Black Diamond Apollo: We Have Liftoff!
Having used the Apollo ski touring and climbing in the Canadian Rockies, I am so impressed that I feel the need to give this bright guy some hype.
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Chris Brazeau
Nau Base2 Longsleeve Snap: Nau…But Not Forever
It’s the softest and nicest feeling base layer I’ve donned to date, has a subtle urban flair to it, and the more I found out about the company the more excited I became by what they described as their “business activism”.
Lowa Cristallo X Pro Gore-Tex Boots: Technical Prowess and Comfort
I’ve always been skeptical of Gore-Tex footwear, and it’s almost guaranteed that I’ll have cold feet regardless of the temperature (unless I’m clunking around in double boots), so I was curious to see how the Lowa Cristallo X Pro Gore-Tex boots would perform climbing and scratching around the Canadian Rockies.
DMM Revolution Ice Screws: The Next Go-To Screw?
DMM claims they put a lot of research into these new screws, and it showed the first time I placed one. It quickly bit into the ice and turned easily, with little friction, but then, panic! There was no jiffyquickwindything to blaze in the screws.
Lowe Alpine 20+20 Extreme Attack Pack: Be Comfortable whilst Extremely Attacking
Lowe Alpine released the 20+20 Extreme Attack special edition pack (only 2,000 made) in commemoration of their 40th anniversary. It’s a great name. And a great pack.
Mountain Hardwear Spire 2 Tent: Rugged and Lightweight
Lightweight at about 4.5 pounds. Watertight. Tough, durable, double-walled. It was too good to be true… on the whole, Mountain Hardwear’s Spire 2 lightweight expedition tent fit all the specs I could hope for here in the Bugaboos, where rugged weather comes standard.
Rab Neutrino Endurance Jacket: An Alpinist’s Dream Come True
Sometimes first impressions are hard to shake, and I tried not to let my first impression of the Rab Neutrino Endurance jacket influence this review. No luck. The jacket wowed me at first appearance. Made from a water-resistant Pertex Endurance outer fabric and packed with 850+ goose down fill, it’s an alpinist’s dream come true: maximum warmth to weight ratio in a lightweight, weatherproof package.
Mountain Hardwear Silcox 3/4 Pant: A Cragging Special
Mountain Hardwear has come out with a new 3/4 pant, the Silcox. This pant is made from eighty-five percent nylon and fifteen percent elastane and–when combined with articulated knees and a full-length gusset–has four-way stretch that is ideal for climbing, running, and… well, stretching. I sampled a size medium with a 23 1/2″ inseam, and it fit perfectly (I’m usually a classic medium with a 32″ waist). The pants come with an integrated belt made from 3/4″ webbing for cinching them up when the time comes to send that project.