As an Outward Bound instructor, I put my gear through tremendous levels of distress. When teaching students how to push themselves for 24 hours straight, in the rain, during a whiteout, on an ice field, the gear has to keep…
“Rock climbing is a powerful tool for an individual to explore their true potential, both physically and emotionally. The places that rock climbing can take you, on the grand scale of things, are places that very few people have ever…
I’ve spent quite a bit of time recently (during the majority of the last decade) exploring climbing areas around Colorado and Utah, and interacting with all sorts of different technical set-ups, which hammered home for me the importance of having…
This pack from the Mountainsmith Roots Collection is a great size (30L) for day-hiking, time at the crag, or whatever it is that you’re doing around town. It’s ‘a modern twist on a 90’s climbing bag’ as their website puts…
About a month ago, I opened an impressively small box to pull out 12 of the Omega Pacific Vulcan Quickdraws. My initial reaction was that these are incredibly light pieces of equipment, and holding the package I thought I had…
The Native Eldo is a close-fitting, full coverage sunglass that fits big heads well. Native suggests that they’re a great fit for driving and riding motorcycles, although they’re also well suited to spring skiing, throwing streamers, and hanging out on…
There’s a wide range of ‘guide’ devices and plaquettes that are made for a solid top belay, and this summer I got to take the Grivel Shuttle for a test drive. After getting acquainted with it in my basement, I went…
For me the best approach shoe is like a unicorn, you hear a lot of rumors about it existing, know what it looks like, but can’t ever seem to find it for yourself. For me, the ideal approach shoe should…
‘Did Petzl send me a pint glass?’ was my initial reaction when I stopped at the post office and found a small box waiting for me. I shook the box, wondering what could be small enough to fit in the…
The SCARPA Gecko is the rare all-around approach shoe that walks comfortably over many miles, while maintaining good sensitivity and traction on rock. Italian leather uppers, to-the-toe lacing, and thoughtfully lugged Vibram soles create an ideal shoe for everything from casual…