Colorado Mountain School

I’ve been sport climbing in the Chimera for the past six months, and they’ve held up remarkably well. The shoe stretches about half a size, but otherwise the last remains nearly identical to its out-of-the-box fit—an achievement in shoe technology that may seem expected by today’s standards but was not really possible just 12 years ago.go to full review

Although it is unrealistic to expect any one rope to perform well in all of these categories, the Sterling Evolution Aero 9.2mm dynamic rope does a fine job of rising up to the challenge.  Straight out of the box, the Evolution Aero, with its DryCore and DryCoat treatment, shined in ice-climbing, alpine climbing, and mixed climbing across the winter freezes of Colorado.  As the summer climbing season drew on, the same rope was my top choice for multi-pitch rock routes, alpine climbs, and..." go to full review

In contrast to my 1997 harness this one is sleek and super light yet incredibly comfortable. The harness comes with 3mm of “honeycomb” like padding that gives comfort with very little added bulk. 3mm doesn’t sound like much but whilst hanging for 40 minutes doing crevasse rescue drills my legs and back felt surprisingly comfortable at the end. The single buckle is easy to use and stays snug. This minimal construction means that the harness packs down to around the size of an IPhone and..." go to full review

Thankfully, things have evolved somewhat since then with Wild Country’s beautifully made and color coded “Rocks”. They come in sizes from 1 to 14 giving protection from 0.2” through to 2”. That whole range of sizes will weigh in at approximately the weight of 4 cams, giving 15 placement options instead of 4. Rocks are the foundation of most climbing racks, especially at places like Lumpy Ridge. These Rocks taper in lots of directions giving the option of placing in flares and conventional..." go to full review

I can say with certainty that the CAMP HMS Compact Locker is always in my kit for rock and alpine climbing.  Its large bay allows the rope to feed smoothly for a belay or rappel.  The round stock design has no corners, so it’s less likely for ropes to get hung up and load the carabiner incorrectly.   It features a wide gate opening so I can clip and unclip easily even while wearing gloves.  One of my favorite attributes of this carabiner is the key locking design, allowing me to unclip..." go to full review

In all, I’d highly recommend this as your “daily driver” tool if you focus mainly on water ice and alpine climbing. It will get the job done in moderate mixed terrain, but if that’s your focus, consider the Cassin X-Dream, another great tool from the folks at CAMP.go to full review

If you want a “set it and forget it” helmet, I highly suggest the new Black Diamond Half Dome. Plus, it comes in lots of cool colors. Buy one and for crying out loud, wear it – every time you get after the rock or ice.go to full review

This harness is comfortable! It features a “women’s-specific bullhorn-shaped OpenAir waistbelt”. It’s Dual Core Construction™ features two bands of webbing that distribute pressure while providing breathe-ability. To give an idea how comfortable this harness is, I used it as my go-to while climbing in the hot temperatures of Red Rocks, Nevada while participating in an AMGA Rock Guide Course this past October. Comfort is the reason that I continue to choose the Primrose harness. Another..." go to full review

There are lots of technical components to the Vector: in-mold headlamp clips, ratcheting helmet adjustment, tuck away suspension (for packing), lots of ventilation, and cold-molded EPS foam with polycarbonate shell. On top of all these technical points, the Vector passes the all-day comfort test with ease.go to full review

I REALLY like the Spinner Leash and recommend it to any ice or alpine climber, beginner to expert. Why have the anxiety of dropping your tools when you can have the safety of a leash that does not compromise the freedom of going leashless? Enjoy!go to full review