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Arc'teryx Sphene
Apparel, Reviews, Ski & Snowboard

Long Term Review: Arc’teryx Sphene Jacket

The Arc’teryx Sphene is the lightest jacket in the Whileline collection and designed specifically for the demands of backcountry ski touring.  By stripping away features and pockets not needed in a ski touring jacket Arc’teryx was able to keep the Gore-Tex Pro fabric and still have a lightweight and packable hard shell.  But how does it perform?  Well after about 50 days of touring and ski mountaineering in … Continue reading Long Term Review: Arc’teryx Sphene Jacket

Monte Johnston
Ice Climbing Avalanche Gear
Reviews, Rock & Ice, Tips & Tricks

Avalanche Gear for Ice Climbers

The ice climbing community has been undergoing a paradigm shift in regards to avalanche awareness and safety.  Like the ski community’s transition to wearing helmets, ice climbers continue to become more aware of avalanches and how to mitigate the associated hazards through knowledge and equipment.  This is a much different environment than was present almost 10 years ago when I was getting introduced to the … Continue reading Avalanche Gear for Ice Climbers

Monte Johnston
Reviews, Ski & Snowboard

Review: G3 FINDr 102 Skis

Released for the 2016/17 ski season the G3 FINDr line is aimed squarely at the ski mountaineering crowd.  I tested the FINDr 102, the widest in the new lineup, in a variety of snow conditions over several mountain ranges and was pleasantly surprise with just how versatile a ski it is.  Light enough to for long days of walking or boot packing, wide enough to … Continue reading Review: G3 FINDr 102 Skis

Monte Johnston
Reviews, Rock & Ice

Review: Edelrid Rap Line II (new)

Climbing with a rappel or tag line can offer a number of advantages over using double or twin ropes in many situations.  As a result they’ve been quickly gaining in popularity. Traditionally a long piece of accessory cord was the go-to for a tag line.  However, due to increasing popularity, many companies now make a specific product for this use including Sterling Ropes, Mammut, Petzl, … Continue reading Review: Edelrid Rap Line II (new)

Monte Johnston
Arc'teryx Acrux Leather Approach Shoes
Alpine & Mountaineering, Reviews, Rock & Ice

Review: Arc’teryx Acrux SL Leather Approach Shoe

Arc’teryx followed up the popular Acrux SL approach shoe with an urban looking leather version. But don’t let the sleek appearance fool you, this is a very technical shoe that’s equally at home on the rock or in the alpine as it is on the sidewalk. The leather may add weight and reduce breathability but it also increases durability. When combined with technical soles and … Continue reading Review: Arc’teryx Acrux SL Leather Approach Shoe

Monte Johnston
Trango Tower Boots
Alpine & Mountaineering, Reviews

Review: La Sportiva Trango Tower Boots

The newest addition to La Sportiva’s Trango line is the Trango Tower.  A 3-season mountaineering boot that replaces the aging Trango S Evo, a long-time favorite of alpinists and mountaineers worldwide.  This new generation boot improves on the Evo by shedding weight while providing better grip and water resistance.  However, as it’s built on the same Trango last the fit is similar and should be … Continue reading Review: La Sportiva Trango Tower Boots

Monte Johnston
MSR WindBurner Stove
Alpine & Mountaineering, Reviews, Ski & Snowboard, Travel & Lifestyle

Long-Term Review: MSR WindBurner Stove

Sure the new MSR WindBurner Stove is compact, efficient and fast but its performance in strong winds is what sets it apart.  In creating the WindBurner, MSR blended some of the best design features of the iconic Reactor and the Jetboil to create a versatile stove system that’s practically windproof. The perfect stove for an alpine mission or just brewing coffee in the parking lot. Features of the MSR … Continue reading Long-Term Review: MSR WindBurner Stove

Monte Johnston
Camp Alp Mountain Harness
Alpine & Mountaineering, Reviews, Ski & Snowboard

Mountaineering / Ski Harness Review Part 2: Camp Alp Mountain

This is the second installment of a multi-part series covering light mountaineering and ski harnesses.  The first review covered the Mammut Zephyr Altitude, this one will look at the Camp Alp Mountain and will be followed by the Petzl Altitude.  I’ll continue the series if there’s a good response and I’m able to get some more test samples. Camp Alp Mountain The Alp Mountain harness from Camp is lightweight … Continue reading Mountaineering / Ski Harness Review Part 2: Camp Alp Mountain

Monte Johnston
Gregory Baltoro Pro Pack
Alpine & Mountaineering, Reviews

Review: Gregory Baltoro 95 Pro Backpack

Yes the Baltoro Pro is a massive 95L backpack, a serious gear hauler!  But if you’re going to buckle down and suffer packing all that crap around you might as well take a comfortable pack!  In truth it wasn’t that many years ago that I got rid of all my larger packs and vowed that if I couldn’t do the trip with a 55L bag I wasn’t … Continue reading Review: Gregory Baltoro 95 Pro Backpack

Monte Johnston