Blister

The Sama is a specialized sport climbing tool that will provide climbers with a high level of comfort and freedom of movement. While climbers who practice a wide variety of disciplines might look for a more versatile harness for their one-harness quiver, intermediate and expert climbers looking for a sport climbing specific harness that can stand up to the abuse of red pointing should definitely check out this product.

The unique waist belt design and elastic leg loops create a sport..." go to full review

The Evolv Wingman crash pad is a perfect secondary or supplemental crash pad that (especially for such an affordable price), should be considered by any serious boulder. Boulderers will find that the Wingman is easy to transport and excels as a sit start pad, or as a tool to level out landings and covering the gaps between pads.

Keep in mind that the Wingman is not really meant as a primary crash pad since it’s only 1” thick. I wouldn’t recommend it to a beginner boulderer, to anyone..." go to full review

The X4s are currently my all-around favorite small cam. Setting aside minor gripes about the short stems in smaller sizes and a slightly wonky stem, they’re a fantastic whole package.

They take up less room on your harness and marry a lot of the positive aspects of Master Cams and Aliens (which are fantastic in their own rights) to a sleek, slim profile and familiar camalot sizes.go to full review

The Pulse helmet is a lightweight, breathable option for ski mountaineers and backcountry skiers. Although I think some features (like the headlamp / goggle attachment) need revision, the dual climbing / skiing certification makes me more inclined to grab this helmet for a day in the mountains.go to full review

The new Selena has several great improvements from the last model. Other than the very similar Luna, this is by far my favorite harness. It’s very comfortable, and it excels at the sport crag. It actually did pretty well in a variety of other settings too—from easy ice, (it does have loops for ice clippers) to warm weather multi-pitch, to long days of trad—though you’d want adjustable leg loops for true alpine climbing and mountaineering.

If you’re concerned about shaving weight, this..." go to full review

The CAMP Photon is a fantastic choice for use in both trad climbing and ice/alpine climbing. Its size and design make it a versatile carabiner for everything from alpine draws to building anchors, with a low weight to keep you moving fast and light.

Obsessive gram-counters can find lighter carabiners, and sport crushers can find burlier ones. But for all-around use in the mountains, the Photon is hard to beat. It provides lightweight performance and full-size versatility at a very..." go to full review

The Supercam sports a long axel and broad cam lobes. This is ideal for parallel placements, but can be a real thorn if you’re faced with awkward or finicky placement options. When you do find a good spot for the Supercam, the tight cam angle and large surface area of the lobes makes the cam really bite. Granted, all cams will hold falls when used correctly, but for what it’s worth, when it’s set right, the Supercam feels absolutely bomber.go to full review

I have had some durability issues with the stitching on the Gordita’s straps, and this is really the one area the pad is lacking. The Mondo and Bog Pad’s straps seem more durable and better reinforced than the Gordita’s. It did not take long after I started using the pad for the sternum strap to become unstitched from the shoulder strap, and I had to sew it back on. Additionally, I have had some of the stitches binding the straps to the pad pop when lifting the pad, and the straps themselves..." go to full review

The 7.5mm Mammut Twilight is a fantastic example of the modern twin/half ropes that offer great weight savings, and are among the most effective tools available to alpine climbers, comparable even to a single rope with a tag line. The Twilight’s durability does suffer slightly as a result of the extremely thin diameter, so climbers looking for lots of half-rope functionality might get more bang for their buck from an 8mm+ set.go to full review

Even with its light weight, so far the Metolius Monster 8.9’s durability seems totally adequate. This, combined with its well-designed middle mark, makes it an attractive option for both long, multi-pitch climbs and redpoint attempts. I need to log more time with the rope to see how it will hold up in the long term, but so far I am very impressed with the Monster 8.9 and expect it to continue to perform well.go to full review