Jonathan, Gear Expert from United States, UT Public Profile

If you've never worn Saxx before, there is a "ballpark pouch" that helps cradle your special bits. At first I wasn't sure about this, but after a few times wearing it, I have gotten used to the extra fabric now and love the extra support. The merino wool is soft and feels great on my skin. Can't say enough good things about these!

Winter running jackets can be a pretty tough niche to fill. It is a battle between having enough insulation without becoming stuffy, and weatherproof enough to withstand any storms while maintaining some semblance of breathability. This niche is where the Norvan Insulated jacket lives. The jacket has just the right amount of insulation to keep you warm on all but the most frigid days but was still breathable enough not to feel like I was in a sauna. This feat was especially impressive for a fully waterproof jacket which usually doesn't breathe well enough to be active in.
Generally, this jacket checked all the boxes for what it is claiming to be, a winter running jacket that can hold up against snow and rain. While I usually would prefer to layer so I can get the insulation just right for the type of weather, I'd be facing, and it was nice to grab one jacket and go.
Overall I'd say this jacket was great for it's intended purpose, but I likely wouldn't be using it as an everyday jacket. If you are looking for a waterproof winter running jacket, this is the one.

Winter running jackets can be a pretty tough niche to fill. It is a battle between having enough insulation without becoming stuffy, and weatherproof enough to withstand any storms while maintaining some semblance of breathability. This niche is where the Norvan Insulated jacket lives. The jacket has just the right amount of insulation to keep you warm on all but the most frigid days but was still breathable enough not to feel like I was in a sauna. This feat was especially impressive for a fully waterproof jacket which usually doesn't breathe well enough to be active in.
Generally, this jacket checked all the boxes for what it is claiming to be, a winter running jacket that can hold up against snow and rain. While I usually would prefer to layer so I can get the insulation just right for the type of weather, I'd be facing, and it was nice to grab one jacket and go.
Overall I'd say this jacket was great for it's intended purpose, but I likely wouldn't be using it as an everyday jacket. If you are looking for a waterproof winter running jacket, this is the one.

Over the past month, I have been using these shoes for hiking, backpacking, and a small amount of trail running. In general, they have been a great shoe and have held up to nearly everything I have thrown at them. There are two main takeaways after wearing these shoes for a couple of months that I think make them a great shoe.

First, the shoes are unbelievably light. Compared to other light trail runners they are some of the lightest out there. I did worry about the lightness of the shoe coming at the cost of durability, but I haven't seen any wear on the shoes (I haven't been babying them either). They turned out to be much more durable than I gave them credit for being.

Second, the shoes are extremely breathable. I took them on two trips to southern Utah in them in late spring and didn't have any problem with my feet getting too hot. The one drawback to the breathability is that I did get plenty of sand in my shoes on any trip I went on. Wearing gaiters helped keep sand from getting in the shoe from the top, but I did collect sand through the mesh to the point where every couple hours I would need to take them off and empty them out. If you aren't planning any desert or beach trips in these, you should be good.

Overall I have really enjoyed these shoes and would buy them again. They will probably not go on any more desert trips with me, and I still wonder how many miles I can put in them before they wear out, but are worth considering if you're looking for a lightweight