Outdoor Gear Lab
After getting used to the big 360-degree clip-in hole on the Black Diamond nForce, Chris Mac now really wishes the Petzl had it. Instead, the Petzl has an extra small hole for a quick link. This might be good for caving applications, but Chris has never used it on a big wall nor has he seen anyone else us it. He thinks Petzl should dedicate that real estate at the bottom of the ascender to a bigger clip-in hole. Also, when down jugging, it takes a lot of practice to keep the Petzl from..." go to full review
Overall, the Five Ten Kirigami is a very well-designed shoe that performs well in many categories. It shines in comfort, durability, stickiness, and crack climbing. Not to mention, it is very colorful and if you look like a rockstar, well, then you'll probably climb like a rockstar also. You might want to size them first though since they run quite a bit bigger than other kids' climbing shoes. They won't climb steep edges and pockets as well as more aggressive shoes, but at least your kid's..." go to full review
We really wanted to like this shoe and felt that perhaps with the right foot shape, we would have loved it. For folks who want a stiff, moderately downturned shoe that does not have a leather upper, the Black Diamond Zone is a great bet. This shoe has tons of rubber on the sole, which means it will likely last for a long time. It has a stiff midsole and an aggressive shape that allows it to perform well on vertical to steep terrain. We appreciate its edging ability but felt that it fell..." go to full review
The Five Ten Kirigami is undoubtedly a beginner's shoe. It is comfortable, affordable, and easy to get on and off. We appreciated this shoe for its comfort, and while we were not blown away by its performance, it held its own where it counted. The shoe edges decently well and works great for low-angle cracks. The Kirigami is certainly not ideal for steep terrain, but again, that's not really what it is designed for. This shoe is designed to be comfortable and encourage new climbers to enjoy..." go to full review
Metolius is a small American climbing company from Oregon, and they've been churning out high-quality, innovative climbing products for decades. Their Metolious Magnum offers a very attractive alternative to the traditional bi-folding pad, and take note—this pad isn't new. The Magnum has been a staple at the boulders for years with good reason. Our testers agree it's easier to pull harder and commit to the top out when there is a Magnum between them and the ground.go to full review
The Black Diamond MiniWire is a fresh new face on the carabiner scene, and is sure to become a classic for those who want only the lightest climbing gear they can buy. With a very small size and an exceptionally light weight, they can be a game changer for alpine missions and large climbs that are a long ways from the car. That said, they come with some notable downsides, include lower functionality, especially with gloves on, due to their tiny size.go to full review
The Black Diamond Hotwire has been redesigned and reengineered with a different geometry in the spine meant to increase space within the basket while reducing wear on your rope and the carabiner itself. The design seems to work, but other attributes of the 'biner, such as its heavy weight and stiff gate, bump it down a bit on the list of our favorite carabiners. While it's a pretty decent product, we also feel like there are better options in the full-sized market.go to full review
The Dyon is an excellent carabiner. The operation is smooth throughout applications and will be appreciated by the leader just as much as the follower because of its unique snag free keylock gate and smooth nose. We put a significant amount of time into finding a problem with this carabiner but came up mostly empty-handed. If we wanted to be really picky, we would point out the 3kn of strength lost by putting a concave bend in the spine, but 21kn is strong. Yes there is a steep cost..." go to full review
The DMM Alpha Trad is a heavily featured and high performing carabiner that is applicable to pretty much any climbing use. They are designed to be ergonomic and easy to use for winter climbing with gloves on, and these same characteristics make them very easy to use for dry rock climbing as well. The only downside is the elevated price tag, but at a minimum, it is worth buying a few for specialty racking needs.go to full review
The Wild Country Helium 3 is a fantastic carabiner, and we think makes an excellent choice for racking cams, clipping nuts to, and for using on extendable alpine draws. Basically, if you are trad climbing, then these carabiners will easily find a place on your rack. We are less likely to recommend them for sport climbing draws, but still concede that their insanely easy clip-ability makes them a reasonable choice no matter what type of climbing you love most.go to full review