don't buy an extra large pad, if you want to get it in the sleeve. Personally, I prefer a larger pad, and won't worry about the sleeve.

The second you get in the bag, I start getting warm. If I had to guess, I think with a properly inflated sleeping pad, I'd be comfortable in this bag with no clothes on down to about 20-25 degrees. And colder and I'd put on a light base layer. At zero, I'd be fully dressed.

My one issue is not a problem with the bag, but my expectations. I have a zero degree synthetic bag (comfortable to 30), that is huge when rolled up. I thought the BA down bag would compress a lot more (and it does), but is still bigger than weekend "backpack" sized even after being very compressed.

I just got the Switch LT Hoody, and put it to use the next day.

No, I wasn't hiking the Andes, slogging through the rainforest, or scraping by for survival in a tropical hurricane.

I was tailgating at a football game (damn you, Scarlet Knights!)

BUT! It was 40 degrees and POURING the whole day. I was probably out in the rain for about 8 hours, and I never felt a drop through the jacket. Like others have mentioned, it's made to be extra breathable, so unlike some other waterproof shells, you won't retain as much heat, but I never felt a "breeze" in the jacket either.

I can only hope it holds up on the contact points once I use it under a heavy pack, but so far, it's given me no cause to think it won't.

One other note, I got the orange. It's REALLY ORANGE. I was nicknamed "Highlighter" by everyone at the tailgate. I don't know that I'd use it around the city because it's so attention grabbing, but I'll definitely appreciate the color when I'm with my girl snowboarding. Now it'll be impossible for her to lose me.