Climbing

Soft and sensitive are the two words that echoed through our testers’ review notes on the new Instinct VSR. Built almost exactly the same as the outstanding Instinct VS—a favorite around here—shoe designers put Vibram Grip 2 rubber on the shoe, which is a softer and more supple compound. The other major change was making the upper fit even closer, so testers said, “I wore it like a sticky-rubber sock; my toes could actually feel even quarter-inch bumps.” The VSR stood out impressively for..." go to full review

The Mega Jul Sport is a tube-style device that relies on its shape to catch the rope in the event of a fall, so it has no moving parts. The belay technique is similar to any other tube-style device, but when feeding slack, the belayer must hold the thumb loop so the rope will run through the device without locking up. The technique felt natural after a few pitches. The Mega Jul Sport takes double ropes, making it more versatile for rappelling and belaying with half or twin ropes. The..." go to full review

As the first bi-directional assisted-braking belay device, the Revo promises that a climber will never misthread the rope, which eliminates one of the biggest dangers in assisted-braking devices. The Revo opens easily, and the rope can be threaded with the climber’s end coming out of either side. Testers found that the device never locked up while pulling out slack, meaning no short-roping, even on long and fast clips. Despite this, the device locked up quickly when climbers, both light and..." go to full review

Based on the Grigri 2, this new version operate like its predecessor but features an anti-panic handle that, if the user pulls too far, automatically arrests the descent. This safety feature was incorporated to prevent the belayer from lowering the climber too quickly and pulling farther back on the handle instead of letting it go (which allows the cam to catch the rope). This new handle initially made lowering more complicated and jerky, but after testers learned how to use it, it worked..." go to full review

The Vergo locked quickly and firmly, according to our tester who used it while training mileage on gym routes. While it lowered, fed slack, and caught falls smoothly, this device shines in the ergonomics department. The Vergo is designed to sit horizontally when in use, and testers found it was a natural position that “caused a lot less short-roping than other devices.” Thumb and pointer-finger grooves helped testers hold the device correctly. This required some adaptation, as most devices..." go to full review

Experienced and new users alike felt comfortable belaying and being caught by the Lifeguard, because the cam engaged quickly when a falling climber weighted it, providing reliable and soft catches. The device lowered well, albeit slowly, especially for lighter folks, but testers never felt out of control. Built from forged aluminum, the Lifeguard is extremely durable, and weighing only 5.4 ounces, makes an excellent choice for trad climbers looking to shave ounces off their rack. go to full review

“For the aggressive downturn, amount of rubber, and high-performance design, these are crazy comfortable,” one tester said after six months with the Skwama, “and that makes me a better climber because I’m not babying my feet and toes.” Proprietary S-Heel construction pushes power forward, so everything is funneled to the front, where a chiseled toe helped one tester find tiny pockets in the limestone of the Calanques in Southern France and another tester seek out granite nubbins in Yosemite..." go to full review

“Super-impressed with all the places I can wear these slippers.” Rubber covers the toe, heel, entire sole, and Achilles but doesn’t prohibit sensitivity, and an aggressive shape and toe help the foot find holds.go to full review

“With unbeatable performance, quality construction, and top-notch fit, I expected a price much higher than $140.” Consider this your next shoe for any bouldering, sport, or gym project.go to full review

They’re the “sweet spot” between an aggressive shoe’s performance and a slipper’s comfort. A powerful, technical slipper that lets you stand on small edges and pockets for a long time with help from a stiff, rubber-wrapped toe.go to full review