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Mike Lewis

La Sportiva’s Big Wall Pullover Hoody & Wall Breeze Stretch Jacket: Specializing the Essentials for Performance in Cold and Wind

IFMGA Mountain Guide Ian Fowler tested the La Sportiva Big Wall Pullover Hoody and the Wall Breeze Stretch Jacket while climbing in the Italian Dolomites and the Colorado Rockies. Ian loves a good hood, and both garments pleasantly satisfied his fetish. Read more about the specialized designs of these two tops and how they may or may not be a perfect fit for your outdoor quiver.

Black Diamond's Rock Blitz 15 leans back and takes a break with the Wind River Range and Continental Divide of Wyoming in the background. [Photo] Paul Rachele.

Black Diamond’s Rock Blitz 15: Small, Simple, Durable for On-Route Climbing

IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide Paul Rachele tested Black Diamond’s Rock Blitz 15 climbing pack this summer and autumn in the Tetons of Wyoming and on the granite and quartzite of the East Coast. Of the pack, Rachele says, “This little pack has earned a place in my kit, not because it’s flawless, but because it allows me to climb without thinking about my pack—and in the end, that might be the best standard of all.”

Ben Lim puts to test top-rope solo gear designed by Avant Climbing Innovation.

Toprope Soloing Made Easier and Safer with Avant’s TR Solo Kit

AMGA certified rock guide Ben Lim tested toprope solo gear made by Avant Climbing Innovations on a recent climbing trip that included Squamish, Smith Rock, Red Rocks, Portland, and the Easter Sierra. Says Ben about the three items tested: “Each Avant product I tested solved a problem with simple, thoughtful design.”

Scarpa’s Rapid XT Approach Shoes Are Made to Handle It All

AMGA Certified Rock and Alpine Guide Lani Chapko tested the Scarpa Rapid XT approach shoes over a two-month period that included over 85,000 feet of elevation gain, three first ascents, and climbing on snow, ice, and rock up to 5.8. Lani says about these shoes: “With solid edging for moderate climbing, stability on snow and talus, compatibility with universal crampons, and durability that surpasses many other options, they’re best suited for climbers and alpinists who need one shoe to handle everything from long approaches to technical scrambling.”

Mike Lewis wears the Phantom Down Parka on a cold day of ice climbing in the Colorado backcountry last winter. [Photo] Yaroslav Lototskyy

Mountain Hardwear’s Phantom Down Parka: Warm, Lightweight, Compressible

Mountain Standards Gear Review: IFMGA/AMGA guide Mike Lewis has been using the Mountain Hardwear Phantom Down Parka for several months. He writes: “Its 800 fill down is really warm, making it a good choice for the 6000-meter objectives such as Denali, Aconcagua, Ama Dablam, Cotopaxi, Elbrus–basically, anything that is not an 8000-meter monster…. It appears that few products compare to the Mountain Hardwear Phantom Down Parka in terms of its warmth-to-weight ratio at 619 grams (20 oz.)” Five stars.

The Dragon Alliance PXV2 Snow Goggles shed fog as the author wears a nose and mouth covering to comply with COVID-19 protocols this past winter at Loveland Ski Area, Colorado. [Photo] Catherine Houston

Dragon Alliance PXV2 Goggles: Sun protection for a range of activities and conditions

Mountain Standards Gear Review: IFMGA/AMGA guide Mike Lewis has been using the Dragon Alliance PXV2 snow goggles this past winter. The goggles come with two fog- and scratch-resistant lenses, and feature a Swiftlock changing system that allowed him to swap out the lenses with gloved hands on a ski lift. He writes: “My suggested ideal uses for the Dragon PXV2 goggles include downhill resort skiing, heli and cat skiing, backcountry skiing, high altitude mountaineering and polar exploration.” Five stars.