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
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
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
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
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
Well this is the last of the series of Winter 2018 Outdoor Retailer show reports but one of the more fun to research and write. The show sure had a lot of winter climbing eye candy this year with new ice tools, boots, screws, helmets, harnesses, etc. to check out. Given all the cool new technical climbing gear coming out this year you can expect … Continue reading Winter OR 2018: Winter Climbing Gear
While the new Speed Comp Helmet from Camp has its roots in Skimo racing it makes a great backcountry ski touring and ski mountaineering helmet. Functional and well thought out it’s light enough to make the decision to bring it easy! The Skimo racing industry’s been testing the limits of what is possible from technological (any physical) standpoint and taken “fast and light” to a … Continue reading Review: Camp Speed Comp Helmet
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
I’ve been testing Osprey’s Kamber 32 for over a year now on a variety of ski trips in all kinds of conditions over BC and Alberta and this well designed pack has proven to be a worthy companion. Well featured, durable and comfortable it quickly became my go-to ski touring pack. And like a lot of pieces that I really like, I found myself using … Continue reading Long-Term Review: Osprey Kamber 32
The Icefall Down Jacket from Helly Hansen has been around for quite a while. And while it’s undergone some small changes and improvements over this time the core jacket remains the same. Quite a testament to it’s versatility and popularity. But what’s contributed to this ongoing success? Only one way to find out: take it into mountains for some use and abuse. So that’s what … Continue reading Review: Helly Hansen Icefall Down Jacket
