Black Sheep Adventure Sports

The Smith Summit Mips is a fantastic helmet, there’s no doubt there. The Boa closure is second to none in offering a snug fit. The styling is fantastically casual while still maintaining its triple-certified chops. The colorways are awesome but that lack of a goggle holder bothers me to no end. I also have to give kudos to Smith for their size options. There is an XL version that fits folks with melons up to 67cm and a small version down to 51cm. Helmets for all!go to full review

The TX Guides are an amazing approach shoe I highly recommend for someone with a NARROW foot. They have a very breathable upper shoe and are ideal for areas like Indian Creek, Yosemite, Squamish. Less ideal for areas with scree fields, such as the Canadian Rockies. I haven’t tested them in these conditions myself but got reports the breathable upper gets cut with sharp rocks.go to full review

An absolute granite weapon, the updated Vapor Lace shoes are comfortable enough for all-day multi-pitch climbing while still offering amazing performance. If you fit the Vapor line of shoes you definitely want a pair!go to full review

The combination of a low profile, hard plastic top with the lightweight EPP body allows the Wall Rider to provide a high level of protection and durability in a comfortable and reasonably lightweight package.  Some helmet designs have shaved off a few grams here and there by adding more vents, which also makes them a bit flimsy, or by removing features.  This helmet has added features to increase safety and durability but still falls on the lighter end of the spectrum of lightweight helmets..." go to full review

Every climber needs a robust, all-round go-to rope that they can abuse at the crag.  Something to use when working a project, top-roping or teaching a friend how to climb.  While all these sleek new triple rated, by-patterned, dry certified, sub 9mm ropes on the market are great, they’re also quite specialized and not really meant for everyday cragging.  For that type of service the Edelrid Boa Eco (also called the Parrot) is just the ticket.go to full review

An absolutely fantastic cam!  If you don’t mind spending a little bit more money these babies provide a lot back in the form of better holding power (which can help ease the mental battle a little), extendable slings and so on while not weighing any more.go to full review

The Petzl Ride axe is a very lightweight summer and winter mountaineering axe that’s ideal for routes that don’t involve much ice.  Check out the Petzl Gully if you want a lightweight axe that’s a little more technical just be aware that it weights a bit more as well.go to full review

The Alp Mountain has three gear loops: one on each hip and another at the back.  The side loops have a clear plastic shield to provide rigidity and longevity but unfortunately can also create pressure points under the waist belt of an expedition pack (trimming the plastic shield should fix the issue).  The rear gear loop is great if you need to tow a toboggan, a nice touch if you’re planning a big tour/expedition that requires some sledging.  There are also 3 ice clipper slots, one on either..." go to full review

As with all ski/mountaineering harness the Petzl Altitude can be put it on (and taken off) while wearing skis or crampons.  The Altitude accomplishes this in a similar fashion to other such ski/mountaineering harnesses where the leg loops have plastic buckles to hold them in place and the waist strap is fed through the belay loop before going through a buckle.  To secure the waist belt in place the nylon strap is fed through a large buckle, hard to feed while wearing gloves but simple and..." go to full review

As I got the boots late in the season I’ve only been able to put 12 days of hiking, mountaineering and scrambling on them to date. Not enough time to wear them out and provide a detailed durability assessment but I can predict how they’ll perform based on what I’ve seen so far.  That being said, the abrasion resistant fabric on the uppers has stood up amazingly well and shows almost no wear.go to full review