Over time, the Solution Guide did soften a bit, but it’s still stiffer than my other harnesses. Overall, I think that’s a good thing for the requirements of multipitch trad. And the armor supplied by SuperFabric ensures a long tenure, even on sporty types like me who struggle up cracks with immense effort and zero style.go to full review

The Five Ten Grandstone offers the protection and all-day comfort of a classic high-top with enough modern performance enhancements to up the ante. It’s a unique shoe for the category, blending old-school characteristics with modern performance enhancements. It’s an excellent choice for sport climbers who also enjoy trad, providing a more familiar feeling. For this tester, it’s the first high-top trad shoe that didn’t feel clunky.go to full review

Out of the box, the Maestro Mid Eco shoe is extremely comfortable, helped by a well-padded tongue that stays in place. The lace system also helps add durability and insure less lace wasting after seasons of jamming into cracks. The entire shoe feels like a safe haven. With it’s burly leather and generous rubber rand, the SCARPA Maestro Mid ECO is less like a high performance Ferrari, especially on thin cracks and dime edges, and more like a Land Rover for all-day adventures.go to full review

The Black Diamond LiteForge Screwgate is a small, compact offset-D that works well for building anchors, but isn't versatile enough for uses while belaying or rappelling. It does come at a reasonable price, but isn't the highest scorer among these types of lockers, so wouldn't be our first recommendation.go to full review

The Black Diamond HotForge Screwgates are an economical and rather basic offset-D locker that will get the job done for you on long routes or for everyday use. They work just fine and come at a very economical price point, but aren't the first one of their type that we would recommend.go to full review

The Black Diamond RockLock Twistlock is a large HMS style locker that is versatile for nearly any purpose, but specializes in belaying and rappelling. Because it can be used for so many different things, and is also very secure due to its auto-locking gate, we think it makes for an excellent first locker, and is useful for nearly everyone. Most climbers should find no reason to need more than one, though, as it's likely more practical to round out the rest of the rack with lighter and..." go to full review

The CAMP USA Photon Lock is the winner of our Best Bang for the Buck award because it combines superior performance with a fantastic price. It's most notable for its lightweight, and should serve all types of climbers well, from hardcore alpinists to beginners searching for the best deals.go to full review