We all have that jacket. We’ve worn it on our highest summits and in our lowest valleys. It’s kept us dry and warm, and is the perfect pillow when no other options exist. Life outside is intertwined with a reliance on the clothing we wear. Mammut have done it right with the Rime IN Hybrid Flex Jacket, I’ve been living in it for the last … Continue reading Review: Mammut Rime IN Hybrid Flex Jacket
Mammut created a new genre of helmets when they introduced the original Wall Rider helmet a few years ago. This first hybrid helmet combined an EPP foam body with a polycarbonate cap in a construction that was quite innovative at the time but has quickly become quite familiar. Since the release of the original Wall Rider helmet a couple of years ago a number of … Continue reading Review: Mammut Wall Rider MIPS
There were actually enough new harnesses at the Summer OR show this year to justify a harness-specific write-up! And I’m sure that if I had a little more time to walk the show floor I might have found another harness or two to add from lesser-known brands. I’ve got all the big boys covered though. CAMP Impulse and Impulse CR Harness: The Impulse and Impulse … Continue reading Summer OR 2019: Harnesses
Mammut’s new Glacier Cord is designed to be used as part of a lightweight rope kit to allow alpinists, mountaineers and skiers to deal with various challenges and emergencies. This includes rappelling cliff bands, roping up for glacier travel, undertaking crevasse and cliff rescues, etc. Of course lightweight kits like this have been available for some time, the most well-known being Petzl’s RAD kit. Mammut … Continue reading Review: Mammut 6mm Glacier Cord
The 2019 Outdoor Retailer Snow Show was a hit. Black Sheep spent 3 days on the ground running from booth to booth checking out all the new invitations that the public should be able to get their hands on within the next year! It was hard and took a lot of thought, but here is what really stood out to us and is taking Black … Continue reading Winter OR 2019 – Awards!
This year’s Winter Outdoor Retailer / Snow Show was a bit underwhelming. There wasn’t as much new and innovative kit to check out as I’ve come to expect. And unfortunately footwear was no exception though there were definitely a few highlights. Five Ten and Lowa, didn’t have anything new for winter while other brands such as Salewa weren’t even at the show. However, that’s not … Continue reading Winter OR 2019: Footwear
This final installment of our gift guide series for 2018 provides some great ideas for the backcountry skiers out there. This includes ski touring, ski mountaineering, split boarding and even the snowshoeing enthusiast—though I question their sanity. Be sure to check out our other gift guides as well and have a great Christmas season! 1. Arc’teryx Alpha SK Pack: The newest addition to the Arc’teryx … Continue reading Christmas Gift Guide for Backcountry Skiers: 2018
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
There were some really cool alpine and mountaineering packs to check out at OR this summer though not as many as usual. Companies like Osprey, Deuter, Gregory, etc. seemed to have focused their efforts in other areas such as cycling and hiking this year. However I met up with the Arc’teryx crew in Vancouver before the show so I can include their new alpine climbing … Continue reading Summer OR 2018: Packs
This Outdoor Retailer Show Report focuses mainly on equipment for mountaineering and alpine climbing. However, it also has a bit of a hodge-podge of gear that could fit into several categories or none. It’s all great gear though! So in no particular order… Mammut Glacier Cord Dry: Much like Petzl’s Rad line, Mammut’s new Glacier Cord is a high-strength, low-stretch glacier travel and crevasse rescue … Continue reading Summer OR 2018: Mountaineering & Alpine Equipment
