Blister

The La Sportiva Kataki performs extremely well on a wide variety of climbs and rock types, but it really shines on trad climbs that combine difficult cracks and vertical edging. The Kataki’s combination of a softer, low-profile toe box, medium stiffness underfoot, and comfortable lacing system has made it my go-to shoe for thin cracks. There are better shoes on the market for super-steep pocket-pulling (e.g., La Sportiva Solution), and better shoes for long trad routes (e.g., La Sportiva TC..." go to full review

The La Sportiva Genius is a specialized, high-performance shoe that excels at difficult face climbing, performing exceptionally well on smears, pockets, and most edges. It takes the No-Edge design of the Futura and combines it with an even more aggressive last, making for a shoe that inspires confidence on the hardest routes. And while it has a very asymmetrical, downturned shape, the Genius is surprisingly comfortable thanks to its higher-volume fit and soft rubber. The Genius’ high degree..." go to full review

The Scarpa Furia S performs exceptionally well on overhung boulders or routes, as well as in competition settings. The Furia S’ malleable and sensitive sole make it a great option for advanced climbers looking for a shoe that will give them a confidence boost on slippery or tensiony feet. The Furia S does require stronger toes / foot muscles than stiffer shoes do, and therefore isn’t a great choice for beginners. I also wouldn’t recommend the Furia S for technical face climbing, since there..." go to full review

The Butora Altura is an awesome shoe for cracks, slabs, and all-day climbing. It is thoughtfully designed and extremely well-constructed. Like most shoes in this class, the Altura is stiff and not very sensitive, which might be problematic for certain climbers. So if you’re looking for a softer shoe that still offers a high level of performance on granite, I strongly suggest checking out the Tenaya Ra or La Sportiva Katana Lace. Otherwise, the Altura does everything the La Sportiva TC Pro..." go to full review

After spending a lot of time climbing in it, I’ve come to really love the Mad Rock Drone, and think it’s a great option for technical bouldering. It allows for precise footwork and secure heel hooking on tricky problems, though it doesn’t heel-hook quite as well on very flat surfaces compared to shoes with more traditional heels. In both indoor competition climbing and outdoor bouldering, the Drone HV has excelled.

Since I first tried on the Drone HV, they’ve been quite comfortable..." go to full review

The Tenaya Mundaka offers an excellent blend of performance and comfort, and I think it excels as a steeper bouldering and competition shoe. It is a great option for intermediate to advanced level climbers who use and depend on precise edging and footwork through overhung sections. Like all shoes, the Mundaka doesn’t perform well in every area, and if longer duration vertical edging (e.g., a place like Smith Rock) or aggressive heel hooks are your priority, you may want to look at..." go to full review

The weight reduction of the Black Diamond Ultralight Camalots is noticeable and appreciated on alpine climbs, especially when a long approach is involved. This is especially true for the larger sizes where the weight savings become even more substantial. Whether the weight savings is worth the extra cost per cam is a decision you may need to make for yourself: if you need a couple pieces for alpine climbing (particularly the #4, which doesn’t have a competing ultralight cam on the market)..." go to full review

Although I still often prefer a simple screw-gate carabiner for most uses, Black Diamond’s Magnetron technology represents a potential paradigm shift in how engineers think about designing locking carabiners. Although it is significantly more expensive than other locking carabiners on the market (to the tune of 25-50% more), I think the cost is worth it if you are looking for a lightweight, reliable auto-locker that performs well in alpine conditions. For uses like my personal..." go to full review

The updated Shaman takes an already established, high-end sport-climbing shoe and makes minor adjustments to improve comfort while not changing the nature of the shoe. The Shaman is competitive on it’s merits alone, and it’s an even more compelling shoe once price is considered. Climbers looking for a shoe for thin, vertical climbs with sustained edging might consider a shoe that is stiffer underfoot, but those climbers looking to graduate to steep / overhanging terrain or pursue projects on..." go to full review

The Sterling Fusion Nano IX was an excellent rope when it was first released two years ago, and it’s still near the top of the pack for skinny ropes. The new DryXP treatment in particular is excellent; I think when combined with the higher sheath-to-core proportion and inclusion of a middle mark, the new Nano IX is definitely an improvement over the previous version of the rope. That said, if you’re looking for a super durable rope, there are slightly burlier options out there, even at..." go to full review