
The Instinct S nails the sweet spot for slipper fans who thrive on sensitivity and feedback, but who also want a solid dash of edging support for technical face, kneebars, and longer pitches. They are not as stiff and precise as the original (all-orange) Instinct S. But to offset this, the new Instinct S are much better at grabbing, heel-hooking, toe-scumming, and heel-toes: There’s a lot of glommy rubber that deforms into weird crevices and angles—the kind of funky footwork you find in..." go to full review

The Cirrus is built not only for top impact, like most climbing helmets, but also for side and rear impacts as well, making the Cirrus a viable option for ski-mountaineering (there is currently no rating system for ski-mountaineering helmets). Expedition mountaineers, riggers, and other users will appreciate the toughness of the Cirrus as well. When traveling for expeditions, I have often carried my lightweight helmets in my carry-on for fear of them getting crushed in the underbelly of the..." go to full review

The Ocun WeBee is a great addition to the lineup of harnesses specifically designed for big wall climbers because it bridges the gap between a common trad or sport climbing harness and the big wall models that are almost too burly. It could easily serve as a trad climbing harness for climbers who want to bring a lot of gear and find the extra gear loops useful. Durability was my main concern with the WeBee, but it still looks great after I used it on Tangerine Trip (VI 5.6 A3) and Zodiac (VI..." go to full review