GearFlogger

Gerber Crucial tool

Multitool manufacturers are innovating hard these days. Gerber's latest entry to the fray is the Crucial, a folding butterfly-style minimalist tool with everything the shiny-obsessed mountaineer desires and nothing more.

The Crucial has an obvious competitor in the Leatherman Skeletool CX: both weigh in at about 5oz and have identical feature sets: carabiner clip/bottle opener, removable belt clip, 2.5" drop point half-serrated blade with liner lock, needle nose pliers with wire cutter and toothed ratchet cutout, and Phillips and flat head screwdrivers.

The Crucial is shorter but thicker, making it slightly bulkier overall, but that extra bulk provides a little extra comfort in the palm. The Crucial has a thumb stud on the blade that operates easier than the Skeletool's thumb hole for one-handed opening. The Crucial's blade has a blunter nose, more effective for scraping or prying. The Leatherman has interchangeable screwdriver bits and a beefier pliers. The Crucial has a true v-cut wire cutter, where the Skeletool has a shearing design.

Which one is better? They're both great tools, so try them both out if you can to see if one just feels better for your hand. If you'll use the knife often than the Gerber has - pardon the pun - the edge. If the screwdriver is your thing and you want to be able to swap out bits, go for the Leatherman. Either one is a brilliant design for just-in-case tools for backcountry use. The deciding factor may end up being the price: here the Crucial has the clear lead at almost half the cost of the Skeletool CX version.

$31.89 at Amazon

Tecnica Agent 80 ski boots

OK wanna-be secret agent man, your gear is here. The Tecnica Agent 80 ski boot is designed to help you move your skills up to double-O status. The 80 indicates the flex rating: this is a relatively soft boot with forgiving flex that non-expert skiers will appreciate. If you've got lower-volume feet consider the women's version, the Agent 90, which is also a stiffer boot for intermediate skiers who are moving to expert.

The Agent 80 is a stable, intermediate-level 4-buckle all-mountain/freeride boot with a wide 102mm last that will easily accomodate C to E feet. Power strap,heat moldable liners, adjustable cant and micro-adjustable buckles let you dial in the fit. The 80 lacks the additional fit options on higher-end models: no heel inserts, walk mode, etc. One annoyance: the power strap tends to ride up on the inner boot instead of sitting on the shell, and it's not adjustable unlike some other models so you have to pay attention to it.

Foot volume is listed as medium but I'd call it large. At 5'10" and 180lb, for my lower-volume size 9.5 feet I had to get an insert (not included) to soak up some of the space. Inserts are not cheap, so if you have low-volume feet and don't have a spare pair of inserts lying around, it might be worth it to move up to a model that includes more adjustment. Once dialed in, the Agent is definitely a soft, comfortable boot. The tongue has a convenient loop that is useful both for carry and for setting it in the correct position. All in all, with an insert everything works for me except the lime-green color, but for the price I'll deal with it.

$226.85 (on sale from $349.00) at Amazon

Volkl Unlimited AC20 '09/'10 ski

Like the man said, I'm just an oridinary average guy. But I have big dreams, and there's nothing the cold, cruel slopes like more than the taste of sweet, crunchy dreams. So I have to step up my game, but I don't want to break the bank. Solved, with the Volkl Unlimited AC20 skis and Marker 11.0 TC bindings.

The ski is a great board for advanced beginners and intermediate skiers looking to improve their alpine skills. With a profile of 118/74/103 for the 177cm, and a sidecut radius of 17.7 meters, the ski lives up to its all conditions mantra. On the groomers it will hold an edge all day long under any conditions. Light powder is OK, and even bumps will fall down for you due to the AC20's light weight and excellent steerability.

The Markers have a DIN from 3 to 11, and they mount with the 3Motion integrated rail system designed to flex with the ski so you don't lose your grip. In spring skiing the AC20 took wicked fast conditions and still cornered like they were on rails. The best part? Being able to keep up with the SheFlogger. The AC20 is a great confidence-builder and a great deal all around.

$564.25 (on sale from $825.00) at Altrec

Jewel Warmer

Ha ha, made you look! April Fool's! Except... this is a real product. Seriously, we get sent some fairly strange things to review time to time, but this is wayyyyyy up there. There was even a CD-ROM with it, which I simply could not get up the nerve to view.

And yet, there is logic in this madness. Nobody wants their junk to get the Han Solo carbonite treatment. If you engage in consensual breezy activities, say cycling, and you have a down-under ensemble that works for you, say padded briefs, and yet you yearn for something a little more... windproof... than perhaps the Jewel Warmer will cozy your codpiece. Compared to buying a new pair of expensive cycling shorts, it may be a bargain.

The Jewel Warmer is a thin piece of windproof fleece that you tuck into your waistband on top and snug up to your Kegel exerciser on the bottom. Viola: a windproof wanker. If you suffer from shrinkage - which if left untreated may result in the dreaded micropenis - this may work for you. Really though, it's a personal decision.

$14.99 at Jewel Warmer