First Look Review – Five Ten Quantum VCS
The Five Ten Quantum VCS The Quantum VCS are new to the Five Ten shoe line as of spring 2018 (In Canada). Developed with the help of the Huber Brothers, they’re supposedly a velcro version of the Quantum Lace which was released in Spring of ’17. The overall build is not like your standard Five Ten shoe, this new line might be a game changer … Continue reading First Look Review – Five Ten Quantum VCS
Trip Guide: Indian Creek Essentials
Indian Creek is truly a crack climber’s paradise. With mile after mile of beautiful splitters in a magical desert setting it’s easy to see why crack enthusiasts return year after year. But for all you first timers out there this article will focus on some of the key equipment needed for a trip to this dessert climbing mecca. Of course I’m not going cover the … Continue reading Trip Guide: Indian Creek Essentials
First Look Review: Edelrid Bulletproof Carabiners & Draws
One of the more unique and innovative climbing technologies to be released this year is Edelrid’s new BulletProof line of carabiners. These hybrid Stainless Steel / Aluminum Alloy ‘biners blend the benefits of the two metals and are sure to be a popular addition to racks everywhere. Surprisingly this new technology hasn’t seen much fanfare but it’s definitely worth checking out next time you’re at … Continue reading First Look Review: Edelrid Bulletproof Carabiners & Draws
From Gym to Crag Pt. 3: Anchor Kits
Unlike the fairly uniform and well maintained anchors provided at climbing gyms, outdoor crags can offer a wide variety of anchor points, or nothing at all. And of course different situations will require different gear. That being said, most areas are set-up with a pair of bolts that can be used to build either a top-rope or lead anchor. This article will review different equipment … Continue reading From Gym to Crag Pt. 3: Anchor Kits
From Gym to Crag Pt. 2: How to Pick a Climbing Rope
Selecting a climbing rope can be confusing given all the different types and features available. This article focuses on giving you the information you need to select the right rope to climb at your local crag. When it comes to buying your first cragging rope to go there are two main factors to consider: Diameter & Length. Simple right! You can ignore options such as … Continue reading From Gym to Crag Pt. 2: How to Pick a Climbing Rope
From Gym to Crag Pt. 1: Choosing Quickdraws
Many new climbers are looking to transition from the gym to pulling on real rock. But to go outside some new toys are needed. This series of articles focuses on helping climbers select the right equipment to get out cragging. This first of the series will examine quickdraws. If you simply want to go top-roping you can skip this purchase for now. There’s a huge … Continue reading From Gym to Crag Pt. 1: Choosing Quickdraws
1 Year Review: Totem Cams
The Totem Cam is truly one of a kind, they offer extraordinary holding power by using a Direct Loading system.  For any free or aid climber these hard-to-get cams are a must have. Specs: Size STRENGTH RANGE MIN RANGE MAX WEIGHT Black Totem 0.50 6kN 11.7mm 18.9mm 69g Blue Totem  0.65 8kN 13.8mm 22.5mm 75g Yellow Totem 0.80 9kN 17mm 27.7mm 83g Purple Totem  1.00 10kN 20.9mm 34.2mm … Continue reading 1 Year Review: Totem Cams
Review: Patagonia Descensionist Ski Pack
The new Descensionist ski touring / ski mountaineering pack from Patagonia is based on the design on the popular Ascensionist, an alpine / mountaineering pack. This means that many of the attributes that made the Ascensionist such a hit are present on the new pack, just with a focus on back country skiing. The Descensionist has the key features required for touring in a light-weight … Continue reading Review: Patagonia Descensionist Ski Pack
Review: Scarpa Phantom Tech
Scarpa has been a world leader in the mountain boot industry since 1930 and are still going strong today! Released in 2016, the Phantom Tech is the lightest boot in Scarpa’s Phantom series which also includes the Phantom 6000 and Phantom 8000. While both the 6000 and 8000 are geared more towards high altitude mountaineering, the Tech is designed specifically for technical climbing and replaces the … Continue reading Review: Scarpa Phantom Tech
First Look Review: New Petzl Tibloc 2
Petzl first announced the new, upgraded Tibloc at the Outdoor Retailer show in 2015. I was impressed and so after the show I tried to get my hands on one to test out. Unfortunately Petzl had ran into some manufacturing issues and, as time went by, it was starting to look like upgraded Tibloc would never make it to market. But that’s not where the … Continue reading First Look Review: New Petzl Tibloc 2