Well, I have to say that the first time I took the Smart 2.0 to the climbing wall and belayed a lead climber I did find it a little tricky. General paying out of the rope wasn’t a problem, but I found it hard to smoothly feed out rope when they wanted to quickly pull some through to clip protection - initially both my partner and I were getting a bit frustrated because they wanted rope quickly and I struggled to provide it. This isn’t a problem exclusive to the Smart device though and,..." go to full review

This new iteration of the Smart (the 2.0 hit shelves earlier this year, while the original debuted in 2009) has more ergonomic geometry than its predecessor. The device requires you to tilt the nose up or down with your brake hand depending on whether you’re letting out slack or not. The new shape of the device allows smoother braking and unlocking the device from the brake position is easier. Your brake hand’s thumb rests on the underside of the device, which has a new rubber insert to make..." go to full review

I’ve tested these shoes all over northern New Mexico, from the conglomerate rock of El Rito to the bullet quartzite of the Ortega Mountains to the river-polished sandstone of Roy. What impressed me most about the Rocket is how well it performed in various types of terrain and across all flavors of climbing—multipitch, trad, sport, bouldering, plastic.go to full review

Perhaps most notable is the Stealth’s unusual look. It isn’t a smooth bucket; rather, the shell is a geodome of angles. These reportedly act as buttresses, adding rigidity without weight. Whether the design increases protection I can’t say, but you can sit on the helmet, and, despite being Swiss-cheesed with ventilation slots, the Stealth has impressive side-to-side and front-to-back rigidity.go to full review

I fit the Momentum in my street-shoe size and it was spot on. My big toes did feel pressed at the end of the toe box, but that is likely specific to me, a bigly big toe. I also have an extremely high arch, and yet the fit was snug. Overall, for those wanting an all-around, comfortable, quality shoe, at a good price point, with sound construction, the Momentum will not disappoint.go to full review

With the Mago, the juxtaposition between stiff and soft is interesting, and as you adjust your climbing style to the attributes of the shoe, you may find yourself becoming more versatile and fluid in your footwork, as well as less discriminating in your choice of holds. Those micros that were formerly “off limits” now look huge. Toe in and go!go to full review

If you're tired of climbing in stiff, insensitive shoes, and your toes of steel think they can handle something softer and more sensitive for all-day rock climbing action, check out the Quantum. Wide footed climbers will find this versatile shoe incredibly comfortable. Climbers on the lookout for a more supportive shoe should consider the Scarpa Vapor V, a narrower, stiffer shoe that excels in cracks. We couldn't help but think about the Huber Brothers raging up El cap while we wore them. If..." go to full review

The Tarifa is a well-designed shoe for a narrow foot. If your feet look more like skis and less like snowshoes, they might be your ticket to send town. Most of the shoes we tested are geared towards a wider foot. Wider shoes tend to be better for crack climbing but can leave narrow footed folks with an insecure, cumbersome fit. For our testers with slender feet, the Tarifa quickly became their weapon of choice.go to full review

In the past, Aliens have been hard to get. A shipment would show up in the Yosemite Mountain shop and they'd be sold out in a couple days. They were also subject to manufacturing inconsistencies and recalls. Thanks to Fixe, we now have unfettered access to the sweetest little finger sized cams out there, plus narrower heads and less weight than the originals. These are the lightest of the narrow-headed cams in our review, and our testers found them very easy to place. Our lead tester never..." go to full review