Rock and Ice

The S220 LT is 220 grams (7.75 ounces), 20 grams lighter than the S240. Of course I don’t notice 20 grams, but thanks to an included mesh pouch the S220 LT packs down to about the size of a notebook. There is always a nook in my overflowing crag pack where I can fit this rig, making it the most compact harness I’ve tested.go to full review

The R-320 is a great, innovative safety-seat. I've already spent dozens of hours in it, working moves, belaying the inept and jugging up free-hanging lines (the most unpleasant task of all). At times, I forgot I was testing the harness. It was so light, unobtrusive and comfortable, especially underneath a pack's hip belt, I caught myself double-checking to make sure it was still on...." go to full review

It is a cliché to say you don’t even notice a harness is on, but so it is with the women’s harness in the Arc’teryx bunch. The harness is gossamer light, so much so that at first I felt oddly alarmed at using such an apparent trifle. That feeling lasted, oh, about two minutes. In practice, the harness just goes along with you, calling no attention to itself.go to full review

I used the X350a in wet, freezing conditions under heavy clothing, then in warm temps while dogging around in light clothing. It worked great through the range, absorbing no noticeable moisture and remaining comfortable while I dangled for hours at a stretch.go to full review

The Xenon looks sharp, works great and the draw price is a bargain. For size, weight and strength, it is close to the DMM Phantom, but costs a couple of bucks less. The tapered, bullet-like nose design can wiggle through tight spots better than the other biners, a nice touch for clipping tat messes, bashed-over pins and old-school bolt hangers with tiny clip holes.go to full review

A complete Nano 23 draw weighs under two ounces— about half the weight of a standard quickdraw, and makes me wonder if carabiners and draws could get any lighter or smaller. If you are looking for the very lightest rig for onsighting and alpine climbing, this is it. Of the six ultralights reviewed here, the Nano 23 is the most diminutive: its smallish gate opening can trap a finger if you use the finger-follow-through clip method. This was the biner I was most likely to mis-clip, but after a..." go to full review

The Firefly has the largest gate clearance, making it the least likely to trap your fingers—a good pick for folks with meaty digits. It’s also the easiest draw to grab; I could just squeeze four fingers around its spine. A good pick for those hoping to shed weight but not wanting to skimp on function. The non-anodized Firefly biner, however, would not open under bodyweight, yet the anodized version would.go to full review

Another great addition to the superlight category. A smooth gate action and a deep basket make the Moses one of the easier biners to clip. Its mid-range size is a good call for maximum utility and minimal weight.go to full review

The Phantom is touted as the world’s lightest full-strength carabiner, and this beauty is a pleasure to use. Its refined finish says “trust me,” which is always a good thing with climbing gear. It does suffer from sticker shock—it’s the most expensive biner of the ultralight lot.go to full review

The Oz feels almost like a standard carabiner. Its frame is among the easiest to grab, it holds the most gear and its wire gate has the best action. It also has the widest rope-bearing surface, making it the most rope-friendly of the carabiners, though just barely. I also liked the gently curved lower arm, which will take wide webbing and pins better than the other biners. A few outings with the Oz made me wonder if I’ll ever go back to larger, heavier quickdraws for anything other than big-..." go to full review