UK Climbing
Good all-round comfortable shoes. They retail at £110 RRP but I have seen them considerably cheaper - so bargains are available. Not the shoe to totally push your limits, but for a comfortable semi-technical shoe, they do the job and they do it with 'out of the box' comfort. Personally I wasn't sure about the look of the silver red and blue design, but each to his own!go to full review
The Hirundos is lightweight harness that is both comfortable and built to last. Weight-wise it is still at the top of it's game and with an RRP of £80 it is actually quite price competitive compared to other harnesses in the category, which are now reaching into the £100+ (ouch...). From a trad climbers perspective the two rear gear loops let it down due to their soft nature, but for sport climbers and mountaineers this is less of an issue - particuarly considering how good the front two are..." go to full review
The fit and feel of the harness I think is great. This is different to its sizing. What I mean is it feels pretty neat and compact when your wearing it. It doesn't have bits of excess padding not held in place if you have the waist done right up to its maximum limit. There isn't lots of slack elastic NOT holding up your leg loops or loosening off of their own accord. When it's all adjusted properly all the excess straps stay neatly tucked away. It looks smart!go to full review
If size is what you’re looking for, look no further. The downside to this is that with size comes weight and this is definitely a factor to take into consideration if you live in an area where the walk-ins are more substantial than where I’m based in the Peak District. In terms of built quality the pad is second to none and I could very much see myself falling on this in another 5-10 years time. Out of the box the foam definitely feels a bit on the firm-side, but in time it softens up nicely..." go to full review
With an RRP of £225, it’s definitely at in top price bracket for mats. Given the build quality, the features and the fact the FTS foam system works REALLY well, I can’t recommend this mat any higher. If you’re looking for a new mat and have the space in your car/home for it, go for it. You won’t be disappointed!go to full review
You'll find lighter 12-point crampons; you'll find more aggressive climbing-oriented ones; and you could certainly pay a bit less for a pair. But for the average UK hill-goer in search of something versatile the Grivel Air Tech is agood well-built compromise between weight versus durability, and climbing performance versus walking comfort. From snowy fell walks to mountaineering ridge traverses, easier Scottish winter gullies to classic Alpine routes, they are a solid choice.go to full review
A good all-rounder for those wishing to perform to a high standard both indoors and out, sport climbing and bouldering. Not suited for easy long trad routes and out-and-out smearing. A recomendation for sure and a price tag of £115 which is mid range for performance shoes these days.go to full review
Overall, the Mega Jul is a cleverly designed belay device that does things that similar looking devices do not, whilst offering more security. It is a bit fussy to use at first and requires a considered and experienced approach, but once you get the hang of it the Mega Jul works rather well and is particularly versatile.go to full review
As a high performance shoe the Oxi is great for bouldering, with stability and precision in the right places. Depending how tight you fit them there's a potential crossover to single pitch trad and sport too. They are generally hard to fault, with the possible exception of that single Velcro closure. Whether or not this is a good thing will depend on how they fit you personally; for me it turns out not to be an issue. One last point: the sizing - you may need to consider going a size down..." go to full review
Whether you're cragging, multi-pitching on mountain routes, winter climbing, mountaineering, via ferrata-ing or even just scrambling, the ELIA is a very good all-round helment. If, like me, you've struggled in the past to find head protection that works with long hair, then this helmet may be your answer. With a couple of snazzy colour choices as well as the standard white, and at a price that's not going to break the bank, it is well worth a look. However all that said, it is only any use..." go to full review