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

For UK winter mountaineering, however, decision making becomes more complex. The G-Summits are an excellent choice for challenging winter climbs, offering technical ability, warmth, durability, and the convenience of BOA lacing. If you frequently contend with cold feet (or your partner regularly subjects you to 2-3 hour belaying stints), investing in G-Summits might be justified. However, if cold isn't the overriding concern then that price tag is bound to start looking a bit off-putting. If..." go to full review

The Crag Sender is a lightweight and affordable helmet that performs equally well for sport climbing, mountain routes, winter climbing and scrambling. Its secure fit is for the most part easy to adjust and offers barely-there-feel comfort. While it may not match the durability of pricier EPP models, it offers solid protection and looks like good value at this price.go to full review

All assisted-braking devices (ABDs) must toe the line between providing a secure rope-pinching mechanism when the climber falls, and also allowing the belayer to feed out slack quickly when the lead climber is climbing quickly or clipping pieces of protection. The Petzl Neox finds the sweet spot on this spectrum, using a spinning wheel to reduce friction. This allows belayers to feed slack quickly and still provide a safe belay in the case of a leader fall. It is our preferred device for..." go to full review

The best in the game deserve the best kit to match and the Unparallel Flagship Pro is most definitely up to Tomoa’s task. This is more than an upgrade; it’s a reimagining of what an all-around performance climbing shoe can offer, taking Unparallel’s design to a new level that stands toe to toe with the leading bouldering shoes on the market. With precision, comfort, and power packed into every fibre, the Flagship Pro doesn’t just meet pro standards—it sets them.go to full review

I think Mad Rock has been under-appreciated by the climbing community. I don’t know why. Maybe serious climbers think they’re not getting a top quality if they’re not spending top dollar. But I think the Drone CS is a high quality shoe at a great price point—and a fantastic addition to Mad Rock’s bouldering shoe lineup. They’re not a replacement for the OG Drones, but they are an excellent compliment to them. I just tried to order myself a pair of LV’s, but they’re backordered in my size…..." go to full review

After three months of steady shoe-testing in Squamish, Washington, and multiple trips into the Bugaboos—where I found myself on gaping offwidths with unfortunate frequency—the Generator Mids have held up admirably. And aside from some minor glue failure in the tongue, the Generator’s rand shows no signs of delamination (a common issue in other brands), the laces look brand new, and the suede is hardly scuffed. Overall, Scarpa has built a comfortable, high-end winner in the Generator, and I..." go to full review

La Sportiva’s line has traditionally been biased in favor of stiffly structured shoes. Even its softest products like the Solution Comp and the Theory are built with a supportive P3 system that disperses the shoe’s bendability across the foot rather than providing it with a single hinge point. Now—thanks, apparently, to Adam Ondra’s prodding—La Sportiva has decided to lean into a smeary specialization, building a shoe that is designed to hinge under the main joint of the big toe, allowing it..." go to full review

Let’s get down to what matters: performance. The Mandala felt truly boss out of the box as I broke them in with some gym bouldering and boarding. Like the Futura and Mantra, they had superb grabbing ability in the bouldering cave, especially on jibs, since you can spread the No Edge toe out on spikes/protuberances and into deformities; this let me traction in over the big toe to bring my hips close to the wall. They were also excellent for boarding, letting me curl my forefoot around the..." go to full review