Rock and Ice

The individual Dragons weigh a touch more than the comparable BD and Wild Country Ultralight offerings—particularly in the larger sizes—but are by no means cumbersome. The sturdiness, durability and reassuring bite of these cams on the rock are worth a few extra ounces.go to full review

In summary, the BD Ultralights are great for instantly improving your power-to-weight ratio, hauling up big walls and reducing load on long approaches or in the alpine; they are easy to identify with their standardized colors and easy to plug with their thumb loops and wide finger triggers. They do cost approximately $20-$40 more than equivalent cams from other brands, but if cutting weight is your goal, these babies are your pick.go to full review

The new Wild Country Friends are really well-rounded, very smooth to operate, and extremely ergonomic. My only wish is that the company had made a larger range of devices, as I would love to have these guys in very small or very large sizes. As it is, they only go down to 0.5 and up to #4.go to full review

After the gym trial I tried the shoes on some local single-pitch granite. The Stealth® C4™ rubber provides that world-class Five Ten friction and the Gambit is certainly well designed for comfort and efficiency on easier terrain. As such, they would be an excellent option for low- to mid-grade grade climbers who value sensation in their toes, or those opting for mileage and who don’t require an aggressive shoe. But I wasn’t ready to confine the Gambit to the category of beginner shoe just..." go to full review

The Rider has a minimalist but adjustable suspension system, which uses thin webbing straps to lock it down on your head. The system is quick to cinch tight or loosen, making it easy to add or remove a hat on the fly—and it’s comfortable either way. Add that to the generous ventilation in the EPP core, found around the sides and back of the helmet, and The Rider is great for both ice climbing and cragging in the sun.go to full review

The secret of the Tech Machine’s success is ... well, if I knew, it wouldn’t be a secret. My best guess is that the excellent performance involves the harmonious combination of the pick, which tapers from a meaty 5mm down to a whisker-thin 2.7mm at the tip (for the ice pick, the thinnest on the market), to the curved shaft and grip. The sum of the parts is easy to swing, clears ice bulges and doesn’t kick itself off rock holds. In its class, the tool feels similar to the Petzl Nomic (1 pound..." go to full review

You need a nut tool for teasing out obstinate wires; snaring inverted cams; using mini-cheat-stick-style for those just-out-of-reach placements; and cramming sardines into your gaping gob. You need a knife for slicing away ancient fixed slings; salvaging jammed rap ropes; peeling apples; and endless surgical procedures (see Touching the Void). Therein lies the utilitarian genius of the Trango Shark ($29.95)—a knife and nut tool in one.go to full review

The Penta is CE and UIAA certified, and has a plastic veneer that protects it from being dinged by jiggling cams or ice screws when it’s in your pack, and from the everyday sort of damage that it might otherwise get from being dropped or tossed in the back of your car. Four plastic-lift tabs accept a headlamp strap quickly and easily. The helmet is foam and rides directly on your head without a suspension. Generous cutouts on the sides and back let air in, but sweat still builds up since..." go to full review

The all-aluminum Corsa (7 ounces) is the lightest ice axe made. Now, for a few ounces more, you can get the Corsa with Sandvik Nanoflex stainless-steel reinforcements on the pick and spike. Nanoflex is a proprietary stainless steel that, according to Sandvik, is corrosion proof, and lighter and stronger than both carbon steel and titanium. According to CAMP, Nanoflex is 60 percent stronger than carbon steel, so they can use less metal per product to achieve the same or greater strength.go to full review

The Venom's aluminum shaft is thin, and plunges into the snow well, especially due to the no-frills spike at the end. The rubber grip never impeded the plunging action as far as I could tell, but it was sticky and easy to grab. A set of Venom tools, especially if you paired a short hammer with a longer adze tool, could tackle the majority of mountaineering challenges, whether it's building snow anchors, low-angle terrain, even steep and technical ice. The Venom hammer comes in 50..." go to full review