Alpinist
As a whole, the Selena excels as an affordable option for intermediate sport climbers but is not beefy enough for multi-pitch trad climbing. It's a harness with an excellent women-specific framework. However, it falls short in the details and the picky climber will be disappointed.
Pros: breezy ventilation; adequate padding for comfy hang dogging; women-specific design provides excellent back support; reasonably priced.
Cons: gear loops are floppy and too far back on the..." go to full review
The least useful BallNutz sizes were the largest, which could be bested by cams in nearly every situation, and the placement of smaller sizes needs pretty specific circumstances. I can't currently justify keeping them on my rack, even while aid climbing. Offset cams, nuts and hooks have worked perfectly fine for nearly every route I have climbed. And despite their superior strength, I am still searching for the opportunity for when I actually need my set of BallNutz.
Pros:..." go to full review
Like other models of similar construction, the Togir Light lends itself to long approaches. It's relatively comfortable to wear while hiking and easily compresses into a pack's last remaining nook. But while I like the Togir, for alpine days I can't bring myself to use it in place of my C.A.M.P. Air harness, a much-overlooked model that is far lighter and less expensive. As an all-around harness with some nice technology on display, the Togir Light is a smart alternative to..." go to full review
Does size matter? This question, historically the domain of trashy women's magazines, is now relevant to the ever-evolving climbing gear industry—in particular, rapidly shrinking carabiners. The Metolius FS Mini wiregate now stands as the smallest full-strength carabiner on the market. It looks and feels like the imitation 'biners my non-climber friends use as key chains, but with a strength rating of 22 kN.
Pros: small size saves room in pack; lightweight (but not the..." go to full review
It would be inappropriate for everyone to replace their 'biners with the Oz, but in the alpine, or other situations where weight is a critical component, the Oz is a pretty hot piece of work. While there are other great lightweight 'biners on the market, the weight and quality of the Oz make it an outstanding piece of gear worthy of the Alpinist Mountain Standards medal.
Pros: Hot-forged construction makes this 'biner extremely strong and lightweight; wiregate allows..." go to full review
The R-320 is a top-of-the-line, do-it-all harness. For cragging, it has all the features I'm looking for in a single, well-designed package. And it's light and small yet comfortable enough that it's my harness of choice for long days in the mountains. The technology alone deserves five stars; I expect other companies will follow suit in the coming years.
Pros: Extremely lightweight and packable for a full-strength, full-feature harness; new technology provides comfort..." go to full review
Several sleek-looking vents keep you from getting too sweaty, and give the helmet a feminine vibe without resorting to any of those shiny swirls that seem to be ubiquitous among women's outdoor gear. In fact, the vents are so sleek-looking, I used them as inspiration to transform my helmet into a work of art. At least I'll know it's mine once all my friends start showing up with this helmet on, which is bound to happen thanks to its adjustability, durability, comfort and, of..." go to full review
Super sweet testing gear I give it a great ratinggo to full review