jspeigl wrote:The Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero Parka is overkill, at least for the Sierra Nevada.
Depends on the season. Though I must admit mine is relegated to duty on expedition or keepn the GF warm while winter car camping, as I have lighter options for winter outings in the Sierra.
Piece of gear I regret buying is a Black Diamond Anarchist 42L pack. Bought it for the integrated Avalung feature, but when loaded down for a winter splitboarding trip to Split Mtn. I found it to be the worst suspension I have ever used on a pack. It left me with visible bruising over my shoulders,, never had that experience before. Promptly removed the Avalung and sold the pack by itself. While I normally love BD gear, I won't be buying any of their packs in the future.