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
While Winter OR typically has a winter / cold weather focus there’s always some warm weather gear to check out as well. This year it seemed that most companies had new or updated footwear on display. In no particular order here are the new shoes you can expect to find this fall just in time for the road-trip climbing season: Scarpa Mescalito Approach Shoes: Scarpa … Continue reading Winter OR 2018: Summer Climbing Footwear
While Deuter makes several winter packs in the mid-size range we chose to review the Freerider Pro 30. Designed as a versatile ski touring pack I felt it more relevant than some of the other ski guide or race inspired offerings. The main compartment of the Freerider Pro 30 has two separate access points, through a zipper on the top of the pack and via … Continue reading Review: Deuter Freerider Pro 30
In this second installment of the 2017 Christmas Gift guide for climbers we’ll look at 5 great ideas for larger or more expensive gifts. If none of the ideas work for you there’s one last bonus gift idea that should work for almost any outdoor sports enthusiast. Of course you could also check out the first installment, Stocking Stuffers, for more ideas as well. So, … Continue reading Climbers Christmas Guide 2017: Gift Ideas
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
Black Diamond really nailed it with the Creek 50. The haul bag inspired cragging pack is well thought out, nicely featured and fits all the gear you’ll ever need for a day on the rock and more. If you’re in the market for a new cragging pack the Creek 50 should be on your radar. Features: Top-loading, stand-up design Haul bag style main compartment with … Continue reading Black Diamond Creek 50 – Crag Bag Bliss
Five Ten updated the Quantum last year and the result is a well-designed, featured and finished shoe that’s hard to miss in bright blue suede. The breathable tongue and lined interior give the shoe a soft feel and soak up the sweat on long days while the always reliable C4 Stealth rubber provides secure footing on the rock. A versatile shoe that’s good for everything but the … Continue reading Review: Five Ten Quantum Rock Climbing Shoe
Easily the most surprising shoe I’ve reviewed, the Arc’teryx Acrux SL is an incredibly versatile technical approach shoe. While light enough to live up to the SL (super light) name it’s still burly enough to be a great shoe for longer approaches and scrambles. With sticky rubber, a great tread pattern and a comfortable fit it‘s become my go-to when I want a light shoe … Continue reading Review: Arc’teryx Acrux SL Approach Shoe
Crack climbing gloves have become increasingly common over the past few years with more and more companies making their own versions. They’ve even become popular enough that the ethical debate seems to have subsided. Of course the reason for this popularity is easy to understand once you try a pair: they work! Well at least if you get the right gloves of course. With the … Continue reading Comparison Review: Crack Climbing Gloves
I’ve been a long-time fan of Scarpa’s Vapor V shoes, both the original and the 2015 updated version, they fit my feet well and really seemed to have found that Goldilocks zone of comfort and performance. The recently released lace-up version of the shoe, which is simply called the Vapor Lace (or just Vapor), takes the performance of the sport shoe into the realm of crack climbing, all … Continue reading Review: Scarpa Vapor Lace
