Whilst I really wanted to like the Vapour V, I have found it really hard coming to terms with the two halves. On their own they are both amazing, but combined they just seemed a little mismatched. The front half is spot on for trad/sport, being both stiff and supportive, but the soft midsole just means the power is lost, favouring a bouldering orientation. That said, if you've got a strong set of feet - or have a different set of criteria to us - there's a distinct chance you'll get on well..." go to full review

Overall this is a bit of a disappointment. The feeding mechanism is too sensitive and has been implemented to avoid a problem that the vast majority of climbers would never experience. It is a safer device for top-roping and for belaying with inexperienced climbers, but most people who use the old Click Up will find the new version frustrating. You can adapt your belaying style to make it work almost as well as the original, but you shouldn't have to do that. We are pleased to say though..." go to full review

The weight of a rope is relative to its diameter, and its diameter to its durability, so it's impressive that as a relatively light and skinny rope the Spirit manages to be quite durable. As you'd expect from a light skinny single rope the Spirit handles very well, aided by its weave and coating. I would definitely recommend the Spirit to anyone looking for a single rope for general onsighting, redpoint attempts and briefly working routes as the Spirit handles brilliantly, is very light and..." go to full review

Overall, the Scarpa Mago Climbing Shoe is a great downturned and asymmetrical technical climbing shoe. It holds a ton of power and precision in the toe box which is combined with a very well fitted and sensitive heel cup. For those jumping right into these shoes, they are difficult to break ibn so you do need to give them some time in the gym warming up before you pack them for the crag and your project.go to full review

The Mad Rock Venus lacked enough comfort for us to recommend it whole-heartedly, but it still gets the job done, and when purchased as a starter pack it is an incredible value. Pick this one up if you are new to climbing and need to get a lot of gear at once but don't have an unlimited budget to do it with.go to full review

The Black Diamond C4 is an Iconic piece of equipment that has revolutionized the way we climb. We use BD sizing to describe crack sizes instead of inches. They are completely deserving of their veneration and popularity. The recent update only makes them better with the 10% weight reduction and the trigger keepers.go to full review

The BlueWater Titan Sling was once state-of-the-art, but it feels as if perhaps the times have passed it by. It will do all that you ask of it, but not as well as the other top slings that we tested and compared it against.go to full review

The Black Diamond Nylon Sewn Runner is an excellent choice for those budget conscious climbers who would prefer to save their money to buy an extra can of beans or an ice cream cone. Even for the average climber it can be nice to have one or two Nylon sewn runners in the rack, if nothing else than to have a nice sling to rack the gear on for the hike down. This sling performs the same as the other Nylon sewn runner we tested, but costs a fair bit less, and so is the obvious choice for..." go to full review

The Camp USA 11mm Express Dyneema Runner performs well regardless of the circumstances, but is neither the most affordable, nor the lightest, least bulky, or demonstrating the least amount of friction during use. While it does handle nicely, and provide an excellent option for use at anchors, it would not be our first recommendation for a double-length runner.go to full review

The Trango Low Bulk 11 Sling checks all of the boxes — low weight, affordable price, relatively easy to untie knots — that you would expect of a sling. While there are other options in this review that are cheaper, lighter, or even easier to untie once a knot has been welded into it, this sling strikes an appropriate balance that is hard to beat, and is certainly a product that we wholeheartedly recommend.go to full review