With spring fast approaching I’ve found myself thinking about rock climbing more and more and getting excited about the upcoming season. Excited for new climbs and to get back onto old projects, excited to be on the rock with the wind in my hair and the sun on my back. However, as it’s currently pouring rain outside here in Squamish, this excitement has drawn me … Continue reading Climbers Guide to Squamish
When Arc’teryx released the Lithic Comp pant (well actually they’re technically bibs) last fall I was a bit skeptical as I’m not a big fan of bibs; I find that they tend to be hot on the up-track. However the promise offered by the combination of hardshell and shoftshell fabrics drew me in. The idea behind the pants is simple, waterproof breathable fabric where you need … Continue reading Review: Arc’teryx Lithic Comp pant
Black Diamond, like many companies that make avalanche rescue equipment, has an avalanche shovel that can be set-up either as a hoe or shovel. However, the elegant design of the BD Evac 7 make the conversion between the two modes simple and intuitive on a shovel that is still light and extremely effective at moving a lot of snow quickly. Before looking at this particular … Continue reading Review: Black Diamond Evac 7 Shovel
I’ve done a lot of pack reviews over the years though but traditionally focused on ice, rock or alpine oriented packs. This year I decided to take this expertise and apply it to a comparison review of some newer mid-size ski packs. I chose this size of pack as it’s so versatile: great for hut-based overnight trips, hut-to-hut ski tours, ski/snowboard mountaineering trips or even … Continue reading Comparison Review: Ski Packs
Cots have the reputation of being heavy, bulky and not always all that comfortable. Not really something that you want to take into the backcountry, right? But wait, Helinox, a company that’s been creating some amazingly light and comfortable camping gear such as the Chair One, has created a matching cot, the Cot One. Lightweight, portable and comfortable, I’m going to miss having this unit … Continue reading Review: Helinox Cot Lite
Canada Goose is a Toronto, Canada, based company that is renown for making exceptional extreme weather outerwear. The company specializes in down-filled jackets and parkas, and since the 1970’s has been supplying mountaineering, Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. The clothing is well thought-out, warm and durable, and has earned a well-deserved reputation for cold-weather use everywhere from long urban winters to unrelenting arctic storms. The Timber … Continue reading Review: Canada Goose Timber Shell
When Alien cams were first introduced by Dave Waggoner they revolutionized climbing protection and have since become a familiar name in every crack climbing household. The narrow head and flexible stems were unlike any cam available on the market at the time and could be securely placed where no other cam could. While these cams have set the standard for big walls and protecting tight … Continue reading Field Tested: Alien Evolution Cams
Spring is here once again and many of us are taking our rock gear out of the dark corner that we threw it into after our fall climbing trip and getting ready to hit the crag. To cart all that lightweight but surprisingly heavy gear around most outdoor companies have been coming out with very specialized cragging packs. No longer do you have to use … Continue reading Review: Patagonia Crag Daddy
