The ultimate test I set for the NIAD VCS was at Yosemite’s burly Arch Rock. Everything hard about Valley climbing is packed in here—endless cracks over stone so polished that it squeaks when you smear. I wanted to see how well they performed on Midterm, the squeakiest of the lines at Arch, a nails-hard 5.10 that begins with first-knuckle fingertip jamming with slick edges for feet. From here it widens to fingers, hands… all the way to a slick, flared chimney. That day on ..." go to full review

I'm no sponsored athlete or ambassador for Edelrid—just a fan. I've climbed on bunches of their ropes and the Starling Protect is the latest. It will be my go-to rope for long alpine routes here in Chamonix. Having two independent rope lines going, both with double cut-resistance, seems like a great idea. The Starling strikes me as an ideal rope for Sierra Range granite, Vegas adventure or winter-mixed climbing—great for any time you want a burly, safer, quality cord.go to full review

Having been a die-hard fan of the Petzl Grigri for more than 20 years, I now proclaim that after less than three months of using the Trango Vergo assisted braking belay and rappel device, I am officially a Vergo convert. A light sadness trickles through my body in making this bold statement. Grigris (and wonderful belayers) have caught thousands of my falls, large and small, and kept me from hitting the ground; the Grigri has been right there with me at some of my finest and most memorable..." go to full review