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4 Star

The author biking on Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park. [Photo] Zach Zehr

Suunto 9: A computer for athletes in the form of a wristwatch

Longtime climber and endurance athlete Quinn Brett tested the Suunto 9 wristwatch and found it to be mostly user-friendly, offering a wealth of data to assist mountain go-getters. Her main criticisms about the watch are its bulky size and some difficulty synchronizing the watch with her phone. Four stars.

The Foehn Brise Pants were ideal for the chilly spring temps at the Techno Crag (ca. 9,000') above Ouray, Colorado, last May. Here the author enjoys the classic arete of All Night Rave (5.12b) with numb fingers. [Photo] Mandi Franz

Foehn Brise Pant: Warm, comfortable and highly functional

Foehn is a new, small clothing company based in Quebec, Canada, that came on the market this year and has a touching backstory. Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz tried the company’s flagship item, the Brise Pant, and found them to be well made for climbing and moving around in the mountains. Four stars.

The La Sportiva TX4 Mid was a great, lightweight option for the hike to the top of Saint Vrain Mountain (12,162') in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Visible in the background, from left to right, are Chiefs Head, Longs Peak and Mt. Meeker. [Photo] Mandi Franz

La Sportiva TX4 Mid GTX boots: ‘Like walking on air’

The La Sportiva TX4 Mid boots are described by the company as an “access boot designed to excel in tricky, technical terrain.” Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz finds that the feather-light boots live up to that classification but are not ideal for weak or injured feet that need more support. Four stars.

Mike Lewis holds the Nemo Chogori 3-person Mountaineering tent in its compression stuff sack. [Photo] Chris Wood

Filling the Gap: NEMO’s three-person Chogori Mountaineering tent

Mike Lewis finds that the three-person Nemo Chogori Mountaineering tent provides a good in-between option between lightweight tents and expedition tents. The former don’t fare as well against the harsh conditions typically found high on a mountain, and the latter are too bulky and heavy to be ideal for fast-and-light missions. The Nemo Chogori filled the niche for Lewis, who awards it four stars.

The author hiking into Bear's Den in Rocky Mountain National Park for dry tooling. Note the (fruit) boots fastened to the side clips. [Photo] Colby Rickard

Spacious and multi-use: the Patagonia Cragsmith 45

The Cragsmith 45 is Patagonia’s largest backpack, which the company refers to as the “gear dumpster.” Chris Van Leuven has been lugging it around for several months and enjoys the pack’s durability, convenient loading options and how well it encapsulates just about anything he wants, from clothes and a sleeping bag to ice tools, in addition to the standard rock climbing kit. Four stars.

Viewing the sunrise on Mt. Baker with the MSR Advance Pro 2 Ultralight tent. [Photo] Mallorie Estenson

MSR Advance Pro 2 Ultralight: a single-wall, four-season tent that is simple and convenient

Mallorie Estenson, an alpine guide and climber based in the Pacific Northwest, has been using the MSR Advance Pro 2 Ultralight–a single-wall, four-season tent–on some ski-mountaineering trips in Washington this winter. The tent is intended to be simple and compact so that it can fit onto narrow ledges found on the side of a mountain. Estenson reports that it was light, easy to set up, and comfortable enough for her to give it four stars.

The author and her husband with the Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT on a backcountry ski trip in Colorado. [Photo] Mary Harlan

The Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT: A well-designed expedition shelter

Mary Harlan, an AMGA-trained rock, ice, snow and ski guide, compares the new Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT to the Hilleberg design she used on Denali in 2012. She and her husband stayed comfortable in the tent on a spring backcountry ski trip but would have liked to have had more interior pockets. Four stars.