Alpinist

Overall, I give the Metolius Offsets a solid 3 stars out of five because the other brands with the thumb loops are easier to handle, have narrower head widths for shallow placements and their trigger sleeves are less likely to affect the placement when that part of the stem is bent over an edge. That said, the lobes of the Metolius Offset Master Cams do have great holding power, the units are among the lightest on the market and the price point is about $10 to $20 less than the..." go to full review

As far as negatives, I can't really find any, which is an uncommon experience for me with my practiced critical mind. I could say that one downside is that the Akilas have fixed picks and can't be replaced should the picks become dull. But doing laps in the Ouray Ice Park are not what these axes are made for, nor should they be grinding on rock very often because of their Type 1 rating. Used as designed, the picks should last decades. So yeah, I'm at a loss. Blue Ice has created a quality..." go to full review

I'm no sponsored athlete or ambassador for Edelrid—just a fan. I've climbed on bunches of their ropes and the Starling Protect is the latest. It will be my go-to rope for long alpine routes here in Chamonix. Having two independent rope lines going, both with double cut-resistance, seems like a great idea. The Starling strikes me as an ideal rope for Sierra Range granite, Vegas adventure or winter-mixed climbing—great for any time you want a burly, safer, quality cord.go to full review

Having been a die-hard fan of the Petzl Grigri for more than 20 years, I now proclaim that after less than three months of using the Trango Vergo assisted braking belay and rappel device, I am officially a Vergo convert. A light sadness trickles through my body in making this bold statement. Grigris (and wonderful belayers) have caught thousands of my falls, large and small, and kept me from hitting the ground; the Grigri has been right there with me at some of my finest and most memorable..." go to full review

At the end of the day the Grivel Dark Machine is a tool for the focused specialist. It's well suited to steep terrain, ice that's dead-vertical or just beyond, and objectives that are long enough or remote enough to merit the weight savings of a carbon tool. In those situations, they shine. But if your winter tick list involves complex mountaineering, snow climbs, or moderate ice, a more generalist tool will likely be a better choice.go to full review

The trigger action on the Alien Revo is smooth and easy, one could even say otherworldly... When you are pumped or need to fire in a quick placement this cam shines. This newer generation of the Alien features all aluminum trigger components, tremendously increasing the durability over the last model. I used these cams on more than 20 big routes throughout the Sierra Nevada Range (mostly in Mikwok, Mono/Monache territory) this season, and they still look almost new. If you do find yourself..." go to full review

The one tiny critique I have for the Vision MIPS is a "pro" as well as a "con"—it's easy to adjust. The plastic brace that keeps the helmet from sliding backward (ensuring the forehead is covered) is prone to loosen whenever I don or remove the helmet. I quickly learned to double check the fit every time. On the other hand, this easy adjustment is nice when I'm at a cramped belay and want to put the helmet on over a hat with minimal futzing.go to full review

My second trip with the Ribelle HDs involved a much longer slog up to Mt. Hector, a glaciated snow and ice peak in the Canadian Rockies. Once again, I felt pretty balanced in third-class sub-alpine trails through the talus. In fourth-class terrain, I was still a bit hesitant to completely trust the rockered sole. Once on ice, the HDs felt stiff and coupled well with the Petzl Irvis crampons. The snow was pretty bad, so I hit a few holes. I didn't wear gaiters, so eventually my feet were wet..." go to full review

After testing the Opera at the crags of Index, Washington, I embarked on a seven-week road trip in the Cascades, the Sawtooths and the Wind River Range. Before I took the rope into the mountains to try some technical and difficult alpine routes, I had my partner yank out the slack from the Grigri to simulate a lead fall, just to make sure the device locked up well enough on the thin rope. It passed the test. With a newfound confidence, we then hiked up to cast away on a sea of alpine granite..." go to full review

The Testarossas are among the more expensive shoes on the market, but you get what you pay for. They were an excellent fit immediately out of the box. The shoes were broken in within just two or three pitches of climbing. All the other shoes I've used have required at least a few days to break in.go to full review