For me, a good mountain boot not only has to climb well, it has to get me to the climb. I'm not carrying a boot on my back, I'm going to wear it all day, there and back. I checked out the Vasque M-Finity on the 13,770-foot Grand Teton during the early part of last summer.

I am psyched that winter is on its way, so I can start using the Marmot Lithium Sleeping Bag again. Before I received this sack, I had been using a negative 20-degree option lined with a waterproof shell, from a leading competitor. When I first tried the Lithium from Marmot, I was amazed at how warm it kept me, at almost 2 pounds less in weight.