DH got the snowboarding outfit and accesories for me as a surprise. I was so excited. We recently played in a Texas hold'em tournament, where he placed first! I although I had a very strong start, placed out of the money [img]frown.gif[/img]

I think he knew how disappointed I was. I had already told him what AG items I was going to purchase with my winnings.

Soooo, he placed an order online and then called to confirm that no strange colored jackets were going to show up! The representative told him that they only make one color but it reads differently in various photos.

The outfit is very nice. I love the material and the workmanship. The boots are a scream. They have elastic loop closures and the tounges fold all the way out just as you would expect the rl ones to. The snowpants are very detailed at the knees and the jacket is nicely lined. Hat and mittens are lovely. Nice fleece and nylon materials.

However, there is no way the snowpants would fit over other clothing. Monique had to be naked before we could fit anything on her. Maybe if she had just some longjohns or silk thermals, but never over regular pants.

I was a bit disappointed with this. It seems like recent AG items are tight on the dolls and cut to use as little material as possible. As one who sews for profit, I can understand tight margins, but I would never sacrifice fit or realism.

The accesories are also nice. The googles fit the face well and they have a strap that velcros in the back so you dont have to drag them across your dolls face. Good quality plastics are used.

Boot holders (sorry dont know the board lingo) are screwed onto the snowboard which is made of very hard plastic. The boots fit in snugly. The scale of the board is appropriate. I was even able to take one foot out so it looked like Monique was pusing the board along without her losing balance.

The helmet is cheap. It is made of plastic that looks like it would shatter if you dropped it from any height. And the color appears to be spraypainted on. It's not the same quality as the helmet that comes with the trail bike, and I wasn't even pleased with that one. It buckles with the same type of closure. Elastic and a plastic clip.

Lastly, there is a tube of chapstick on a plastic lanyard. I have yet to figure out if it opens. But the botton does twist around like the chapstick should be able to raise and lower. I dont think it adds anything to the outfit, and it looks too much like a toy for my cats so I left it in the box.

Nann