The synthetic fill puffy is a staple for those looking for some foul and cold weather insulation when moisture might compromise a down piece. Outdoor Research’s Superstrand LT Hoodie delivers a lightweight and compact punch for those on the go in the backcountry .

Black Diamond retools their lightweight technical tools with ice climbing capabilities in the new Venom LT axes and offers up a slick new shovel, the Transfer LT. Here’s our first look at this promising collection.

Vancouver-based G3 offers up a line of skins in their Minimist series with three builds on offer. We’ve got a review of the Universal (all-nylon), Glide (a 70/30 mohair/nylon mix), and Speed (100% mohair).

In the new Patagonia AlpLoft Down Parka, we see a big puffy not overburdened with heft but, at the same time, not cursed with the weight-saving zeitgeist of the times. The jacket has a job to do: keep you warm and hold up. It does that. The build is near perfect in coupling durability, function, and a reasonable weight.

The Outdoor Research Helium AscentShell is a weatherproof hardshell with minimal bulk and weight for those who count paperclips and like to stay dry.

New to the Stateside scene of tents and packs, Samaya, an Annecy based company focuses on gear for the alpine. As skiers and boarders combine projects involving technical climbing and snow sliding descents, Samaya’s ULTRA35 pack is built for the mission. Here’s our first look.