Mountains are a place we go to get away from it all. No cell service, less people, just you and maybe a few close friends to get up to some adventure. Over the past few years, social media has had a large influence on what happens in the mountains. Not to get into that too much, but what we wear is something most people take … Continue reading Review: Mountain Hardware Exposure/2™ Jacket and Pants
A head-to-head comparison review of synthetic Arc’teryx Puffy Jackets. Specifically the Quantum Series which includes the Proton, Atom & Nuclei. Walking around an outdoor gear store, or perusing one online for that matter, can be both fun and intimidating. There’s an absolute mountain of choice (yes, the pun was intended) when it comes to good quality kit! Now, a wide selection can be a great … Continue reading Picking the Perfect Arc’teryx Puffy:
The Petzl Nao+ is my lighting tool of choice for any mountain missions that start or end in the dim hours of the day. With 750 lumens, it’s so bright that Petzl had to include a warning label not to shine it in someone’s eyes up close! Using Reactive Lighting or Constant Lighting the burn time will vary from 6.5hrs (at 750 lumens) all the … Continue reading Review: Petzl Nao+ Headlamp
I can be picky when it comes to ski touring pants. I’ll spend countless hours trying on different pairs in different stores before ever getting close to that one pair with that seemingly elusive mixture of features I want: a good fit, a few functional pockets, vents and a fabric that breaths. I know, I’m asking for a lot! But it’s not always easy to … Continue reading Long-Term Review: Patagonia Descensionist Pants
The new Zodiac Tech from Scarpa fits squarely into to uber popular scrambling / lightweight mountaineering boot category. Incredibly versatile, this boot’s a fantastic option for summers in the mountains. The soles are flexible enough to walk well but still stiff enough to take semi-auto crampons, kick steps up steep snow slopes and rock climb. They’re even warm and dry enough for shorter bouts on … Continue reading First Look Review: Scarpa Zodiac Tech GTX
Therm-a-Rest recently released a series of new sleeping bags and backcountry quilts designed to be compatible with one another. With the ability to be mixed and matched you can create a expandable sleeping system suitable for almost any trip or season. Much like a sleeping bag – over bag combination but more finessed. In this review we’re focusing on one such combination: the Parsec sleeping … Continue reading Review: Therm-A-Rest Parsec & Corus Sleeping System
The new Beal Escaper is unique, innovative a little terrifying until you get used to it. Designed to be a rappel release device it allows you to rappel on a single strand but still retrieve the rope from the bottom. Needless to say, I had a lot of questions when I first saw the device: How does the Escaper perform with different anchor set-ups and … Continue reading Review: Beal Escaper
I’m branching out a little from my typical type of review as I wanted to highlight Hornby Organic’s energy bars. Not because they pay me or anything like that (I’m not compensated in any way for the website except if someone wants a guide). I just think they make fantastic bars and it seems that very few climbers and skiers have heard of them. Quite … Continue reading Hornby? The best bars you’ve never heard of!
Is this the start of a new era? A question worth asking for a product that’s as innovative as Mountain Hardware’s new Super/DS StretchDown. Combining a softshell type stretchy fabric with down insulation is innovative and truly a game changer. With this jacket you get the warmth you need from the 800 loft down in the performance fit package you’d expect from a soft shell. Needless … Continue reading Review: Mountain Hardwear Super/DS StretchDown
Sub 9mm Climbing Rope Comparison It wasn’t very long ago that people looked to 10mm beasts of a rope for an everyday workhorse and ropes under 9mm in diameter were few and far between. Well that’s no longer the case with 5 different options currently on the market and undoubtedly more to come. Companies like Sterling, Petzl and others already have 9.0mm ropes available and … Continue reading Comparison Review: Sub 9mm Climbing Ropes
