I would put these shoes in the same league as the Scarpa Boostic and Miura VS, in that they are on the stiffer side of performance shoes. I found they were best on vertical to just past vert climbs with small footholds. The toe is very precise, once I got used to it, with enough sensitivity to know I was standing on the best part of the hold, but supportive enough my feet didn’t tire quickly standing on small nubbins.go to full review
In conclusion, the Grivel Air Tech Evolution ice axe set is a great ‘semi’ technical set of winter tools that will serve you well through many years of use and abuse. They are light, well balanced and the hot forged head is a great bonus for hooking, bullet hard ice or that super crispy neve we all dream of climbing.go to full review
Overall, I will be reaching for these tools for both guiding and personal climbing on moderate ice and mixed terrain. For upcoming alpine trips in bigger ranges, these will also be in my kit since they are more than capable of withstanding battering. For really steep ice and harder mixed terrain, I'll still reach for my Petzl Nomics, though, as the wrist-to-tool-head angle is more anatomically inline in overhanging terrain and causes me less strain.go to full review
Over several months of testing—let's just call it climbing—from the sharp cracks in Vermont's crags to the sustained splitters in New York's Adirondacks (ADK) to Boulder, Colorado's smooth granite, these svelte units performed as well as single-axle cams are expected to. They're also very flexible, which helped me wiggle them into placements, and they were generally easy enough to clean.go to full review
At 69 grams, the Lambda is lighter than many auto-lockers of similar price. After a little practice, it's as easy to clip as Black Diamond's lighter-weight VaporLock Magnetrons (56 grams), but unlike the Magnetrons, which are $24.95 to $29.95, depending on the model, the Lambda is comparatively inexpensive and can withstand heavier cross loading.I'd be hesitant to replace every locker on my rack with a twin gate, but I'll definitely continue bringing the Lambda along for fast anchors and..." go to full review
I wondered, does this mean that other cams without such aggressive teeth are less stable, more prone to walking or more prone to slipping out of soft rock? Over six months of using the Dragons, Metolius Master Cam Ultralights (ULs) and Black Diamond Camalots (and an Ultralight), from the Adirondacks to Eldorado Canyon (to name a few), I found that sometimes the ULs worked best, and other times the Camalots and Dragons worked best.go to full review
My only complaint is the Drago’s high price tag: $199! Dang, that’s twice as expensive as many other climbing shoes. Not to mention the fact that, with its mere 3.5mm of soft rubber, the Drago isn’t built to last and last. It seems a little odd, too, since the virtually identical Furia, even with its extra Velcro strap, is $20 less—so I’m not sure how that price is justified.go to full review
An exceptionally sensitive shoe that performs well whilst bouldering both indoors and out; but a shoe for trad climbing this is not. Due to its soft nature it isn't the strongest performer on the smallest edges, but whilst smearing it is absolutely in its element. Surprisingly comfortable and a joy to climb in, the Drago is perfectly suited to anyone from the competition climber to the hardcore boulderer. go to full review