Evening Sends

On the belay, the Zone bore the brunt of my taking, boinking partner—who was also getting his own flogging by the cryptic slopey sidepulls. I have an old back injury that can flare up during intense belays, but the Zone inspired confidence that this pesky condition wouldn’t cause me a problem on my vacation. The harness spreads the weight evenly between my leg loops and waist belt, so I never got sore or cranky, at least not from the belay.go to full review

For really steep stuff (40-degrees overhanging or more), I do prefer a softer shoe than the Otakis, and, obviously, I’d never stick my Otakis in a crack, but if I had to choose just one shoe or 75% of climbing situations, the Women’s Otaki would be the one. I’d recommend the Women’s Otaki for any ladies looking for one go-to shoe that can get the job done for most sport climbing and bouldering, and for anyone looking for a shoe that slays on the tiniest of footholds.go to full review

My only complaint is the Drago’s high price tag: $199! Dang, that’s twice as expensive as many other climbing shoes. Not to mention the fact that, with its mere 3.5mm of soft rubber, the Drago isn’t built to last and last. It seems a little odd, too, since the virtually identical Furia, even with its extra Velcro strap, is $20 less—so I’m not sure how that price is justified.go to full review

As I mentioned, I don’t believe it’s fair to penalize the Trango Vergo for what, to me, felt like a lengthy learning curve simply because that aspect exists for virtually any belay device.

However, I do think it’s fair to compare the Vergo to the GRIGRI 2. And on that comparison, the Vergo, to me, falls short.

If you’re a new climber who is looking to purchase your first assisted-locking belay device, I think the Vergo might certainly be worth a strong consideration.

If..." go to full review

The stat that blew me away, however, is that Catalyst actually clocked in a UIAA fall rating of 7, higher than, for example, the 6 fall rating of the Sterling Velocity 9.8mm. The Catalyst is also just 55 grams per meter, which means that rope drag is never a problem, and that this rope is stronger and lighter than many other ropes on the market. I appreciated the light weight on the 15-second approach from my car to the Wasteland, saving me much-needed micro-calories of energy for my..." go to full review

while the Topaz claims a diameter of 9.2mm, it climbs much more like a 9.5 mm rope in terms of its weight, feel and durability. Don’t be fooled into thinking this will be your new lightweight redpoint cord, but if you’re looking for a solid-performing all-around workhorse rope that withstood an impressive 8 UIAA falls, and especially if you want a bi-pattern rope with long-lasting dry treatment, you should seriously consider the Edelrid Topaz.go to full review

For 2015 Mammut has introduced a new line of ropes with some pretty standard-setting dry technology. After six months of testing the Eternity Dry Duodess 9.8mm, I’ve been really happy with its performance, even surprised. This rope has surpassed my expectations for durability, and just as impressive, it has remained grime-free.

In fact, I can confidently say that the Mammut Eternity Dry Duodess 9.8mm has stayed cleaner longer than any rope I’ve used—dry or otherwise.go to full review

The new Arc’teryx FL-365 (FL = “fast and light”) has completely solved that one little nagging problem. With four gear loops, great durability, a compact lightweight form factor that packs down really well, and supreme comfort, the FL-365 might just be the perfect all-around harness. Whether you’re doing trad, sport or alpine climbing, I have a hard time coming up with a good reason as to why you wouldn’t want to wear this rig.go to full review

If you’re interested in this carabiner, I’d recommend getting one; maybe two. But you honestly wouldn’t ever need more than that. Clip one to a quickdraw, and keep the other one free for contingencies. And climb on without the drag!go to full review

The Furia is the second softest shoe I’ve ever worn after the Five Ten Team XVi, and it’s my most favorite slipper from Scarpa to date. I credit the Team XVi for turning me on to the benefit of extremely soft climbing shoes, which allow you to use your toes in ways that are simply not possible in traditional climbing shoes. I laughed when I first picked up the Team XVi and saw that there wasn’t much more to it than a piece of sticky rubber and a sock-thin lining. But after giving it a..." go to full review