Gill found the harness to be ‘really comfortable’ for climbing, belaying and even falling. He also found that ‘it doesn’t get in the way of anything’ whilst climbing and moving about. However he did note a downside in that it needed ‘more (gear) loops to hold gear on’. With two gear loops the Finn has adequete racking for most sport climbing routes but if like Gill you do more trad climbs and/or your dad places lots of gear  then you may find that a makeshift bandolier becomes neccessary...." go to full review

A good car won’t fix a bad driver, but it’ll certainly make it harder for the bad driver to mess up. Likewise, the La Sportiva Testarossas will arguably improve your footwork. Their Goldilock construction makes them top-notch at edging, while still managing a soft, responsive feel. They’re branded as best on steep routes and hard bouldering, but I’d argue they’ll be your go-to pair for hard sport climbing on any route that requires precision, with a few exceptions.go to full review

I wore the Eiger XT EVO in just about every condition down to zero, and my feet were never cold or wet even when water gushed over the boots without my permission. I’ll qualify, I used the Eiger mostly on routes where I was either in constant motion, or the belay sessions were short. I would hesitate to lace on the Eiger for very cold, long routes where you spend significant time immobile at belays, or it’s just really damn cold. For those conditions, I’d opt for a more insulated boot, and..." go to full review

Beal says the Ghost is for “expert climbing and mountaineering,” which I’m not so sure of. If by expert you mean a thoughtful, well-designed harness, then yes, but the Ghost is a fine entry-level harness as well as a project harness, when weight really matters. At 8.8 ounces, it is in the lightweight category, and yet after all the whips I’ve taken on it, it ranks high on my durability scale. There are less expensive harnesses out there, but there are more expensive ones. At $110, Ghost is..." go to full review

Despite being marketed for indoor bouldering, the La Sportiva Theory is excellent for sport climbing on slippery limestone, and to some extent, pockety sandstone. After six or so pitches, you’ll be psyched to take these puppies off, especially if it’s hot and your feet swell.go to full review

The Darts come with four Lynx front points, which have one adjustable option to lengthen or shorten their extension. Anti-snow plates come with the package. The heel lock mounting is nonadjustable and the thumb tab is a tad small: with bulky gloves it’s hard to release. The Dart mono protrudes slightly right of your big toe and straight out, which is ideal for all pure ice-related matters; but when you are getting real scratchy on the mixed, I prefer a slight angle.go to full review

Kailas has done several things with the Selma II to address frequent issues climbers have with clunkier helmets. Firstly, the brim arches across the forehead—roughly contouring one’s hairline—which removes any visibility issues. Even looking up while belaying, the helmet stays out of view. The Selma II also has great breathability. In addition to holes on the side of the head to allow airflow, the Selma II has small ports in the top, which are protected by a steel mesh, just in case stray..." go to full review

Not all rock shoes need to be pain-tolerance tests, which is something we often forget in our quest for ever more fine-tuned performance. Fortunately, Five Ten has kept both comfort and performance in mind with their affordable new Kirigami, among the friendliest shoes to hit the market this year. These minimalist shoes feature a double hook-and-loop closure and synthetic upper, but it was the neutral (read: flat lasted) fit and rounded toebox that really shone—you can keep these..." go to full review

The one tiny critique I have for the Vision MIPS is a "pro" as well as a "con"—it's easy to adjust. The plastic brace that keeps the helmet from sliding backward (ensuring the forehead is covered) is prone to loosen whenever I don or remove the helmet. I quickly learned to double check the fit every time. On the other hand, this easy adjustment is nice when I'm at a cramped belay and want to put the helmet on over a hat with minimal futzing.go to full review