Outdoor Gear Lab
If you are looking for a single helmet that will satisfy the safety and comfort requirements for climbing and skiing, this helmet is the best choice currently available. While it isn't cheap, you can consider this equivalent to buying two helmets for the price of one. Its durable construction ensures a long life span, while its excellent, dual-sport performance ultimately saves you money in the long run.go to full review
The DMM Pivot is a good auto-blocking tube device, though it isn't the lightest option, nor is it compatible with the skinniest single ropes on the market. It also incurs a moderate amount of friction when pulling slack through the device in autoblock mode. In our estimation, this device is nothing special, and the pivoting anchor loop is rarely an asset. Still, this is a good belay device that performs in the middle of the pack for auto-blocking belay devices.go to full review
The Momentum is one of the best values out there for women's harnesses. It's durable enough to last for years and versatile enough to be used for almost anything, increasing its worth, which is why we've given it our Best Buy Award. It is a ubiquitous sight at crags and gyms all across the country for a reason. It's affordable and comfortable, which is not always an easy feat for a manufacturer. Although it's deemed an "entry-level" harness, we know many expert climbers who use it for those..." go to full review
If you're planning on spending a month in Indian Creek honing your crack climbing skills, the leather uppers and laces may see some significant wear and tear. But, if longer, moderate multi-pitch trad climbs are what you seek, then the Tarantulace will work just fine. The stiffness underfoot will provide a stable base for low-angle jamming, and their arch support will help provide comfort and support on long days. With a softer shoe, long multi-pitches can start to feel like a living..." go to full review
The Organic Full Pad has long been regarded as a must-have for any serious boulderer. Whether it's your first pad or you're adding more foam to your collection, the Organic Full will treat you right. Made with high-quality foam and an extremely durable outer, this pad should last you for years. This pad has an external flap that makes attaching it to other pads a breeze and allows you to carry a substantial amount of extra gear. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better mid-sized bouldering..." go to full review
The La Sportiva Miura VS is a stiff, aggressively shaped edging powerhouse. These shoes allowed us to stand on incredibly small holds, while their aggressive shape, with a slight downturn, makes them a master of precision. The Miura VS was our weapon of choice on the technical, gently overhanging limestone of Siurana. We also found them to compete with their lace-up counterparts, the Miura Lace, on vertical terrain since the two share incredible edging power. The Velcro model is..." go to full review
The La Sportiva Miura VS belongs in the world of tough climbing, where it can use its diamond-hard edges and almost absurdly asymmetric shape to power down on invisible rock features. Compared to the lace-up Miura, this Velcro version is more geared to boulders and overhanging terrain. For it to perform in this capacity, it must be sized tightly, and by tight, it might mean painfully so. But to push the climbing grades, you sometimes have to sacrifice comfort. To be sure these precision..." go to full review
The Shaman has won the heart of many climbers and a fair few awards along the way. However, when comparing these shoes to our other favorites, we couldn't get past the softness of the rubber as a key factor in our assessment. This rubber limits the edging ability compared to other high-end models, and with a lot of rubber underfoot, it doesn't compensate for that by being more sensitive. The toe also feels somewhat blunt, so it's harder to fit into small spaces or to place on thin edges. As..." go to full review
To some, climbing is a hobby; to others, it's an all-consuming obsession. For the latter group, there's the Scarpa Chimera. This supple Italian masterpiece offers unrivaled sensitivity in an aggressive design that's ready for your overhanging mega project. Our testers were particularly impressed with its awesome comfort and fit right out of the box. It is a specialized shoe, though, that's best suited for bouldering and shorter sport routes. There are better choices for exclusive crack or..." go to full review
The Nepal Cube GTX is the best of a long line of mountain boots. Our testing team thinks of this boot like the Toyota Tacoma of mountain boots; it's not the fastest or lightest or the highest tech, but it's trusty, durable, and will get you where you need to go. If it fits your foot, this is a good quiver-of-one boot. For those who can never wait for summer to be over, and find yourselves watching Steve House solo Repentance and Remission on YouTube over and over and over, this is your boot..." go to full review